Looking Back and Looking Ahead

Dreaming of Spring

After reading KM Weiland’s post, 7 Writing Lessons Learned in 2020, (a great read) I was inspired to reflect on my writing life in 2020 and see what I had learned. Now this isn’t something I normally do. I may look back at the past year and think about what my family and I were up to, remember some fun times, but my writing life rarely comes under deep scrutiny. For so many reasons, last year was different, and I learned a some writing lessons that I want to pass along to you, believing I can’t be the only one who had a 2020 like mine.

The first thing I learned was patience, which is what you need when a story idea doesn’t enter your brain for months. At one point, I figured I’d never write fiction again; I’d never have another idea for a story ever. That was a very low point in a year that was pretty low already. I definitely counted my blessings of a safe and healthy family and an editing contract that kept me busy, but it was a year when a film of my creative life would make a better black and white movie than a colour one–until September. Yup, nearly 9 months of nothing and then an idea–and lesson number two.

Acceptance. My idea was for a screenplay for a Hallmark-style movie. Something I’ve never written before and knew nothing about (except from watching them), but there it was in my head anyway. So I went with it. I did tons of research, which I love doing. I invested in some software to help with the formatting and started writing. I have never had so much fun writing anything. If you’ve read my blogs over the years, you’ll know the term, joywriting. This was, indeed, joywriting–and learning. I’m now in the process of outlining my third script.

I learned trust, too–trust that if you keep sitting at your desk or wandering around with your journal long enough something will turn up. This was the toughest lesson. A lot of self-doubt and why-don’t-I-just-give-up filled that time before September, but in the back of my brain, thank goodness, was a persistent, tiny voice that said if I’ve done it once, I can do it again.

And last, I learned gratitude–again. Gratitude that I do what I do and that I can welcome this kind of joy in my life through work that reaches out to others. I am also grateful for the chance to be a writing coach for some special writers last year, and to have the thrill of watching one of them send her manuscript to her publisher in December after a year of hard work and challenges.

On the non-fictionwriting side, I ventured into creating products for my new Etsy store, which I’m filling with products for writers. My friend and I hosted two virtual writing workshops (one on how to write a book and the other on self-publishing), which was definitely a new experience–and a lot of fun. You can still buy the recordings of the workshops and get all the support material here. I also enjoyed editing a college writing textbook and have another similar contract to keep me busy for most of this year. All good.

Yes, we’re still in lockdown and communicating with friends and family via Skype, and there are days when I really miss things that we’d be doing in our normal lives. I’d love to take my 92-year-old mom out shopping or to a coffee shop, but that’s just not happening. Last year I ordered all the flowers for her garden online and did a drive-through pick up. She missed walking through the nursery and choosing what she wanted. We’ll be shopping online again this year, too, because it’s still not safe. My grocery store has been doing my shopping and putting it in the trunk of my car for months. (Actually, I may not rush to change that! 🙂 )

I hope that you’ve found ways to cope with all the craziness and that you’ve found your joywriting, too.

Here are just a few writing prompts from my book, Writing Prompts and More–Ways to Spark Your Creativity and End Writer’s Block, to bring in the creative new year.

Some Dialogue Excerpts

1. I don’t believe you.
But it’s true.
No surprise, but I need more than your word for it.

2. What did Peter tell you?
Not to tell you.
Very funny. Now what did he tell you.

3. I can hardly breathe. I want to stop.
You can do as you wish, but I prefer to keep outrunning them.

4. Have you seen Henry lately?
Yes. He seems changed—really different.
Is that a surprise?

5. Are you sure about this?
Yeah. It’s not my first time, you know.
Okay.

Five Titles

  1. Red Blood at Dawning
  2. Brook’s Challenge
  3. The Tea Shop Mystery
  4. Black Mountain Trail
  5. Strobe

Write A Paragraph That Includes

  1. A realization
  2. A thunderstorm
  3. A secret
  4. Fear
  5. Something or someone being lost

Five Opening Sentences

  1. Happiness for my dog is a long walk. For me, at night, in February, in the snow—not so much.
  2. Yesterday was completely forgettable. I mean that. I don’t remember a thing.
  3. It’s about time!
  4. The next time I get asked to volunteer for something, I’m saying “no.”
  5. The coyotes were restless tonight.

