darren r hill

the creative minimalist

Category: Writing

Posts relating to writing, either my own fiction, poetry or prose, or the writing of others.

  • Waiting – Friday Fiction Writing Prompt

    A Fiction Writing Prompt to stretch the literary muscles. No rules. No word counts. Simply write and explore.

    I was waiting. It seemed like forever. How much longer? Friday Fiction Writing Prompt concerning waiting

    I was waiting. It seemed like forever. How much longer?

    Writing Prompt Expanded

    It’s time to delve into our emotions with this week’s Friday Fiction Writing Prompt. We’re waiting for something. It can be anything, the choice, as always, is yours. Being able to explain and describe emotions is a vital way to connect the reader with our characters.

    The prompt is designed to make you explore the emotions felt whilst waiting.

    • What is going through your mind as you wait?
    • Do your feelings have a physical manifestation?
    • Does the waiting bring up memories from the past?

    The setting and reason for waiting can be anything. You have complete freedom to simply explore and write about the emotions and feelings your character is going through. This one is a little close to home for me at the moment. I’m waiting on quite a few things so have plenty of emotions and feelings to draw upon. The challenge is to craft these into new and original descriptions, avoid the cliches and make sure I keep the fiction separate from the fact. Time to write… Well, what are you waiting for?

    As always these writing prompts are optional and entirely open to your own interpretation. Use them as a starting point for a short story or something a little more grandiose. If you do write something, please share it or a link, in the comments or tag me. I’d love to read what you create. Write and enjoy the learning process.

    Thank you for reading this post. Please share your thoughts in the comment section below.
    namaste
    d
    xox

    If you enjoyed this post please support my writing by making a donation of any amount.

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  • The missing purse – Friday Fiction Writing Prompt

    A Fiction Writing Prompt to stretch the literary muscles. No rules. No word counts. Simply write and explore.

    ‘I reached into my bag for my purse/wallet but it wasn’t there! How would I pay?’ Friday Fiction Writing Prompt

    ‘I reached into my bag for my purse/wallet but it wasn’t there! How would I pay?’

    Writing Prompt Expanded

    This week’s Friday Fiction Writing Prompt is all about getting out of a sticky situation. It’s about crafting a narrative; overcoming a conflict and reaching a resolution. In fact, you could say this is what a ‘traditional’ piece of fiction always does.

    You are somewhere, let’s say a restaurant, which means you have already partaken of the service, and you need to pay. However, the means of payment, your purse or wallet is missing. What are you going to do? You need to think quickly and come up with a solution.

    In addition, what has happened to the missing item? Is it a simple case of forgetting to pick it up, or is there something a little more riveting going on?

    When we write fiction, we can write ourselves into a cul-de-sac, a dead end. Our main character, or another vital person, has been written into a situation they need to get out of. It wasn’t really intended, but the muse led us down that particular path. We could just erase or delete those 100, 200, 500 or more words? Or we can craft and write our way out. That’s what this prompt is there for.

    As always these writing prompts are optional and entirely open to your own interpretation. Use them as a starting point for a short story or something a little more grandiose. If you do write something, please share it or a link, in the comments or tag me. I’d love to read what you create. Write and enjoy the learning process.

    Original vintage image by Vinson Tan ( 楊 祖 武 ) from Pixabay

    Thank you for reading this post. Please share your thoughts in the comment section below.
    namaste
    d
    xox

    If you enjoyed this post please support my writing by making a donation of any amount.

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  • The postmark – Friday Fiction Writing Prompt

    A Fiction Writing Prompt to stretch the literary muscles. No rules. No word counts. Simply write and explore.

    I recognised the sender’s postmark. But why contact me now, and in this old, traditional way? Friday Fiction Writing Prompt

    I recognised the sender’s postmark. But why contact me now, and in this old, traditional way?

    Writing Prompt Expanded

    This Friday Fiction Writing Prompt is all about the reveal. The narrator has received a letter. The postmark means they know or have a pretty good idea, who it is from. There is history between the narrator and the sender, but the reader obviously doesn’t know what this is.

    The writing prompt is about revealing that history. It could be anything, from a dark, frightening event that darkened their past to something more mysterious through to happier times that were somehow lost. The choice, as always is yours.

    The challenge, how you reveal that information, is also yours. Does it pour out immediately, or little by little as you read what has been written? The prompt uses a letter. This mode of communication slows things down, it is more deliberate than a text message or email. And, there might just be a prompt using digital communication on its way another day.

    As always these writing prompts are optional and entirely open to your own interpretation. Use them as a starting point for a short story or something a little more grandiose. If you do write something, please share it or a link, in the comments or tag me. I’d love to read what you create. Write and enjoy the creative learning process.

    Original envelope image by 2211438 from Pixabay

    Thank you for reading this post. Please share your thoughts in the comment section below.
    namaste
    d
    xox

    If you enjoyed this post please support my writing by making a donation of any amount.

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  • Fresh air – Friday Fiction Writing Prompt

    A Fiction Writing Prompt to stretch the literary muscles. No rules. No word counts. Simply write and explore.

