Archive for category Prompts
Idea Think Tank
Posted by Kathie in Prompts, craft chat, resources on December 10, 2009
Where do you get ideas?
Some of us get them from reading the tabloids (nope, don’t even have to buy them, just stand in line at the grocery store and flip through one while you wait), watching television, arriving early at the movie theater and watching all the commercials and trailers — the possibilities are endless. The key is using your imagination, giving your muse an opportunity to romp around.
But in a world that’s crazy busy, sometimes we lack the time or the ability to slow our brains down long enough to let our muse out to play. Are we endlessly stuck in a gray world, unable to coat a fresh sheet of paper with those lovely scribbles that turn into being novels, short stories, poetry or prose? Of course not! We just need tools to help us unlock our muse’s true potential.
Working with writing prompts is a terrific tool to exploring some thoughts and ideas. Whether you chose to select a topic or subject and see what a few minutes of free writing will expose, a more definitive prompt that might give you character names, a place and a situation, or do a fun little exercise that involves a dictionary (see below), spend some time to free write.
The Dictionary Prompt:
Open the dictionary and blindly pick a word. Don’t even bother looking at the definition, jot the word down on your pad of paper. Do this again, two more times.
Once you have your three words, set a timer for ten or fifteen minutes, then write. You don’t even have to use the words you selected. Maybe those words elicited another thought or idea. Maybe you’d prefer to write about something that eludes to the words. Or maybe your muse has taken off in a completely different direction. There are no right or wrongs to this exercise. Just write. Don’t edit. Don’t try to make sense. Don’t worry about grammar or spelling or the mechanics. If you do, your muse will shut up and sit there, staring vacantly at you as if you’ve put her under lock and key and threaded a gag across her mouth. Whatever you do, don’t piss her off.
If you find you like this exercise, consider signing up for “Word of the Day.” You’ll find that a number of online dictionaries have this free service that will deliver a new word to your in-box daily. Create a filter and save those words in a special folder so that you can easily and quickly return to it for some new words to play with.
Online Prompts:
Do a query for the keywords “writing prompt” and see what you stumble upon. There are hundreds upon thousands of sites out there where the fodder is chin deep and just a few keystrokes away. Use caution, however, in posting what comes of the prompt. Should the exercise evoke a much bigger story (isn’t that the whole point to these exercises?), you wouldn’t want someone coming along and swiping it from you, right? But more importantly, as the industry continues to evolve in light of the economy and the necessity of streamlining by using technology, online posts can at times be considered a form of publication and can, in some circumstances, ruin the opportunities for agented publication. A good resource for learning more about these legalities is to visit literary agent Nathan Bransford’s web site and enroll in his online forums at http://www.nathanbransford.com
What Ifs:
Thinking back on your day, whether it’s while you were standing in line at the bank or grocery store, straddling the in-box at work, mindlessly running copies, or driving around running errands, was there a person, a car, a landmark you passed that caught your fancy? A situation, an event, an observation you made, perhaps? Spend ten to fifteen minutes just thinking about that, letting your mind go and carrying that thought away on it’s own little trip. Now spend another fifteen minutes chasing that idea across your paper. Save it. You might find it useful as a scene description, a character, even a plot point. Maybe even the jump-off point for your next free write that could reap a wild array or even a single solitary idea for a story.
Where else can you get ideas?
- commercials
- mailers
- online ads
- movie trailers
- tabloids
- magazines
- a cozy coffee shop
- a busy mall
- the list is endless…
Other ways to develop a playground for your muse:
- Mind mapping – to learn more about this, visit http://www.hollylisle.com who has a wonderful way to mind map
- Snowflakes – to learn more about this, visit http://www.ingermanson.com or better yet, http://www.writetoinspire.com/article1258.html
- For logic thinkers, work on developing your creative brain by taking up drawing and for those of you who are all creative-minded, visit Wikipedia for some articles about logic thinking. Having two sides of your brain, the creative and logical sides, your muse has a much more expansive playground to cavort around on!
Upcoming Meetings
The following is a list of our upcoming meetings (2009). New members and those interested in the group are more than welcome to attend except when noted as “closed session.” New and interested members are respectfully asked to contact us prior to attending the meeting so we can provide you with information about the session and about our group.
