Write about the picture above. Who is the girl, and why is she walking along railroad tracks? Where exactly is she? Is she running away, homeless, meeting someone, or trying to count all the tracks from one side of a country to the next in multiples of three? Be creative.
Write about dress shopping. Is it just to have one, or is there a special occasion for it? Is it hectic or stressful, or does everything turn out perfectly? Try to make it comical without making it cliche. Make a group of guys go out to find one, or put a new twist on the cheap-dress-store rush.
Write about someone who dreams of a better life. What are their desires? Is there something wrong with how they currently live, or do they just want change? Maybe they get what they wish for, but it doesn’t live up to what they expected. Maybe it does.
Write about berry picking. Describe the scenery and weather. Try creating a poem or making a story. Who does the picking, and why? Maybe a family or group of friends just want to spend the day together, or fugitives have to sneak around to get food. Be creative.
Write about grandparents. Focus on specific characters. Are they kind, quirky, grumpy, or silly? What kind of relationship do they have with their grandchildren? Do they crochet while waiting for cookies to bake, or are they members of an elite team of spies? Utilize character interaction.
Write about a prisoner. Why are they locked up? Maybe they committed a terrible crime, were falsely accused, or jailed under an oppressive dictator. What is their everyday life like? Do they have any cellmates? Create conflict internally or externally.
Trust the process. If you’re doubting yourself or your story, just keep moving forward. Every year, authors who press on to 50K are treated to the electric moment when the tangle of plots and people we dropped into the first half of our books end up forming unexpected connections. Themes develop. Arcs emerge. Things crackle, then hum, and, at the very end of the month, enough circuits connect that the whole story lights up with a bookish glow.”
Write about favorite characters from the tales you grew up with, except put them in a new universe where they’re all together. How do they adapt to their surroundings and to each other? Do they all get along? Have talking animals interact with characters who aren’t used to that, or have them be wary and confused in public about things like cell phones. Have fun with it!
Write about intimacy between two people. Are they friends, family, strangers, or a couple? Describe their emotions and thoughts about each other. Put them in a situation where it’s shown. Maybe it’s during or after a fun night out, or maybe they’re trying to survive some terrible accident. Focus on how they interact.
Read Scribblers’ works inspired by this prompt:
Sarah Addison Allen, The Sugar Queen
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