Creative writers group timed writing today

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kitesandtrainsandcats
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Joined: 6 May 2016
Age: 60
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Location: Missouri

17 Jun 2023, 1:37 pm

Here are our 25 minute timed writing prompts to select from and what I got at Creative writers group today.

The timed writing thing is a fun exercise. Am always curious to see what the different people come up with.
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Readsy prompts:
(I didn't note what the service said the connecting theme was)

two conversations happen simultaneously

how single event affects seemingly unrelated area of characters life

two friends getting in to a fistfight

story that experiments with tone

start story in middle of action
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Physical prompts on table:

Umbrella

Tootsie pop

crochet book

pearl necklace, with red velvet drawstring bag for it

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A slow rain drummed lightly on Karli's umbrella where she stood just off the bus stop. Sunlight squeaking in from under the storm's edge highlighted several drops falling from a couple of the wires which shaped the thing. They probably had a technical name but that name was of no present concern to her. What names were of present concern to her were the name of a bus route and the name of a passenger.

“Sorry ma'am” and simultaneous involuntary movement of the umbrella handle in her hand broke her focus on sunlight in water.

Peripheral vision registered an umbrella scrape along hers. At this viewing angle the fellow attached to it was one of those people who could be anywhere between 40 and 60. As well as an umbrella he was burdened with a backpack and a shoulder bag. Probably some business person struggling to succeed amongst the hordes of similar doing likewise.

Hmm, similar doing likewise, that sounded like a thing which should become a popular useful phrase.

Though she herself was not similar doing likewise to the fellow now collapsing that umbrella under the bus stop shelter roof, Karli was present to interact with someone similar doing likewise to her endeavor.

A bus arrived, passengers disembarked, waitees boarded, including bumping umbrella guy. She wished him success in finding whatever he was pursuing, whatever his name and its name were.

And, names, ahh there was the bus of the correct route name.

From within the cluster of disembarking passengers a young woman in a hooded raincoat of popular style two years ago approached Karli. “Hi Mrs. Jenkins, I'm so sorry to drag you out in this weather and that we didn't find your necklace at the dinner last night.”

“It's okay, uh, Pam, I do have you right, yes?”

Pam laughed. “Yes. Pam. And it's okay, nobody ever remembers housekeepers like me.” Smiling she reached in a raincoat pocket and retrieved a plastic baggie containing a pearl necklace and a small red velvet bag.

“Dear Pam, how can I ever thank you for getting out on such a dreary day?”

“It's okay, better days will come.”

“Yes, better days will come and I must go. Stay dry on your way back to housekeeping.” Mrs Jenkins turned and strode away, bag with necklace still in plain view of those all around.

What was not in plain view to either they or Mrs Jenkins was the message laser engraved inside the pearls. Mrs. Jenkins and her associates knew it was there and possessed equipment to view the message. Those all around did not.


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"There are a thousand things that can happen when you go light a rocket engine, and only one of them is good."
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