darren r hill

the creative minimalist

Tag: writing prompt

  • Using Box as a Weekly Creative Prompt

    box - weekly creative prompt

    It’s springtime and like many others, I have been tidying, sorting and clearing things out. As a consequence of this spring cleaning, piles of boxes have been moved, used and emptied. And, of course, that has got me thinking creatively about these containers and their metaphorical meaning.

    This week’s creative prompt is box. Each week we begin with a single word and expand it to inspire writing fiction, journaling and other creative activities. These creative prompts, are to give me, and anyone else who wants to join in, some inspiration for creative work, personal development and even a little self-care.

    The word box can mean and be used in many things. It is the sort of word that has literal, practical uses, but also has metaphorical and even spiritual connotations. It is a business cliche to ‘think outside the box’ and is often used by businesses in the wrong way leading to a move away from their core aim. However, for creativity, thinking outside of the box, or the rules, is what makes genius art.

    Definitions include…

    box — a container with a flat base and sides, typically square or rectangular and having a lid, an area on a page that is to be filled in or that contains separate printed matter, a separate section or enclosed area reserved for a group of people, a protective casing for a piece of a mechanism

    — verb: put in or provide with a box

    Box has an additional meaning to hit, or fight, using hands or fists. It’s not really what I had in mind for a creative prompt. However, sometimes the only way out of a situation, especially creative ruts, is to fight or let off some steam, to punch something even if that punch is metaphorical.

    Box can be used as a noun and verb

    Box, boxed

    Related

    carton, pack, packet, package; case, crate, chest, trunk, coffer, casket, hamper, canteen; bin, drum, canister; container, receptacle, repository, holder, vessel, booth, cubicle, kiosk, cabin, hut; enclosure, compartment, carrel, cupboard, cubbyhole, alcove, bay, recess, and package, pack, parcel, wrap, bundle, bale, crate, stow, store, put away

    Antonyms

    unbox, open

    box is summed up for me as a container, either wanted or not.

    Let the prompt ‘box’ 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

    Writing prompt

    I had no idea what was inside. However, I began to remove the box’s lid. - fiction writing prompt

    A Fiction Writing Prompt exploring the word box to stretch the literary muscles. No rules. No word counts. Simply write and explore. It’s time to let your creative writing skills free.

    I had no idea what was inside. However, I began to remove the box’s lid.

    Writing Prompt Expanded

    As part of my spring clean, I have been putting things into boxes. Each box is even a nice label so I know exactly what’s in it. I have a habit of forgetting what I have and where it is, therefore boxes and labels are my friends. I know what I have stored.

    Our protagonist doesn’t. A box could contain a treasure or something else. Let’s explore…

    • What size and shape is the box?
    • Why don’t they know what it contains, have they just found it?
    • How d they feel as they lift the lid?

    Apart from a box with unknown contents, everything else is down to you, the writer. The prompt is in the first person, but you can change that if you want. The contents of the box could be anything, let your imagination run. As mentioned it could be treasure, it could be dangerous, it could be something seemingly unknowable, remember Pandora!

    Enjoy and may the contents of the box lead you to write an inspiring tale. Bring the contents and your ideas outside the box.

    Quick fiction writing

    Set a time limit, use the following random prompts and write a short piece of fiction.

    • Character: child
    • Place: playground
    • Item: surrounded by a box marked in chalk

    Journal prompt

    I often use boxes in my journal. They are used to highlight important things. They are used to separate areas, to make them distinct. I also find myself writing the same thing. Quite often I am writing negative things over and over again. I end up putting myself in a box, defining and limiting myself. Next time I do that, I’ll contain those negative thoughts in lines. I’ll box them up and then cross them out with a big black marker. Time to get outside self-made boxes that limit us.

