Just Write for introverts: Recent Episodes
Kara Q. Lewis
Hello, friends! Welcome to Just Write for introverts, your virtual writing partner in podcast form. Each episode, you’ll get a series of writing prompts for sessions that last for however long you’d like to write. After introducing a prompt, I suggest writing time lengths and count you out: 1, 2, 3, write. You press pause and do your thing. When you're ready, come on back and continue on to the next prompt. Let’s get writing! Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/justwriteforintroverts/support
Today we've got a joyous start followed by relaxing-melty moments and dreamy sequences. Let's see what your brain puts forth as you scoop under your awareness. Here's hoping for awesome, awkward nuggets hiding in the mysteries of the subconscious.
Today's song: "High Above the Water" by Kathryn Bostic
https://open.spotify.com/track/6yKIqMtgcF8kAbguzcvZQ7?si=ff40cdf8781c44dd
Other links:
A take on "Beard After Hours" - the episode of Ted Lasso I raved about: https://www.vulture.com/article/ted-lasso-recap-season-2-episode-9-beard-after-hours.html
Happy dreaming!
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/justwriteforintroverts/support
Today we get back to some of my favorite kinds of writing exercises, a prompt style from Natalie Goldberg, where you have your prompt and you write from it, but as you lose the thread of a thought or want to push yourself deeper into your thoughts, you repeat the prompt and write again, and again and again. The focus of the writing today is all hovering around themes of love and relationships it feels like. That's what comes from writing after going on a walk with a friend who's a dating coach!
Today's song: "For Now" by Kina Grannis - https://open.spotify.com/track/0c99BUd87HQfzgUUQqRyds?si=fdd9aa14461e431c
Other links:
Kimberley Healey, dating coach: https://www.instagram.com/hijomitmoi/
"A better way to talk about love" TED Talk by Mandy Len Catron: https://youtu.be/zMWYQRKuc5M
A talk about Sula by Toni Morrison from The Carter G. Woodson Institute for African American and African Studies: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vzw61BfnE6M
Happy writing!
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/justwriteforintroverts/support
Today was a silly episode. I was in an odd mood: both firm about what I wanted to work on and scattered in thought. How can one be both focused and all over the map? A mix of tiredness and excitement rolled together, perhaps? The main thrust of the session was looking at what drives us, what drives our characters, and then also the driver itself—the narrator. I got a lot of inspiration about types of narrators (character, omniscient, and ambiguous) from Mario Vargas Llosa's book Letter to a Young Novelist. From there came a narration challenge. And so, what do a scared human, a blue turtle, and a comfy couch have in common? Listen to find out! Thanks for rolling with me today!
Today's song: "Bird in the Thyme" by Tiny Ruins
Link to the playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0U16u8aKdIrHoFugoWzRec?si=f0bb493e873e4936
Other links:
Letters to a Young Novelist by Mario Vargas Llosa, translated by Natasha Wimmer: https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780312421724
Neil Gaiman's Masterclass: https://www.masterclass.com/classes/neil-gaiman-teaches-the-art-of-storytelling
Neil Gaiman's A Calendar of Tales: https://soundcloud.com/a-calendar-of-tales/sets/a-calendar-of-tales
The list of prompts from A Calendar of Tales on SFSignal.com: https://www.sfsignal.com/archives/2013/08/short-fiction-friday-neil-gaimans-a-calendar-of-tales/
Thanks for writing with me today!
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/justwriteforintroverts/support
Well, howdy do! Today's focus was all about shifting perspectives and working through feeling stagnant. I'm reading Mary Oliver's collection of short essays, called "Long Life," and am enjoying hearing her voice, the thoughts behind the thoughts, giving insight into her beautiful poetry and pristine way of viewing the world. We take inspiration from her as we mine and define new ways of viewing things.
Today's song: "The Secret Kissing of the Sun and Moon" by Hang Massive
Link to the playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0U16u8aKdIrHoFugoWzRec?si=41c9a1bf3c8845c6
Other links:
Mary Oliver's "Long Life" ~ a write up from Brainpickings.org: https://www.brainpickings.org/2015/02/20/mary-oliver-long-life-habit/
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/justwriteforintroverts/support
Hello! I've been recording the podcast for awhile now but am only just sharing with friends, so it feels like a new start in a way. Welcome to the newbs! Today we journey into words and phrases we use a lot, things from the past week that have stuck with us, and putting our writing muscles to the test by writing a bad mystery. Today's session is a little longer than usual - potentially due to nerves, but also because I do a bit of a longer look at one of the exercises including how I approached the prompt. Without furthery ado, let's get to it!
Here's the link to the song prompt playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0U16u8aKdIrHoFugoWzRec?si=e79a12050ca9419b
Other links:
Neil Gaiman's Masterclass: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vy9b-L7uKqk
Annie Dillard's The Writing Life: https://www.brainpickings.org/2013/08/09/annie-dillard-on-writing/
Thank you for writing today!
