Creative Complex: Fire

Hello, Friends.

Today, we have a story starter. Enjoy!

The fire is dancing, turning, writhing. It has a strange lure, almost like the push and pull of the Sea. It has a strange energy, almost like the wrath of the North Wind. It has a power, almost like the might of Time.

Spruce Nogard

Attributions: https://pixabay.com/en/fire-flames-bonfire-sweden-night-123784/

Creative Complex: One

Hello, Friends!

Today, I have given you a writing prompt. Go do what you want with it. :)

Spruce Nogard

Attributions: https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2017/09/18/15/38/moon-2762111_960_720.jpg

Creative Complex: The Forest Comes Alive

Hello, Dryads.

Today, the forest comes alive. What does this mean? What happens next?

Spruce Nogard

Attributions:

https://pixabay.com/en/trees-fir-forest-nature-conifers-3410830/

Creative Complex: Daring Escape

Good Day, Criminals!

You have just heard of a secret plan circulating through your prison block, and you are desperate to leave this horrid place behind. A guard shakes the bars of your cell. . .

Finish the story.

Spruce Nogard

Attributions: https://pixabay.com/en/human-rights-prison-jail-imprisoned-3251000/

Creative Complex: Mr. Snuffleupagus

Hello, Friends!

Today, we are talking about people/animals that do not exist. Technically. However, if you've ever seen some of the older Sesame Street shows, you know that Big Bird had an imaginary friend, Mr. Snuffleupagus. Until one Mr. Snuffleupagus turned into a real character. What are some characters you wish would turn into real people?

Spruce Nogard

Attributions: https://pixabay.com/en/narrative-history-dream-tell-794978/

Creative Complex: Normality

Today, continue the story.

I was a normal child. Until the day my bed swallowed me whole.

Spruce Nogard

Attribution: https://pixabay.com/en/bed-pillow-zudeck-wooden-bed-rest-1545991/

Creative Complex: [No Title]

Warning: If you do not like scary things, do not read this post. This was the only way I would let Dragomir write such a creepy post. When he first sent this post to me to be published, I told him I wouldn't publish it. But he finally convinced me to post it because he explained people, especially writers, need to be familiar with a variety of scenarios, even Gothic ones. He said they might help stretch your brains. (I think he just really wanted to write a Gothic Creative Complex and that was his excuse.)

The dread of what you have done fills you. It consumes every inch of your writhing body. The sole thought of your mind is unending, twisted anguish, leaving no room for the slightest glimpse of hope. This dread has taken all desire from you, never to return. Not even the humblest of acts can undo this wretched thing you have done. There is only one thing left to do, horrendous though it is.

Dear Readers, I have not included a title because no title can convey the story's emotional impact in the way it is meant to. If you have not come to the logical conclusion that, this being what Spruce entitles a "Creative Complex," and this post being a section of a story, the object is to continue and embellish upon the story provided, I will tell you this is what you are meant to do.

Dragomir Volkov

Spruce Nogard

Creative Complex: Dress

The most beautiful dress you could ever imagine arrives in a package on your doorstep. What happens next?

Spruce Nogard

Attribution: https://pixabay.com/en/girl-dress-castle-model-rent-2417575/

Creative Complex: Stories

Hello, Friends!

Today, I have a question for you: What stories did you make up when you were little? Would you still use aspects of those stories in your writing now?

Why or why not?

Spruce Nogard

Attribution: https://pixabay.com/en/homework-girl-education-studying-787270/

Creative Complex: Flowers

Hello, Friends!

This is a guessing game. Which flower goes with which story? (Okay, so sometimes I get bored of just making you do something to do with writing.)

A) Rose
B) Golden Flower
C) Flower

Here are your hints:

• One is from a fairy tale twist. (But does not appear in the original story.)
• One you should know right away.
• Two are from princess stories.
• One has been transformed into a flower.
• The previously mentioned one is found in Grimm's fairy tales.

What's your guess? Post in the comments!

Spruce Nogard

Attributions: https://pixabay.com/en/red-rose-rose-rose-bloom-blossom-320892/

Creative Complex: Idiomas

Hola, Amigos!

Today, we are going to explore different languages. First, pick a word. I'm going to pick bird.

Then, pick a few languages. They can be real or made up. I'm going to do Spanish, Elvish, Irish Gaelic, Russian, and Romanian.

Next, translate the work into each of the languages.

English: Bird

Spanish: Pareja (pronounced "pah-ray-ha")

Elvish: Aew (sorry, can't find a pronunciation)
Irish Gaelic: éan (pronounced "ain"-rhymes with "rain")

Russian: птица (pronounced "ptitsa")

Romanian: pasăre (pronounced "PAS-ah-ray")

What sounds the most smooth? Rough? Air-y? Flow-y? Why? How is this useful in writing, or even real life?

Spruce Nogard

Attributions: https://pixabay.com/en/hummingbird-bird-nature-tropical-1823829/

Creative Complex: Character Construcing: Missing

Hello, Detectives.

You wake up to find your aunt has gone missing. How do you describe her?

Her appearance?

Her attitude?

What do you think happened?

