You’re hearing it here first, folks. And it’s going to be a lot of fun – I promise.

“Promise” is the operative word, at least for this month, and it has to do with the kick-off of a new program from Georgia Writers Museum. It has to do with writing, too, of course, but it’s just for fun. And it’s for everyone.

I serve on the Board and the Education and Program committees of GWM, and one of the goals of the Museum is to encourage writing among members of the community. Not to get them to start working on a novel or some great literary tome – although that would be fine, too – but just to share snippets of their everyday lives and experiences. Our newest idea, which will begin on February 1st, is to offer everyone a one-word writing prompt.

Here’s how it works. On the first day of every month, we’ll suggest a single word, and ask people to write up to 500 words on something related to that one word. It can be a childhood memory the word evokes, or a thought-provoking essay the word inspires. It can be something that seems totally unrelated to the word, but that popped into your mind as soon as you read it.

The last day to submit will be the last day of each month, after which a new word will be given. Each month, we’ll publish a few of the contributions on our website (georgiawritersmuseum.org) in a feature called “The Writers Corner.” Submissions must be sent in electronically, as email attachments, in one of three divisions of writers: Junior Writers (16 years of age and younger), Senior Writers (17 years of age and older), and Professional Writers (those who have had work published in any form, including books, newspapers, magazines, blogs, etc.). Submissions, starting February 1, should be sent to [email protected].

Although we’ll be announcing each new word one at a time at the beginning of every month, we’ve already selected a year’s worth of words that we think will generate lots of different thoughts and memories. They’re also words that can have more than one meaning, or can be interpreted in different ways. So anything you want to write is fair game, as long as you keep it clean.

Whether or not you live in Georgia, I hope you’ll check this out and consider writing and submitting something. And I hope you’ll check back every month to learn what the new word is for the upcoming month. I also hope you’ll find that the very act of writing about it opens your mind to new thoughts, new ideas, and new ways of looking at the world around you.

Promise me you’ll give it a try.

January 29, 2021
©Betty Liedtke, 2021

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