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/justwriteforintroverts/support
I zoomed through this one, didn't I? Feel free to take longer with any of my suggested prompt times if you like. Also, for anyone who is desperately curious, it was a Great Blue Heron I was seeing. And, the black and white bird who I got excited about is likely a Black Turnstone. Alas, not a loon. That was wishful thinking.
A note about the song at the end "Already Forgiven" by Basia Bulat: I attempted to use something that I thought was going to be super fancy - including an actual song track from Spotify - but I just found out that not only will it just be premium Spotify users who will hear the full track (with basic Spotify users hearing a short preview), but it also won't appear on my episode list on other podcast platforms. So, I'm re-releasing this episode without the song attached. Do go look it up though! As I wrote in the description for the now Spotify-only episode, it doesn't hurt to try something new, but I think I'll stick to my usual format of sharing songs from the Just Write for introverts inspiration playlist. Thanks for bearing with me!
Link to the playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0U16u8aKdIrHoFugoWzRec?si=dac0945a79d54e8b
Other links...
Sitka Center for Art and Ecology: https://www.sitkacenter.org
Great Blue Heron: https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/great-blue-heron
eTown: https://www.etown.org
Basia Bulat: https://basiabulat.com
Thank you for writing together today!
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/justwriteforintroverts/support
There wasn't really a theme to this episode, but escape was mentioned a lot! Escape room, escape as a prompt, escaping on vacation. I recorded this the morning I was leaving for a few day trip to the ocean, and I'm so glad I did. This session brought up a lot of feels: happy feels and sad ones. A full spectrum of the smiles and the tears.
Here's today's song: "Rupturing" by Emily Jane White
Link to playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0U16u8aKdIrHoFugoWzRec?si=88bc2a71fd834fd8
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/justwriteforintroverts/support
I feel a little vulnerable in today's episode. Not exactly sure why! Here's the poem that I read aloud for the poem inspiration prompt if you wanted to read it rather than just hear me say it.
Conrad Aiken (1889–1973)
The Ego (January 1953)
Ego! Ego! Burning blind
in the forest of the mind
what immortal alchemy
or what immoral chemistry
dared shape thy fearful symmetry
dared dream thy fearful liberty
and in the eye
conceived the I
and in the ‘Aye!’
a Me!
Here's the link to it on Poetry Foundation.
Today's song is "Smaller Than My Mother" by Overcoats. Here's the Spotify playlist link: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0U16u8aKdIrHoFugoWzRec?si=89a9685114d24d01
Thanks for writing with me today!
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/justwriteforintroverts/support
Can I just say, Annie Dillard blows me away. I'm really enjoying her book The Writing Life. (It was another lucky used book store find. Thank you, The Book Exchange!)
"The line of words fingers your own heart. It invades arteries, and enters the heart on a flood of breath; it presses the moving rims of this valves; it palpates the dark muscle strong as horses, feeling for something, it knows not what. A queer picture beds in the muscle like a worm encysted--some film of feeling, some song forgotten, a scene in a dark bedroom, a corner of the woodlot, a terrible dining room, that exalting sidewalk; these fragments are heavy with meaning. The line of words peels them back, dissects them out. Will the bared tissue burn? Do you want to expose these scenes to the light? You may locate them and leave them, or poke the spot hard till the sore bleeds on your finger, and write with that blood. If the sore spot is not fatal, if it does not grow and block something, you can use its power for many years, until the heart resorbs it."
Gorgeous.
Note: We didn't have a song today. We did a meditative breathing exercise.
Links...
Annie Dillard: http://www.anniedillard.com/books-annie-dillard.html
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/justwriteforintroverts/support
It's a new year! I tried to do a second 10-day challenge last year... It took me six months to do 10 episodes. First derailment at the start of the pandemic was the anniversary of my father's death (three years hit hard). The turmoil and pain and necessary work of fighting for and supporting the civil rights of Black, Indigenous, Asian, and Transgender people brought forth much thinking, learning, and helping implement antiracist efforts in systems where I could effect change. Then tragedy ravaged the valley where I live. The Almeda Fire brought unfathomable destruction, and life turned on its head. That was swiftly followed by an unexpectedly large work load, followed by the holidays, and time essentially having no meaning, which brings us to now. 2021. Season two. Let's get writing.
Here's the Spotify playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0U16u8aKdIrHoFugoWzRec?si=bd9a1957b5b54490
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/justwriteforintroverts/support
YES. For someone who struggles with daily tasks, this feels like a huge achievement. Thank you so much for going on this journey with me. Hopefully you had an enjoyable and enriching time. Here's the song for today: "Down to the Sea" by Elephant Revival. Here's the link to the playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0U16u8aKdIrHoFugoWzRec?si=8dea49cec93d420e
Other links...
