Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Writing with Rox Weekly Prompt—Prompts-to-go!

Don't you love summer? In high school a friend of mine mentioned that summer is a dreamy series of sunups and sundowns occasionally bisected by family obligations. She was wise beyond her years because this quote soothes me every summer, especially on those mega scattered days when I have three feet out the door, body still on the bike, mind who knows where, perhaps still trying to answer Jude's yesterday question: "Mama, how did I get in your tummy?"

What? How does this occur to him this second? We just had Dairy Queens. We're feeling peaceful, not curious.

"What's so funny?" he wants to know.

"Well...hmmm. Are you really asking me that now? Driving home from camping at 10 pm?"

"Yeah. How I got in your tummy?"

Indeed he is.

"Well... Here's the simple answer: What do we always talk about?"

"What talk about?" he says in his Yoda cadence, also wise behind his years, yet sandwiched between duffle bags and tents in the back, his earth and ice cream smudged face affirms his  five year old innocence.

"What do we always talk about Jude? Every night? What's everywhere all the time?"

Thinking... "Love."

"Right. And we'll have the rest of the conversation when you're... fifteen?"








Like most of you, I've been out of the Matrix for a while! Of course I've been doing some writing so I'm going to list some of the cool prompts that came up while writing solo, with groups, classes, the writing retreat, in my heart...



...            But first, a few very cool things to share: 1) My mentor/friend/hero Cary Tennis who writes the Since You Asked column for salon.com whom I refer to regularly in classes, life, writing, etc, is now hosting online classes and virtual ones too. I think you ought drop in or visit, etc, but for sure you want to know who this very amazing human and writer is if you do not already!


2) Swami Veda deserves lotus flowers. (I saw these pink beauties while at Bhaktifest in Madison Wisconsin last month...)  I went to hear him speak at The Meditation Center a few weeks ago and he said the most amazing thing; "The gateway to infinity is in between the spaces between words." He mentioned that on one single page there is infinite space between each word. Of course he was referring to the pause between each inhalation and exhalation, yet this is exactly what I find to be true of Intuitive Writing, or any writing for that matter, when we allow ourselves to drop in, be present, linger with what is right here, right now.

...                ...                                         ...

And now... PROMPTS for thee........


... Choose any word (say, "Jungle,)" and pause. Linger. Go deeper. What comes up in the universe of that word? In the space between it and the next?

...Were you ever blown away by flowers? Ever see a flower you didn't know existed before? Story?

...How did you learn about the birds and the bees? And/or how you got in your mama's tummy?

...What is summer to you? (A series of sunups and sundowns?)

...On my birthday, I wrote a List Poem in the morning entitled: Things I Want to Do on My 42nd Birthday.

...What's cracked you up in the past week? Day? What made you smile?

...What were the happy sounds of your childhood summer?

...Write the epilogue to your life.

...The prologue...

...Like satire? Try listing a few "made up" writing classes you might find in a writing catalogue. Think way out there: a few we came up with are new age writing, writing for mechanics, anal writing (writing for anals), etc...

... What scenes in life would you like to live over again? Choose one and write it out. Or choose as many as you'd like!


And that's just a few! Remember to share if you'd like—here, there, anywhere—and remember that if you get stuck, just keep returning to the lead in prompt. Also, remember you are writing first and foremost for YOU; if you choose to share, edit, etc, do that later. First, just write. And... if you continue to receive these prompts and feel not so motivated to write, etc, it could be because you do not have a witness for these words and stories. Part of why we write is to share, witness, be witnessed... if you'd like to go a bit deeper into your writing journey, please consider writing in community! I have several groups and classes going all the time as well as one on ones, writing parties, special groups custom made, etc etc. Check out the calendar on this blog or on the corkboard at www.writingwithrox.com for more details. Anywhichotherway... hope to write with you sooooooon! 


S   P        a             c                   e      .            Til next sunup, Rox xoxo






Monday, July 16, 2012

Wow! An Interview... with Moi!


