Writing

 

So, my son gave me a book as a birthday present a few years ago. It was called A Writer’s Book of Days. It was to help me with my writing. It challenges me to write with prompts for each day. The prompts would mention something short and then I have to write for fifteen minutes flat without stopping.

There are no rules, except I must not stop during that time. I must just get a picture in my mind and write, write, write. I don’t have to worry about punctuation or grammar or rules. I must just go with the flow and put everything down on paper without even thinking. No preparation or anything.

The idea is to create a flow/stream of words in 15 minutes without stopping. It sounds easier said than done but I decided to try it. This was my first try and I had my clock on my phone next to me. Once done, I had to read it out loud to myself.

As I did that, I felt good and strong and empowered. Like a champion, a winner in a Greek Olympics in the past. They ran without robes. That was a challenge. Can you picture that?

The odd one or two guys running with their bellies bobbing up and down and white, untanned behinds trying to keep in rhythm with their running legs and pumping arms. That would be a ridiculous sight to see. It was not what entered my mind while writing because all my focus was on the next word, and the next, and the next.

I was pretty disciplined and did not cheat. Thomas Mann said, “A writer is someone for whom writing is more difficult than it is for other people.” Therefore, I practice enabling me to get into the flow of words. Singers practice their voices and athletes exercise for hours to keep fit. Likewise, writers have to practice writing to remain sharp.

I am supposed to do this for a whole year and beyond. No breaks. So, you probably wonder how my first exercise went. I am sharing it without editing for punctuation or grammar or to fix anything. This is a form of creative writing.

Prompt Title: Things that enter by way of silence. Mark Strand. 16 September 2025 04:23 am.

I enter the void of silence where I confront my thoughts, my mind. It is a place where I often linger and explore within my soul, my body, my life, my past, my present, my activities, my struggles, my victories, what happens to me, how I reacted, what I got/obtained/grasped, how I changed my thinking, my life, my experience, my perception, how I learned. What I took in, what I avoided, what frightened me, what I stepped into, what I chanced and found and smelled and collided with. What joy I felt, heard, touched, ran into, smelled, grasped, made my own, shared, loved, hated, despised, what saddened me, shamed me, made me regret, spoke, called, identified, stored in a good corner of my mind. I realised that it was a new experience, unknown, uncharted but adventurous. A challenge. I love a challenge. I don’t cringe from it. So I entered by way of silence boldly as I am a conqueror, adventurer pioneer, ambassador for the good, the brave, the mighty, the strong, the forger of things to come and to conquer. Fearless, daring, inexcusable, forward, undaunted, limitless, going beyond, above, below, in, out, through, into, being in the moment, being there, smiling, laughing, happy. I won the challenge. I am free of limitations because I continued, entered the flow with my words, imagination, my limitless ability to overcome all obstacles in silence and went past and beyond the humdrum and noise that tries to interrupt what I am doing. I win, I win, I win. I AM A WRITER.

Stopped: 04:40 am

262 words in 17 minutes

Update: 20 September 2025

You ARE a writer, Ron. Thank you so much for sending these two pieces for me to read and enjoy. Which I did. Both of them. And yes, you understand the plan well—write. I wish you well in all your writing. You have a strong, clear voice and are apparently willing to do the work of it. Enjoy the fun of it, too.

Update: 22 September 2025

I win, I win, I win. Link to my best creative writing so far: Click