Category: Write for You Blog

by Nancy Casey

Here on the Palouse, we’ve arrived in the season that slides into winter. The precipitation is drizzly and cold. We’re getting some previews of snow. The daylight time is short and getting shorter. We turn our clocks back next weekend. Are you ready for what’s coming?

Today, write about how you get ready for the changes that winter brings. Have you done some things already? Will you be doing some more things soon?

Think about what it takes to keep you comfortable and happy in the winter. At the same time, get our your writing stuff and set up your page.

Draw a line across the top of the page where your title will go. Set aside some space for illustration if you like. Start out by drawing or doodling if it helps your mind focus.

When an idea about getting ready for winter pops into your mind, write it down. One idea will lead to another. If it doesn’t right away, draw or doodle to keep yourself focused on the page.

Maybe you will write about how you adapt to the weather—how you change your routine to stay warm and dry, the clothes you start wearing and where you keep them.

Do your eating habits change in winter? What about your social life, work responsibilities or favorite amusements? Do you look forward to these changes? How do you get ready for them?

Perhaps you have hobbies, activities, or projects that you like to do in winter. How do you set yourself up for them so that everything goes smoothly?

When you have filled up the page with thoughts about preparing for winter, look back over your work. Add illustration or decoration if you like. Take a moment to notice what you have done.

Do your ideas form any kind of a pattern? Do they seem to be about a bigger idea that you hadn’t really planned on writing about? If they do, maybe you can use that insight to think up a title. If they don’t, make up some kind of a title anyway and write it at the top of the page.

Put your initials or a signature on the page, too. And write the date on it. Here is an example of what someone could write.

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You can share your work by posting it as a comment below. You can type it in, or take a photo of it and upload the image.

Nancy Casey has lived in Latah County for many years. You can find more of her work here. If you would like some help or encouragement with any kind of writing project, contact Nancy or the Latah Recovery Center.

by Nancy Casey

Although you might not want it anywhere, you can find it just about everywhere: in the sky, on the ground, in your shoes, under the bed, even in outer space. In can make you bat your eyelashes, or bring on an asthma attack. If you get Covid, it can feel like your brain is full of it.

Today, write about dust.

Clear the dust from your mind and your workspace and set yourself up to write.

Arrange your writing stuff in front of you so it looks pleasing to you. Take a breath or two. Wiggle around a little to loosen yourself up.

Draw a line at the top of the page where your title will go. Set aside some space for illustration if you like. Start drawing or doodling in it if it helps your mind focus.

What, exactly, is dust anyway? Where does it come from? What does it turn into when it’s not dust anymore? You could write about that.

You could write about all the dust that you can see from where you are sitting.

What are some of the best ways to get rid of dust? If you get it wet, is it still dust?

Another possibility would be to write about all the ways that dust can be annoying. Or all the places and spaces where there is dust and it really doesn’t bother you.

If you want to get scientific, you could gather up some dust and look at it with a magnifying glass. Do dust particles have different sizes, shapes and colors?

The phrase dust to dust comes from the Bible. What does that mean? Do you think it’s true?

Dust can be a metaphor, too. What does it mean if you say your mind or your memory is filled with dust? Can that happen to a relationship? What if you are left in the dust? Have you ever been dusted off? Or dusted up? What happens when the dust settles?

Do you have a story you can tell in which dust plays a role? Has dust ever made your day, or ruined your plans?

Write down the first idea that comes into your mind. Most people keep getting ideas once they start writing. (If you don’t, doodle on the page somewhere so you don’t stop “writing.”)

When you have filled up the page, look back over your work. Add illustration or decoration if you like.

Do your ideas form any kind of a pattern? Do they seem to be about a bigger idea that you hadn’t really planned on writing about? If they do, maybe you can use that insight to think up a title. If they don’t, make up some kind of a title anyway and write it at the top of the page.

Put your initials or a signature on the page, too. And write the date on it. Here is an example of what someone could write.

You can share your work by posting it as a comment below. You can type it in, or take a photo of it and upload the image.

