Category: Writing prompt

Wedding Photo Stories

On By Terry ConnellyIn Uncategorized, Writing promptLeave a comment

Sometimes we get stuck. Can’t think of anything to write about. Try several ideas, but none of them pan out. So what do you do?

Rather than giving up, try taking out your own wedding photo, or it that doesn’t inspire you, a photo of someone else.

Look into the eyes of the characters. See how they stand next to each other. Is there physical contact or distance? Are they aloof or relaxed? Examine clothing, not just for style, but for fit. Is the groom’s tie off-center as if put on without regard for appearance? Is the bride’s gown form-fitting, highlighting the shape of her body?

Take a look at the shoes. If they appear worn, then our characters might have been short on money. Perhaps the groom’s left shoe tilts to the inside. Think about how that affects his gait. If the bride is wearing flats, then maybe she would be too tall in high heels.

Where are they standing? Some couples have their pictures taken at the front of the church, some outside under a shady tree. Choice of location indicates how the couple feels about the environment and their place in it.

Your task now is to write their story. You do not have to write about the wedding itself, but it is okay if you do. Instead imagine a scene in which this couple might have met or a place where they enjoy spending time. Give them names, personalities and forms of speech. Engage them in an activity that is compelling, a tension-filled scene in which each character wants something.

At the end one of your characters must be fulfilled while the other may still be wanting.

Have fun with this one.

Establishing Motive

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I recently attended a workshop at a conference in Fort Bragg, California. My leader, James W. Hall, is a published author and college professor of writing.

He reminded me that every character in a story has to want something, and that want is what compels the character to act. Once that want is fulfilled, then the character has to want something new, which now inspires action. And so on.

All too often we forget about this driving force. Without it, our stories go nowhere. Our characters are flat and uninspiring. There is no tension, and without tension, our readers are bored.

Your task is to reread something that you’ve written, but find troubling. You’ve known that something about it isn’t working and have tried rewriting without success.

Examine your characters, both primary and secondary. Protagonist and antagonist. Does each of them want something? Is each challenged to reach their goals? If not, then you need to find a way to fix it.

First, brainstorm a list of possible goals for each character. If you discover a character who exists only to give the protagonist someone to talk to, either eliminate the character or change his importance in the story.

After you’ve created your lists, choose primary goals for each character. Then rewrite, starting at the beginning. Constantly check your work, making sure to stay faithful to your goals.

When you’re finished, reread. Does your story now have tension? Do actions match goals? Are all characters important?

Hopefully this is so.

Have fun with this one.

Working Backwards

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Think back to when you were in elementary school. What kind of person were you? Shy or outspoken? Active or reclusive? What were your interests and preferred activities? Do you recall your first experience with a computer? How did you feel about it?

If it’s too challenging to drudge up details from that far back, then think of middle school or high school. Ask yourself the same questions.

Now think of one of your favorite characters. Construct a childhood biography for him. Ask the same questions as far as elementary life, middle school life and high school life. You might even explore college or work.

How does this information influence your character’s current behavior? In what ways does he think, move, believe because of his past experiences?

Once you’ve gathered this information, go back into your story and reread. Considering the things that your character has seen and done over his lifetime, rewrite a few scenes that are changed because of your understanding of who this person is.

Have fun with this one.

Keep it Interesting

On By Terry ConnellyIn Uncategorized, Writing prompt1 Comment

There is nothing worse than a boring story. Especially when you just bought the hardcover version. Imagine paying $20 for a book, expecting it to be a great read, based on the teasers on the inside flap.

Then you begin reading, holding the book gently and leaning forward in anticipation, only to find the first paragraph so dull that you want to toss the book across the room. But you don’t because you paid good money for it.

You finish the first page, then the second. You trudge forward, page after boring page, waiting for something interesting to occur. After about 50 pages, you give up and put the book in your recycling pile.

As a writer, we have an obligation to keep readers engaged. The way to make that happen is by creating story in which the tension ebbs and flows with each turn of the page.

It would be nearly impossible to maintain that tension throughout the entire book, and as a reader, it would be overwhelming to be constantly on alert. So what does a writer do?

Your characters must be challenged, but not inundated. New twists occur, but at a comfortable pace, not like on a sled ride down a constantly changing hill.

As soon as your character accepts the new twist, as soon as the character moves on, throw something new at her. Make things hard. Make your character have to fight through the obstacle to attain her goal.

No trite endings. No easy resolution. No happy birds singing, no stars bursting in the night sky and no simple coincidences that solve all problems.

Your task is to write a scene in which life is not easy for your protagonist. He wants something that will take effort to achieve. He begins his quest, only to be blocked by a major occurrence. He stumbles around until he finds a way past, then within a short period of time, comes across another obstacle. At the end of your scene, the main character can either be feeling safe, or he can be adrift, flopping around feeling insecure. It’s up to you.

Have fun with this one.

No Technology

On By Terry ConnellyIn Uncategorized, Writing prompt2 Comments

My computer crashed yesterday, the one where I sit and do my writing. All my work is sitting on an external hard drive that I cannot access. Thank goodness I have a flash drive and some of my work is saved to the cloud.

I have no cell phone, but I do own an iPad, so I can still do many of the things that I want to do.

But what if I didn’t? What if the world suddenly went dark due to a glitch of some kind, and there is no Internet, no cell phones, no iPad or other devices. Imagine how frustrating and limiting that would feel.

