Missing U?

As you have almost certainly discovered by this point, anything can serve as a writing prompt. Anything. Even ideas that may seem "silly" or "gimmicky" can prompt creativity. 

Here's an example: there are not one but two famous novels that were written without using the letter "e." It's the most commonly used letter in the English language, so this would be quite a challenge (just think of how you'd get around "the" and all the "-ed" past tense verbs, as well as the pronouns "we," "they," "she," and "he"). Check out the details here:

https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/84280/you-wont-find-letter-e-either-these-two-novels

Why DO this? Well, why not?

Today's writing prompts, accordingly, are about things that are missing. Both were suggested by students.

Prompt one:

What is the worst key to be broken on a keyboard and why? Now: Write a story or poem without using that key, and make the absence meaningful in some way if you can.

Prompt two:

You awake one day and your favorite artist/actor/movie never existed and only you have memories of their art. How is the world different? What would you do? Explore the possibilities of this alternate reality and how you would react.




Comments

  1. eveMay 11, 2022 at 8:27 AM

    Theworstkeytobebrokenonakeyboardisthespacebarbeacauseimeanlookathisitsunintellegible.Nottomentionthemusclememoryoftryingtohitthespacebarolytofindthatnothinghappens.whatabother.Thereisalsotheconfusingmomenttryingtodecipherwhenonewordstartsandanotherbegins.Andforgetaboutspellcheck,becuaseasfarasthesoftwareisconcerned,you’reoffyourrocker.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Florence LinMay 11, 2022 at 8:27 AM

      genius

      Delete
    2. Noel ChiMay 11, 2022 at 8:37 AM

      nottomentionthatifyournameis"theresa"youmightrunintoproblemswhenyou'retryingtotypeoutthesentence"theresasaidtheresatheresatheretoseetheresa"

      Delete
    3. Letitia MoffittMay 11, 2022 at 8:37 AM

      OKIaagreethisisgeniusandIhavealreadyhitthespacekeythreetimesjusttryingtotypethisbutatleastIstillhavethebackspacekey.

      Delete
    4. Noel ChiMay 11, 2022 at 8:37 AM

      translation "theresa said theres a theresa there to see theresa"

      Delete
  2. Florence LinMay 11, 2022 at 8:32 AM

    I guess one of the worst keys to be broken on your keyboard is the dbackspace bar. Button. Its hardbecause you just have to go with it. You cant worry about your word choice, spelling errors, and other things. I guess I dont know how to write without makeing mistackes. Its hard to go through life without making mistakes, but usually when im writing i can fix thise mistakes. That’s not always how it in real life rhough. There may be solutions to problems, but there is no backspace button. There is no way to turn back time or delete wat has owrealy hapened. Maybe if iall writing was like this it would be more human, more like real life. It woud also be more annoyying though.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Letitia MoffittMay 11, 2022 at 8:38 AM

      And now I don't have the backspace key. I am going to try to get through this wi augh fail.

      Delete
  3. WilliamMay 11, 2022 at 8:41 AM

    I think missing the comma key would be pretty bad. There's a big difference between the sentences "Let's eat, mom" and Let's eat mom". Also the Oxford comma can make things clear/confusing depending whether you use it or not.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Letitia MoffittMay 11, 2022 at 8:45 AM

      I am very much in favor of the Oxford comma (otherwise known as the serial comma). I am not in favor of eating mom. Commas are life.

      Delete
  4. LiliMay 11, 2022 at 8:41 AM

    I wonder wat life would be like ith a broken key
    Welcome to te world witout te letter
    Silent but still tere
    (kinda)

    My eart misses a little
    Writing this urts my brain
    So many words
    Yet
    Not so many
    te entire ting isn’t gibberis

    owever ere is were it gets wonky
    Wat is going on?
    Tat darn key
    ow is it tat one key canges so muc

    Tis is life ith a broken key

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Letitia MoffittMay 11, 2022 at 8:46 AM

      Brilliant! A wonderful ode to the H, which is actually a pretty interesting letter historically. Or istorically, as the case may be. :D

      Delete
    2. Letitia MoffittMay 11, 2022 at 8:53 AM

      You could title this "Broken eart." :D

      Delete
  5. Letitia MoffittMay 11, 2022 at 8:47 AM

    Here are the "Bob" lyrics: https://genius.com/Weird-al-yankovic-bob-lyrics

    ReplyDelete

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