Tuesday, October 3, 2023 Transmissions: Issue 4

Every year, we hold a summer gathering for alum and current writers of Just Buffalo’s Writing Center. This year, Fitz Books welcomed our crew on their whimsical back patio. We ate, we caught up, we traded prompts and wrote, and, new this year, we piloted a game we’re calling Musical Notebooks that, while involving no music or notebooks, was a blast! Finally, we busted out JB’s soapbox and invited anyone to hop up and share some writing. It was such a heartfelt, playful, nostalgic event.

For this issue of Transmissions, inspired by an idea by JBWC alum Trinity, we thought it would be fun to turn our Musical Notebook creations into a digital zine — destruction and all. Check it out!

Curious how to play “Musical Notebooks”? Here’s what we came up with!

1. Set up a table (no chairs) with almost enough single sheets of paper and pens for everyone playing. Make sure there is always one less like in musical chairs!

2. Instead of playing music, have someone read from a collection of poetry. We looked for a collection at Fitz Books and found Just Buffalo’s ten year Silo City Reading Series anniversary anthology! While the reading occurs, players circle the table. The reader should stop reading the poem abruptly, which is when chaos ensues.

3. All participants should grab the closest paper and pen and write a line (perhaps inspired by what they heard). The writer who comes up empty-handed leaves the game.

4. After each round, take away one sheet of paper so there is still one less than the number of players. Players who get eliminated from the game, get to decide which pieces of paper to take away and take turns being readers!

5. The last writer with a poem in hand is the winner and reads the results (if the poem has not been torn to bits in the process…)!

New Youth Ambassador, Pride, was the winner!