Welcome to the November/December Project at Cafe Writing!

On Friday, November 7th, I accidentally blew away the entire database, and then a server glitch at my host rendered it impossible to recover it. Thanks to Google’s cached pages, I’ve reconstructed most of the Project and Participants pages, but in the interest of time and sanity, have not gone back and re-linked all the old submissions - anything earlier than July/August won’t have links, just a list of titles and participants. I apologize for this.

As a result of the db debacle, we have a new design, and a few new features. One of them is the “Quotable Cafe” widget in the right side of the menu. I’ll be inputting the quotations used in each project, and they’ll show up there on a random basis. It’s both an interesting piece of history (to see what’s been used) and may help find inspiration later.

Also new: Beginning with this month, I’m inviting all of you to participate in a new way, by submitting your own photos to be used in the “Can You Picture That” option. Our own Janet is this month’s contributor.

The Holiday Project will begin on the 7th of December, and run just past the beginning of the New Year. Last year our holiday theme was “Tradition and Ritual,” this year, I’m thinking it will be “Family & Community.” The January Project theme is “Fresh!”

This Project will run through December 6th, and the theme is Jewels. It’s inspired by a gift I received from my mother before I went to my writing workshop in San Francisco: my grandmother’s pearls. You are free to interpret the theme more metaphorically, but I like the notion of hand-me-down jewelry and art and antique pieces that have history and meaning.

* ~ * ~ *

Option One: Pick Three

Fewer and fewer Americans possess objects that have a patina, old furniture, grandparents’ pots and pans, the used things, warm with generations of human touch, essential to a human landscape. Instead, we have our paper phantoms, transistorized landscapes. A featherweight portable museum.
~Susan Sontag

Pick at least three of the following words, and build a piece of writing around them. The form is up to us: poem, scene, flash-fic, essay, or general blog entry.

essential, furniture, landscape, museum, paper, patina, possess, touch, warm

* ~ * ~ *

Option Two: Can You Picture That?

Use the following photo to inspire a piece of writing in any form (poetry, prose, whatever).
(Please remember to copy the image to your own server, and include photo credit when it is known.)

Photo Credit: Janet Spering

* ~ * ~ *

Option Three: Poetry

Let us not be too particular. It is better to have old second-hand diamonds than none at all.
~Mark Twain

Using the quotation above as your inspiration, write a poem (any form is fine) about second-hand diamonds.

* ~ * ~ *

Option Four: Fiction

All art is autobiographical; the pearl is the oyster’s autobiography.
~Federico Fellini

Using the above quotation as your inspiration, write a flash-fic, scene, or short story involving pearls.

* ~ * ~ *

Option Five: Timed Writing

I don’t want to own anything until I know I’ve found the place where me and things belong together. I’m not quite sure where that is just yet. But I know what it’s like…. It’s like Tiffany’s…. Not that I give a hoot about jewelry. Diamonds, yes. But it’s tacky to wear diamonds before you’re forty…
~Truman Capote, Breakfast at Tiffany’s
(spoken by the character Holly Golightly)

Take eleven minutes (use all eleven, but don’t go over), and write on the subject of the place where me [you] and things belong together.

This is a timed exercise and it’s expected that it won’t be perfect. Any format - fiction, essay, verse - is welcome.

* ~ * ~ *

Option Six: Seven Things

Some men’s memory is like a box where a man should mingle his jewels with his old shoes.
~George Savile

In improvisation, one of our exercises is a game called “Seven Things,” in which we go around in a circle giving each other the challenge, “Give me seven things that [whatever].” We are not going to go around in a circle here, but if you’re drawn to lists, this prompt is for you.

Give me seven things that would be (or are) in your memory box. In this case, the box can be literal, and hold jewelry, or other special trinkets and treasures, or metaphoric. You’re not required to explain the items in your list, but it’s more fun for readers if you do.

* ~ * ~ *

Don’t forget to comment here with your name, the title of your piece, the selected option number, and the direct link to it. Also, please note: since the database was destroyed and I’ve had to reconstruct, you’ve ALL become first-time posters again, so your comments will be queued for approval.

