Flash Extravaganza

Writing to prompts with Kathy Fish!

Love Kathy’s workshop title, “extravaganza.” The word transforms weekend remote writing into an extravaganza, so I dressed semi-formally—leggings, clean t-shirt—and sat, not in the studio, but at the kitchen table, scrolled, and read the first prompt. It’s probably not copyrighted, but suffice it to say that these prompts really work. I’m addicted to sessions like these because the empty page jacks my nerves. Scary. Why? No one cares what I write. But writing with these “strangers,” from all over the place, I let go (of what??) I scribble. Strange sentences emerge, dull ones, too, but I let them all live, whether they make “sense” or not. For now. Because WHO CARES? NO ONE IS LOOKING. These first words are showing me what’s inside my soul.

Participants read, and comment, on each other’s stories, paying attention to words and phrases, and meanings that sing and suggest possibilities we authors can’t see in newborn drafts. In a day or two, I’ll review my newborns, knowing I’ll find a gem. Or two.

Photo by RetroSupply on Unsplash