Daily Writing Prompts: Mar. 2010 Newsletter Article

March 2010 Newsletter Article

Vol#1, Issue # 3

Daily Writing Prompts: MARCH

March First	Backwards Story Write a backwards story. Start with this: Your character is standing out in the desert, naked. Now go back, using a narrative in the character's voice, that slowly reveals how s/he got there.
March Second	From the CWG Free Write: Two characters go to lunch. Write about where they go, what they talk about, what they order. return to top
March Third	Toss The Die: Pick Your Situation Create Your Scene: Roll the Die! Using the link above, "toss" the die three times (if you get the same number as before, roll again). Write down the corresponding occupation: Stay-at-home spouse Loan Officer School Teacher Parole Officer Census Worker Rodeo Clown For each occupation, roll the die - odds = male; evens = female For each person, roll the die: 1's = teens, 2's = twenties, 3's = thirties and so on. Now roll the die for setting: Mall Airport Terminal Jewelry Store Principal's Office Exhibition Hall Football Field Finally, roll the die for the situation: All are participants in setting a world record for tallest human pyramid One of the characters yells "Bomb!" Character #1 lobs a water balloon at character #2, but hits character#3 Character #1's clothing is highly inappropriate, character #2 calls character #1 on it, but character #3 defends character #1's choice Character #2 must elicit help from other two characters to perform a work related task Someone must die Sample: /roll 2 = Loan Officer +/roll 5 = male +/roll 6 = 60's /roll 1 = Stay-at-Home Spouse +/roll 1 = male +/roll 4 = 40's /roll 5 = Census Worker +/roll 2 = female +/roll 1 = teens /roll 3 = Jewelry Store + /roll 2 = One of the character's yells "Bomb!" So in this sample a male loan officer in his sixties, a stay-at-home dad in his forties, and a female teen census worker are in a jewelry store and one of them (your choice or roll the die again, 1 or 4 = #1 character/2 or 5 = #2 character/3 or 6 = #3 character -- so we rolled "2", therefore the stay-at-home dad) yells "Bomb!" return to top
March Fourth	"Give us some room." return to top
March Fifth	Finish the story After opening the barbecue's gas valve, [character] flicks the lighter and extends [gender's] hand... return to top
March Sixth	Describe this person: return to top
March Seventh	Finish this story: For several days she felt as if someone was watching her. He told her it was just her overactive imagination, she was exhausted from being up all hours of the night with the baby. "Tell you what, I'm off for a few days, why not go visit your friend? I'll take care of the baby." Out in the lone pines that gated the hectic world she lived in from the laid-back pace her good friend now dwelled within, she reached into the glove compartment to grab the map. Terror filled her heart when she saw the seven pebbles lined up across the bottom of the compartment. It was a sign... return to top
March Eighth	Finish this story: The Haz-Mat team was first on scene. A vet had presumably ended his life. But with weapons on scene, protocol demanded SWAT be called in. Six hours later, still waiting for the all clear, he found himself thinking about... return to top
March Ninth	Write about: Kaleidoscope. You don't have to use the word in your story. return to top
March Tenth	Your character misunderstands the word "burrow" as "borrow." Go! (And then go see our new regular feature, Get it ~~Write~~ Right.) return to top
March Eleventh	The Irish Rovers had a song that had a refrain that goes: (song lyrics here) There was green alligators and long-necked geese/ Some humpty backed camels and some chimpanzees/ Some cats and rats and elephants, but sure as you're born/ The loveliest of all was the unicorn/ Can you write a rhyme explaining the Dodo bird extinction or perhaps why a platypus has the beak and webbed feet of a duck, is an egg-laying mammal, has a squat, furry body, and the tail of a beaver? return to top
March Twelfth	If red in the morning is a sailor's warning and red at night, a sailor's delight, then what is an eclipse at high noon? return to top
March Thirteenth	According to A Guide to Zuni Fetishes and Carvings by Susan Lamb: Hokdidasha - Mountain Lion NORTH-DIRECTION OF THE SWEPT OR BARREN PLACE The mountain lion is an elusive, golden creature associated with the yellow north. There are several names in English for this animal including cougar, panther, puma, and painter. Elder Brothers who dominate all other beasts, lions are the first to be addressed in appeals to the six directions, which are then listed counter-clockwise. Lions offer protection from any threat to wellbeing that originates in the north. Winter comes from this direction. It is a season for hunting rather than for gathering plants or cultivating corn. With its keen eyesight, strength, and agility, the mountain lion can successfully hunt virtually any other animal and is considered the most potent of the predators, or "Prey Beasts." It is especially important in hunting deer. Because of its courage, the mountain lion is a powerful ally in war. Mountain lions are among the oldest carvings made. Usually, they have a long tail lying about their backs and small, rounded ears. Write a folklore borne story based upon the preceding excerpt. return to top
