Fall Writing

This week marks the official start of Fall! Although, you wouldn't know it in southeast Texas with temperatures hitting near 100 degrees as I'm writing this. I'm looking forward to the changing season. I'm also hoping to increase my writing output as I've been too distracted to write as much as I would like lately. 

In that vein, I thought I would share some writing prompts - not all of them are season related, but you can make them such if you wish. I hope they inspire some wickedly wonderful Autumn tales!

1) Write a Fall or Halloween special for your favorite television show.

2) Design your own school of magic: what does it look like? what subjects are taught? Who are the teachers? What are some of the back-to-school traditions?

3) Create a legend about your city.

4) Write an acrostic poem.

5) Write about a Thanksgiving dinner attended by your favorite fictional character.

6) Write a scene from the POV of Alexa or Siri.

7) Create a fake news report.

8) Write a retelling of your favorite Shakespeare play.

9) Write a scene that takes place in your favorite bookstore or coffee shop.

10) Write about a character who has terrible luck.

11) Write a Fall scene without using the word pumpkin.

12) Write about the worst possible break up you could imagine.

13) Make up your own conspiracy theory.

14) Write a story that takes place in a corn maze.

15) Write a ghost story.

16) Take a favorite Christmas song and rewrite the words to be about Halloween, or Thanksgiving.

What are you writing? Are you trying any of these? Any other prompts you want to share?

Dallas Literary Scene

We enjoyed multiple visits to the Dallas area this summer since my daughter moved there for college. I use the name Dallas loosely as we spent just as much time in the surrounding towns of Frisco, Plano, Denton, Grapevine, and more. There are just so many interesting and fun places to check out. 

1. The travelling TITANIC museum. While it did not have as much to offer as one of the more permanent sites around the United States and across the pond, this location still had many interesting displays. In addition to replicas from the set and ship itself, there were many recovered artifacts and screenplay memorabilia. When you first arrive at the museum, you are assigned a passport as if you are a real person who boarded the ship that fateful week. As you travel through the exhibit, you try to learn what you (your person) experienced in those days and if they survived. The whole experience was very poignant. https://thetitanicexhibition.com/dallas/

2. Medieval Times - We experienced a thrilling evening of feasting and fun at the Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament in Dallas. Whoever wrote the dialogue for this event must have had a lot of fun with the ideology and romanticism of medieval culture. A King and Queen lead the evening entertainment as knights battle in epic jousts and sword fights. Sparks fly both literally and figuratively in the experience that lasts several hours. We also enjoyed the majestic Andalusian horses and the flights of the hawks and falcons just as much if not more than the human entertainment. https://www.medievaltimes.com/dallas

3. Grapevine Mills Escape Rooms: The Heist - I've done escape rooms before, some of them much more elaborate than others. I've interviewed and published articles on the people who are hired to write these escape room scenarios. It never ceases to amaze me how much planning and details goes into organizing one of these. We had so much fun at this one. They had many more exciting escape room options, but this is the one we chose. https://theescapegame.com/grapevine/escape-rooms/

4. Recycled Books, Records, CD's - This used bookstore is housed in the town of Denton's original opera house. There are rooms upon room, hallways upon hallways, and three floors of new and used books, records, and CD's. They also have posters, old Nintendo, Atari, and more machines and games as well as many other collectibles. You can trade your own or just enjoy perusing and buying from them. Plan to spend some time. You could easily enjoy this place for several hours. https://familydestinationsguide.com/bookstore-unique-literary-wonders-denton-tx/

5. Two Gentlemen of Verona - I love cities that appreciate and integrate the arts into their own culture. For instance, just down the street from #4 in Denton, you can enjoy gelato, sorbet, pastries, and more at this Shakespearean titled locale. https://www.facebook.com/people/Two-Gentlemen-of-Verona/100075739102736/#

For more ideas on literary tourism in the Dallas area, check out: https://bookriot.com/literary-tourism-dallas/

How about you? Have you enjoyed any great literary travels recently? How about in the Dallas area?

24th Anniversary of 9/11

 Do you remember?

The 24th anniversary of the September 11th attacks occurs this week on Thursday. The National September 11 Memorial & Museum is holding its annual commemoration ceremony at the Memorial Plaza, where families of victims will read aloud the names of those lost. Many other institutions, including Penn State University and Hanscom Air Force Base, are also hosting events and ceremonies to remember the attacks and honor the victims and first responders. You can also participate in the #RemembertheSky digital commemoration or the 9/11 Anniversary Digital Learning Experience offered by the National September 11 Memorial & Museum. 

How to Observe the 24th Anniversary

A live Broadcast: 9/11 Memorial Museum

• Attend a Ceremony:The main event is at the National September 11 Memorial & Museum in New York City, with family members reading the names of the victims, according to a Facebook post. Many other commemorative ceremonies, such as one at Hanscom Air Force Base and Sherwood Island State Park in Connecticut, will also be taking place. 
• Participate in Digital Events:Join the #RemembertheSky digital commemoration by posting a photo of the sky, or take part in the 9/11 Anniversary Digital Learning Experience from the National September 11 Memorial & Museum. 
• Leave a Tribute:Visit neverforget.org/remember to leave a message of remembrance and tribute on the Remembrance Wall. 
• Learn from First-Person Accounts:The 9/11 Memorial & Museum offers a 30-minute film with personal stories from first responders, family members, and other survivors
• See some of my thoughts and experiences with students today: click links below.
• Do you remember? Are you doing anything to commemorate this day? Is your town? To learn more about this event and how to commemorate. check out the 9/11 Memorial & Museum

IWSG: Thoughts on AI

It’s time for another group posting of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group! founded by Alex J. Cavanaugh. Time to release our fears to the world – or offer encouragement to those who are feeling neurotic. If you’d like to join us, click on the tab above and sign up. We post the first Wednesday of every month. Your words might be the encouragement someone needs. You can also join us on twitter using the hashtag #IWSG, or on the Facebook page.

Now, IWSG hosts have changed up the format in an effort to make it more fun and interactive. Every month, they will announce a question that members can answer in their IWSG Day post. These questions may prompt you to share advice, insight, a personal experience or story. Include your answer to the question in your IWSG post or let it inspire your post if you are struggling with something to say. 

Don’t forget to visit others that day to see their answers. Want to join, or learn more? Visit our - Sign-up List.

SEPTEMBER QUESTION - What are your thoughts on using AI, such as GPChat, Raptor, and others with your writing? Would you use it for research, story bible, or creating outlines\beats?

MY ANSWER: AI can be extremely useful for research, examples, and inspiration. The problem I have is when people rely on it to be lazy - they just recycle instead of using their own brain. People automatically trust it to be accurate. However, a recent study by Tow Center for Digital Journalism found AI to be inaccurate about 60% of the time. I also hate how often people (students in particular) try to pass it off as their own creation. Not only is this plagiarism, but they are also shortchanging themselves the ability to learn and use critical thinking skills which we all need.

How about you? What are your thoughts on using AI, such as GPChat, Raptor, and others with your writing? Would you use it for research, story bible, or creating outlines\beats?