 Spruce Nogard

Attribution: https://pixabay.com/en/question-problem-think-thinking-622164/

Creative Complex: Guest Post: The Dragon and the King

Hello, Friends!

How are you on this marvelous day? Today, we have an exciting surprise! A guest post by a new guest!

Madeleine is a good friend of mine, and her favorite color is glitter. Because she is unable to write in glitter on the blog, she's using purple instead. Her favorite animal is a unicorn, and she loves to run.

Well, here we go!

Hi, I'm Madeleine Nrocinu. In this post you will have to finish the story. You can finish it in your head, write it down or post in the comments.

In a land far, far, away there was and still is a holiday called the Dragon and the King. Back in 929 there was a king who, when he cried on things, the things turned to stone. The reason this holiday exists is because one day a dragon attacked the king. . . 

Madeleine Nrocinu

Spruce Nogard

Attribution: https://pixabay.com/en/dragon-wings-flying-fantasy-1949993/

*Post actually written on June 26th. See here for details.

Creative Complex: The Best Way to ______*

Hello, Friends!

What is the best way to _______?

What is the best way to fly? By airplane? Wings? Magic? Hot air balloon?

What is the best way to travel? Covered wagon? Car? Dragon? Foot?

What is the best way to get over a giant wall? Go under? Go over? Go through? Go around?

Why? What would each of these different ways contribute to a story? Who would use the different ways? Why?

Spruce Nogard

**Post actually written on June 25th. See here for details.

Attributions: 

https://pixabay.com/en/castle-walls-talinn-clear-clouds-784528/ 

https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2014/09/08/17/08/hot-air-balloons-439331_960_720.jpg 

https://pixabay.com/en/covered-wagon-wooden-cart-wagon-1675111/ 

Creative Complex: The Beast's Magic Book*

Hello, Friends!

How many of you have seen the new Beauty and the Beast? Do you remember the part with the Beast's book, and how they go to Paris?

Well, if you had a magic book that could take you wherever you wanted, where would you go? Why?

Spruce Nogard

*Post actually written on June 23rd. See here for details.

Attributions: https://pixabay.com/en/knowledge-book-library-glasses-1052011/

Creative Complex: Mud*

Hello, Friends.

Why does mud exist? What are the different uses for mud? (Make them up, real uses, etc.)

Spruce Nogard

Attributions: https://pixabay.com/en/pig-mud-sow-dirt-wild-nature-2083564/

*Actually posted on June 1st. See here for details.

Writing: Creative Complex: Glass Blower's Apprentice*

Hello, Figurines.

You are a glass blower's apprentice. What do you learn? What are you making today?

Spruce Nogard

Attributions: https://pixabay.com/en/chihuly-glass-art-colorful-832834/

*Actually posted on May 31st. See here for details.

Writing: Creative Complex: Elddir

Hello, Srellet-Elddir.

I know we've done posts about riddles before, but today's is a little different. Today, make up a riddle or a little poem using stressed and unstressed syllables.

Riddles are a little bit like optical illusions. What do you see?

Here are some examples:

• "Be bold, be bold, but not too bold, lest that your heart's blood should run cold." -Mr. Fox
• Link to my post about "Mr. Fox"
• "It is not so, it was not so, and God forbid it should ever be so." -"Mr. Fox" (Also quoted in Much Ado About Nothing by Shakespeare)
• "Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered weak and weary" -"The Raven" by Edgar Allan Poe (And the rest of the poem)
• Link to full poem
• "You heard as if an army muttered" -"The Pied Piper of Hamelin" by Robert Browning
• Link to full poem
• "Double, double, toil and trouble;/ Fire burn and cauldron bubble" -Macbeth by Shakespeare
• Here is a link to the Hogwarts Choir singing a song based on the witches' potion in Macbeth

If you can't quite remember stressed and unstressed syllables, see Dragomir's post about them here.

Share your creations in the comments!

Spruce Nogard

Attributions: https://pixabay.com/en/photos/?q=face+vase&image_type=&cat=&min_width=&min_height=

Writing: Creative Complex: Appeal

Would you rather be able to: fly, run really fast, or breathe underwater? Why?

Today, we are examining appeal. This can also be described as asking the question: "Why?" Why did you choose the answer you did?

Being able to answer this question can tell you a fair bit about yourself. One of the ways this can help you is to figure out problems. If you always react unreasonably to a certain situation, if you know why, you can get to the root of the problem.

In the same way, knowing "Why?" can tell you tons about your characters. If you can figure out why your character did a certain action, you might realize something about them you didn't know before.

So, why did you choose your answer?

Spruce Nogard

Attributions: 

https://pixabay.com/en/runner-track-athlete-relay-race-1544448/ 

https://pixabay.com/en/fish-underwater-diving-water-378286/ 

https://pixabay.com/en/plane-window-window-seat-view-view-2152402/ 

Writing: Creative Complex: Character Constructing: Friend

Good Day, Friends!

Today, think of characteristics you value in a friend. Make a list of them, and, if you can, include why that characteristic so valuable to you. This might help in other writing (e.g., creating a main character's personality).

Enjoy these lofty endeavors!

Spruce Nogard

Attributions: https://pixabay.com/en/girls-children-kids-friends-young-462072/