HAPPY WRITING

21 Comments »

1. [...] * ~ Written for the November/December Project at CafeWriting.com. (This was a timed writing project, and as such was posted [...]

   Pingback by MissMeliss.com » My Grandmother’s Pearls — 9 November 2008 @ 10:56 am

2. 

   Option 5: Timed Writing
   My Grandmother’s Pearls

   Comment by MissMeliss — 9 November 2008 @ 11:00 am

3. 

   Here’s one for Pick Three: Cat Views

   I like the new look!

   Comment by Tiel Aisha Ansari — 9 November 2008 @ 6:30 pm

4. 

   This is for Option Three.

   Heirloom Diamonds

   Comment by Tiel Aisha Ansari — 10 November 2008 @ 5:31 pm

5. 

   it never quite comes out how i expect it will.

   i started with option four but ended up freewriting about it.

   autobiographical art

   Comment by snack — 10 November 2008 @ 9:43 pm

6. 

   Option 1: Pick Three
   Poem Title: “What Letters Are Made Of”
   URL: http://alotus-poetry.livejournal.com/33815.html

   Enjoy!

   Comment by A~Lotus — 12 November 2008 @ 11:37 pm

7. 

   Option 1: Pick 3
   Brittle Yesterdays

   It is awhile since I last posted here! Ever since the advent of my new camera (not so new now!) I have been fervently taking photos and opting for a complementing haiku! Now I have slowed down my camera enthusiasm (just a little), I can drift back to longer posts!

   Comment by Gemma — 15 November 2008 @ 5:12 am

8. 

   This place, for option 5, timed writing.

   Comment by James Steerforth — 16 November 2008 @ 9:40 am

9. 

   Option #2 - My 3 Girls: http://mymuseandme.blogspot.com/2008/11/cafe-writing-can-you-picture-that.html

   Option #6 - My Memory Box: http://mymuseandme.blogspot.com/2008/11/cafe-writing-7-things-in-my-memory-box.html

   Comment by Bobbi (My Muse and Me) — 18 November 2008 @ 10:02 pm

10. 

    Jeweled letter, for option 1.

    Comment by Niebla — 19 November 2008 @ 1:03 pm

11. [...] for Café Writing’s November/December Project: Option 6, Seven Things, and also for Thursday Thirteen. Yes, I know, 13 is more than 7. This isn’t a math [...]

    Pingback by MissMeliss.com » Box of Me — 20 November 2008 @ 8:15 pm

12. [...] November/December Project: Jewels [...]

    Pingback by Cafe Writing » November/December Participants — 20 November 2008 @ 8:33 pm

13. 

    Here’s my post for Option One: “Time Tested”

    http://beccasbyline.wordpress.com/2008/11/21/time-tested/

    Comment by Becca — 21 November 2008 @ 8:58 pm

14. 

    Here is my response now for Option 3 ~ Poetry

    Like Second-Hand Diamonds

    Comment by Gemma — 26 November 2008 @ 2:40 am

15. 

    My response to option 4 titled ‘Broken promise’. I loved all the options. Hope to write more….

    Comment by Medhini — 26 November 2008 @ 5:35 am

16. [...] for the November/December Project at CafeWriting: Option Two - “Can You Picture [...]

    Pingback by MissMeliss.com » Something Old — 30 November 2008 @ 10:07 pm

17. 

    For Option Six: seven things

    “Stranger”

    Comment by rob kistner — 3 December 2008 @ 11:00 am

18. 

    For Option Four: fiction

    “The Pearl Bracelet”

    Comment by rob kistner — 3 December 2008 @ 12:28 pm

19. 

    Option three, poetry, please:

    DIFFERENT KINDS OF BLOOD DIAMONDS

    Comment by Richard — 8 December 2008 @ 7:31 pm

20. 

    Option Three, Poetry:
    This Girl’s Best Friends

    Thanks! :)

    Comment by Zan — 18 December 2008 @ 4:57 am

21. [...] Writing, November/December Project: Option Three: [...]

    Pingback by zan nim dot com » Blog Archive » This Girl’s Best Friends — 18 December 2008 @ 4:58 am

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