Welcome to this week’s complete creative prompt. We begin with a single word, a creative prompt, and expand it to inspire fiction writing, journaling, and a host of other creative activities. These creative prompts, are to give me, and anyone else who wants to join in, some focus to our creative work.

Whenever a disaster, natural or otherwise, strikes — and with the nature of 24-hour news we are never far from hearing — after the initial shock we often want to know whether anyone was at fault. Our upset and anger and confusion need a little direction. We’re also quick at pointing the finger. We don’t like to consider how much we may be at fault. Therefore, this week’s creative prompt is:

Blame — assign the responsibility for a bad or unfortunate situation or phenomenon to (someone or something)

this is a general verb definition, but I do like the use of the word phenomenon… it feels a little supernatural

Let the prompt ‘blame’ inspire you in any area of creativity that you are interested:

• writing fiction
• journaling
• art journaling
• songwriting
• photography
• painting
• composing
• blog posts
• art therapy
• anything that could use a little nudge to begin

Let’s expand the word a little further…

Fiction Writing Prompt

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

Was it our fault for entering the house? Or should we blame the person who summoned the ghost?

Writing Prompt Expanded

We all, to varying degrees, have a sense of justice. When something goes wrong, we want to know why and who is to blame. Quite often, there is no single source of blame. Things are very rarely black and white. And in this writing prompt, things are very unclear, perhaps even ghostly transparent.

This prompt is all about exploring the concept of blame within a stressful environment. How often do characters in books and films argue about blame instead of getting out of harm’s way? A few thoughts to help.

• Why did the group go to the house?
• Why do different characters choose different things to blame?
• Is it the sight alone of the frightening ghost, or does the ghost act menacingly?
• And was it literally summoned?

The prompt is a bit more prescriptive this week. The setting is a house, there is a group of people and, apparently, there is a ghost. However, beyond those things, where the story goes is down to you. Scare yourself and your readers with the ghostly apparition, and perhaps let the group turn on each other as they cast blame. But remember, if you don’t decide to write anything, you only have yourself to blame. Have fun and enjoy.

Journal prompt

Journaling allows us to hold conversations on paper. From private diaries to creative art journals, we pour out our deepest thoughts. Blame is serious. If we are blaming others for something, then we really need a good reason. If we are blaming ourselves, we need to make sure it is to take responsibility and make some changes. Blame has negative connotations and yet if responsibility is accepted, and actions changed, blame becomes the first step in being better people and improving the world we live in.

Questions to answer, thoughts to explore, or images to create in your journal:

• Write any bad decisions or choices you think you have made. Now write I blame myself over the top. Finally, paint or collage over what you have written. Don’t blame yourself, but commit to learning from what happened.
• Do you find it easier to blame others or yourself? Why?
• Have you ever been wrongly accused and blamed for something, and how did you feel?
  

Theory of General Creativity

I now have ‘blame’ written on the board above my computer. I am confident it will inspire me on my creative journey this week. Not only that, but I am always blaming myself for not finishing my creative projects. I find it easier to make excuses and blame myself instead of just getting on and creating. And blaming my tools, be they digital or not, is far easier than learning how to use them correctly or fixing them when broken. I think I need to stop blaming and do.

Let ‘blame’ inspire your music, photography, and painting this week.

Finally…

As always, these creative prompts are optional and entirely open to your interpretation. Use them as a starting point for a short story, something a little more grandiose, or any other creative projects.

As mentioned before, this isn’t a ‘challenge’ but the prompts can be used that way if you want. If you do create anything using them, I would love to see or hear about it. Leave a link in the comments below, or tag me #thecreativeminimalist on any social platform.

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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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Welcome to this week’s complete creative prompt exploring water. We begin with a single creative prompt word and expand it to inspire fiction writing, journaling and a host of other creative activities. These creative prompts, are to give me, and anyone else who wants to join in, some focus to our creative work.

