Welcome to Free Fall Friday!
For this week’s prompt, study the photo of the bird and then write a one-page response starting with the words: ______ stared at ________
Your one-page response should also include two funny sounds or words.
Questions to consider before writing to the prompt:
1. Has your mc ever seen this bird before?
2. Is the bird your mc?
3. Where did the bird come from? Is the bird in a zoo, at a park, in someone’s yard, or another place?
4. Does the bird communicate with people? If so, how?
5. Is the bird really a bird?
6. Does the bird want something from your mc?
7. What does your mc want?
8. Does your mc want to help the bird? If so, why and how?
You may prefer to immediately respond to the prompt without considering the questions. Either way is fine.
Have fun!
Stanley stared at his reflection in the full length mirror. Why had he let Minerva talk him into going to the beauty salon with her?
It would have been easy to just say, “No!” But not for Stanley. He loved Minerva more than sunflower seeds, and he would do anything to please her.
He had done what she asked, so why was Minerva was so angry with him?
Was it because the talent scout from “Beautiful Bird” fashion magazine went ape-za-loo over his new look?
“Hmmm…” Stanley thought as he took a closer look at the face in the staring back at him in the mirror…
“I am truly fabulous!” His frown slowly turned into a smile as his tilted his fluffelous head to the side.
“Minerva will just have to get over herself.” He said with a wink.
“Maybe I’ll send her some sunflower seeds…”
By: Eileen Balesteri on November 5, 2010
at 3:24 pm
Hi Eileen!
Thanks for sending this. I love the characters’ names and you did a great job with your two funny words:fluffelous and ape-za-loo. I presume that Stanley is the bird. Is Minerva a bird, too?
Keep writing, and I am glad you are having funny with this!
Betsy
By: betsydevany on November 5, 2010
at 3:57 pm
Thanks Betsy! These are a lot of fun~I’ve never done an exercise like this before…
I figured that the “Beautiful Bird”magazine would imply that Stanley was the bird. As to whether or not Minerva was a bird, I guess she would have to be if she was mad that the magazine preferred him to her…
In answer to your question, yes, she too was a bird in my minds eye.
To be honest, I didn’t really think about it until after I wrote it. She was a bird in my head, but I probably shouldn’t have assumed the reader would know that. It’s interesting how much detail a person can write (or not write)in so few words, without realizing it until after re-reading it…I really like that!
By: Eileen on November 5, 2010
at 7:13 pm
Uh oh! A type-O! Sorry about that…in my haste to finish in the 20 minutes, I failed to omit 2 words…(in the)
By: Eileen Balesteri on November 5, 2010
at 3:29 pm
Eileen,
I am so glad you tried this exercise and had fun with the process. Keep up the good work, and we hope you join us again. Your enthusiasm is inspiring!
Betsy
By: betsydevany on November 6, 2010
at 1:04 pm
I love these prompts, Betsy. They are giving me something to write about when my brain is otherwise stuck. I’ll try to post another on my blog soon.
By: Faith Hough on November 8, 2010
at 6:13 pm
Thanks, Faith!
I look forward to reading another one of your responses, and I am happy to hear my prompts are helpful to you.
Betsy
By: betsydevany on November 8, 2010
at 7:53 pm