Just Keep Writing discussion

Prompts you think would be fun go here:

~Prompt #1~

Write the same scene with contradicting tones.

Ex:
"Oh my god..." She breathed, eyes glistening and an undeniable smile on her face. How could such a simple proposal effect her so greatly?

vs.

"Oh my god..." Her chest began constricting and her stomach sank. Why did that man's question cause her to react so strongly?

~Prompt #2~

Write about three things that always make you feel better.


*Any style you desire.

~Prompt #3~

Write a paragraph about a new type of animal that has been found by scientists studying the rain forest in Indonesia. How did they find it? What does it look like? Include details about its diet, any sounds it makes, what color it is, its den or nest or pond. What is its texture? Furry? Slimy? Feathered? And its personality? End the paragraph with a description of its eyes.

~Prompt #4~

I can tell so much about you by what you’ve left unsaid.

*Interpret as you will and write in any style you wish.

~Prompt #5~

Write a conversation with one of your characters. What is their voice like? How well do they know you? What characteristics do they struggle with? Etc. Get to know their unique style of thought, way of talking, experiences.

~Prompt #6~

Write about three things you dislike.

~Prompt #7~

Make something boring sound interesting.

~Prompt #8~

Write a character profile of yourself or the person you would like to become. What are his/her strengths or weaknesses?

~Prompt #9~

Write about a cat(s).

~Prompt #10 ~

Never trust your tongue when your heart is bitter.

~Prompt #11~

Instead of saying something outright, show the reader through a different way.

Ex:
Instead of stating "John was the kind of man everyone looked up to."

Write something more like,
"'Hey John! Can I get your opinion on this article real quick?'
'Sure, Martin, I have to look over Sophie's as well, but I should have enough time to get it done by lunch.'
'Thanks John, you're the best. We can always count on you.' "

Try to get the reader to infer the point you are trying to make instead of just telling them.

~Prompt #12~

You can tell who someone really is by what they do when they're afraid.

~Prompt #13~

Invent a character and throw him or her a birthday party. Write about it. You can also use a memory of a past birthday party you had or describe your ideal birthday party. Describe the presents and your reactions to them. (Or your character’s). Make a wish!

~Prompt #14~

“The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt.”
― Sylvia Plath

~Prompt #15~

Pick a 5 letter prompt to inspire a short work.

five word prompts:

“actually… i just miss you.”
“alright, i’ll leave you alone.”
“and slowly… i was forgotten.”
“and then everything just disappears.”
“and where do i go?”
“anyone could tell from here.”
“are you finishing that or…?”
“are you stupid or stupid?”
“anything, just call me, okay?”
“bitch better have my money.”
“bro… that’s so… not cool…”
“but did you do it?”
“call me now. it’s urgent.”
“can’t you listen to me?”
“cross that. don’t answer that.”
“don’t even think about it.”
“don’t you dare walk away.”
“do it. i dare you.”
“did you think i forgot?”
“eventually… you just move on.”
“even if you still do.”
“everything will fall into place.”
“fight me, you attractive stranger.”
“for once, i need you.”
“for once… i was right.”
“for once… i was wrong.”
“forget i even asked you.”
“forget it. you fucking suck.”
“fuck’s sake, what’s your problem?”
“fuck off. i mean it.”
“give and take. that’s life.”
“great. perfect. nice. fuck this.”
“have you lost your mind?”
“hello? it’s me. i was-”
“hey… that wasn’t so nice.”
“here’s a glass of whatever.”
“how about a hug, hm?”
“how about you make me?”
“i haven’t forgot you yet.”
“i can’t be around you.”
“i don’t need you, really.”
“i don’t need this now.”
“is this your first time?”
“it’s just a cut, really.”
“it wasn’t me, i swear!”
“i said i love you.”
“just don’t fuck it up.”
“just… come back alive, okay?”
“just make sure you’ve eaten.”
“kick his ass for me.”
“killed him? wait, what, literally?”
“life really sucks. feel better.”
“letting go hurts… a lot.”
“let me live, will you?”
“no, i don’t need you.”
“nothing can hurt me now.”
“nothing matters anymore to me.”
“okay it was me… so?”
“people lie all the time.”
“pipe the fuck down, asshole.”
“please, you can’t die now.”
“please don’t leave me alone.”
“quiet. they can hear us.”
“quick! give me your phone!”
“quicker, you freaking piece of-”
“quit it or i’ll bite.”
“quit staring! they’ll notice us!”
“really? do i look stupid?”
“real smooth, tripping over air.”
“rise and shine, sweet thing.”
“rise and fucking shine, motherfucker.”
“seriously? give me a break.”
“so… what are we now?”
“so… did you miss me?”
“so… can we go eat?”
“so… when’s the next flight?”
“so… how did everything go?”
“sometimes, i wish you died.”
“so what? you did it.”
“time passes slower without you.”
“then what do you suggest?”
“the fuck? who are you?”
“then you tell me why.”
“this is not working out.”
“this isn’t what i wanted.”
“this is all a fucking disaster.”
“when did it all happen?”
“who knew you’d be here?”
“why do i even bother?”
“why do i love you?”
“why didn’t you tell me?”
“you’re just… so, so stupid.”
“you can’t be here now.”
“you look like an accident.”
“you really need to go.”
“you know who to call.”
“zero fucks given. next please.”

