Image © Copyright John and Margaret
Day 14 Recreate a single day
You might sense by now that setting limits on your writing can be both liberating and productive. You’ve already experimented with word count and timed free-writes in previous assignments, so today let’s try something new: write a post that takes place during one single day.
It might seem hard, at first, to tell a compelling story with such a limited temporal horizon: you have no recourse to flashbacks, backstory, or foreshadowing (unless it’s in reference to something about to take place that same day). But the narrow confines of one single day will encourage you to zoom in on the telling detail, the meaningful exchange, and the tight, cascading succession of actions that each depends on the one that precedes it.
You might sense by now that setting limits on your writing can be both liberating and productive. You’ve already experimented with word count and timed free-writes in previous assignments, so today let’s try something new: write a post that takes place during one single day.
It might seem hard, at first, to tell a compelling story with such a limited temporal horizon: you have no recourse to flashbacks, backstory, or foreshadowing (unless it’s in reference to something about to take place that same day). But the narrow confines of one single day will encourage you to zoom in on the telling detail, the meaningful exchange, and the tight, cascading succession of actions that each depends on the one that precedes it.
A DAY OF HARD RECREATION
by John Yeo
Morning arrives slowly, as I lie in a half awake reverie. A sort of interlude while I am lying, mulling over the events of yesterday and more importantly focusing on what Margaret and I are going to do today.
I check the time, it is around 4am. 'Better get up I think.'
I shower, shave and switch my computer on. This takes a short while to warm up and I clamber into my clothes and take my seat to virtually travel the world. I check my e-mails first, then my comment flow from WordPress where I spend some time responding to those who have taken the time to read my work and comment. Next I visit Facebook and Twitter and look in on my family and friends pages and I tick the like button many times on their various posts. I spend some time reading the posts of my fellow writers who have tagged me with their work, I check out my writing from the previous day, and post the results on the net.
I glance at the clock and I notice it is now 7am and I have been awake for 3 hours already. I make a morning cup of tea for Margaret and leave the house and drive to the local garage where I buy a newspaper.
I then head off to the allotment where I spend time growing vegetables and soft fruit, I have a mental list of what needs doing and I spend a couple of glorious hours gardening. My mind, as always, is mulling over my writing projects while I work. I happily soak up the sounds and sights of the birds and wildlife, and of course the occasional fellow enthusiast arrives to feed their chickens or to water the greenhouse. This morning my friend Darren, arrives early to see to his chickens, and takes the time to congratulate me on my prolific soft fruit bushes.
"I never seem to get that many on mine," he remarks.
I promise to give him a couple of cuttings next year, he is happy about that as he leaves to go to work.
9.30am and I have done a couple of hours work, so I decide to head home for breakfast. I load the car with harvested fruit and vegetables before I leave.
After a leisurely breakfast Margaret and I head off on a 6 mile journey, to a nearby town to shop for groceries. The traffic is quite light as the infamous school run is over at this time.
I glance at the dashboard and notice the time is now 11.25am.
We wander around our favourite store stocking up with groceries, when there is a sudden. "Hi! You two,"
"Hello how are you? Haven't seen you for ages!"
"I'm fine, my Mum is with me too!"
The four of us are excitedly chatting and blocking the aisle and eventually Margaret and I continue our shopping.
"That was pleasant," I remark to Margaret.
"Yes, doesn't she look well, and her Mum, looking that good at 90years old!"
We arrive home at about 3pm, after visiting another store.
We enjoy a lunch together and relax and unwind.
"Margaret, I will plant that tray of plants we have just bought and stain our garden furniture this afternoon. That second store we visited is a very useful place to shop."
"I will deal with the shopping and then prepare a special meal for tonight,"
Margaret replies.
"Then I will get on with some writing."
7.00pm and my mind is now totally absorbed in another world on another plane of being as I play with ideas, fashion words into a logical sequence to attract and hold a readers interest.
Margaret is creating a meal and we will soon eat together. I interrupt her,
"Margaret can you spare a moment please."
