IWSG: Writing goals and 9 prompt resources
One of my new goals for generating more curiosity in my life (to defeat cynicism) is to make a point of writing more often. Even if no one else reads it or I only harvest a few kernels of good writing among whole corn cobs of yuck, I want to write more often!
I have made a commitment to myself to write at least three times per week, beginning in June (okay, so I’m procrastinating just a tad). Not everything will be publishable, but I want to write for at least 30 minutes per session. Less than 30 minutes and my deeper creative juices don’t get tapped. If I can write longer, I will. I’m going to schedule it into my day like I would a meeting at work or an after-work appointment. My goal is to reignite the storytelling side of my brain.
Planning for June, I researched some websites that offer writing prompts. Since I’ve become blocked writing my mystery novel, I want to take a break and just write for the sake of enjoyment. See where it takes me.
Perhaps one or several of these website resources will encourage you in your own writing this summer. What resources do you use to keep yourself writing?
I’ll be delving deeper into these websites to keep my curiosity and creativity flowing:
- Writers Digest. This is a given since they have quality resources.
- Writing ideas by category at Writing Forward.
- 50 Creative Writing Ideas to Combat Writer’s Block from John Fox. Many of them are fantasy or sci-fi but they seem very creative.
- Photos and samples at The Write Practice.
- Poetry prompt on Tuesdays, a fiction prompt on Wednesdays and a creative nonfiction prompt on Thursdays from Poets and Writers.
- Writing prompts designed to help us hone our craft from Now Novel. They offer writing exercises to assist with our dialogue, point of view, setting and characters plus more.
- Short story ideas from Creative Writing Now. I am especially interested in trying several in the “three elements” list.
- I like this website and would love to try one of their classes. Writing prompts seem interesting and challenging, from Master Class.
- Writing exercises when you’re short on time from TED Ed.
- This site has a lot of advertising (distracting to me), and the writing prompts are simple, but it offers 365 prompts to keep you writing every day, at Think Written.
Happy June writing!
dmweiden@gmail.com
I'm Diane, a marketing executive in the non-profit sector living in Terre Haute, Indiana. My husband and I moved from Denver, Colorado, 15-plus years ago and this blog highlights our joys and challenges in adjusting to our new home and town. I also share things I love: photography, wildlife and domestic pets, writing, knitting, making jewelry, food, travel, my faith in God and music. I'm also writing a mystery novel so stay tuned!
6 Comments
csheldonblog
Have you looked up Friday Fictioners? you can probably find them via my blog it’s a 100 word piece of flash fiction based on a photo that is posted every Wednesday.
dmweiden@gmail.com
I have not heard of Friday Fictioners but I really appreciate the recommendation. I’ll check it out, as well as your blog. Thanks!
michellenebel
I think that’s a great goal! I was just chatting with a critique partner about this idea–writing routinely, even if it’s an exercise or a prompt or a journal entry, I think is so helpful to keep our creative muscles strong while giving our publishing-focused muscles a rest. 🙂
dmweiden@gmail.com
I’m jealous that you have a critique partner. I had several when I lived in Denver but since moving to Indiana, I haven’t found the same support. Any advice on how to create either a real or virtual critique group? It would mean more to me if the other members of the groups were active writers themselves so we were all getting something out of it.
Tamara Ann Narayan
That’s a great idea–to keep the wheels turning even if you can’t work on a particular project right now. You never know when you might have a Eureka! moment.
dmweiden@gmail.com
For me, I’ve discovered that the more I write, the more creative I become (or so I think). I just need to be more disciplined to write. Thanks for visiting my blog!