Writing Exercises

I used to write writing prompts and writing exercises daily and weekly for my site, Word Grrls. These are my posts from that site. I will add fresh writing inspiration now and then.

There are 1,788 posts filed in Writing Exercises (this is page 12 of 179).

What’s the Difference between a $5 Per Article Writer and an $85 Per Article Writer?

b) Know Your Worth: When I first started out, I set my rates according to what I needed to be able to make a decent living. My thinking was this, “Writing is hard work and if I can’t earn a decent living doing this type of writing, then I won’t do it — period.”

By 2007, I’d been freelancing for 14 years, so I already had clients. Hence, if the “SEO content writing thing” didn’t work out, I wasn’t worried that my freelance career was over.

At $25 per article, I figured even if I just wrote four articles per day, that’s $100/day, or $3,000/month – enough to cover my monthly expenses – and then some (Note: This will be different for every person). To my surprise, I got so busy at this rate that within a couple of months, I had to hire other SEO writers to help me

via SEO Content Writing: What’s the Difference between a $5 Per Article Writer and an $85 Per Article Writer?.

Are you Just Seeing Things?

Pareidolia on Pinterest

Wikipedia: Pareidolia

Seeing pictures in images and even sounds. Like looking up at the clouds and seeing a whole zoo full of animals floating on by. Or, looking at the way your laundry has been piling up and seeing a face in the folds and layers of clothing. Or, looking into the darkness and spooking yourself out by being sure you can see something out there in the nothingness.

Look at something and see if you can find an image out of the random lines, shapes and shadows.

A Different 30 Day Blog Challenge (Personal Bloggers)

Here’s the entire 30 Day Blog Challenge list.

I’m slowly, very slowly, getting through this list (like it’s taking me months!).  If you want to join me, let me know and I’ll post a link to your blog.

Day 1: List 10 random facts about yourself.

Day 2: Describe 3 legitimate fears you have and describe how they became fears.

Day 3: What is the greatest amount of physical pain you have ever endured?

Day 4: List 5 things you would tell your 16 year-old self if you could.

Day 5: What are the 5 things that make you happiest right now?

Day 6: What is the hardest thing you have ever experienced?

Day 7: What is your dream job, and why?

Day 8: What are 3 passions you have?

Day 9: What defines you?

Day 10: Describe your most embarrassing moment.

Day 11: Describe a few of your pet peeves.

Day 12: Describe a typical day in your life.

Day 13: Describe 5 weaknesses you have.

Day 14: Describe 5 strengths you have.

Day 15: If you were an animal, what would you be and why?

Day 16: What are your 5 greatest accomplishments?

Day 17: What is the thing you most wish you were great at?

Day 18: What is the most difficult thing you have had to forgive?

Day 19: If you could live anywhere, where would it be and why?

Day 20: Describe 3 significant memories from your childhood.

Day 21: If you could have 1 superpower, what would it be and what would be the first thing you did with it?

Day 22: Where do you see yourself in 5 years? 10 years? 15 years?

Day 23: List your top 3 hobbies and why you love them.

Day 24: Describe your first job.

Day 25: If you could have dinner with anyone in history, who would it be and what would you eat?

Day 26: What popular notion do you think the world has wrong?

Day 27: What is your favorite part of your body and why?

Day 28: What is your love language?

Day 29: What were your three favorite toys/games as a child?

Day 30: List 5 things you would hope to be remembered for.

via Can I Get Another Bottle of Whine with my morning quiet time?: 30 Day Blog Challenge.

Paraprosdokians

This was an email forwarded to my from my Mother today:

PARAPROSDOKIANS

They are figures of speech in which the latter part of a sentence or phrase is surprising or unexpected, and frequently humorous.
Winston Churchill loved them.

1. Where there’s a will, I want to be in it.

2. The last thing I want to do is hurt you, but it is still on my list.

3. Since light travels faster than sound, some people appear bright until you hear them speak.

4. If I agreed with you, we’d both be wrong.

5. We never really grow up, we only learn how to act in public.

6. War does not determine who is right – only who is left.

7. Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.

8. They begin the evening news with ‘Good Evening,’ then proceed to tell you why it isn’t.

9. To steal ideas from one person is plagiarism. To steal from many is research.

10. Buses stop in bus stations. Trains stop in train stations. On my desk is a work station.

11. I thought I wanted a career. Turns out I just wanted paychecks.

12. In filling out an application, where it says, ‘In case of emergency, notify:’ I put ‘DOCTOR.’

13. I didn’t say it was your fault, I said I was blaming you.

14. Women will never be equal to men until they can walk down the street with a bald head and a beer gut, and still think they are sexy.

