A Quickwrite a Day:
‘Write your way through’...
Quickwrite #1: Grateful
Take a moment to think about something in your life right now that you are grateful for. It could be an object, an action, an activity--anything! What does it make you think, feel or wonder?
Check out Kate Di Camillo’s Facebook post on the left for some inspiration!
Quickwrite #2: New eyes
French writer Marcel Proust once wrote that “The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.” Have you seen anything with ‘new eyes’ recently? You could write about something that mattered a few weeks ago which doesn’t seem as important today, or vice versa - anything you like!
If you need inspiration, check out this excerpt on the left from John Marsden’s Tomorrow When the War Began .
“…I was dreaming of an ice cream I’d chucked out from the fridge at home a week earlier, because it had too many little ice crystals sticking to it. I’d have given anything to have had it back in my hand. I couldn’t believe how casually I’d thrown it away.”
(John Marsden, Tomorrow When the War Began, p.36)
Quickwrite #3: Emotions
In her book Awakening the Heart, poet Georgia Heard reminds readers that writers draw inspiration from “what’s in their hearts” and that writing from these feelings can “make order out of what often feels like chaos” and “reveal the meanings behind the confusing emotions”.
List or draw five emotions that you have experienced over the past week. Select one emotion from this list or drawing and write about it. If you need help, you might want to consider one of the following questions on the left.
Quickwrite #4: A Picture
Refer to an important image or photograph in your life, or take a photo of something that captures what this time in your life is like. Your photo could be a treasured family photo, an old photo from a time before you were born, a photo of friends, an ‘in the moment’ candid photo, a photo of an object, or even a room in your house!�What does your chosen image mean to you? Why did you select this image to write about? Why is it important? What does it make you feel, think or wonder? See Maxine Beneba-Clarke’s example on the left for inspiration.
Quickwrite #5: Shared experiences
In her book Postcards and Pearls, author Gina Greenlee talks about the power of connecting with people through shared experiences, and how this “create(s) community wherever we go.”
I’ve certainly felt that this week when I’ve been on my daily walks around the neighbourhood. More people are smiling at each other. More people are stopping to say hello (from a distance of course!). People are giving each other these looks as if to say, “I know, I know”.
A shared experience can be a powerful thing and can make us feel close to others, even though we might be physically apart. Have you had a shared experience? What was it like? How did it make you feel? How did you interact with others? Write about it!
Quickwrite #6: Lost and found
In her poem One Art, Elizabeth Bishop writes that “the art of losing isn’t hard to master.” In these strange times, we have all experienced loss in some form, whether that be the loss of familiar routines, employment, beloved pastimes, freedom of movement or close human interaction.
At the same time, there have been some wonderful things that have been rediscovered or found, like stretches of family time, creative projects, checking in on elderly neighbours, hand-written letters or drawings, messages of humour and hope in front windows, sitting quietly with one’s thoughts and a spirit of generosity and community.
What have you lost and found during this time? What has it been like for you? You might want to start with a ‘lost’ list and ‘found’ list and have a go at selecting one or two items to write about, or you might want to compare and contrast what has been lost and found during this time in your life.
Quickwrite #7: Word power
Margaret Atwood wrote, “a word after a word after a word is power”. In other words, language is a powerful thing.
With this in mind, think of a powerful word —any word—and write it at the top of your page. Next, jot down your thoughts, comments, questions, impressions and reactions that spring from that word.
Try not to censor yourself–write fast and freely.
Quickwrite #8: Humour
In his memoir Man’s Search for Meaning, Holocaust survivor Victor Frankl describes humour as giving human beings “an ability to rise above any situation, even if only for a few seconds” and as “some kind of a trick learned while mastering the art of living.”
On a daily walk past my niece’s house, I can see that they have taken this on board by putting up this ‘knock-knock’ joke in their front window (see the image on the left), as a way of building some silliness and brightness into their day. What silly moments or scenarios have you noticed, thought about or experienced in the past week?
You might want to consider funny memes or videos shared on social media, parodies or funny snippets of dialogue you have heard around the house. It could even be a fleeting thought of your own that you thought was funny. Jot it down and write about it. What was your reaction when you came across it and why?
Quickwrite #9: Comforts
In her novel Alyzon Whitestarr, Australian author Isobelle Carmody writes about the power of simple comforts —like flowers from the garden, the company of friends and family, a beautifully-set dinner table, the taste and smell of favourite foods and drinks — as “creating islands of beauty and peace” amongst the “sad and ugly things in the world.”
What objects, actions, people or rituals have brought you comfort recently? What happens to your five senses when you experience these comforts? How do they make you feel? Write about it!
Excerpts from the poem ‘Tea’ by Leila Chatti:
“Five times a day, I make tea. I do this
because I like the warmth in my hands, like the feeling
of self-directed kindness.”
“I do the small thing I know how to do
to care for myself. I am trying to notice joy,
which means survive.”
Quickwrite #10: What are you looking forward to?
Canadian author L.M Montgomery says that “Looking forward to things is half the pleasure of them.” This must have been the thinking behind the question that ABC News posed on social media yesterday!
To follow on from this, what are YOU looking forward to the most when things get back to normal? What will it be like to experience the things that you miss most? What will you appreciate, anew?
For inspiration, check out Georgia Heard’s beautiful poem ‘When Wishes Return’:
Georgia Heard, ‘When Wishes Return’:
Quickwrite #11: If these walls could talk
In her poem ‘nothing here needs fixing’, Maxine Beneba Clarke writes:
“If these walls could talk/they’d stand tall
and say there have been dark nights
and even darker days
but only tenderness was ever spoken”
What would the walls in your house say if they could talk? What sights, sounds, dialogue, impressions and feelings would they observe on a typical day in your house at the moment?
Make a list first, then use this list as inspiration for some writing. You can adopt any voice you like - a David Attenborough-style ‘documentary’ voice, the voice of a loving family member or a frustrated, comical voice - there are so many possibilities here!
Quickwrite #12: Windows
Writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie once reflected that when she feels uninspired, she does two things: she reads a book or she watches the world.
At this present time, a wonderful way to watch the world is to look out your windows.
What sights do you see from your window? What snippets of conversation can you hear? What stories —past and present—does the view from your window tell? Whose stories are told —human stories, or stories from the perspectives of animals, insects or objects? Could you tell the story of a bear or a rainbow in another window? Have you seen anything funny or out of the ordinary from your window?
For inspiration, check out Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s reflections on what she has seen from her window in Lagos on the left.
“I strain to listen to their conversations. Once I saw two of the mechanics in a raging but brief fight. Once I saw a couple walk past holding hands, not at all a common sight. Once, a young girl in a blue school uniform, hair neatly plaited, looked up and saw me, a complete stranger, and said, “Good morning, ma,” curtsying in the traditional Yoruba way, and it filled me with gladness. The metal bars on the window — burglary-proof, as we call it — sometimes give the street the air of a puzzle, jagged pieces waiting to be fit together and form a whole.”
