WHAT’S NEW//جديدنا

WRITING PROMPT//فكرة اليوم

In “A Braided Heart: Shaping the Lyric Essay,” Brenda Miller writes: “What is new is not what we tell but how we tell it. The lyric essay is one way to do this: It demands (or perhaps gently asks, with a knowing smile) that we stay awake to the chance associations and intuitive connections that make life bearable. Or, really, to be more precise, it asks us to create those very connections through the act of writing, to follow a chain of those connections as far as they will go and pinch them together in the end.” 

Randomly pull out three objects from your bag, your shelf, or otherwise in your possession now. Set them in front of you and free write on each for at least 15 minutes. You may choose to describe or tell a story or go on a tangent. What is important is that the writing is inspired by the objects. Then see if there is a common image or theme between them and write a paragraph on that. Revel in chance associations and intuitive connections.

By Brenda Miller and adapted by Rima Rantisi