Write an opinion essay that clearly shows your opinion about modern art. Try to convey the emotions that this kind of art brings to you, and what you think of the prices that people are willing to pay for it. If you had the money, would you want an example of it hanging on your living room wall?

1. The soft musky smell of cedar still lingered on the box that contained….

2. Darryl hated milk. He hated the taste and smell. It reminded of Nate and how things had changed when….

3. Putting a ring around the last job prospect in the paper, Jody leaned back and looked at the vacancies in ….

Today, think about how your protagonist gets around. Are they are driver? If so, how old were they when they past their test? What do they drive? Is driving something they love to do, or something they must do to get from A to B? If they don’t drive, what kind of transport do they use? Think about the year your novel is based in. Is there a special kind of car that would place your story setting “in time”? Perhaps you’re novel is based prior to major public transportations having been implemented. Maybe your protag drives a car that is a collector’s dream and has a special story about how that car came to be in his/her possession. On the other hand, perhaps your protag doesn’t drive at all because of something that happened before the time your novel enters their life. Write a few paragraphs about how your protag gets around, and then see if you can work any of this information into a useable scene for your novel.

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Set your alarms for 15 minutes, write the title “Take Flight” at the top of your page and then start writing. See where the muse takes your words in this exercise that can be anything from a piece of non-fiction advertising copy, the start of a short story, or a personal essay. The main thing is that you write for 15 minutes - whether or not you feel you want to continue after that time is up to you, who knows what you might end up with at the end of it!

Your exercise today is to incorporate all of the following words into an article, short story, poem or whatever comes to mind. You must use all of the words (in any order) to complete the exercise, but the context in which they are used is up to you. Think about the words for a few minutes before you start to write and see what pictures come to mind - then see if you can weave them all together into a piece of writing.

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The seasons are changing again. The air is tinged with a sharp frost, or gentle warmth - depending which hemisphere you are living in. This morning think ahead to the season that’s just arriving and write an essay about the things you love about it.

1. It had all began at Granny’s house that summer when ….

2. "Keep it. I don’t want it anyway!"….

3. "Define Silence" demanded the journal prompt. Becky stared at it with a wry smile. Silence? She couldn’t remember the last time ….

Quite often the way we were raised as children affects the kind of adults we become. This morning I’d like you to take a look at your Antagonist and describe the kind of home he/she came from, and what kind of parents he/she had. Is there anything in that upbringing that can account for the way the Antagonist reacts to your Protagonist - or is there something you find about their past that you can use to add some spice to your plot or character?

Describe your perfect partner - real or imaginary! Draw a picture with your words so that someone could recognise this person if they saw him/her on the street.

Your exercise today is to incorporate all of the following words into an article, short story, poem or whatever comes to mind. You must use all of the words (in any order) to complete the exercise, but the context in which they are used is up to you. Think about the words for a few minutes before you start to write and see what pictures come to mind - then see if you can weave them all together into a piece of writing.

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