by Sherry Anderson
I don’t like to be slow learner, but sometimes I am. With all the writer workshops I have been to and even leading a writer’s group myself, I just learned something that other writers know already. It is the secret of using writer prompts. My bookshelves are stocked with writing magazines and books that refer to writing prompts. Google “writer prompts” and you’ll see that there are plenty of suggestions! I thought it was kind of neat but pretty much useless in motivating me to write what I wanted to write — big projects, i.e. a novel or two.
A few weeks ago I asked two writers to meet me at Starbucks and took a book with me that that had some writing exercises in it. We opened up our laptops and I challenged them to join me in a five minute writing exercise using a writer prompt. We took off and wrote for the allotted time and then read our pieces to each other. We were amused and liked it! So I said, “Let’s do another one!” They agreed and we repeated this several times.
Something happened to me in the process. Discovery. By just relaxing and letting the words free flow, not worrying about style, grammar, or editing, I could just write and have fun! It awakened in me the confidence that I can do the same thing with my projects. It is possible to take a bit of info related to my project or protagonist and take off and write about it. It will tap into my creativity and although I may not be able to use it all, something good will come of it!
I will not have writer’s block! When faced with a big project, it is procrastination that is my enemy. If I put my butt in a chair and get ready to write, I can prime the pump of creativity with a writer prompt or two and keep going!
Following are some suggestions you can try:
· One of the easiest decisions I made in my life was. . .
· My greatest fear is. . .
· Begin with “I wish someone told me. . . ”
Happy Writing!