Do your characters ever wake up wondering where they are? Confused, or even pleasantly surprised, at how they got there? Perhaps they’re still dreaming – or ludic dreaming. . . Or maybe they’ve been abducted by assorted creatures from the labyrinth or alien botanists or had too much Tyraelian brandy, or?

You know what to do. . .

Write a Russian Doll, Chinese Box or Stacked Coffin story. October’s right around the corner, so make it scary. . .make your readers tremble. . .

Did you see the lunar eclipse last night? It was amazing. . .

Write about it (or write about it some more!). If you weren’t able to go moon gazing, there is all sorts of coverage. . .Describe the people watching it with you, too. (people were lined up on several sidewalks in my neighborhood). How did you feel when gazing upon it? Were the stars faint or brilliant in the night sky?

Just imagine if you didn’t know what it was. . .

Now take all the above and compose a poem or short story!

Since Mercury Retrograde is all about returning. . .go through what you’ve written in the past week and revise it!

Sound waves.

They have the ability to transform, transmute, and yes, disarm and destruct.

What sounds affect your characters? How?

What sounds add tension to your story? Release that tension and restore peace and tranquility – or the proverbial new normal?

Technology. Isn’t it wonderful? Sitting here with my new MacBook Air, I find myself wondering about ancient civilizations  and how we took a while to discover – and rediscover – what they already knew. What else did they know that we don’t know yet? How will it impact the characters in our stories? The plot?

Remember Victorian novels and poems? Go ahead and review the authors – and  the tropes – of the period. I’m sure you will be inspired to revisit these. Who knows what it will inspire you to write?

What’s in your characters’ DNA? Check out 23andme.com as well as this cool documentary, Nova: Decoding Neanderthals at Netflix.

And yes, I am part Neanderthal, which I find very cool. . .

Your antagonist, protagonist, or supporting character heads an organization. What type is it? What are its by-laws? It’s unwritten codes? What purpose does it serve? Is it clandestine? Above board?

After processing the above, write a scene where something specific – and noteworthy – is revealed about your character’s role or experience with said organization.

First, the background story. . .

How many reviews have you written of late? If you’re like me, only a few. . .It’s not that I don’t read copious amounts of fiction and poetry et al that inspires me to say something, but that I’m so focused on writing my own fiction et al, and if – as well as when – I do write a review, I have that voice urging me to give it that academic treatment. . .

That said, I recently came across a flash fiction piece that I wrote –  in epistolary style – about an academic who is submitting a review about a colleague’s work. While it’s received one rejection, I’m planning to submit it to another publisher tomorrow, so no spoilers.

After rereading said story, I thought it would be fun to encourage people to write a fictional review – and address it to a colleague, a department chair – or a major publication which you create.

Have some fun. Be devious. Be clever. Wax nostalgic and philosophical. Go Human+ and anything else your genius of a mind can imagine.

Because yes. . .reviews have the power to engage us in dialogue as well as meaning-making. Fictional – or not – as they may be.

Enjoy the process. . .Go ahead and transfer all those thoughts and feelings about [insert imaginary novel/short story/poem/screenplay] into a fictional work that is fiction within fiction within fiction.