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Nancy Casey has lived in Latah County for many years. You can find more of her work here. If you would like some help or encouragement with any kind of writing project, contact Nancy or the Latah Recovery Center.

by Nancy Casey

There are a lot more questions in this world than answers. Today in your writing, have a little fun asking questions. Skip the answers. Just ask the questions.

First, get your page set up. Draw a line at the top of the page where your title will go. A good way to set aside space for illustration is to draw a frame around the page that you can decorate, either now or later.

Write the letters of the alphabet, A-Z down the left-hand side of the page.

For each letter, write a question that uses a word that begins with that letter.

You can start with “A” and work your way down the page. Or you can skip around.

Maybe you will know the answers to the questions you ask, and maybe you won’t.

To be creative with your question-making, think about the basic question words, the ones that start with “W.” Who, what, when, where, why?

There is also How? As in How many…? Or How does…?

Yes-or-no questions are a possibility. They might start out with Does…? Or Is…?

Sometimes you can make a question more interesting if it uses words like if or would somehow.

Write down the first idea that comes into your mind, and then just keep going.

When you have filled up the page, read through all of your questions. Add illustration or decoration if you like.

Do your questions form any kind of a pattern or seem to tell a story? Do they seem to be about a bigger idea that you hadn’t really planned on writing about? If they do, maybe you can use that insight to think up a title. If they don’t, make up some kind of a title anyway and write it at the top of the page.

Put your initials or a signature on the page, too. And write the date on it. Here is an example of what someone could write.

You can share your work by posting it as a comment below. You can type it in, or take a photo of it and upload the image.

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Nancy Casey has lived in Latah County for many years. You can find more of her work here. If you would like some help or encouragement with any kind of writing project, contact Nancy or the Latah Recovery Center.

by Nancy Casey

Go outside, look up, and there it is—the sky.

What is the sky anyway? What is it made of? How far does it go? If something is in the sky, is it part of the sky?

Today, write a page about the sky.

With the sky on your mind, get out your writing stuff. Arrange it in a way that looks pleasing to you. Take a breath or two. Wiggle around a little to loosen yourself up.

Draw a line at the top of the page where your title will go. Set aside some space for illustration if you like. Start drawing or doodling in it if it helps your mind focus. If your mind feels empty of ideas, doodling, drawing, or even simply scribbling, relaxes your mind and gently draws your focus to the writing task. When an idea comes, you’ll be ready to write it down.

You can consider the sky from the viewpoint of a scientist and write down ways that it can be observed and measured. What would be different if you considered the sky from a religious viewpoint? What is the sky like if you take the viewpoint of a dog or a plant?

You could write down a story that has the sky in it. Your story could be true or made up—or both.

Is it possible to write a whole page of questions about the sky? Or a whole page of statements about the sky that are false?

You could divide your page into two parts, label them “Day” and “Night” and write thoughts and observations about the sky appropriate to each heading. What other headings could you use instead of “Day” and “Night?” Now and Then? Winter and Summer? Child and Adult?

As you relax into your writing task, write down the first idea that comes into your mind. Don’t hold out for a “good” idea. Most people keep getting more ideas once they start writing. (If you don’t, doodle some more. If you fill your whole page with doodling…well, you filled a page!) Whatever idea you begin with, chances are your ideas will get more and more interesting as your work your way down the page.

When you have filled up the page, look back over your work. Add illustration or decoration if you like.

Do your ideas form any kind of a pattern? Do they seem to be about a bigger idea that you hadn’t really planned on writing about? If they do, maybe you can use that insight to think up a title. If they don’t, make up some kind of a title anyway and write it at the top of the page.

Put your initials or a signature on the page, too. And write the date on it. Here is an example of what someone could write.

You can share your work by posting it as a comment below. You can type it in, or take a photo of it and upload the image.

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Nancy Casey has lived in Latah County for many years. You can find more of her work here. If you would like some help or encouragement with any kind of writing project, contact Nancy or the Latah Recovery Center.

by Nancy Casey

Erosion is going on always and everywhere. Geologists tell us that it is the relentless process that ensures that nothing on the surface of the earth stays the same for very long.

