This might be one of the hardest of the Wednesday Writing Prompts so far. That’s because I’m asking you to think of a piece of writing — yes, ANY — piece of writing that has affected you — in ANY way.
This week’s writing prompt: Name one piece of writing that has affected you at an emotional level. What impact did it have?
If you set aside 20 minutes for this exercise, give yourself 10 minutes to just think. (See if you can do it without the use of the Internet or your bookshelf.) Then, take 10 minutes to recall the piece of writing and what you love about it.
Here’s why I like thinking about what we read: It helps you remember the effect that writing can have. You can become inspired, you might feel sad, you might be angered, you might be amused. And it helps you remember all the forms that good writing can take: books, essays, articles, emails, blogs, letters, poems.
Some of the things that have touched me the most in my life have been emails from my closest friends and family. They’re deeply personal, and they’re meaningful. And they’re well written because frankly, I have really smart and talented friends.
It’s hard to get through an issue of The Atlantic or The New Yorker without reading something thought-provoking and beautifully written. But pieces of writing written for the masses have touched me too. The Time Traveler’s Wife made me cry like nobody’s business, and Bridget Jones’ Diary made me laugh and changed the way a good friend and I talked about relationships.
So, um, yeah, I know it’s an endless list you have to choose from, and that’s why I love (and kind of hate) this prompt.
Now, go think, and go write.