"Yes!" she replies, and I begin to read my latest piece of writing to her for her approval.
Just one or two minor suggestions and adjustments and I finish the work.
It is now 7.30pm and we are enjoying a really nice meal together in front of the television. There is a cookery contest programme in full swing. I laugh and remark to Margaret,
"You would leave those contestants standing if you entered that competition! This food is absolutely brilliant, tasty, well prepared and well presented."
" Don't be silly you are biased!" Is her modest reply.
We watch television until around 9pm, when tiredness creeps up on me and I leave Margaret watching television and retire to bed.
Copyright © Written by John Yeo ~ All rights reserved
by John Yeo
Morning arrives slowly, as I lie in a half awake reverie. A sort of interlude while I am lying, mulling over the events of yesterday and more importantly focusing on what Margaret and I are going to do today.
I check the time, it is around 4am. 'Better get up I think.'
I shower, shave and switch my computer on. This takes a short while to warm up and I clamber into my clothes and take my seat to virtually travel the world. I check my e-mails first, then my comment flow from WordPress where I spend some time responding to those who have taken the time to read my work and comment. Next I visit Facebook and Twitter and look in on my family and friends pages and I tick the like button many times on their various posts. I spend some time reading the posts of my fellow writers who have tagged me with their work, I check out my writing from the previous day, and post the results on the net.
I glance at the clock and I notice it is now 7am and I have been awake for 3 hours already. I make a morning cup of tea for Margaret and leave the house and drive to the local garage where I buy a newspaper.
I then head off to the allotment where I spend time growing vegetables and soft fruit, I have a mental list of what needs doing and I spend a couple of glorious hours gardening. My mind, as always, is mulling over my writing projects while I work. I happily soak up the sounds and sights of the birds and wildlife, and of course the occasional fellow enthusiast arrives to feed their chickens or to water the greenhouse. This morning my friend Darren, arrives early to see to his chickens, and takes the time to congratulate me on my prolific soft fruit bushes.
"I never seem to get that many on mine," he remarks.
I promise to give him a couple of cuttings next year, he is happy about that as he leaves to go to work.
9.30am and I have done a couple of hours work, so I decide to head home for breakfast. I load the car with harvested fruit and vegetables before I leave.
After a leisurely breakfast Margaret and I head off on a 6 mile journey, to a nearby town to shop for groceries. The traffic is quite light as the infamous school run is over at this time.
I glance at the dashboard and notice the time is now 11.25am.
We wander around our favourite store stocking up with groceries, when there is a sudden. "Hi! You two,"
"Hello how are you? Haven't seen you for ages!"
"I'm fine, my Mum is with me too!"
The four of us are excitedly chatting and blocking the aisle and eventually Margaret and I continue our shopping.
"That was pleasant," I remark to Margaret.
"Yes, doesn't she look well, and her Mum, looking that good at 90years old!"
We arrive home at about 3pm, after visiting another store.
We enjoy a lunch together and relax and unwind.
"Margaret, I will plant that tray of plants we have just bought and stain our garden furniture this afternoon. That second store we visited is a very useful place to shop."
"I will deal with the shopping and then prepare a special meal for tonight,"
Margaret replies.
"Then I will get on with some writing."
7.00pm and my mind is now totally absorbed in another world on another plane of being as I play with ideas, fashion words into a logical sequence to attract and hold a readers interest.
Margaret is creating a meal and we will soon eat together. I interrupt her,
"Margaret can you spare a moment please."
"Yes!" she replies, and I begin to read my latest piece of writing to her for her approval.
Just one or two minor suggestions and adjustments and I finish the work.
It is now 7.30pm and we are enjoying a really nice meal together in front of the television. There is a cookery contest programme in full swing. I laugh and remark to Margaret,
"You would leave those contestants standing if you entered that competition! This food is absolutely brilliant, tasty, well prepared and well presented."
" Don't be silly you are biased!" Is her modest reply.
We watch television until around 9pm, when tiredness creeps up on me and I leave Margaret watching television and retire to bed.
Copyright © Written by John Yeo ~ All rights reserved
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