Wishing you all the best!

Onward to a writerly start to 2021!

WRITING PROMPTS FOR JULY 2020

July 1 marks my country’s birthday—and more important—my mom’s. I have teased her that she only immigrated to Canada from England in order to have a holiday on her birthday. My country is 153 years old. My mom is 92. For both, their story began long before their official birthdays, needing the right people to get together at the right time with the right intentions and a commitment to nurturing their “child” through the years ahead. I’m proud to be a Canadian and my mom’s daughter, and July 1st is as good a day as any to remember the gifts I have been given by both.

If you’ve been writing all along through the pandemic, that’s wonderful, and I’m thrilled that your creativity has weathered the storm. If you’re like me, and only just lately finding your way out of the creative doldrums, yay for you, too. I’m enjoying finally putting words on the page again. Small steps—but happy ones.

If you’re a plotter, rather than a pantser, and looking for some useful software to help you create your novel outline, check out this new software, Pottr. It’s working for me, and the price is very reasonable—and nope, I’m not an affiliate.

If you’re looking for some story ideas this month or a way to break out of your current creative fog, I hope the following writing prompts will give you the inspiration that you need.

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

  • Harbour, boat, dark, quiet, secret, danger
  • Storm, safety, run, thunder, dog, wet
  • Sun, heat, beach, horses, surprise
  • Phone, text, lie, challenge, friend, angry
  • Trees, shade, rest, stranger, fear, change
  • Car, highway, divert, follow, blue, ditch, chase

Use one of these sentences to start a story or a scene.

  • I really wish he were here right now.
  • I was sorry that I’d said I was ready for a challenge.
  • I can’t find Helen!
  • You’ll have to take over now.
  • Screeching tires, shouting voices, fists pounding on the front door—not a typical Christmas Eve.
  • Just keep driving, she thought. Just keep driving.
  • Safe Harbour. Never was a small town more completely misnamed.
  • Revenge is a dish best served cold.
  • Don’t ask again. We’re all hungry.
  • The sun shone through the stained glass windows and dappled the stone floor with pools of coloured light. 
  • Henry sighed, “Not again.”

Use one of these dialogue excerpts to spark your imagination.

Henry said he’d given it to you.
Well, I don’t have it.
Why would he lie?
How well do you know Henry?

Stop that racket!
I can’t, sir. Something’s broken.
Then fix it.
But ….

What’s the last thing you remember?
A noise and a rush of wind.
Anything else?
A voice.

Helen volunteer to help.
Nice of her.
What’s the matter?
She never volunteers unless there’s something in it for her.

Where did you get this?
Henry found it.
Is that what he told you?

See if one of these titles suggests a story: Amber Alert, Last Weekend, With Charlie, The Dog Who Loved Rhubarb, The Caves, Hiding in Plain Sight. Book of Lies, Lesson Learned, Boy/Girl and the Eagles, High Tower Castle, Always Tomorrow.

Other Writing Ideas

a) Three questions to ask your character:

  1. What are you afraid of?
  2. What do you want no one to ever know about you?
  3. What or whom do you value more than your life?

b) If you could make a film of your story, what actors would play the roles of your major characters?

c) Compare your main characters to animals or insects. What would they be? Does that tell you more about their natures?

d) Can you make a change in the weather impact your story?

WISHING YOU A WRITERLY JULY!


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Writing Prompts for April 2020

Still waiting for these lovely blooms. Snow again yesterday.

Last week I was sitting outside on a lovely April morning and listening to the buzzer sound at the nearby school. It goes on marking the end of classes while teachers and children continue to stay at home to keep their friends and family safe. Teachers are now online valiantly conquering new technology, inventing and creating new ways to communicate to home learners and surviving it all while coping with caring for their own loved ones at the same time.

The world has changed. My husband works from home, my son teaches piano lessons online, and I bake bread and sanitize my groceries that I pick up after pre-ordering from the store—and no, I don’t have hoards of flour or toilet paper in my cupboards. And I work—last week writing about flue gas venting systems and this week working on a webinar that I’m presenting on April 25th with fellow author, Lori Wolf-Heffner. (What You Need to Know About Self-Publishing)

The world is a scary place, so I stay home. I’m in the high-risk group (cancer will do that to you), so even when going for a walk, I keep my distance—which in Canadian terms is about the length of an adult hockey stick. 🙂 I’m focusing on doing my part to stay healthy and to keep my husband, my son, and my 92-year-old mom (who lives with us) safe and healthy, too.

