RIVER EDGE (the blog): Returning Home

Welcome to Write Like a River and RIVER EDGE, a blog for the writer in you. RIVER EDGE offers free writing prompts, resources, and inspiration a la carte!

Here are two writing prompts inspired by my reading of Jamaica Kincaid’s At the Bottom of the River. This rare image is from the cover of her first Aventura Edition (1985) that I’ve enjoyed since college. It is a book of stories by a woman of color about “a childhood in the Caribbean.” I hope you enjoy this cover image–as my old copy can be difficult to find these days.   

Writing Prompt~~

1) Walk through your current home or imagine walking in a former home from some point in your childhood or adult life. Allow some of the “things” in the house or apartment to have a voice. Listen and write down what they say. Examples might include:

• a piece of furniture such as the kitchen table or bed or rocking chair
• a particular part of a room such as an alcove, closet or threshold
• a window or door
• a deck of cards, child’s toy, or item from the medicine cabinet
• a teacup, picture on a wall, hair brush, hammer or thimble

"Spill" for 15 minutes! For those who are new to Write Like a River, this means to write without stopping, erasing, proofreading or censoring. Then, read what you've written out loud for yourself and yourself alone.

If you'd like to read the complete post and 2nd half of this prompt, learn more about "spilling" and check out other free writing prompts, you are invited to visit http://www.writelikeariver.com/ and http://www.writelikeariver.com/river-edge-blog/.