I am blessed in many, many ways. I have to admit, I am also privileged in all I have and where I find myself. Being in this position means I find it easy to take my blessings and privileges for granted. Keeping a gratitude journal or at least a simple list of things I am thankful for helps to remind me. One of the greatest blessings I currently enjoy is being close to the sea. In just a few minutes I can be listening to the lapping, or crashing of waves and breathing in the briny sea air. Therefore, this week’s creative prompt is:

Water — a colourless, transparent, odourless liquid that forms the seas, lakes, rivers, and rain and is the basis of the fluids of living organisms

this is a general definition, but I love the way despite having no colour or smell and lacking opacity it is so important to life

Let the prompt ‘water’ inspire you in any area of creativity that you are interested:

• writing fiction
• journaling
• art journaling
• songwriting
• photography
• painting
• composing
• blog posts
• art therapy
• anything that could use a little nudge to begin

Let’s expand the word a little further…

Fiction Writing Prompt

The Fiction Writing Prompt exploring water aims to stretch the literary muscles. No rules. No word counts. Simply write and explore.

I tried to focus my eyes. Was this yet another mirage, or had I finally found some water?

Writing Prompt Expanded

We have already seen in its definition that water is essential to life. Humans can survive for some considerable time without food, but without water, we soon lose our ability to function. Our protagonist is in such a position. It’s your challenge to explain why they find themselves in such a situation.

This prompt is all about describing how our character finds themself in this precarious position but using language that shows their faculties are struggling.

• Why are they desperately in need of water?
• What was the previous mirage they saw?
• How is the lack of water affecting their other senses, mind and body?

Being able to describe a character who is challenged is a valuable skill. Most of our writing calls upon our experience. However, it is unlikely that many of us have found ourselves in desperate need of water. One way of approaching this is to exaggerate the feelings and memories we do have. Our amplified written feelings of need should be able to resonate with our readers. Our description of desperation should be indistinguishable from the real thing, similar to the mirage in the prompt.

Have fun, but don’t forget to drink your water as you draw from the creative well.

Journal prompt

Journaling allows us to hold conversations on paper. From private diaries to creative art journals, we pour out our deepest thoughts. If you work in an art journal, you’ll probably use water a lot. It helps mix colours, merge colours and can be a base for various mediums to act interestingly.

As metaphor water can be used in many ways, and some words that relate directly are, flow, soak, saturate, refresh, erode, and even cry.

Questions to answer, thoughts to explore or images to create in your journal:

• When was the last time you cried real tears, and why?
• What shapes can you draw that remind you of water?
• On some decent paper, add a wash of water and then add drops of ink or watered-down paint to create interesting shapes?

Theory of General Creativity

I now have ‘water’ written on the board above my computer. I am confident it will inspire me on my creative journey this week. Water was one of the four ancient elements. As such, it is part of the myth and magic of Alchemy. This medieval practice, of mixing and changing the elements and base metals, has many similarities to creativity. We take, we mix, we create. Whatever creative ventures we embark on, water can play an essential part, just like it does for life as we know it.

Let ‘water’ inspire your music, photography, and painting this week.

Finally…

As always, these creative prompts are optional and entirely open to your interpretation. Use them as a starting point for a short story, something a little more grandiose, or any creative ideas and ventures.

As mentioned before, this isn’t a ‘challenge’ but the prompts can be used that way if you want. If you do create anything using them, I would love to see or hear about it. Leave a link in the comments below, or tag me #thecreativeminimalist on any social platform.

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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

Welcome to this week’s complete creative prompt. We begin with a single creative prompt word and expand it to inspire fiction writing, journaling, and a host of other creative activities. These creative prompts, are to give me, and anyone else who wants to join in, some focus to our creative work.

These past few weeks, I have been struggling to create. Yes, the creative minimalist has been creating minimally. We all get these creative lulls and low points when the creative well apparently runs dry. However, I am sure there is more to creativity than what we can see. At the very least there is serendipity, and depending on the way you define that word, you may view creativity through a spiritual or supernatural lens. My serendipity moment was that before my creative well ran dry, I had already chosen this week’s word. This week’s creative prompt is:

Blank — a space left to be filled

So, a prompt with a difference this week. The prompt itself is the creative struggle we often face.

Let the prompt ‘blank’ inspire you in any area of creativity that you are interested in:

• writing fiction
• journaling
• art journaling
• songwriting
• photography
• painting
• composing
• blog posts
• art therapy
• anything that could use a little nudge to begin

Let’s expand the word a little further…

Fiction Writing Prompt

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

The blank page stared at me, challenging me to make a mark. It remained untouched.