A river carrying rock and dirt downstream gradually made the Grand Canyon. Wind, and the little particles it carries, have worn away mountains. Erosion has caused whole cliffs with houses on them to fall into the sea.

It’s not just the surface of the earth that is affected by erosion. A hole in a well-worn article of clothing can be caused by erosion, too!

Think about erosion as your prepare your writing situation for the day. Get out your stuff and arrange it in front of you so that it’s pleasing to you. Take a breath or two. Wiggle around a little to loosen yourself up.

Draw a line at the top of the page where your title will go. Set aside some space for illustration if you like.

Consider the world around you. Think about the erosion that happens to the earth when it rains or when the wind blows. Sometimes you can see it happening, and sometimes you can’t.

Imagine all the different things you know of that can wear out. How often is erosion the cause?

You can think of erosion in a metaphoric or symbolic way, too. When an intense feeling becomes less acute, what has caused it to erode?

What besides feelings can erode inside yourself? A conviction? A sense of resolve? A desire? A memory?

Is there something that you wish would (or wouldn’t) erode?

What does time erode?

Allow your mind to settle into these thoughts, and when an idea about erosion occurs to you, write it down. You could explain what causes the erosion and what the end result will be. You can tell if you think the erosion is good or bad and whether you can slow it down or speed it up.

Maybe you will have so much to say about your first idea that it fills the whole page. Or perhaps you will have a little bit to say about several different types of erosion. Somehow, you will fill the page.

If your mind feels empty of ideas, doodling, drawing, or even just scribbling, can open up your thoughts and gently draw your focus to the writing task . Then, when an idea comes, you’ll be ready to write it down.

When you have filled up the page, look back over your work. Add illustration or decoration if you like.

Do your ideas form any kind of a pattern? Do they seem to be about a bigger idea that you hadn’t really planned on writing about? If they do, maybe you can use that insight to think up a title. If they don’t, make up some kind of a title anyway and write it at the top of the page.

Put your initials or a signature on the page, too. And write the date on it. Here is an example of what someone could write.

You can share your work by posting it as a comment below. You can type it in, or take a photo of it and upload the image.

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Nancy Casey has lived in Latah County for many years. You can find more of her work here. If you would like some help with any kind of writing project, contact Nancy or the Latah Recovery Center.

by Nancy Casey

People measure success in all kinds of ways. But what about plants and animals? They can succeed, too, can’t they?

What does it take to be a successful pig, for instance? Does it depend on the pig? What is success like for a dog or an amoeba?

What are the signs that a plant has succeeded? What is a successful garden like? Or a successful forest?

Look around you. What kinds of success can you find among the plants and animals? If there are no plants or animals nearby, look around for some inside your memory or imagination.

As you organize yourself to write, think about all the different forms “success” takes, depending on the perspective.

Get out your stuff. Arrange it in a way that looks pleasing to you. Take a breath or two. Wiggle around a little to loosen yourself up.

Draw a line at the top of the page where your title will go. Set aside some space for illustration if you like. Start drawing or doodling if it helps your mind focus. If your mind feels empty of ideas, doodling, drawing, or even just scribbling, relaxes your mind and gently draws your focus to the writing task so that when an idea comes, you’ll be ready to write it down.

Write down the first idea about non-human success that comes into your mind. When you are finished with that idea, if you still have room on the page, write about the next idea about non-human success that comes into your mind.

When you have filled up the page, look back over your work. Add illustration or decoration if you like.

Do your ideas form any kind of a pattern? Do they seem to be about a bigger idea that you hadn’t really planned on writing about? If they do, maybe you can use that insight to think up a title. If they don’t, make up some kind of a title anyway and write it at the top of the page.

Put your initials or a signature on the page, too. And write the date on it. Here is one example of what someone could write.

You can share your work by posting it as a comment below. You can type it in, or take a photo of it and upload the image.

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Nancy Casey has lived in Latah County for many years. You can find more of her work here. If you would like some help with any kind of writing project, contact Nancy or the Latah Recovery Center.

