BLOOM DAY plus a Fun & Easy Writing Prompt

Tuesday, June 16, 2009 James Joyce and his behemoth book Ulysses

Today is Bloom Day to celebrate the book most of us haven't read, but most of us know that it's considered one of the best books of the 20th century and that the story takes place over the course of one day in the life of Leopold Bloom. Read more about the book, the day, and author at: http://writersalmanac.publicradio.org/ You may decide that you must read the book, but then again you might decide that celebrating the day in Ireland would be more fun! Read or celebrate? Both? What's your vote?

I'm working on a novel for high schoolers (YA) and one of the goals I established this week is to finish a draft of the book by the end of the summer, which I think of as Labor Day weekend, but can easily stretch to the actual last day of summer in September. Bets on that anyone? Of course, I also want to sew and draw, pick wild berries for winter pies, go on long walks, read, do fun things with my husband, and have get togethers with friends and family.

Fun & Easy Writing Prompt

For many of you the beginning of summer starts when the school year comes to an end. Most of you know that July and August will seem too short and will be gone in a blink. Before you know it the days are getting shorter and school is about to start. So for the rest of this week leading up to the Solstice think about what you really want to accomplish this summer. What do you really want? Once you figure that out, then decide what steps you must take to realize that goal. Make realistic goals that will challenge you but not defeat you. Brainstorm your wishes & dreams. Write them down. Turn them into goals. Then put down the steps to reach your goals.

For example, draw a pyramid. Then draw yourself cheering at the top (a stick figure works for me) and write your goal at the top, "Yay! I finished the book!" Next work from the top down and
write down the steps you took along the way to reach the top. At the bottom, of course, will be your stick figure looking up at the top, not wishing, but making a plan. Go make your plan. Then begin.
"If you believe in something, begin it. Action has magic, grace, and power in it." Goethe