What if? By Diana Flegal

I am a fan of the Food Network show CHOPPED. It amazes me that the chefs can take the “mystery basket” ingredients and prepare an actual tasty and presentable meal.

While watching the show recently, I wondered what a “mystery basket” of ingredients for a writer might contain? Which reminded me of when I participated in a writers group in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

At each meeting, we began our time with the setting of a timer in 5 minute, then 15 minute periods in which we were given a prompt, then wrote until the buzzer sounded.  

These prompts were like “mystery baskets”; our ingredients, a string of words.

Placing a character in an imaginary world in answer to the question of “what if?” is Speculative Fiction.

I thought it might be a fun exercise to offer you a couple “mystery baskets” in the speculative genre as writing prompts. Prompts are a great writers tool, especially helpful to stir inspiration when you are stuck, or in need of a recharge.

1. What if?- a young man raised as an orphan, finds out he is a twin, and meets his sister when he is given an assignment on Tatatui.
2. What if?- a conservative bible thumping dog reads his masters mind and feels compelled to foil a jewel heist his owner has planned.
3. What if?- a fairy named Shitza embarks on a quest to find a schroom needed to brew a tea, that if drank by her fiancé, could release him from a spell.
4. What if?- Eric’s name is drawn and he must engage in a war he is staunchly against.
5. What if?- a toad and a kitten fall in love.

 May you be greatly inspired, and wildly imaginative in your writing endeavors.

10 Writing Prompts by Diana Flegal

I have a wake-up routine that I follow most days, even when I travel to writer's conferences. I find it helpful in clearing the cobwebs of sleep or that nasty dream.

I brew my coffee, sit down with a Sudoku book and work through one of each level puzzle. I have music playing in the background; praise or Christian Rock- depending on my mood.

Then I refill my coffee mug and scratch around for a bite to eat, grab my note book and pen and begin my quiet time.

As a writer, writing prompts can clear your mind of pesky 'to do' lists and laundry calling and serve to get your creative juices flowing. Even well seasoned writers find this exercise a fun start to their day.

Set your timer for five (5) minutes for the first. 10 mins for the second and if your in writer's block add a third prompt for 15 mins.

Keep a small note book with you at all times. (most published writers know this)
Add sporadic thoughts that come to you throughout your day under the heading: Writing Prompts

Here are a few in mine. Grab your timer and get creative.  This simple low budget exercise might unleash in you a bestseller.     

1)  The smoke cleared and I could see he'd been crying.

2)  Love is not a many splendored thing. Seriously, they never seen...


3)  "Are you ready for some football" blared from the family room TV and I was about to....

4)  The mall was crowded when three shots/ shouts (you choose) rang out.

5)  Heat had cracked the pavement and turned the earth to dust.

6)  Don't walk out...I hate when she does that!

7)  Blue mangos, neatly diced, filled a square bowl next to a pile of peels on the kitchens island , but the room was eerily quiet.  

8)  Banging the car radio I added that to my virtual dream list of things I'd get fixed  ...

9)  The smell choked me, a mix of ammonia, Lysol and dog.

10) Sand sifted through the hourglass ...


Have a blessed 'over the hump' day. May your creative juices flow as never before and you accomplish 2,000 more words than your days goal.

Diana

Just a Click Away by Diana L. Flegal

I have a cookbook collection but most days I now google my recipes. That way I can copy them to a file. So much easier.

When my son and I are in a debate about this or that- we sometimes sit side by side searching online for an article that backs up our side. Or we cut and paste our arguments and share them via FB private message.

Search engines have changed my life and I know the lives of writers.

There is not anything it seems that is not online. But I caution you to check more than one source for your historical research or current event. Spin doctors are hard at work to change your mind. And companies pay marketers big bucks to convince us that a piece of plastic that can provide us hardboiled eggs without the shell is the newest 'must have'.

Just today I found out:

100 years ago on this day is the hottest day on record.

There is a new app called Time Hop that can show you what you did last year this day.

I can look at photos of what happened on this day 5 or 10 years ago.

Perhaps one of these can offer you a writing prompt or a scene in your story.

Have a great day!