6 Writing Prompts!

Writing Prompt Original by Montgomery Mahaffey from Free Flying Press

Show me the love, Stacy!

You know I <3 U 4ever!

Evan

“Well Isn’t that sweet of Evan?”

Stacy shook her head and rolled her eyes.

"Sure it is,” Stacy scoffed. “That is, if you find desperation endearing. Come on, Andrew. Let’s get a drink.”

The Writing Prompts, they keep on coming. Some smaller images and pithy excerpts, I hope they get your creative juices flowing.

I do love doing these, and it’s easy when I can’t think of any big theme to put out there, and I hope to get to offer some inspiration for my sister and brother creatives and writers who may find themselves stuck or stumped or simply like to collect ideas for new stories. So happy to oblige.

Writing Prompt Original by Montgomery Mahaffey from Free Flying Press

Dino pressed his ear against the moss covered brick and tapped with one hand.

“What are you doing?” Belka asked.

“Listening and feeling for the hollow spaces.”

“Why?”

“Because I can.”

“That’s bull. You’re after something.”

“Of course, I am. But I don’t have to tell you, Belka.”

Francisco loved Adina as much as a hot taco on a cold, damp Seattle day.

Adina was not impressed.

Her mind was filled with Roberto, who made the most delicious tacos.

Writing Prompt Original by Montgomery Mahaffey from Free Flying Press

“Show me the magic!”

“No.”

“Why not?”

“Because you’re too greedy. You’ll only use it for ill.”

“But when you do, it’s ok?”

Writing Prompt Original by Montgomery Mahaffey from Free Flying Press

“Space Traveler? That’s what you’re dropping out of school for!”

“Yes.”

“Why would you do a stupid thing like that? Everybody knows Space Travelers get devoured by the Cosmos!”

“That’s why I want to go.”

Writing Prompt Original by Montgomery Mahaffey from Free Flying Press

“It’s been a long time coming. But we’re finally in the pink.”

“I’m so relieved.”

“Don’t be. By next week, we have to be in the red or we’re out.”

“We’ll get there.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“Because Marco is going to help us.”

Engaging Characters or Juicy Plot?

“Fiction writers are strong in either plot or character - never both and each envies the other their talent.”

So said Margaret Grossman, my favorite writing teacher of all time.

Her natural inclination was to write awesome, well-developed characters, the kind of people you’d want to sit down to coffee with and have long, intriguing conversations.

But she struggled with finding things for these lovely characters to do.

My natural inclination is plot.

I have absolutely no problem making stories up, with lots of plot points, twists, and turns.

But it’s connection to the characters that keeps readers engaged with the plot, and I’m sad to say that my characters are often misunderstood and their development criticized.

I struggle to flesh out fully actualized people in a fictional world - especially at that time when I worked with Margaret.

I also think it’s peculiar, because I am always trying to figure out the psychology of people in the real world, and what makes us all tick.

Perhaps all that amateur psychoanalysis has helped. Maybe I’ve improved since then, but criticism around character development is the most consistent when it comes to my writing.

Perhaps that’s why I use archetypal types for my characters?

Either way, I do the best I can, and sometimes that falls short. In my current novel, both the protagonists are telling their stories from 1st person “I.”

I hope that will make a stronger connection between the readers and my characters.

Truth be told, I believe this weakness around character development is a pretty common problem with most indie authors.

I haven’t made a formal study of it, but most indie authors whose work I’ve read have 1 dimensional characters as well.  

I wish I could give some sage advice and how-to’s on how to write plot if you naturally write characters, but I’m one of those who doesn’t know how to teach something that comes very easily to me.

When it comes to writing character, I say practice.

But another tool that may come in handy is to write up a character sheet describing each of your characters, and then add some of those details in your plot pages.

Name:

Age:

Hair/Eye Color:

Height:

Unusual feature:

Beautiful/Homely:

Biggest Fear:

Greatest Hope:

Primary Motivation:

Likable Quality:

Fatal Flaw:

Quirks:

Best Friend:

Primary Partner/Spouse/Lover:

Secondary Partner/Lover:

What does this character want?

What role does this character play?

Is this character sympathetic and trustworthy?

What is the primary struggle for this character in this story? 

Feel free to add any more details that may help flesh out your characters into a person you’d want to hang out with or the kind of person you’d avoid at a party.

It actually helps to list details of each and every character, no matter how minor they are. I don’t always do this exercise, but when I do, I find this tool helps bring characters to life.

And yes, as Margaret claimed, I do envy natural character writers their talent.

But at least I have an exciting, juicy plot line to carry the day, and I’m sure some writer somewhere envies my ability to do that.