Welcome to the writing club! This is the second installment of my weekly writing prompts. The overall theme for this week can delve into the realm of sci-fi if you open yourself up to the genre. The theme is creating, or shifting, reality. I am a lover of science fiction and fantasy from space odysseys to the hint of magick alive in a character or setting. You may think after last weeks central theme, simply begin, that this week is a stretch. I invite you to hold the energy of “simply begin” with you during the following exercises. I think any writer can put their mind to this theme and make something great out of it. Prose, poems, prose poems, etc. are more than welcome.  

If you are new to the weekly writing prompts you can learn everything you need to about the structure and purpose in the first post here.

Let’s begin!

You write in order to change the world, knowing perfectly well that you probably can’t, but also knowing that literature is indispensable to the world… The world changes according to the way people see it, and if you alter, even but a millimeter the way people look at reality, then you can change it.

― James Baldwin

I hope you feel uplifted by Baldwin’s poignant words. I certainly feel grounded by them. I encourage you to take a moment and find out what really stands out to you about this quote. What touches my heart is when he writes “literature is indispensable to the world.” This makes me feel that words and the ideas they convey can be so significant as they are the basis of literature and communicating an idea to a reader. The words you choose to tell your story, your poem, can truly touch another person or open them up to another perspective. Allow yourself to feel good about this; your words matter. Your words are your instrument to alter reality.

Read the quote once again, breathe it in and start jotting down anything that comes to you from Mr. James Baldwin.

What would you change about your reality? What would be the ripple effect of that change?

I bet everyone has had a point in their lives where they thought “I could change this.” Now’s your time to explore what that change would be. Also, like the age-old story of a character going back in time, changes inevitably have effects. Whatever change you wish to make, what would happen after it happens? Flip to a fresh new page in your journal and tear it up with your thoughts on this! 

The crisp cool water runs from the faucet. When he brings his hand close the water curves to him.

Could it be a hallucination? Is it really happening? What can the character go from here? You know what happens next so write it down. 

Write down any feelings, any descriptions, anything that comes to mind. That is it for the second batch of weekly writing prompts. Until next time.

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Best,

Kai 😀