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!

Three Writerly Blogs for You to Visit

Crocuses --Spring must really be here!
Crocuses –Spring must really be here!

Today I thought I’d pass along three of the writerly resources that I visit often.

One of my favourite blogs is by Kristi Holl, author of Writer’s First Aid, More Writer’s First Aid, and many other books. Aside from blogs on the craft of writing, Kristi shares her extensive reading and insights into the other aspects of the writer’s life that can get in the way of creativity, such as procrastination, writer’s block, dealing with rejection, solitude and toxic friends. You name an issue that writers deal with and she’s covered it. I always find her blogs inspiring. http://kristiholl.net/writers-blog/

The title of Jane Friedman’s blog, Writing, Reading and Publishing in the Digital Age, says it all. The site is a wonderful resource for writers tackling the challenge of getting published or self-publishing. Jane tackles topics from query letters to author platforms and blogging, from how-to-publish an ebook to marketing, and a lot more.

The last blog on the list today is from Elizabeth Spann Craig, a traditionally- and self-published mystery writer, whose regular posts cover all aspects of the writer’s craft. Every week she creates a list of the writing-related blog posts that she’s found in her research and posted on Twitter. This weekly round-up, called Twitterific, is like having your own personal writer’s magazine delivered to your door every week. There really is something for everyone on the list. http://elizabethspanncraig.com/blog/

Hope you have fun checking out these blogs and that you find something in them that will help you on your writer’s journey. If you have any inspiring or informative blogs that you’d like to share, please add their links in the comments below.

Wishing you a creative week ahead!

%d bloggers like this: