How to break the break
Post categories: writing
| 05:51 UK time, Friday, 23 July 2010
When I was three years old - before she left for work or an appointment - my mum would spit on the ground in front of me and promise: "I'll be back before it dries out". And there I would sit in front of that micro-puddle, looking at its shrinking borders and I'd wait for my mum.
My mum died in her early 30s and my granny inherited me. She used to say: "Rather than sitting in vain, do something in vain".
My driving instructor in the Soviet Army used to tell us: "If you find yourself in a confusing situation in the middle of traffic and don't know what to do, just press the horn!"
The point I'm trying to make is that I was brought up not to waste my time even when I am wasting it.
I'm on my leave for the next three weeks, but I would like this blog to carry on in my absence and therefore I have a suggestion for you.
I propose that we write a short story together. To do this I suggest that you send me the following for inspiration:
• A "plot-trigger event"
• Descriptions of up to three good characters
• A location
• And a line of dialogue.
I will combine them into a short story for the web.
Take encouragement from my mother, my granny and my soviet driving instructor and let's begin!
Writer in residence Hamid Ismailov is an Uzbek novelist and poet. His work is banned in Uzbekistan and under threat of arrest he moved to London and joined ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ World Service as a journalist. He is now head of the Central Asian service. 