I hope today’s prompt will inspire you to write about your mother, or your mother figure.
Prompt: My mother always said . . .
Or: My grandmother always said. . .
Or: My [mother figure] always said. . .
Marlene and her Mom, 1959, San Francisco, CA
After you have written your freewrite, if you are inspired. . . polish, revise, edit, review your writing and submit to Lynn Cook Henriksen for her blog and possibly for inclusion in Volume II of Telltale Souls. Click here for details.
Writing Prompt: If only . . .
Set your timer for 12 minutes and write “If only” . . . . and keep writing.
Prompt #68 – If only . . .
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’
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.
Prompt: Which is more valuable, inspiration or discipline?
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
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.
Options:
~Write about the invitation you received.
~Your thoughts, or your fictional character’s thoughts, as you or he/she anticipate the party. 
~Write about a party you have attended.
~Write about a party you would like to give or attend.
Photo by Jim C. March
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.
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.
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.
Now, really. How are you?
Photo by Breana Marie
Write about a time you were lost.
