Category: Prompts

  • 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

    , , , ,

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

    Write about a time you were lost.

    Monky on Gold star

    Marlene C

    , , , ,

  • 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

    , , , ,

  • 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

    , , , ,

  • Watershed moment . . . Prompt #57

    This prompt is inspired by Ianthe Brautigan from her Writers Forum workshop.

    Draw a circle with radiating arms, ending in circles (see below).

    In the center circle, write a note about a watershed moment where nothing was the same after that: A pivotal moment.

    Write details on the radiating circles. Include as many circles as you want for details.

    Write into the questions  . . . how did this moment shape me? How did this affect the rest of my life?

    Use this prompt to spark a freewrite.

    When you are finished with freewriting on this prompt, if you keep a journal, use that for details to flesh out the story.

    water circles new

    Marlene C

    , , , , ,

  • In a perfect world . . . Prompt #56

    Prompt:  In a perfect world . . .

    Set timer for 12 minutes. Write.

    Post your writing here. Come on . . . share your writing with us.

    In a perfect world . . .

    IMG_1607

     

     

    Marlene C

    , , ,

  • In this photo . . . Prompt #55

    This is a two-part prompt.

    Part 1:  Get a photo of yourself.  We’ll wait.

    Toe tapping . . . humming.  Photo in hand?  If not . . . close your eyes for a moment and picture a photo of yourself.

    Write,  starting with:  “In this photo . . . ”

    Go! Now! Write before reading Part II.

    Wait. . . did you write on the prompt?

    If yes . . . proceed to the next part.  If not, take 10 or 15 minutes to write, “In this photo . . . ”

    We’ll wait for you to catch up.  Maybe we’ll hum a little tune. . . la. . . de. . . dum. . .

    Ready?

    Part II:

    Add three sentences after every sentence you have just written.  Start first additional sentence with “I felt” and then add two sentences after that.

    Example of adding three sentences to what you have already written.

    Original Sentences:  In this photo, I’m opening a present. I’m four years old. It’s Christmas.

    Original sentence #1 plus three sentences:  In this photo, I’m opening a present. I felt happy. I loved being surrounded by my parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles. I’m excited to open this present.

    Original sentence #2 plus three sentences:  I’m four years old. I felt happy.  I am older than my sister. I liked playing with her.

    Original sentence #3 plus three sentences:  It’s Christmas. I felt content. I liked being in Nana’s living room. She made the nightgown and robe that I’m wearing in the photo.

    This is one way to go deeper in your writing.

    I first experienced this writing prompt with Adair Lara, at a writing class in her home, Summer 2009.  She teaches classes in her home. If you live in the San Francisco Bay Area and are interested, contact her. Click here for information about Adair Lara.

    scan0001

     

    Marlene C

    , , , ,

  • Klutz or dazzling . . . Prompt #54

    Tell a story from your past that has something to do with being a klutz or a time you were dazzling.

    Green Thing

    Marlene C

    , , , ,

  • What I want to say . . . Prompt #53

    Today’s Prompt:  What I want to say . . .

    Post your writing and watch for comments.

    Tina-Turner-e03

    Marlene C

    , , ,

  • I am from . . . Prompt #52

    Based on the poem, “Where I’m From,” by George Ella Lyon.

    Learn more about this woman, with the unusual name (for a woman):  George Ella Lyon.

    “In the summer of 1993, I decided to see what would happen if I made my own where-I’m-from lists, which I did, in a black and white speckled composition book. I edited them into a poem — not my usual way of working — but even when that was done I kept on making the lists. The process was too rich and too much fun to give up after only one poem. Realizing this, I decided to try it as an exercise with other writers, and it immediately took off. The list form is simple and familiar, and the question of where you are from reaches deep.”   George Ella Lyon

    Watch and listen to George read her poem.

    Note from Marlene:  I had the good fortune to first hear this poem at a writing workshop with Pat Schneider. I’ve written on this prompt many times . . . each time I feel closer to the family I inherited.

    I am from . . . Prompt #52

    tonga

    Prom, Tonga Room, Fairmont Hotel, San Francisco, 1965

     

    Marlene C

    , ,