Lost Baseball Writing Prompt

On my morning walk, I spotted a baseball sitting precariously in the brush over drainage water from a culvert that ran beneath the street. I wondered who owned the ball and how it got there. I walked by in the afternoon and it was still there. Would it be retrieved by the owner or found by another child. All kinds of possible storylines ran through my mind and I wondered if the story of the 1993 Sandlot film came about with such a simple find.

I decided to take a picture and make this a writer's prompt for all of you. If you'd like, take a look at the picture at let your imagination take on the journey of discovery of the story within. If you need a little prompting, here is today's writing prompt.

Today's writing prompt

Write a story about a weathered baseball wedged in the thin branches overhanging over water. The ball, seemingly abandoned and forgotten, becomes a symbol of hope and connection for two children from different backgrounds who stumble upon it. As they collaborate to retrieve the ball, they embark on a journey that transcends their differences, teaching them about teamwork, empathy, and the unexpected bonds that form in unlikely places.

* * *

Some links in this post are affiliate links. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to amazon.com and affiliate sites.

 

Good Intentions with Dystopian Consequences

A good intention is an idea or plan of something you are going to do for the good of someone or something. For today’s writing prompt we will create a dystopian backdrop with a plan intended to force ideals on others. Consider the old proverb, “The road to hell is paved with good intentions." For this prompt, that’s where the world is headed because of actions of some who think they are doing something to benefit the Earth or mankind.

It’s easy to find fodder for the imagination in today’s news with talk of WWIII, the use of directed energy weapons, continued experiments with weaponized viruses, mega drought, cloud seeding, reducing the population, and the killing of animals to reduce the carbon footprint. Or how about derailed trains spilling toxins into waterways used to supply drinking water to millions? While it may seem impossible someone would derail trains to poison drinking water, it does make a good premise for a dystopian novel. For ideas, look up conspiracy theories attached to any of these topics and you’ll have a blueprint for your dystopian setting. 

Today’s Writing Prompt: Orwellian 15 minute city

The 15-minute city is an urban planning concept that promotes sustainable and healthy living. All daily necessities and services can be reached through a 15-minute walk or bike ride from any point in the city. No need for cars. For this writing prompt laws are put into place to outlaw cars within the city. And if a resident travels more than 15 minutes they have social credits deducted. They start to feel like rats in a trap looking for a way of escape. The consequences get tougher for multiple infractions. I’ll leave the rest to your imagination.

Create a character with a reputation. He moves into the city with high expectations, but things change. And remember, one element of writing science fiction is the science needed to make the story work. It may cause the problem or it may be the solution to the problem. In many cases it is both. Either way, it is what makes Sci-fi, "Science" fiction.

 

Setting description writing prompt - How much is enough?

In writing, setting refers to place or surroundings. In this environment, something is positioned or takes place. The writer’s challenge is to show that to the reader in a vivid manner with a goal to draw them into the scene in a way that lets them know where they are or the location of an object. 

For instance, a cozy waterfront cottage provides a setting, but as a standalone phrase "cozy waterfront cottage" lacks details that help the reader imagine where they are. What exactly does cozy mean in this case? If we add details like:

• it is raining
• the roof leaks
• character staring out at the gray ocean pouring a glass of wine

It starts to set the scene.

In contrast, if the person stares at calm azure waters lapping the shore and fingering toward the high tide mark, it establishes a different setting. So the cottage may be the same cottage, but the surroundings have changed.

No matter your genre, when creating setting, the goal is to offer details that matter. You want to avoid paragraphs of descriptive minutia that don’t matter. For instance, you don’t need to describe all the cottage furnishings only the ones that are significant. There has to be a point, a reason, for why you offer the information. Filling the page with details that don’t matter becomes boring. Saying the well-worn L-shaped sectional sofa with a storage ottoman takes up one wall, with the L partially blocking the sliders leading out to the lanai, creates a sense of place. It says this place may need updating. That it is not spacious, but the view beyond makes it worth it. Or it may be a disappointment. There is potential for both and more defining to make it clear.

