Tag Archives: writing prompts

Writing Prompt Wednesday

Writing Prompt Wednesday

Have at it.

  • I wouldn’t have followed her if it hadn’t been for the . . .
  • This was not the moment to lose my sword.
  • She woke to the sound of news helicopters hovering above her house.
  • I met him at his wife’s funeral.
  • Robert slowly approached the abandoned pickup truck. 
  • I have had enough of these intergalactic pirates taking over my ship.
  • Being a free man is going to cost me.
  • He ordered two drinks and waited.

Happy writing.

Writing Prompt Wednesday

Writing Prompt WednesdayHere’s your biweekly set of prompts. Remember, these prompts don’t have to be the start of a story; use one to jump start a scene or new chapter.

  • “Do  you trust me?” he asked.
  • None of her training would help her now.
  • I knew how I ended up in a locked shipping container; question was, how do I get out?
  • My mother’s announcement couldn’t have come at a worse time.
  • The broken vending machine was just the beginning.
  • The cold wind blew in from the broken window.
  • He handed me a map and said, “Good luck.”
  • I died six weeks ago, but here I am . . .

Happy writing.

Writing Prompt Wednesday

Writing Prompt WednesdayHave at it.

  • His breathing slowed, but everything around us sped up.
  • If I see another happy couple, I’m . . .
  • I knew the moment he handed me the backpack, I’d regret taking it.
  • I wrote the note four times before I finally left.
  • Light from the fire glinted off the shards of glass.
  • Ethan wandered into the room, not knowing . . .
  • The explosion should have killed me.
  • She didn’t mean to steal from people; their belongings just ended up in her apartment.

Happy writing.

Writing Prompt Wednesday

Writing Prompt WednesdayI took a little breather, but now the prompts are back. Same “rules” apply: Pick one, two, or however many you want, and write something. Post it here if you’d like. Write a story, whip out some flash fiction; just write. 

  • I bought it thinking it would help me win him back.
  • I should have known the police would find me.
  • The documents burned faster than I anticipated.
  • The trick to getting out of a hostage situation is . . .
  • She wondered what he’d look like carrying a . . .
  • Margo regretted taking the shortcut to work.
  • David had on that ridiculous shirt he bought at Caesar’s Palace.
  • Ruth didn’t expect to find herself in the same situation as before. 

Happy writing!

 

Writing Prompt Wednesday {Song Lyric Edition}

Writing Prompt WednesdayThings have been slow around here lately, so maybe one of these song lyrics will help spark a story. Songwriters tell their own stories. What story do these lyrics tell you?

  • Will you wait for me?
    Natalie Merchant, “Frozen Charlotte”
  • As he stands there in the door 
    there’s no room for him anymore.
    She lies there saying,
    “Honey take one last look.”
    Greg Brown, “My New Book”
  • I don’t have time to go back in time.
    I already lived it.
    Pete Yorn, “Close”
  • That morning sky gave me a look
    So I left while you were sleeping.
    Blind Pilot, “Half Moon”
  • was it you on my arm 
    like a tattoo carved in
    your strawberry curls
    against my black leather grin
    Jeff Finlin, “Long Lonesome Death of a Traveling Man”
  • She said she’d call but that was three weeks ago
    She left all her things well, her books and her letters from him
    Dido, “Mary’s in India”
  • And it’s impossible to tell
    How important someone was
    And what you might have missed out on
    And how he might have changed it all
    Feist, “Intuition”
  • We tried to make it work, you in a cocktail skirt and me in a suit but it just wasn’t me,
    David Gray, “Say Hello Wave Goodbye”

Hmmm . . . I now see a somewhat melancholy theme here . . . (and they’re all some of my favorites).

Well, happy writing!

Writing Prompt Wednesday {Title Edition}

Writing Prompt Wednesday

 

It’s nice to be back in the swing of things after the A to Z Challenge. If you’re looking for some inspiration, check out my previous Writing Prompt Wednesday posts, and as always, feel free to use any of these. Post here, there, anywhere; just write! 

Today, I thought I’d shake things up a bit and come up with some titles, which can also spark a short story, flash fiction, novel, or poetry idea. 

  • The Shop Girl’s Secret
  • The Elephant in My Attic
  • King of Sycamore Street
  • The Fires of Spring
  • The Mourning Years
  • Waiting for War
  • The Bitter Brides Club
  • Last Flight Out of Paris

Happy Writing!

 

W is for Writers’ Block

W is for Writers' Block 2015 A to Z Challenge -- April J. MooreThere’s a wall there, you just can’t see it. Apparently, my sister wasn’t in the mood to smile. I tried to help, but there was no getting through that wall. Blocked. That’s how I felt for a while because I had been struggling with what to write next. I’m not a big fan of the term writers’ block and I think we give it more power than it deserves. Maybe that’s why I’m so big on writing prompts—they can get you going when you’re stalled in the writing process. 

Look, the muse doesn’t give a shit if you’re staring at your computer screen, fingers poised on the keyboard, asking nicely for some inspiration. In fact, I’m convinced muses revel in watching us suffer, which is why you have to take charge. If you’re struggling with a scene in your WIP, get away from it. Distance can be the exactly what you need in order to come back with a fresh mind. Over at The Writing Bug, I recently wrote about using pencil and paper to get out all my thoughts—every possibility, every angle, every idea, and it worked; it got me my new novel idea.
Pencil to Paper -- April J. Moore
I also recently picked up The Amazing Story Generator that creates thousands of story ideas. 
The Amazing Story Generator -- April J. MooreThis book combines random settings, characters, and conflicts; the rest is up to you. That’s how I feel about writers’ block—it’s up to you. You’re the only one who can get yourself past a lull in your writing, so don’t count on being struck over the head with an idea while you’re binge watching on Netflix. That can happen, but, again, don’t count on it. You’re a writer; so write. No matter how crappy it is, it’s writing—and it will lead somewhere.  

How do you get going again when you’re stalled in your writing?

A to Z Challenge 2015

Writing Prompt Wednesday

Writing Prompt WednesdayIt’s that time again. I hope one of these prompts will give your writing mojo a kickstart. As always, feel free to share your flash fiction, poetry, or story here, or link it. Looking forward to what you’ve got for us, Dean.

  • It happened in front of me.
  • Everyone has secrets; mine can get me killed.
  • I had no choice but to write the letter.
  • Shane picked a bad time to confront me.
  • I never meant to hit . . .
  • The aroma of [fill in the blank] lured me into the [fill in the blank].
  • I brushed away the leaves from the grave marker.
  • I immediately regretted opening the [fill in the blank].

Happy writing!