(Adichie & Pericoli, 2010 New York Times ‘Windows on the World’ series)
Quickwrite #13: Things to Do...
We are a few weeks into social distancing and isolation, and it’s normal to feel bored at times. During those times when I feel bored, I like to remind myself of this quote by the philosopher Slavoj Zizek: “Without boredom, no creativity.”
A poem I recently came across, ‘Things to Do in the Belly of Whale’, explores feelings of boredom and frustration while trying to find meaning in a particular situation. Check it out on the left.
In the spirit of this poem, what does your list of ‘things to do’ at the moment look like? What would you like to do? What feelings are you experiencing along the way? Start with a list, then use it as inspiration for your writing.
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Quickwrite #14: Hands
Childhood educator Maria Montessori once said, “what the hand does, the mind remembers.” With our hands, we feel our way through life and connect with our world. Every hand tells a story. Spoken word poet Sarah Kay captures this idea in her poem ‘Hands’, on the left.
What stories do your hands tell? What have you held, felt, treasured or done with them? Have a go at tracing around your hand and brainstorming what your hands have touched and held in their lifetime, or over the past few weeks. Then, choose one or more of these ideas to write about. See my example on the left of what one could look like.
*Adapted from Penny Kittle’s hand mapping notebook activity.
“some people read palms to tell your future, but I read hands to tell your past,
each scar marks the story worth telling, each calloused palm,
each cracked knuckle is a missed punch or years in a factory”
Quickwrite #15: Music in your head and heart
Musician Keith Richards once described music as “a language that doesn’t speak in particular words”, but in “emotions”. Billy Joel said it is “something we are touched by” regardless of culture or background.
For many of us, hearing a particular song can transport us back to a specific time or place and make us feel like we are there. It can make you think of certain people, or the person you were when you first heard the song. I know that every time I hear a Neil Young song, I think of long drives throughout country Victoria, watching the leaves turn brown on the way to my grandmother’s house with my dad.
Music can make us laugh, cry or psych our energy up. It can comfort, lull, heal and connect. What songs are stuck in your head and heart right now? What music will remind you of this time in your life? Sketch or make a list of the song titles, music and lyrics that represent this time for you, or have perhaps comforted you. See where it takes you and use this as inspiration to write!
Quickwrite #16: Endings, Beginnings and Changes
Poet and author C. Joybell C. writes that “ends are not bad things, they just mean that something else is about to begin.” This got me thinking about life right now—while many of our favourite things seemed to have ended for the time being, if you look closely, you might be able to see some new beginnings or changes.
For example, today, when I went for my daily walk, I saw flocks of birds gather in a spot where I am usually lucky to spot five or six of them. This was a beautiful thing to observe and wouldn’t have been possible if there were lots of people around like there normally are. In the stillness and quiet, the birds have returned, and to me, that counts as a new beginning or change. I was glad I was there to experience it and part of me hopes that this is a change we can keep when things go back to normal, although I know that when the crowds of people come back the birds are likely to fly away.
What changes or new beginnings have you noticed in your life or around you that you would not have experienced before? Which changes would you like to stick around when this emergency situation is over and why? Write about it!
Quickwrite #17: Write about a person!
In the film Good Will Hunting, Robin Williams’ character Sean Maguire talks about “the wonderful little idiosyncrasies” and “imperfections” that made his wife who she was, along with the “little things” she did that made up “the good stuff” in his life. At this time, some of us are living in close quarters with our families and guardians like we never have before, whereas others might be thinking about the people we miss most.
With this in mind, think about the quirks and imperfections of a person you love or miss at the moment. Consider:
Jot down a list first, then write something about it!
See my sample QuickWrite on the left.
Quickwrite #18: The Conversations Around Us
In a TED-Ed video, educator Nadia Kalman says we can gain inspiration for our writing by eavesdropping on the conversations around us. This must have been what English teacher and writer Jessica Salfia had in mind when she decided to do something similar, and write a poem that contained the first lines of the emails she received while living under quarantine. Check it out on the left.
Using this as inspiration, what snippets of conversation, headlines or ‘one-liners’ have you heard or seen in the last few weeks? These can be funny or serious, repetitive lines, or perhaps they capture the mood of the time. Have a go at making a list first, then see what kind of writing grows from this. It might be a poem like Jessica Salfia’s, or maybe it'll become a list of ‘dos’ and ‘don’ts’. Get creative and see where it takes you!
Quickwrite #19: Shake it off!
In The Diary of a Young Girl, Anne Frank wrote “I can shake off anything as I write.” At a time when people are probably dealing with a roller-coaster or emotions, writing can be a good release.
In this spirit of release, think about the things you have seen, heard, felt or experienced that have made you feel frustrated lately. These can range from things like listening to people chewing noisily, to not being able to see your friends in person. Jot your frustrations down in list form first, choose one of them and write about it --see where it takes you. You might want to ask yourself:
For inspiration, check out the excerpt from Karen Foxley’s Lenny’s Book of Everything on the left.
“When you are sad, you feel it in your heart, and when you are in love, you feel it too. The heart is always paining or fluttering or lurching or slowing down in misery. We ran home through the blustery streets and my heart was big as a goldfish bowl in my chest. The wind tugged at us. It pushed us...We were both crying.”
Quickwrite #20: A Snapshot in Time
Documentary photographer Robert Frank once said that photos must contain “the humanity of the moment.”
At this moment, photographers around the world are capturing snapshots of strange sights in the midst of the current crisis we are living in: empty shopping strips, workers wearing masks, empty supermarket shelves. The Guardian Australia and Sydney Morning Herald have recorded what Australia’s major cities currently look like in pictures --available here and here.
To spark some writing ideas, take your own picture or select an existing picture that represents the current moment. What do you see? What does this picture make you think, feel or wonder? Read the reflection on the left from Brook Mitchell, a photographer from the Sydney Morning Herald, for inspiration.
Quickwrite #21: Living in the Age of...
The famous opening lines to Charles Dickens’ novel about the French Revolution, A Tale of Two Cities, start like this:
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way…”
Drawing on this, what kind of ‘age’ do you think we are living in right now? What words capture what it’s like at this point in time? What ‘times’ or ‘seasons’ are we experiencing?
Start with a list, then have a go at writing a paragraph that captures what it’s like to be living through this moment in history. If you need inspiration, check out the questions on the left.
Quickwrite #22: 6-Word Memoir
2015 Global Teacher of the Year Nancie Atwell says that memoirs can “invite [people] to tell [their own] truths” and “give them shape.” A funny version of this was kickstarted by American television show host Jimmy Fallon recently when he asked his readers to describe their quarantine experience in six words on Twitter, after sharing his own:
The responses to this ranged from the hilarious to ‘sad but true’. See a few examples on the left.
With this in mind, come up with your own 6-word memoir or tweet that sums up your experience. You might want to ask a friend or family member to write theirs and share, or add yours to Jimmy Fallon’s twitter thread: https://twitter.com/hashtag/MyQuarantineInSixWords
Have a go and have fun with it!
Quickwrite #23: Trying and Failing at Something New
Recently, television host and comedian Laura Daniel tried to make a cake that was a replica of the New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s face (see picture on the left). This made a lot of people chuckle (or perhaps scream in fright, I don’t know). ABC Life even wrote this piece about it over the weekend, saying that a lot of people are spending time at home at the moment and are producing “misshapen bread loaves”, “wonky knitting” and “attempts to draw pigeons” and that now is a great time for some of us to try new things, fail at them and learn!
With this in mind, what new things have you tried or do you want to try during this time? What things have you failed at and learnt from? What made you laugh? What lessons did you learn? Jot these down and choose one thing to write about. Check out an excerpt from the ABC Life article on the left for inspiration.
Right now, the spirit of the fresh attempt is strong. So strong, in fact, there's a flour shortage. I'll admit, I am not a baker. Yet I've been on a quest to bake the best chocolate chip cookies ever, by scouring the internet armed with the search term 'the best chocolate chip cookie recipe ever', then going to my favourite bakery for flour. So far, I've tried three different recipes. One claims to be from a famous cookie shop in New York. They're thick! And crunchy on the outside and super gooey in the middle. They turned out so good I've decided to start a recipe book I will one day pass on to my unborn kids. Whatever else isolation has done to me, I'm baking more than I ever have. I think it's a nice way to pass the time, and because I can't just go out on a whim, I'm trying to recreate a lot of dishes I enjoy eating out, which has also given me a newfound appreciation for how long it takes to make delicious food.
Quickwrite #24: From the perspective of the animals
Recently, there have been a lot of ‘nature is healing’ social media posts that have gone out into the world, some serious, some not so serious, like these:
I had my own moment like this during the week, with the birds in my local area taking over an anchored canoe appearing as if they were about to go on an adventure (see photo on the left).
With this in mind, what do you think this current moment would look like from the perspective of the animals in this world? Would they be celebrating and partying? Plotting our destruction? Dazed and confused? Watching and judging from a distance? Warring with each other? Have a go at writing about it! For inspiration, check out the dog’s diary and cat’s diary entries on the right.
Quickwrite #25: What place is this, anyway?
Russian writer Anton Chekhov once gave this advice about writing: “Don’t tell me the moon is shining, show me the glint of light on broken glass.” In other words, show your reader what’s happening, don’t tell!
Joyce Sutphen seems to have taken his advice in her poem ‘Things I Know’ (see a part of this poem on the left). In this poem, the sights, smells, sounds and feelings of farm life are described, but not once does the poet say she’s on a farm. Instead, she lets her descriptions paint a picture in readers’ minds.
With this in mind, choose a room or space in your house, or another place that is special to you. Describe:
Don’t give away the name of the room/place or give clues that are too obvious!
Have a go at writing a ‘Things I know’ poem, a riddle or a paragraph that describes what it’s like to be in that place. Optional: read out loud to someone to see if they can guess the room or place you have written about!
Quickwrite #26: You can’t pour from an empty cup
There’s a widely quoted saying that goes something like this: “you can’t pour from an empty cup.” In other words, you can’t keep giving, doing and working without stopping to take care of yourself. But what does taking care of yourself look like?
Some people like quiet, reading and cosy blankets, whereas others like fresh air, jokes, exercising and socialising. Some of us like both! Take a look at this pie chart on the left from stacieswift.com to get an idea of what it might look like for one person.
With this in mind, draw or jot down the things you do to take care of yourself. What do you find comforting or soothing? What makes you feel energised and replenished?
Draw or jot these down, then select one or two things from the list to write about. You can write reflectively about your own experience, or creatively about a character you have invented. The choice is yours!
Quickwrite #27: Letters to books, movies or albums
There have been a lot of book, album and movie challenges on social media lately involving people sharing the best books, albums, movies or songs they’ve come across in their lives. Here are a few examples:
In the spirit of these challenges, draw or make a list of your:
OR your:
Choose one of these from your list. If have chosen from your ‘Top 5’ list, write a love/appreciation letter to it, writing about the impact it’s had on you.
If you’ve picked something from your ‘Worst 5’ list, write a break-up letter explaining why you don’t like it and need to part ways. For inspiration, see an example of a letter to the picture story book The Giving Tree from librarian Annie Spence (on the left).
...
Dear The Giving Tree,
You broke my heart. It started out so sweet with you. I thought you were about being, you know, giving, and how generosity fills us all up with happiness. It was all little children skipping around in the woods --for a while.
...This tree you talk about keeps giving and giving and GIVING and you say she’s happy, but I don’t know. The little boy brands her with his initials, takes everything she has, and leaves. And she’s happy about it? The End?
...Tree was not happy. My girl was suffering. First off, she is the only tree in that goddamn forest. No other trees to commiserate with her or advise her against all that giving. Then that punk comes and takes all her leaves and apples…
...You took from me, Giving Tree. You took and you took and you took. And I’m still giving, but now I’m giving you up.
How Do You Like Them Apples?
Annie
Quickwrite #28: Food that feeds your soul
In some places in the world, comfort food is having a moment. Famous Italian chefs are teaching people how to make pasta at home. Airy loaves of sourdough grace people’s Facebook and Instagram news feeds. Simple 5-ingredient recipes are swapped, and people are making warming soups with whatever is left in the pantry at the end of the week. My own neighbours have been dropping off different sweets every week: Anzac biscuits, chocolate chip cookies, carrot cake smothered in cream cheese icing (yes, I am humble-bragging about my generous, dessert-baking neighbours --wouldn’t you?). Even simple pleasures like the crunch of plain toast bring comfort.
With this in mind, what kinds of foods make you feel calm, satisfied and cared-for? What sensations do you experience when you eat this food? How do you feel? What does it remind you of?
If you’re hungry, go to your fridge or pantry right now, eat some of this food and write down what you are sensing (what you taste, smell, feel, see, hear). You might even think about food that your loved ones make and what it’s like to gather around the table for a satisfying meal. Write about it!
For inspiration, check out the last stanza of the poem ‘In Praise of Okra’ on the left and take a look at the pictures of Time Magazine’s feature on what some kids around the world eat in one week.
Quickwrite #29: Write about an artefact
The history of our lives can be found in the objects and items we hold onto - every object has a story, however long or short.
With this in mind, write about an artefact or cherished item – e.g. tickets, figurines, birthday cards, photos, medals, jewellery, a childhood toy, letters, a musical instrument, a piece of sporting equipment, etc.
You can:
•Write about the ‘backstory’ of the artefact
•Write about why the artefact is important and what value, emotion or idea it represents in your life
•Write about a scene taking place from the artefact’s perspective (eg: ‘If the football under my bed could talk…’)
For inspiration, check out the example on the left.
