3 Writing Prompts that Will get You Writing Again

Some days the words are just hard to get out. Like the lack of rain coming down on a hot day, we may find that we're more inclined to take a nap than to work on our project.

Projects often get heavy. If we're writing a novel, we may be weighed down by the plot or a particular character who is simply not working. We may find that we lack time to write. We work full-time and would rather get some shut eye. We may not want to work on our project at all. But in the end, we know we need to write--something--and that's why writers usually turn to a writing prompt when they get stuck.

Photo by: Bright Meadow, courtesy of Flickr

I have shared writing prompts before. But today, I want to get you writing with no preparation. That means, no magazine ads to tear out, no book to grab to write about the first sentence you point to, no going for a walk and enjoying the beauties of nature. These all work, of course, but sometimes we just want to get started. Now. At our computer.

So here goes:

1. Start with the letter A. In the first sentence the first word you write needs to begin with A. The second sentence must begin with B and so on until the end of the alphabet. The clincher is that the sentences must connect. They can't be random sentences but must create something.

After you're creation, read over it. Discover the gems inside and write a poem, a short story or the beginning of your next novel.



Photo by: Kalexanderson, courtesy of Flickr

2. Close your eyes. Take in the senses you experience with your eyes closed. Try to stay connected to your senses for at least 5 minutes. If someone is with you, have them tell you when your time is up. When you open your eyes, write about all of the things you experienced. Perhaps you heard traffic in the distance. Did you smell anything surprising? Was it hard to keep your eyes closed? Were you checking the clock? Describe your experience.

Many of us have a difficult time using our five senses when we write. Sight is easy, but taste? A lot harder to come by. When we scatter the five senses throughout our work the reader not only enjoys what they're reading, they tend to experience the scenes more vividly.

3. Play some music from your computer. Write the way the music makes you feel. Depending on the song you'll end up with something romantic, mysterious, or even funny. Be open to writing in a different genre. After the song is over, go through what you have written and see what you find.

While the first writing prompt is more thinking in nature than experiencing, I have included it because there are times when nothing comes unless we first have an outline. At other times, it's the freedom we experience outside of the box that brings in our next creation.

Something we all want.