There is something quite joyous and inspiring about writing with others, and I do not mean in a collaborative sense exactly, but in a physical sense – sitting next to other people who are also engaged in the process of composing a piece of writing. Perhaps it is the sense of community – of each person responding to a prompt, writing for 10-15 minutes or so, and then sharing their composition – that is so impactful.
As someone who enjoys writing but often labours under the paralysis of imposter syndrome and more often than not, perfectionism, the opportunity to engage with writing in a communal way is empowering. The process is less about the final product and more about getting words on the page and celebrating how well things came together, or if it didn’t all work out, talking about the process and what did work well – a sentence, a word, or maybe a memory that arose through engaging with the prompt.
It is worth considering how the collaborative writing model compares to other aspects of life and why it can be a motivating process. When I decided to attend a gym, it was to attend the classes on offer rather than slogging it out on the equipment by myself. Whilst I am not keen to be in the limelight during such classes, the far back corner away from the windows and mirrors was my coveted position, being there, with other people working out and doing their best, brought out the best in me. I really should go back…!
I also find my motivation increased when I have visitors in the house. I am able to whip around and clean and sort without the compulsion to lie on the lounge watching ‘Homeland’ or ‘The Good Wife’ or another suitably long running, binge-worthy show with strong female lead, and a decent sound track. All of a sudden, I have hung out several loads of washing, put another load to wash; I have changed all of the towels, made the bed, cleaned the living area and maybe even my office, all in a very short period of time. It isn’t that I do not like spending time with guests or the fact that the house is in a particularly heinous state of disarray, I just find myself in super-efficient mode in the presence of others. Perhaps it is the hiatus from my comfort zone or maybe it is my concern about what other people think of me that is a motivating force. I am not sure.
So, this brings me back to the writing group. At the first meeting there were four. I was there, as was my husband and two good friends. I will still nervous about the prompts I had prepared but thought of it as an opportunity to run the session as if I would with a larger group. It ended up being a really useful process – in the brightly lit, newly renovated grey, white, and red décor of the conference room of Parramatta
WestWords (who were kind enough to lend their space to the group) we wrote.
We began with formal introductions and even though we all know each other it was interesting to consider what types of things are included when providing a summary of yourself and your writing intentions. Here are the prompt questions:
oName?
oWhere are you from?
oWhat do you love about writing?
oWhat do you hope to get from meeting regularly with other writers?
I also handed out two articles that I had found whilst scrolling away hours of my life on social media (it is lucky for the writing group otherwise no one would ever see the fruits of my labour - haha!).
The opening activity began with eating – Arnott’s Assorted Creams biscuits, to conjure the memory of a time gone by or to inspire a fictional piece. We ate, wrote, and then discussed our pieces. Taste, it turns out, can evoke a strong response from the memory and there were tears as well as laughter. The writing went to places I had not even considered – the power of a Monte Carlo – who would have guessed? The writing was provocative, visceral, and heart-warming and all it took was a packet of Arnott’s Assorted Creams.
The second prompt was based on an activity that I learned when attending a writing workshop at Springwood Library with Cymbeline Buhler from
Big Stone Creations. It required brainstorming and utilising unusual words to create description. The activity utilises words that fall into pairs (night and day, bacon and eggs, knife and fork, etc.) and then these are mixed these to come up with some extremely strange combinations that led our writing into really intriguing places. You could also complete the brainstorming and word association for a pair rather than mixing the prompts again. The brainstorming step before writing would be a really great way to support students with their writing.
This activity really pushed my writing outside of my comfort zone, away from the cliché, and into new territory. It wasn’t an easy undertaking, but it was entertaining.
The third activity drew inspiration from Instagram (but it would work with a photo stream on any phone with a camera). I asked everyone to count 14 rows down and 3 across and to use that photo as a prompt for a piece of writing. Consider the photographs we take due to the large storage capacity of our devices - to remind us of something – almost like a pictographic ‘to do’ list, to document a significant event or moment, to keep a note of things we love… all of these can evoke memory and the imagination.
When each participant walks away with writing on the page that did not exist just hours before then you know the prompts have worked. You will find them here. May they offer inspiration and possibility to you and your students.
Writing Prompts:
Check out the upcoming
WestWords writing events - they are reasonably priced and there is a reduced price for members.
Many poets are kind enough to share some of their work on their websites which gives teachers a chance to read through to see what will appeal to their students. I did a workshop with AF Harrold a few years ago and it was so much fun. He also has a website that focuses on his writing for kids.
