My online critique group does a Random Word writing exercise every week. It's up to me to try them or not. Random Word exercises are meant to get your brain moving at a good speed, to let the thoughts lying deep in the recesses of your mind come to the surface.
We look at the word, then write nonstop for a full ten minutes. Doesn't matter what is written. It could be pure drivel, nonsense rhyming words, or a rant on some subject. More often than you would imagine, enough coherent thoughts come through with the bones for a story or essay. Many in our group have gone on to write a full story from the words that flowed mindlessly (or so some thought) during a Random Word exercise.
How can you do this one on your own? Open a book--any book, even the dictionary--close your eyes and point your finger on the page. Whatever word your finger lands on is it. Then, set a timer and take off. Don't just do one. Try several, even if you don't do them all at one time. Do one in the morning, another in the afternoon and again in the evening. Not all will come to fruition in the form of a full story or essay, but a good many can and will.
For another writing exercise, try the one in the poster photo at the top of today's post. Sounds easy but you may have more difficulty with this one than you think. Even so, I think it would be a worthwhile effort to give this one a try. Send your results to me via the comments section below. I'd love to see what you do with this one.
Great athletes practice all the time. Writers should, too.
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