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When the author E.L. Konigsburg passed away a memorial was held for her at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Her editor Ginee Seo gave a touching speech about Konigsburg talents as a writer, but also who she was as a person.
Seo spoke about the author’s diligence and devotion to her writing, from the tiny details to the big picture. “She was an enemy of cliché. Precision with regard to language was part of who she was.... She made you notice what you might have skimmed over,” Seo said, emphasizing how Konigsburg’s books truly had the capacity to change a reader. “You can’t think of a museum in the same way after reading From the Mixed-Up Files, or silence after reading Silent to the Bone.” Seo also shared some of Konigsburg’s lesser-known personal qualities that contributed to her individuality. Few, she said, know of her impeccable taste in accessories, her abundant, and sometimes earthy, sense of humor, or how she relished the spotlight. “She was not falsely modest. Let’s face it: she was a rock star and she did enjoy it,” Seo said. Above all, it was Konigsburg’s relentless drive to achieve a higher art that most impressed Seo. “She was always working, noticing, and looking at life in different ways,” Seo said. “She never disappointed.”.
The quote, “She made you notice what you might have skimmed over” really stood out to me. In thinking about the kind of person E.L. Konigsburg was made me think about how we can apply ourselves to our own writing. Konigsburg doesn’t just bring her personality into the characters of the story, she brings herself into the narration of the story, she brings her voice and humor. All these things are making its way into this book and making it that much more unique.
Prompt
Today our exercise hopes to bring ourselves more into your writing.
Step One:
I would like you to take inspiration from something you have observed in your daily life and build a story around that.
What have you noticed lately or seen that could spark the idea for a story? Maybe you noticed someone on the train or street that had an expression that made you think more about them? Maybe you noticed what someone was buying in the grocery store and started filling in your own ideas? Or maybe you overheard someone speaking and started filling in the context?
The idea is to use our own life and observations to draw inspiration for stories.
Step Two:
Once you’ve decided on a story and would like an extra challenge, don’t hold yourself back in the writing. Feel free to add personal details to your characters. Don’t be afraid to put in a joke, even a bad one, or to describe an awkward moment. The things you see and hear and experience every day could be the beginnings of the next great book!
I can’t wait to read what you come up with. If you would like feedback or just share your hard work, post in the comments. And if you would like clarification on anything, or questions that need answers, feel free to drop me a message.
Thank you for watching/reading and thank you for sharing. Happy writing!
Writing Prompt