    Three ideas for your journal

    • think about your articular creative pastime. How can you think outside the box and create differently. Write a list that breaks the rules
    • draw, paint or collage an image made entirely of box shapes (literal cubism, or boxism)
    • draw a box in the centre of your page, write negative thoughts, feelings or habits within. Cover it with a positive image

    Theory of General Creativity

    I now have ‘box’ written on the board above my computer. I am confident it will inspire me on my creative journey this week. I am involved in far too many creative projects. I find zoning them and putting them into literal boxes helps me to focus on one at a time. And I now have all my pens, paints and other creative tools in their own box or area. That should help.

    • capture boxes or square/rectangle shapes and lines with your camera
    • paint a cube with something inside
    • explore escaping any boxes that contain and hold you back in songwriting or poetry

    Let ‘box(es)’ 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, a moment in your journal, something a little more grandiose or any creative project or idea.

    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.

    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

  • Waves Weekly creative prompt

    I have the amazing privilege of living within walking distance of the sea. If I need to reconnect with nature I can be standing next to the untamed wilderness of the ocean in minutes. I can be face to face with its beauty and its danger.

    This week’s creative prompt is waves. Each week we begin with a single word and expand it to inspire writing fiction, journaling and other creative activities. These creative prompts, are to give me, and anyone else who wants to join in, some inspiration for creative work, personal development and even a little self-care.

    The word waves can mean many things. It can be the waves upon the water, a friendly gesture or a way of upsetting the status quo. All variations on frequencies and ripples in different settings and situations. And if we think in terms of frequencies, then everything we can see is down to waves.

    Definitions include…

    wave (singular of waves)

    — verb: move one’s hand to and fro in greeting or as a signal, move (one’s hand or arm, or something held in one’s hand) to and fro, convey (a greeting or other message), instruct (someone) to move in a particular direction by moving one’s hand, move to and fro with a swaying motion

    — noun: a long body of water curling into an arched form and breaking on the shore, a ridge of water between two depressions in open water, a shape regarded as resembling a breaking wave, a sudden occurrence of or increase in a phenomenon, feeling, or emotion, a periodic disturbance of the particles of a substance

    Wave(s) can be used as a verb and noun

    Related

    move to and fro, move up and down, wag, waggle; swing, shake, swish, sweep, swipe, brandish, flourish, flaunt, wield, flick, flutter, ripple, flutter, undulate, stir, flap, sway, swing, waft, shake, quiver, oscillate, move, gesture, gesticulate, signal, sign, beckon, indicate, motion, nod, bid, vibration, oscillation, undulation.

    Antonyms

    stillness, calm, unmoving, static

    waves, for me, are something moving, there is motion.

    Let the prompt ‘waves’ 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

    Writing prompt

    A Fiction Writing Prompt exploring the word waves to stretch the literary muscles. No rules. No word counts. Simply write and explore. It’s time to let your creative writing skills free.

    I face the Waves, but would I cross them or be engulfed?

    Writing Prompt Expanded

    When I look at the sea I can feel so much potential. There is energy from the waves themselves, the thoughts of travelling across them and the danger of riptides and currents. When I look at the waves I feel inspired.

    That’s what inspired this prompt. We begin with the waves in front of your protagonist and their potential. Let’s explore…

    • Why is the character looking at the waves?
    • What has led them to this point in their life?
    • Are the waves literal or metaphorical?

    The context for this prompt is entirely up to you. It is set in the first person as this can make it easier to describe feelings and emotions, however, feel free to change this. The challenge here is to capture and describe the two potential outcomes, one positive and the other not so, from the perspective of the protagonist.

    Enjoy and may the words wash upon the page like waves upon the shore.

    Quick fiction writing

    Set a time limit, use the following random prompts and write a short piece of fiction.

    • Character: albatross
    • Place: above the ocean
    • Item: floating branch

    Journal prompt

    I am a bit of a worrier. When I stand on the beach and see the waves I can let the feelings of being overwhelmed and the fear of the unknown take hold. Exploring my fears and worries in my journal often follows a visit to the beach. And journaling is the perfect place to dream of travelling across the waves to distant shores and lands where dreams become realities. Again, either literal or metaphorical.

