Have you ever noticed the names of paint colors? They are so creative. . . they could be wonderful writing prompts. Writing Idea: Keep a file folder of phrases to inspire your writing. These could be phrases that someone else wrote. They could be snippets you wrote to be used in future writing. This folder can also contain lists like these names for paint colors. You never know when or how you might want to use them. You might find a unique name for a character. Or a fabulous name for: a fictional town, a store, a street name, a pet. My favorite: Amethyst reflection . . . I can imagine using this to refer to eye color. Aqua Rapids Bubble Turquoise California Chamois China White Cloud Nine Blue Crystal Clear White Deco Red Festival Green Fiesta Rojo Fire Roasted Fitzgerald Smoke Frank Llyod White French Silver Inness Sage Innocent…
Category: Prompts
Movie Quotes . . . Prompt #290
Movies! Do you love ’em or are you meh about ’em? Do you get “lost in books?” Can you get the same kind of Calgon-take-me-away lost in movies? Jean Hegland is a gifted writer. Her novel, Into The Forest, has been made into a movie and is now at theatres and will soon be available on DVD. I wouldn’t normally go to see this type of movie, but the opportunity came up to view Into The Forest, the movie, with Jean answering questions after the viewing. Thank you to independent bookstore Copperfield’s Books for sponsoring the viewing. And thank you to Jean for writing an amazing and memorable story. Thanks, also, to Ellen Page, who saw the possibility of the type of movie this could be. See it, if you can, even if, like me, you have to close your eyes during some scenes. The cinematography, the acting, the dialogue,…
Movies as inspiration for writing. Prompt #289
Movies can be a wonderful inspiration for writing. I recently saw the movie, Sully. Even though I knew how it ended, I was teary-eyed. I was filled with emotion at how people helped one another. Director Clint Eastwood did an amazing job of telling the right amount of backstory and the right amount of Sully’s personal life. The focus was on the people involved . . . the human interest story. There were lines of dialogue that were exquisite. When using a movie as an inspiration for writing, you can write about the theme or mood of the story, a line of dialogue, a memorable scene, whatever interests you. Write about: A road trip. Thelma and Louise How you learned to dance. Dirty Dancing A time you were tricked, or you tricked someone. The Sting, two con men outcon a con.
I wasn’t the first . . . Prompt #288
Today’s writing prompts are inspired by author Julia Park Tracey, Alameda’s Poet Laureate. Part 1: Quotes from Veronika Layne Gets The Scoop by Julia Park Tracey. “I wasn’t the first reporter to arrive at the scene, but I wasn’t the last, either.” “A Victoria house — one of those multihued beauties with turrets, fish-scale shingles, gingerbread trim, iron railings, a weathervane, a trim of every description on widows’ walks and sun porches —a majestic painted queen from the late 1800s —burned like a marshmallow too close to the coals.” “You finally get a story, the story, and it changes before the ink is even on the page. And then it’s past, it’s history, and there’s not enough to cover for the following issue. On to the next assignment.” Note from Marlene: When you look at writing prompts, you can look at the entire quote, or take a section, or a…
Write about a favorite movie. . . OR . . . Prompt #287
Write about a favorite movie. Why do you like it? OR . . . write about a movie you really didn’t like. Did you watch it to the end? Why? Why didn’t you walk away? A note about freewrites: You don’t have to write on the prompt exactly as it’s written. You can write about “Why didn’t you walk away?” Write freely, with no attachment to the final product. Just write.
Let’s go to the movies. Prompt #286
Write about going to the movies . . . either as a child, teenager or adult.
Modeling— Becca Lawton’s Cool Writing Tips . . . Prompt #285
Here’s an entertaining idea from Rebecca Lawton’s Cool Writing Tips. Becca’s advisor at Mills College introduced “Modeling,” — an exercise “in which you select an excerpt of masterful writing … and fill in the blanks.” Rebecca Lawton writes, “Modeling is a sort of Mad Lib exercise, where each part of speech is swapped out for a word of your choice.”
What haunts you? Prompt #284
Sit still for a moment. . . take a few deep breaths. Relax into your chair. For this writing experience, tap into what haunts you. As Rebecca Lawton says in Cool Writing Tips: ” See the detail of the memory with clear eyes and write it down as best you can remember it.” There will be a repeat series of Becca Lawton’s Cool Writing Tips. This will only be available for the month of September, 2016. Sign up now so you don’t miss a single inspirational tip. “Write as if you were dying” features Rebecca Lawton as a guest blogger and highlights one of her Cool Writing Tips. I found her friendly style of writing about writing to be affirming and inspiring. I think you will, too.
Magic Carpet Ride . . . Prompt #283
Guest Blogger Becca Lawton’s post “Write As If You Were Dying” got me to thinking about how we spend our days. Most of our days are filled with things we have to do, accomplishing what needs to get done to pay bills, buy food, do the laundry, chores, clean whatever needs cleaning, and so on. What if, one day next week you could do anything you want. What would it be? This is different from Prompt #164, “Write About A Perfect Day” where money and restrictions are not a factor. For this writing, be realistic, what could you do in a day that would be fun and something you could afford? This might be challenging for you . . . all the more reason to make the effort to sit down and Just Write. Okay, so what if that type of writing sounds like no fun at all and you…
Detour . . . Prompt #282
Write about a detour you have taken. Or write about a detour someone you know has taken.