What is Oneword?

"Oneword™ is a simple writing exercise.

It is not about learning new words.

Nor is it about defining words.

The real purpose of this exercise is to alleviate our natural tendency to edit everything—and learn to flow."

It gives you one word, and a curser in a box, and a timer which counts down 60 seconds. You write whatever comes into your head.

This is what I wrote.



 


The Words

camera
glorious
regard
constant
tender
production
seduction
skills
bank
simplify
commmotion
advance
dedicate
marked
spare
stretch
limited
echo
forced
lack
never
favourite
execute
used
contained
distance
training
profile
doom
cash
tricky
deadline


 



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COPYRIGHT
All content (words and images)
© Harriet Duncan
1997-2004
(unless explicitly quoted or credited)
Please link if you quote and ask permission to use images.

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Oneword Writings
 


camera
Eye on the world. Camera never lies. I am a camera. Film I saw once. Black and white grainy photographs of days gone by. Capture a moment. Man Ray - painting is dead. I love my camera.
January 29, 2004 08:15 AM
the words



glorious
It was a glorious afternoon in May. Glorious. Sounding large and emphasised. Gloria Gaynor with her huge voice. Rolling off the tongue expressive in a whole body has to join in kind of way.
December 9, 2003 10:20 AM
the words



regard
I hold your opinion in the highest regard. I regard you as a friend. I don't regard it as important at all. I can't think what this word tells me I never use it and it feels really old fashioned. Like officers in a war movie telling their true love before they leave for war.
December 5, 2003 09:09 AM
the words



constant
I yam a man of constant sorrow. Hank Williams. Sounds 60 died at 29. Sorrow. Constantly sorrowful. Constance. Old fashioned bird. Great auntie.
December 3, 2003 01:33 PM
the words



tender
Love me tender... deep resonant voice, man who could hold you whimpering in his arms and protect you against his chest. Oh such tender touch and sweet caress. But damn it girl, life's not like it is in the movies..
December 2, 2003 04:05 PM
the words



production
It was in production. Nearly off the press. It was a production of the last known play of William Shakespeare, the actors were all very lovey darhling about the whole thing. Its a production line assembling action men. It an over-production of toxins in the skin..
December 1, 2003 05:51 PM
the words



seduction
The art of seduction. Red nails. Deep husky voice. Velvet and satin to slide around in. Dark. Boudoir. Ostrich feathers. Or a slick man talking into your ear caressing your hair and buying you drinks until you can't say no. Kissing. Deeply
November 25, 2003 08:27 AM
the words



skills
I have the skills. If you have the job. I can do many things that are of value in the workplace today. Retraining. Upskilling. This is the business I am in. Buzz words and jargon. Education and training is like this. Skills for life and skills development
November 11, 2003 05:03 PM
the words



bank
I'm in the bank, I'll call you later. The boyfriend says this to me all the time. It is out of my realm of experience - I'm an internet banker. And I hate those banker wanker clerks they always have in the branches who patronise you despite the fact it is your money.
November 9, 2003 02:16 PM
the words



simplify
I would like to simplify that statement. I would like to simplify the world. a cop car has just arrived outside my house and I have to go and look out of the window because its that simple.
October 22, 2003 04:55 PM
the words



commotion
There’s a commotion going on. I can't think. I f I slam the door it'll still be audible. Crash. Shattering glass. Stop all that commotion. Then a happy sexy motown number seeps into my head and blocks it out. The commotions and locomotions
October 21, 2003 04:24 PM
the words



advance
Advance to jail do not pass GO. Advance - can you sub me an advance to the end of the week? Advance is a word I never use. These are things of the past. I could never get my employer to give me money and work it off later. That would be like getting TOIL before doing the work...
October 19, 2003 04:43 PM
the words



dedicate
I'd like to dedicate this 60 second writing to my mother and father. Thank you. Yours forever. Something that means nothing except to those who its for. Dedicate yourself to the gain of wealth or power. A search beam just swung over head. Weird.
October 14, 2003 04:09 PM
the words



marked
He's a marked man. He did something wrong. Couldn't make it right. They found out. Its just a matter of time. He knows it. They'll get him sometime. One day. He doesn't know when but until they do he's jumpy every day. Counting time.
October 10, 2003 07:40 PM
the words



spare
I have a spare tyre in the back of the car. It is underneath the boot carpet. It is smaller than a regular tyre. If I ever have to use it I'll be embarrassed if anyone I know sees me in the vehicle with this tiny spare tyre on it.
October 9, 2003 12:46 PM
the words



stretch
Streeeeeetch. How long can you make it go until it just gets away from you and snaps back? Stretch and snap are they opposites. Physical word - requiring effort. Elastic bands. Rubber. Tight tight clothing. Ripping. What else stretches my mind?
October 8, 2003 03:44 PM
the words



limited
The world is limited to this planet. Once you reach the end you will realise that you are limited in how far you can go. These are the limits. In this you are limited as to how far you can go. Are we public limited?
October 3, 2003 06:01 PM
the words



echo
ECHO echo. Reverberates around the valley, across the lake and through the trees. Eery, unnerving. Or exciting. Shouting from the tops of trees. In a tunnel at the top of your voice. HELLOOO hello hello hello. Why is this fascinating?
October 2, 2003 06:35 AM
the words



forced
I forced him to do what I wanted and he hated it - he felt I was bossy. I just wanted it done right. I forced the key to turn in the lock and it broke. I was forced. I didn't want to. I shouldn't have done that. The armed forced.
October 1, 2003 11:14 AM
the words



lack
I have a lack of control today - unavoidable rising anger at not being able to get something to work today. URGHHH. I lack an ability to keep my cool over it. Lack - makes me think of pale and wan and not well and unhealthy. It probably is.
September 30, 2003 12:40 PM
the words



never
Never say never. Never ever. Don't do that. I never want to give you up. I'm never gonna let you go. I never want to hear you say that again. Is it punishment or love or adoration or obsession? Good or bad. Dunno. Never gonna build you up.
September 26, 2003 06:09 PM
the words



favourite
These are some of my favourite things. No can't stand that song from sound of music but that’s what sprung into my mind when I saw this word. I rarely use this word. It has a hard ending (sound) so its unappealing to me.
September 25, 2003 04:45 PM
the words



execute
To start a programme like an ini or exe file. And then I think of the legalised killing thing. Don't agree with it much. Don't think its humane. Barbaric. Loss of life is not a punishment. Its a wrong. And it doesn't make it right.
September 24, 2003 04:42 PM
the words



used
second hand. Used up. Taken advantage of. Sometimes its hard not to feel used by other people. Sometimes your ideas are stolen, you do things for others more than they do for you. Sometimes a used car will not be a dud. Sometimes. Take care. Don't take everything they throw at you.
September 22, 2003 05:14 PM
the words



contained
Self contained. Trapped. Without the ability to let go be free and spontaneous. Within a container. Jar. With a lid. Controlled. Self Control. Without making inappropriate comments accidentally. Considered.
September 20, 2003 05:33 PM
the words



distance
How far is it? Distance - far away, a far away land. Hills in Scotland divided by mist or cloud hanging half way up, rain dividing space. Out to sea can't see the horizon sky blends with the ocean far far away. Where are you? Distant
September 18, 2003 05:35 PM
the words



training
We are a training organisation - it means you teach people new skills while wearing a suit and making much reference to work. Boring. I prefer learning. Training - working hard to learn how to be better or to be fitter or whatever. Training in the army. Not a pleasant thing. Learning is better
September 17, 2003 10:21 AM
the words



profile
My profile is simple and brief and tries to be mysterious. Once a family friend told me I had a lovely profile - I don't have buck teeth and I have a decent nose. Another family friend said I had a nose that people have nose jobs to get. I should feel lucky. Hard to sell yourself in an internet profile
September 16, 2003 03:26 PM
the words



doom
Temple of. Huge word that always makes my voice sound deeper than it really is. Can't help but lower the tone when it rolls out of your mouth. Its a heavy thick word that always sounds evil or satanic. Down below. Dirty.
September 15, 2003 04:46 PM
the words



cash
Johnny. Now I’m trying to think of something else. Look at my WAD. I try to carry as little cash as is humanly possible. But I always get told off cos I then have to pay with plastic and cash carriers hate me for it. Don't wanna get mugged tho. And I hate change. Heavy pockets.
September 15, 2003 09:58 AM
the words



tricky
Tricky to find what to write about. Man with gold teeth that I saw in a skateboard shop round the back of Carnaby Street. Rap music. Gangsta films. Tricky, difficult, not sure I can do that for you maam. Humm, it looks bad to me... yeah its over
September 12, 2003 06:05 AM
the words



deadline
[I'm racing towards a deadline, panic stricken. Trying not to think about the consequences of not meeting it or getting it right. Trying not to correct the mistakes because I haven't got time. Counting down and down and down. And finally the time will be up and I will have missed it......... gone
September 6, 2003 07:53 PM
the words







© Harriet Duncan 2003 - 2004