Writing Prompt: Childhood Lunch

By Marilyn Friedman

I'm glad to see that you survived tax week. Now that you have that fat refund check in your hot, little hands (I hope) it's time to invest in your writing dreams with terrific classes that could be tax deductible! Also, since you're done with your returns, it's time to spend some time writing, so check out your free prompt below and don't forget to comment on the blog.

This Thursday at Writing Pad, we're very excited to offer another section of Victor Levin's ("Mad About You," "Win A Date With Tad Hamilton") very popular Trouble and Rapture: Crafting The Studio Rom Com class. If you want to learn how to write realistic relationships and conflict, this is the class for you, even if you aren't a screenwriter. Vic's classes will blow your mind.

Also, next Sunday afternoon, you'll have a chance to workshop a blog entry or concept and learn some innovative blog writing tricks in Getting to "Like": Crafting A Compelling Blog with successful journalist Tim Grierson. In the evening, you can craft your plan for getting an agent and publishing deal in Get Your Book Published with 3 book deal Harper Collins author Derek Taylor Kent. One of the students who took Derek's class got inquiries from 10 agents after he took the class!

Email marilyn@writingpad.com or click on the "Buy Now" links on my website to sign up before this classes are full.

CLASSES STARTING THIS WEEK/NEXT WEEK
•Trouble and Rapture: Crafting The Studio Romantic Comedy
•Getting to "Like": Crafting A Compelling Blog
•Get Your Book Published 

OTHER CLASSES BY GENRE

Children's and Young Adult Writing
•From Bedtime Stories To Tales of Teenage Woe: Kids and YA Writing Pt I
•From Bedtime Stories To Tales of Teenage Woe: Kids and YA Writing Pt II

Creative Writing/Multi Genre
•So You Want To Be A Writer (Online and In Person)
•Finishing School
•Get It On The Page: A Creative Writing Workshop
•Mini Writing Pad Boot Camp . . . With Dessert (Online)
•And You Thought Your Family Was F@&KEd Up: Developing Compelling Characters From Real Life (Online)

Fiction
•Storytelling At Light Speed: The Art Of Flash Fiction
•Fiction Bootcamp: Mastering The Art of The Tall Tale

Journalism, Personal Essay and Web Writing
•What's On Your Mind? Building Your Brand Through Social Media
•You In 1200 Words: Writing and Publishing The Personal Essay
•On The Record: Mastering The Reported Essay
•Me.Com: A Copywriting Ninja Skills Workshop

Screenwriting
•Made To Order: Writing A Killer TV Spec Script
•Writing The Happening Scene
•Pet Project: Writing Your Dream Screenplay

Writing Prompt: Make a list of 3-5 items that you ate on a regular basis for lunch as a kid! Pick one or two and add a sensory detail to them (e.g. smell, taste, sound, touch). Now write a story, poem, or scene that includes that lunch item for 10 minutes and post the results in the blog. My childhood lunches typically consisted of peanut butter sandwiches (no Jelly), a Little Debbie Nutty Bar, and a Macintosh apple so that's what I'll write about.

What did you eat for lunch as a kid? Post your 10 minute write in the comments of this blog, and you could win a free class!

Writing Prompt: Games and Poetry

By Marilyn Friedman

I hope that you are enjoying your April so far. Did you know that it's National Poetry month? The free writing prompt  below will help you find your inner poet, even if you didn't know that you had one!

Next week at Writing Pad, we'll help you channel your inner Don Draper creative genius. In Me.Com: A Copywriting Ninja Skills Workshop, you'll learn to promote your small business, writing, or blog with award-winning copywriter Lauren Smith of TBWA/Chiat/Day. Over delicious sangria, Lauren will show you how to whip up a brand manifesto and inspire you to write irresistible copy for your website and emails. Normally, you'd have to pay an advertising firm thousands of dollars to help you do this, but this class is only $90! This is also a great class for those of you who are interested in exploring a career in copywriting.

Email marilyn@writingpad.com or click on the "Buy Now" links on my website to sign up before this classes are full.

CLASSES STARTING THIS WEEK/NEXT WEEK
•Trouble and Rapture: Crafting The Studio Romantic Comedy
•Advanced Personal Essay First Aid
•Me.Com: A Copywriting Ninja Skills Workshop

OTHER CLASSES BY GENRE
Book Publishing
•Get Your Book Published

Creative Writing/Multi Genre
•So You Want To Be A Writer
•Finishing School
•Get It On The Page: A Creative Writing Workshop

Journalism, Personal Essay and Web Writing
•Hello World, Welcome To My Blog
•What's On Your Mind? Building Your Brand Through Social Media
•You In 1200 Words: Writing and Publishing The Personal Essay
•On The Record: Mastering The Reported Essay

Screenwriting
•Trouble and Rapture: Crafting The Studio Romantic Comedy
•Made To Order: Writing A Killer TV Spec Script

Writing Prompt: Make a list of your 5 favorite games (e.g. Monopoly, Poker, Twister, etc). Pick one. Now make a list of 3 specific things that you love about the game that are unique to that game (e.g. pink, blue, and gold money, owning a railroad). You can use the poem below as inspiration! You could even write an ode poem to the game praising everything that you love about it or a story that involves the game. Now write for ten minutes and then post the results of your write in the comments of this blog!


Monopoly
by Connie Wanek

We used to play, long before we bought real houses.
A roll of the dice could send a girl to jail.
The money was pink, blue, gold as well as green,
and we could own a whole railroad
or speculate in hotels where others dreaded staying:
the cost was extortionary.

At last one person would own everything,
every teaspoon in the dining car, every spike
driven into the planks by immigrants,
every crooked mayor.
But then, with only the clothes on our backs,
we ran outside, laughing.

Write about your favorite game.  Post your 10 minute write in the comments of this blog, and you could win a free class!