Write What You Notice – a Creative Colloquy Workshop

Tonight, I attended another of the excellent writer’s workshops put on by Creative Colloquy. The topic was to emphasize the role of observation in our work as writers. Tiffany Aldrich MacBain led us through examples and exercises. We used a guide she’d given us in collecting information based on observation and then spun a scene from it.

Here’s the scene I wrote:

There was a black mark, a blob really, on my neighbor’s otherwise pristinely green lawn. I squinted morning eyes at it, not sure whether to get closer or not.

Then it moved and took on the shape of a rabbit. Our neighborhood has plenty of rabbits making their way through yards and across the street, nibbling on new shoots of grass and plants we’d rather they didn’t. This was not one of those sandy brown wild bunnies, though. Its dark fur shone glossy black in the bright morning sun, and it was easily twice their size.

Where had it come from? Was a neighbor going to go out to their hutch and discover with distress that their bunny is gone? What would they tell their child? Would I see or hear someone calling to it later? Would it come out when called or hide more securely? Does it know how? Domestic bunnies don’t have to avoid predators, and how would it, standing out like someone in mourning dress at a picnic on the beach?

All of this passed through my mind in a flash. Then I shook myself, remembering that I had been on my way out to take my morning walk. I watched for a few minutes more and then continued on my way as it contentedly broke fast.

I grew up with rabbits of the domestic kind. Black and white Californias, sleek black and silver satins. This was larger than the satins and I resolved to google my way to an answer as to what kind this one was, after my walk. As it was, by the time I came back up my driveway, the mystery bunny was gone and I’d forgotten about my research question.

If you’d like to take part in future Creative Colloquy workshops, you can follow them on Facebook and Instagram, or check their website often. Most workshops are free, or cost a small amount. Totally worth it.