Tuesday prompt

Bringing it home

Hello, writers! How are you all? Here in Boston I’m feeling a bit tired and stuffy, and wondering if it’s because of the smoke wafting down from the forest fires in Canada, and if I should keep my windows closed even though there’s a lovely, warm breeze today. Maybe I’ll compromise by sitting outside for a little while.

Before I get to this week’s prompt, I wanted to check in with you all. How is the schedule working out for you, of a writing prompt at the beginning of the week, and a space to share and get feedback at the end of the week? Is that a good schedule and a good pace for everyone? Or would you prefer having the prompt at the end of the week, and the space to share it at the beginning, so you could do your writing over the weekend? Here’s a poll:

If we switched I’d have to give up my alliterative “Feedback Friday” posts, and I do love my alliteration! But I love you more! ;) And I want to make sure that this group is working for you.

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Writing prompt

For the writing prompt this week, I thought we could write about houses. I’ve been watching The Parisian Agency on Netflix, and thinking about how houses (and apartments) are, to me, both nostalgic and aspirational. My family moved a lot when I was growing up, and I have moved a lot as an adult, so I have the memory of at least twenty-three homes, not even counting dorm rooms. And I have always dreamed of homes, too—daydreams and actual dreams, of places I’d like to live, or am afraid of going back to. I read that houses in dreams represent yourself, and rooms represent different aspects of yourself. So if you dream of finding a new room in your home, it might mean that you are discovering a new part of yourself, or an old part that you’ve pushed away.

So I have three possible ways you can write about houses:

1. Write about a place where you once lived, or your current home. Try to evoke the feelings and memories of the house through its description. Walk us through the rooms, the furniture, the decorations, so that we feel we are there with you.

2. Write about your dream home. Where is it situated? What features does it have? How many rooms? Who lives there with you, or who visits? Do you have pets? Plants? Musical instruments? What makes it uniquely your space? What things do you long for that your current living space doesn’t have?

3. Describe yourself as a house. Your foyer as the face you present the world, to keep people out or welcome them in; Your bedroom as your heart; Your kitchen as your soul—or whatever self/room combination makes sense to you. Create different rooms for different aspects of yourself—a library, a conservatory, an indoor pool, a well-stocked pantry. Play with the symbolism of home as self.

Okay, writers! Have fun writing! And I’ll see you back here on Friday to share what we’ve written.