Blog Post | But I Smile Anyway...

Finish The Story 2 – @Tanmay_and_Jain @darling_sascha – Writers Block

11 May 2019 21 Comments

by Ritu in Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Finish The Story, Writers Block

Sascha Darlington has set the first prompt, for which I have been selected as the first responder!

A New Design - Made with PosterMyWall (1).jpg

Prompt – A non-risk-taking writer has writer’s block, so they decide to do something they’ve never done before to inspire them.

Writer’s Block

Okay.
So, here I am.
Standing on the edge of the world.
Well, it feels like the edge of the world, but really, it’s just a very steep drop off a cliff.
What am I doing, standing here?
I’m afraid of heights…
And I thought I’d face my fear.
They say that if you find yourself stuck, at a dead end, creatively, that you should do something totally different. You know, outside of your comfort zone.
I’ve never had that problem before.
Usually, my fingers fly across the keyboard.
Stories just come to me.
But for the first time, I was up against a brick wall.
Nothing.
No ideas, no bursts of inspiration.
Nothing.
So, here I am, tentatively looking over the precipice.
It all looks rather small down there.
Very far away.
Got to take care not to lean too far over.
My insides are churning.
I can feel my breathing getting more and more shallow.
If I just focus on something…
There.
I see movement in the bushes below. Something causing a ripple in the greenery that sweeps the ground beneath my gaze.
What could it be?
Slowly the wheels start turning as inspiration seeps inside my mind.
Ideas start to fizz and pop in my brain.
Stories, plots, characters…

They were right, you know.
Sometimes you just need to push yourself, and the block will disappear…
Ritu 2019

Sascha is a tech writer and creative writer at Sascha Darlington’s Microcosm Explored. You can find her on Twitter here.
This challenge has been set by Tanmay Jain of Bookinton Blog.

May 9: Flash Fiction Challenge – Tooting Marvellous

10 May 2019 24 Comments

by Ritu in #CarrotRanch Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Carrot Ranch, Charli Mills, Flash Fiction, Growing Old

Charli’s Flash Fiction prompt:

May 9, 2019, prompt: In 99 words (no more, no less) write a story about growing older. It can be humorous, dark or poignant. It can be true or total fiction. It can be fine wine or an old fossil. Go where the prompt leads!

Tooting Marvellous

Mabel sat in her armchair and glanced around her surroundings.
Look at them all — old fogies.
She was, undoubtedly, at least ten years younger than them. Goodness knows why they’d put her in here. There must have been some mistake.
But that silver-haired Derek, sat across the room, he looked rather dashing. Someone to get to know and, maybe, help ease the boredom.
Shifting slightly in her chair, she felt a build up in her stomach, and a loud fart escaped.
At least there were some benefits to growing old…No embarrassment factor; she could toot to her heart’s content!
Ritu 2019

May 9: Flash Fiction Challenge

#WritePhoto – Rooted

09 May 2019 35 Comments

by Ritu in #WritePhoto Tags: #WritePhoto, Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Photo Prompt, Rooted, Sue Vincent

Sue’s #WritePhoto prompt.

Looking at this and seeing the roots of two trees all exposed and entwined, I thought of my Finndian family: Indian and Finnish. Both sets of roots that are extremely deep, yet both their teachings are visible in my Finndian nephews. It sparked the inspiration for a haiku.

Criss cross heritage
An interesting background
Roots all muddled up
Ritu 2019

Thursday photo prompt: Rooted #writephoto

One Liner Wednesday – #1LinerWeds

08 May 2019 32 Comments

by Ritu in #1linerweds Tags: #1linerweds, Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Linda G Hill, One Liner Wednesday

Nothing beats being woken up by your little nephew’s cute voice, saying “Pooji, wake up, it’s theven o’clock now – we’re allowed to get up now!”
Ritu

Yes, it’s Wednesday and I am still tired from my wonderful, but busy family weekend, but I can honestly say that when my nephew, Finndian #1, woke us up, it was the cutest thing. He’s a typical little child who wants to get up extra early, but has been taught that he has to stay in bed until at least 7am, which is deemed the civilised hour.

So, to hear his cute little voice with his slightly lispy ‘s’ sounds, up he melted my heart! I wake before then anyway, but I would stay in my bed especially so he could come in and wake us just like that.

A precious memory I shall cherish forever!

For Linda’s #LinerWeds challenge.

May Speculative Fiction #Writingprompt – #PoeticFiction Mechanical Tart

07 May 2019 43 Comments

by Ritu in Speculative Fiction Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Mechanical Man, Poetic Story, Speculative Fiction

Diana has a great picture for this month’s prompt! I have already seen some pretty fab entries!

 Mechanical Tart
 
 On the outside
 Perfect
 An Adonis you cannot
 Reject
 But look beneath the
 Exterior
 You might find something
 Inferior
 Instead of heart and
 Soul
 You’ll find no more than a 
 Hole
 A man with no
 Emotions
 Made by machine and 
 Potions
 Listen close and you will 
 Hear
 The whirring of the cogs and
 Gear
 That operate within his
 Skin
 To love this man would be a 
 Sin
 Be careful to whom you give your 
 Heart
 Make sure it’s not this mechanical
 Tart
  
   Ritu 2019