Shame. . .
For this prompt, you can write about “shame” as a topic in general.
Or: Write on something you are feeling shameful about. You can fictionalize your personal situation to write about a difficult subject.
Or: You can write about shame as character development . . . a character feature to be overcome.
Photo by Jane Person
Write about a secret. Either a secret you hold, or write from a fictional point of view.
You can take your personal experience and write it as fiction.
If you want, change the gender, age, details of the main character.
Maya Angelou said, “There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.”
Okay, friends. . . you heard The Lady . . . Write!
From Marlene: Don’t keep your story bottled up inside you. Write it out.
Don’t know what to write about? Check out the prompts on The Write Spot Blog. Choose one. Set your timer for 15 or 20 minutes and Just Write! You can also find writing prompts here.
Literal Latté, a journal of prose, poetry and art accepts submissions 365 days a year.
“98% of what we publish comes from the so-called slush pile. We accept work for publication on a continual basis and publish within one year of acceptance. Most issues contain someone who has not been published before.”
Click here for submission guidelines.
If you could live one day without consequences, what would you (or your fictional character) do?
“There is more treasure in books than in all the pirates’ loot on Treasure Island and best of all, you can enjoy these riches every day of your life.” — Walt Disney
Today’s prompt: Evening.
Hmmmm. . . I wonder what you will come up with for this freewrite? I look forward to your writing about “evening.”
— Christina Baker Kline, interviewed by Alicia Anstead in the October 2014 issue of The Writer Magazine.
Or, as Dory sings in Finding Nemo, “Just keep swimming. . . swimming. . . swimming. . . ”
At some point in your writing life, you may think your writing is no-good, awful, horrible and no one would want to read it.
Join the Ark. Most writers, I think, are in that boat at least once.
Take the advice of Christina Baker Kline, author of Orphan Train, “Breathe, focus, keep your head down and keep going.”
Click here if you want prompts to jumpstart your writing. Click on “Comments” on any of the Write Spot Blog posts to read inspirational writing.
And just keep swimming, swimming. . . writing, writing.
What do you want?
Set your timer and write for 15 or 20 minutes. See what comes up for you.
If this prompt is too “open” or vague for you, how about this:
What do you want to do today? If you could do anything you want. . . what would you like to do today?
You can answer for yourself, or as your fictional character would answer. This might be a fun way to get to know your fictional character(s) a little deeper.
Above all, have fun with this prompt!
The Mission of Narrative Magazine is to advance literary art in the digital age. From Narrative’s website:
A 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2003, Narrative is dedicated to advancing literary arts in the digital age by supporting the finest writing talent and encouraging readership across generations, in schools, and around the globe. Our online library of new literature by celebrated authors and by the best new and emerging writers is available for free.
Vision: to connect writers and readers around the globe.
Narrative welcomes submissions of previously unpublished manuscripts of all lengths, ranging from short short stories to complete book-length works for serialization. Narrative regularly publishes fiction, poetry, and nonfiction, including stories, novels, novel excerpts, novellas, personal essays, humor, sketches, memoirs, literary biographies, commentary, reportage, interviews, and features of interest to readers who take pleasure in storytelling and imaginative prose.
Narrative looks for quality and originality of language and content. In addition to submissions for issues of Narrative Magazine itself, we also encourage submissions for our Story of the Week, literary contests, and Readers’ Narratives. Please read Submission Guidelines for all information on manuscript formatting, word lengths, author payment, and other policies.
Marlene Musings: It occurs to me, my dear writing friends, that your writing just might qualify for publication in Narrative Magazine. What have you got to lose? Submit!