Tag: writing prompts

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Missing inaction

The eagle-eyed ones among you will have spotted something missing from our last meeting, on Tuesday 21st April.

Like… umm… all of it.

I’m afraid I have been conspicuous by my absence – I had intended to try to set up Zoom meetings for Island Writers, but I haven’t worked out how to do it yet. I’ll try for next time, so please sign up for a free account on Zoom now, while you’re waiting for an invitation from me. I’m certain you all miss me so much, you’d love your screen to be filled with a large image of my face!

Something else that’s been missing from my life in the last few weeks is creative writing. I’ve been editing two books for friends, and have barely glanced at my own books for over a month.

Yesterday, I finished editing the second book and heaved a sigh of relief. Finally, I could get on with my writing.

And then a new Facebook message popped up – another friend asked me to edit their book! Well, I will, of course (because I love editing), but this month, I’m determined that I will also make time for my own work. I keep monthly stats of how much writing I’ve done, and last month’s are positively embarrassing! And, anyway, I miss writing.

So I’ve decided that our next writing topic should be Missing.

  • Who or what are you missing most, during lockdown? A person, a pet, a place, an activity, a feeling?
  • Is there something you miss for another reason, perhaps something you enjoyed as a child, which is no longer available?
  • Is your short story or poem about a missing item… or a missing person?
  • Is your character missing an appointment, or an important target?
  • Is something important missing from your (or your character’s) life?

Oh, and by the way… no pressure, but…

This assignment is the last one before the first Island Writers book is published, so if you want your writing to be in it – don’t miss this chance!

And don’t forget to sign up for Zoom, ready for our first online meeting, which I hope will be Tuesday 5th May at 7pm (to be confirmed).

Hope to see you all soon.

I miss you xx

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Sticking to creative writing during the plague

Well, it looks like we won’t be seeing each other any time soon, but perhaps this enforced isolation will give us more time for creative writing. According to Chantal, Shakespeare wrote King Lear during quarantine from the plague. Whether that’s true or not, let’s stick to it and not waste the opportunity!

Feeling stuck on our current assignment title: Sticky Stuff?

Okay, so, what things are sticky?

Sellotape, duct tape and glue, of course. Superglue is famous for sticking things you didn’t intend to stick together. Wallpaper paste is particularly hard for inexperienced decorators to use correctly, which can produce comic results. Perhaps you have a memory of using one of these in childhood, or doing DIY as an adult, which could spark a story or poem.

Then there are various foodstuffs: toffee, syrup, honey, treacle, bubble gum, even candy floss, marzipan or glace cherries, although many other foods can leave sticky fingers which could cause a problem as a basis for your story.

Looking at the natural world for inspiration, there are spider-webs, geckos’ feet, goosegrass, Venus flytraps, and various animals which cling to things, as limpets do, for example. One of these could be a good metaphor for a poem about human relationships.

Or perhaps you would prefer something awkward and hard to handle, metaphorically sticky – a sticky situation. Remember, your story or poem doesn’t have to be about sticky stuff – it only needs to include something sticky, or someone sticking something. If a character sticks a stamp on the crucial letter, or licks their sticky fingers after spreading marmalade on their morning toast, they can get on with whatever’s happening in the story without needing to work in a glue factory or be an amateur beekeeper.

I hope you’ll all give this assignment a try, and don’t assume there won’t be that dreaded moment when I ask, “What writing have you done in the last two weeks?” because I WILL be asking you on Facebook on 7 April, anyway – and it’s no good claiming you were away on holiday!

Stick with your writing – Island Writers will be back as soon as we can.

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Better late than never: Island Writers meeting notes

I’m sorry this ‘meeting’ is late. Having to put Island Writers on hold suddenly was a shock, but it had to be done then, before it was too late. I’m investigating online meetings, but I was too late to sort anything out for Tuesday night.

Are you sensing a theme here? Yup – this week, it’s Lateness.

Waiting, Appointment, Schedule, Time, Hurry, Urgent

What effects can lateness have?

Missing a chance, losing a job, spoiling an event or activity for other people, breaking up with a friend or partner, being unable to prevent something bad happening… could arriving late ever cause a positive effect?

