Writing Prompt # 8

Write a scene from the point of view of a mortician’s daughter.

Writing Prompt # 7

Whenever you’re stuck on what to write about, ask yourself what it is that you feel strongly about. When you have strong convictions about something, it fuels your writing and the odds of you abandoning your work due to boredom get much slimmer.

That said, I want you to choose a topic – whether it’s a traditional topic of controversy (abortion, the death penalty, gay marriage, organized religion in schools, etc.) or just something you feel strongly about.  After you chose your topic, I want you to write an abbreviated version of your opinion on it. Make a few bullet points as to why you feel the way you do, etc.

Then I want you to take that topic and argue the other side of the opinion. Be convincing.  And don’t change the topic if you can help it, try to stick with one that will really challenge you.

They say that good writers can write about anything and make it seem flawless. Do that here.

Writing Prompt #6

Think of two people who you used to know 5 – 10 years ago but whom you are no longer in contact with. Describe them separately. Now combine them into one new character taking whatever traits you want from each of them.  Write either a character sketch of this individual (containing their background story, how they came to be, etc.) or a short story/scene with them.

Writing Prompt # 5

You are to write a short story.  The title of your story must contain at least two of the following words:  fish, winter, alien, turnip, ashen, travel, calendar, lunchbox, tradition, harmonica, silver.  Write the title, then write the story.

Writing Prompt #4

Playing with cliches is an interesting challenge.  Often it’s easy to reject one’s own writing as being too cliche and therefore not worth continuing.  Let’s begin with a few cliches and see what new and innovative things can be worked into them.

So for this prompt, use the following and then take it somewhere “real”:

You are a 17 year old boy who lives in a farming community in Iowa in the 1960’s.  You are at a state fair and are currently sitting on a Ferris Wheel next to the girl you have a crush on.  She is wearing a cardigan sweater, you are nervously contemplating putting your arm around her…

writing prompt #3

“They” say beginnings are important. Sometimes starting with an unexpected and contrasting statement is a good way to grab a readers attention.

That said, begin with this sentence: “If William had died, this would be so much easier…”

Writing Prompt # 2

An editor wants you to write a book. She doesn’t care what it’s about but her marketing team assures her that if it has the following title it will be a huge success. It’s your job to come up with a summary/synopsis of the book. The title has to be: “Microwaves and Skyscrapers: a Place Called Home”. Come up with the storyline and even write an excerpt if you’re so inclined…

Writing Prompt #1

You are a spirit that haunts a big empty Victorian home. A new family is moving in today. How do you feel, what are you thinking and what do you do?

Introduction

Welcome.

So while the name is pretty self explanatory, I feel that an introduction of sorts is necessary and useful.

There are so many of us out there who want to be writers. So many with novels, stories, movie scripts, even essays floating around in our heads just waiting to get out. And yet it’s still so often such a challenge to write what’s in there. Why does it stay locked inside our minds and our hearts? How do we get it out?

Well the answer is as simple and as difficult as this: to be a writer, you must write.

Yes, unfortunately, the voice of reality and reason and truth has just spoken and it has shared its wisdom with you through this blog. To be a writer, you must write.

How do you do that? Make a schedule. Build writing into your life. Do it every, single day.

Start small at first, write for 20 minutes a day. Turn off the tv, wake up earlier, go to bed later, take lunch at your desk. Whatever you need to do to get it done – do it and write. I promise, you will be more proud of yourself than ever before.

But don’t take my word for it, find out for yourself.

And so I present you with “Writing Prompt Per Day” the blog that will help you achieve your first goal: to write every single day.

Follow along and do the prompts.

Funny how easy it is to blow off the things that are most important to us, isn’t it? Well DON’T do that with this. Don’t make excuses, don’t blow it off, don’t move around your writing schedule for other things. This time is nonnegotiable. This time belongs to you.

And yes, there will be some prompts that you don’t like, that seem lame, that you can’t stand, that you don’t know how to work with. When that happens, you have a few options:

1. Tell that voice that always tries to bring you down to Shut Up and leave you alone. Write anyway.

2. Remind yourself that you have a goal and that you are going to fulfill it this time. Write anyway.

3. Complain to yourself about how lame the prompt is and how you would’ve come up with something better. Write anyway.

4. Edit the prompt so you can tolerate it. Write anyway.

5. Dislike the prompt and then decide to go with it instead with the justification that if you can write this, you can write anything. Write anyway.

See the pattern? Your own self doubt is going to try to throw you off your game. Your job is to ignore that. Doubt your doubt for once and WRITE ANYWAY. You owe it to yourself for waiting for so long to listen to that voice inside of you. Write anyway. And enjoy yourself, life is too short to spend it hiding in the shadows of fear.

So with that – SUBSCRIBE TO THE RSS FEED so that you can see these prompts every single day and build them into your routine and GET STARTED WRITING.

Blessings and the best of luck to all of you.

Namaste.