*Adapted from Kelly Gallagher’s Write Like This
Quickwrite #30: Texts from Katniss Everdeen
In the book Texts from Jane Eyre, famous book characters from Katniss Everdeen to Harry Potter are brought to life as the author imagines what these characters would say if they could text. Check out the Texts from Jane Eyre example of communication between The Hunger Games characters on the left.
With this in mind, choose a favourite book or movie character and think about who they would be texting right now. What would they be saying? Would they be laughing, teasing someone or expressing frustration? What situations could you have them texting about?
Have a go at drawing/writing this ‘text dialogue’ and see where the silliness takes you!
Quickwrite #31: ‘I’ve Got This’
After finding himself adrift on a life raft in the middle of the ocean, the main character from the book Life of Pi goes from “weeping” and “giving up” to becoming “bold”, “more agile” and a “better hunter” over time. He faces his fears and feels stronger for it —having experienced lots of ‘I’ve got this’ moments (involving catching fish and taming a tiger, to name a few!).
‘I’ve got this’ moments are those times in life when we face our fears and do things we never thought we could do, discovering newfound strengths, resilience and abilities to take on new challenges.
With this in mind, have you ever had an ‘I’ve got this’ moment, where you faced a fear or did something you never thought you could do? What did it feel like? What helped you find the strength you needed? What did you discover about yourself? Write!
Quickwrite #32: Colours, flavours, music
When reflecting on writing, author Pawan Mishra says that authors should “create a world” for readers that they can “taste, smell, touch, hear, see and move” through.
With this in mind, think about a strong feeling or a memory you have. Now think, if it were a colour, what would it be and why? What flavour would it be? What kind of music would it be? You might want to start with a list, then write. Read the example on the left for inspiration.
Quickwrite #33: 36 Hours in...
The New York Times has a long-running feature called the ‘36-hours column’, which gives readers top suggestions on how to spend a weekend in different cities around the world. Recently, the N.Y. Times asked its readers to send in their suggestions about how to spend 36 hours at home, writing in the ‘spirit of travel’. On the left is an example of what some readers suggested regarding how to spend a Sunday morning —you can find the full article here.
Imagine you are putting together a ‘36-hour list’ for someone about how to best spend a weekend where you live. What would your 36 hours itinerary look like? What are the best things you can do throughout the day? Think about hobbies, social interactions (virtual and immediate), exercise, food, games, books and movies. See more ideas here.
Quickwrite #34: What do you hope for?
Poet Emily Dickinson once described hope as a “thing with feathers/that perches in the soul.” Writer Rebecca Solnit captured it as an “embrace of the unknown” and a “power you don’t have to throw away.” Author Laini Taylor in ‘Daughter of Smoke and Bone’ puts it plainly: “when you know what you hope for most and hold it like a light within you, you can make things happen.”
With this in mind, what do you hope for most of all at the moment? What does it make you think, feel or dream of? What does hoping for it make you want to do? You might even consider what life would be like if you didn’t hope. Whichever direction you choose, write about it!
QuickWrite #35: Write a letter to an object
Think about an object that is important to you. It could be something that reminds you of a family member, a happy memory, sport, a book you love or hate— anything!
Write a letter to this object expressing the role it has played in your life. You might want to make a list first about important memories with the object, the people it reminds you of, what it makes you think about or how it makes you feel.
Look at the beginning of Kobe Bryant’s ‘Dear Basketball’ letter-poem on the right to see an example of something like this. To see a video of the whole letter-poem, click here.
QuickWrite #36: Worlds within worlds
On a walk around my neighbourhood last week, I came across the strangest formation of mushrooms I’ve ever seen (see photo on the right). They looked like tiny skyscrapers in a little world of their own, and I began to imagine a world where blades of grass were as tall as trees and insects lived inside the mushrooms and went on adventures every day.
With this kind of thinking in mind, take a good look around you and think about what ‘worlds within worlds’ you can see or imagine. You might want to think about the world within a glass of water, inside a pot plant, in a painting or a photograph - anything you like. Now ask yourself: Who lives inside this world? What do they do? What does a typical day in this world look like? Spend some time asking ‘what if?’ and begin to write!
QuickWrite #37: The Joy of Missing Out
Some of us have heard of ‘FOMO’ --the fear of missing out --but what about ‘JOMO’, the joy of missing out?
Sometimes, missing out on things can help you slow down and notice what’s really important, bringing deeper connections to the world around you, richer relationships with other people and more joy. Before long, you might even realise that you are actually happy about missing out on something. Other times, you might just be happy to miss out on an activity because you don’t really like it!
Reflecting on this, what kinds of things are you happy to be missing out on at the moment? Here are a few ideas:
Make a list of your own and then choose one thing to write about. You might want to start with ‘I won’t miss______ because…’, or you can think of your own way of beginning. Consider: Why is it a joy for you to miss out on this item from your list? What has missing out on this thing made you think about, feel or realise?
QuickWrite #38: ABC
Jot down each letter of the alphabet. Next to each letter, think of a word starting with that letter that captures something about what the last few weeks have been like for you, or which capture something about a topic of your choice (eg: everyday life, a list of favourites, holidays, comic books, your hometown, football, etc.).
See the example below:
When you are finished, choose a few items from the list and write about them: what do these things remind you of? What are the stories behind these items on your list? What memories do you have of these things? What thoughts or feelings come up when you consider these things? What have you wondered about these things?
See the example on the left that was taken from an ABC list about everyday life.
“Birthmark:
I have a birthmark on my left arm. As a child I thought it looked like a bear, or Africa, depending on the angle. I would often draw an eye and a mouth on it; sometimes I would allow a friend to do so. To look at my birthmark was to remind myself I was me.”
(Amy Krouse Rosenthal, Encyclopedia of an Everyday Life, p. 41)
QuickWrite #39: In the voice of an inanimate object
In QuickWrite of the Day #35, we invited you to write a letter to an object, using Kobe Bryant’s letter-poem ‘Dear Basketball’ as an example to get your ideas flowing. Now, imagine if an inanimate object could talk or write back to you?
With this in mind, select an inanimate object. It could be something in your room, under your bed, a beloved object, a forgotten object, an old toy, a favourite book, an overused object —anything you like! Think about what life might be like from the perspective of your object. What kind of voice would this object have if it could talk or write to you? What would it say? Have a go at writing this down and see where it takes you! See the excerpt ont he left from Drew Daywelt and Oliver Jeffers’ book The Day the Crayons Quit for an example of this kind of writing, from the perspective of a purple crayon.
QuickWrite #40: I wasn’t expecting that
Sometimes when we face challenges in life, we discover unexpected things about ourselves: new likes/dislikes, unique qualities, a strength we never knew we had, a different sense of humour, a new way of seeing the world, or new and changed relationships.
With this in mind, what unexpected things have you discovered about yourself this year? What caused this discovery? What moments stand out to you when you think about this? What was it like before, during and after this discovery? Start with a list, then write!
For inspiration, check out the ‘moral of the story’ reflection of one of the characters from John Green’s book An Abundance of Katherines on the left.