    Three ideas for your journal

    • explore your metaphorical waves that appear before your dreams
    • draw, paint or collage a representation of waves
    • draw wavy lines and make them into a background for your art journal

    Theory of General Creativity

    I now have ‘waves’ written on the board above my computer. I am confident it will inspire me on my creative journey this week. The uniqueness of each wave is an inspiration, each can have a different frequency or amplitude, an almost limitless range.

    • capture waves with your camera, either on the sea or items waving in the air
    • paint the sea with its waves, but are they calm or wild?
    • explore the building of an emotional wave in songwriting or poetry

    Let ‘waves’ 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, a moment in your journal, something a little more grandiose or any creative project or idea.

    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.

    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

  • Spirit Weekly creative prompt

    spirit weekly creative prompt

    At times, my world, or life, feels a bit like a paradox. On the one hand, I love science and fact, understanding how and why things work and exist. On the other, I believe in the supernatural, the unseen, the literally unprovable. And it is that unseen aspect that we will explore.

    This week’s creative prompt is spirit. Each week we begin with a single word and expand it to inspire writing fiction, journaling and other creative activities. These creative prompts, are to give me, and anyone else who wants to join in, some inspiration for creative work, personal development and even a little self-care.

    Spirit means many things, as can be seen below. Yet the main aspect I want to explore is its unseen nature, and how close the unseen and the seen really are.

    When Paul writes in the New Testament (Galatians 5:22–23) about the Spirit, an unseen entity, he explains that although the Spirit can’t be seen, its fruits or its practical application in life is visible. The unseen and the seen are a lot closer than we think. It’s the same in most belief systems, through both good and evil actions.

    And spirit isn’t limited to religion. The word is used in business, sport and other activities to inspire actions and make choices.

    spirit, spirits, spirited

    Definitions

    spirit — noun

    • the non-physical part of a person
    • a supernatural being: shrines to nature spirits
    • the prevailing or typical quality, mood, or attitude of a person, group, or period of time
    • a person’s prominent quality or with their role in a group or movement
    • a person’s mood
    • a person’s attitude
    • the quality of courage, energy, and determination
    • the real meaning or intention behind something

    verb; (spirits, spiriting, spirited) convey rapidly and secretly

    Spirit can be an Individual or mass noun and is used with or without an adjective. It also has a related verb.

    Related

    soul, psyche, inner self, inner being, essential being, ego, id, ka, atman, life force, animating principle, vital spark, breath of life, ghost, phantom, spectre, apparition, wraith, shadow, presence, temperament, disposition, character, nature, personality, complexion, mind, heart, attitude, real/true meaning, essence, substance.

    Antonyms

    body, flesh

    spirit is summed up for me as something unseen. And I believe it can be both personal and inanimate.

    Let the prompt ‘spirit’ 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

    Writing prompt

    "That's the spirit," they said. Little did they know what spirit was leading me.. @darrenrhill - fiction writing prompt

    A Fiction Writing Prompt exploring the word spirit to stretch the literary muscles. No rules. No word counts. Simply write and explore. It’s time to let your creative writing skills free.

    “That’s the spirit,” they said. Little did they know what spirit was leading me..

    Writing Prompt Expanded

    I wanted something fun and open for this writing prompt. Although the speech and response are quite direct, the context isn’t. We touch on an action of some sort and an unseen reason why our protagonist, who is also our narrator, is acting this way.

    That’s what this prompt is all about, explaining how and why someone is acting in a certain way. So let’s explore.

    • What is the setting?
    • What is the action?
    • What spirit is behind it all?

    The context for this prompt is entirely up to you. You could go down the supernatural route of unseen angels or demons, jinns or other animistic beings. Or, another more literal spirit in the form of alcohol. There is also the possibility of a previous event that leads to feelings being revisited, creating a spirit of fear or anxiety or bravery.

    Enjoy and may the spirit of literary creativity enable your words to flow on the page.

    Quick fiction writing

    Set a time limit, use the following random prompts and write a short piece of fiction.

