Thursday, September 24, 2015

Writing Prompts

Sometimes it's fun to do writing prompts, especially if you're in a slump. It's a little exercise to stretch that imagination muscle. The writing prompts I like best are the ones where you have to paint a picture of the story behind a photo that has been posted. Sometimes it's called "flash fiction." It usually consists of a story anywhere from a few lines to a few paragraphs. The writing prompts here are just for a few sentences. Below are a couple of examples of photo writing prompts.


Here is my flash fiction for the above photo:
Fourteen days and fourteen men spent on this quest. I gaze, at last, upon the Temple of Souls; the prison of my wife and child, innocents in the battle of the Fallen Ones. I take heart knowing that I am more familiar with hell, than with heaven. I am ready to enter that place. I am ready to meet providence.
Another Example:


Here is my flash fiction for the above photo:
I was born of deep sadness, guilt and shame; a child of rape. My mother, barely a woman herself, could not let me go. Her mother,on the other hand, could not conceive of letting such an abomination soil her good name. It was on that sea cliff, soaked in a shroud of dreary mist and anguish, my short life should have ended. By the hand of my mother's mother I should have met the rocks that hold back a raging sea. It was not death that met me, but the force of destiny. Through this fateful act, the journey begins, as it was foretold. I am Ilini, the Keeper.
If you are new at writing, doing some writing prompts is a great way to stretch your skill. I like to use it as a distraction when I'm writing my novel and come into a "writer's block." It helps to step away from the story I'm writing. I don't feel the pressure of my current character set. Try it, it really helps. (If that doesn't work, try a few hours of Spider Solitaire... that can clear your mind as well, but beware, it's addictive!)
One initial layout in the game of Spider.
One initial layout in the game of Spider. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
If you want to try some photo writing prompts. Follow iAuthor on Google plus. It's a lot of fun!