i've lost my touch

[she_is_my_addiction]

and i want it back.

after a long dry spell from writing, when you just can't get back into the mindframe, what helps you get back there?

 

[Guest]

and i want it back.

after a long dry spell from writing, when you just can't get back into the mindframe, what helps you get back there?

Prompts.

I pull a random prompt from one of the books or cards I have. I write it at the top of the page. I take a deep breath, and I just start writing without thinking about it too much. I write what the prompt suggests, or what it says, or about how I can't think of anything, or whatever comes. If I don't get the beginning of a story, I get up, walk around, and pull another prompt.

I've had a whole novel come from a single prompt.

 

[she_is_my_addiction]

Prompts.

I pull a random prompt from one of the books or cards I have. I write it at the top of the page. I take a deep breath, and I just start writing without thinking about it too much. I write what the prompt suggests, or what it says, or about how I can't think of anything, or whatever comes. If I don't get the beginning of a story, I get up, walk around, and pull another prompt.

I've had a whole novel come from a single prompt.

thanks, doll.

and your voice sample isn't crappy.

 

[Guest]

thanks, doll.

and your voice sample isn't crappy.

Thanks -- but the recording quality is, shall we say, less than spectacular?

I love prompts, although I know those who hate them. I have more stories that started from a prompt, or from some tiny seed of something I heard or saw. I usually do better when I don't think too much. Stories I want to write take forever. Stories I just open to, let flow through me, always show up much better.

I have to practice getting out of my own way. I recommend it to everyone

 

[mlady_france]

Prompts.

I pull a random prompt from one of the books or cards I have. I write it at the top of the page. I take a deep breath, and I just start writing without thinking about it too much. I write what the prompt suggests, or what it says, or about how I can't think of anything, or whatever comes. If I don't get the beginning of a story, I get up, walk around, and pull another prompt.

I've had a whole novel come from a single prompt.

Wow, that's great advice there.

Sorry SIMA, but I don't have any advice for ya, I'm sorta stuck myself. The first 2500 words flew out and now I'm down to about 200 a day. but I can offer kisses and snuggles.

 

[she_is_my_addiction]

Thanks -- but the recording quality is, shall we say, less than spectacular?

I love prompts, although I know those who hate them. I have more stories that started from a prompt, or from some tiny seed of something I heard or saw. I usually do better when I don't think too much. Stories I want to write take forever. Stories I just open to, let flow through me, always show up much better.

I have to practice getting out of my own way. I recommend it to everyone

i have a book full of semi-prompts and have sorta been using them but i didn't really think about just losing myself in the writing. been stressing too much over RL shit.

i'll have to do some writing tonight and re-test the waters

 

[Guest]

i have a book full of semi-prompts and have sorta been using them but i didn't really think about just losing myself in the writing. been stressing too much over RL shit.

i'll have to do some writing tonight and re-test the waters

If you run out, lemme know. I collect prompts like some peopel collect recipes.

 

[she_is_my_addiction]

If you run out, lemme know. I collect prompts like some peopel collect recipes.

they aren't actually prompts. more like inspirations.

14,000 Things To Be Happy About. i bought that book when i was 10 or 11.

 

[Guest]

they aren't actually prompts. more like inspirations.

14,000 Things To Be Happy About. i bought that book when i was 10 or 11.

I use a lot of things, including books of prompts just for writers. The two Writer's Blocks are fun, plus you can use them as weapons The Pocket Muse, Knowledge cards with quotes on them, Whack on the Head cards, various kinds of postcard collections -- my favorite, tho, is the Creative Writer's Kit, which is a day book, with a prompt for every day of the year.

 

[she_is_my_addiction]

I use a lot of things, including books of prompts just for writers. The two Writer's Blocks are fun, plus you can use them as weapons The Pocket Muse, Knowledge cards with quotes on them, Whack on the Head cards, various kinds of postcard collections -- my favorite, tho, is the Creative Writer's Kit, which is a day book, with a prompt for every day of the year.

Writer's Blocks are great. we had them at the school library at my writing school. if books could be sexy, they would be.

 

[Guest]

Writer's Blocks are great. we had them at the school library at my writing school. if books could be sexy, they would be.

Yup, those are great. The first one actually went out of print for a while, can you believe that?

I've run some writing groups and been in a lot of others. The trick with the prompts is, like you said, getting lost in the writing -- not thinking in terms of "A Story is This and then That" but just putting words down, one after another and seeing if the storyteller in your brain hears the invitation, puts down her knitting and starts spinning a tale for you. It's a trick, it really is, to look at a prompt and remember it isn't a literal thing, but a seed. You can say anything you want, ignore it or take it as it is or just run with whatever pops up.

Even my friends who hate prompts occasionally get a good story stump out of one.

 

[she_is_my_addiction]

Yup, those are great. The first one actually went out of print for a while, can you believe that?

I've run some writing groups and been in a lot of others. The trick with the prompts is, like you said, getting lost in the writing -- not thinking in terms of "A Story is This and then That" but just putting words down, one after another and seeing if the storyteller in your brain hears the invitation, puts down her knitting and starts spinning a tale for you. It's a trick, it really is, to look at a prompt and remember it isn't a literal thing, but a seed. You can say anything you want, ignore it or take it as it is or just run with whatever pops up.

Even my friends who hate prompts occasionally get a good story stump out of one.

oh i love prompts...i'm just dealing with a lot of bullshit and my writing sort of got left waaaaay back there somewhere. i know there's a whole big hoopla about "if you're a real writer you write every day" but IMHO that's bull if life's issues really ARE that pressing.

i would never compromise my sanity for a piece of writing. to each their own, though. i think i'll gradually ease myself back into the whole writing thing.

 

[Guest]

oh i love prompts...i'm just dealing with a lot of bullshit and my writing sort of got left waaaaay back there somewhere. i know there's a whole big hoopla about "if you're a real writer you write every day" but IMHO that's bull if life's issues really ARE that pressing.

i would never compromise my sanity for a piece of writing. to each their own, though. i think i'll gradually ease myself back into the whole writing thing.

The "writing every day" works for some -- not for me, either. Some days are wasted for writing. Other days are devoted to it. Only thing I know for sure is that you have to write if you want to be a writer. How you get to it is pretty much up to you

 

[Guest]

i like prompts too.
specially if someone gives me a starting sentence...a really silly one.

 

[lucky-E-leven]

Having someone else prompt you is a good thing. It establishes an audience, even if only an audience of one, and gets your wheels turning on how to develop the prompt be it sentence, scenario, location, characters, etc...

 

[Guest]

i like prompts too.
specially if someone gives me a starting sentence...a really silly one.

She didn't dare flush the toilet, because the goldfish looked at her with such pitiful eyes.

 

[Guest]

She didn't dare flush the toilet, because the goldfish looked at her with such pitiful eyes.

now youve gone and done it. that will be the opening sentence in the sequel of She Had Had Enough.

 

[she_is_my_addiction]

The "writing every day" works for some -- not for me, either. Some days are wasted for writing. Other days are devoted to it. Only thing I know for sure is that you have to write if you want to be a writer. How you get to it is pretty much up to you

*grin* i don't want to be a writer anymore...not like i used to. i write for me, not for anyone else out there. i have other business on my mind now...funny how real life puts things into perspective. we stack our priorities up like a connect four board. writing just isn't at the tip-top for me anymore. i almost like it better this way because when i do come up with something winning and wonderful, it's almost magical the way it happens because it's so rare. like finding a diamond in the rough. something beautiful where there should have only been dirt and rocks.