Writing | Shawn L. Bird

quote- Jodi McIsaac on truth in storytelling November 7, 2013

Filed under: Literature,Quotations,Reading,Writing — Shawn L. Bird @ 3:03 am
Tags: Into the Fire, Jodi McIsaac, quotation, story

“So it’s not just stories you want, then” Maggie said, eyeing Cedar keenly. “You want the truth. Well, there is truth to be found in stories, that’s for certain.”

“Not all stories are true,” Eden piped up from her father’s lap.

“They’re always true about something, little one,” Maggie said, passing Eden another cookie. “If not about what actually happened, then maybe about the person telling the story–or about the person hearing it…”

(Jodi McIsaac Into the Fire p. 136)

I particularly like the last sentence there, because half of the story is in the reader, and the connections s/he makes with it. More than that though, is the very fact that the reader picked that story says something, as does that the writer wrote that story. Subconsciously intentional choices are all around us. 😉

Comments (7)

poem- NaNoWriMo doldrums November 6, 2013

Filed under: Poetry,Writing — Shawn L. Bird @ 7:21 pm
Tags: NaNoWriMo, poetry, procrastination, writing

NaNoWriMo

A month

to write

a novel

throughout the nations.

But on day 6

I already

require fibrillation.

So tired

So worn

and the end of day

My eyelids are drooping

and I think there’s no way

after pounding out emails

and working all day

I have any energy

for what writing entails.

But I’m half way through

a fun new novella

If I can just sit and type

avoid Facebook and Skype

write, write, write

then perhaps in spite

of procrastination

I’ll be able to sing

in celebration.

No need for special inspiration

just dedication to my narration.

Comments (36)

November 4, 2013

Filed under: Monday Meme,Poetry,Writing — Shawn L. Bird @ 4:44 pm

Here is a photo meme for you!

“secret place”

This photo was taken at the top of Fish Creek Park (by Parkland subdivision) in Calgary,

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Your assignment:

1. create a poem, story, or article based on this photo.

2. Post it on your blog.

3. Cut and paste the photo onto your post (leaving the Monday Meme text).

4. Put a link to your post in the comments to this post below so we can visit your blog.

I’m looking forward to seeing what you come up with! (I will leave a comment on your blog post itself, rather than posting in response to your link here).

.

Comments (7)

poem- joy in an email November 3, 2013

Filed under: Poetry,Writing — Shawn L. Bird @ 3:43 pm
Tags: email, joy, letters, news, sharing, words, writing

Your words are joy

Not just the message in them

but the fact you composed them

for me.

I am grateful

that you are in my world,

that you take time to write

for me.

Comments (8)

poem- kill the critic October 29, 2013

Filed under: Poetry,Writing — Shawn L. Bird @ 12:24 pm
Tags: alliteration, assonance, block, consonance, creativity, critic, doubt, editing, flow, freedom, inspiration, left brain, metaphor, repetition, rhyme, self-doubt, writers block, writing

Kill the critic:

let him drown in the

flow of your words.

Kill the critic:

let him sear in the

molten eruption

from the core of you.

Kill the critic:

let him smother

gasping against the tide

of your creativity,

.grasping at the emptiness

that was your insecurities.

Kill the critic:

be free.

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NB: I do not advocate murder of anything but the inner voice that tells you that you’re inadequate. Your inner critic has no business in your writing head-space. You can’t edit a blank page.

Comments (19)

poem- gathering October 22, 2013

Filed under: Poetry,Writing — Shawn L. Bird @ 11:31 pm
Tags: assonance, consonance, dancing, metaphor, rhyme, writing

She gathers words

Pulls them to her

Guides them along

Embraces them

Squeezes them

Entices them to dance

with her.

They spin together

in a furious

jubilation a

celebration an

ecstasy of gyration

She lets go

and words fly

spraying her soul

to the edges

of the universe.

Comments (35)

MondayMeme-walk carefully October 21, 2013

Filed under: Monday Meme,Poetry,Writing — Shawn L. Bird @ 7:38 am
Tags: A.Bigger.Picture.Photography, art, Monday Meme, photo, Photography, Picture, poem, poetry, Prairie Knutson, prompt, writing

Here is a photo meme for you!

“On the edge”

This photo is compliments of Prairie Knutsen from A.Bigger.Picture,Photography. I have some very talented former students, and this young photographer has delightfully interesting and innovative photos!

.

Your assignment:

1. create a poem, story, or article based on this photo.

2. Post it on your blog.

3. Cut and paste the photo onto your post (leaving the Monday Meme text).

4. Put a link to your post in the comments to this post below so we can visit your blog.

I’m looking forward to seeing what you come up with! (I will leave a comment on your blog post itself, rather than posting in response to your link here).

.

Comments (5)

Monday Meme- Pompeii October 14, 2013

Filed under: Monday Meme,Writing — Shawn L. Bird @ 12:20 am

Monday Meme:

mold of a victim killed in

the eruption of Vesuvius at Pompeii in 79 AD

(When they excavated the ruins of Pompeii, they found cavities that were formed by ash and rocks covering the victims. Archeologists in 1848 poured plaster into the cavities, and revealed the victims’ forms. Excavations of the ancient city have been ongoing in this area since 1600s).

Your assignment:

1. create a poem, story, or article based on this photo.

2. Post it on your blog.

3. Cut and paste the photo onto your post (leaving the Monday Meme text).

4. Put a link to your post in the comments to this post below so we can visit your blog.

I’m looking forward to seeing what you come up with! (I will leave a comment on your blog post itself, rather than posting in response to your link here).

.

Comments (27)

October 11, 2013

Filed under: Monday Meme,Poetry,Writing — Shawn L. Bird @ 11:47 pm

Monday Meme of the

Yaquina Head Lighthouse

Newport, Oregon

Your assignment:

1. create a poem, story, or article based on this photo.

2. Post it on your blog.

3. Cut and paste the photo onto your post (leaving the Monday Meme text).

4. Put a link to your post in the comments to this post below so we can visit your blog.

I’m looking forward to seeing what you come up with! (I will leave a comment on your blog post itself, rather than posting in response to your link here).

Comments (8)

poem- Nobel Alice October 10, 2013

Filed under: Poetry,Reading,Writing — Shawn L. Bird @ 11:26 pm
Tags: Alice Munro, literature, Nobel Prize, poem

They said

short stories were out of fashion

but you wrote them any way

They said

women didn’t make good

subjects for novels

but you wrote them anyway

They said

Canada doesn’t have a literary voice

along with Margaret, Hugh, Leonard, et al

you wrote one anyway.

They said

Alice is Nobel and you said,

‘I forgot that was today.’

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Congratulations to Canada’s Alice Munro who today received the Nobel Prize for Literature. Interviewed this morning on CBC she said that she’d forgotten today was the announcement, and when her daughter woke her at 4:00 to tell her she’d won, she said, “Won what?”

Of course, any way.

Comments (16)

Shawn L. Bird

Original poetry, commentary, and fiction. All copyrights reserved.

quote- Jodi McIsaac on truth in storytelling November 7, 2013