Ashland Folk Collective: http://www.ashlandfolkcollective.com
Anna Tivel: http://www.annativel.com
Jeffrey Martin: http://www.jeffreymartinmusic.com
Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg: https://nataliegoldberg.com/books/writing-down-the-bones/
Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind by Shunryu Suzuki: https://www.shambhala.com/zen-mind-beginner-s-mind-1796.html
Jhenna Quinn Lewis: https://jhennaquinnlewis.com
Run Your Heart Free by Kara Q. Lewis: https://karaqlewis.com/product/run-your-heart-free/
Thank you! May your pen be busy keeping up with your heart and mind! Let's keep writing.
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/justwriteforintroverts/support
We're a'getting there! Today's song is "For Those Who Want Control" by Praise the Low. Here's the Spotify playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0U16u8aKdIrHoFugoWzRec?si=d41c6bb4f8664e67
Other links...
La Muse Artists and Writers Retreat: https://www.lamuseretreat.com sigh swoon
Create with John Fanning Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/create-with-john-fanning-podcast/id1493455170
Lao Tzu Tao Te Ching translated by Ursula K. Le Guin: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/643185/lao-tzu-tao-te-ching-by-ursula-k-le-guin/
Thank you for writing with me today!
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/justwriteforintroverts/support
We're getting there, friends. Here's today's song: "Curs in the Weeds" by Horse Feathers. Here's the Spotify playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0U16u8aKdIrHoFugoWzRec?si=f6a25b9c10e745ea
So grateful to be sticking with it! Write on...
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/justwriteforintroverts/support
Such a special day, made wonderful by guest writer and friend Jazzmin! Today's song is by Sharon van Etten: "I With I Knew." Here's the link to the Spotify playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0U16u8aKdIrHoFugoWzRec?si=dd8a505acad14f9f
Other links...
Richard Brautigan: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/richard-brautigan
Thank you for writing with us today :)
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/justwriteforintroverts/support
Look at us, staying focused! Today's song is "Unwriteable Girl" by Gregory Alan Isakov. Here's the link to the Spotify playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0U16u8aKdIrHoFugoWzRec?si=47598ee79dbe4594
Other links...
Wild Mind by Natalie Goldberg: https://nataliegoldberg.com/books/wild-mind-living-the-writers-life/
Ologies with Alie Ward: https://www.alieward.com/ologies
Thank you for writing today!
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/justwriteforintroverts/support
Halfway point, bebe! I mentioned I'd give a description of the song prompt here. This exercise is one of my favorites for getting started. You have your writing gear ready, you play a song (I've got a list going for the podcast or you can choose any song you like), and you write for the length of that song. You could be inspired by a lyric, a word, an image, the feeling of the piece. Whatever sparks for you, write. You only have til the end of the song to get something down! At the end of the song, you move on.
Here's today's song: "Keep Me in Your Heart" by The Wailin' Jennys. Here's the link to the Spotify playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0U16u8aKdIrHoFugoWzRec?si=fed0133ccfe84396
Other links...
Midge Raymond: https://midgeraymond.com
Jeffrey Martin: http://www.jeffreymartinmusic.com
Thank you for writing with me today!
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/justwriteforintroverts/support
Boo-yah, we're four days in. Today's song is "Everything I Wanted" by Billie Eilish. Here's the link to the Spotify playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0U16u8aKdIrHoFugoWzRec?si=27c6232896d84229
Other links...
An article from The Atlantic about Authentic Relating: https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2017/11/the-club-where-you-bare-your-soul-to-strangers/545786/
Let's get to it!
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/justwriteforintroverts/support
We're getting on a roll now :) PS Sorry about the sound on this episode ~ something funky happened and the session is a little quieter which may need some volume added. Here's today's song: "Lost in My Boots" by Kwaye. Here's the link to the Spotify playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0U16u8aKdIrHoFugoWzRec?si=f4ffa5152295458a
Other links...
Tuula's blog: https://tuula11.wordpress.com
Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg: https://nataliegoldberg.com/books/writing-down-the-bones/
Mary Oliver: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/mary-oliver
Genevieve's website: http://juniperandthewolf.com
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/justwriteforintroverts/support
Day two, here we come! Today's song is "The Ravens" by Emily Jane White. Here's the link to the Spotify playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0U16u8aKdIrHoFugoWzRec?si=512ff25e30c74de2
Other Links...
Midge Raymond: https://midgeraymond.com
Ashland Creek Press: https://ashlandcreekpress.com
Let's get writing!
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/justwriteforintroverts/support
Oh my gawd!! It's Day One. We've got this, friends. Today's song is "The Duet" by Hollis Peach.
Here's the link to the Spotify playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0U16u8aKdIrHoFugoWzRec?si=689b257c6a604e72
Also, here are some links to things mentioned in the episode:
Ashland Folk Collective: http://www.ashlandfolkcollective.com
Anna Tivel: http://www.annativel.com
Jeffrey Martin: http://www.jeffreymartinmusic.com
Let's get to it!
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/justwriteforintroverts/support