Writing Prompt Expanded

The blank page is one of the most frightening places for a writer to find themselves. Writing on the computer is just as intimidating. Programs may offer pretty formatting, but the first words still need to be typed. So, this prompt faces the very real fear that so many of us face.

The prompt allows us to step inside the mind of a writer by being a writer. Have you noticed how many authors use writers for protagonists? Here are a few questions to get you started on that blank page.

• What is the reason for their blank page?
• Is there a deadline involved, and what is it?
• Is this the first time they have struggled, or is it a regular occurrence?

The blank page is common to all writers. The first sentence and even the first word can feel like an insurmountable barrier. Using a form of prompts, perhaps a series of questions can help. Putting down random words related to what you want to write about is another place to start. The trick is to add something, anything, to eliminate the blank page. A journey starts with the first step, and your writing begins with the first word. Write it now.

Journal prompt

Journaling allows us to hold conversations on paper. From private diaries to creative art journals, we pour out our deepest thoughts. Depending on what sort of journaling we do, we can still find the blank page daunting. Creating a ‘box’ of ideas to call upon when we are unsure what to do is a great way to keep creating and writing. The ‘box’ can be a literal box or jar with ideas and prompts written, or a virtual list on an app.

Questions to answer, thoughts to explore, or images to create in your journal:

• Make just one mark on a blank journal page. Finished? Or make another mark. Repeat.
• Write about how and when you find it difficult to write in your journal.
• Was there a time you found it easy/difficult to write? Why?

Theory of General Creativity

I now have ‘blank’ written on the board above my computer. I am hoping it will help guide me from my current barren spell. Just the act of writing blank on my board has meant the board is no longer blank. And remember what I wrote earlier, there is always a little serendipity at work in the world. Be aware and capture any serendipitous moments and watch the blank page fill up.

Let ‘blank’ inspire your music, photography, and painting this week.

Finally…

As always, these creative prompts are optional and entirely open to your interpretation. Use them as a starting point for a short story, something a little more grandiose, or any creative venture.

As mentioned before, this isn’t a ‘challenge’ but the prompts can be used that way if you want. If you do create anything using them, I would love to see or hear about it. Leave a link in the comments below, or tag me #thecreativeminimalist on any social platform.

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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

Welcome to this week’s complete creative prompt. We begin with a single creative prompt word and expand it to inspire fiction writing, journaling and a host of other creative activities. These creative prompts, are to give me, and anyone else who wants to join in, some focus to our creative work.

If there is anything the past year or so has shown, it is that nothing is permanent. We all know this deep down, but the pandemic has placed it firmly in our vision. Despite the technological advances and new amazing architectural structures before our eyes, it was a microscopic virus that demonstrates impermanence. Even so, we still try to use phrases like the ‘new normal’ because some of us don’t like things to be different. Therefore, this week’s creative prompt is:

Change — make/become different, alter or modify

this is just one definition, change can refer to many things, it can be a verb and a noun, but the essence of meaning remains

Let the prompt ‘change’ inspire you in any area of creativity that you are interested in:

• writing fiction
• journaling
• art journaling
• songwriting
• photography
• painting
• composing
• blog posts
• art therapy
• anything that could use a little nudge to begin

Let’s expand the word a little further with a few specific ideas…

Fiction Writing Prompt

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

It was a subtle change, but she could tell the item had been replaced.

Writing Prompt Expanded

Some of us struggle with change. Part of the reason for this is that change brings with it the unknown. When something falls outside what we expect, or what should be, the fear can kick in. Fear of the unknown is debilitating for some. In this prompt, something has changed, but whether fear is the overriding emotion is down to you.

Here are a few questions to get you going:

• What is the item?
• Why is the item of importance?
• What is the subtle change?

Our protagonist knows something has changed, but what and why is down to you. The challenge is to convey the character’s feelings. These can be either positive or negative depending on the context of your fiction. Can your reader relate to the feelings shared by the character? Enjoy the challenge as you improve and change your writing for the better.

Journal prompt

Journaling allows us to hold conversations on paper. From private diaries to creative art journals, we pour out our deepest thoughts. Some of us loathe change, while others thrive on the uncertainty it brings. Writing about changes that happen to us is a way journaling can help. We share how we feel, our fears and our hopes. Later we can look back and see whether those thoughts became reality.