March Fourteenth	A mother opens her daughter's dresser drawer and finds a handful of Mardi Gras beads the day after her teenaged daughter went to a party. Coincidentally, on Fat Tuesday. Go! return to top
March Fifteenth	Finish the story: "Sure, I've had a hickey before," the 13-year-old new-kid-at-school tells the group of girls clustered around her. return to top
March Sixteenth	"Before going to bed that night, the children set up their leprechaun traps." Finish the story. return to top
March Seventeenth Happy St. Patrick's Day!	She let out a yelp as someone dug their fingers into her burnt orange sweater and pinched - hard. Finish the story. return to top
March Eighteenth	"So that's what a dead body smells like." return to top
March Nineteenth	Write about: A young woman A big celebrity A maze at an amusement park return to top
March Twentieth	"I'm frantic," she said, clearly panicked. "There are two-hundred-eighty more days until Christmas and I just learned my dearly department husband owes the IRS over half-a-million dollars -- which they wanted back yesterday." Finish the story. return to top
March Twenty-First	Toss The Die: Pick Your Situation Create Your Scene: Roll the Die! Using the link above, "toss" the die three times (if you get the same number as before, roll again). Write down the corresponding occupation: Activist Self-made millionaire Lottery winner Politician Rock star Homeless vet For each occupation, roll the die - odds = male; evens = female For each person, roll the die: 1's = teens, 2's = twenties, 3's = thirties and so on. Now roll the die for setting: Fundraising dinner Political rally Demonstration Farmer's market Sustanability conference Organic orchard Finally, roll the die for the situation: Characters #1 & #2 get into heated debate, #3 must intervene Character #1 opposes #3's point of view and sways #2 to #1's side. All must race to finish a task for a reality show using whatever means they can All must come together to fight for one cause Character #1 is illiterate. Character #2 figures it out and must decide whether or not to keep it a secret from character #3. Character #2's business/position is threatened by character #3. Character #1 must choose a side. Sample: /roll 5 = Rock star +/roll 2 = female +/roll 5 = 50's /roll 4 = Politician +/roll 1 = male +/roll 3 = 30's /roll 2 = Self-made millionaire +/roll 4 = female +/roll 2 = twenties /roll 1 = Fundraising dinner + /roll 5 = Character #1 is illiterate. Character #2 figtures it out and must decide whether or not to keep it a secret from character #3. So, in this sample the fifty-something female rock star is illiterate. The thirty-something male politician figures it out and must decide whether or not to keep it a secret from the twenty-something female self-made millionaire. return to top
March Twenty-Second	"No, not a philanderer, a philanthropist." Finish the conversation, then the story. And be sure to stop by our new regular craft feature: Get it ~~Write~~ Right! for other misunderstood and misused words. return to top
March Twenty-Third	Finish the story: Minutes before his wife is expected home, his plans to celebrate their 15th wedding anniversary go up in smoke when he discovers -- return to top
March Twenty-Fourth	Fill in the blank, finish the story: She wrinkled her nose in disgust. She'd never seen that shade of green on a . blank . before. return to top
March Twenty-Fifth	Finish the sentence, then the story: He laughed when she said she hired a pool boy, until-- return to top
March Twenty-Sixth	You and your main character are seated next to each other at the doctor's office. The doctor will only be able to see one of you, yet you both need to see the doctor -- who will win the coveted slot - and how? return to top
March Twenty-Seventh	Write a story about: A teenaged girl attempts to prove she has stones when she's handed a cigarette. return to top
March Twenty-Eighth	Write a scene from a bird's eye view. Next, rewrite the scene from right smack in the middle. return to top
March Twenty-Ninth	Write about your most memorable worst vacation experience (or most embarrassing moment), except change it to be just the opposite. return to top
March Thirtieth	Write a story about: egregious (and remember, you don't have to use the actual word! return to top
March Thirty-First	Do pictures inspire you? Check out the daily writing prompts - all done with pictures! http://www.creativity-portal.com/prompts/365/pictures.html return to top Reflect: Have something to say about this article? The newsletter in general? Another article? Email us at: TheChicoWritersGroup@gmail.com or visit our blog at ejourn.net/cwg/ and leave a comment there!