“And the moral of the story is that you don’t remember what happened. What you remember becomes what happened. And the second moral of the story, if a story can have multiple morals, is that Dumpers are not inherently worse than Dumpees--breaking up isn’t something that gets done to you; it’s something that happens with you”
QuickWrite #41: Untranslatable words
‘Meraki’ is a beautiful, untranslatable Greek word that means ‘actions from the heart’ or a labour of love. It means to do something with complete passion and devotion. When I think about this word, I’m reminded of my grandmother lovingly stooping to tend to her tomato plants and to touch the yellow cucumber flowers, or my grandfather slowly peeling an apple with his knife and popping sweet pieces of fruit into his mouth, cherishing each bite. I wish there was an equivalent word in English that could sum all of these impressions up, but there isn’t!
Do you know a word in another language that can’t be translated into a single English word? If you don’t speak another language, think about a word from the place that you’re from (eg: an Australian slang word) that makes sense to those who are familiar with it but not to anyone else. What pictures spring to mind when you think of this word? What —or who—does it remind you of? How might you describe it to someone who doesn’t know much about it? What’s it like? Write and draw about it!
For inspiration, check out the examples of ‘untranslatable words’ from other languages on the left, from the book Lost in Translation by Ella Frances Sanders.
QuickWrite #42: Remember
Author Tad Williams once said:
"Never make your home in a place. Make a home for yourself inside your own head. You'll find what you need to furnish it--memory, friends you can trust, love of learning, and other such things. That way it will go with you wherever you journey."
With this in mind, think about the things --people, sights, sounds, smells, objects, small moments --that you would like to remember the most about this time. Jot down a list, then begin writing! You might want to write descriptively, or perhaps you would like to write a poem. See where it takes you and check out Joy Harjo’s poem ‘Remember’ on the left for inspiration.
QuickWrite #43: History of a Name
In Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson and The Lightning Thief, the main character, Percy, is constantly reminded that “names have power.” For some people, names carry a connection to who they are and where they come from, or make people feel recognised and seen. Others might feel that their names don’t quite ‘match’ who they are, or they might dislike them.
With this in mind, think about your first name, middle name or family name. Pick one and jot it down at the top of a page and write about it! You might want to write about:
For an example, check out the Quickwrite on the left.
*This strategy has been adapted from Aimee Buckner’s Notebook Connections, p. 16
QuickWrite #44: Smells like/Tastes like...
Consider the tastes and smells of your childhood, or think about your favourite smells and tastes. Brainstorm a quick list. Here’s my example of tastes and smells from childhood:
Now, choose one thing from your list that has a good story to it and write about why you still remember it. See the example from Kelly Gallagher’s Write Like This on the left.
I miss my grandmother’s pies…but I suspect the reason I miss them is because I miss my grandmother. Thinking about sitting in her kitchen smelling her pies reminds me of all the Thanksgivings I spent at her house. It brings me to the importance of family and tradition. Now, as an adult, I a literally writing this paragraph on an early Thanksgiving morning, and I will be sure to savor the time with my family later today when we are sitting around the kitchen smelling my wife’s pies as they are baking.
QuickWrite #45: Crossing that bridge
When I look at this picture, I am reminded of a quote from the Garth Nix book Sabriel: “Does the walker choose the path, or the path the walker?” I’m wondering what’s on the other side of this bridge, and am thinking about what might happen if a person crosses it, and what they’ll find on the other side. There are so many unknowns to ponder!
What questions pop into YOUR mind when you look at this picture? Jot them down and choose a few as inspiration for your writing. You could:
Just let go, write nonstop for a few minutes and see where it takes you!
QuickWrite #46: Favourite lines
Brainstorm a list of your favourite first lines from the books you’ve read that resonate with your right now. You can list them, make a visual map, collage or a graffiti page --anything you like!
Pick one line and write about it:
See the example on the left for inspiration.
“Brave doesn’t mean you’re not scared. It means you go on even though you’re scared.”
The above quote from Angie Thomas’ The Hate U Give redefines what it means to be brave and challenges the idea that courageous people charge into fearsome situations without feeling frightened at all. It makes me think about how there’s a difference between feeling your fear and being a complete slave to it, and how it takes a strong person to master their own anxieties and dread in the face of daunting, challenging situations.
QuickWrite #47: Dear Australia
Australia Post have created a National Letterbox and are inviting everyday people to share their experiences of life during the COVID-19 pandemic. They’re working with the National Archives of Australia to keep some ‘Dear Australia’ letters as historical records for future generations to look back on this time.
Australia Post have said that these letters can contain messages of hope, descriptions of how your life has been changed at this time, stories about community spirit and artwork.
If you were going to write a ‘Dear Australia’ letter (or if you are not from Australia, a letter to the country you are from), what would you say? If you have completed some writing about this time in your life, have a look at it and see if you can anything that stands out to you. Start brainstorming, and quickly draft your own ‘Dear Australia’ letter! You can revise it into a more polished piece later.
For inspiration, check out the examples on the left. For more information, click on the video at left. If you want to send your letter to the National Letterbox, place it in a stamped envelope, make sure you clearly state on the face of the letter that it is from your parent/guardian and yourself, and make sure it is addressed to:
Dear Australia
Locked Bag
Australia 9999
QuickWrite #48: Writing from a song: Took the Children Away
Sometimes we can find inspiration for writing if we pay attention to what is happening around us and tune in to our history, songs and stories. Today, the 26th May, marks National Sorry Day. In the words of Reconciliation Australia, National Sorry Day “remembers and acknowledges the mistreatment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who were forcibly removed from their families and communities, which we now know as ‘The Stolen Generations.’”
North-West Queensland teenager Wayne Burke says National Sorry Day is about recognition for him and his family: “It means to me that my people are finally recognised and acknowledged by a government, showing they care.” Thomas Mullins, another young indigenous man, says it “means a lot” to him and his family, because he had “grandparents on both sides being in the Stolen Generations, getting taken away from their families and being taught the white people way. Being taught to be their servants.”
On the left, are some excerpts from Archie Roach’s song about the Stolen Generations, ‘Took the Children Away.’ Select a line you find striking, moving or thought-provoking. What does it make you think, feel, or wonder? What does today mean to you?
*Quotes from young people from an ABC feature article, available here.
From: Archie Roach, Took the Children Away
QuickWrite #49: Looks can be deceiving
You’ve probably heard the saying that appearances can be deceiving. With this in mind, jot down something about you that no one would be able to guess at first glance.
You might want to start with a list beginning with “You wouldn’t be able to guess that I...”. Next, choose one item from the list and write about it! What do you think or feel about it?
To see an example of this kind of writing, check out the paragraph on the left.
