Caption It! Contest at How is Bradley?

Long-time followers know I love a good writercize accompanied by an image. Pictures are not only powerful communication tools - they are great fun to inspire captions and stories!

Today I ran across a post by a true to life friend that I wanted to share with all of you. He is starting up a weekly "Caption It" contest on his "How is Bradley?" blog. 

The blog in general is an invaluable resource for anyone struggling with bipolar disorder or weight loss - he is an honest and perceptive voice - but, the Caption It contest is all about humor. Brad is a really funny guy, and I always appreciate his unique ability to laugh in the face of adversity. 

I am fortunate to not face bipolar disorder or weight loss in my own life, but I certainly have family and friends whom I love and adore who deal with one or the other, and that portion of his blog helps me gain a deeper understanding of what they are dealing with.

Beyond that, I hope you will join me every Wednesday for a little humor with Brad as we find out what in the world he may ask us to caption. I won't totally give this week's photo away, because I want you to see it for yourself, but let's just say there is booty shaking and grumpy old men. Now, go. Have fun with it! I can't wait to see what you come up with!

Enviro-Poem - writercize #191

Today I just want to play with language and create sounds that flow off the tongue. I want to use words like pop, and slithery, and laden - pretty words and startling words. I want to feel them glide through my mind and out of my mouth and transport me to a place that is not my desk chair in the dim light of the night room.

Join me in this literary romp. 

Combine the tools of onomatopoeia (words that evoke a sound) and alliteration (same beginning letter). Challenge yourself to invoke the inner Latin in your soul and bring fanciful words to light. One does not share a secret, one engages in a clandestine conversation. A gem does not simply sparkle, it shoots stars from within. Play with similes and metaphors. Ooze with adjectives and adverbs. Forget about grammar and the writing rules, and just enjoy the sounds of language.

writercize: Pick a place that you love. Conjure the image, the sights, sounds and smells in your mind's eye. Now paint a picture of that place in words. An environmental piece of grammar-optional poetry.

Click "read more" for writercizer sample response. Please leave your writercize result in the comments below!

Descriptive Word Play - writercize #174 #AtoZChallenge

In March I posted a writercize called Feeling Fruity with very impressive results. 

I invited people to describe the fruit of their choice using descriptive words to describe all five senses. I challenged them to think beyond big, small, stinky, soft, to really garner the essence of the fruit. 

And describe it they did! I was drooling reading through the pictures they painted with words.

There is something to be said about the ability to describe an ordinary thing, such as a piece of fruit, and make it come to life. 

Imagine the marketing power of a wordsmith who can draw a client in with language. Imagine the success of a venture capitalist who can communicate their dream product perfectly. Imagine the movie rights for a novelist who can paint an entire world with words. (Hunger Games, anyone?

Today I challenge you to describe something. Describe its appearance, worth, untouchable essence, if you may, and work beyond simple adjectives to get there.

writercize: Pick an everyday object in your home (ie fridge, sweater, computer, hairbrush). Now describe everything important about it. 

Remember that appearance alone may not be what is most important ... purpose and relationship often count for something in the objects that surround us.

Please share in the comments, and be sure to leave your URL as well!

Click "read more" for writercizer sample response about a desk.

Get Outta Here! - writercize #170

As a writer, I spend altogether too much time inside my head, and I find that it is good practice to remind myself to turn off the computer, get away from the screen, put down the pen, turn off the voice in my head, and get out of the house for a nice long walk. So that is exactly what I want you to do today. Break away from your head, breathe deeply and live in the moment. Oh, and take a camera.

writercize: Reboot your creative juices by turning off the writer and open yourself up to new possibilities. Grab your camera and go for a walk around the neighborhood. 

Click a few photos of the world around you to record your journey and see the world in a different light.

Breathe. Smile. Skip, run, jump, walk backwards. Enjoy the spring and breathe in life. Whatever you do, do not compose any sort of story or description in your mind.

Inspiration will come later.

I'll be back with a photo from my walk later in the week for a new writercize for everyone to try, but today I will treat myself to a little reboot and pause from the writercize sample response for a day.

Color Me Purple - writercize #169

I would imagine that I could name any color and it would conjure up an image, a memory, an emotion in your mind. Colors are very powerful things. In movies they control our moods. In restaurants they control our appetites. In stores they control our buying impulses.

Perhaps control is too strong of a word. Let's switch that to influence. I certainly never like to admit something could have control over me.

Call it what you will, marketing gurus know that they can use color to sway your purchasing power, interior designers are confident that the right color choice will put you in the right mood. Quick in and out at fast food? Try yellow. Calm in a doctor's office? Paint light blue. 

Now, think of the color purple. Think of everything that purple evokes in you, and write about it. 

You can use this type of exercise in the future when placing your character in any environment. By recognizing the feelings that a particular color inspires, you can play with the colors that surround your characters at home and out in the world as you create the interiors and exteriors of their lives. This could be particularly powerful in memoir or novels written in first person.

writercize: Describe purple. 

You may use any method to describe purple, including poetry, a list, a character that is purple incarnate or a descriptive paragraph.

Please share your attempt as a comment, or link to your blog. I love to see what all you creative writercizers come up with!

Click "read more" for writercizer sample response.