Questions to answer, thoughts to explore or images to create in your journal:

• Do you embrace or fear change, and why?
• Draw a simple shape and change it into a real or imaginary creature?
• Make a list of three, or more, things you would like to change in your life and see if you can find one action to begin that change?

Theory of General Creativity

I now have ‘change’ written on the board above my computer. I am confident it will inspire me on my creative journey this week. Several years ago, I took a selfie every day for several months. It was astonishing to see how much I changed during that short period of time. Photography is a great way to capture change. The snapshots of any process show us how much even the simplest of things change over time. Going back to the original definition above, creativity is so often about altering and modifying. Music, painting, and inventions all rely on change, alteration, and modification.

Let ‘change’ inspire your music, photography, painting and all over creative endeavours this week.

Finally…

As always, these creative prompts are optional and entirely open to your interpretation. Use them as a starting point for a short story, something a little more grandiose, or anything creative. Open the journal and write, paint or draw. Pick up the guitar or ukulele and alter a simple chord pattern you already know.

As mentioned before, this isn’t a ‘challenge’ but the prompts can be used that way if you want. If you do create anything using them, I would love to see or hear about it. Leave a link in the comments below, or tag me #thecreativeminimalist on any social platform. Embrace change, and even if we are uncertain of what might emerge, enjoy as you create.

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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

Welcome to this week’s complete creative prompt. We begin with a single creative prompt word and expand it to inspire fiction writing, journaling, and a host of other creative activities. These creative prompts, are to give me, and anyone else who wants to join in, some focus to our creative work.

I admit I like science fiction. I read it, I watch it and I have an interest, if not the understanding, of the physics often involved. Likewise, I am fascinated by the thinking and arguments for and against the existence of life beyond our little blue world. It seems like every day, there is an announcement concerning the discovery of another planet beyond our solar system. What are these planets like? What life could they contain? Therefore, this week’s creative prompt is:

Alien — belonging to a foreign country: an alien culture (of a plant or animal species) introduced from another country and later naturalised

this is a general definition, and of course there is the popular definition; supposedly from another world; extraterrestrial

Despite my preoccupation with little green men, the word alien has a much broader definition. And, as I discovered, it is derived from the Latin alienus, which means belonging to another.

Let the prompt ‘alien’ inspire you in any area of creativity that you are interested in:

• writing fiction
• journaling
• art journaling
• songwriting
• photography
• painting
• composing
• blog posts
• art therapy
• anything that could use a little nudge to begin

Let’s expand the word a little further…

Fiction Writing Prompt

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

I stepped through the airlock and surveyed the alien world around me.

Writing Prompt Expanded

Talking about climate change means we are more aware of the environment. Subtle differences in temperatures and chemical composition affect our environment. Remove an apex predator from the food chain, and the former prey can run amok. Can you think about all these things and create an alien environment?

This prompt is all about using your imagination to build a unique, exciting, and awe-inspiring world.

• What environmental elements shape your world?
• How different are the colours of the world, and do you know why?
• What is the gravity of this world, and how does it affect you and the environment?
• Why has the native flora and fauna evolved the way it has?

The reason for this visit to an alien planet is down to you. You could be terraforming or exploring. Or have you been sent to this planet against your will; is it some form of exile, or did you crash-land? The choice is yours, the only rule is to have fun and let your imagination run free. Write as you walk out onto an alien landscape.

If you’d like to explore some remarkable alien world-building, I highly recommend The Spatterjay Series by Neal Asher and Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky (affiliate links).

Journal prompt

Journaling allows us to hold conversations on paper. From private diaries to creative art journals, we pour out our deepest thoughts. Although I’ve so far focused on the extraterrestrial nature of ‘alien’, it is often used to refer to and illustrate not belonging. Feelings of alienation can affect us deeply, and like all strong feelings and emotions, exploring them in our journal is a great way to work them out.

Questions to answer, thoughts to explore, or images to create in your journal:

• Draw or paint an alien world where all the colours are different to the earth’s?
• Create an alien collage by using cut out bits of insects and animals?
• Write about a time you felt like you didn’t belong?

