Write about something you can’t explain. Something that makes no sense that’s happening to you now, or happened in the past. #justwrite #amwriting #iamawriter
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.
A quirk . . . Prompt #850
Write about a quirk you have. It could be something you do, or participate in, or watch. There may not be a logical explanation for this, except that it brings you joy or satisfaction. #justwrite #amwriting #iamawriter
Stories offer Solace and Hope
Photo by Marlene Cullen “In times of unrest, struggle, and uncertainty, people reach for the comfort of story. When the world around us may feel bleak or overwhelming, stories offer us not just an escape from our troubles and worries, but a version of life that remind us of what’s most important, what we value and what is worth striving and fighting for, and the kind of world we could create if we do.” — Tiffany Yates Martin, “How to Write Amid Chaos,” Writers Digest July/August 2025 #justwrite #iamwriting #iamawriter
Photo prompt. An owl . . . Prompt #849
Today’s writing prompt is a photo of an owl. Photo by Marlene Cullen Here’s what happened: I looked out my kitchen window and saw the most majestic owl sitting on the roof of our shed. She (he?) literally took my breath away. I took a picture through the window. Then I went outside to take a better look and a better photo. She swiveled her head and looked right at me. I snapped a photo. Then she flew away to the top of a pole. Poetry in flight. My friend Kathy, who works at a bird sanctuary, said it’s a juvenile great horned owl. Prompt: Photo of an owl Just Write! #iamwriting #iamawriter #justwrite
Create Characters That Feel Like Real People
Sophie Campbell hands us the key to unlock the dilemma of when to “show” and when to “tell.” “In creative writing, we’re often told to show, not tell. It’s practically gospel. In essence, it means show us how a character is feeling, don’t tell us. For example, ‘Jane felt a bubble rise in her throat and her chest heaved as she sobbed,’ is more powerful than simply, ‘Jane was sad and she cried.’ But the truth is, the most compelling fiction does both showing and telling, and the best copywriting does too. The key isn’t choosing one over the other, it’s knowing when and how to use each of them to create characters that feel like real people and a voice that readers will remember.” Excerpted from The Forever Workshop, Use This Copywriting “Golden Rule” In Your Fiction, Poetry & Essays, Lesson 3 of “Steal From a Copywriter: Copy Techniques That Translate Into Creative Writing.”…
Wanted: Real Characters
“ . . . there’s nothing more glorious than when a fictional character feels completely real. And nothing more meh than when a fictional character feels like a cardboard cut-out.” — Excerpt from Forever Workshop From Marlene: I agree! I love to immerse myself in writing that takes me into another world. I’m not interested in reading what a character looks like and haven’t been able to articulate why until I read this by Jo Gatford: “I usually don’t give much of a crap what a character looks like, unless there’s a particular physical attribute, gesture, or way they move that helps show who they are. So dive deep and look for a line that gives us a guts-first impression of your fictional person.” From Workshop Your WIP — Introduce Your Protagonist with ONE Line, By Jo Gatford
Mondegreen . . . Prompt #848
Excerpt from June 16 River Teeth, “Mondegreen,” by Diane Gottlieb: A mondegreen is a mishearing or misinterpretation of a phrase in a way that gives it a new meaning. Mondegreens are most often created by a person listening to a poem or a song; unable to hear a lyric clearly, substitutes words that sound similar. American writer Sylvia Wright coined the term in 1954, recalling a childhood memory of her mother reading the Scottish ballad “The Bonnie Earl o’Moray,” and mishearing the words “laid him on the green” as “Lady Mondegreen.” Diane’s piece begins like this: “I found a lost memory today. Discovered it inside a writing prompt: recall something you’ve misheard. The title of the 1971 Sly and the Family Stone song is ‘It’s a Family Affair,’ but I swore it was ‘A Family of Bears.’ How wonderful it felt to belt out a song about bears and more bears, a…
Beyond Your Neighborhood . . . Prompt #847
Recall a time in your young life when you went beyond your neighborhood. Perhaps you had the experience of being somewhere out of your comfort zone. How old were you? Did a grownup or older child stay with you? Or, were you left alone? Look around. Describe this place. Did it feel friendly? Scary? Were there a lot of people there? What did you do? What emotions roll over you as you remember? What energy did you pick up at the time? What is that energy like now? Does that energy still have a hold on you? #justwrite #iamwriting #iamawriter
Your Neighborhood . . . Prompt #846
Picture yourself standing in front of the house, apartment, flat, whatever type of building you grew up in. If you lived in more than one place, choose the one that holds the most memories. Take a moment to look around. Scan from one side to the other. What do you see? What do you smell? What do you hear? Take some deep breaths as you see this scene. Mentally take a walk to where you often walked: School, library, playground, theater, skating rink, store. Picture yourself on this walk. What did your neighborhood smell like? What did you hear as you walked along? Just Write~!
What’s bugging you? . . . Prompt #845
Writing Prompt:What’s bugging you? Just Write! #amwriting #iamawriter #justwrite