Your task is to write that story. Don’t go back in time before all those devices had been created. Write a contemporary piece that deals with the cravings, the intense need that people feel. The hollowness inside. The inability to connect with friends and family on facebook or Instagram or twitter.

What does your character do to fill in the time? Write letters by hand? Draw or color? Go jogging or for a brisk walk around the block? Go to a café or coffeehouse and sit with other bereft strangers?

This is your task.

Have fun with this one.

 

Secret Places

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Most of us have places where we go when we yearn for quiet. For young mothers, it’s often inside the locked bathroom.  At work, it might also be the bathroom or a bench outside the office.

For writers, it could be a coffee shop with free internet access. For readers it might be a quiet corner of the library or an unused room in the house.

Think of one of your established characters. Imagine him seeking quiet. Where would he go? What would he do there?

Make a list of possibilities. On one side, list the places. On the other, the activities. Match up a few of them, putting the information into a sentence.

For example:

Martha loved to read, but seldom found a quiet place when her busy children were awake, so she kept a book in the bathroom.

See how it works?

Your task is to come up with a few plausible secret places for your character, then turn one of them into a scene.

Have fun with this one!

Story Starters

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These will work if you are blocked and can’t think of anything to write.

Choose one of the following settings:

  1. A futuristic house with windows only on the west side of the building.
  2. A barren landscape except for a strange patch of green in a circular pattern.
  3. A store that sells a strange variety of merchandise: costumes, switchblades and blueberry pie.
  4. A remote country town in which everyone knows everyone and there seems to be some kind of secret binding them together.

Now all you have to do is come up with your characters and set things in motion.

 

Have fun with this one!

 

The Arrogant Character

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Have you ever known someone who believed that he was better than everyone else? Someone so arrogant that it is uncomfortable to be around him? I think we can all call someone to mind.

Close your eyes and picture that person. The way she walks, holds her head, sneers when you talk. The way she turns away from you when you approach. The way her eyes scan your clothes, your body shape, the style of your hair.

Think of a coworker who knows everything, even information that is out of his area of expertise. Imagine how he reacts when you make a logical suggestion. How he fiddles with his pen when you speak. How he always sits right next to the boss and leans over in comradery when you submit an idea for discussion.

Think of the parent who shows up at every class party and outing. Picture him carrying in a box a cupcakes from a well-known bakery. Think of how the kids react when they see all that colorful icing piled up on top.

This is the person that your character meets.

How does your character handle the interaction? Does he hurriedly walk away? Slink into the background. Look down or turn away? Flush crimson?   Stammer?

This is your task. Write a scene in which your character encounters a perfectly obnoxious person. Make sure that your character reacts in a way that is appropriate for her personality.

Good luck with this one.

Suspense is Critical

On By Terry ConnellyIn Uncategorized, Writing promptLeave a comment

Story revolves around suspense. From the first page, there needs to be a compelling story developing. Tension. Argument. A chase of some kind. A search for something important. And possibly even a dead body, be it human or animal.

Recently I picked up a book that sounded interesting. The youngest daughter had been implicated in the murder of her father and the near death of her mother, but the boyfriend was found guilty on circumstantial evidence. Sounds compelling, right?

The problem is that the story moved too slowly. It felt as if the same thoughts and actions happened over and over. Worry about the youngest daughter moving back home. The accused being released from prison on a technicality. The oldest daughter, once a thriving mother with tremendous potential, now wallowing at home.

I kept waiting for something to happen. Some action that brought renewed fear into the protagonist’s life. A window found open. A bloody knife left in plain sight. A note or call that threatened. But none of that ever happened.

As a writer, you have an obligation to engage your readers with suspense, even if your story is not a murder mystery or thriller.

How do you do this? Your protagonist has to interact with others, animate or inanimate. This interaction brings up a strong emotional response. The character reacts, either by confronting the “thing” or by running away or by putting it out of mind. This leads to more tension as the “thing” comes back again and again to haunt the character, spurring the character into action once again.

Your job is to take something that you’ve written, that perhaps you find less than compelling, and reread, looking for spots where the story bogs down. Where there is a pronounced lag.

As you discover these places, fix them either by eliminating them altogether or by turning them into scenes with dialogue, action, tension.

This will not be easy as we often do not like to rewrite our pieces, but you must.

Good luck on this one.

Bigotry in the World

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Bigotry seems to be running rampant in the world. Little or no reason is necessary to hate someone. It could be the color of the skin, a disability that impairs movement, religion, the way someone dresses or even income. A bigot hates because he/she can and feels no obligation to justify the emotion.

Characters that are prejudiced are not pleasant to read about, unless, of course, the reader believes in the same ways.

Imagine that your character comes in contact with someone who is prejudiced against people like himself. What might occur? What types of hurtful things might be said?

How might your character respond? Your character might try reasoning with the bigot, giving examples to counter the misguided beliefs. Your character might simply walk away, as quickly as possible, but not be able to shake off the image.

There might be physical contact: a little pushing and shoving. One of them might have a weapon of some sort and flourish it about. There might be injury, either through a fall, a nick of a knife or a bullet.

Think about the story you are going to write. First make a list that describes your protagonist’s qualities. Then a list for the antagonist.

Choose a scene in which they are likely to come in contact with each other.

Put the characters in the scene and set things in motion. Keep in mind where you want it to go. Do you want violence? Death? Hurtful words exchanged? As you write, guide your characters in your chosen direction.

This story might feel contrived, but stick with it anyway. Bring things to a head, and then a conclusion. Then go back and rewrite, adding in details that add to the description.

Good luck with this one.