What’s Electric?

by Nancy Casey

Electricity. We all use it. But can you see it? Hear it? Taste it?

Today, write a page about the electricity around you. Where does it come from? Where does it go? How do you know it’s there?

Think about that while you get yourself set up to write.

Begin with a clean sheet of paper. Draw a line at the top of the page where your title will go. Set aside some space for illustration if you like.

Take a breath or two. Wiggle around a little to loosen yourself up, and write the first thought about electricity that comes into your mind.

Maybe the electricity that runs in and out of your life in wires comes to mind. You could recount everything you know about that.

If you are scientifically inclined, you might be able to explain a lot about electricity from a scientific point of view.

You could describe the electricity that can be found in nature. Is there electricity in your body? In outer space?

Sometimes electricity is used metaphorically. What does it mean to feel electric? Or to say that there is electricity between two people?

Fill a page with your electrical thoughts. Draw or doodle on the page, too if you like.

When you have finished the page, look back over your work. 

Do your ideas form any kind of a pattern? Do they seem to be about a bigger idea that you hadn’t really planned on writing about? If they do, maybe you can use that insight to think up a title. If they don’t, make up some kind of a title anyway and write it at the top of the page.

Put your initials or a signature on the page, too. And write the date on it. Here is just one example of what someone could write.

You can share your work by posting it as a comment below. You can type it in, or take a photo of it and upload the image. 

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Nancy Casey has lived in Latah County for many years. You can find more of her work here. If you would like some help with your writing, contact Nancy or the Latah Recovery Center.

by Nancy Casey

What does it take for you to get yourself from the private comfort of your home and out into the public world?

Do you concern yourself with your appearance or what you carry with you? Is there something you must always remember? Anyhing you often forget? Do you start getting ready early or rush around at the last minute—or both?

Think about those things as you settle into today’s writing project.

Get out your stuff. Arrange the things in front of you in a way that looks pleasing to you. Take a breath or two. Wiggle around a little to loosen yourself up.

Draw a line at the top of the page where your title will go. Set aside some space for illustration if you like. Start drawing or doodling in it if it helps your mind focus.

As soon as an idea comes to mind, start writing. Don’t fret over whether your idea is good enough. Sometimes the really good ideas don’t surface until you are halfway down the page. You just never know, and the only way you can find out is by writing something—anything.

How you prepare to leave your home often depends on where you are going. For example, it usually takes more effort to get ready to go on a trip than it does to step out for some fresh air. How do your preparations differ when you are going to work, to a friend’s house, or to take out the trash?

How you get ready to go depends on the season, too. In summer, it can be hard to remember what it takes to leave in winter. And vice-versa.

Do you have to prepare your home for your departure—turning off lights, giving water to a pet, telling someone goodbye, or things like that?

Once you close the door behind you, do you often have to go back inside for something you forgot?

You could write about your departure process for several different scenarios. Or perhaps you can recall a time when the simple act of leaving home turned into a story that will take (at least!) a page to tell.

Maybe you don’t feel like writing about yourself. You could write about someone you have helped or observed. Or you could make up an imaginary person and tell stories about what it’s like when they leave their home.

When you get to the bottom of the page, look back over your work. Pause to add illustration or decoration if you like.

Do your ideas form any kind of a pattern? Do they seem to be about a bigger idea that you hadn’t really planned on writing about? If they do, maybe you can use that insight to think up a title. If they don’t, make up some kind of a title anyway and write it at the top of the page.

Put your initials or a signature on the page, too. And write the date on it. Here is an example of what someone could write.

You can share your work by posting it as a comment below. You can type it in, or take a photo of it and upload the image.

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Nancy Casey has lived in Latah County for many years. You can find more of her work here. If you would like some help with your writing, contact Nancy or the Latah Recovery Center.

by Nancy Casey

Nobody’s perfect, but a lot of people must be average. Think about the average ones today.

