My favorite shop (non-Internet variety), Anthropologie has started an artist's blog which is kind of interesting. One of the first entries is from Jane Campion, director of the recent Keats film Bright Star. It made me think about how filmmakers have location scouts and take all kind of photographs to record the location.

Go location scouting for a piece of writing. Take pictures. Then write.

Write your own "How to Not to Write About [insert your own literary cliche here]" essay.

Write a piece with a lot of percussion in it.

White Rabbits - Percussion Gun - A Take Away Show from La Blogotheque on Vimeo.

In one of today's NYT book reviews there is a line about a Times Literary Supplement assignment one writer received: write an essay of less than 1200 words with no restrictions except it must spill a drop of blood. Try it. (metaphorical blood, please)

I have the great pleasure of working with my friends and last night many of them demonstrated exceptional good-sportmanship in participating in our graduate student event, the Faculty Juvenilia reading. In celebration of the sincerity and intensity of what we believe in our youth...write something in the voice of a fourteen year old. Not smart, ironic, or smartass. Sincere.

Dan Chaon has a new novel out and here is the playlist he listened to as he wrote it. Create a playlist for a piece you haven't written yet. Then go write the piece.

I am a tidy person at heart, but I love pictures like this in which there are a gazillion things to look at. Write a piece of prose in which there are a gazillion things to look at.

Artist Kate Bingaman-Burt makes drawings of everything she buys. Write a mini essay somehow illustrating everything you bought yesterday (whatever day yesterday is for you). And I do mean everything. No cheating.

It is a quirk of my personal taste that I really love pictures of people with animal heads. Write about someone with an animal head.

I'm a big fan of Elsa Mora's papercuts (and all three of her blogs, really). Check out this one in particular. And maybe this one too. And then take a one page piece of writing and cut it into something.

Artisit Sophie Blackall has created a blog illustrating "Missed Connections" personals. Write a moment of connection--one that's temporary. Not necessarily something romantic or a "missed connection" just a temporary but for some reason significant connection between two people.

I am a big fan of what Jen Bekman does at her gallery and with 20 x 200. And at her blog Personism, she does these fantastic pairings of art and poetry. My favorite so far is Please Come Late by Hugo Williams paired with a photograph by Gregory Krum. Write a "Please..." piece (poem, prose, monologue...) in which the speaker asks another person to do something which wouldn't at first glance seem a desirable thing.

These paintings by David Mellon seem to me to be illustrations to a book that doesn't exist (I assume). My favorite is "Galoshes" (why isn't he wearing any pants?!).

Now try writing a series of captions to illustrations that don't exist for a book that doesn't exist.

Look at these paintings of bookshelves by Victoria Reichelt. Imagine the person who would stack their books like that! Not me, anyway. Now describe a character's shelves (bookish or otherwise).

Artist and glass blower Dale Chihuly says, "If I can get near the water, I know something will happen." Write something under the influence of water.

Click over to Bill Traylor's Woman Pointing and Holding an Umbrella. Describe what she's pointing at.

Writing for Writers #20

Look at Paho Mann's photos of junk drawers. Write a junk drawer. But give each thing a history.

Writing for Writers #19

Look at Lettermade by Bradley Dicharry (hint: look for the faded Coca-Cola in the first photo) then write a scene or poem that includes a piece of found typography.