Theory of General Creativity

I now have ‘alien’ written on the board above my computer. I am confident it will inspire me on my creative journey this week. Feelings of alienation have often featured in my poetry and lyrics. I don’t think I am in that place currently, but being able to draw on my memories is a vital creative tool. And, just glancing up at the sky and seeing the stars and galaxies illustrates the infinite creative possibilities available. As I look, I wonder if some other creative, on a distant planet, is looking back at me and thinking the same, although alien, thoughts.

Let ‘alien’ inspire your music, photography, and painting this week.

Finally…

As always, these creative prompts are optional and entirely open to your interpretation. Use them as a starting point for a short story, something a little more grandiose.

This isn’t a ‘challenge’ but the prompts can be used that way if you want. If you do create anything using them, I would love to see or hear about it. Leave a link in the comments below, or tag me #thecreativeminimalist on any social platform.

Credits?

Original planet image by JCK5D from Pixabay

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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

Welcome to this week’s complete creative prompt. We begin with a single creative prompt word and expand it to inspire fiction writing, journaling and a host of other creative activities. These creative prompts, are to give me, and anyone else who wants to join in, something to focus on in our creative work.

We live in a digital age. Information is available at the touch of a button and the connection to a network. Binary code delivers whatever we want to know, some things that we don’t want to know, and cute videos of animals. Words, images, and sound appear on screens and speakers of all sizes. However, we still have and create things in print. Before digital, we had the printing press, before the press there were pens and brushes. Therefore, this week’s creative prompt is:

Ink — a coloured fluid or paste used for writing, drawing, printing, or duplicating

this is just one definition, I couldn’t leave out the fact that some of my favourite cephalopods use ink to confuse predators

Let the prompt ‘ink’ inspire you in any area of creativity that you are interested:

• writing fiction
• journaling
• art journaling
• songwriting
• photography
• painting
• composing
• blog posts
• art therapy
• anything that could use a little nudge to begin

Let’s expand the word a little further…

Fiction Writing Prompt

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

It was time. I had put this off for too long. I picked up the pen and dipped the nib in the ink.

Writing Prompt Expanded

I love stationery. I love pens. Yes, that is my dipping pen in the picture. However, I also have plenty of blank pages. I can be a procrastinator, putting things off until the last minute. I might be unsure what to write or scared to say what I really think and feel, or simply afraid to make the first mark through fear of making a mistake.

This prompt, in one sense, is about facing a creative person’s worst nightmare, the blank page. Remember though, this is fiction… really… sort of.

• What have you been putting off?
• Why are you using a pen and ink?
• How do you encourage yourself to make the first mark?

The writing perspective is the first person, but that, as always, can be changed. The challenge is to convey the reason using the ink has taken so long. It is about exploring fear. It might be insubstantial, but it has still stopped you from using it. Time to overcome any writing or drawing fears and put ink pen to paper in this piece of fiction.

Journal prompt

Journaling allows us to hold conversations on paper. From private diaries to art journals, we pour out our deepest thoughts. Inkblots can mean many things and have been used to explore personality. Spill some ink on a page. Blot it with another piece of paper. What do you see? Can you add other art embellishments to turn it into something?

Questions to answer, thoughts to explore or images to create in your journal:

• Do you find the first ink mark the most difficult?
• Why?
• Do you like your handwriting? What do you like or dislike about it?

Theory of General Creativity

I now have ‘ink’ written on the board above my computer. I am confident it will inspire me on my creative journey this week. However, I struggle with messy art or writing. Ink, for me, has always been a medium where I make a mess. However, as I create more and more, I have realised that often creativity happens in the mess. Perfect doesn’t exist. Smudges, stains and splatters, either literal or metaphorical, are where the creative magic happens. I need to be messier.

Let ‘ink’ inspire your music, photography, and painting this week.

Finally…

As always, these creative prompts are optional and entirely open to your interpretation. Use them as a starting point for a short story or something a little more grandiose, an ATC, large canvas or journal page. Commit it to paper in ink.

As mentioned before, this isn’t a ‘challenge’ but the prompts can be used that way if you want. If you do create anything using them, I would love to see or hear about it. Leave a link in the comments below or tag me @darrenrhill or #thecreativeminimalist on any social platform.

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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