You already know how many eyes and fingers the average person has. The internet can probably tell you how tall the average person is, what they weigh, and how many teeth they have. And you can explore your imagination for your own ideas you about average people.

Get yourself set up to write, and as you do, invite your thoughts turn over the notion of  “the average person.”

To get ready, arrange the things in front of you in a way you find pleasing. Take a breath or two. Wiggle around a little to loosen yourself up.

Draw a line at the top of the page where your title will go. Set aside some space for illustration if you like. Start drawing or doodling to help your mind focus on the page in front of you and your thoughts about average people.

Consider the average person’s appearance—what they look like, what they wear, how they style their hair. Do they wear contacts or eyeglasses? Do they yawn much or slouch?

What does the average person eat? What kind of work do they do? What do they watch or listen to? In what ways are they like you?

What goes on inside the average person’s mind? What makes them laugh? What are they looking for in life? How much do they plan and worry? How do they feel about their accomplishments?

How many times a day do you suppose the average person smiles, blinks, or burps?

How often does the average person make a mistake, and do they tend to know it’s a mistake at the time? What makes the average person successful? What do you suppose the average person regrets?

You might want to narrow down your idea of the average person. After all, there are nearly 8 billion people on the planet and it’s hard to consider them all. Maybe you want to think about the average person in your town or age group. Or the average barista, student, or gardener. You could consider the average tired person, the average traveler, or the average pet owner.

There are all sorts of average ideas ideas about average people lounging around in your mind. Describe the first one that floats to the surface, and then keep going until the page is full. Pause to doodle and think whenever you need to.

When you get to the bottom of the page, look back over your work. Pause to add illustration or decoration if you like.

Do your ideas form any kind of a pattern? Do they seem to be about a bigger idea that you hadn’t really planned on writing about? If they do, maybe you can use that insight to think up a title. If they don’t, make up some kind of a title anyway and write it at the top of the page.

Put your initials or a signature on the page, too. And write the date on it. Here is an example of what someone could write.

You can share your work by posting it as a comment below. You can type it in, or take a photo of it and upload the image.

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Nancy Casey has lived in Latah County for many years. You can find more of her work here. If you would like some help with your writing, contact Nancy or the Latah Recovery Center.

by Nancy Casey

Today, write about moving things and whatever it is that moves them.

Get out a blank sheet of paper and watch your hand move the pen so it draws a line at the top of your page where your title will eventually go. Mark off a space for drawing, too, if you like.

People and things go from place to place all the time, sometimes under their own power and sometimes because something or someone moves them.

In your writing you could choose an everyday object such as a fork, a doorknob, or a shoe, and then describe its movements during a regular day. Or a normal life.

You could write about how different parts of your body move, or describe the places your body moves to and from in the course of a day—or a week, a year, or your lifetime so far. Does music make you move? How does that work?

Another way to think about movement is to consider forces of nature, such a wind, water, magnetism or gravity. What do such forces move around?

You could consider movement in an abstract or intangible way. Do thoughts and feelings move? Do we move through time? What, exactly, moves when we say that we are “moved” by something?

As soon as any idea about moving and movement jumps into your mind, begin writing it down. Describe what moves, explain what moves it or any other details that occur to you. If you move off the topic of movement, that’s okay.

Maybe by the time you have finished writing about your first idea, you will have used up the whole page already. If not, relax your mind and let a new idea move into it. If your mind feels blank, doodle a bit while asking yourself, “What moves?”

When you get to the bottom of the page, look back over your work. Make small changes or additions if you like. Add illustration or decoration, too.

Do your ideas form any kind of a pattern? Do they seem to be about a bigger idea that you hadn’t really planned on writing about? If they do, maybe you can use that insight to think up a title. If they don’t, make up some kind of a title anyway and write it at the top of the page.

Put your initials or a signature on the page, too. And write the date on it. Here is one example of what someone could write.

You can share your work by posting it as a comment below. You can type it in, or take a photo of it and upload the image.

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Nancy Casey has lived in Latah County for many years. You can find more of her work here. If you would like some help with your writing, contact Nancy or the Latah Recovery Center.