Happy final Friday of November or “43,333 Words Day” for those who are participating in NaNoWriMo.  If you have been able to consistently get words on the page each day this month and are on track to hit 50,00 words–that’s great!  Frankly, if you got any words on the page this month, that’s great too. The NaNoWriMo is a sprint, but being a writer is more of a marathon.

For those not busily writing today it’s also “Black Friday”–the day when some feel compelled to rush out to stores offering “bargains” and begin their holiday shopping.  I’m not in that camp, but fortunately it’s also “Buy Nothing Day”, so I can celebrate that instead.

Buy Nothing Day is observed annually on the day after Thanksgiving. This day is part of a movement against consumerism, urging the world to change their purchasing habits, to consume and produce less. Instead of shopping, stay home and relax or clean out your closet and donate the results to a local charity shop.

Whatever you are doing today, I hope it is something enjoyable.  I began transitioning the holiday decorations in the house from autumn to Christmas yesterday, so I’ll be finishing that up today.  It looks beautiful outside this morning, so a nice walk may be in the offing too.  Whatever else I decide to do (or not do), I’ll definitely set aside some time to give today’s writing prompt and random words a try.

Care to join me?

For those of you working away on a story (whether a first draft or a polished version on its way to publication), if you’re not feeling random, we’d love to hear a bit – whether it’s a scene, a paragraph, or even a phrase that you are especially pleased with and would like to share.

If you don’t have a story in progress, or just want to work on something new, I hope either today’s random words or writing prompt will catch your creative fancy.

Ready?

Prompt:   A Family Gathering

Feel free to interpret the prompt any way you choose (or ignore it completely) and include any (or all) of the following random words:   

treasure             gimmick         charming         funereal

beeswax            forbidden       abstinence       armchair

fried                   diplomat        headstrong      altercation

judgement         hoof               lonesome         consumption

I look forward to seeing your stories in the comments.  If you’re not feeling in the writing mood today, or don’t have time, feel free to post suggestions you might have for future writing prompts.  Ideas are always welcome.

Happy writing to all!