15. Behind every successful man is his woman. Behind the fall of a successful man is usually another woman.

16. A clear conscience is the sign of a fuzzy memory.

17. You do not need a parachute to skydive. You only need a parachute to skydive twice.

18. Money can’t buy happiness, but it sure makes misery easier to live with.

19. There’s a fine line between cuddling and holding someone down so they can’t get away.

20. I used to be indecisive. Now I’m not so sure.

21. You’re never too old to learn something stupid.

22. To be sure of hitting the target, shoot first and call whatever you hit the target.

23. Nostalgia isn’t what it used to be.

24. Change is inevitable, except from a vending machine.

25. Going to church doesn’t make you a Christian any more than standing in a garage makes you a car.

26. Where there’s a will, there are relatives.

And one more:

I’m supposed to respect my elders, but its getting harder and harder for me to find one now.

From the The Brass Bed Trilogy

The Brass Bed Trilogy | jenniferstevenson.com.

“Some men want a relationship, and they think they know about sex, and they think that should be enough for us. Really they’re desperate, ’cause they don’t have us figured out, and they don’t understand themselves, and sex is easier than love. They’re praying that sex is enough. And it never is.”

I’m surprised at how smart this is. The book itself is pretty silly, I’ve been debating whether or not to read the third book in the series and then this… It really sums up my own observations about men, sex and dating, better than if I had summed it up myself.

If you were writing your best men, dating and sex advice, what would it be?

Considering Positive and Negative Space

A Beginner’s Guide to Architectural Design: Architecture and Theory.

Positive space vs. negative space

Space is called positive space if it is occupied by the main subjects of the work (i.e. the placement of figures).

Negative space is what remains after figure placement and is also known as “unshaped.”

“We move through negative spaces and dwell in positive spaces. Positive spaces are almost always preferred by people for lingering and social interaction. Negative spaces tend to promote movement rather than dwelling in place.” – Matthew Frederick

Implied spaces

A space is implied when something is not there, but has been designed to indirectly suggest that something is supposed to be there, or take place there.

Elements are implied when no element exists, but we can still ‘see’ them. They are still clearly apparent.

If this makes no sense at all, take a look at the original post. I thought it was quite a concept and wondered how I could work it into a story. I’m going to read more about it.

How Very Informative Is It?

I pity words like ‘informative’ which get targeted by spammers and used as generic and meaningless words in comment spam. Don’t you?

Look at the word, informative. It was a nice word, a shy and quiet word on it’s own. It didn’t cause a ruckus. It didn’t ask for much. It really just wanted to let people know about a few things, important things but not Earth shacking. Nice things like, "the colour of your new dress really suits you". Important things like, "your new dress seems to have caught fire". Informative was just a nice, simple, well meaning word. Until the comment spammers grabbed it.

Which word do you notice being especially abused by comment spammers lately? Is there one that stands out in your mind as you skim through and delete comment spam from your blog?

5 Reasons Why I Dread Turning 30

I’m not turning 30, I’m closer to 50 now. But, I read this post (link at the bottom) and wrote about turning 30 and getting older in general. Of course, you’ve read it all before – or lived it yourself. The main thing is the living part, not the number of years. Even when it doesn’t feel so great to be having another birthday.

Turning 30 didn’t bother me at all. Turning 46 was a bigger issue. Now I’m coming up to 48. I think I’ve worn myself into the drama of turning 50 so when that year actually comes I will be already over it.

Your post made me laugh, in a good way. Time does pass quickly when you’re a kid. We have 12 years to be a kid, part of those years we are too young to tell time. Then we have seven years as a teenager. That passes slowly because of all that teenage angst that just drags along. Then you actually get to be an adult in your 20’s. That’s just ten years. You have far more years of being an adult than you do for being a kid. So of course, time seems to go faster if you look back.

If you are already worried about menopause you need a hobby or something – you must have far too much time on your hands to think about stuff. Get married, have kids, do all that in between stuff so you have something to show for your wrinkles and grey hair when you do get old enough to think about menopause – when it really is an issue.

As far as skin and hair, I guess everyone is different. I got one grey hair when I was 32, yanked it out and didn’t see another until I was past 40. My skin is still the same as ever. Though I sure don’t miss the zits of my younger years. I don’t find my hair or skin to be coarse or less elastic. I have curly hair. My hair stylist tells me I would have smoother hair if I would just brush it while it was wet. I almost never do, so I have somewhat frizzy hair due to my own tendency not to fuss with hair, cosmetics and etc.

Make the most of all of your years. So far, I would say the 40’s are the best years. But, I’m 47 so at least partially biased.

via 5 Reasons Why I Dread Turning 30.

What would you write about turning 30, whether you haven’t yet, are right about there or passed age 30?