If you’ve been roped in to write the latest Island Writers assignment, our topic, Rope, may have seemed somewhat restrictive. And of course, you might write about a situation where a person or animal is tied up and is able – or unable – to escape.
But if that idea sounds a bit ropey, there are plenty of other options. Rather than having their movements restricted, your character could be supported by a rope during a perilous mountain rescue, or use a rope as part of their job, such as a cowboy’s lasso, a skipping rope for a gym trainer or a tightrope at the circus.
You might consider a story or poem about something made with rope, such as a rope bridge over a jungle chasm, a rope ladder, a cat’s scratching-post, or the swings and equipment in a children’s play area – one of these might be ideal to spark a memoir you’ve been waiting to write.
Or there are places where rope is used to raise and lower heavy items, such as backstage at a theatre or on a sailing vessel. It could form a rope barrier to protect people from falling into a dangerous area or keep them away to avoid damage to precious items in a museum or stately home.
So, don’t worry – this assignment’s knot difficult at all. Money for old rope, you might say.
