Use any of the following as the opening for a piece of fiction or non-fiction:

1. It was always the same at this time of year.  Pappa pruned the near naked shrubs in the yard.  Momma stared out of the window as if waiting.  Problem was that ………
2. The smell of new school supplies brings a ………
3. Rema had always been a bit different from the rest of us.  Even right back in the days when ………

Consider your writing over the past year.  Write a summary of how much you write and how that compares with how much time you spend writing.  What do you write?  What do you want to write?  Again, how does your dream compare with your reality?  Today make a commitment to your writing.  Write it down.  This is a new academic year, make out your writing schedule, and stick to it. 

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Write an opinionated essay based on what you think about the fact the Olympics are being held in Beijing, and what your impressions (if any) are about what you’ve seen so far from the games - good and/or bad.

What makes you excited?  What is it that really stirs up the adrenalin in your system?  Write a scene where a character gets excited by something.  Make sure you describe the way they experience the feeling of excitment.

After quite a traumatic summer I’m finally getting back to my “normal” life routine and having a bit of a problem getting restarted thought this might make a good exercise for wake up writing visitors:

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