If I could
reach back
to that attic –
If I could do it again –
I would take
more time.
I wouldn’t
be afraid.
I would savor
the ripping sound
of the tape
opening every box.
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Joining Creative Caffeine
What is Creative Caffeine?
The Blend: The idea behind Creative Caffeine is a blend of two writing principles. First, that the more you write, the better you write. And second, that there’s a creative alchemy that comes from free-writing first thing in the morning.
The Brew: Here’s how it works. Every weekday morning, the Creative Caffeine barista will email you a writing prompt - something that will act like a jolt of caffeine for your writing brain. Using this prompt, you will free write for 10 minutes. Ideally, you’ll do this before you shower, get dressed, feed the dog and the kids – in other words, before your internal judge wakes up. When the 10 minutes are over, you’ll email that morning’s work to your Creative Caffeine weekly writing partners, as well as to the barista.
Your weekly writing partners will read the morning’s work, and highlight the passages they like, the ideas they think should be developed into longer pieces. And you’ll do the same for them.
At the end of the week, the barista will choose her fave from each Caffeinator's work for the week and post it on the Creative Caffeine blog site. Everybody* will read your writing and marvel.
(*Links to the Creative Caffeine blog site appear on multiple websites.)
Placing your order: You can join Creative Caffeine any Monday morning. The cost is $100 for a four-week commitment (20 writing days). To join click here.
The Dark Roast Option – For those who are serious about their jolt: When you register, just send the Creative Caffeine barista an extra check for $100. If you write every one of the 20 days, you’ll get your check back. Every day you miss, will cost you $5 – the equivalent of a grande latte.
The Brew: Here’s how it works. Every weekday morning, the Creative Caffeine barista will email you a writing prompt - something that will act like a jolt of caffeine for your writing brain. Using this prompt, you will free write for 10 minutes. Ideally, you’ll do this before you shower, get dressed, feed the dog and the kids – in other words, before your internal judge wakes up. When the 10 minutes are over, you’ll email that morning’s work to your Creative Caffeine weekly writing partners, as well as to the barista.
Your weekly writing partners will read the morning’s work, and highlight the passages they like, the ideas they think should be developed into longer pieces. And you’ll do the same for them.
At the end of the week, the barista will choose her fave from each Caffeinator's work for the week and post it on the Creative Caffeine blog site. Everybody* will read your writing and marvel.
(*Links to the Creative Caffeine blog site appear on multiple websites.)
Placing your order: You can join Creative Caffeine any Monday morning. The cost is $100 for a four-week commitment (20 writing days). To join click here.
The Dark Roast Option – For those who are serious about their jolt: When you register, just send the Creative Caffeine barista an extra check for $100. If you write every one of the 20 days, you’ll get your check back. Every day you miss, will cost you $5 – the equivalent of a grande latte.
About the Creative Caffeine Barista
The Creative Caffeine barista, also known as Janis Cooke Newman, has been teaching writing in the SF Bay Area for nearly 10 years.
She is the author of a memoir, "The Russian Word for Snow," and a novel, "Mary." Her essays and travel stories have appeared in numerous publications, including the LA Times and Backpacker magazine, as well as in several anthologies. She is a member of the SF Writers Grotto.
For more on Janis Cooke Newman, and to find out more about her classes, click here.
She is the author of a memoir, "The Russian Word for Snow," and a novel, "Mary." Her essays and travel stories have appeared in numerous publications, including the LA Times and Backpacker magazine, as well as in several anthologies. She is a member of the SF Writers Grotto.
For more on Janis Cooke Newman, and to find out more about her classes, click here.
Blog Archive
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2009
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May
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- A Man Once Told Me - Camilla Basham
- A Man Once Told Me - Julie Farrar
- A Man Once Told Me:Flute Lessons - Donna Shomer
- In Memory Of - John Fetto
- In Memory Of: Cactus - Chris Callaghan
- In Memory Of - Elizabeth Weld Nolan
- What I Dream - Bonnie Smetts
- What I Dream - Melody Cryns
- With His Pants Down - Randy Wong
- Off Balance - Chris Callaghan
- Vertigo - Elizabeth Weld Nolan
- Vertigo - Jackie Davis-Martin
- Vertigo - John Fetto
- Vertigo - Melody
- You Know We Got Nothing Extra - Camilla Basham
- Show and Tell - Andrew Hamilton
- Show and Tell - Donna Shomer
- Home - Donna Shomer
- Home - Bonnie Smetts
- Home - Carol Arnold
- Home - Julie Farrar
- Home - Randy Wong
- Dangerously - Julie Farrar
- Dangerously - Camilla Basham
- Dangerously - Randy Wong
- Dangerously - Katie Burke
- You Can't Do It The Same Way Twice - Andrew Hamilton
- You Can't Do It The Same Way Twice - Bonnie Smetts
- You Can't Do It The Same Way Twice - Chris Callaghan
- Driving Alone - Elizabeth Weld Nolan
- Driving Alone - Carol Arnold
- Champagne Glasses...Or, Beer Goggles - Donna Shomer
- Champagne Glasses...Or, Beer Goggles - Michael Lisboa
- Champagne Glasses...Or, Beer Goggles - Melody Cryns
- What You Don't Know - John Fetto
- I Prayed For It - Bonnie Smetts
- Eggs - Carol Arnold
- Eggs - Chris Callaghan
- Eggs - Katie Burke
- Write Using the Word 'Coffee' 'Hallowed' 'Anticipa...
- Write Using the Word 'Coffee' 'Hallowed' 'Anticipa...
- Write Using the Word 'Coffee' 'Hallowed' 'Anticipa...
- I Prayed For It - Donna Shomer
- I Prayed For It - Julie Farrar
- I Prayed For It - Randy Wong
- What Happened - Donna Shomer
- What Happened - Michael Lisboa
- Get a Life - Julie Farrar
- Get a Life - Anne Wright
- Get a Life - Carol Arnold
- Get a Life - Bonnie Smetts
- Get a Life - Chris Callaghan
- Stay Naked - Camilla Basham
- Stay Naked - Katie Burke
- Stay Naked - Randy Wong
- Shrimp Rolls - Mark Maynard
- Shrimp Rolls - Melody Cryns
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May
(57)
I had to post this one as well. You got so much into that one detail - 'the ripping sound of the tape opening every box.' I found myself thinking about it over and over.
ReplyDeleteI still love both these pieces, succinct, sense-ual, real. You paint broad strokes with a thin brush. Well done!
ReplyDelete