And you know what? That’s enough. On sunny days, like today, I’m outside, if it’s warm enough (we had snow yesterday), I leave the phone and social media indoors and read or knit or listen to music. That’s enough. Having more time–the writer’s dream–is not a reason for you to feel obliged to be massively creative or feel guilty if you’re not. You’re under stress from every news report, statistic, Facebook update, and adaptation you make to living in isolation. You are going to find that your focus and energy are challenged. So, if you opt to knit, read, or drink tea instead during your ‘creative time’—yay for you. You’re adapting to this scary, changed world as best you can while applying liberal doses of self-care. There’s no ONE WAY to get through this. Choose what works for you, and if your need a prompt to get your writing again, I hope that one of the following provides the inspiration you need.

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

  • Box, mouse, ribbon, cold, yellow, stain
  • Ink, glasses, spill, ruin, plan, blue, deliberate
  • Path, forest, sun, chill, noises, danger, green
  • Journal, find, secret, death, mystery, family
  • Birds, circling, sign, hesitate, lost, run, black

Use one of these sentences to begin a story.

  • What do you mean I can’t see him right now?
  • Sorry. You missed your chance.
  • I can’t believe that Henry lied–again.
  • The dilapidated diner was the only place open at 1 a.m.
  • Helen said that was a secret.
  • I don’t remember the incident the way Henry says it happened.
  • This is the last time I trust this rust bucket to get me anywhere.
  • I’m worried. When was the last time you heard from him.

Maybe one of these titles will spark a story: A Ten-Year-Old Tells Knows It All, Second Choice. The Balloon, Fire in the Air, Mystery at the Zoo, Road to Fear, Finding Love at Walmart, Should’ve Said No, Two Wishes, The Cabin, Don’t Go There, The Legend, Dragons and Me.

Here are some dialogue excerpt to help inspire a scene or a story.

I’ve never heard anything so ridiculous.
But it’s true!
That’s even worse!

I got at weird text from Henry.
Me, too.
What do you think we should do?
Give him what he needs.
Are you sure?

I’m very sorry, sir.
IT’s a bit late for sorry. He may be gone for good.
I’ll find him. I promise.
And when did you become a dragon tracker?
Right now, sir.

I hate an east wind.
Me, too. Always means a story.
Always means trouble.

Write how your character would feel and what they would do, if they had to be isolated from others.

If you’re stuck in your story, have another look at your character. Maybe you need to know more to move ahead. Check these two links to help you grow your character and your story.

This link leads to a great worksheets from NaNoWriMo

Here’s a character template that I developed.

Please stay safe and well–and happy writing!

Writing Prompts for July and August 2019

I hope that you’ve left behind a healthy and creative June, and that you’re beginning the second half of this year with lots of plans for new stories or for finishing those you’ve begun.

I’m happy to say that I finished my last of four take-action workbooks. This one is about writing memoir. I’ve included 45 writing prompts in this workbook to help you mine the memories you need to fill your pages, along with strategies for discovering more about the places and people that influenced your life

Find out more here: https://www.amazon.com/Writing-Memoir-Take-Action-HEATHER-WRIGHT/dp/1999103823/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=writing+memoir+a+take+action+workbook&qid=1563796720&s=gateway&sr=8-1

I’m on a deadline for a freelance contract, so I won’t be posting a blog or new prompts in August. To give a creative boost to your summer writing, check out your July and August writing prompts below.

