#8--Writing Out of the Box

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violin4jesus
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Post by violin4jesus »

My initial ideas:

1. Feeling hot
2. Food that is hot
3. Losing a job
4. House burning down
5. The lake of fire
6. A non-English speaker mispronouncing "tire"

My out-of-the-box idea:
A man contemplating adultery and realizing the consequences (play off of Proverbs 6:27)

I agree with Greghory - it takes me most of the week to try to come up with something out-of-the-box, and sometimes it never comes (which is usually a no-submitting week for me). I struggle with this more than the writing, because once I have a good idea it's not hard to write it.
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Post by Verna »

These are the ideas that came first for the word "fire."

Yelling "fire" in a crowded theatre
Sound of sirens
People trapped in burning houses
Heat and Smoke
Hell

Since I'm more comfortable with poetry (I'm fictionally challenged), I tried to think of different ideas with fire:

Fire of different, unexpected colors--green, turquoise, blue
Fire of different attributes or effects --cold, healing, protecting
Fire of different consistencies--solid, liquid
Personifications of fire--for example, a fire that got lost; fire as a narrator
Lessons learned from fire

I make free-writing lists when I first see the topic. Sometimes I just google the word or related words to see if I see an idea to branch out from. Then the topic itself consumes my thoughts till an idea strikes (or I have to go searching further for one). Often, I'll think about it before going to sleep (a mistake if I want to go to sleep soon) and I'll have an idea in the night or when I awaken.

I jot down verses to get started that seldom resemble the finished product but contain a germ of idea that I'll use. Then I write and rewrite--counting out meter, checking rhymes, looking for cliches or repeated words. The Thesaurus is my special friend.
I hope this helps someone trying to get started in writing poetry.
Verna

A merry heart doeth good like a medicine...
Proverb 17:22

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GreenLeaves
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Post by GreenLeaves »

I haven't looked at the other responses yet, but here is my list that first came to mind on the topic, "Fire":

- ring of fire
- firefighters
- fireplace
- matches
- camping
- grilling
- pillar of fire that lead the Israelites
- "like a house afire"
- "a blaze of fire"
- lighter

My out-of-the-box suggestion for the topic "Fire":

- fire tornado (once experienced one in the city I lived in)


Carol
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"God has not called me to be successful, God has called me to be faithful." Mother Teresa

"...not to advance in the spiritual life is to go back. But those who have the gale of the Holy Spirit go forward even in sleep.". Brother Lawrence
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Post by tburnszoo »

My first thoughts about FIRE:

1. The burning bush
2. Comfort of a fireplace
3. Burning something - house, car, barn, etc.
4. War - The general shouted "Fire!"
5. We need to fire this woman. She's just not working out.
6. The forest was engulfed in fire.
7. The superhero had the power of fire.
8. Fire-breathing dragon.
9. Sitting around a campfire

Out-of-the-Box:

1. The light surrounding Him danced like fire. Despite the flames, the air was as cool as an early spring day. I couldn't take my eyes from the vision...

2. The fires of Hell...

3. Fire and ice...
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An Observation

Post by OldManRivers »

I am finding it quite interesting how each of us uses the prompt word "fire" in different modalities. Some use the word itself, some use the attributes of the noun, some use manifestations of the phenomena, etc.
May God's gentle grace be with you.

Jim McWhinnie
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Re: Fire

Post by glorybee »

DPETTI67 wrote:Out-of-the-box:

On your mark, Captain Caveman eagerly waits, get set, and go! He dashes swiftly reminiscently reminding us of the scene in Chariots of Fire, ready and aimming to extinquish St. Elmo's Fire.

Goofy, yeah it is, but written less than a minute.
Darren, I just wanted to welcome you to the class. Your out-of-the-box idea is clever...

Now...do you have on that you might actually write and submit for the challenge, if that was the word for the week?
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Post by glorybee »

Tricia wrote: Out of the Box: Pillar of Fire. God used to lead the Israelites in the Wilderness.
Tricia, this could be an out-of-the-box idea--for a secular website or publication (where the readers might not be familiar with the allusion). Here at FaithWriters, maybe not so much...

