Write about something that was lost or stolen from you. Photo Credit: Pro_Deluxe Photography by Jeff Cullen
Author: mcullen
Marlene Cullen is enthusiastic about encouraging people to write, even those who think they can’t write. Her series of books, The Write Spot anthologies, features writing that entertains as well as inspires writing. Every story, vignette, and poem in The Write Spot books include writing prompts motivating readers to become writers.
Marlene hosts The Write Spot Blog, a treasure chest of inspirational gems for writers.
Fulfilling her passion for writing and sharing with others, Marlene has created unique writing environments such as Jumpstart Writing Workshops, where participants often experience transformational changes. Her workshops provide essential elements for successful writing.
Marlene is the founder of Writers Forum of Petaluma, a monthly literary event featuring presenters talking about the craft and business of writing.
Marlene's awarding winning short stories and essays have been published in literary journals, anthologies, and newspapers, including Tiny Lights, Building Bridges, More Bridges, Redwood Writers anthologies, and The Write Spot anthologies.
She is a member of the California Writer's Club.
Random Things About Yourself Prompt #325
Today’s writing prompt is in two parts. Part 1: Write 25 random things about yourself. Write whatever comes up for you. Some things from my list: I like to be organized. I come from poor, but not poverty. I like sharp colorful pencils. I love the smell of cucumber/melon hand soap. My first job besides babysitting and house cleaning was at Playland-At-The-Beach, in the accounting department. You get the idea. . . Write whatever pops into your head. When you have a list of 25 things, scroll down for Part 2. Part 2: Pick one thing from the list and expand upon it. Thank you, Adair Lara, for the inspiration for this writing prompt. ~Marlene
Your first experience with death. Prompt #324
Write about your first experience with death. Or write about a death that transformed you. Or a death you might never get over. Grief by Gwen Flowers I had my own notion of grief I thought it was a sad time That followed the death of someone you love. And you had to push through it To get to the other side. But I’m learning there is no other side. There is no pushing through. But rather, There is absorption. Adjustment. Acceptance. And grief is not something that you complete. But rather you endure. Grief is not a task to finish, And move on, But an element of yourself — An alteration of your being. A new way of seeing. A new definition of self. ### There have been many deaths this July 2017. This poem came across my Facebook feed on the day of my dear friend’s memorial…
Back in the swing of things
Hi, It’s been a while since I have posted because there have been lots of Happening Things going on here at my sunny place in Northern California. We began renovating our yard in October in preparation for our youngest son’s wedding in June. Eight and a half months of hauling, digging, pulling, moving, planting, paving . . . and our yard is beautiful and hopefully will be easier to maintain in our later years. The wedding was awesome, amazing, and inspiring. Just as I returned the last wedding item, my 85-year-old mother passed away. I’m at peace with that and happy she is no longer in pain. In anticipation of possible after-wedding let-down, I planned a huge project, which I am in the middle of. More will be revealed in the autumn. So, even though I haven’t been able to post here, I haven’t been idle. I’m going to get…
Submit to Wordrunner echapbooks
Two fiction collections, each by one author, will be selected for Wordrunner’s Fall 2017 e-chapbooks, to be published in September and November, respectively. Stories by authors who receive Honorable Mentions will be considered for publication in the annual spring anthology. Last day to submit July 31, 2017. Stories may be flash or longer, from 500 up to 5,000 words each. Quality trumps word count. Minimum of five stories and no more than 15 (if flash fiction). They need not be linked, but it would be a plus if they belong together for some reason, be it theme, location or character/s. Excerpts from novels will also be considered for these echapbooks. Looking for fiction that is subtle in emotional complexity. Submit your best work only. Each story should be original and compelling. No genre fiction, please, unless a story is good enough to transcend genre. General guidelines: At least one-fourth of…
Writing Success Revealed by Thonie Hevron
Guest Blogger Thonie Hevron’s interview reveals her writing successes. What is the most important thing that you have learned in your writing experience? Keep working. What would you say is your most interesting writing quirk? I used to have to light a specific scented candle but I’ve outgrown that. I had to write to classical music, but I find it distracting now. I won’t drink wine while I am working or anything but water or coffee. Pretty boring, I’d say. Sometimes, those quirks become excuses for not putting my butt in the chair. No quirks, no excuses. Tell us your insights on self-publish or use a publisher? I’ve done both and each has plusses and minuses. Self-publishing has more author control. I recall after my first book, By Force or Fear, came out, a reader said he found very few editorial mistakes. That was one of my goals. Editing…
Flash Fiction – What it is and is not.
When I prepared this blog post, I neglected to note the source. I only have “White” as the author. I considered not posting this, but I love this definition of flash fiction. If you know who “White” is, please, let me know. Flash Fiction According to White, flash fiction “combines the narrative grip of traditional short fiction with the compression, imagery and allusiveness of poetry. A good flash tale instantly intrigues us, may also momentarily bewilder us, and delivers an emotional jolt to the solar plexus—all in fewer than 1,500 words.” White lays out the steps to writing flash fiction. Briefly: The best flash stories are bona fide stories in which a viewpoint character struggles with internal or external conflict. Aims for intrigue and complications. Includes unique ways the protagonist struggles with the problem. A lesson is learned or an epiphany experienced. Uses sensory detail. What Flash Fiction is not A flash story isn’t…
If you could change . . . Prompt #323
If you could change some things in your history, what would you change?
A little known fact. Prompt #322
Write about something most people don’t know about you.
Something lost or stolen. . . Prompt #321
Write about something that was lost or stolen from you or your fictional character.