I never should have signed up for a creative writing class.
We have an assignment due Monday night (US Mountain Time). There's three options. Unfortunately, they all suck for me.
1: Pick an image from your mind and write about it. All the images that stick in my head are taken from copyrighted sources -- mostly novels, but there's some film and television in there too.
Actually, writing that has reminded me of a slightly dorky I had while listening to a cheesy country breakup song. I am so filing that aside for later, but for now the list continues!
2: Pick one item from the list below (not shown here). Freewrite a page about it, then write the first page of the story. I suck at freewriting. I was required to take a typing class in high school, with actual typewriters and corrective tape. All typos had to be corrected promptly or not at all, and every one remaining cost points on the grade. I am now incapable of not correcting a known error. I also have a searing hatred of lengthy run-on sentences, which means that freewriting kills my brain dead.
3: Go to a public place and observe people. Write descriptions of them in a notebook.... Back up, Bucky; me no go public.
(Excuse me, I've just been interrupted. I shall snap at the offender, who shall be offended back at me and then snidely stalk off, leaving me alone as I desired all along.
Done. Back to item three.)
I don't do public places. I don't stare at people and try to make up stories about them; it's rude and it makes me so nervous I tremble.
Bereft of other options, I guess I'll go with my hokey hick idea for possibility numero uno. See, this is what I love about writing, about thinking into text: it can get things organised and solved. In contrast, freewriting just confuses the hell out of me. Blah. I'm glad my instructor offered several choices for the assignment though. It would suck to have to freewrite.
Oh lovely bells, the song that inspired my little story idea is apparently a legal, free MP3 download! SCORE! I'm not positive it's 100% legal, but at least it means I can listen to the song several times in a row without rewinding the cassette.
Joy!
No dice. The mental image has to be a memory. I'm back to regretting this class. The textbooks are engrossing, but the one I especially enjoy I could have -- quite literally -- picked up at the grocery store for a tenth what this class is costing me. Argh!