God Help: Writing Prompt

I love this sign. Not so long ago, this sign said "God Help Kevin With Evil Divorce". Actually, I'm not sure it was Kevin, but the rest was right. It was great, because it was along a busy highway, and everyone knew that Kevin - whoever he was - had parents who cared, and hated his ex so much that they'd resort to advertising how awful she was.

But now it just says, "God Help," which, considering the times, is completely fitting.

Writing prompt: Your character is going to put something on a sign on a busy highway. What's on the sign and why? Have fun.

Baby, I'm a Star - Writing Prompt

Stardom. Some people seek it. Some people don't. Some people get it when they least expect it, or don't want it.

For today's writing prompt, have your character become inadvertently famous. "Famous" can be globally famous or locally famous, or globally / locally infamous. Does your character appreciate, or withdraw from, their new fame? Or do they react in a completely different way?

Measuring Up - Writing Prompt

We like to measure things. Calories, money, time. We measure ourselves against so many "standards", even when those standards aren't standard. You would think the ability to measure would make us more objective, but the drive to outperform can make us feel like we haven't achieved enough, even when we achieve great things.

Today, your character is in a situation where he or she has achieved something, but they want to achieve more. Perhaps even more than mere mortals can achieve. What is your character so good at, that they consider their excellent performance to be marginal? How do they react when they don't outperform?

TGIF - Writing Prompts

Mango Margarita. Yes, it was good.

Finally, it's Friday. Time to kick back and take a rest. Plan some fun activities. Go out with friends.

Not exactly the best scenario for juicy story-making conflict. Or is it? Sometimes we look forward to a nice relaxing night, and it ends up being anything but. Our friends get in dumb fights. During our DVR, Pizza and Box Wine date, a water pipe breaks. You're headed to the club and you get a flat tire.

For today's story, create conflict when your characters were expecting to relax. Remember that how they were planning to relax also says something about your characters, so start there.

Happy Birthday! Writing Prompt

Hey! It's your character's birthday! Happy Birthday, MC!

Everyone deals with their birthdays differently. I love birthdays. I love presents and decorations. I love balloons and cake. Of course, I never met a celebration I didn't like.

I have known people who despise their birthdays. I once got in a fight with someone because I brought them a gift for their birthday. I didn't know! Some people feel melancholy as they get older, some people feel apathy. Some people forget.

Whatever the story you're working on now, figure out how the main character deals with the day of their birth. Are they happy? Resentful? Sad? Drunk? Risk-taking? Regretful? If you're not in the middle of a story, then write about someone's birthday, and have them do something that reflects how they feel. Pair an action with an emotion.

Complexity on Ice - Writing Prompt

This is the part of winter I really love. The Looking At It part. See how the twisting branches are so much more pronounced? They're kind of highlighted. I'm not really a fan of shoveling snow, or driving in it, or really walking on it. But it can be stunningly pretty.

For today's prompt, write a story about something that your character loves in one context, but dislikes in another. Maybe they like trees, but are scared of being in the forest. They love clothes, but hate to sew. I know a person who hate tomatoes but loves ketchup! Why do they dislike the thing so much? Why do they like it so much in the other context?

Something You Aren't: Writing Prompt

This is what's left of my Christmas poinsettia. It's almost February now, but it's still hanging around. Not due to my attentive care, that's for sure. Every once in a while, we wonder if it might need some water, and that's all the TLC this plant gets. But it seems to still hang around. Funny thing about the poinsettia: the flowers aren't flowers, they're actually leaves. But they look like flowers. I doubt that has anything to do with survival, but something seems to be keeping this thing going. Lord knows, it's not me.

For today's writing prompt, write about a character that has to do something they don't usually do, or be someone they usually aren't, in order to survive a situation. Maybe the flamboyant become quiet, or the computer programmer has to be a sales person.