Tuesday, December 23, 2014

Writing Prompt #458: Age INappropriate

A character reverts to a child-like action to cope.

Today I curled up in an airport terminal hugging a stuffed bear and I didn’t care what any of the strangers thought and I cried.

Go.

Monday, December 22, 2014

Writing Prompt #457: There for Me

Today I found the strength to keep running up an escalator with a rock-heavy bag because I imagined how my best friend would respond to the trouble I was in, and his voice in my head wasn’t mad.

In your challenge today, have a character derive comfort or inspiration from someone who is not present.


[Note: I write these in advance, so this was written a week ago. I did not magically find an escalator at the center of my grandmother's farm.

Though, you know, bonus points for a character finding a random escalator on a farm.]

Sunday, December 21, 2014

Writing Prompt #456: Strange Scruples


Whenever someone else’s scruples are punishing me, I try to imagine what I would have to believe to attack me the way they’re attacking me.

”If I believed that this video was a child-sacrifice vehicle, I would be as strict as you’re being right now.”

Unfortunately, this usually leads me to,  “…but I’m not making a child-sacrifice vehicle. So why are you so mean? ._.” 

Pick something completely innocent you did today (or something your character did) and figure out what it would take to make you vehemently oppose it. Now take a character doing it and a character opposing it, slam them together and see what happens.

Bonus points for time-traveling to tell yourself not to wash dishes.

Saturday, December 20, 2014

Writing Promtp #455: How-To

Frame a story as a how-to for something strange, useless, or tragic.

I like telling stories of things that have somehow turned out well for me as lists of steps I took, because it shows how whatever good that's happened was NOT because I was smart.

I once sent a group of friends the story of a very scary day in a relationship framed as a dating how-to.


Have fun.

(Also, sorry for the long hiatus. It's been crazy, it's STILL crazy, I can't make promises, but hey! I like you and I'm here.)