Writing Prompts

Writing prompts are a great way to stay motivated, find new ideas and just plain have fun with your writing. Check out the posts on this page for some inspiring ideas to jumpstart your writing.

Rocking Writing with Renoir

April 5, 2011

Promptiful 4

Recently I attended another gathering for the promotion of my friend, Judy Bridges’ fabulous book, SHUT UP & Write! This event was held at Avol’s bookstore in Madison, WI, a terrific little store if you’re ever in the neighborhood. Besides Judy’s presentation of her book, developed after years of presenting her landmark SHUT UP & Write class at Redbird Studio (which she founded), in Milwaukee, other readers who have gained from Judy’s expertise over the years also joined her. They included four writers from the RedBird RedOak Writing community: Laurel Landis, award-winning short story author, Robert Vaughan, prolific author of flash fiction and poetry, Roi Solberg, author of Spirit of Archetypes: Cards of Spiritual Guidance, and Judith Zukerman, accomplished poet. Judith shared a lovely poem which had been inspired by the viewing of a collection of the artist, Mary Cassatt’s, work.  I loved the idea of using a famous piece of art as a prompt. I wish I could beam myself to my favorite museum, the Musee d’Orsay in Paris, and sit in the impressionists’ collection and let the colors swirl me into words and stories… but, I can’t. So, I will sit and enjoy, and hope you will too, Renoir’s famous painting below, followed by some prompts to consider:

Bal du Moulin de la Galette, Renoir, 1876

Promptiful Possibilities -

Create a conversation for the three women in the foreground. They are not related. What brings them here?

Choose any dancing couple in the scene. One of them is happy, the other is miserable. Why?

Enjoy – happy #writing! Let me know if any writing takes off for you.

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Promptiful 3

March 24, 2011

Click to Prompts

This morning I drafted a story which grew from a writing prompt exercise I did yesterday. That’s what I love most about writing prompts – that unexpected idea or character that sings and takes off. I didn’t sit down and expect to meet a seventh grade girl with an alarming secret, but oh, I’m having fun getting to know her.

Here are some online options for those of you who like to click and find a prompt:

Toasted Cheese Literary Journal offers a calendar of word prompts.  The WP (word prompt) for March 24th is: A cloud of violently yellow smoke fills the train. And, while you’re at the site, don’t forget to read some of the fine stories and poetry available there. “Mobile on the 214″ by Tony Press is a great read!

Creative Writing Prompts offers 346 writing prompts. You put the cursor over any of the numbers from one to 346, and you are given a prompt. Keeping with the train theme, the prompt at number seventy reads:

Pick a character in a daytime soap and put him or her in a stranded commuter train. Write about what he or she is feeling or thinking at that moment.

If a once a week writing prompt visit is more your speed, The Hylander Diner posts a prompt every Sunday. And, if you happen to be or may be considering becoming an e-book author, you’ll want to bookmark The Hylander Diner’s site. This past Sunday’s prompt was:

Use 100 words or less to describe the emotions a character of your choice feels when seeing the Super Moon rise blood orange.

 No trains in that last one, but maybe your own experience of the “Super Moon” will spur some writing for you.

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Promptiful 2

March 22, 2011

More Writing Prompts

As promised, for those of you who prefer some structured options for writing prompts, I’ve pulled out one of my favorite prompt books, ROOM TO WRITE, by Bonni Goldberg.  Each page carries a brief discussion of a theme, technique or idea that you will explore in an exercise which follows. So, for example, page 26 is titled, “It’s Only Natural.” Goldberg discusses nature, as in the natural world, and nature, as in someone’s personality. The prompt that follows is:

“Today, write about an aspect of nature, either human or environmental, that intrigues you. Or, spend one page on both senses of nature and then connect the two.”

And, in keeping with the nature idea, I sometimes use postcards or pictures from travels as writing prompts. Feel free to use any of these:

U.P. MI
S’ton, MA

Hope these help spur you on to some fun writing exercises. Remember, in prompt writes, keep the pen moving. Don’t judge yourself and don’t stop until that timer dings.

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Promptiful

March 15, 2011

Promptiful – Or, What can you do to jumpstart your writing in ten minutes?

© Bendao | Dreamstime.com

Having recently completed a final proof of my novel before querying agents, I’ve been needing some less stressful, less focused play time with my writing. For me, that means diving in with some writing prompts. Sometimes, I get together with writer friends and we share different prompt ideas.

Writing prompts are everywhere — you don’t have to look far, but if you need a few suggestions, try these

Three Easy to Find Writing Prompts:

1. Pick up a book. Open to page 38. Find a sentence close to line 10. Write it down at the top of a blank sheet of paper. Set a timer for 10 minutes and see where that line takes you.

2. Open a copy of a magazine with good photos, like, The Sun. Spend a moment or two examining a photo. Set a timer for 10 minutes and write.

3. This one works better with a writing partner. Choose a word, say, “SPRING.” And make a list of words beginning with the letters in spring. You’ll create a word bank, for example: salad, personal, road, increasing, never, garbage. The challenge is to use as many of the words as possible in a short free write. Again, recommended time? But of course, ten minutes.

Next time, I’ll provide some other more structured links for writing prompts for those of you who prefer books or other online options. Let me know what writing prompt activities you use. If you use any of the ones above and want to post in comments, feel free! Have fun.

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