Prompts

Sometimes you fight with your characters, and you don't write.
Sometimes you obsess over titles, and you don't write.
Sometimes you worry about what the readers will think, and you don't write.
Sometimes your idea well runs dry, and you don't write.

Sometimes, you need some sort of prompt to get you back into shape.

I like to use some of the writing prompts on the Accentuate forums but it has seemed the past couple days those haven't been working for me, so I am trying a few of my other old tricks. I thought I would share them here in case anyone else is going through the same thing.

1) I go back to some of my older stories. I have a ton of unfinished works on my computer and in my filing cabinet. This benefits me in a lot of different ways. For one, It also reminds me of how much I have improved, and I like the sudden moments where I remember something about the story that I had once forgotten. It also gives me a chance to not worry about my current major work(s). Because most of these stories are abandoned and "retired" in my head, I don't have any expectations for them, no hopes, and therefore, no fears. It takes the pressure out of writing.

2) I have one story that I call the "Writers Block Story" (WBS because I'm too lazy to type the full name) that I use a lot when my idea well has run dry.  I sit down, and I force some writing out. It's NEVER good writing, but once I get a bit done I feel a little better about writing. it flows more naturally the more I do it. My WBS has characters and a (partially) planned plot to help when I'm really stuck. I have a few set "rules" for it

• a)No adding new characters. Often when I have writers block I will just add characters in. Introducing someone new can fill up a few pages nicely, but then I end up with 20 characters who have vague personalities because my writers block prevented me from fully developing them.
• b) No stopping for at least half an hour or two pages, whichever is LONGER. emergencies and bathroom breaks not included
• c) No popcorn.I somehow ended up with (and later deleted) three different scenes where the characters sat around eating popcorn in various rooms of the house and chatting about the whether and other mindless things,

3) When you go on to google and start to type it gives suggestions. I will sometimes type the beginning to a sentence and then use one of the suggestions as a writing prompt. One page about one of the suggestions.

I'm having a brain malfunction. When I started writing this I had 6 ideas, and somehow I only can think of three. This is exactly why I have these. To get my brain functioning when it's not working. I guess I will have to post a part two of this list some day.

Posted in: accentuate,ideas,writers block