Ready for a challenge?

In previous WriteField articles, I've talked about focus. Sometimes when you're stuck about writing it's because all the thoughts in your head are jumbled and you don't know where to start. If you have something to focus on a word, a picture, an object and start by describing what the object is and how it makes you feel, it's a good grounding place to begin a journal, and can help you keep your concentration in sync and give you a place to end too.

If you haven't done this yet, go back and try it first. It will be harder to do today's exercise if you're not familiar with focus and how it works.

If you are familiar with focus as a way of combatting writer's block, and you want a challege, here you go.

Opposites Attract

Check out MiningCo Quotations, or any website which has a lot of famous quotations in it. If you have quotation books at home, they will do as well.

Find a quotation that either makes you shake your head, nod your head, or laugh out loud. Put that quotaton at the top of your journal entry.

Read it, out loud if possible, at least three times.

Now, start writing a journal entry, trying not to write about that quote. Start with some word in that quote and write about the exact opposite. If you find yourself drifting and starting to write about the quote, redirect yourself and address something else.

By 'don't write about the quote,' I mean not only should you avoid referring directly to it, but you should steer away from any subject that the quote brings up. Don't go there. Go in the exact opposite direction.

It's much more challenging than it sounds. When you're done, leave the quote at the top of the page, even though it may not make sense to a casual reader. Just let them wonder.

See you next time.