    • Character: ghost
    • Place: kitchen
    • Item: closed diary

    Journal prompt

    Sitting down and writing in a journal is an important part of my day. I look back and review what I have done. I do my best to think about why I have done something. What was driving me? Why did I do this or that? What was the spirit within prompting and inspiring? The reason for this is to try to understand the reasons and then change my actions for the better if needed… and that is quite often.

    Three ideas for your journal

    • explore why you did a particular action today
    • draw, paint or collage a representation of spirit
    • draw a tree, give it a living soul or spirit.. does it smile?

    Theory of General Creativity

    I now have ‘spirit’ written on the board above my computer. I am confident it will inspire me on my creative journey this week. Life is a mix of seen and unseen things; creativity is a mix of unseen inspiration within and its seen creation.

    • capture some clouds with your camera as the spirit of the wind blows them across the sky
    • what colour represents your own spirit… paint it
    • what unseen emotions drive your songwriting or poetry?

    Let ‘spirit’ 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, a moment in your journal, something a little more grandiose or any creative project or idea.

    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.

    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

  • Tangle Weekly creative prompt

    tangle weekly creative prompt over an image of tangles roots

    To say the world and therefore life has been a little complicated and messed up over the past few years would be an understatement. From Climate to Covid, Vaccinations to inVasions these times are not quite as straightforward as some might like. And my mind struggles to find any simple solutions. And so…

    This week’s creative prompt is Tangle. Each week we begin with a single word and expand it to inspire writing fiction, journaling and other creative activities. These creative prompts, are to give me, and anyone else who wants to join in, some inspiration for creative work, personal development and even a little self-care.

    Not only is the world a little tangled but my own life feels the same. Like a piece of string that appeared straight and stretched out is actually twisted and rolled up into a ball. It can be unpicked I am sure, but at the moment everything feels entangled… and I love that version of the word.

    When things get tangled, untangling is the only thing to do if you want to get anywhere.

    Tangle, tangled, entangled

    Definitions

    tangle — verb; twist into a confused mass, make complicated or confused or become involved in a conflict

    noun; a confused mass, a confused or complicated state or a fight, argument, or disagreement

    tangled — adjective; twisted together untidily, complicated and confused

    Related

    entangle, snarl, catch, entwine, intertwine, intertwist, twist, ravel, knot, enmesh, coil, mat, jumble, muddle, disorder, web or come into conflict, become involved, have a dispute, dispute, argue, quarrel, fight, row, wrangle, squabble, contend, cross swords, lock horns

    Antonyms

    untangle, disentangle, unravel

    Tangle is summed up for me as a mess. Fortunately, most messes can be cleaned up.

    Let the prompt ‘tangle’ 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

    Writing prompt

    It was a mess, distinct yet entangled. It needed sorting. @darrenrhill fiction writing prompt

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

    It was a mess, distinct yet entangled. It needed sorting.

    Writing Prompt Expanded

    When things get messy we have a choice, leave it or clean it up. Depending on the situation one may be easier than the other. Some messes are more serious than others, they may have far-reaching consequences both for ourselves and others.

    That’s what this prompt is all about. There’s a mess and your protagonist has decided that it needs to be cleaned up. So let’s explore.

    • What is tangled?
    • Why are they tangled?
    • How can they be untangled?

    The context for this prompt is entirely up to you. The challenge is to create the mess and work out how to sort it. This is what all basic plots are. There is a situation and your character or characters have to resolve it. The situation can be personal, major or minor, or it could be on a global scale. The choice as always is yours.

    Enjoy and may your words flow untangled as they first create and then resolve the messy situation.

    Quick fiction writing

    Set a time limit, use the following random prompts and write a short piece of fiction.

    • Character: retired lady
    • Place: bedroom, getting ready to go out
    • Item: two gold necklaces… tangled

    Journal prompt

    When I get in a mess, and I often do, I open up my journal. I write down how I feel, any relevant details and then see if I can work out what to do. However, it is easy to think that everything that is tangles is negative. Sometimes we want or even need to be entangled. Being tangled can be intentional and good for the soul.

