I have become a big fan of writing exercises, particularly ekphrastic ones.  I think that these exercises keep me on my toes, get my blood flowing when all I feel is lumpy and stagnant.  I like to be challenged as a writer, to be pushed into directions I may not go on my own.  Sometimes, amazing things happen.  Sometimes, the results are wholly uninspired.  But, no matter what, I am writing and even if I only end up with morsels from the exercises, I have words from which to build things that may have remained closeted and dusty.  The exercises also help to harness my focus and get me back to working on my collection (which feels like a herculean task, most of the time).  For prolific writers, these exercises may seem silly, but for those like me, who embody the roots of procrastination, I think they are a wonderful tool.

Clearly, I can’t recommend these things enough; every month I post about them.  And now, there is an opportunity every Thursday from Ink in Thirds (yes, I am a bit late, but there is next week, and you can still do this weeks).  Anyway…..this is my response to the image from yesterday (I give myself 5 minutes or less to come up with these, not letting myself think too much ), and who knows what might grow from these morsels.

You pull back the veil of your pen,
expose the ache through your fingers,
pin pricks of sorrow left behind in the ink stains.

Now I am going back to the collection…..no, really, I am……right after I make another cup of coffee.