I wasn't looking for friends and I certainly wasn't looking for a house. When I first came across @mariannewest's #freewriting exercise, I was aimlessly wandering through Steemit, sailing along in my little boat. The prompt for my first freewrite was "Anchor". Now, 3 months later, I'm realizing how fitting (and perhaps prophetic) the word truly was.
The #freewrite prompts that are posted every day by @mariannewest are what you make of them. The words, and occasionally images, are just the diving board. Jump off from there and dive into wherever your mind takes you. Each day you can create something unexpected, write something that you never thought you could or would. You can never tell what each prompt will inspire.
The only rule is to use the prompt in the story. If someone wants to write longer than the 5 minutes, if they want to edit their work, or not, the freedom is completely up to them. What Marianne gives is the freedom from all rules and constraints.
It was that freedom that allowed our group to open up with our creativity and our personalities. Aspects of our character and stories from our pasts come out while writing. Reading each other's stories, and interacting in the comments, quickly drew us together. We began to look forward to the next prompt, the next story, and the next conversation that would follow. We grew to care for each other.
A month ago my good friend, @omra-sky, wrote a story where some of his freewriting friends lived together in an Old Steemians Home (which I see as a cross between a retirement home and the Addams family mansion 👻). In it, he built a home in a world that called out for us to keep it going! Shamelessly, a few of us set to writing whatever stories came to our twisted creative minds! As the number of stories keeps growing in our #Steemhome, @mariannewest suggested that we give our take on the story, the home, and our friendship. My take on it? I made friends who became an inspiration to me. I think of them, and of the home that we share and my mind fills with visions of what we would get up to!
The Old Steemians Home Residents
@mariannewest brought us all together with a fun idea and tireless attitude! Marianne takes freewriting beyond the basic definition and is accepting of any way that a writer wants to present their material. Her support, guidance, and daily prompts opened the door to creativity and invited all of Steemit in to play as children. Unfettered and free.
In the SteemHome, she started off as our honored Lady and has since been elevated to a Goddess. Don't worry, she's of the benign variety. (I wouldn't go getting her angry though, just in case! 😉)
@omra-sky, my friend of many years and the one who brought me to Steemit, is the creator of the SteemHome (also known as The Old Stemians Home and formerly referred to as the SteemHouse). He loves to laugh, has a good heart and is always supportive of those he cares about. His quirky story for his friends took off and became a monster that he could not control! (Ha! Ha!😛 )
I see you and I losing track of time while we argue over bots and squirrels. Then raiding the fridge for snacks and watching a movie.
The Old Steemians Home
The Old Steemians Home Omra's Tale -Part 1
Freewrites Friendship and The Old Steemians Home
Steem Home: An Unexpected Intruder-Omra's Tale part 2
@snook 's stories bring light and laughter to the SteemHome. Using Sims 4, she built the home and made Sims for each of us! Her sense of whimsy and her sweet heart brighten every corner (even the basement tunnels) and makes everyone feel welcome. Snook goes over and beyond giving her best each and every day, even when exhausted! She's constantly striving to improve her skills and share her knowledge with others!
I see us in our SteemHome, giggling at 2 A.M. over the weirdest topics and playing silly games. Everyone keeps telling us to quiet down, and we end up just laughing harder!
Flash- Day 66 #Freewrite
Netflix: Episode 12, The Old Steemians Home: The Waiting
The House
#Steemhouse~ 2nd installment~Sims 4
The Old Steemians Home: Omra's Tale (Part 2?)
That Night in the Shed~ Part 2
This nutjob...😁
Omra's story had me crying in laughter! His idea was fun and the possibilties seemed endless. Since Christmas was near, I wanted our group to spend the holiday together in our home.
I began as a loopy old lady in the home who had an obsession with squirrels. Then, @snook made my Sim avatar look like a bad ass vampire! (Awesome!!) Now I'm a vampire lady with a regiment of robotic squirrels and a penchant for whippping out a six shooter during a play. (I didn't see that coming!)
Old Steemians Home Christmas Eve
The Shed
That Night in the Shed
@f3nix is one of the strongest supporters of the #freewrite group! His encouragements and comments are something that everyone anticipates. @f3nix writes incredible stories that take you on a journey to different worlds and to places inside yourself. His dystopian creations put you into dark scenarios that make you think as they pull you from your comfort zone. Upon deeper reading, you see glimmers of hope and the light of his love for his family and his friends.
I imagine us running an errand to a grocery store, and returning to our SteemHome with grins and a hilarious story!
Just a pillow - Solo un cuscino [ENG/ITA Freewrite - An Old Steemians House Production]
Children's Games - Giochi da Bambini [ENG-ITA]
Friendship - Amicizia [ENG-ITA Freewrite, day 87]
Stranded on the sofa like whales-Spiaggiati sul divano come cetacei [ENG-ITA Freewrite day 88]
Your first story brought music to the home. A song of magical fish and a piano solo by our lovable fairy winged @snook. You had us all join in (thank you for not making me a singer or the family would have made me sleep in the shed) and we had a blast!
Then your second story brought a weekly play by the Old Steemians! You gave us a much needed alien and encouraged a trigger happy over the top stage actress! 🔫
I see us having crazy house parties that get so loud, the cops are called. 😎
The Steemians Home- The Fish Song
Combo Story- Old Steemian Home/ Constrained Writing Contest # 14
Day 77: 5 Minute Freewrite Story- The Steemian Home- The Library
Awakening
@improv finally jumped in and joined us in the Old Steemians Home! A freewriter from day one, @improv has been offering up creativity, support, and fun for everyone. He enjoys laughter and runs a fun pun contest on his blog. He wrote a lovely story about the family banding together to protect our #Steemhome from a storm. In five minutes he showed the enormity of what we can accomplish when we get down to business (it involves staples).
He also nearly dropped a whale on our house! That's crazy! (I like it! 😁 👍)
Board -5minutefreewrite
Everyone is invited to stop by the #Steemhome and write a story. Don't feel as if you have to be invited, and don't think that if your name is mentioned that you are obligated to write a story. As @omra-sky puts it, "That just means that we like you." 😎 We're Freewriters. Our group, and the #Steemhome, is there for everyone to come and go as they please.
(Also, if you're ever mentioned/tagged in a story and don't want to be, please let the author know and we'll gladly remove your name!)
One final note, a behind the scenes for everyone. Some weeks ago, the fantastic @Isle of Write invited our Freewriting group to join their discord server. (Check out their page, the stories and poetry posted will keep you enraptured for hours!)
Soon after, @f3nix and I were in a room, having a playful discussion and tossing hilarious prompt ideas around. Later, @mariannewest came across our conversation and decided to humor us by choosing one of our suggestions. From that prompt, and from his amusingly twisted mind, @omra-sky wrote The Old Steemians Home. What was that word that @mariannewest chose? The word that built our home and gathered our friends? ....Toilet. 🚽
