Plotting Exercises – Words & Deeds

June 10, 2021

3 Rainy Day Writing Prompts

Is it raining where you are? Well, if it isn’t, it will be sometime. 😛 When it is, and you have a moment to write, why not try a rainy day writing prompt? Or 3. 3 Ways to Use Rain in Writing Feel the Rain Rain is sensuous – it’s something you experience with all the senses. That makes it...

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May 6, 2021

Therapeutic Writing Prompt

So my brain’s still dealing with pandemic life. Today, I thought of a way to use those experiences that may be a bit more therapeutic than the rant option. A therapeutic writing prompt if you will. 1. Pick an experience from your life. To be topical, you’d pick from the last year, but it could really be any time. I...

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September 4, 2018

The Game of Telephone as a Writing Tool

The game of telephone: a listening game that turns hilarious or awkward because we’re all such lousy listeners. That, and our enunciation is terrible. So why would you want to use the game of telephone as a writing tool? And, more importantly, how? How to Use the Game of Telephone as a Writing Tool The answer to the first question:...

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July 31, 2018

I Was Going To But Then I: An Inciting Incident Story Starter

I was going to, but then I… is not what you normally think of when you think writing prompt. And yet it may be the simplest (and most unobtrusively common) inciting incident story starter out there. I Was Going to But Then I Add two blanks, and you have the formula for a story: I was going to ____, but...

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May 16, 2017

A Writing Prompt for the Braindead

Talked to any teachers lately? I have, and I can tell you that they are simultaneously seriously overworked and seriously excited as the school year comes to a close. In honor of that hair’s edge of consciousness, here is a writing prompt for the braindead. Designing a writing prompt for the braindead is like setting up a marathon for the...

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February 16, 2017

3 Types of Appeals as Writing Prompts

What on earth is an appeal? Isn’t that something you do when a trial goes the wrong way? (Kind of, but no). The 3 types of appeals I’m talking about are rhetorical techniques. If you’re unfamiliar with the term rhetoric, think of it as the art of persuasion whether in speech or writing. To use these appeals as writing prompts (or even...

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January 3, 2017

A Writing Prompt for Exploring New Possibilities

The beginning of a new year seems like a good time for a writing prompt for exploring new possibilities. That’s what a new year is about, right? Exploring new possibilities, trying new paths, getting a second chance – it’s a time when our point-of-view changes changes from what is to what could be. In other words, it’s a time of...

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September 30, 2016

Food as a Writing Prompt

You can’t use food as a writing prompt! Or can you? Hmmm… Food can be used for worldbuilding. It’s inspired the readers to recreate the dishes from books and movies (Did you check out the recipes from Studio Ghibli and Avatar: the Last Airbender or from the Harry Potter series and LOTR?). Heck, if people can find Jesus on a potato chip, then why can’t we find a scene...

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September 15, 2016

A Writing Prompt for Animal Lovers

You know what’s great about animals and plot twists? People are used to animals being unpredictable and impossible to reason with. That means that pet behavior can be used to add unexpected plot twists that still seem real and believable. If you’re an animal lover, you may enjoy this writing prompt – a brainstorming activity for exploring the ways animals...

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August 6, 2016

Scene Dissection: A Writing Prompt for Improving Complexity

The people-watching writing prompt is a good starting point for any exercise, and if you want to improve complexity in your writing, all you need to do is add a little scene dissection. Improving Complexity with Scene Dissection Now, in film, scene dissection is the way a single scene may be broken down into multiple camera shots from different angles....