Docked
It was one of those early summer days that feel like early autumn. We see the sailboats (or powerboats? yachts? I am not of the lot that can properly tell the difference) bobbing by the seawall. There’s the familiar curiosity: What is it like being in one. Owning one? It’s not envy, I promise. My pragmatism can be to a point of being a wet blanket, as such that when I think about owning a boat, I’m already fretting about upkeep, insurance, trespassers. Well, some of these owners probably have astronomical debts anyway.
I found the sight beautiful though (hence the photo). Cloudy skies that stop short of being bleak, water reflecting darkly. All of these magnificent vessels, poised for a journey and yet sitting by the sidelines, watching the city in action.
Your Prompt: Write a story about an unexpected blessing that turned out to be a curse (a twist on the concept of a blessing in disguise, along the vein of be careful what you did not wish for.)
Quick Tip
Some are stymied by writing dialogues or conversations in fiction, but they are actually fun to write if you notice the dynamics in interactions. There are interruptions and run-off sentences, speakers going off tangent, wry remarks that pack the punch. Reflect the relationship between the characters in the way they talk. Is there a natural give-and-take to their exchanges? A comfort in shared silence? Is there someone who tends to dominate and one relegated to captive listener? Is there mutual curiosity or outward indifference in one another’s thoughts?
About Writing Desk
Years ago, I gave up blogging for good. But I changed my mind and here we are. Aside from maintaining a consistent writing practice, my goal is to build a live space outside social media for content that supports the creative process, free of mindless, addictive, and AI-generated distractions.
May your visits here be frequent but brief. The idea is to offer something that will light a spark, not distract from your writing. For this reason, I don’t post Writing Desk on social media. Thanks for stopping by!
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Found Words
“So responsibility for action fell like a snowflake from the sky, landing gently between them, touching neither. And in this concentrated moment in history, nothing was done.”
—David Dyer, The Midnight Watch
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Leah Ranada 