• JUNE 27, 2014
  

  Writing 101, Day Twenty: The Things We Treasure

  For our final assignment, tell the tale of your most-prized possession. If you’re up for a twist, go long — experiment with longform and push yourself to write more than usual.

• JUNE 26, 2014
  

  Writing 101, Day Nineteen: Don’t Stop the Rockin’

  On this free writing day, remember the words of author Anne Lamott: “I don’t think you have time to waste not writing because you are afraid you won’t be good at it.”

• JUNE 25, 2014
  

  Writing 101, Day Eighteen: Hone Your Point of View

  Craft a story from the perspective of a twelve-year-old observing it all. For your twist, focus on specific character qualities, drawing from elements we’ve worked on in this course, like voice and dialogue.

• Writing 101, Day Seventeen: Your Personality on the Page

• What are you scared of? Address one of your worst fears. If you’re up for a twist, write this post in a style that’s different from your own.

• Writing 101, Day Sixteen: Serial Killer III

• Today, imagine you work in a place where you manage lost or forgotten items. What might you find in the pile? For those participating in our serial challenge, reflect on the theme of “lost and found,” too.

• Writing 101, Day Fifteen: Your Voice Will Find You

• You’re told that an event that’s dear to your heart — an annual fair, festival, or conference — will be cancelled forever (or taken over by an evil organization). Write about it. For your twist, read your piece aloud, multiple times. Hone that voice of yours!

• Writing 101, Day Fourteen: To Whom It May Concern

• Pick up the nearest book and flip to page 29. What jumps out at you? Start there, and try a twist: write in the form of a letter.

• Writing 101, Day Thirteen: Serial Killer II

• Earlier in the course, you wrote about losing something. Today, write about finding something. For your twist, view day four’s post and today’s post as installments in a series.

• Writing 101, Day Twelve: (Virtual) Dark Clouds on the Horizon

• Today, write a post with roots in a real-world conversation. For a twist, include foreshadowing.

• Writing 101, Day Eleven: Size Matters

• Today, tell us about the home you lived in when you were twelve. For your twist, pay attention to — and vary — your sentence lengths.

• Writing 101, Day Ten: Happy (Insert Special Occasion Here)!

• Today, be inspired by a favorite childhood meal. For the twist, focus on infusing the post with your unique voice — even if that makes you a little nervous.

• Writing 101, Day Nine: Changing Moccasins — Point of View

• For today’s assignment, write a scene at the park. Up for a twist? Write the scene from three different points of view.

• Writing 101, Day Eight: Death to Adverbs

• Go to a public location and make a detailed report of what you see. The twist of the day? Write the post without adverbs.

• Writing 101, Day Seven: Give and Take

• Focus today’s post on the contrast between two things. The twist? Write the post in the form of a dialogue.

• Writing 101, Day Six: A Character-Building Experience

• Today, you’ll write about the most interesting person you’ve met in 2014. In your twist, develop and shape your portrait further in a character study.

• Writing 101, Day Five: Be Brief

• You discover a letter on a path that affects you deeply. Today, write about this encounter. And your twist? Be as succinct as possible.

• Writing 101, Day Four: The Serial Killer

• Today, write about a loss. The twist: make this the first post in a three-post series.

• Writing 101, Day Three: Commit to a Writing Practice

• Today, celebrate three songs that are significant to you. For your twist, write for fifteen minutes without stopping — and build a writing habit.

• Writing 101, Day Two: A Room with a View (Or Just a View)

• We’re all drawn to certain places. If you had the power to get somewhere — anywhere — where would you go right now? For your twist, focus on building a setting description.

• Writing 101, Day One: Unlock the Mind

• Welcome to Writing 101. In this inaugural assignment, let’s loosen up and just write. We’re so excited you’ve joined us — let’s get started!

• Writing 101 Starts June 2!

Our next Blogging U. offering, Writing 101, begins soon! Join us to create a blogging habit and learn more about the craft of writing.