Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Face of a Stranger


Today's is a photo prompt I call "Face of a Stranger," but by the time you're done, she won't be a stranger anymore.










Pumping Your Muse Prompt
For today's writing prompt, place this woman pictured in one of the following scenarios:
  • Sitting on a park bench watching two lovers walk by hand in hand
  • Riding the bus, clutching a bag of groceries.
  • Watching children ice skate on a frozen pond.

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For more writing prompts, jump start your imagination with Donna's unique book for writers. Pumping Your Muse gets you writing andt helps you learn how to develop and improve your scenes.



Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Seeing the Future


In a bit of back-and-forth conversation with one of my online friends, the mention of seeing into the future came up. I thought it would make the perfect element of change for this writing prompt. Have fun!

Pumping Your Muse Prompt

For this prompt, choose an existing scene you've written. If you don't have one, borrow one from a story you've read. We're going to add one new element that will change everything. You're viewpoint character has somehow seen into the future. Perhaps in a dream, or a vision reflected on the water's surface. How he or she sees into the future is up to you, what I want see is the difference it makes in the scene. Now they know something that hasn't happened yet. How does it change their actions? And does it change the outcome or is the future set in stone?


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For more writing prompts, jump start your imagination with Pumping Your Muse. It gets you writing andt helps you learn how to develop and improve your scenes.

Monday, September 27, 2010

Three Words Prompt

Pumping Your Muse Prompt

Today's prompt challenges you to use these three words in a scene or short story.

*goatee
*cell phone
*headlights

This prompt is a great opportunity to learn how to show a snapshot in time. What do the headlights show in an instant? Use it to pull readers into the scene.

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For more writing prompts, check out Pumping Your Muse. This book not only jump starts your imagination and gets you writing, it helps you learn how to develop and improve your scenes.

Friday, September 17, 2010

First Sentence Story Starter

Today's prompt features an elderly couple, in my mind. I hope you enjoy this one.

Pumping Your Muse Prompt
Use the following sentence to start a short story.

Gertie cradled Herbert's hand in hers and stared the the age spots on the back of her hand.

Tuesday, September 07, 2010

Transition Writing Prompt

Learning to transition from one scene to another takes practice. You don't want to leave your writers feeling like they've missed something. The transition that carries the reader into your story is just as important. It must gently guide the reader into the world and lives of your characters and at the same time hook them.

Pumping Your Muse Prompt
Today's prompt will create a gentle transition with the wind as your tool. The wind itself is unseen, but what it does to the world can be seen and used to introduce your world. For example:

A balmy gust brushed the grass in waves. Dandelions growing between the cracks of a brick walkway bowed their yellow heads, except for one that had gone to seed. White fluffy seeds caught a ride on a dirt devil. They flew high toward the bright sky and glided freely over the park. Over the couple huddled in secrecy on the park bench.

Use one of the following items with the wind to transition into a fresh scene:

  • Dried leaves
  • Sand
  • Dandelions
  • Butterfly
  • Bird

If you think of your own, that's great. Just add wind, mix...and write!

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