Tag: Writing prompt

Positive Comments

On By Terry ConnellyIn Uncategorized, Writing promptLeave a comment

Imagine that you have three good friends. You’ve known each other for many years. You’ve traveled together, eaten together, shopped together. You’ve shared many wonderful moments and overcome difficulties that might have separated others. Through thick and thin you have remained friends.

What would they say are your most positive characteristics? Think beyond the obvious. For example, not just comments about your physical appearance or how clothes fit your body. What would they say?

Your task is to think about a character in one of your stories and the people that she considers friends. Make a list of those individuals.

Next to each name write at least one positive thing that the person would say about the character. Each person must say something different based upon experiences they have shared.

Choose a place in the story where you can insert at least one positive comment from the character’s friend. How does that play out? What does the character say or do in reaction?

Make sure it feels realistic and not forced.

Have fun with this one.

 

Letter of Recommendation

On By Terry ConnellyIn Uncategorized, Writing promptLeave a comment

When we apply for a job, we are asked to submit letters of recommendation. We choose people who will most likely say positive things about us. Who will highlight our skills in such a way that a future employer will hire us.

Granted not everyone gets a good recommendation. Someone who is lazy or often absent or late or misses important deadlines or does shoddy work will not get positive results. Even so, they have to try to come up with names of people who will want to see them succeed in a new endeavor.

Your character might need letters of recommendation at some point in the story. Who would he ask? What is the relationship between the character and those individuals?

Your task is to first create a list of three people who the character would go to for letters.

Next to each person’s name list the ways that the character has worked with this person and what that person might say about the character.

When that is finished, write a scene in which the character approaches the person to ask for a recommendation. This will be shown through dialogue. Keeping true to your character’s personality, have him act the way that he would in such a situation. For example, would he be humble or cocky?

This will not be an easy scene to write, but give it your best effort. While you might never use this scene in a story, it should reveal information about your character that you might not have had before.

Have fun with this one.

Seasonal Effects

On By Terry ConnellyIn Uncategorized, Writing promptLeave a comment

Close your eyes and picture a typical spring day where you live. What is the weather like? How do you feel? What things do you see, feel, touch? What foods do you typically eat? Where do you go only in the spring?

Write this down.

Move on to summer. What things do you only do in the summer? Record how you feel, think, what you see, taste, touch.

Do the same for autumn and winter.

Looking over your list, do you see a pattern?

Your task is to create a comparable list for your character. It makes no difference the genre of your writing. What matters is that your listings be accurate for the place and time of your work.

Once the list is complete, choose the season you feel most comfortable writing about. Place your character in the story with at least one other person. Turn on the action. Make sure to include those details that impact your character the most.

When you are finished, reread looking for sensory details. Make sure that you did not list them, but rather revealed them slowly, one at a time.

Have fun with this one.

Dealing with Long Lines

On By Terry ConnellyIn Uncategorized, Writing promptLeave a comment

What would you stand in line for? A new cellphone? Concert tickets? The hottest tennis shoes? To vote in-person?

Our responses depend upon how important the issue is to us and to our family. If our teenager can’t live without the shoes, then maybe we would bring a chair, sleeping bag and food and would set up for an overnight stay.

If it’s tickets to a play or concert that is only in your area for one appearance, then maybe we would. Or wouldn’t. We might decide that it’s not worth all the hours of our time to wait.

Your character also has opinions about waiting. What would motivate her to stand in those long lines?

Your task is to create a list of at least five things that your character desperately wants. Keep the items consistent with her personality.

Next narrow the list down to one thing that which she most wants and is most willing to set personal comfort aside in order to get it.

Write the scene. Begin with discovering that the item is coming available. Dialogue would be appropriate. Have him express his desires, so clearly that the others understand.

Have the character wait. Include the emotions that pass through his mind as well as interactions with others in line.

Once the character has made the purchase, or has been foiled, tell us how he feels.

Have fun with this one.

Political Preference

On By Terry ConnellyIn Uncategorized, Writing promptLeave a comment

In terms of politics, there is always something going on. Issues that call to action. Politicians voting for this or that, sometimes against their constituents wishes. Granted there are years in which no campaigns go on, but that doesn’t stop politicians from campaigning.

People of voting age make decisions about the issues and the politicians. Some we support, others we don’t.

So it is with your protagonists. They must make choices about whether or not to be involved, whether or not to care.

Your task is to first make a list of at least five issues that your characters will have an opinion about. Next to each issue, write for or against or undecided.

Narrow your list to two issues that fit your character’s personality. Establish her stance. Then write at least two reasons why your character feels that way.

Now write a scene in which politics is in play. It could be at a rally, at work, at a party. Include dialogue so that your character’s feelings can be expressed.

When you are finished, reread. Did you allow opinions to come out naturally or did you create an information dump? If it is a dump, then rewrite. Remember to spread out information, a drip at a time.

Have fun with this one.

