Category: Prompts

  • Write about a character and music. Prompt #67

    Today’s prompt is inspired from the May 2014 issue of The Writer magazine.

    Write about a character (real or fictional) surrounded by music. What instruments? What songs? Describe the soundtrack to the character’s story. How does music affect his or her actions, and what role does it play in the narrative?

    More from this issue:

    “Write the way people actually talk. You can use imagery and be poetic, of course, but the best lyrics sound like something people might actually say.” — Murray Horwitz, co-writer of the musical Ain’t Misbehavin’

    Writer.May 2014

    Marlene C

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  • Which is more valuable, inspiration or discipline? Prompt #66

    Today’s prompt is inspired from Susan Bono’s July 15, 2005 Searchlights and Signal Flares, from Tiny Lights online, A Journal of Personal Narrative — an oldie and goodie I have saved all these years!

    To read what writers  Rebecca Lawton, Charlene Bunas, Jodi Hottel, Betty Winslow, Susan Winters and Susan Bono, have to say on this prompt, click here.

    tiny lights

    Prompt: Which is more valuable, inspiration or discipline?

    Marlene C

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  • Tell just one small story . . .Prompt #65

    If you could tell just one small story that would capture your mother’s character and keep her spirit alive into the future, what would it be? — Lynn Cook Henriksen, Writing The Mother Memoir

    Mother.child bw.1

    Variations on theme of The Mother Memoir: The Mother Figure

    Write the single story you could tell about the person who is your mother figure.

    Write one vignette about a woman in your life.

     

    Lynn Henriksen keeps spirits alive at Telltales Souls:

    “I’m always looking for good stories for TellTale Souls for Volume Two.” Click here for submission guidelines.

    Lynn will post your story on her blog. Email your story to Lynn Henriksen at:  lynn(at)telltalesouls.com.

    Prompt:  Tell just one small story about your mother or mother figure.

    Marlene C

  • Imagine you are invited. . . Prompt #64

    You're invited 2.2

    Imagine. . . . You receive an invitation to a party.

    The Secret Garden Book.1

    You are invited to dress as a character according to the book you are currently writing or reading.

    OR, you are invited to the type of party you’ve always wanted to be invited to . . .1950s cocktail? 1880’s garden party? Costume party? Bon voyage party? 

     

    Garden Party

    Options:

    ~Write about the invitation you received.

    ~Your thoughts, or your fictional character’s thoughts, as you or he/she anticipate the party. You're invited 1.1

    ~Write about a party you have attended.

    ~Write about a party you would like to give or attend.

    Invite.1

    Prompt: Imagine you are invited to a party . . .

    Invite.2

    Marlene C

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  • Standing in a doorway . . .Prompt #63

    Today’s prompt:  Standing in a doorway . . .

    French Market

     

     

     

     

     

     

        Photo by Jim C. March

    Marlene C

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  • A room from your childhood. Prompt # 62

    Sit back, relax. Take a few deep breaths.  Relax into your breathing.

    Think about rooms from your childhood. Let your mind wander around various rooms:

    Your bedroom

    Your parents’ bedroom

    Your grandparents’ bedroom

    The room where you ate your  meals . . . kitchen or dining room

    Your grandparents’ dining room.

    Here’s an excerpt from Lynn Henriksen‘s book, Give The Gift of Story, TellTale Souls’ Essential Guide*, page 58, excerpt written by Robin.

    IMG_1899

    Jamie and I would crawl into our cozy little bed between the softest apple-green sheets that matched the apple-green carpet and the apple-green walls. We took turns as to who had to be squished against the wall and who was to be on the outside nearest Grandma.  We always took turns with everything at Grandma’s house, I figure that’s how she kept the peace.

    Now, settle into a room from your childhood.  Look around. Really look around.  Start from the doorway and move around the room. . .  write about what you see, what you remember. Include color, smell, texture. What did this room feel like? Who decorated this room?  What influenced the decorator?

    Prompt:  Write about a room from your childhood.

    * Give The Gift of Story, TellTale Souls’ Essential Guide is now out of print. Lynn’s latest book, the “new and improved model,” as she writes, TellTale Souls Writing the Mother Memoir: How to Tap Memory and Write Your Story Capturing Character & Spirit is available at Amazon and Book Passage in Corte Madera, California.

    Marlene C

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  • How are you? No, really . . . Prompt #61

    How are you?    No, really . . . How. Are. You.

    Not the usual, “I’m fine. Thank you.”  That just won’t do right now.

    Take a deep breath . . . in through your nose. Exhale through your mouth.

    A couple more deep breaths.

    Now, how are you?  Scan your body. .  . start with your head. How is your hair? How are your eyes?  How is your throat?  Your stomach?  Anything talking to you?  Any body part want attention?

    Write how you are. How you really are. Go deep. Take a big breath. Go deeper. Excavate. Dig in and grab those shadowy feelings. Give them words.  Give them names. Translate the murky feelings into words.

    Let your inner self guide you through new doorways.doorway.Breana

    Now, really. How are you?

     

     

    Photo by Breana Marie

     

    Marlene C

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  • Write about a time you were lost. Prompt #60

    Write about a time you were lost.

    Monky on Gold star

    Marlene C

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  • Something that gets you in trouble . . . Prompt #59

    Write about something that always get you, or your fictional character, in trouble.

    Breana.TigerPhoto by Breana Marie

    Marlene C

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  • All Fools Day . . . Prompt #58

    The roots of All Fools Day date back to at least the 1500s as an occasion to perpetrate tomfoolery, possibly in reaction to spring’s mercurial weather. It’s observed on April 1 in many Western countries.

    In Italy, France, Belgium, and French-speaking areas of Switzerland and Canada, pranksters cry “April fish” as they tape paper fish to people’s backs.

    In 1957, the BBC pulled a prank, known as the Swiss Spaghetti Harvest prank, where they broadcast a fake film of Swiss farmers picking freshly-grown spaghetti. The BBC were later flooded with requests to purchase a spaghetti plant, forcing them to declare the film a prank on the news the next day.

    Source:  Wikipedia 

    Prompt:  Write about pranks you used to play on April Fool’s Day, a prank pulled on you, or make up a story about how April Fool’s Day started.

    Court Jester

    Marlene C

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