Instructionslistsandnotes.com is a new literary blog featuring creative or found Instructions, Lists and Notes. I'd like to invite everyone to head there for some fun and perhaps submit.

The inspiration of this site came from literary works and chance discoveries that provided unexpected and not very obvious insights.

My biggest inspiration for Instructions was Julio Cortazar’s Instructions. Here is an example:

Instructions on How to Cry

Putting the reasons for crying aside for the moment, we might concentrate on the correct way to cry, which, being understood, means a weeping that doesn’t turn into a big commotion nor proves and affront to the smile with its parallel and dull similarity. The average everyday weeping consists of a general contraction of the face and a spasmodic sound accompanied by tears and mucus, this last towards the end, since the cry ends when one energetically blows one’s nose.

In order to cry, steer the emotion toward yourself, and if this proves impossible owing to the habit of believing in the exterior world, think of a duck covered with ants or those gulfs in the straits of Magellan into which no one sails ever.

Coming to the weeping itself, cover the face decorously, using both hands, palms inwards. Children are to cry with the sleeve of the dress or shirt pressed against the face, preferably in the corner of a room. Average duration of the cry, three minutes.

Other good bits of instructions include Kelly Link’s instructions on how to get to Hades using the London Underground, or just about anything that you may get in a cheap product from China.

Inspiration for lists can come from the usual top ten list, a shopping list, or when you remember the things your grandmother told you when you were little and she was still alive.

In terms of Notes, I’m very inspired by William Carlos Williams’ “This is just to say”:

This is just to say

I have eaten
the plums
that were in
the icebox

and which
you were probably
saving
for breakfast

Forgive me
they were delicious
so sweet
and so cold

Other examples might include silly emails from work, a sign announcing a warning with terrible grammar, or an excuse letter you found in a shoebox that your mother wrote for why you didn’t finish your homework in third grade.