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

  • Table, gloves, fog, chill, red
  • Bag, glasses, door, step, green
  • Hat, chair, sun, mosquitos, yellow
  • Truck, flag, open, road, white
  • Cedar, shadow, dead, under, black
  • Umbrella, storm, cold, keep, blue
  • Beach, sunset, bench, sorrow, orange

Here are some opening sentences:

  • I don’t care if you’re tired. Dig.
  • The restaurant seemed deserted.
  • No one writes letters anymore.
  • Don’t open that!
  • Cold fog rolled up from the lake.
  • Two in the morning was the wrong time to see lights on the hill.
  • Even the sound of rain on the tin roof couldn’t keep me awake.
  • I liked to think I was immune to Henry.
  • I’d been desperate to hear an approaching car, but this was the wrong car.
  • A man shoveling dirt always makes me think of Henry.
  • As usual, Helen did not say thank you.
  • Saving Henry’s life was getting to be a habit.
  • Lightning never strikes birch trees.
  • I couldn’t stop myself from laughing, which didn’t help me make a friend.
  • Why are you so sure that it was murder?
  • Karos pulled his robe tightly around him and swept from the room.

Try one of these titles:

Adjoining Rooms, Camp Leopard, Life is Good, Tables Turned, The Welcome Harbor, Those Meddlin’ Kids, Pike’s Peak, The Jasmine Secret, The Window, The Ghost Ferry, Biding Time, Resurrection, Door Number Three, Keeping Faith, Secrets from the Past, Ley Lines, The Crimson Sword.

Here are some dialogue excerpts that might inspire a scene or a story.

He wants to see you now.
What happens if I don’t want to see him?
I wouldn’t risk finding out.

Henry doesn’t seem to like Helen very much.
It’s not what it looks like.
You mean, he likes her?
No, he hates her.

Helen need you to do her a favor.
Well, why doesn’t she ask me?
She knows how you feel about her.
I can guarantee that she doesn’t.

Henry just did the stupidest thing.
No, what was stupid was letting you find out about it.

I hope you’re pleased with yourself.
No, not really.
Then, why did you do it?

What’s that noise?
I didn’t hear anything.
Liar.
Okay, I heard something.

Have a writerly summer! See you September!

Online Writing Camp for Teens

Online Writing Camp for Teens – Explore Creativity and Story Writing at Home

I’m really excited to announce that I have just put the latest touches on my online Writing Camp for Teens. It’s a self-run, online course, offered through Teachable with five Activity Bundles containing writing activities, crafts, field trip ideas, and Internet links. The Activity Bundles are organized by topics and can be completed one day at a time, or they can be dipped into at random for a variety of activities all centred around writing.

Activity Bundles

  1. Finding Story Ideas
  2. Learning About Your Characters
  3. Plotting and Starting Your Story
  4. Writing Description and World Building
  5. Writing Dialogue

Writers can use the information in Writing Camp for Teens anytime in the future, too. Students have lifetime access.

The Other Activities in the bundles are creative activities that are fun to do along with the writing.  A few of these focus on drawing for a reason. Writers tend to have a critical voice in their heads that can get in the way of creativity. Drawing and colouring are simple ways to quiet that voice before tackling a writing session.

Along with writing-centred exercises and activities, the Writing Camp for Teens provides a few links to librarian-selected reading lists by age. Links to resources and writing tips are in each bundle.

I have incorporated relevant material from my two books, Writing Fiction: A Hands-On Guide for Teens and Writing Fiction: A Guide for Pre-Teens, into this Writing Camp package, along with lots of writing prompts in each bundle. There’s no need to buy either of the books to supplement the camp material.

Writing Camp for Teens is offered at two levels: Silver and Gold. The Gold Level includes a personal critique by me of a 1500-word excerpt from a story or novel.

Please take a peak at Writing Camp for Teens at the following link. Several activities are open for you to explore. https://wrightwriter-school.teachable.com/p/writing-camp-for-teens/

Writing Prompts for August 2017

WRITING PROMPTS FOR AUGUST 2017

I don’t know about your summer, but mine is flying by. Lots of heat and thunderstorms lately, but it saves me watering my mom’s garden, so I’m not complaining.

I hope you have been enjoying your summer and finding some creative time, too. If you’re looking for something to fill your journal pages, I hope some of the prompts below will provide the necessary jump-start to a story or poem.

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

  • Sun, blue, smoke, distance, danger, escape
  • Race, down, fear, road, gravel, slip, red
  • Bridge, under, flow, rain, caught, grey, free
  • Ledge, climb, safe, rope, loose, night, silver

Here are some opening lines to get you started.

