background preloader

Fifteen Writing Exercises

Fifteen Writing Exercises
Writing exercises are a great way to increase your writing skills and generate new ideas. They give you perspective and help you break free from old patterns and crutches. To grow as a writer, you need to sometimes write without the expectation of publication or worry about who will read your work. Pick ten people you know and write a one-sentence description for each of them.

free writing exercises 1 -20 Exercises 1- 20 Exercises 21- 40 Exercses 41 - 60 Exercises 61-80 Exercises 81-100 Exercises 101 - 120 Exercises 121 - 140 Exercises 141 - 160 Exercises 161 - 180 Exercises 181 - 200 Exercises 201 - 240 For writing exercises for kids, click here. For teens, begin here. Exercise #1 Describe what you see in this photo. Exercise #2 Write a reflection or short fictional piece about this woman. [For those who like only the facts, ma'am, and want to know who she is, click here.] The boys in the picture are marching off-- or are they? Exercise #6 The chimpanzee is looking into your face. Observe someone's hands (this can be in memory or imagination. Exercise #8 Take these lines from a well-known novel and continue them however you want: She had found a jewel down inside herself and she had wanted to walk where people could see her and gleam it around..... Exercise #9 What is the Parakeet saying to the Cat? Write a closely observed description of a common gesture or physical action.

Creative writing prompts Here are some creative writing prompts we've developed that you may find useful. We'll be adding to these periodically, so check back often. These have been compiled by many people, please feel free to contact us if you think of any. We'll be happy to add them. Creative Writing Prompts: Story Starters Think back to a time when you say a stranger say or do something that that caught your attention. Creative Writing Prompts: Character Development Your character comes upon a fork in a road and has no idea where to go. Creative Writing Prompts. © 2004, All Rights Reserved. Futility Closet Creative Writing Prompts Write a scene that includes a character speaking a different language, speaking in a thick accent, or otherwise speaking in a way that is unintelligibe to the other characters. (Note: You don't necessarily need to know the language the character is speaking—be creative with it!) Describe a character's reaction to something without explaining what it is. See if your fellow prompt responders can guess what it is. Write a story or a scene about one character playing a prank on another. Writing Prompt: Write a story that involves confusion over homonyms (words that have the same spelling but different meanings) or homophones (words that sound the same but are spelled differently). For World Storytelling Day, share the best story you've ever heard or told by word of mouth, or have a fictional character recount their favorite story. You're making your way down a cobbled street when a stocky, red-bearded man beckons you into an alley. Consider your handwriting, or a character's handwriting.

Journal Writing Prompts Looking for some free journal writing prompts? A situation might have arisen compelling you to record a piece of your history; to retell some of your family stories, your traditions, and highlight some of your quirky and unusual family members. What do you write about? Maybe you have considered writing your personal autobiography and need some ideas to get you started. I love to simply pick up my pencil and put it to paper without thinking too much about what I am writing about. You will probably surprise yourself and find out that there is alot more substance to you than you originally thought. Journaling Prompts: All About Me Write down your full name. Recommended Links A list of journal writing ideas to get your started. More journaling topics and ideas. Journaling Tools. How to write a journal step-by-step. More journaling prompts: the Clock is Ticking. Quack? Types of journals. What is a journal? Return From Journal Writing Prompts to the Homepage

How I Pulled Off a $300 Million Drug Deal Brian O'Dea (right) with friends From 1972 until the late 80s, Brian O’Dea was one of the world’s most successful drug smugglers. Then he got addicted to coke, and although he cleaned up following an overdose and a heart attack, the DEA tracked him down. Nowadays, he’s a big, reformed hit on Canadian TV as a host and producer, and he continues to work with addicts while advocating the legalization of drugs. VICE: I wanted to ask you about the process of drug smuggling, because it’s obviously a very complex operation. How were you bringing it in? Brian as a kid If it’s not going to torture you to tell it, then that’d be great. So what did they say? How do you move that much drugs? Shit, OK. What was the market value for 25 tons? Brian having a dance And the DEA was watching you all this time. The acronyms were after you. How did the offload go? So you would sort of say “102-14-195-12”? Brian and his smuggler buddies Did you manage to throw them off your tail? What happened next? Amazing.

