Welcome to the inaugural NWW Photo Prompt!
The New West Writers Photo Prompt is a twice-monthly challenge for writers of all genres. It’s easy to participate — and we encourage everyone to do so. Just spend a moment with the image below and write whatever comes to mind. A couple of lines, or a couple thousand words. Prose, non-fiction, poetry, even a six word story, if you like.
There are no winners (we’re all writers sharing our words) and no rules. Well, one — be respectful with your words.
You can announce your post with a link in a comment below, or if you link to this page from your post, we’ll publish the trackback link in the comment section of this page. Add an “nww photo prompt” tag to your post and we’ll also provide a link to your response in the next challenge. This post outlines these few simple steps.
To get you going, one of our writing group’s members will have the first go at the prompt. Base your post on theirs or go a completely different way.
by Betty Sinclair
A click sounds deep in my skull
I am the pivotal point of a carousel – trapped
The room is lit by a candelabra. The teacher has a surprising German accent for one teaching Argentine Tango. “Walk backwards like you’re descending a spar. Lean in.”
Blurred things fly off the edge
Speed unmanaged – unmanageable
Claus, or as we should call him, Claudio yells so that his voice is heard over the bandoneon, “Control, no ballroom-head, shoulders down, head haughty.”
Bricks fly past
Whooshing in the ears – roaring
“Feel the rhythm. No looking at your feet. Listen to the music.”
I grab at a shiny object, what was it
No memory – panic
“Form a triangle with your partner. Basura – throw away her foot with yours – rubbish.”
Back against the wall – solid.
Slowing, slowing, slowing – nausea
We lean against the wall, stretching our stiff necks. Changing out of our soft shoes into street boots, we laugh. Nervous and embarrassed, because adults don’t usually give a stranger consent to shout at them. “Practice, learn to walk with control,” says Claudio not quite ready to release us.. “Bien hecho. Until next week.”
Happy writing!
newwestwriters.com 
Awesome writing challenge! This is my story – http://masterselftherapy.com/how-is-dancing-a-symbol-in-dream-interpretation/
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Sweet! Thanks for playing! :)
Long day, and off to bed, so I’ll be checking your post out in the next couple of days, I’m sure.
We’ll be posting this month’s second prompt tomorrow, 7AM, Pacific Time. Hope you’ll play again, Jes.
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This story prompted me to write my own piece about the same photo –
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Heh… Have to admit it took me a couple reads to figure out what was going on, but that is emblematic of the narrator’s experience — hmmm, I guess there are two narrators: a first person in regular type, and an omniscient in italic? Anyway, a little vertigo while reading works given the conditions of the story. Clever!
So, here’s my submission (I hope you don’t take the customer service rep’s critique of your photo personally ;) ):
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