  • Once upon a midnight ….
  • Henry slammed his fist down on the table, “Enough!”
  • That was my second lie today.
  • If you wanted someone who was going to be on time, you shouldn’t have picked Henry.
  • Horizontal snow and another two miles to ride.
  • That road led straight to the castle.
  • Another nightmare.
  • We had no choice. We left Henry and moved on.
  • I was tired of feeling that everyone had a say in the matter but me.
  • I wish I were programmed to forget.
  • Roscoe came and sat silently at my feet. He could feel something was wrong, too.

Perhaps one of these titles will be inspiring.

Moonrise, Copper Storm, The Girl Who Didn’t Care, A Rose for Helen, Team Player, Lonely Heart, Run, The Attic, Wonder Full, Storm Chaser, Pirate Moon, The World Beneath the Stairs, Samantha and Sam.

Here are some dialogue excerpts. See if you can build a scene or a story around one of them.

  • Am I the last one?
  • There should be two more.
  • How long are we going to wait for them?

 

  • Did you hear that?
  • Yes.
  • Then why didn’t you hide?

 

  • Six o’clock.
  • So?
  • So, Henry said we should leave at six.
  • Henry’s going to be disappointed then, isn’t he?

 

  • Come over here.
  • No.
  • But you’re all alone.
  • Exactly.

 

  • Have you seen Henry lately?
  • Why? Worried?
  • It’s not like him to stay away so long.
  • Enjoy the peace and quiet while it lasts.

Hope you have a writerly August!

 

Writing Prompts for June 2017

Writing Prompts for June 2017

I hope you had a creative May and made progress toward your writing goals. I feel like I spent most of May driving back and forth to the hospital/rehab facility where my mom is recovering from a fractured pelvis. Even though it’s not a long drive, and she’s usually in good spirits and making good progress with her physiotherapy, I’m still exhausted when I get home. It’s just hard, as you know, to see someone you love struggling, sometimes in pain, and wanting to have them back home where they belong. Creativity is elusive at the best of times, but right now impossible. I’ve managed a couple of short, freelance projects, and I’m grateful for those because they’ve kept me writing.

Keeping on the creative track is hard, but I’ve found great satisfaction in doing one simple thing every day. I’m taking a book that I love and am writing out—yes, pen on paper—a small section of it every day. I was inspired to do this by Jennifer Manuel and her blog, How to Write Your Best Story Ever with One Epic Exercise. My copying helps me see how one writer uses words well. It’s like a mini writing workshop every day. It’s also calming, and I need that now, as “stress” is my middle name right now as we get my mom’s apartment ready for her return (including filling her many garden containers with flowers and tomato plants and lettuce plants, etc.—sooooo not my thing) and likely installing a stair lift so she can get up and down stairs to her apartment without stressing herself. Life is not dull.

I hope you enjoy June’s writing prompts and have a writerly month ahead.

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

  • Pen, hope, clear, yesterday, erase, blue
  • Goblet, table, feast, music, undercurrent, red
  • Calendar, busy, time, renew, carry, up, yellow

2.   Here are some opening sentences from which you might invent a story or two.

  • Let the boy speak.
  • Wish you were here.
  • Haven’t you won that solitaire game yet?
  • Was this how freedom felt?
  • Helen looked up to face the crowded room.
  • I’d read stories about people who’d run for their lives, but nothing had prepared me for this.
  • Henry flicked the switch. Nothing. Again. Nothing.
  • I had never been so tired.
  • I don’t do edges well.
  • Helen tried to not think about her wedding

3.  Here are some titles that might make you think of a story or poem: This Is My Life, The Abandoned, The Beauty in Everything, The Lake, A Simple Life, The Castle on the Cliff, The Magic Forest, Dragons and Me, Dancing in the Street, Going Viral, Henry’s Letter, Runaway

4.  Try these dialogue excerpts and write a scene or two.

  • That was a pretty mean thing to say.
  • It was true. And she had to hear it.
  • She hates you now.
  • I know, but that’s better than losing her.

 

  • You were gone a long time.
  • Too bad it was wasted.
  • He wouldn’t listen?
  • No.

 

  • I saw Henry steal the–.
  • Quiet!
  • But—
  • Everyone knows.