How do we feel when we think we’re going to be late?

Emotionally – irritated, angry, worried, nervous, terrified – or relieved?

Physically – heart pounding, sweating, tightness in throat or chest, panting or gasping for breath, feeling sick…

How do we behave differently when we’re worried we’ll be late?

Decide to skip part of our normal routine e.g. buying a newspaper on the way to work, move more quickly, do things carelessly and have accidents, treat people rudely, forget items we’d intended to take…

So, what causes lateness?

Lack of consideration for others. We keep people waiting after an agreed meeting time (oops!) because we put our own preferences and convenience ahead of theirs, and see no reason why we shouldn’t.

Disorganisation. We intend to arrive somewhere or complete an activity by a certain cut-off point, but ‘somehow’ we don’t manage to achieve it – because we don’t organise and plan adequately. There’s an element of inconsiderateness here, too, but not always – being too late to catch a train does not inconvenience the other passengers, only you, as you arrive panting on the platform to see the train disappearing round the bend.

Unwillingness. Sometimes the conflict between duty and personal wish causes lateness. We know we’ve got to do it, but we can’t bring ourselves to get started – we delay for just one more thing… and another. Have you seen those t-shirts that say, ‘I’m sorry I’m late. I didn’t want to come.’?

Luck. We make perfectly adequate plans, but on this occasion, the universe decides to thwart our wishes. We allow plenty of time for the task, but an emergency crops up. We catch the bus on time, but there’s a delay on the journey.

3-MINUTE EXERCISE: Make a list of words and phrases connected with lateness.

Running late, get the sack, better late than never, see you later, overslept…

15-MINUTE EXERCISE: Write a piece (short story/poem/playscript/memoir/whatever) which includes someone who is desperate not to arrive late.

Looking forward to seeing what you all come up with… or have I left it too late?

Oh, I suppose you’d all like an Assignment as well…

ASSIGNMENT TITLE: Sticky Stuff

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Regrettable decisions: the writing topic only a mother could love

Sign, Sorry, Character, Figure, Silhouette, Text

Ever wished you hadn’t chosen a certain writing topic? Sometimes, you have a bright idea, and you start writing, full of hope, and then suddenly… you realise it’s just not gonna work: the premise is fundamentally flawed. Much to your regret, no matter what you do, your story or poem is doomed.

Then again, you might have a topic – like ‘Regrets’ – thrust upon you by the evil leader of your writers’ group, and get home and think, ‘What on earth was she thinking? How are we meant to write anything about THAT?’

We all have regrets in life. And, of course, an easy response to the topic would be a memoir of a time when you did, or didn’t, do something, then regretted the decision later. The advantage of a memoir is that you already know the characters and the plotline, so you can concentrate on powerful use of language to tell your story in the most effective way.

The main trouble with this idea is: regret is painful. And maybe you don’t want to write a sad piece, revealing to the world how you did something unkind or foolish. But you don’t have to. You could write about a risk you took which you don’t regret because it paid off in the end.

Or your ‘memoir’ could be pure fiction, recalling your regrets about the time you won a million and spent the lot in six crazy months, or how you regret turning down the opportunity to go on the first manned mission to Jupiter.

If you prefer to write short stories or play-scripts, your character could regret something. Try one of these opening lines:

I’ll always regret opening the last box…

Marion had always felt she was too sensible to waste time on regrets.

‘If you walk out of that door, you’ll regret it, Simon. I mean it!’

The letter began, ‘I regret to inform you…’

There was only one reason to regret Mr Crawley’s death…

Alternatively, you could try a rewrite of a well-known story, where the character doesn’t take the action which led to a happy ending in the original version. Perhaps Cinderella keeps a good eye on the clock and leaves the ball sensibly at half past eleven. Or Elizabeth Bennet decides reluctantly to marry Mr Collins, her odious clergyman cousin, so when she falls in love with Mr Darcy, it’s too late.

But if your floor is covered with crumpled papers and you’re getting nowhere, don’t despair. Try writing a list of ‘20 reasons why I regret…‘ something – as long as it’s not ‘…joining a writers’ group!’

