Writing prompt #8

It has been quite a few months since I gave my last writing prompt, so it’s time for another one.

This time I thought I’d do something different. Instead of just one idea, I’m going to give a list of writing ideas. Use these ideas however you want. You might get an idea for a story, or a magazine article or a blog post. Or you might just use it as a warmup activity before the main writing project for the day.

20 Writing Prompts:

  1. Write about the Teddy Bears’ Picnic from the ant’s point of view.
  2. Write a list of things that are white.
  3. Explain why your character is afraid to go into the shadows.
  4. Write about a librarian who discourages people from borrowing books.
  5. Describe the most vivid dream you ever had.
  6. Make a list of things that make you laugh.
  7. Describe the last time you had a really good cry.
  8. Write about the joys of moving house.
  9. Write a conversation between a tree and a bird.
  10. Describe the most exotic place you’ve ever visited.
  11. Write the transcript of an interview you did with the character of a book.
  12. Make a list of the ten major events in your life.
  13. Write about the worst smell you have ever experienced.
  14. List the attributes of the most evil character you can imagine.
  15. Tell your life story in 50 words or less.
  16. Write a story about a cat in exactly 50 words. It must have a beginning, middle and end.
  17. What would you most like to change about your life – either in the past or the present.
  18. Imagine what it would be like living in a palace and write about it.
  19. Write a list of the ten things you would never do.
  20. Imagine being in your mother’s womb. Write about your feelings.

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Writing blog posts ahead

I try to write a new post for each of my three blogs every day.

I try – but have not always succeeded, especially in the last twelve months. While I have been studying for my Master of Arts in Creative Writing I have had to cut back drastically on the time I spend blogging. You can’t blog full time AND study full time; there are not enough hours in each day. Or to put it another way: I do need my sleep.

Two weeks ago I started back in my studies for this year. Over the summer break I worked hard at my blogging and wrote nearly 200 posts spread over my three blogs. Some of these have already appeared; most are scheduled to appear regularly over the coming months. My blogs are generally not time sensitive, so I can plan weeks and even months ahead, writing articles that will appear without any action from me. That will considerably ease my work load while I am studying. It will enable me to concentrate on my studies, especially writing my thesis paper – a forty thousand word novel.

I decided some time ago that I can only realistically post ahead three times a week, Monday, Wednesday and Friday. I will add extra posts in between as things arise that I wish to blog about. Knowing I have regular articles ready to appear is a great way to go in my opinion.

Good writing.

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Writing a novel: a writer’s journal part 3

It takes character

To write a short story or novel it takes character. The character of the writer, that is. If the writer has the characteristics of discipline, persistence, patience and a good idea, the story will happen.

But the story also has to have characters. Novels have plenty of them; short stories can get away with one or two, maybe three and not many more.

There are stories where the novel is heavily plot driven. Adventure and stories high in action are like this. In other stories we observe that they are firmly character driven. What motivates the characters? What is their problem?

Australian writer Garry Disher writes: ‘I believe that character is the central element of fiction writing. Characters help fiction writers enter, tell and shape their novels and stories, express ideas and drive and develop plots.’

Over the last few days I’ve been doing some intensive work on the characters in the novel I am writing for my Master of Arts thesis paper. This is even before I have written a single word of my novel. I am getting to know my characters before they appear in the story, even before I start  some major plotting work.

Who are the characters in this novel?

Here is a summary of what I have done so far:

  1. I have decided on who is going to be the main character. This changed early in the planning stages because my secondary character took over my thinking. At first I was focussed on an Australian boy living in rural Nepal. But Adarsh, the Nepali boy, started taking over my thinking. He was demanding to be the focus.
  2. Who are the secondary characters? These need to be sketched in detail, but not as detailed as my main character. These include the Australian boy Joshua, and the older brother of Adarsh. Two secondary characters is probably enough at this stage, but others may emerge in the writing.
  3. Then we come to the minor characters, people like the parents of the boys, other siblings and people living in the village.

Focus questions:

The next stage in my planning was to ask some key questions. These questions will focus my thinking on various aspects of the people in the story.

  1. What are the goals and desires of the main character Adarsh?
  2. What motivates and excites him?
  3. What does he like and dislike?
  4. What frightens him?
  5. What worries does he have?
  6. What are his dreams?

Then I came across some further ideas in Garry Disher’s book which will head me in the direction of plotting.

  1. Which characters help Adarsh?
  2. Which characters hinder Adarsh?
  3. Which characters influence Adarsh?

It’s all starting to develop nicely in my mind. Even thinking about the characters has thrown up a few plot ideas which might make it into the novel.

I’ll keep you posted in a day or so.

Reference: Disher, G. 2001: Writing Fiction: an introduction to the craft. Allen and Unwin, Sydney.

Go to the contents page to read more articles in this series.

Follow me on Twitter

A new phenomenon sweeping the internet is Twitter.

Okay – I’ll come clean, I’m new to Twitter and I’m not really sure how effective it will be in relation to my blogging, writing and the way in which I do things. I’ve only been on it a few weeks now, but already I find it great for keeping up with breaking news. The downside of this is that it can be a terrible distraction. During the recent tragic fires in Victoria, however, it was great keeping up to date on happenings.

I joined Twitter at the urging of my son Sim’ so he could keep informed about what I was doing. In return, I can easily keep track of what he is doing. It’s neat.

If you want to follow me on Twitter, you can do so on the sidebar where it says “Follow my Twitters.” That’s really intuitive, isn’t it? That way you will keep up to date with what’s happening around here.

Oh, by the way – I’m also fairly new on Facebook too.

Good writing.

Writing a novel: a writer’s journal 2

The germ of an idea

To write a story or novel the writer needs an idea. Several actually. In fact, a writer probably needs a heap of ideas to finish a novel.

I find that there is usually one spark of an idea that will get me writing. It might be something I’ve seen on television, or shopping, or on holiday, or at the beach or while walking. It could be a photograph, a delicious smell or a memory from years ago.

Once the idea, the spark is there I ask the question: What if? What if the person in that photo was a murderer? What if the dog I saw on my walk was telling me that his master was lying injured in the garden? What if…?

Ideas for my thesis novel

For the last few months I’ve been quite undecided about what to write about for my Master of Arts thesis novel. The crunch time is here: I have to start on this in the next few days. I’ve actually been mulling over five ideas.

  1. A time fantasy novel set in the Flinders Ranges of South Australia in ancient times.
  2. A novel featuring two teenagers fascinated by time who find themselves trapped in suspended time.
  3. A novel drawn from the real life experiences of a member of my family.
  4. A novel (or even a trilogy) fictionalising the experiences of my forebears and their emigration from Prussia to South Australia in the 1840s, a story of triumph over great tragedy.
  5. A novel about a small Nepali boy caught in the midst of civil war.

After months of hesitation I’ve settled on the last one. This is the one that draws me to the main character again and again. All of the ideas I’ve listed above are quite valid and I’ll possibly use them all someday. The first four all need considerable research and planning before I can even think about writing a word.

This is also true of the story line I have chosen, but the main character is so strong and prominent in my thinking he needs to escape on to the page.

More about the process in coming days.