We need good, strong, flexible writing muscles to sustain us through the creation of our stories. But stretching our writing muscles isn’t as easy as it sounds. It’s not like we can go to the local gym and hop on … Continue reading
Tag Archives: new word
To follow up on asking “What If?” that we talked about last week, here’s another exercise that will truly expand your imagination. And it all came about because I asked “What if…?” one day when I was changing batteries in … Continue reading
Certain phrases are iconic. They can unlock the child in us and free our imagination to go just about anywhere. When that happens, amazing things emerge from our subconscious minds. Here’s one of the most iconic phrase to start you … Continue reading
I love to learn new words when I’m reading a book. And I’m especially pleased when a writer uses the new-to-me word in a way that allows me to figure out its meaning from the context alone. That way I … Continue reading
What we would do if we could reveals a lot about who we are. Heres another self-exploratory prompt to play with. Write Over the Hump If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go? Write about what … Continue reading
Recap of the “Rules”: Set your timer for 10 minutes. Read the prompt. Start the timer and begin writing. Keep writing no matter what. Don’t stop to think or fix anything. Stop when the timer dings. Beware: Timed writing can … Continue reading
I found this photo at www.flickeringpictures.com and fell in love with the many possibilities it presents for story ideas. The most obvious is, of course, a funeral during Victorian times. We can ask who these people are and what … Continue reading
Writer Anna Unkovich (www.annaunkovich.com) sent me this fabulous photo of a pair of purple shoes. Not only is the photo great for inspiring stories, but the shoes are also my favorite color. No way I could fail to include them … Continue reading
Here’s a great photo I found on www.cosmicsociety.com. This one should really get your noir juices flowing. Even if you don’t normally write horror, sci-fi or noir, give this one a try. Stepping outside your comfort zone once in a … Continue reading
Here’s a fabulous photo of a natural cave formation that I found on a travel website. (Check it out on www.planetware.com—they have great location pictures that will spark all kinds of setting ideas.) This picture holds a goldmine of ideas … Continue reading