~Prompt #16~

A Trouble Doll is a little doll that you tell your troubles to before you go to bed at night. The doll worries about them all night for you so you can sleep. Give your character a Trouble Doll and write a scene about it.

~Prompt #17~

Somehow, amid all the noise, chaos and confusion in the world, I can hear you and you can hear me.

~Prompt #18~

Write a paragraph about the end of something. It can be the end of summer, the end of a trip, the end of a relationship, or whatever event inspires you. How does the narrator feel about the situation? Describe the scene with words and details that convey that emotion.

~Prompt #19~

Write a scene about two people on a hike. They come to a place where they disagree about which direction to take. What’s at stake? Do they stay together or go their separate ways? What happens next?

~Prompt #20~

*Mod's Note: So I saw this post on tumblr and really liked the thought behind it. My challenge to you is to create or expand upon a character by answering these questions for them.

The question I get the most is how I write characters that feel like real people.

Generally when I’m designing a human being, I deconstruct them into 7 major categories:

1. Primary Drive
2. Fear: Major and Secondary
3. Physical Desires
4. Style of self expression
5. How they express affection
6. What controls them (what they are weak for)
7. What part of them will change.
1. Primary Drive: This is generally related to the plot. What are their plot related goals? How are they pulling the plot forward? how do they make decisions? What do they think they’re doing and how do they justify doing it.

2. Fear: First, what is their deep fear? Abandonment? being consumed by power? etc. Second: tiny fears. Spiders. someone licking their neck. Small things that bother them. At least 4.

3. Physical desires. How they feel about touch. What is their perceived sexual/romantic orientation. Do their physical desires match up with their psychological desires.

4. Style of self expression: How they talk. Are they shy? Do they like to joke around and if so, how? Are they anxious or confident internally and how do they express that externally. What do words mean to them? More or less than actions? Does their socioeconomic background affect the way they present themselves socially?

5. How they express affection: Do they express affection through actions or words. Is expressing affection easy for them or not. How quickly do they open up to someone they like. Does their affection match up with their physical desires. how does the way they show their friends that they love them differ from how they show a potential love interest that they love them. is affection something they struggle with?

6. What controls them (what they are weak for): what are they almost entirely helpless against. What is something that influences them regardless of their own moral code. What– if driven to the end of the wire— would they reject sacrificing. What/who would they cut off their own finger for. What would they kill for, if pushed. What makes them want to curl up and never go outside again from pain. What makes them sink to their knees from weakness or relief. What would make them weep tears of joy regardless where they were and who they were in front of.

7. WHAT PART OF THEM WILL CHANGE: people develop over time. At least two of the above six categories will be altered by the storyline–either to an extreme or whittled down to nothing. When a person experiences trauma, their primary fear may change, or how they express affection may change, etc. By the time your book is over, they should have developed. And its important to decide which parts of them will be the ones that slowly get altered so you can work on monitoring it as you write. making it congruent with the plot instead of just a reaction to the plot.

That’s it.

But most of all, you have to treat this like you’re developing a human being. Not a “character” a living breathing person. When you talk, you use their voice. If you want them to say something and it doesn’t seem like (based on the seven characteristics above) that they would say it, what would they say instead?

If they must do something that’s forced by the plot, that they wouldn’t do based on their seven options, they can still do the thing, but how would they feel internally about doing it?

How do their seven characteristics meet/ meld with someone else’s seven and how will they change each other?

Once you can come up with all the answers to all of these questions, you begin to know your character like you’d know one of your friends. When you can place them in any AU and know how they would react.

They start to breathe.

~Prompt #21~

The thought behind this is if you are writing a story and want to understand the roles and relationships of your characters, you can use the following exercise. The purpose is to assign a character to what role options there are.

Who would start a fight: ?
Who would they be beating up: ?
Who tries to stop them: ?
Who gets hit who has nothing to do with it: ?
Who is yelling to make it stop: ?
Who is hiding the whole time: ?
Who is berserk and cuts everyone: ?

~Prompt #22~

Your character just bought a house in Washington, a single parent with a 2 year old. While moving in their child wanders into the woods, and after going in to find them finds the child sitting on a high tree branch, happy and content, smiling at nothing. Using your least favorite character you've ever written, what would their reaction be?

~Prompt #23~

Write a short scene between two new characters. Portray their personality through their actions or mannerisms as opposed to flat out saying it to the reader.

~Prompt #24~

What’s your favorite fairy tale? Write a version of it where the roles of the good characters are reversed with the roles of the bad characters. For example, Snow White is evil and the evil queen is good.

~Prompt #25~

Write a conversation between a person who talks a lot and a person who responds with only a few words.

~Prompt #25~

She had always hated caves.

~Prompt #26~

Write a scene in which two people have brought in a third person to mediate, and the mediator clearly favors the side of one person over the other. Write it in two ways.

1. The favored person is on the right side

2. The favored person is on the wrong side

Which version is more interesting? Which presents the most opportunities for conflict?

~ Prompt #27 ~

Write paragraph that contains the sentence:

Yes, they are magical, but not in a good way.

~Prompt #28~

“Writing a relationship functions the same way as any story; it requires its own rising action, climax, and resolution.” Allison Beckert, Art of Stories blog

~Prompt #29~

"We live in a world so constricted, where it forces us to land on our backs... yet, I found someone that keeps me standing tall," he grinned a smile worth photographing. The way his baby-blues shimmered, the way his teeth sparkled and his lips met mine... perfect.

For the first time in my life, I knew what love felt like, without regretting what it has to offer. Good or bad, I'm riding the long road to my destination.

~Prompt #30~

"Waste it on Me" BTS

You say love is messed up
You say that it don't work
You don't wanna try, no, no
(You don't wanna try, no, no)
And baby, I'm no stranger
To heartbreak and the pain, of
Always being let go
And I know there's no making this right, this right
And I know there's no changing your mind, your mind (Your mind)
But we both found each other tonight, tonight
So if love is nothing more
Than just a waste of your time
Waste it on me
So we don't gotta go there
Past lovers and warfare
It's just you and me now
I don't know your secrets
But I'll pick up the pieces
Pull you close to me now (Yeah, yeah)
And I know there's no making this right, this right (Yeah)
And I know there's no changing your mind, your mind (Oh)
But we both found each other tonight, tonight (Oh, yeah)
So if love is nothing more
Than just a waste of your time
Waste it on me
Don't you think there must be a reason?
Yeah, like we had our names
Don't you think we got another season?
That come after spring
I wanna be your summer
I wanna be your wave
Treat me like a comma
And I'll take you to a new phrase
Ya, come just eat me and throw me away
If I'm not your taste, babe, waste
Waste it on me
And I know there's no making this right, this right (Yeah)
And I know there's no changing your mind, your mind (Oh)
But we both found each other tonight, tonight (Oh, yeah)
So if love is nothing more
Than just a waste of your time
Waste it on me
Waste it on me

~Prompt #31~

Your character finally gets a break! Maybe They just graduated, or are free for the summer, or has found themselves having accrued a month of vacation time for work. What are they going to do? Where are they going to go? Does this break change them or maybe they are unchanged but they leave a piece of themselves elsewhere?