Writing until I'm Winded

League of Utah Writers, Herriman Workshop
​Writing Sprints

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On your marks...

Get set...

Write!

via GIPHY

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Last night, at my monthly LUW writer's group, we did a Writing Sprint Challenge led by Robin Glassey, one of our chapter members and fantastic author..

The Concept is pretty simple:

1. Gather some writing friends.
2. Bring your favorite tool(s) for writing or brainstorming
   1. Laptop, pen & paper, quill & parchment, etc.
3. Find a comfortable place to write.
4. Determine a time limit for each sprint
   1. Robin set her timer for 15 or 20 minutes
5. Write!

One of the driving guidelines: Don't stress about spelling, grammar or punctuation. Just WRITE!
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Robin up'd the stakes by having ready made award bags for those who wrote the most words in the time allotted for each round, as well as most words total over the evening.

I didn't want to sprint through my WIP's, so I found an online Daily Writing Prompt and chose some that sounded interesting.

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Round 1 - 15 Minutes

I just started out with a stream of consciousness, journal-like entry, talking about the upcoming holiday and how much they stress me out.
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Word Count: 553

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Round 2 - 15 Minutes

I picked the Veteran's day prompt and started writing a tale of a soldier returning home from war. During the process, I twisted the characters (using the names of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) and made them injured Android Marines who've been battling Humans.
Michelangelo, sad to say, was lost in a skirmish.
Even letting all my spelling and grammar mistakes go, I ended up with fewer words, but a fun idea for a short story.

I had the highest word count for the round and won a goodie bag with microwave popcorn, scented wax, and other fun items.

Word Count: 504

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Round 3 - 20 Minutes

The next prompt I chose was Sesame Street.
The kids in the room may not like this, but in my tale Big Bird is a mob enforcer looking for the muppet who snuffed Snuffleupagus.
Perhaps not something I'll pursue for various reasons, but it made me laugh when Big Bird slammed a night-stick on Oscar the Grouch's trash can lid like a drummer's cymbal.

I came in second place by 29 words.
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Word Count: 658

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Total Word Count: 1,717

One of our other charter members won the grand prize, a box of chocolates (you never know what you're gonna get) for blasting us all out of the water with her first round sprint.

Congratulations!

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What's next?

Does a writing sprint sound like a fun way to spend an evening with like-minded friends?

What are you waiting for? Gather the troops. Get on your Laptops. Get set.

WRITE!

via GIPHY

Nicholas Adams

Just a small town boy with an over-active imagination.