Paragraphs of superfluous description makes readers skip to what is significant. So, if a relevant detail is couched within boring description, chances are the reader will miss it. For instance, they might not notice a squeaky stair on the way up to the bedrooms, if buried in non-relevant description. Strive to embed particulars that are key without falling into the trap of over-description.

 

2 common reasons writers over describe

I can think of two reasons writers over describe.

1. The first is that they think the reader won’t get it. However, when you keep making the same point over and over, you are treating the reader like they are stupid. OR You think your writing isn’t good enough to make things clear. One of my current reads gives the same information in different ways as if for the first time. The first time, I wondered if the author had forgotten that he had already included that discovery but after the third time, I realized he was trying to ensure his reader didn't miss it.
2. The second reason is that a writer loves everything about the story so much that they bring it up frequently. For instance, if the main character has a taste for expensive things, the author may want to describe every costly item in the story to show how much the character knows. Except if there is too much, the reader will not care what they know. Too much description or repetitive description can bog down the imagination. Just like we don't need to be told about the characters green eyes or freckles or ruddy cheeks every time they are mentioned. Strive to offer enough detail but not so much that the reader skips over something that advances the plot or helps to understand the character or story.
   

Learning to refine descriptions

Feel free to write your first draft without worrying about over describing. Once you have your draft, the first step in learning to refine your descriptions is to admit to yourself that they probably need refining. It can help to read your writing aloud or have your computer read it. Listen to the rhythm within the overall flow of the story. Question your detail choices. Do they move the story forward in any way? If you belong to a writing group, do this exercise together and then ask each other to point out where your descriptions grow boring or repetitive and where they are goo and why.

Today’s Writing Prompt: Setting descriptions

Today’s writing prompt is a practice in description when crafting setting. Your goal is to write prose that links to the reader's imagination. Along with sight, include sensory info like touch, hearing, and taste, like salt air. HOWEVER, feel free to overwrite the scene for the first draft. Let the descriptions flow. Once written, pare it down. This process can help you find the best descriptors.

For this prompt, select one of the photos below and create a setting based on it. Feel free to embellish and expand it. (You don’t have to stay in the exact spot shown in the photo, but it should be a starting or landing point. Write 500 to 1000 words. When you finish, take a closer look at your description. Is there enough? Too much? Practicing this approach will nudge some writers to add more detail and others less. Your goal is to seek to find the perfect balance.

 

 

 

When I was young

Creating a character isn’t always quick. At least not if you want them to be interesting. To be interesting, they need to have history. Even when other characters don't have a clue about that history, it can play into the story adding uniqueness and even elements of surprise. Remember, a character's reputation is not necessarily who they are. In some cases, it might be the red herring that introduces an unlikely hero.

Today we’ll create an old woman character who is talking with a young woman who reminds her of herself decades before. Here’s what you need to know about the old woman.

• Emma married young.
• Had four children.
• Husband drank too much.
• Worked hard to try and bring money in. Cleaned houses, took in people’s laundry and ironing.

Snapshot from her younger self

Emma's husband, Andrew, shows up at a house she’s cleaning. He smells of whiskey. She’s in the middle of waxing the floor. Her youngest baby is on a blanket on the floor. He demands she come home, says that she’s embarrassing him by cleaning for people. She gives him a firm, “I’ll be home when I’m done here.” He pulls a gun and starts waving it around. She fears for her daughter and pushes past her drunken spouse and rushes down the stairs. He calls her to stop, but she runs across the field toward the road. She’s short and grass of a field is waist deep. Her mind races as she tries to figure out what to do. The gun goes off. She raises her hands and screams. Another gunshot. She trips and falls. The bullet sliced through the fleshy skin between her thumb and forefinger.

Andrew's voice. “My God, I’ve killed her.”

Another gunshot.

She stands and learns she is now a young widow with four children….

Today’s creative writing prompt

This prompt is really an exercise in character development. Emma is with a young woman she can see is struggling. Your writing exercise today is to create the back story of this young woman. A quick way to learn her backstory is to do a character interview. 

What does Emma see/know that has her concerned? Once you know the young woman’s backstory, write a scene of dialog between the two. In it, expose elements of their stories. It doesn't have to be an info dump, make it real. But your goal is to bring out a fact that might shock or surprise most readers.

 

Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter