Just a simple image for today’s prompt. I love the mottled effect of the water damage and mould. Are you writing a dystopian novel like me, where this is a common sight? Or did your protagonist stumble out of their ordinary lives and end up in an abandoned building in the woods?
Have fun!
How are you doing today?
Spelling Bee prompt:
Either use these words in your writing, or just use them to inspire you!
You got this.
This morning I realised I don’t know who my character is. She’s just an ordinary girl–a paper cutout of a human.
When writing characters, it’s important that they feel real. What are their flaws? What’s special about them? What do they hate about themselves? What do they want more than anything else in their world?
Let’s do this.
Something different today: a dialogue prompt.
Hope you’re having a good day 2. If you haven’t started yet, it’s not too late–you can do this! You can sign up for NaNoWriMo here.
I have decided to commit to doing daily prompts this November, in an attempt to both inspire myself and my fellow NaNoers to cross the finish line.
NaNo is a big commitment. It’s by no means impossible–it is in fact quite doable–but it’s no small feat. We should be proud of every day, every word we add. If any of you decide to jump in but find yourself falling behind after a week, that’s okay!
Every word is an achievement, because every second you spend thinking about your characters and their world will make you a better writer. It’s special as well, because it brings so many people together–the only competition is with yourself, unlike so much of the writing world out there. So I’m here to cheer you on, whether this is your first rodeo or your thirty-seventh.
So let’s kick day one’s butt.
The prompt:
Day 1.
I won’t be sharing my writing for these prompts. However, I might throw in an excerpt from my brand new manuscript here and there, depending on how I feel.
Also, if you have any recommendations for prompts this November, let me know in the comments! I want to get a good variety of different prompt types, to add to the fun.
Happy NaNoWriMo, everyone.
If you want to write well, you’re told the best way to do this is to read good books and practice, practice, practice. What you’re not told to do is read the worst books ever written, but that is exactly what you should be doing.
Bad films are also good, especially if you enjoy writing screenplays or even filming and editing your own shorts. Why? Why am I telling you to waste your time on creations that should never have existed in the first place?
Because then you know exactly what NOT to do, which is arguably just as valuable as knowing what you should do. Continue reading
What is a writer? When can you call yourself one? And how do you get the world to?
We live in a world of titles, where the difference of a few words can offend or flatter–fire you or get you a job–make enemies or friends. Finding out who you are is a big part of accepting yourself, and telling others where your strengths lie or what your job is. But often, there’s a line between professional and unprofessional. If you took a summer course in first aid, you cannot call yourself a trauma surgeon–it wouldn’t make sense. But turn to creativity titles like youtuber or photographer, and the lines are very blurred. In many cases, I don’t think they even exist.
I call myself a writer. An author, even. Am I being presumptuous? Do I really “understand” what I’m talking about? Why am I not a bestseller? If I’m a writer, shouldn’t I at least learn how to write regularly scheduled blog posts?
Well… let’s discuss. What does it really mean to be a writer? Continue reading
2019 is right around the corner and the time for the obligatory New Year’s resolution has come. Did you make your’s last year, will you do so this year? Who knows–I hope you succeed–but regardless, life will go on.
This is not true in stories, where resolutions perpetuate everything. Resolutions are the fuel, the driving force–they are the plot. Without them, readers will lose interest. Continue reading
We’re nearly there.
As I’m writing this, it’s half a week before it’s posted, I’m behind, and I feel like I’ve only just scraped past the halfway point. Still technically in week 3, the end seems too close, but at the same time, I’m also looking forward to taking a break from words. I have too many essays with mid-December deadlines that I have not started and I just want it to be Christmas.
But.
I have a semi-formed blob of a novel and I’m proud of it. It’s not really going anywhere and I have yet to have any form of extreme conflict, but I have some really fun characters. You should be proud of what you’ve created too. We’ve done this–we made something amazing, and we can’t quit now that we’re so close to the end. I’ve compiled together some writing dares, some tips, and some sugar-filled baking recipes to help us through these last five days. We can do this!! Continue reading
In the grand scheme of things, 10 is a small number. It’s the number of our fingers. Two bags of custard doughnuts from Co-op (which are surprisingly vegan). And a perfectly acceptable number of zebrafish to own (I was going to say cats, but then I thought about it).
But still. TEN. It’s very exciting to have reached double digits. It also means I’ve been doing these regularly for fifteen weeks (every other Thursday). Writing prompt #1 was actually in May and wasn’t going to be a regular thing. But writing prompt #2 got such an unexpected amount of positive feedback I decided to do it that way! I’ve definitely enjoyed doing a writing prompt every other week, and I definitely think it’s helped my writing. I hope if you’ve tried any of them, that you’ve also found them fun and/or helpful!
So, for this lovely 10th prompt, here’s a new type of writing game! Continue reading
Sonora Hills 