Evening Out

On By Terry ConnellyIn Uncategorized, Writing promptLeave a comment

Most love getting out for an evening. Recall how you feel when you get dressed up to go to the theater, visit friends or go into the big city for a frolicking night of fun.

When you dressed, were you thinking of what you’d eat for dinner? The great conversations you’d have? Seeing the people that you haven’t seen for a long while?

Your characters experience the same emotions. When you plan an evening out for them, remember to include details about the range of feelings that pass through. There will be a bit of anxiety, a bit of nervousness, a bit of dread if this isn’t something that your character enjoys.

Your task is to write a scene in which your character and another are preparing for a night out. Think of all the possible preparations involved. If there are children, then perhaps a babysitter is needed. If it’s a potluck, food has to be cooked. Clothing has to be chosen, hair done and makeup applied. Perhaps a bottle of wine is opened and another brought to the party.

Write several pages, then reread, looking to see if you captured the emotions. If you did, great. If not, what’s missing? Reread again, this time looking for places to amplify and expand emotions. Consider adding dialogue so that we see and feel the interplay between characters. Make the dialogue realistic for your story.

Have fun with this one.

Unfulfilled Dreams

On By Terry ConnellyIn Uncategorized, Writing promptLeave a comment

We all want something until the day that we die or until our brain ceases to function. What we wish for changes throughout our lives. For example, a child may wish for a piece of chocolate while an older adult might want a good steak.

Our wishes change from hour to hour, day to day. On Sunday morning we might want a breakfast of eggs and bacon, but by afternoon all we really want is cheese and crackers. By Friday evening we are yearning for pepperoni pizza, beer and a piece of cheesecake for dessert.

Our dreams are often for bigger things, such as a new car, owning a home or traveling to remote places. These are long-term dreams while the previous ones were short-term.

Your task is to create a three-column list. First record dreams that your character has. In the next column determine how the character will act when she achieves each goal. Consider a wide range of emotions. In the third column record what happens when that dream goes unfulfilled.

Often our strongest emotions are triggered by those things that we cannot accomplish. These make the most interesting stories.

Choose one dream and one reaction. Write the story remembering to emphasize emotions.

Have fun with this one.

Vices

On By Terry ConnellyIn Uncategorized, Writing promptLeave a comment

What are the things that “call your name” whenever you come home from work? Is it a beer, mixed drink or glass of wine? A cigarette? Maybe it’s a handful of chocolate or cookies?

Whatever it is, it speaks to us, encouraging us to partake even when we know that we shouldn’t.

What calls your character’s name? What are her vices? Those things that she can’t live without even though she knows she shouldn’t succumb to their call?

Your task it two-fold. First create a list of possible vices. Make sure that these things are logical based upon your character’s personality.

Narrow it down to the one or two that are most logical and the easiest for you to write about.

Next write a scene in which your character is enticed to partake in the vice. Where is he? What does he do? Does he resist or give in immediately? Who is he with? Do his friends encourage him or discourage him? When he gives in, how does he feel? Is there satisfaction as a reward or does guilt consume him?

Consider all these things as you write.

When you are finished, reread. How does the scene play out? Have you covered all the basics? Is there anything else that should be included? Expand wherever information is lacking.

Have fun with this one.

Cleanliness Matters

On By Terry ConnellyIn Uncategorized, Writing promptLeave a comment

First appearances are incredibly important. Snap judgements are made shortly after a person walks into a room. Same when we enter someone’s living space: depending upon neatness, we evaluate our feelings toward an individual.

Our characters are also defined by neatness. Well-groomed hair says a lot about how they feel about themselves. Same goes for the scrubby, dirty look that tells the viewer that either he hasn’t bathed in a while, or that he doesn’t care.

Your task is to create a credible description of your character. Think beyond clothes, hair, nails. Consider the state of the bedroom, apartment, kitchen. If possible, draw a picture of the individual and of the residence.

Next write a scene in which someone meets your character for the first time. How do people react? Describe the faces they make. The actions they make. Next take someone to the residence. Again, describe faces and actions.

Reread, looking for sufficient descriptors so that the reader clearly sees what you intend for her to see. If there are ambiguities, add information.

Have fun with this one.

 

Favorite Books

On By Terry ConnellyIn Uncategorized, Writing promptLeave a comment

Whenever someone asks me which book is my favorite, I have to honestly say that I love all kinds of books. I read constantly. Usually I am reading two books at the same time. And I read across genres.

What about your character? What does she like to read? What is it about her preferred genre that she enjoys?

Your task is to generate a list of at least five different things that your protagonist reads. Include a variety of materials, including papers and magazines.

Once you have established the list, narrow it down to the two that you feel could be influential in a story.

Put things in motion. Perhaps she is in the library reading her favorite periodical. How does she react? What feelings run through her head? What happens when someone walks up and interrupts her reading?

Write the story. When you finish, reread for details. Make sure that something compelling happens.

Have fun with this one.