Space, Sharing and Sickness

I’m struggling with what to write this week.

So I’m just going to spill some ink here and see what comes out.

Frustration is swirling around my latest draft of (dis)Connection. I’m not loving this draft and I’m bummed out about that. I’ve tried to switch up a few things in the format of the story and I think I like the changes but I’m not sure.

Creative Space

I’ve changed where I’m writing. Where the first draft was written all over the house, the second draft has moved into my creativity area. The business of writing work happens at my desk but creative writing is now in my creativity room. My creative space is messy, crowded, dirty (at times) but it is a place where I can dig into the creative spring and I feel like that’s what I need now.

Yes, creativity happens here. Content redacted for now.

What is your creative space like? To me, creativity is more like a garage than a laboratory. I like to get dirty. I like to try things that might ruin everything (including the creative space - hence the burn marks on the floor of this room). I don’t think you are bound to a space but it is a mental signal when you enter the creative space that it is time for creativity.

Collaborative Storytelling

Two weeks ago I posted a video on using Story Cubes. Thanks for all the comments and support! This week I’m playing off some of the comments which got me thinking about Collaborative Storytelling or telling stories together. You can use Story Cubes to do this and I was going to post a video of that but instead wanted to share a game that might be easier for newbie storytellers.

Ultimate Werewolf can be picked up at your local game store.

Werewolf is a game of deception and stories. I like using this game as a warm up for other games like Dungeons and Dragons or Shadowrun. The players all try to figure out who is the Werewolf but in doing so, cook up a village together, their role in the village, why they can’t be the werewolf, and other good fun. Each person builds (naturally) off of the stories of others. One person might say “I can’t be the werewolf because I’m the baker” Another person might say “Well I work at the bakery and didn’t see you there last night” and so on.

Give this game a try and I think you’ll find it great fun with tons of potential for telling outlandish, comical and sinister stories.

Thanksgiving Monsters

Today I saw #waronthanksgiving trending on Twitter which got me thinking about the movie: Thankskilling. Yes, this is a real movie and it is b-movie gold. It is terrible, not at all culturally sensitive. Not kid appropriate, not appropriate for most adults probably. It is crazy and ridiculous and vulgar. In the movie an evil turkey kills a bunch of kids.

So in the tradition of Thankskilling, here is my thanksgiving monster story.

The Forgotten

At the table,
I sit
waiting
watching
begging for the attention
poured onto my brother.

Everyone talks about him
how great he is
how wonderful he turned out
as I just sit
silent
ignored.

In a few days he’ll be gone
but not forgotten
he’ll be the talk of the house for weeks
and I’ll still be here
waiting
watching
wondering when it will be my turn in the light.

They never talk about
how sweet I am
how I’m easier to deal with
how I don’t go bad
like he does.

This year is the last.
I can’t take this anymore
I’ll show them I can go bad
just like he does
but I’ll go worse.

Next year I won’t be forgotten
they will still be talking about me!

They won’t forget
how they got sick
how Thanksgiving was ruined
by one bad Ham
who was tired of playing second
to the Turkey.

<eom>

Thanks to Bridget Magee at wee words for wee ones for hosting Poetry Friday this week. Check out her blog to see all the poetry Friday content and learn about her trip to Switzerland.

I hope you have time to spend with family and friends this weekend! Enjoy the time you have! Make lasting memories and remember…beware the Ham.