At first glance, when people see a 157cm-tall woman who is bookish, gentle and says “sorry” a lot, no one would guess that I used to compete in Tae Kwon Do tournaments. No one knows I can snap a plank of wood in half with my heel or palm. No one knows I can calculate how to outmanoeuvre a stronger attacker, or block an incoming punch to the head. No one knows I have trained how to fall, roll, and get up again, how to count in Korean, and how to achieve a state of flow when moving in form. Although I’m rusty at all of this a decade and-a-half and a back surgery later, it still tickles me to see people’s eyebrows disappear into their hairlines when I tell them.
QuickWrite #50: Self portrait
The photoblog Humans of New York contains pictures of people with quotes and short stories from their lives (see example on the left). The photographer Brandon Stanton photographs people, interviews them and then selects a short quote to display with the picture.
With this in mind, take or choose a photo of yourself and conduct a self-interview. You might want to ask yourself:
Look at the picture and write fast and freely. See what comes to mind!
“I was five when he became a person in my world. I didn’t know exactly who he was. I just knew that there was someone around that was making my mother smile. I had to look way up to see him. I’d never met someone so strong. He’d tell me to hold onto his wrist, and he’d lift me into the sky with one hand. He worked at an auto shop, airbrushing designs onto the side of vans. I think he dreamed of being an artist. But he needed something more stable. So after he decided to marry my mom, he became a cop. He never lost touch with his creative side. He was always building things around the house, making things look fancier than we could afford. He built my first bike from scraps. He encouraged me to read. He encouraged me to write. He loved giving me little assignments. He’d give me a quarter every time I wrote a story. Fifty cents if it was a good one. Whenever I asked a question, he’d make me look it up in the encyclopedia. One day he built a little art studio at the back of our house. And he painted a single painting, a portrait of Sting that he copied from an album cover. But he got busy with work and never used the studio again. He was always saying: ‘when I retire.’ ‘I’ll go back to art, when I retire.’ ‘I’ll show in a gallery, when I retire.’ But that time never came. Dad was a cop for twenty years. He was one of the good ones... But in 1998 he was diagnosed with MS. First there was a little weakness. Then there was a cane. Then there was a wheelchair. It got to the point where he couldn’t even hold a paintbrush...During his final days, we were going through his possessions, one by one. He was telling me who to give them to. I pulled the Sting painting out of an old box, and asked: ‘What should I do with this?’ His response was immediate. ‘Give it to Sting,’ he said. All of us started laughing. But Dad grew very serious. His eyes narrowed. He looked right at me, and said: ‘Give it to Sting.’ So I guess that’s my final assignment.”
QuickWrite #51: About this time, I get the urge to...
Sometimes, when we are getting ready for a change in scenery that we’ve experienced before, we might feel an urge to participate in rituals or do certain things we usually do to prepare ourselves to enter into the new. This might happen when we think about the transition from winter to spring, from the school holidays to the first day of school, from our school routine to the summer holidays, when we approach Christmas season or the beginning of Ramadan, when the weekend is coming up, or when we move house or visit someone over the weekend.
On the left, is an example of a writer’s thoughts about approaching a return to school, beginning with “Every year about this time I get the urge to…”
With this in mind, have a go at writing your own “I get the urge to…” paragraph about a change or transition you experience at certain points in the year or week. What images pop up in your mind when you think about this transition? Have a go and write!
*Sentence and exercise from The Writer’s Workout Book by Art Peterson
Every year about this time I get the urge to buy a copybook. And some of those little rectangular pink erasers that look good enough to eat. And a whole lot of those round reinforcements, which were supposed to be pasted around the holes in your loose-leaf paper but were more often made into designs on the inside cover of your loose leaf binder.
-Anna Quindlin, New York Times, available here.
QuickWrite #52: Strange, beautiful words
Every now and then, we come across strangely beautiful words that name precise impressions or objects. Some of the words I found which match this description are featured below:
Have a go at finding some of your own strange, beautiful words which you thought didn’t exist, that give precise names to things. Choose one of these words and write about it. What does it make you think, feel, wonder? What does it remind you of?
QuickWrite #53: Reflecting on current events
Recently, several protests against police brutality and racism have erupted in America and around the world after George Floyd, an unarmed black man, was killed by police.
In light of these events, today’s QuickWrite asks you to reflect on a quote by American activist, academic and author Angela Davis who said:
“It is not enough to be non-racist, we must be actively anti-racist.”
What does this quote mean to you? What do you think the difference is between being ‘not racist’ and ‘actively anti-racist’? If you’re not sure, see if you can do some research about it and write a personal reflection.
To see an ABC BTN news report for children and young people about the recent protests in America, click here.
For information about how to stand up to racism, see ReachOut Australia’s guide for young people here and the Australian Human Rights Commission ‘Racism: It Stops with Me’ campaign, information and resources page, available here. To see a list of resources for Australian anti-racist actions, donation sites and letter templates to contact MPs regarding deaths in custody, click here.
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Image from BTN video News Report
QuickWrite #54: Walking with
In light of Reconciliation week which was celebrated last week, today’s QuickWrite is centred around some powerful words from the Uluru Statement from the Heart, which was put together by indigenous delegates from all over Australia in 2017. This statement calls for several changes, including a First Nations voice to parliament be recognised in the Australian Constitution so indigenous Australians can have a say in the laws and policies that impact their lives. The Uluru statement is addressed to the Australian public, and its last line reads:
“We invite you to walk with us in a movement of the Australian people for a better future”
Reflecting on this line, what does it mean to “walk with” a person? What actions might a person take to “walk with” someone else? You might want to brainstorm first, then do a bit of research. Start with list, then write!
To research or learn more, see ABC BTN news reports and videos on indigenous recognition here and treaty here. You can also find comprehensive information about the Uluru Statement on the ‘From the Heart’ website here. To hear an ABC Radio National interview about it, click here.
Image from Fairfax media, available here.
QuickWrite #55: Shades of feeling
In her book My Private Property, poet Mary Ruefle writes about the different types of sadness she has experienced, likening these different ‘sadnesses’ to colours. Some of her examples are shown on the left.
With this in mind, have a go at the following:
“Gray sadness is the sadness of paper clips and rubber bands, of rain and squirrels and chewing gum, ointments and unguents and movie theaters. Gray sadness is the most common of all sadnesses, it is the sadness of sand in the desert and sand on the beach, the sadness of keys in a pocket, cans on a shelf, hair in a comb, dry-cleaning, and raisins.”
“Brown sadness is the simple sadness. It is the sadness of huge upright stones. That is all. It is simple. Huge, upright stones surround the other sadnesses, and protect them. A circle of huge, upright stones — who would have thought it?”
“Yellow sadness is the surprise sadness. It is the sadness of naps and eggs, swan’s down, sachet powder and moist towelettes. It is the citrus of sadness, and all things round and whole and dying like the sun possess this sadness, which is the sadness of the first place; it is the sadness of explosion and expansion…”
QuickWrite #56: Different river, different person
Greek philosopher Heraclitus once said “no man ever steps in the same river twice, for it’s not the same river and he’s not the same man.” Apart from needing to swap the word ‘man’ for person’ and ‘he’s’ for ‘they’re’, this quote is a valuable one because it prompts people to think about how nothing ever stays the same, because people change and so do their surroundings, from one moment to the next.