    Three ideas for your journal

    • twist and roll up a pieces of string or twine, dip in paint or ink and print
    • draw a squiggle of a line over a page and keep doing it until you have a mess… can you highlight any shapes?
    • is there a situation in your life than needs untangling? Create a plan

    Theory of General Creativity

    I now have ‘tangle’ written on the board above my computer. I am confident it will inspire me on my creative journey this week. Life is messy and tangled and life is art and art is life; entangled creativity.

    • capture tangles items with your camera
    • tangle and mix up items, colour and even sounds that don’t normally go together and see what happens
    • untangle and keep elements apart in your visual art

    Let ‘tangle’ 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, a moment in your journal, something a little more grandiose or any creative project or idea.

    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.

    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

  • Reflect Weekly creative prompt

    It’s been a while but the weekly creative prompt is back. After a period of personal reflection, the creative minimalist is once again pulling together some thoughts and ideas to inspire your own creative journey. And as such…

    This week’s creative prompt is Reflect. Each week we begin with a single word and expand it to inspire writing fiction, journaling and other creative activities. These creative prompts, are to give me, and anyone else who wants to join in, some inspiration for creative work, personal development and even a little self-care.

    Recently the concept of reflecting has been bouncing around my mind. The moon reflects the sun’s light. Water is a reflective surface. At Lent Christians reflect on how they live, re-evaluating their relationship with the divine, giving up something to be closer to God. Reflecting is done in a lot of ways and at a lot of places.

    I reflect on what I have done; I think about what I can do.

    Definitions

    reflect — throw back (heat, light, or sound) without absorbing it, show an image of, embody or represent (something) in a faithful or appropriate way, think deeply or carefully about

    Reflect is a verb. It can be used with an object or without. It is also a word that has quite a few synonyms, so let’s use those to expand our creative thinking.

    Related

    send back, cast back, give back, bounce back, shine back, return, mirror

    indicate, show, display, demonstrate, be evidence of, register, reveal, betray, evince, disclose, exhibit, manifest; express, bespeak, communicate, bear out, attest, prove, evidence.

    think about, give thought to, consider, give consideration to, review, mull over, contemplate, study, cogitate about/on, meditate on, muse on, deliberate about/on, ruminate about/on/over, dwell on, brood on/over, agonise over, worry about, chew over, puzzle over, speculate about, weigh up, turn over in one’s mind

    Reflect denotes representation. It conjures up images of mirrors, water and other reflective surfaces, duplicates and tessellations.

    Let the prompt ‘reflect’ 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

    Writing prompt

    Life flashed before her/his eyes. As time subjectively stretched, she/he reflected on a life... fiction writing prompt @darrenrhill over an image of light reflecting on water

    A Fiction Writing Prompt exploring the word reflect to stretch the literary muscles. No rules. No word counts. Simply write and explore. This prompt may trigger some deep feelings if you have recently lost someone close, so only explore it if you feel able.

    Life flashed before her/his eyes. As time subjectively stretched, she/he reflected on a life…

    Writing Prompt Expanded

    Some believe that just before the moment of death our lives flash before our eyes. This prompt is all about exploring that moment in a fictional aspect. This may be due to culture’s history with the belief in an afterlife in many religions. See all life and decide whether the positive outweighs the negative.

    Of course, this doesn’t have to be about death, it could be a near-death experience, just a scare or anything that triggers the reflection. The focus though is reflecting on what has gone before and viewing those events and feelings in perhaps a more objective way than when the event first took place.

    • What are the life moments being reflected upon?
    • How are events different reliving and reflecting on them?
    • Overall was the life positive or negative, good or bad, or both?

    The context for this prompt is entirely up to you. The challenge is to describe the events in a more objective way. This means looking at them without the initial emotions clouding your view. We can feel angry or upset when something first occurs, but then later, we realise that those emotions may have been misplaced.

    Enjoy and may your words flow quickly and only slow when you reflect on and edit them.

