Video Prompt: Night Moves

Yesterday I heard this song on the radio and was actually listening to the lyrics. Images of life flashed memories of other times and then the song surprised me. It applied to today...but that's for me. It stimulated my muse to write an inspirational story. Not that I'm saying that's what you'll write, but I challenge you to listen to this whole song and while you do, jot down your thoughts. From that list of thoughts develop a story or poem.

Pumping Your Muse Prompt:



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Check out my latest interview at Stories That Read You.
And my 4 star review at Teens Read Too!

Picture Prompt: The Doll

Subtle details weave through a story line to give readers the information they need to know, to engage them, as they not only wonder what happens next but also what has happened in the past, Such a detail may lead to the ah-ha moment that brings the entire plot together. I think of the Planet of the Apes when they found the doll that said, "Mama."

Pumping Your Muse Prompt:

Today's prompt is The Doll. Write a three to five paragraphs scene based on this photo. I'd love to hear what you did with this one!

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Stop by Dayana Knight's blog for my guest post on The Why Behind the Setting.

Pacing and Sentence Structure

Good writers use varied sentence structure for effective pacing. When you use repetitious sentence patterns it is much like talking in a monotone...boring.

Pumping Your Muse Prompt

For today's prompt choose something you've already written and check your sentences. The most common pattern you see is a simple subject and verb sentence. Include shorter sentences to add tension, While working on your sentences check for the following:

Omit the and how, or and then

Check your pronouns to be sure they reflect back to the correct noun

Look for awkward sentences -- these become clear when you read your work outloud

Vary the length of your sentences to keep the story interesting and moving forward.

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Stop by Dayana Knight's blog this Friday where I'll be stopping by for a guest post on creating an effective setting.

The Itch

Learning to show rather than tell your story takes practice. Today we'll use an itch to practice this skill. Today we'll take a little itch and use it as a prompt to help develop a scene that challenges you to show the itch.


Pumping Your Muse Prompt
Think about it. If you say your character has an itch people know what that means, but they don't necessarily feel it or understand if it is a slight sensation that's going away or something more. Is it a deep itch that almost drives your character crazy? Is it a foreshadowing of something more to come? Such as the first symptom of a pandemic? Or something less threatening like lice or poison ivy?

Write a short scene or story based on the itch.

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Check out my latest interview at Stories That Read You.
And my 4 star review at Teens Read Too!

Beyond the Norm

When I was a kid my imagination often crossed the barriers reality tried to keep in place. As a writer, prompts help me cross those barriers today so I can tap into that carefree imagination. Today we're going to kindle our senses with the use of various settings.

Today's Pumping Your Muse Prompt
Use the following settings to tickle your senses. Write down the smells, sounds, and less noticeable sights you'd see.

*Fresh water lake
*The gym
*Church
*Cafeteria
*National park

When your done, make a list of possible story ideas that come to mind.

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Check out my latest interview at Stories That Read You.
And my 4 star review at Teens Read Too!

First Sentence

I received good news from one of my Pumping Your Muse Prompts followers. She has had a story accepted! The only way to have a story published is to write and submit! Congratulations Amy

Pumping Your Muse Prompt:

Today we have a first sentence prompt. Use it as the first sentence of a short story. This one can take all kinds of directions. Have fun.

First sentence: Angela wanted to cry.

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Check out my latest interview at Stories That Read You.
And my 4 star review at Teens Read Too!

3 Words Writing Prompt

I know I've been more sporadic than ever with posting prompts, but I must confess--the characters in my Beyond the Fifth Gate sequel have taken me captive! The working title for the new book is Lost Cantos and I'm loving the creation process--but it certainly is time consuming. In the meantime, I just have to post a prompt.

Pumping Your Muse Prompt:
It's been awhile since we've done a three word writing prompt. I have a fondness for them because such a prompt was behind one of the first stories I ever had published. The idea is to use these three words in a story:

*spark
*garden
*phone call

OR

*tooth
*broom
*television

Have fun!