With this in mind, think of two similar situations you’ve experienced in your life. You might think about two different birthdays, Two different moves, first days of school or the births of different siblings. Or if you live in the Australian state of Victoria, you might think about the current July lockdown and the April lockdown.
Compare the different situations and versions of you as a person during each point in time - what changed/is changing the second time around? How is the situation different? How are you different? Jot down a list and write!
QuickWrite #57: The last photo...
Look at the last photo that you took on your phone. If you don’t want to use that, choose:
Use this photo as inspiration to write. You might want to write about:
Have a look at the short example on the left.
I took this photo last night in the eerie hour before dusk. I’d been strolling along the Norfolk pines dotting the esplanade, when the hazy swirl of the sky and the rocky outreach caught my eye. It reminds me of a watercolour painting or something you’d see in a mystery or fantasy film, like a road to another world or dimension. I wonder what a character in one of those films would do if faced with this sight?
QuickWrite #58: Picking a name
Performance poet, speaker and storyteller Sophia’s Thakur’s first written collection of poetry Somebody Give this Heart a Pen gives voice to her experiences as a young black woman trying to navigate and make sense of the complexities of the world.
In the poem on the left called ‘Picking a name’, she encourages us to think about what we are called, and what we want to answer to.
When you read this poem, what does it make you think, feel or imagine? What names do you want to answer to?
You might start by listing all the different ways that people describe you. Then, jot down the qualities that you like most about yourself, the things that make you who you are that you are most proud of. Use this list to inspire your own writing about the names you would pick for yourself that you would like to answer to.
QuickWrite #59: From another pair of eyes
Jot down a description of a vivid memory you have from your childhood that stands out. Make sure it’s a memory that involves another person.
Now, take a moment to think about this memory from the point of view of another person who was there. How do you think they would have experienced the situation? What would they have noticed, thought about or felt at the time? Use what you know about that person and jot some ideas down. Then, rewrite the memory from their point of view or contrast it with yours.
Some ideas:
See a short example on the left.
I remember charging into the classroom on my first day of school, with heart and backpack bursting. For months, every adult I knew had been asking me about this place and never had I felt more ready.
Mum remembers this day differently. What stands out for her is how I barely spoke to her as soon as we entered the school gates. How I let go of her hand to chat with my new classmates. How her heart simultaneously brimmed with pride and sunk as I never looked back.
QuickWrite #60: Secret Sauce
Today’s QuickWrite is inspired by the illustration on the left for The Just Girl Project by Simply Sophie Designs. It lists the qualities of a good-hearted person, and compares them to the ingredients required for a ‘secret sauce’ that makes up a kind human being.
Taking this idea on board, create your own ‘secret sauce’ recipe for something that excites you or means a lot to you: the ideal best friend, the perfect villain, the funniest joke, the perfect pet, the best way to spend a Sunday afternoon, the ideal society- anything you like! Feel free to write or draw - there are no limits to how you express your ideas. After you make your recipe, use it as inspiration to write - what does it make you think, feel or imagine?
To see an example of a similar list, check out the photo on the right featuring a ‘tick list’ for falling in love, which was taken in a window at a local Vietnamese takeaway shop. This one made us smile - there’s always that extra rush of excitement when we discover writing ‘in the wild’!
QuickWrite #61: Signs of resilience
If we look around, there are signs of resilience everywhere. Resilience - the ability to bounce back from tough times - can be seen in the trees that survive deserts, storms and saltwater. We can see it in the Japanese art of kintsugi, where broken pottery is repaired with precious metals instead of it being thrown away or disguised. We can even read about it in Tupac Shakur’s poem ‘The Rose That Grew From Concrete’ below:
What signs of resilience do you notice around you? Pick an object, animal, person or something related to the natural world and write about it. What does it remind you of, make you think about or feel? Use this as inspiration and write!
The Rose That Grew From Concrete:
Did you hear about the rose that grew
from a crack in the concrete?
Proving nature's law is wrong it
learned to walk without having feet.
Funny it seems, but by keeping its dreams,
it learned to breathe fresh air.
Long live the rose that grew from concrete
when no one else ever cared.
QuickWrite #62: ‘That’s the thing about…’
John Green’s novel The Fault in Our Stars drops some beautiful truth-bombs on its readers, often in the form of simple one-liners like this:
“That’s the thing about pain. It demands to be felt.”
Using this sentence as a guide, craft your own ‘That’s the thing about…’ sentence on a topic of your choice: an emotion, a person, an idea, a place --anything! Next, use this as inspiration to write --what thoughts or feelings follow this sentence that you’d like to explore through writing? See an example on the left.
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“That’s the thing about guilt. It reverberates through you. You can feel it creeping in hot sticky blotches up your neck and onto your cheeks, spreading to tips of your ears. You can hear it rushing in your temples and through your heart, thrumming in your veins as if to say “I’m here! “ and “It’s your fault!“ With every beat. Guilt has its own orchestra. It plays its song in the silences between so you can’t escape it even if you tried.”
QuickWrite #63: Taking Care
Today’s QuickWrite is inspired by writer and illustrator Mari Andrew’s image on the left, which outlines what she does to take care of herself when she feels stressed out. These are the things that calm her down and nourish her soul, that ‘recharge’ her energy like a battery!
With this in mind, have a go at drawing your own version of what recharges your battery--what do YOU do to take care of yourself when you feel anxious, sad or stressed? You might even want to borrow Mari Andrew’s sentence-starters and start writing a poem for yourself, which you can take out whenever you feel you need it: ‘Take your eyes to…’, ‘Take your nose to…’, ‘Take your ear to…’. Start with the drawing, and use it as inspiration to write, write, write!
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QuickWrite #64: Words you wish you’d written
Sometimes we come across words that are so beautiful, intriguing or moving, that they make us pause. These words speak to you on a deep level--it’s almost like the author of them took a peek inside your soul and turned your innermost thoughts, hopes, dreams and feelings into a work of art. They’re the kinds of words that make us stop and think, ‘Ah, I wish that I had said that!’
Have a think about meaningful words that you’ve heard in your lifetime that you wish you had written or said. You can find these words by thinking about:
Jot down the first example that pops into your head and write down what it is about those words that you find beautiful or meaningful. Why do you wish you had said or written these words? See an example on the left.
“Everyone deserves a job, somewhere to live, someone to love and something to hope for.”
--Norman Kirk, former New Zealand Prime Minister from 1972-1974.
These words, in their simplicity, capture my innermost beliefs about how I think the world should be run. If I ruled the world, these words would be my mantra and the basis of every decision I would make! This quote reminds me to see the humanity in every person, and makes me feel more connected to my fellow human beings. Underneath these words, lies a belief in justice, equality and common humanity.