    I opened the doors and stepped out on the balcony. The view was amazing, but it was the air that took my breath away

    Writing Prompt Expanded

    This week’s Friday Fiction Writing Prompt is all about comparison. It’s time to compare one thing to another.

    The prompt focuses on fresh air. Our narrator has arrived at a place where the air is different from what they are used to. This could be because they are from a smog-ridden city and they are now at the coast or out in the countryside, or the other way round. The choice, as always is yours.

    The aim is to stretch your descriptive powers by focussing on the differences between the two. Use…

    • simile
    • metaphor
    • exaggeration

    The bigger the difference between the two places, the more captivated your reader will be, and the more likely they might relate to one of your descriptions. Emphasise the difference between the narrator’s memory and their current experience.

    As always these writing prompts are optional and entirely open to your own interpretation. Use them as a starting point for a short story or something a little more grandiose. If you do write something, please share it or a link, in the comments or tag me. I’d love to read what you create. Write and enjoy the learning process.

    Thank you for reading this post. Please share your thoughts in the comment section below.
    namaste
    d
    xox

    If you enjoyed this post please support my writing by making a donation of any amount.

    Sign up for my (ir)regular newsletter to keep up to date with my creative adventures, including special offers, and join me on Instagram | YouTube | Twitter | Pinterest

  • Not working – Friday Fiction Writing Prompt

    A Fiction Writing Prompt to stretch the literary muscles. No rules. No word counts. Simply write and explore.

    I squeezed, nothing. I pressed again, still nothing. Now, I was getting desperate Friday Fiction Writing Prompt

    I squeezed, nothing. I pressed again, still nothing. Now, I was getting desperate

    Writing Prompt Expanded

    This week’s Friday Fiction Writing Prompt is about frustration. Now you might feel there is enough frustration in your life already and that’s before you sit down and try to write. However, being able to describe frustration in your writing is a good skill.

    It is said that a bad workmen blames his tool. Here, you are not a bad workman, or person. Here, it is the tool of your trade that is letting you down. You’re pressing a button, squeezing a trigger, trying to turn something on… but nothing is happening.

    The prompt allows you to describe the frustration the narrator is having. They might need to fire a gun, they might need to call a lift to escape, they might be behind on preparing that special meal for that special someone. The choice of situation is yours, but whatever you choose, your challenge is to describe the complete and utter frustration.

    Enjoy your writing, but don’t get too frustrated if that key on the computer doesn’t respond straight away.

    As always these writing prompts are optional and entirely open to your own interpretation. Use them as a starting point for a short story or something a little more grandiose. If you do write something, please share it or a link, in the comments or tag me. I’d love to read what you create. Write and enjoy the learning process.

    Thank you for reading this post. Please share your thoughts in the comment section below.
    namaste
    d
    xox

    If you enjoyed this post please support my writing by making a donation of any amount.

    Sign up for my (ir)regular newsletter to keep up to date with my creative adventures, including special offers, and join me on Instagram | YouTube | Twitter | Pinterest

  • Loss – Friday Fiction Writing Prompt

    A Fiction Writing Prompt about loss to stretch the literary muscles. No rules. No word counts. Simply write and explore.

    The word never is often used and frequently said in haste, but its real meaning was clear to me now - Friday Fiction Writing Prompt

    The word never is often used and frequently said in haste, but its real meaning was clear to me now

    Writing Prompt Expanded

    This week’s Friday Fiction Writing Prompt is about loss. We’ve looked at happiness and now it is time for a little sadness. The set-up is simple, something has been lost, something precious to your character. The thing lost is gone and it will never be with the character again. It is all about exploring the emotions that accompany absence.

    Depending on your circumstances, and what you feel safe writing about, you can ‘lose’ anything. The ability to write objectively about something that can subjectively be very emotional for us can be difficult but is a valuable skill for writers of all genres and professions. The prompt has been created in the first person, but do change if that makes it easier for you.

    The item lost can be anything. As mentioned above I want you to feel safe so be wary of your subject matter. Here are some ideas of items that can be lost.

    • a person – the most basic loss that we all face at some point
    • a love – for someone or something (or other emotion or feeling)
    • an item – something that holds sentimental value, or practical importance
    • an ability – explore the frustration that follows as you realise you can’t do something
    • a pet – a loyal companion now gone

    It’s possible that all of the above could be used simultaneously if you’re writing a disaster epic.

    As always these writing prompts are optional and entirely open to your own interpretation. Use them as a starting point for a short story or something a little more grandiose. If you do write something, please share it or a link, in the comments or tag me. I’d love to read what you create. Write and enjoy the learning process.

    Original person imageby Anemone123 from Pixabay

    Thank you for reading this post. Please share your thoughts in the comment section below.
    namaste
    d
    xox

    If you enjoyed this post please support my writing by making a donation of any amount.

    Sign up for my (ir)regular newsletter to keep up to date with my creative adventures, including special offers, and join me on Instagram | YouTube | Twitter | Pinterest