Month: May 2019

writing Prompts for June 2019

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote a guest blog for Elizabeth Spann Craig whose blog I’ve been following for years. Elizabeth is a cozy mystery writer who posts regularly with writing tips and behind-the-scenes peeks at her publishing journey. She also compiles a weekly list of links, Twitterific, packed full of information of interest to writers and self-publishers. I always find something helpful or inspiring in the articles she chooses.

I decided to write my guest post about journaling, a writerly task that I have never even remotely mastered. In spite of that failing, journaling does have a helpful and inspiring place in my writing life. If your relationship with journaling is an uneasy one, please check out my guest post: Intermittent Journaling: How I Lost the Guilt and Acquired a Helpful Writing Strategy.

Here are your June writing prompts.

Use one, some, or all of the words in one of these groups to write a story or poem.

  • Statue, water, cry, bench, sunset, life
  • Chair, smartphone, empty, alert, drop, shiver
  • Ladder, tree, see, above curious, time, laugh
  • Umbrella, chase, tumble, door, sigh, after, drip
  • Ring, stone, chose, reward, remember, gold, stare

Try one of these sentences to start or end a story.

  • I’m afraid of flying.
  • Ask Helen. She remembers everything.
  • Henry kept one too many secrets.
  • That’s blackmail.
  • The door swung open. It should have been locked.
  • What do you mean there’s a Canada goose in the kitchen!
  • I thought you said they’d be too scared to turn up.
  • I was really looking forward to the part. Shows how wrong a person can be.
  • You took the last one!
  • There’s someone here to see you.

Try one of these titles for story or poem.

When All Else Fails, Chocolate Cake for Breakfast, Honor Among Thieves, Only One Left, Distraction, Embers, Mars Mayhem, Lucky Pennies. Passport to Murder/Romance/Fear, Angus Reports to Work, Dogs Are People, Too.

Here are some dialogue excerpts to inspire a story or scene.

I’m looking for Henry.
Well, he’s not here.
That’s not what I was told.

I think you two will get along really well.
I’m sure we won’t.
Why not? Or don’t I want to know the reason?

You said we’d be safe here.
We were.
Yes, but for not long enough.

Hand me your cup.
But, I’m not finished.
I won’t ask again.

The last person I want to see is Helen.
That’s unfortunate.
She’s on her way, isn’t she?
Yup.

HAVE A WRITERLY JUNE!

Writing Prompts for May 2019

I’m so excited to announce my three new books are now available on Amazon.com. These books have been a labor of love, and I hope that the genre writers among you will find them useful. These workbooks will help you keep all your research, character ideas, setting notes, writing schedule, plot outlines, etc., all in one place as you work through your first draft. Click here to see sample tables of contents and links to Amazon. A shout-out to D’vorah Lansky at Share Your Brilliance for inspiring me to write these books.

Here are your writing prompts for May.

Use one, some, or all of the words in one of these groups to inspire a story or poem.
1. clouds, heat, escape, green, forest, shadow
2. spring, sleet, fear, mountain,path, decision, grey
3. cabin, deserted, shelter, noises, roof, footsteps, green
4. bowl, vision, crystal, red, cloak, whisper
5. trees, wind, silence, eerie,thud, surprise

Here are some opening sentences you could try, or you could use them anywhere in a story:
1. I thought Earth only had one moon.
2. You can’t go in there.
3. The first day of Henry’s vacation didn’t turn out remotely as planned.
4. We jumped when Helen burst into the room.
5. Toads. I hate toads.
6. The other road passed to close to the castle
7. We expected the scream.
8. Henry promised he’d deal with it tomorrow.
9. One puppy equals hard work. Three equals madness!
10. At rehearsal, I’d been fine, but in one hour I’d be in front of an audience.

Here are some titles that might inspire a story or poem: A Winter Dream, Helen/Henry: Teen Detective, My Life with Braces, Farm Girl/Boy, March Break Blues, The Blunder Years, View from the Roof, Consequences, Parachute, Past Meets Present.

Here are some dialogue excerpts that I hope give you ideas for a scene or story:

I heard what you said.
So?
Does Henry know what you’re planning?

I don’t like the look of those clouds.
We’ll find shelter soon.
I want to go home.
You know that’s not possible.

Helen’s tired.
She’ll have to keep up.
She’s our responsibility.
She’s your responsibility.

Henry’s been suspended.
I know.
Already?
Who do you think turned him in?

I hope you have a writerly May!


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