For this prompt, pick a scene where your characters have to move about for a few paragraphs. It could be a fight scene. Could be an extraction scene. Could be a scene where your character slips and falls into a pond. Whatever's going on, pick a scene where you have to describe some kind of … Continue reading Scene Prompt #41 : Bust a Move
Scene Prompt #40: Hey, watch your tone
Tone is described as the writer's attitude toward the material. In fiction it might be more helpful to think of it as the narrator's or point-of-view character's (POVC) attitude toward the story they're telling. For example, the narrator's view of the events might be cynical, satisfied, resigned, resentful, optimistic, wry, sincere, reverent . . . … Continue reading Scene Prompt #40: Hey, watch your tone
Scene Prompt #39: Gimme the Goods Redux
What's you're genre? If you were here last week, you probably already know. You might even have a list of your genre's characteristics and conventions, what the reader expects to see, experience, and feel, plus a list of how your story--its concept, plot, and characters--fulfills those requirements. Last week we looked at the opening scene. … Continue reading Scene Prompt #39: Gimme the Goods Redux
Scene Prompt #38: Gimme the Goods
What's your Genre? Genre helps people who like the kind of stuff you write find your book. So . . . What's your story's genre? (If you're not sure, give it a google or check out one of the books below.) Now ask yourself: What kind of goodies are part of your genre? What are … Continue reading Scene Prompt #38: Gimme the Goods
Scene Prompt #37: Sounds Right
Does your story have a soundtrack? For this prompt, pick a song that resonates somehow with the story you're telling. A song without words is probably best, but pick whatever you want. Listen to it, over and over if you need to, until you can feel it affecting you, summoning a scene in your mind … Continue reading Scene Prompt #37: Sounds Right
Scene Prompt #36: Sniff, Sniff
You smell that? It's in your story. Run through your story, in your mind, and find the scene with the greatest amount of scent. It might smell good. It might not. It might be in the setting. Or maybe it's from a person. Or an object. The scent could be familiar, or maybe it's not. … Continue reading Scene Prompt #36: Sniff, Sniff
Scene Prompt #35: 9 to 5
You might also call this prompt Ordinary World. Think of your main character. What was he doing before the story snuck up on him? What was his typical day like? What problems was he dealing with even before the story's main problem appeared? Now, think of a scene that would show all the essentials a … Continue reading Scene Prompt #35: 9 to 5
Scene Prompt #34: The Filter
Let's practice some emotional showing! For this prompt, pick a location from your story that a POV character visits more than once, feeling differently in each scene. Who's the character? How do they feel? Write each scene paying particular attention to describing the setting and the other characters and what's going on through the primary … Continue reading Scene Prompt #34: The Filter
Scene Prompt #33: A day in the life
Pick a character, any character. It could be your main character, but it doesn't have to be. Pick someone who could use a little TLC from their creator (that's you). What does the reader need to know about who this character is (or was) before events pull(ed) them into the story? How did they think? … Continue reading Scene Prompt #33: A day in the life
Scene Prompt #32: The Obsession
What's driving your character? This could be (and ultimately should include) stakes, the avoidance of something unwanted, but for this prompt I'm more interested in the motivation: What goodies are in it for your character? What good stuff can they get from going through the obstacle course that is your story? How will succeeding make … Continue reading Scene Prompt #32: The Obsession
Writes With Tools 