    Quick fiction writing

    Set a time limit, use the following random prompts and write a short piece of fiction.

    • Character: two year old child
    • Place: on the floor (with Mum’s handbag)
    • Item: mirror

    Journal prompt

    If one word could describe the time in my journals it would be reflect. I have to admit it could be too much time. I spend far too long reflecting and not finding any solutions or acting on the conclusions when occasionally they do come along. However, as a word to start with reflecting on your day, or recent events is great way to clear your mind, organise your thoughts and understand ourself a little better.

    Three ideas for your journal

    • reflect on your day, what was good, bad and what could you have done differently
    • find a picture, stick it down and draw a reflection of it
    • paint, draw and/or collage using shiny, reflective materials

    Theory of General Creativity

    I now have ‘reflect’ written on the board above my computer. I am confident it will inspire me on my creative journey this week and I will do, not simply reflect, on what I write in my journal.

    • capture reflective surfaces or reflections with your camera
    • take a step back and reflect on what the next step is when planning a project
    • reflections are different from the original, they are mirrored. Mirror a theme or melody, make it similar but not the same

    Let ‘reflect’ 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, a moment in your journal, something a little more grandiose or any creative project or idea.

    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.

    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

  • Adventure. Weekly creative prompt

    adventure weekly creative prompt @darrenrhill

    This week’s creative prompt is Adventure. Each week we begin with a single word and expand it to inspire writing fiction, journaling and other creative activities. These creative prompts, are to give me, and anyone else who wants to join in, some inspiration for our creative work.

    Definitions

    adventure — an unusual and exciting or daring experience, excitement associated with danger or the taking of risks, a reckless or potentially hazardous action or enterprise, engage in daring or risky activity

    Adventure can be used as a noun or verb.

    Related

    escapade, deed, feat, trial, experience, incident, occurrence, event, happening, episode, affair, stunt, caper, romp, antic, quest, crusade, campaign, venture

    Adventure often denotes excitement, life is an adventure, and yet there is always the element of the unknown in a true adventure, and the unknown brings risk and even fear at times.

    Let the prompt ‘adventure’ 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…

    Writing prompt

    I closed the bag. If I had forgotten anything, it was too late. Now the adventure could begin. fiction writing prompt @darrenrhill

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

    I closed the bag. If I had forgotten anything, it was too late. Now the adventure could begin.

    Writing Prompt Expanded

    I recently packed my bags and left on my own adventure across the world. Being a slightly obsessive individual, I may have checked and double-checked everything I put into my case and carry-on. All this was after seemingly endless debates about what I should or should not take.

    This prompt aims to capture that moment and more. It is a moment of anticipation and uncertainty. A moment that should affect every sense of your protagonist.

    • Is the adventure planned or a surprise?
    • What feeling dominates, excitement or fear?
    • Where will the adventure lead?

    The context for this prompt is entirely up to you. The challenge is to describe the feelings being experienced. Use your memories of travel and adventure. Try to draw on metaphorical adventures and transfer those feelings into this prose.

    Enjoy and may your writing be an adventure captured in words.

    Quick fiction writing

    Set a time limit, use the following random prompts and write a short piece of fiction.

    • Character: five-year-old child
    • Place: airport
    • Item: an unattended bag

    Journal prompt

    We can use journals to record our adventures. Adding tickets and other ephemera turn a diary of events into a living memorial. The phrase life is an adventure is used by many, capture that adventure, your life in your journal.

    Three ideas for your journal

    • next time you go on a trip, keep all the tickets and any related ephemera to make a journal of your adventure when you get home
    • make a collage inspired by the word adventure
    • create a list of places you would like to visit as part of your life adventure

    Theory of General Creativity

    I now have ‘adventure’ written on the board above my computer. I am confident it will inspire me on my creative journey this week.

    • capture the adventure of each day with your camera
    • use the emotions of adventure — the feelings of excitement and risk — in a painting or piece of music
    • begin a piece of art as and adventure with no destination

    Let ‘adventure’ 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 project or idea.

    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.

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

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