 

  • What’s that?
  • A letter.
  • Who from?
  • My grandmother.
  • But ….
  • I know. She died three years ago.

 

Writing Prompts March 2016

March came in like a lion here with high winds and snow. Today, we have blue skies and sunshine. Yup, it’s March in Ontario alright. Aside from surviving the crazy weather, I’ve been the unwelcome host of a nasty cold (snorfle, sniff, moan) since Sunday, and finally crawled out of my pity party today to realize that I hadn’t written my March writing prompts. You will find them below.

Online course planning with sticky notes
Online course planning with sticky notes

Since I wrote last, I have been busy working on creating an online fiction writing course for teen writers with help from Joseph Michael and D’vorah Lansky. It’s a painstaking process and I don’t imagine anything will see the light of day until May, but it’s been exciting to brainstorm topics and ideas in the planning stages. I’m a big fan of sticky notes for this part of the process, as you can see. Soon, I will be getting down to organizing all this pink chaos into units and lessons. After that comes the creation of the actual audio-visual components–a scary prospect, I can assure you. Like most people, I’m not in my happy place in front of a microphone. But, I also enjoy a challenge, so … 🙂

Here are your writing prompts. I hope you have a creative March ahead!

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

  • flower, song, frame, balloon, calm, purple
  • chair, shadow, dial, repair, candle, cup, yellow
  • path, marking, window, sky, light, white

See if you can imagine a story or poem with one of these titles: Thursday’s Child, A Small Hero, Shadow Land, The Blue Empire, Target Gold, Last Gasp, Dragon Rites, Clock Tower, Midnight Moon, The Wanderer, Broken Promise

Try one of these opening lines for your story or novel:

  • One of these days, I’m going to say no.
  • I agreed that Henry was a puzzle, but I was the only one who thought a couple of pieces were missing.
  • It’s bad enough when your ex-boyfriend calls you, but when the call is from his mother, it’s time for action!
  • I knew that sound. Dragons.
  • I thought space was supposed to be silent.
  • We didn’t know it would be our last sunset at the lake.
  • Tires screeched. I turned and ran down the alley.
  • He lit a cigarette and watched Henry close the door.

See if you can imagine a scene from one of these groups of dialogue lines:

Are you sure we’re going the right way?
These are the directions Henry gave me.
Was that before or after you had the fight?

Do you think Mrs. Wilson knows?
Knows what?
That Helen cheated.
We’ll find out soon.

I saw Henry this morning.
But, I thought he said he was leaving last night.
That’s what he wanted us to think.

Why do we have to meet on the bridge?
What’s the matter? Scared?
I’ve got every reason to be.

 

 

 

 

 

Write Every Day

Well, as usual, things don’t always work out the way you hoped–especially in the self-publishing world. What I thought would take a week, took a little longer. The journal is up and ready at Createspace and Amazon(more about that below) and the grammar book is still a work in progress. Of course. the delay was a result of my own distraction. Once I sorted out how to design a cover on Canva, I realized that I actually had two more journals just waiting to be created–so I did those, too. Now 201 Writing Prompts and Writing Prompts and More are journals, too! I’m just waiting for my next batch of ISBNs and then I can get those in print, too.

I wanted to get the Write Every Day journal out in time for writers who might like to get in training for NaNoWriMo, and I just squeaked under the wire. Goal accomplished–though the journal is really for any writer, any time.

The idea for the journal began after reading that it takes approximately 66 days to create a habit. That’s a long slog on your own, so Write Every Day: a journal for building your Daily Writing Habit (158 pages) gives you 66 writing prompts, some needed encouragement along the way, an extra 50 writing prompts in case you’re just not in the mood for the one assigned, plus a few coloring images that you can use to colour your way to creativity. I hope you check it out if  you need to work on a daily writing habit or if you know a writer who needs a creative boost.

I’m planning to enjoy my last two weeks of freedom before prep for school starts again. I hope you’ve been enjoying your summer. I’ve certainly been enjoying mine, but part of me is an autumn person. I like the changes and the idea of starting something new–new students, new challenges, new colours in the leaves, new freshness in the air. Maybe it’s because I was born in October, or maybe it’s just part of my DNA, but fall is when I like to start fresh–a bit like the New Year but a few months early. What about  you? Is the fall a time for new beginnings for you? Or do real changes happen after New Year’s Eve?

Whatever your timetable, I hope that writing and creating are still at the top of your to-do lists!

Oh, and here’s a sneak peek at the new journal covers.

Writing Prompts and More journal210 journal cover

Writing Prompts for June 2015

I’m Canadian, so I’m going to start with the weather. Yesterday and today I woke to the sound of my furnace running. It’s June. Enough said.

On a cheerier note, I’ve been writing up a storm during the month of May and hope to finally be getting the fruits of my labours online soon. Here’s what I’ve been up to–

My first project has been a series of short business communication guides based on years of teaching business communications and also years of using these skills for employers and as a freelancer. I’m really excited about this series. Here’s a look at the titles and covers so far in my Better Business Communications series.

PicMonkey Collage new

A fourth book is still in progress and it focuses on the grammar and writing skills that everyone needs to be a successful business communicator.

The books in the series are short and to the point with practical tips and how-tos.

The second project I’ve been working on is a sequel to 201 Writing Prompts called Writing Prompts and More–Ways to Spark Your Creativity & End Writer’s Block. It contains another 100 writing prompts and also chapters with lots of other tips on ways to find the story you want to write or to find your way out of a place where your story is stuck.

Here’s the Table of Contents:

Introduction

20 Writing Prompts to Get the Ball Rolling

  • Five Opening Sentences
  • Five Groups of Random Words
  • Five Titles
  • Five Dialogue Excerpts

Sleep is a Writer’s Best Friend

  • Sleep
  • Dreams

Inspiration in Post Cards

20 More Writing Prompts

  • Five Dialogue Excerpts
  • Five Titles
  • Write A Paragraph That Includes
  • Five Opening Sentences

A Little Self-Reflection

  • What are you already interested in?
  • What have you already done?
  • Where have you been?
  • What can you do?
  • What Don’t You Know?

The News

20 More Writing Prompts

  • Five Opening Sentences
  • Five Groups of Random Words
  • Five Questions for You and Your Characters
  • Write a Paragraph That Includes

Get out the Pencils, Crayons and Markers

  • Drawing and Coloring Pictures
  • Maps
  • Change Your Writing Tools

Get Moving

  • Walking and Mundane Activities
  • Go to the Library

Final 40 Prompts

  • Nine Opening Lines
  • Six Questions for You and Your Character
  • Five Titles
  • Write a Paragraph that Includes 53
  • Five Groups of Random Words
  • Dialogue Excerpts

Last Words

  • Any Time of the Year Resolutions

So that’s what I’ve been up to. If you want to know more about these titles and when they will be released, please sign up for my mailing list in the sidebar. I will be offering one or two of them for free at launch, so join the list and make sure you don’t miss a free book or two.

And now–finally–the writing prompts for June. Enjoy!

1. Use one, some or all of these words in a story or poem:
• Smile, block, brown, music, real
• Peel, wood, lace, light, blue

2. See if you can come up with a story using one of these opening sentences:
• “Have you seen this?”
• Rain turned the narrow path into a steam of mud and dead leaves.
• The man’s face glared down from the picture frame on the wall.
• We smelled the smoke before we saw the flames.
• Going on this vacation had been a mistake.
• I was sure that I someone move past the window.

3. What story can you imagine with one of these titles: Fiddlehead, The Secret Cave, Call Me Never, Life Changer, Witness, Death at Sharpe’s Cove, The Turn Around.

4. Write a piece that has
• A hope and a prayer
• A door and a scream
• A smile and a trap
• A hand and a glove
• A tree and a tear

5. In what point of view have you written your story? Take a couple of paragraphs and use a voice different to the one you originally chose. Was it easy or difficult to find the words for the rewrite? Did you learn something about the characters or events in the scene that you didn’t know before? Are you in the right POV for your story?

6. What kinds of souvenirs do you bring home from your vacations or trips away from home: Programs? Ticket stubs? Collectible spoons? Maps? Brochures? Books? Where do you keep your souvenirs? How often do you look at them after you return? Is it important to have these keepsakes from your trips? Answer these questions for your characters, too.

Hope your June gets off to a writerly start!

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