365 Pictures Daily Photo Prompts Generated for Your Creative Inspiration! Writing Prompts : 365 : 365 Creative Picture Prompts, Prompt-a-Day Generator One picture and text prompt per day to inspire your creative life. Visit again tomorrow for February 5, 2015 What would this settler feel if she/he could return from the past and see their homestead still standing? Photo and prompt copyright © Kristi Tencarre. About 365 Picture Prompts Welcome to Creativity Portal's first-ever worldwide collaborative daily prompt project. Artists, photographers, writers, and other creatives have generously shared their personal pictures and thought-provoking prompts to inspire others with unique perspectives and manifested expressions of creativity. Use these images and words for: creative writing promptsimagination/brainstorming ideascreativity sparksartistic inspirationblogging story startersclassroom activitiesjournal & diary promptsmeditationsreflectionsconnecting with other creatives Frequently Answered Questions Q: How do I access past prompts?

Writing Prompts | Journal Writing Prompt | All About Me | Journaling Topics Personalized Journals | Journal Writing Tips | How to Blog - ScribeTime.net Journaling, Journal writing tips, blogging tips, and personalized journal gift shop. You are here: Home / Journaling / Writing Prompts – All About Me Writing Prompts – All About Me By April Rogers The following list of writing prompts were written and compiled to focus on that all-important person – “You” . Journal writing prompts and exercises – “All About Me”: For many more Creative Journal Writing Prompts, check out our… All New E-Book: 365 Journal Writing Prompts: Spark Your Inner Creativity, Beat Writer’s Block and Explore Your True Self - Available for Download Today! Filed Under: Journaling, Writing Prompts Tagged With: creative writing, journal writing, journal writing topics, journaling, writing prompts Trackbacks Writing Prompts | Creative | Journal Writing Prompts | Topics | Ideas says: June 19, 2012 at 3:19 pm [...] and growth, to make your writing tasks easier, or simply to help you have fun on paper! Search…

Shakespeare's Sonnets Creative Writing Prompts for Sci-Fi & Fantasy Lovers | Creative Writing Prompts Posted by Melissa Donovan on April 5, 2013 · Fantastical creative writing prompts. In the world of creative writing, we’ve only begun tapping the possibilities in speculative fiction, a genre that includes science fiction, fantasy, paranormal, supernatural, horror, and superhero stories, as well as anything that ventures beyond known reality. Speculative fiction is an under-recognized genre: Academia and literary elitists traditionally haven’t given it much credence, although it has been gaining acclaim in recent years. But the genre’s fans are rabid. In fact, you won’t find a more dedicated group of readers anywhere else, which makes reading and writing speculative fiction a delight. Plus, it’s a lot of fun to step outside of reality and see just what your imagination can do. You can write about knights and dragons, spaceships and far-off planets, the apocalypse, ghosts, or strange islands with magical properties. The creative writing prompts below can be used in any way you want.

Persuasive Essay Topics & Original Ideas for Your Essay! Great Poems « Greatest Books of All Time » Life-Changing Arts A selection of great poems from centuries of brillant authors and poets. Whether you are new to the world of poetry and wish to savor it, or a well-versed poetry connoisseur, either way you will probably enjoy the classics of world poetry. The poems are sorted by vote. left of it. Voting is possible once per day. Votes PoemAuthor IfRudyard Kipling EchoChristina Georgina Rossetti If you think the best poem of all times is not even on this list, by all means, let us know which poem it is and why you think it should be added. Get inspired.. inspire others.. Back to Greatest Books of All Time

Writing Hacks, Part 1: Starting By Scott Berkun, Aug. 28 2006 (#54) Writing is easy, it’s quality that’s hard. Any idiot who knows 5 words can write a sentence (e.g. For this reason writer’s block is a sham. Consider this: Have you ever been blocked while playing Frisbee? So play. Writing hacks for starting In the grand tradition of lists and books of hacks, writing hacks are clever little actions that give you leverage and put the dynamics in your favor. Start with a word. Write about how it feels not to be able to write. Have a conversation. Read something you hate. Warm up. Make lists. Switch to something harder. Run like hell. Whiskey. Rummage your scrap pile. Smart writers have stockpiles of old ideas to arm themselves against the evils of the blank page. Notes [1] I sometimes write “I have nothing to say” and repeat it on the page. [2] True story. [4] I wrote the novel on and off for 10 years, and finished in 2005 (with draft #5). Further advice:

Related: