2012 WGF's Veterans Writing Project
Post date: Apr 24, 2012 12:18:3 AM
Here is some of the information that was provided during the event.
- Writing exercises that some of mentors used during the workshop, document attached below.
- Short video, Larry Andries giving us some pointers that he has learned over his amazing career.
- Check out http://www.wgfoundation.org for more information.
- Few of the writing prompts /exercises that I participated in.
Wow what a weekend!!! I have to say I am still in awa.I attended the veterans writing seminar put on once a year by The Writers Guild Foundation. The mentors levels of professionalism and accolades were above reproach. From the very first moment the staff made me feel like I belonged there, even if I am the worst writer in the world. It was a safe place to share and learn from some of the best in the industry. I made new friends and a lot of networking connections that money can't buy. It was fun, interesting but most importantly...it helped every Military Veterans in attendance, sometimes on many different levels, in so many different ways, don't believe me ask anyone of them. So from the worst writer in the world, you have to mark your calendars next year as you can't miss this amazing opportunity of a life time.
For the group I was in, Mrs. Winie Holzman and Matt Ward were the mentors. They were amazing, sweet and so funny. I learned so much from them and had fun doing it. Here are the exercise that they provided had us work on.
- Round robin introductions with 3 facts about us but ... 1 has to be a lie. We had to guess the lie.
- We were given two descriptive words that could be completely different. We had to write character dialog with a time limit of 10mins.
- We did the exercise again but with some visual props that she put out and new words.
This is the one that I really like as it opened my eyes to what can just flow of of you.
- number 1 through 6 and list 6 cars in your life that you remember the most on a sheet of paper.
-now turn the page and write at the top the name of the car that sicks out the most from your list.
Now close your eyes, your sitting in the drivers seat looking out the front window. What do you see? Look to your left out the window what do you see. Look down at your feet what do you see, what do you feel, what do you smell. Look to the right, what is happening? Look through the back window what do you see. What do you hear, what do you feel!!!
-now turn the page, and write at the top a name of your car. Now write for 10mins beginning with
I am
- This exercise we had the choice from many different magazine pictures of people. We picked one had to give them a name, we had a baby name book to help, and write about ether a dream they had
last night or something they are worried about. 10 to 15 mins
- The next exercise used mixed up proverbs, which most of them didn't make any sense. My was "Bad news is the best Medicine" Our charter from the last exercise had to explain how they fist came across that proverb and how it changed their life.
Our homework assignment
A couple is in bed and here a noise down stares, one of them finally get up to check it out. They don't return for 20 mins. Once they do return the other one asked what it was and why it took so long. The one that returned stated that it's nothing, every thing is fine and goes back to sleep.
- Now write the what happened in those 20 mins.
- next exercise was to write a letter to someone that we have something unresolved with them.
- now write the letter back from that person to you.
- now write about a problem that you have with someone in your life.
- now have that person talk about why they are right or justified.
- Picked a movie title that we knew nothing about and wrote a pitch for it. The one we picked was Play Dirty
That should be most of them and if you are so inclined to read what I came up with keep reading, if not the last note i have to pass one is, Write every day, keep writing no matter if its junk, just write.
My car Exercise - 88 hyundai excel
I am scared shitless as my foot hits the floorboard of my hyundai after trying to stomp on the brakes as the car in-front of me comes to a screeching halt. I'm looking in the rear view mirror waiting for the care behind me rear end me but my car isn't stopping.
Main street is nice, old Spanish architectural in the main part of town that I live in... Wait why am I here, Why did if follow this girl I meet in Jobcorps here. I don't like Texas, I like her family, well I like her mom, nice boob job, her dad is weird , I think that's her dad but I don't think that she is the one for me... interesting...
Crap I have no breaks. What a peace of shit. I am about to plow into this family in-front of me because my car is a peace of shit.
But it is cool, it's a 5 speed and I bought it with my own cash, it's mine and the engine sits sideways under the hood, how cool is that.
As I pull up on the emergency break to slow the car, my hart is racing, I could have died in a town that I thought that I would never live in, in a car I thought that I would never drive all because of a Girl...