Or simply choose another topic and write about that instead. We’re quite happy if you turn up with a piece of Star Wars fan-fiction, a strange ranting piece about your neighbour’s dustbins or a poem about your old teddy bear. As long as it’s new writing, not some old piece you dusted off and added ‘regret’ in the middle to fit the topic. That’s not the idea at all.

And if you really feel you can’t write anything this time? Come to the meeting anyway – or you may regret it.

Next meeting: Tuesday 17 March, 7pm-9pm, Ryde Library.

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An over-arching concept: power, portal or protection

Island Writers’ creative writing topic this time is ARCHWAY.

The engineering advantage of the arch is its ability to provide supporting strength without solidity, which is why the arch is used for railway bridges and viaducts, as well as buildings with heavy roofs, such as cathedrals and temples. Any of these could be the setting for your short story, or the topic of a poem or piece of descriptive writing.

St Louis, St Louis Arch, Illinois
Gateway Arch, St Louis, Missouri

An incidental advantage is that by the rules of its construction, the arch has an elegant symmetry and proportions which naturally please the eye. This intrinsic beauty has led to arches being used as statement pieces in both classic and ultra-modern monuments. Which famous arches have you visited on your travels? Or maybe your characters are building a monumental arch – what are they celebrating?

Arc de Triomphe, Paris

As arches are frequently used over gateways or required to span the width of doorways on important public buildings such as colleges, churches and law courts, passing through an arch has come to symbolise passing from one state to another, which is why bridal flower arches are popular at weddings. Your archway could be a portal from the everyday modern world to a different, magical place, or your character’s change of state could be symbolised by the arch – from safety to danger, from childhood to adult life, from pride to disgrace, or from imprisonment to freedom.

From a writer’s perspective, perhaps the most interesting part of an archway is not the arch itself, but the space underneath.

Another aspect of the arch is the protection it can offer, due to the shelter or darkness underneath. Perhaps your character needs to shelter there from rain, hail or snow. and finds an unusual person or an animal hiding there, or a mysterious item secreted in the shadows of the arch.

So, if it’s not a personal question, (she said, archly) what’s under your arch?

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It tolls for thee: using ‘Bells’ as a writing prompt

If our latest creative writing assignment, ‘Bells,’ has had you staggering around like poor Quasimodo, crying out, “The bells! The bells!” then here are some suggestions to help you.

Church bells offer a range of ‘ap-pealing’ story ideas, whether they’re ringing for a Sunday service, New Year, a wedding or funeral, being used as an alarm for an invasion or a flood, or just rung for practice.

As we’re members of Island Writers, the bell in John Donne’s prose work, Devotions Upon Emergent Occasions (why are poets so crap at choosing titles?) may have come to mind:

“No man is an island, entire of itself… any man’s death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind, and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.”

The tolling church bell, signifying a death, could vary; in some parts of England, the bell would be tolled nine times for a man, six times for a woman, and three for a child, so people could tell which type of person had died.

Of course, they needn’t be church bells.

There are school bells and ship’s bells, marking the time through the day;

doorbells, alarm clock bells, bicycle bells and fire-bells, rung for attention;

bells worn by animals, such as cowbells in Alpine pastures, tiny bells on a cat’s collar or jingle bells on Santa’s reindeer;

or even bluebells or diving bells, which aren’t rung at all.

So, why are your bells ringing? Who’s ringing them? What would happen if they weren’t rung or didn’t work? Perhaps it is their absence in a foreign land which will stir you to create a poem or story.

Whatever you decide, ‘brrring’ it with you to our next meeting, which, as I’ve already ‘tolled’ you, is February 18th.

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Rounded individuals: using ‘Family Circle’ as a writing prompt

I don’t often get inspired to write by packets of biscuits.

OK, OK, those who know me (and you all do) will be aware that that statement is (ahem) a big fat lie. If it weren’t for large supplies of sugar-laden foods, I probably wouldn’t stay at my writing-desk nearly as long. Let me rephrase. Ordinarily, I come to the group with a planned assignment topic. This time, I forgot, so I glanced down at our refreshment biccies and chose, “Family Circle.”

