New and Unusual

Try a new food or recipe and write about the experience. It doesn't have to be anything as exotic as snails, but go ahead and not only be adventurous but write about it.

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First Sentence Prompt Contest

"It's this big."

Start a short story with this sentence. It leaves possibilities wide open! It's a fish! It's a new born baby...it's up to you! Only this story starter comes with a prize. Here's how it works:

Write a short story starting with It's this big. Post it here as a comment. At the end of the month, I'll draw one winner to receive a free ebook of Pumping Your Muse or Windwalker.

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Sunday Drive

Take your imagination on a Sunday drive. What does that mean to you? For me, it reminds me of my childhood when my father would divert from our trips to grandma's house and take an extra half hour or so to drive along country roads just to enjoy the scenery. Write a scene that takes a character on a Sunday drive.

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What if...

If you were a piece of furniture what would you be? Sounds like a question from the Newlywed game doesn't it? For today's prompt, decorate the room of your choice with authentic detail. But that's not all! Take the same room when you finish and decorate it in another time or era.

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Distraction

Distractions side track--sometimes from the mundane and other times from things important. Write a scene based on distraction. If you're looking for ideas, use one of the following writing prompts:

phone ringing

a news announcement

baby crying

dog scratching at the door

buzzer on the dryer goes off

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or my fantasy blog for writers

Training

Boot camp is a training place--strict training.

Potty training is a process.

On-the-job training teaches new skills.

Drivers education allows stuents to learn how to drive.

Develop a character in a training scenario. Write the scene from either the POV of the one doing the training OR the one receiving the training. Either way, weave in elements of emotions and feeling involved.

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or my fantasy blog for writers

Fire

The powerful element of fire destroys, warms, and works as fuel. Write a short paragraph describing fire. Include color, movement and heat.

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Take 2

Take an action scene from one of your favorite movies and write it out to practice writing movement with an active voice. Here's the one rule. Don't use the word was

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Story Starter

Start a story with this dialog:

"Did you hit something?"

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Waking Thoughts

For the next week, take the first five or ten minutes of the day to jot down waking thoughts. The ones running through your mind before your feet hit the floor. These thoughts are the fibers that connect our sleep world with everyday reality. They can be creative, retrospective and future looking. Writing them down provides nuggets of inspiration unsoiled by the day's busyness.

Check out more articles and classes on writing at the Inspired Author
or my fantasy blog for writers

Ate Too Much

Remember the old Alka-selter commercial? The "I ate too much; I ate to fast" slogan was one than many people related to then and today. For today's prompt, create a setting ripe with the opportunity to eat too much--but your character is on a diet. How do they do?

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First Person POV

Write a short scene using first person POV. Choose one of the following subjects or choose one of your own:

Christmas memory

Playing a sport

Finding the perfect pair of shoes

Buying your first car

Check out more articles and classes on writing at the Inspired Author
or my fantasy blog for writers

Check out more articles and classes on writing at the Inspired Author
or my fantasy blog for writers

Ice Cream--Hot Day--Action

Part of learning to show not tell deals with showing action. Today's prompt places an ice cream cone in the hands of a character. The weather is hot and humid. Show them eat the treat.

Here's the challenge: Use the following character possibilities to practice difference techniques and results.

3-year-old--chocolate ice cream
14-year-old--chocolate chip mint in a sugar cone
35-year-old--stressed woman looking for comfort food
83-year-old--reliving his childhood through a special treat

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or my fantasy blog for writers

Animal Behavior

Writers strive to show not tell. One way to accomplish this is behavior. Don't tell the character is angry. Show it. For today's prompt we'll have fun with animal behavior.

Choose at least one of the following:

bird
dog
cat
horse
or choose another animal

Now SHOW that animal:

angry
relaxed
happy
hungry
moody

Keep these tidbits in a journal where you can find them later.

Check out more articles and classes on writing at the Inspired Author
or my fantasy blog for writers

Story Starter--The Falls

Ice storms, snow and unseasonable weather combined with a friend's recent vacation highlights after a hike to Zapata Falls inspired today's story starter. Use the following sentence as the first sentence of a short story.


The falls froze into an undulating 30 ft high silver and white sculpture with clear cold water running behind it.

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or my fantasy blog for writers

A Long, Long Time Ago...

The 70's tune American Pie is an 8 1/2 minute song loaded with snippets of life as the author Don McClean saw it at the time.

A long, long time ago...
I can still remember
How that music used to make me smile.
And I knew if I had my chance
That I could make those people dance
And, maybe, they'd be happy for a while.

Lyrics for the entire song are loaded with story ideas. Pick a line or two and use it as a story starter. You can have characters shivering in February, or good ol' boys drinking whiskey and rye. Who knows, maybe you'll get more than one story from this prompt. And while you're at it, a nice tune will be rolling around your head.

Check out more articles and classes on writing at the Inspired Author
or my fantasy blog for writers

Picture Worth 1,000 Words

Find a snapshot of people you don't know. Write a short story inspired by the photo.

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Clouds In The Night Sky

I stood on the back deck and looked out at the overcast sky. Faint back light defined fluffy gray clouds as if looking up at dirty cotton balls spread across a glass top table.

Take the time to look at the night sky. Gather some descriptive tidbits to have on hand when writing. Not every night sky is black. Studying the sky as a writer is what inspired my book Pumping Your Muse. You never know where it will take you.

Check out more articles and classes on writing at the Inspired Author
or my fantasy blog for writers

Juggling

Create a busy character juggling an overwhelming list of things to do. Write it with humor as things spiral out of control, but bring the scene to resolution.

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or my fantasy blog for writers

Your Favorite Writing Experience

Today's prompt is more a journal entry.Write about your favorite (or one of your favorite experiences as a writer. Is it when you figured out the missing piece to your plot? When an editor contacted you with an acceptance letter? A phone call? A fan telling you how much they liked your writing? How about your first publication?

Here's the challenge. Write it as a piece of creative non fiction.

Check out more articles and classes on writing at the Inspired Author
or my fantasy blog for writers

P.S. You know there's a market for these stories.