The Write Spot Blog by Marlene Cullen

Category: Prompts

  • Letter Delivered Years Later. . . Prompt #693

    “It is a relatively little-known fact that over the course of a single year, about twenty million letters are delivered to the dead.”— “The Girl With No Shadow” by Joanne Harris

    Prompt: Write about a letter delivered 25 years after it was written.

    Or 33 years after it was sent.

    Or 18 years.

    You can write from the point of view of the recipient, the sender, or both.

    Or write about the unintended recipient . . . the person who now lives at the address the letter was sent to.

    Does the letter reveal disturbing or euphoric news?

    Just Write!

  • View from a window . . . Prompt #691

    Write about a view from a window.

    Perhaps the view from your kitchen window.

    Or your living room window.

    Or the view from a public place.

    Just Write!

  • Fearless . . . Prompt #691

    What is the most fearless thing you have done?

    You can write about that event.

    Write about what led up to the event.

    Or, start your story in the present and go back in time to tell what happened.

    If this situation changed you, how did it change you?

    What did you learn?

    If you could, would you do it again?

    What would you do differently?

  • Have fun with clichés . . . Prompt #690

    Let’s play with clichés.

    It goes like this:

    I’ll write some clichés with missing words.

    You get to fill in the missing words. It’s sort of like Mad Libs.

    For example:

    More than one way to skin a cat becomes: More than one way to [verb] a [noun].

    Ready? There are no wrong answers!

    1. It’s [verb ending in “ing”] [noun] and [noun]
    2. You can’t [verb] a [noun] by its [noun]
    3. The [noun] [verb] always [adjective or noun] on the other [noun]
    4. [Verb] your [noun] right
    5. It’s an uphill [noun]
    6. [Verb] between the [plural noun]
    7. A [noun] is only as [verb] as its weakest [noun]
    8. A [noun] and his [noun] are soon [verb, past tense]
    9. A [noun] of a different [noun]
    10.  A [noun] of a [number] [verb] begins with the first [verb]

    Whatever responses you came up are fine. Can you use any of your re-imagined cliches in your writing?

    Clichés used:

    1. It’s raining cats and dogs
    2. You can’t judge a book by its cover
    3. The grass is always greener on the other side
    4. Play your cards right
    5. It’s an uphill battle
    6. Read between the lines
    7. A chain is only as strong as its weakest link
    8. A fool and his money are soon parted
    9. a horse of a different color
    10. A journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step

    Definition of cliché

    A cliché is a tired, stale phrase or idiom that, because of overuse, has lost its impact. What was once a fresh way of looking at something has become a weak prop for writing that feels unimaginative and dull. Clichés are what you write when you don’t have the energy or inspiration to think of a new way to express an idea.

    More clichés. (scroll down)

    Prompt inspired from the Sept/Oct 2022 issue of Poets & Writers magazine.

  • Connecting The Dots . . . Prompt #689

    In works of fiction, we think of “characters.”

    When writing memoir, we think “real people.”

    Let’s experiment with writing about real people as if they were characters in fiction.

    Think of someone you know that you would like to spend some time writing about.

    You can also do this for your fiction characters, if you are working on a fiction project.

    Make a three-column list.

    Column 1 What I know

    Column 2 How I know it

    Column 3 How to show it

    Column 1 Write one or two-word descriptions about someone.

    Column 2 How you know these characteristics.

    For example, if the person is described as cheap, you might write, “contributes only $20, no matter his actual share, at a group dinner.”

    Column 3 Jot down short notes on how you might show these characteristics

    In the case of the cheap friend, “brings his teabag to use at restaurants.”

    Connecting The Dots

    How is this character, or how are these details, connected to you?

    These connections are what make life meaningful and make your stories interesting.

    These stories can also be about never connecting or missed connections.

    Idea excerpted from  The Writer magazine, June 2005,  “Frank Talk About Writing Your Memoir,” by Sol Stein

    #justwrite #amwriting #iamawriter

  • Invention . . . Prompt #688

    a close up shot of a green paper clip
    Photo by Kindel Media on Pexels.com

    Write about an invention that fascinates you.

    #justwrite #amwriting #iamawriter

  • At this stage . . . Prompt #686

    What is important at this stage of your life?

    #justwrite #iamwriting #iamawriter

  • I wish I had . . . I wish I could . . . Prompt #687

    Today’s writing prompt has three parts.

    ~ I wish I had . . . write for 7 minutes

    ~ I wish I could . . . write for 7 minutes

    ~ Write as if you had accomplished what you wish you had or wish you could. What would that look like?

  • I thought . . . Prompt #685

    Travel back in time . . .

    To a time that was lovely or difficult . . . a time that you remember.

    It can be any age.

    Writing prompt:

    When I close my eyes, I see myself at age (choose an age) . . . at that time, I thought . . .

    #justwrite #amwriting #iamawriter

  • Memorable . . . Prompt #684

    Think about something you read recently.

    It could be a book, a poem, an article, a letter . . . something you read and remember.

    What did you like about this reading?

    What didn’t you like?

    What made it memorable?

    #justwrite #iamawriter #amwriting