Keep Writing Badly, Part Two

 

Last week, I shared some parts of a few days of writing prompts. Only, it didn't end there with Sam and Alex. Below are part of what I wrote the rest of the 6-day course.

        She knew there was more to public speaking than just what was in high school. Therefore, she didn’t bother taking that course in high school. Besides, she was shy. Apparently, it took living with Luke—oh, we’ll be just fine, we love each other—to make her realize she was headed down a wrong path. Well, enough of that. She was even more ready to move on. She takes classes in how to improve her speaking skills. She always learned quickly. But there were some times she had some challenge in wrapping her mind around it. Don’t take it too seriously, she kept telling herself. Her actress of a younger sister kept telling her if you make a mistake, keep on going. The audience won’t think anything of it.

         She was also in for a rude awakening when she learned some things beyond speaking. Those whom she trusted to help her—she knew for sure she and Shea were on the same page, cut the same cloth, so to speak when it came to speaking—only to find he was shallow. What should I improve on? What he started off with: You need to. Well, she of course wasn’t contractually obligated to do anything. That first thing was to watch other speakers on YouTube. Oh, yeah right. Like she’s going to do that all the time. She did it when she had time. But she wanted a style that worked for her that reached her audience, young women. She knew she could speak to them...

            But what was she going to talk about? The words of “I Want Action” spilled through the speakers of her laptop. What a strong laptop she got! Action. Do something. Do something in spite of what others tell you. The good thing is Shea is a male who lived in north Georgia. He wouldn’t attend this event. Besides, he doesn’t like Nashville. He avoids it whenever possible. Alex has always been strong. Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. That’s what they talked about in Bible study recently. Was that because she was about to turn 30 and she’d have so many other battles? Another level, another devil. Oh, if she heard that once, she must’ve heard it a thousand times.

            Press on. Move forward. Take action. Want it. Because wisdom is where you find it. Crying aloud in the streets. Crying so loudly...  Take action. Open your mouth wide. Just say something. Have a good time. Be yourself. Be authentic. What did authentic mean? She glanced down at the bottom shelf of the bookcase. The heavier, bulkier books, one of which is the dictionary. She wasn’t about to pull it out and look up and write what that meant. Movement. Action. Be proactive. Be so intent on what you want to do, you refuse to quit. How to put her own words into what she wanted. Had being 30 slowed her down like this?...

        She couldn’t wait to get home. Good thing she’d made spaghetti. A simple thing to make while she and Stacey were so busy, full schedules. Actions that astound enemies, their jaws will drop open. No time for losers. She didn’t really like Queen very much, but she liked that line. You are more than a conqueror.

        What she wrote when she got home and got a glass of water. Take action, take that first step. Take a deep breath and jump. Wasn’t that a long-forgotten line from Flashdance? She loved that movie, too, because the character was Alex.