I read a quote by Gene Fowler that said, “Writing is easy: All you do is sit staring at a blank sheet of paper until drops of blood form on your forehead.”

That’s not writing. It’s writer’s block. That nasty thing is like Beetlejuice: I try not to say it too often or it will show up and it won’t go away. So, how do you get over it? Writing prompts.

I can watch ten minutes of a movie about a writer (Shakespeare In Love) and I too pick up the pen. Sometimes I read back over what I wrote the day before until I have to continue the story I’ve begun. Inspirational quotes help.  “I will write my way into another life,” by Ann Patchette is among my favorites.

Christina Reeser, the programmer featured previously here on Compositions, gave me another great idea. She calls herself a “reluctant writer.” Her daughter is encouraging her wordsmithing. Each night she tells Christina to write only one sentence. Who made her happy? What sucked about the day? A quote she heard. Something. Anything. One simple sentence. It doesn’t feel like writing and it’s not overwhelming. It’s a brilliant idea.

To exorcize that writing demon, try writing just one sentence and go from there. One sentence prompts the thinking. One sentence leads to another. Christina may be a reluctant writer, but in a year she’ll have 365 sentences. For novelists, that’s a heck of a great beginning to a full manuscript.

 

Based upon George Clymer, the man who signed both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, the photo of this statue in Philadelphia helps inspire me–especially in writing my historical fiction novel about the Declaration.
Although this statue from Jardin du Luxembourg in Paris is of a Greek actor, it still makes me feel like writing. - Photos by Karen A. Chase

 

 

 

2 Comments on Prompts for Reluctant Writers

  1. Great reminders. Reading good writing, listening to well-written lyrics, watching slideshows of great art accompanied by instrumental music and reading blogposts like this. Inspiration won’t necessarily come to you, but you can go to it, and words eventually flow. MMF

  2. Meagan, I love the way you phrased that. It “won’t necessarily come to you, but you can go to it.” Exactly. Sometimes your muse or inspiration needs to be fed a little. Thank you for reading along.

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