So, how could you use this subject for creative writing?

Well, firstly, you could take it at face value: a story or poem about a pack of Family Circle biscuits. Maybe they’re given as a gift, which causes a problem for some reason, perhaps they could be part of a poisoning mystery, or maybe the stress of choosing is simply too much for your character.

You could use the most common meaning of the phrase, and write about a ‘family circle’ in the sense of a group of family members. How does being part of a family give you or your character particular pleasure or annoyance? Is there one personality trait or an unusual physical characteristic which all the members of the circle share? Who is excluded from the group – and why?

Or you could focus on the word ‘circle’ in a family context – perhaps the circle in question is Grandma’s wedding ring, or a circle of dancing family members at a celebration, or a circular photograph. Your ‘circle’ might be a dartboard, a flower-bed, a car tyre, a running track, or a circular saw. Or your story might include someone drawing a circle – in the sand, as a tattoo, on a blackboard, or in a letter.

Alternatively, you might have a more abstract family circle in mind: death and rebirth, the circle of life; arguments or discussions going around in circles; the astrological calendar; or karma returning retribution for past sins.

Your piece could be a short story, memoir, poem, letter, blog post, playscript or stream-of-consciousness notes on the topic. Or you could reject the topic completely and decide to write a random story about a planet where porcupine quills are the local currency, or a poem about different types of cheese. Or simply make some active progress on the novel you’re already writing. We’re not fussy!

Whatever you decide, as long as you get ’round’ to doing some new writing, it’s all good.

Our next meeting is Tuesday 21st January, 7 – 9.30pm, Ryde Library.

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All at sea

So, we are marooned here – on our sunny little island, floating like an emerald on a sparkling sea. The Isle of Wight has become our creative writing topic for the next fourteen days, and each of us needs to produce a contribution for our first book.

But what to write?

The Island has nine towns: Ryde, Brading, Newport, Cowes, East Cowes, Yarmouth, Ventnor, Sandown and Shanklin. Then there are villages, such as Freshwater, Newchurch, Arreton, Shalfleet, St Helens or Bembridge. Any of these could be the setting for a short story – preferably one which could happen nowhere else – or the inspiration for a poem. Or why not write a short non-fiction piece about the history of your chosen place?

Childhood memories…

Then there are the many tourist attractions to be found here, which could be the source of a piece of humorous writing set in the modern day, or a nostalgic childhood memoir: Blackgang Chine, Robin Hill, Monkey Haven, the Steam Railway, the model village at Godshill or the alpaca farm in West Wight.

The Island is stuffed with historical landmarks which may stir you to create some great writing. As well as some wonderful old churches and charming manor houses, we have intriguing historic places such as Osborne House, St Catherine’s Lighthouse, Carisbrooke Castle, Brading Roman Villa, Quarr Abbey, Fort Victoria, Appley Tower or the Pepperpot – oops! I mean, St Catherine’s Oratory. If you haven’t been anywhere lately, why not plan a visit in the next couple of weeks? Seeing the place in winter could give a new perspective to your creative writing. Think about what these buildings meant to the people who built them and lived there in the past, or their significance to the Islanders and tourists who visit today. Perhaps focusing on one particular part of the building, such as a beautiful window, elegant fireplace or time-battered turret, will catch your imagination and spark a story.

Who says we don’t have camels on the Isle of Wight, Yvie?

Of course, we have many Island events which could give you a setting for your plot – the Garlic Festival, Sandown Carnival, Wolverton Manor Garden Fair, Mardi Gras, the Round the Island Race, the Island Highland Gathering or Walk the Wight.

With parts of the Island designated as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, enjoyment of the natural world could be the theme of your piece. One of those hidden beaches the grockles never find, country walks at Bonchurch or Whippingham, the Lavender Farm, fossil-hunting trips in West Wight, riding the chair-lift at Alum Bay, sailing at Cowes or bird-watching at the nature reserve – it’s all good, as long as it’s specifically happening here. Or maybe you could create a poem about the Island at night, with ferries sliding silently over the Solent like vast, illuminated wedding-cakes, and the lights of Portsmouth glittering across the water, so close, yet far away.

