Your Prompts and Tips
Some free resources to help you write better and achieve the success you deserve
This is a selection we've harvested from our archives, RELOAD THE PAGE for more!
Prompts:
1. Not all beaches are made of tan sand and blue(ish) water. From beaches of multi-colored pebbles to pink waves, beaches come in many shapes, sizes, and colors. Write a few pages about a character who travels to an especially unique one!
2. Write a few pages about a character with an extreme phobia. It can be one we know, like the fear of heights (acrophobia) or leaving the house (agoraphobia), or one you make up (like someone who is literally afraid of their own shadow).
3. Write a few pages about a character who is isolated from others in a refreshing way. For example, they could be in a one-person spaceship or be solo backpacking through the mountains of Peru. Do they stay connected via a phone or other means or do they cut off the outside world altogether?
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Tips:
1. Stories usually have one driving force behind them: plot or character. Of course, both of these elements are strong in good stories, but one usually has more influence. When you are reading, think about whether a narrative is carried by a compelling plot or a character that almost walks off the page.
2. Whether it’s a long-winded passage or a complicated plot point, we all scratch our heads while reading from time to time. In these cases, we recommend first pausing and taking a breath before slowly rereading. Walking away and coming back to it later is a good idea if you are feeling particularly lost.
3. Know the rules before you break them! Or as Dorothy Parker once said, "If you have any young friends who aspire to become writers, the second greatest favor you can do them is to present them with copies of The Elements of Style. The first greatest, of course, is to tell them to quit now, while they’re happy.
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TO DO LIST:
Add tasks to your sortable list, then revel in checking them off.
SCRATCHPAD:
Cache your gems as they fall in this always accessible place.
PRIVATE JOURNAL:
Reflect on your process — good, bad and ugly — in your dated diary.
TRACKING:
Measure your progress with key writing metrics, automatically,
TO DO LIST:
Add tasks to your sortable list, then revel in checking them off.
SCRATCHPAD:
Cache your gems as they fall in this always accessible place.
PRIVATE JOURNAL:
Reflect on your process — good, bad and ugly — in your dated diary.
TRACKING:
Measure your progress with key writing metrics, automatically,
ADD DO
Show Dones
Metric:
ADD
Words
Minutes
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