Tag: Can’t think of anything to write about

Fantasy Worlds

On By Terry ConnellyIn prompt, Uncategorized, Writing promptLeave a comment

Some writers find it easy to create worlds from the ground up. They design mountains, valleys, forest, rivers and lakes, cities and villages. They populate their worlds with people who are like us, as well as with those having superpowers.

There are languages and clothing and foods that suite that world, perhaps even as identifiers of their position in society.

Just like in our world, some in the new world will be peaceful, others warlike. Some meek, while others aggressive. Some are masters of yoga, while fight with weapons.

Your task is to design a new world. Draw the outer borders. The seas and mountains. Inlets and ports. Where resources are found. Where are the farms and ranches?

What type of government is there? How do individuals get in power? Are they compassionate rulers or despots? What are the main rules that impact ordinary citizens?

How do the different peoples get along? With understanding or with conflict?

When you are finished, look back at your design, paying attention to what should be added as well as what won’t work or those things that need to be change.

If you have a storyline, start writing!

Have fun with this one.

Scene Prompt

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            Begin your story like this:

            Paula stepped closer to the tiny store, driven by a once-familiar smell.

            You can change the name, the tense and the setting, but the heart of the story has to be the smell.

            First, decide the cause of the odor. Pizza? Baking bread? Flowers? Rotting food? A dirty body? The smell can be pleasant or not, but must remain the focus.

            To make things interesting, have more than one character so that the discovery of the smell can be discussed, as well as whether or not to pursue its source. Tension through dialogue would add interest.

            The characters will share their reactions to the smell. What for one might be tantalizing, for the other might just be nothing special.

            Have fun with this one.

Lean into the Possibilities

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            Did anyone ever doubt that you could become whatever you’d dreamt of accomplishing? How did that make you feel? Did it stop you, delay your achievement, or did it inspire you to prove them wrong?

            One thing we seldom hear is that we all need to lean into our possibilities, not shy away from them. Let’s say you want to be a doctor, but can’t keep up with the grueling pace of coursework. You still want to help people, so you change paths and become a nurse.

            You’ve leaned into the possibilities, by finding a course that works for you.

            Your task is to write a story in which your protagonist has a desire to be or do something huge, something that will define who he/she is.  Add negative or discouraging voices. Give your protagonist hurdles that have to be overcome. Setbacks add tension. But most of all, we want to see her choosing possibilities that work for her.

            Have fun with this one.

Pizza Time

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            Lots of kids like pizza. Some want only cheese on theirs, while others want as much meat as possible. Some like pineapple while others want only black olives.

            No matter the differences, saying “Let’s order pizza,” generally is greeted by Hurrahs and cheers.

            Nowadays there are many options in terms of preparation. Do you want thick crust, pan pizza or gluten free? Sauce or no sauce? Or maybe a pesto sauce. How about cheese buried inside the outer edge of the crust or extra cheese on top? Chicken or pepperoni?

            When did you first eat pizza? How old were you and where was it? Did your parent make the pizza or did you go to a restaurant? Did you get an individual pizza or one for the family to share?

            Were there fights over what kind of pizza to order or who got the last piece?

            Your task is to write a story in which pizza plays an important role. It can be a sweet remembrance or a story fraught with tension and loud arguing.

            Your protagonist can be a child or an adult. She can like or hate pizza. She can throw temper tantrums if she doesn’t get her way or feel heard.

            Have fun with this one.

Star-Gazing

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            Try to think back to times when you looked up and saw the sky filled with stars. Who were you with? Where were you? What did you see and what impact did it have on you?

            Did you tell anyone about those times? If so, who did you tell and what words did you use? Were they excited for you or waved it off?

            Your task is to write a story that involves star-gazing. Your protagonist might be a novice, not knowing the names of constellations or having never seen a shooting star. Or he can be an expert, someone who has studied the skies for years, perhaps even teaches others.

            No story is complete without tension, so something has to happen that prevents the protagonist from getting what he wants, or doing what he wants. Use setting and dialogue to drive the story forward.

            Have fun with this one.

Unusual Meal

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            Think of a meal you planned for a group. Most likely there were appetizers, a main course that consisted of a variety of dishes, followed by dessert.

            The quantity depends upon how many invited. If it’s a meal for two, you didn’t need large dishes. But, if you invited ten, then you need casseroles, cakes, and bowls of fruits and salads.

            Your task is to write a story in which your character prepares a most unusual meal, one that consists only of desserts.

            Perhaps there are cupcakes in the shapes of stuffed mushrooms and cookies that look like crackers layered with slices of cheese. The entrees are pies that resemble different types of pizza and cheesecakes molded into meatloafs.

            Imagine what the guests will say! In your story, show your character cooking the items as he talks to someone. Through dialogue we see into the protagonist’s mind as she explains what she’s doing and why.

            Descriptions will show the setting, which includes the table, decorations, and the overall depiction of the room.

            Have fun with this one.

Your Worst Self

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            We have good days, in-between days and terrible, horrible rotten days. On our good days, everything works well. Our boss is happy, our significant other is as well and all is wonderful in the world.

            The in-between days are partly good, partly not-so-good. The dinner comes out delicious but the toilet won’t shut off. The front door sticks but the roof doesn’t leak.

            Our worst days are filled with dismay, dislike and depression. Everything triggers our anger and we lash out at coworkers, friends and family. Things break, leak or fall apart. The phone rings with endless spam callers and every time someone knocks at the door, you find a religious troop or a peddler selling high-priced chocolates.

            Those days bring out the worst parts of ourselves. We yell, sometimes obscenities, call names, and slam things about. We say things we later regret. We fight with the people we love when we’re really angry at someone else.

            Your task is to write a story in which your protagonist is having a horrible day. Begin by setting the scene: establishing setting and situation. Make the other characters do something annoying, something that will send the protagonist on an outrage.

            Have fun with this one.

Forms of Punishment

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            Every society, every home, has its own forms of punishment.

            In some homes, naughty kids are sent to timeout while others might be beaten until blood seeps from open wounds. Some kids might be denied privileges while others are locked away in the prison of their bedroom, or in worse case scenarios, in an actual prison somewhere in the home.

            Society might punish offenders with community service or therapy, while others are beheaded or hung to die. Some are tarred and feathered while others have to clean up garbage along interstate highways or on beaches.

            In a fair situation, the punishment fits the crime, but in far too many, prison sentences are too long or too harsh depending upon the color of one’s skin or how much money the family has.

            Your task is to write a story in which punishment takes on a crucial role. You decide if it’s the family that enforces the pain or society. Does the offender continue to live at home or is she detained in a cell? Is the cell in a clean facility, or in a dank dungeon?

            The protagonist can be the victim or the enforcer. What’s important is that your readers feel the suffering, the pain, the humiliation.

            Have fun with this one.

Do Not Disturb

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            There are times when we want to be left alone. We’re stressed out after a hard day at work or we’re working on a project that demands our complete concentration.

            When someone intrudes, we might get angry, upset, frustrated.

            We wish for the “Do Not Disturb” sign, to post on our computer desk or in our study. That way our kids, spouse, phone callers will leave us alone.

            Your task is to write a story in which your protagonist wants nothing more than to be left alone.

            Give him a task that requires concentration. It could be yardwork, repairing an appliance or tool, writing a report or reading a book.

            Bring in characters who try to break into the solitude, then make sure that the protagonist reacts appropriately. Obviously, there should be serenity at first, the intrusion, and then the feelings of anger or frustration.

            Setting and dialogue are critical here.

            Have fun with this one.

Winter Storms

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            Some winters are rather mild: little precipitation and temperatures not too extreme.  When it’s like this, we can walk outdoors, work in the garden, go hiking in a nearby park.

            Then there are winters in which there’s nonstop rain, tornadoes, hail and snow that grows deeper by the day.

            It’s frigid indoors and out. Even when bundled up from the tops of our heads to the tips of our toes, we freeze. We put electric blankets on our bed of layer so many blankets that the weight presses down on our stomachs.

            Some days we don’t leave the house. The roads are slick with ice or flooded with still falling rain. Snow is piled up over the tops of cars and streets are impassable. Trees whose roots are loosened by rain, topple over. Winds blow and howl like a banshee.

            Winter storms impact what we can do and how we go about doing it.

            Your task is to write a story in which a storm plays a major role.

            A good place to begin is by narrowing down what type of storm happens. Choose something familiar. If you live in tornado alley, then a tornado might be the first choice. If you are plagued by downed power lines whenever a stiff wind blows, then include that in your story.

            Make the effects extreme in order to build tension.

            Have fun with this one.