And of course, you may have something to say about the Isle of Wight as a whole, or the experience of living on an island – a contrast with mainland life, the ferry journey (don’t forget to set your watch back to 1975), Island dialect, or a feeling of detachment from everyday life, family and friends on the mainland. Whatever you choose, you should find our multi-faceted isle a rich source of ideas.

The next Island Writers meeting is 3 December at Ryde Library – so get writing!

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I closed my eyes, drew back the curtain…

It’s curtains for you! And you should be delighted.

The latest writing assignment for Island Writers is “Behind the Curtain.” And, like doors, curtains can be a fertile source of ideas for writers.

Curtains can be elaborate and decorative or purely functional. They have several uses: they can conceal what is inside or outside, they can be used to form a temporary divider between two spaces, and they can offer protection from draughts.

So, what is your curtain hiding?

Maybe it’s a net curtain, disguising you (or your character) from people outside. A nosy person peering through the nets to see the neighbours going about their business, or a chance view of something you weren’t meant to see?

Curtains let us hide from others, but they also hide those on the other side. When you close your windows at night, you can’t see who – or what – might be lurking out there in the darkness, which gives an illusion of safety. Perfect for a horror story. Who could forget that shower scene in Psycho?

The main purpose of curtains is to give privacy. Once we’re behind the curtains, we may behave in ways which are very different from our public life. What do your characters get up to once the curtains are shut?

And that privacy may come at a cost. If people can’t see into your home, they can’t see you’re in need of help. An injured person could be lying inside the house, too weak to cry out for help, with passers-by just the other side of the windows…

Your curtain need not be made of cloth. A curtain of rain or fog might lift to reveal an unforgettable spectacle, or a willow tree could provide a secret hiding place behind its leafy curtains. Or it could be an entirely metaphorical curtain, representing emotional detachment, social isolation or the divide between life and death.

Not all curtains are made to cover windows. Your curtain might divide a bedroom for two argumentative children, be part of a four-poster bed, or hide a doorway or alcove. Or perhaps the curtain in a fashion store changing-room or a hospital ward could be the starting point for your creative writing.

You might choose to relive the sense of excitement when waiting for the curtain in a theatre to rise – whether you’re in the audience or on the stage. Or perhaps your story takes place at the end of the performance, after the curtains have closed.

Yes, July has five Tuesdays this year, so you’ve got a bit longer to get your assignment done this time. But don’t forget we’re meeting at Yelfs for drinks and writerly chat on Tuesday 30 July, 7pm.

Just like a nosy neighbour, I’m looking forward to seeing what’s behind your curtain at our next meeting at Ryde Library on Tuesday 6 August, 7pm.

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Gnome sweet gnome?

I’m in an impish frame of mind, so here’s our Easter writing assignment… Gnomes in the Garden.

So, what kind of gnomes? Any kind you like. They can be real live gnomes, living in a garden, or the traditional garden ornament. They can just be small-type people or have magical powers.

What kind of garden is it? Overgrown or well-kept? Which features does it have – a pond, a summer house, a rockery, vegetable patch, bird table, or even a sundial with a gnomon?

How did the gnomes get into the garden? Have they just arrived, or were they always there? If they aren’t alive, were they put there as a joke, or as some kind of protest?

Does the owner of the garden know they’re there, or do they lead secret Borrowers-style lives, while the humans are totally oblivious to their existence?
Does everyone know, or just one or two people, who want to gnome-ore about them? Or is it an alternative world, where everybody has gnomes in their garden?

How does the owner of the garden feel about the gnomes, if they do know? Proud and pleased about their presence, completely indifferent, or angry and invaded? How do household pets feel about the gnomes?

Do the gnomes just want to be left alone, or are they friendly? Or perhaps they’re a warrior race who are preparing to attack?

So, what’s your story? Do the gnomes cause problems? Are they in danger? Is their arrival a mystery to be solved?

It’s up to you. Gnome-atter what you decide, we’ll look forward to hearing your story or poem at our next meeting, on Tues 7th May.

Have a Happy Easter.