Page 46 - March 2021 Voices

JUST WRITE

“Snot” Rocket Science

Ken Coomes, DTM

I started the 2021 version of Just Write by offering to have a clean vocabulary, and it is challenging

four different resources for writing, planning for me to write curse words, as well as writing
to expand on each as the year progressed. about normal bodily functions that may be called
Last month we took a look at Reedsy, a writing “gross.” (nausea, vomiting, throwing up, barfing,
community, blog and contest, with weekly Ralphing . . .) So I ended up writing a short story

prompts. centered around a character’s diarrhea. I would
This month we’ll peek into Bonni Goldberg’s say it’s a comic piece, but some readers may find
book, Room to Write. it too gross to be funny. Or perhaps it could be
Each of her 150 chapters offers a prompt, equated to 12-year-old boy humor. Dare I add

discussion about the prompt, and a quote related “potty humor?”
to it. Each may inspire you with an idea to write With chapters such as “Snot,” “O, God,” and
about something. Let’s take a look at fear, or “Let’s Eat it,” you can even string some titles
rather her chapter called “Be Afraid, Be Very together to form an interesting sentence.

Afraid.” For me, the chapter titles are a source of
Bonni talks about fears as “great motivators, inspiration. So are Bonni’s short discourses
especially for writers.” She goes on to share the about the chapter. Then there are the prompts
perspective that writing helps allay our fears, themselves. And finally, the quotes may offer

and protect us from them. The writing prompt yet another direction for the creative mind to
in this chapter is to “Make a list of the things explore. It’s like getting 600+ prompts in one
you fear. Pick one and describe it in concrete book. If this interests you, please visit her site
and specific detail.” by clicking here.

You can probably already see the cathartic
effect this exercise may have for you, as the fear Just write!
becomes less of an unknown thing. Notice also
that the prompt can help you understand and

relate to your character’s fears.
She closes the chapter with a quote from Anne
Rice: “What I fear in writing is the safe decision.”
One of my favorite chapters in Bonni’s book is

“Snot.” The challenge is to write a full page about
snot. Or to list other unmentionable topics you
could explore as you write. I chose to write about
crap (poop, feces, s**t, poo-poo, caca . . .) I tend

46 ONE COMMUNITY