...so if you went with this, you'd want to give it your own unique spin. Instead of a re-telling of the story, perhaps tell it from the POV of the pillar of fire. Or from a random non-Israelite desert-dweller who happens to witness it. Or from an Israelite child who wonders if he could roast manna in it...

What do you think?
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Post by glorybee »

OldManRivers wrote:Fire

Out of the box:

Adam and Eve discover fire and they don't know what to do with it.
That's cute, Jim! I'm imagining them sticking their fingers in it, burning several foods before getting it right, speculating that some sort of covering might protect them from it...
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Post by glorybee »

Ms. Barbie wrote:FIRE:

California
Hell
Fire place
Hot
Red-orange
My car
Barbeque

OUT OF THE BOX: Worshipping God around the fire-pit at the beach
Barb, I'm more than a little bit curious about why "my car" is on the list for "fire"!

As for your "out of the box" idea--perhaps. I'm going to go a bit outside of the lesson now, and touch on another of my favorite themes: conflict.

In literary terms, conflict is an essential element of a short story. So...worshiping God around a fire-pit is an awesome thing (I've done it many times myself)...but what can you do with it to add a bit of conflict?

someone with inner hurts who's singing outside but aching inside?

a spark flies out and someone jumps up, whooping, but their enthusiasm is mistaken for fervor?

the firepit is in a homeless camp?

See what I mean?
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Post by glorybee »

eireann wrote:I think of what would normally jump into people's minds for the topic and then try to do the opposite.

Not so normal=
Fire eater
Radical evangelist
Teenage boy experimenting
Name of a band
Sci-fi name of man
These are great--I especially like the "fire eater" idea, and the perhaps arsonist. Great story potentials there!

Love your first sentence, too. "Do the opposite"--awesome.
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Post by glorybee »

Greghory, thanks for valuable insights from one of our most creative writers. I don't believe I've ever thought "boring" when reading one of your entries!
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Post by glorybee »

DanielK wrote:A battle between two modern-day armies, complete with tanks and missiles, and all that, around the edge of one of those bogs. The Gunfire turns the battle-ground into a raging inferno, and the soldiers are more at risk of being burnt by the bog than they are of dying from flying bullets.
Daniel, you're awesome!

I enjoy your entries so much--they're always a welcome change of pace. Some time...not necessarily for the challenge, but some time...I'd love to see you write something small and internal--and STILL infused with the kind of energy and conflict that you're so good at.

Just a little dare for you...(and if you do it, I'll attempt an action story or a fantasy. You on?)
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Post by glorybee »

yvonne wrote:
Out of the Box:

book (Bible) burnings in Great Tribulation


I try to find a different setting or POV than expected.
Excellent, Vonnie! I especially like that last thing you said, so I'm going to repeat it:

Try to find a different setting or POV than expected.
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DPETTI67
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Re: Fire

Post by DPETTI67 »

Hi Jan,

Thanks for the fun assignment. To answer your question, Yes. You have given me a valuable insight when my hands or fingers, much less, my mind, become temporaily paralyzed.

What a great way to lose the paralysis. I look forward to the next challenge. :)

Oh, I have submitted an article in the "Hmph!" challenge. I hit the mark this time without--a Eureka. My last entry was not as Eeky; I didn't squeeze the mouse ... my article was more implied, I guess.
May grace and peace be with you!

Darren :>)
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Post by glorybee »

PamDavis wrote:Fire-truck
Fire-hose
Fireplace
fireman
fire him
fire alarm
fire escape
fire-drill
fire engine
fire-ants

Out of box:
Fire in her eyes

This is fun! Like a game of Password or the old Tom Kennedy game show: You Don’t Say.

Pam
Oh, I used to love those game shows--maybe that's where I learned word association and brainstorming.

I was especially intrigued with an item from your first list: fire ants! I can see a lot of potential there, either for a very dramatic entry or even a humorous one.

I'd be interested in some more brainstorming from you--maybe 5 more items--without limiting yourself to phrases that BEGIN with "fire". Sort of like I did with "horn" in the original lesson...what do you think?
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