Prompting Yourself to Write 20: Words! Aren't they Just Adorable?

I first wrote the following in December 2004, after reading a new book by a local author:

Pen on Fire: A Busy Woman's Guide to Igniting the Writer Within By Local Writing Instructor (UC Irvine), and Radio host (PODCASTS on Writers on Writing Show Blog), Barbara DeMarco-Barrett.

Words!

We can't live with 'em!

We can't live without them!

So what's a writer to do?

Collect them, that's what!

In her new book, Pens on Fire, the author Barbara DeMarco-Barrett heads a chapter on "harvesting words" with a quote by Hortense Calisher, from her book Extreme Magic:

The words! I collected them in all shapes and sizes, and hung them like bangles in mind.

Barbara isn't the 1st author I've read, this year, who suggested collecting words for future inspiration, but her little pep talk on the subject inspired me to recently expand from 1 simple notebook to several.

The idea is to use them in writIng prompts, or incorporate them into your writing.

Ideas for stories, and poems, just waiting to be found, I suppose.

Thinking of the possibilities in the few words, and phrases, I've collected in the past week or so, appeals to my peculiar sense of humor just for starters.

WORDS: Quilted, Replenishing, Bangles, Swamps, Plush, Scum, hung.

PHRASES:

1. See Spot save.
2. Let us know!
3. Animals not allowed.
4. We're here for good!
5. The Standard of Purity


IST SENTENCES:

1. Has it been 3,000 miles?
2. I'd rather be surfing.
3. Get your own box!


AD SLOGANS:

1. Don't squeeze the Charmin!
2. College grads by the gallon
3. Let's make our taste buds merry!
4. Your window of opportunity
5. There is no substitute!


BUSINESS NAMES:

1. Miss Donuts
2. Lenders Liquidation Center
3. Smart and Final
4. Randy Rivers
5. Just us Girls


NEWS HEADLINES:

1. It's a busy Shopping day for Angels.
2. Making a joyful noise.
3. Back in the saddle.
4. Trying to outsmart bullets.

Just THINKING about the possibilities gives me the giggles. :-D

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I've still got the book, and the notebooks, but have not added as many words to their pages as I'd originally planned.

Time to pick up where I left off, and see where it takes me. ;-D