Well... actually from the lovely Loft's Blog for teens .... from several months ago, but still!  but shucks! I ought google (g-ogle?) myself more often...( Do you know what's fun to do for a prompt, by the way? Write an interview with yourself... (whenever, however, whatever...) This one's real though... for the record.


Three Questions with Roxanne Sadovsky
Creative Writing for Outsiders, Misfits, and the Counterculture” (ages 13–17) with Roxanne Sadovsky starts June 18
What’s your favorite part of summer?
Hands down, riding my bike, especially along the amazing trails. When that trail happens upon an outdoor music festival somewhere, I am super blissed out!
What’s the best writing advice you’ve ever heard?
It seems that my entire life I have been hearing and reading great advice about writing which has all made perfect sense (or none at all) at the time it was offered. The best has come from Brenda Ueland, Stephen King, and Cary Tenis. I’ve heard some doozies, I’ll tell ya that. Doozies I even took seriously, which I still regret to this day because they advised writing more from head than heart, which resulted in some pretty hollow substance beneath the shiny shell of big words. Luckily, a few folks came along at some point early enough in my wild young days in Los Angeles and told me, in not so many words, and in varied echoes, to write my truth. No matter what, write your truth. Ever since, I have followed the creative process into that deeper truth where lives an everflowing spring of pure writing flow!
There are two other pieces of writing wisdom I wish to share, which came to me at the  U of M while getting my MFA…First, Michael Dennis Browne used to ask us after we wrote together “what was that like to write?” and for some reason that question has guided my writing and teaching ever since. Also, Charles Baxter told me while working with me on my memoir at the U to “linger.” He reminded me to not rush my scenes, to linger in the moment, the relationships, the real details of the moment.
What can students expect out of “Creative Writing for Outsiders, Misfits, and the Counterculture”?
A week to change your life!
Roxanne Sadovsky is a Twin Cities freelance writer and teacher who facilitates creative workshops to foster personal and community wellness. She recently earned her MFA from the University of Minnesota. Before she became a writer, she lived in Seattle and worked as a family and adolescent psychotherapist; needless to say, Sadovsky loves the creativity, passion, and personal discovery found working with anyone who doesn’t entirely fit into the mainstream!

Thursday, July 5, 2012

Forget Hot Yoga! Try Hot Writing!

HEAT driving you MAD?! Come write off some Steam!! 

WHY? 

BECAUSE IF THERE'S HOT YOGA, WHY NOT HOT WRITING? 
BECAUSE YOU'RE MAD!
BECAUSE WE'RE ALL MAD!
BECAUSE YOU WANT TO RELEASE SOME ANGER!
BECAUSE WRITING OUT ANGER/MAD/ANNOYANCES/FRUSTRATIONS/DEALINGS WITH DIFFICULT TIMES/DIFFICULT PEOPLE ETC IS FANTABULOUS FOR YOUR HEALTH!
BECAUSE WHY CARRY IT AROUND ANY LONGER? 
BECAUSE WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU GROWLED FROM YOUR GUT?
BECAUSE YOU'RE MINNESOTAN AND DON'T KNOW HOW TO DO THIS!
BECAUSE IT'S OKAY TO DO THIS, ESPECIALLY IN THE COOL SAFE SHELTER OF THE BEACH!
BECAUSE YOU WILL WRITE  SMOKIN PASSIONATE WORDS OF FIRE!

and as always...

Because community...
Because you'll get a deeper understanding of your anger and learn to love it...
Because deeper experience and expression of feelings=deeper writing, living, and loving...
Because your writing (and that of others) will move you to red hot tears of release, relief, BLISS, and peace...

RED HOT DETAILS
next Saturday July 14 
10am-3pm
At the BEACH on XERXES SOUTH
SPICY PotLUCK LUNCH
$50 or what you can
Space limited...Call or e FOR DETAILS/save a spot in the heat of this moment!