100 Words: July

[vaneramos]

100 words every day for a second month. Pete trapezebear surprised me by noticing my June entries had a theme, texture. It tied things together nicely. So I chose a different theme for July, and I'm surprised by how different this month turned out, but still it has a nice flow. This theme is more elemental and probably harder to guess even if you know there is one, but I'll find a small prize to send to the first person who identifies it.

July words

Comments

[emjaybaxter.livejournal.com]

Hey Van, I really enjoyed your July words. Your poetry reads so well.

Your postcard from Essex County arrived today. Tx so much.

As for your theme this month, it looks like there are a number of things going on in your mind. There is a lot of reminiscing, and certainly family, and some history. And there is a lot of travel in as well. But perhaps you gave a clue withe the word "elemental", so I'm going with "water" which certainly crops up over and over in both your July Words and your entries.
Hope you have a great August as well.

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

Why you clever, handsome fellow! Water it is. I don't even know what the prize will be, but perhaps something I can mail to you from what remains of my travels over the next 10 days.

[emjaybaxter.livejournal.com]

Hey I think I'll have a glass now.
No prize neccessary but another nice postcard would be most welcome.
Enjoy your trip.

[quirkstreet.livejournal.com]

Definitely water; I see Meirion has already said this and you've confirmed it, but I read the entries before looking at the comments and felt certain. Well done.

The July 15th entry is particularly interesting, because the words that connote water are all meant metaphorically: "lake" "swim" and "drown" referring to states of mind rather than physical bodies of water or actions taken in them. I believe nearly all of the other entries refer to actual water.

A very interesting month. "Elemental" and "nice flow" indeed. I think June's texture theme was somewhat harder to spot than this month's. I may investigate the 100 Words With Theme approach myself at some point.

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

I believe nearly all of the other entries refer to actual water.

I referred to water metaphorically on July 30 and 31, too. I deliberately used metaphors sparingly, like a little bit of red in a painting consisting mostly of cool colours. Those three entries were perhaps the most important ones, addressing psychological issues, but to write so abstractly all month long would have watered down their impact.

It would be wonderful to see you try your hand at this. 100 words a day is not a lot, as long as you don't fuss over them, but at the end of a month it's a satisfying achievement. It's interesting not looking back until you're finished, then seeing how it all fits together, and I think having a theme makes this even more fun.

The hardest part is trimming it down to 100 from say 105 or 112 words. Occasionally I get over 130 before I finish what I want to say. But editing down is one of the best exercises a writer can undertake. I already feel that a little practice every day is influencing the way I write.

[bardcat.livejournal.com]

there's water at the bottom of the well.

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

Plink!