QuickWrite #65: The seasons are a changin’
All around us is evidence of the changing season; the autumnal tones of orange and brown of the leaves on the ground, the frost on the car windshield on chilly mornings, the sunny afternoons, the crisp and cool evenings. For some of us this is welcomed as we envelope ourselves in our warm and comforting jackets and scarves and the smell of wood fires escape the chimneys. For others it is the mournful ending of long evenings and kisses from the sun, the adventures of summer now just a memory.
Today we want you to be inspired by the changing of the season.
As you write you could consider:
Find your way to express your thinking. This might include: writing poetically, a personal reflection, painting a picture with your words, taking photos or sketching images that represent the changing of the seasons for you, writing to persuade (a favourite season of why the changing of the seasons is good/bad
QuickWrite #66: Bringing a part of where you are from
Meteor Shower by Clint Smith
I read somewhere that meteor showers
are almost always named after
the constellations from which
they originate. It’s funny, I think,
how even the universe is telling us
that we can never get too far
from the place that created us.
How there is always a streak of our past
trailing closely behind us
like a smattering of obstinate memories.
Even when we enter a new atmosphere,
become subsumed in flames, turn to dust,
lose ourselves in the wind, and scatter
the surface of all that rests beneath us,
we bring a part of where we are from
to every place we go.
Today’s Quickwrite is inspired by the poem ‘Meteor Shower’ by Clint Smith, featured on the left.
Read the poem and pay attention to the lines ‘we can never get too far/from the place that created us’ and ‘we bring a part of where we are from/to every place we go’.
What parts of ‘where you are from’ do you carry with you? You might write about your memories, things you care about, ways of seeing the world, likes and dislikes, or ways of talking or interacting with people. Pick one thing and write about it in any form you like!
QuickWrite #67: Life is like a rollercoaster
You are likely familiar with the phrase ‘life is like a roller coaster’ to describe the unpredictable ups and downs of life (as well as the thrills and fears - depending on your personal love or hate of roller coasters).
Today we want you to use this simile to stimulate some writing.
As you write you could consider:
Find your way to express your thinking. This might include:
QuickWrite #68: Time Travelling
“I like science fiction, I like fantasy, I like time travel, so I had this idea: What if you had a phone the could call into the past?” (Rainbow Rowell)
The above question that author Rainbow Rowell once asked herself about time travel went on to form the basis of her 2014 sci-fi novel, Landline.
Like Rowell, today’s QuickWrite asks you to ask your own questions about time travel and use them to inspire your writing.
These might include:
QuickWrite #69: The Museum of Me
When we wander through a museum we encounter objects and artefacts of historical, scientific, artistic, and cultural significance that can give us an insight into different times and places, as well as the opportunity to learn more about interesting topics and subjects.
In today's QuickWrite we want you to imagine your life as a museum. Think about what artefacts or objects that represent you and your life would be on display as visitors walk through your ‘Museum of Me.’
As you write you could consider:
You might:
Check out the cartoon on the left Mari Andrew for some visual inspiration.
QuickWrite #70: What makes you feel like royalty?
The simple pleasures in life make us pause in gratitude, lift our mood and make our days feel that little bit brighter. These things --like the smell of freshly baked bread, listening to the pitter-patter of rain and feeling a cool breeze on a hot day --can sometimes make us feel like royalty!
With this in mind, what simple pleasure makes you feel like royalty? What does it:
Here are some more possibilities:
QuickWrite #71: Breaking Bread
To ‘break bread’ literally means to share a meal together, but this saying is about so much more than eating with others! It’s really about forging a meaningful connection with another person or group of people, to see past differences and to find common ground. In other words, it’s about trust, forgiveness and recognition of common humanity.
Naomi Shihab’s poem ‘Gate A-4’ captures the spirit of ‘breaking bread’, when she describes a Palestinian woman sharing mamool cookies with others at the airport. Read an excerpt of the poem on the left.
Taking this idea as inspiration, what examples of ‘breaking bread’ can you think of, remember or imagine? You might write about:
She had pulled a sack of homemade mamool
cookies—little powdered sugar crumbly mounds stuffed with dates and
nuts—from her bag—and was offering them to all the women at the gate.
To my amazement, not a single woman declined one. It was like a
sacrament. The traveler from Argentina, the mom from California, the
lovely woman from Laredo—we were all covered with the same powdered
sugar. And smiling. There is no better cookie.
...This
is the world I want to live in. The shared world...
This can still happen anywhere. Not everything is lost.
QuickWrite #72:
Places that capture the imagination
In honour of International Literacy Day, today’s Quickwrite is connected to the act of reading. Think about this:
If you could visit one place which captured your imagination through reading, where would it be, and why?
Remember, it doesn’t necessarily have to be a real place, but a setting you have ‘travelled’ to in your mind when you’ve read a book (eg: Narnia, Hogwarts, Nevermoor, inside the mind of a character, etc.).
You’re invited to consider any of the following to get you started:
Go wherever your imagination takes you and write!
QuickWrite #73:
The world close up
This week’s QuickWrite invites you to become a noticer— to take a close-up photograph of something and to use this as inspiration to write! You might take a photo of:
Once you have taken your photograph, look at it up close. Consider:
Check out the excerpt from Mary Oliver’s poem ‘When I am Among the Trees’ on the left as inspiration.
“…Around me the trees stir in their leaves
and call out, “Stay awhile.”
The light flows from their branches.
And they call again, “It’s simple,” they say,
“and you too have come
into the world to do this, to go easy, to be filled
with light, and to shine.”
QuickWrite #74:
The one thing you’d save
Today’s QuickWrite is inspired by Linda Sue Park’s beautifully illustrated The One Thing You’d Save, which poetically explores a range of different different answers to the following question: ‘What’s one object you’d save from your house in the event of an emergency?’ Check out the front cover and an excerpt from the text on the left.
Drawing on this as inspiration, if you could choose, what’s one object YOU would save from YOUR house in the event of an emergency? Assume that all your loved ones and pets are safe and sound in this scenario. What object would you save and why is it worth saving? What makes it so valuable to you? Feel free to express your response in any way you like, as a:
…or anything else you can think of. Have fun with it and write!
QuickWrite #75:
What’s your hidden talent?
What is your hidden talent or something that you can do better than anyone you know? It doesn’t have to be world-changing, just something that you do well, large or small!
Here are some examples of hidden talents in my family to give you a bit of an idea:
Once you have a hidden talent in mind, describe a moment where you displayed it. You might:
QuickWrite #76: Words you would say to a friend
Today’s Quickwrite is inspired by the writing and illustrations of Mari Andrew. In the image on the left, she captures what it means to speak to yourself like you would speak to a close friend.
Often, we can find that the words we reserve for ourselves are not as kind or as compassionate as the ones we would use with our friends. That’s why today, we invite you to engage in a Quickwrite where you will talk to yourself using the same kinds of words that you would use with a close friend. You can:
There’s only one rule: Be kind with your words because you are a human being too, like anyone else!