Before diving into writing, I’m inviting you to sit back, and relax. Take a deep in. Exhale fully. Another deep breath. And exhale. Take some deep nourishing breaths as you read this prompt. Notice where there is tension in your body. Put your hand there, if you can. Or, put your thoughts there. Easily and comfortably think about what could be causing that discomfort. If you are not experiencing any discomfort, notice what you are thinking about. Going over, in your mind, the past few days, have you had a troubling conversation or a difficult interaction? For now, just notice these things. Set them aside, or make a quick list of these things. Staying as relaxed as you can in your body, read the first part of the prompt, which is inspired by Viktor Frankl. You have probably heard of him or you might be very familiar with him. He…
Tag: Writing freely. Just write. Writing Prompts. The Write Spot Blog.
What is the cloud hanging over you? Prompt #547
What is the cloud hanging over you? What is the cloud that surrounds you now? Write about a situation or feeling that’s so all-encompassing it’s hard to see forward or back, left or right. Then, write about seeing a rainbow after the clouds disperse. Today’s writing prompt is inspired by Rebecca Rebouché, Prompt 106. of Suleika Jaouad‘s “The Isolation Journals.”
Inescapable longing. Prompt #546
Quotes from The Rainbow Comes and Goes by Anderson Cooper and his mother, Gloria Vanderbilt. “You don’t grow up missing what you never had, but throughout life there is hovering over you an inescapable longing for something you never had.” — Susan Sontag “As a child, you generally aren’t aware that your family is different from any other. You have no frame of reference.” — Anderson Cooper Writing Prompts: Can you miss what you don’t know? Can you miss what you didn’t have? What, or who, do you miss? Write about an inescapable longing.
Imagine . . . Santa . . . Prompt #545
Imagine you, or your fictional character, are six years old. It’s time to sit on Santa’s lap. What happens? Or, what doesn’t happen?
Back in the day. Prompt #543
Back in the day we called the December-January school break: Christmas Break. We called Columbus Day: Columbus Day. We didn’t care about calories, especially on Thanksgiving and for holiday meals. We played outside with kids in our neighborhood. We “scrolled” through comic books. We danced to music from jukeboxes. Writing Prompt: Back in the day.
What do you need? Prompt #542
What do you need? Right now. What do you need? Other prompts relating to need: What do you need to hear? Lin Manuel Miranda pondered this question and the result is surprising. Want vs need. Discovering wants versus needs.
Always . . . Prompt #541
I will always have . . .
Control? Let go! Prompt #540
What can you control? What can you let go of?
Share a meal. Prompt #539
If you could invite anyone to share a meal with, dead or alive, who would you invite and why?
Transport readers
“Your main job as a writer is to transport the reader to a fictional world, as in a dream. ” — “The Geyser Approach to Revision,” James Scott Bell, July/August 2011 Writer’s Digest Magazine You probably know this, but perhaps you’re stuck with knowing how to achieve that. A big part is the revision process. The following steps for revision are based on the Writer’s Digest article. Write Hot. Revise cool. Wait two weeks after writing to begin the revision process. Then, read fast as if you were a first-time reader. Take notes about what needs fixing. Capture original emotions you felt when writing. Listen to music that evokes the mood of your story. “Music reaches a part of your mind that you usually have inactive when analyzing. Wake it up and put it to work with tunes.” Create a collage to capture a visual representation of your work to…