Except where noted, meetings are held in the meeting room directly across from the circulation desk at the Chico branch of the Butte County Library (1108 Sherman Avenue – cross street 1st Ave. – Chico).
| Manuscript Due Date | Manuscript Distribution Date | Meeting Date | Time | Location |
| Thu., July 9 | Fri., July 10 | Sat., July 18 | 1-3 p.m. | Chico Library |
| Thu., Aug. 13 | Fri., Aug. 14 | Sat., Aug. 22 | 1-3 p.m. | Chico Library |
| Thu., Sept. 3 | Fri., Sept. 4 | Sat., Sept. 12 | 1-3 p.m. | Chico Library |
| Thu., Sept. 17 | Fri., Sept. 18 | Sat., Sept. 26 | 1-3 p.m. | Chico Library |
| Thu., Oct. 1 | Fri., Oct. 2 | Sat., Oct. 10 | 1-3 p.m. | CLOSED SESSION* |
| Thu., Oct. 29 | Fri., Oct. 30 | Sat., Nov. 7 | 1-3 p.m. | Chico Library |
| Thu., Nov. 12 | Fri., Nov. 13 | Sat., Nov. 21 | 1-3 p.m. | CLOSED SESSION* |
| Thu., Nov. 26 | Fri., Nov. 27 | Sat., Dec. 5 | 1-3 p.m. | Chico Library |
The noted (*) closed session locations will be disclosed to members in good standing prior to the scheduled meeting.
Dates and times are subject to change. We will attempt to update this blog and other web sites where announcements regarding upcoming meetings are located with the corrections. All active members in good standing are automatically notified via email.
Meetings typically begin with a “free write” segment (time allotted is voted on by participants) typically with a prompt that leads into the prearranged craft chat portion of the meeting. Writers are encouraged to bring paper and pen/pencil or a laptop for this portion. Afterwards, everyone is encouraged to share what they wrote as this portion is not a “critique.”
The Craft Chat is about a variety of topics (character development, how to name your piece, worldbuilding, adding red herrings, etc.) all pertaining to the craft of writing. Handouts covering the topic are typically distributed at the end of this segment.
We conclude our session with a critique of (typically) two submitted manuscripts.
Read and then Write
Our upcoming Craft Chat will be on how to add suspense to your novel. Here is an excellent resource, one that is worthy of being bookmarked and referenced every now and again: Suspense Writing and Action Scenes –
(http://www.creative-writing-solutions.com/suspense-writing.html)
The article (be sure to read both pages) guides the author through some thoughtful ways in which to write good physical fight scenes, characters and "the hook."
At the end there are a few writing prompts. Why not give them a whirl?
An Example of Very Creative Writing
In answer to your question that will surely arise at the end of this tale, yes, this did come from an email; one of those chain-letter style emails. However, it was beautifully done and a shining example of good creative writing. See if you can write a short one like it and if it comes out well, send it along to your friends and see if it ever comes back – a true sign that the hungry masses enjoyed it!
A blonde decides to try horseback riding, even though she has had no lessons, nor prior experience. She mounts the horse unassisted, and the horse immediately springs into motion. It gallops along at a steady and rhythmic pace, but the blonde begins to slide from the saddle. In terror, she grabs for the horse’s mane, but cannot seem to get a firm grip. She tries to throw her arms around the horse’s neck, but she slides down the horse’s side anyway.
The horse gallops along, seemingly impervious to its slipping rider. Finally, giving up her frail grip, the blonde attempts to leap away from the horse and throw herself to safety.
Unfortunately, her foot has become entangled in the stirrup. She is now at the mercy of the horse’s pounding hooves, and her head strikes the ground over and over.
As her head is battered against the ground, she is mere moments away from unconsciousness when to her great fortune, Frank, the Wal-mart greeter sees her dilemma and unplugs the horse.
And you thought all they did was say Hello.
Describe This
Here are just a few pictures snagged from Flickr.com of living rooms. You can check out more by going here. Your assignment is to write a description of the room you pick. Try to evoke some emotion as you describe it. Remember to include two to three senses when you describe the room (touch, taste, scent, sight, sound).
Physical Description of Setting Exercise
Try describing a room from three perspectives: through the door, looking in; from inside the room for the very first time, and then from the perspective of being an active participant in the room’s use on a regular basis, maybe focusing on a couple particular elements within the room.
Next, interject a character at the three different points.
How does the room’s view change the character? The mood? Does it affect the relationship between the character and the reader? If so, in what way?
Exploring these aspects will help you, the writer, engage or disengage your reader as you so desire. This is a useful tool to learn and master!
Good luck and, as always, write on!
Describing the Physical Setting
The topic of our upcoming craft chat (Saturday, January 24, 2009) is how to describe the physical setting in your novel. Over the next two weeks, we’ll attempt to post prompts and challenges along with some helpful tidbits about this topic here.
One thing that seems to be overlooked when writing a scene is using several senses. Draw your reader in by including at least three of the five senses: smell, touch, taste, sight, and sound. Thinking about the five senses, how could you describe an artist’s studio? Try playing around with the five senses, using a different set of three each time. How does it change the feel of the room?
Character Study
Write a description for one of the "characters" shown below or go to Flickr’s People Pool to find a character to write about.
This Old House
Writing prompt:
Write about a situation where the first character wishes to achieve a certain goal, but is prevented by the second character.
Character 1: Octavio Washer
Goal: To restore a creepy old house
Character 2: Paul Shaner
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