darren r hill

the creative minimalist

Tag: writing prompt

  • Silence — Friday Fiction Writing Prompt

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

    I hear nothing. There should be a cacophony, but there is only silence.

    Writing Prompt Expanded

    Last week was all about sound so this week it seems only fitting that we delve into the opposite. It is often easier to write about something that is there. Something that has shape and form, that triggers our senses. The challenge here is to write about something that doesn’t exist. The prompt should help a little in that it suggests an expectancy of sound.

    This prompt is all about silence, a complete lack of sound. It is about describing something that isn’t there.

    • What sound should there be?
    • How do you describe the absence of sound?
    • Why is there no sound?

    There is a lot of scope for creativity if you use this as a fiction prompt. You might be expecting noise from children having fun, a machine running, or a pet playing. It works well in both funny or sinister situations. As a journal prompt, it gives plenty of space to think about where the sound should or shouldn’t be in our lives, and again, how do you express this artfully on the page?

    As always these writing 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 a journal page. If you do write something, please share it or a link, in the comments, use the hashtag #ffwp 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

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  • Sound — Friday Fiction Writing Prompt

    A Fiction Writing and Journal Prompt about sound to stretch the literary muscles. No rules. No word counts. Simply explore, write and create.

    a sound, clear and unique despite the background noise, a pattern defined among the chaos fiction and journal writing prompt

    a sound, clear and unique despite the background noise, a pattern defined among the chaos

    Writing Prompt Expanded

    We all know what it is like to hear a sudden, new sound. When all is silent even the slightest noise can awaken our senses and put us on alert. However, the same is true when there is a lot of background noise. Our hearing notices the unique and different.

    This prompt is all about sound, its description and the narrator’s response.

    • What is the sound?
    • Can you describe the sound using other senses?
    • What is the reaction, the felt response to the sound?

    The setting for this prompt could be anything. The same goes for whether you write in the first or third person or any other perspective. It could be a personal memory if you are writing in your journal, or it could be the beginning of a very scary story.

    As always these writing 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 a page in your journal. If you do write something, please share it or a link, in the comments, use the hashtag #ffwp 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

  • Enough — Friday Fiction Writing Prompt

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

    That was it, anything more would be too much. It was time to stop. It was enough. Friday Fiction Writing Prompt

    That was it, anything more would be too much. It was time to stop. It was enough.

    Writing Prompt Expanded

    We live in a world where we are bombarded by advertisements. We are told that our lives aren’t good enough, and they could be so much better. The solution for a better life is to get more. We are urged to upgrade and collect. We discover new issues that we didn’t know existed, however, the solution is available if we obtain it. We live in a world where more is seen as better, or good.

    This prompt is all about having enough. Can we think and write about not needing more? The context of the prompt is deliberately open.

    • What does the narrator have enough of?
    • How does the narrator know that there is enough?
    • What feelings does having enough bring out?

    This prompt lends itself very well to both fiction — especially sci-fi or an intense relationship — and personal reflection. Be aware that it might trigger some deep relational emotions, if so, do talk to a trained counsellor. One question to keep in mind as you do write… are there ever enough words?

    As always these writing 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 as a journal prompt. If you do write something, please share it or a link, in the comments, use the hashtag #ffwp or tag me. I’d love to read what you create. Write and enjoy the learning process.

    Original beach image by Free-Photos 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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  • Alive — Friday Fiction Writing Prompt

    A Fiction and Journal Writing Prompt exploring life and being alive to stretch the literary muscles. No rules. No word counts. Simply write and explore.

    Movement, just a flicker, but movement. Almost imperceptible, but movement. It means one thing, life. - Friday Fiction Writing Prompt

    Movement, just a flicker, but movement. Almost imperceptible, but movement. It means one thing, life.

    Writing Prompt Expanded

    Easter has just passed and in the Northern Hemisphere, the buds are beginning to bloom, the lambs are being born and the trees are becoming greener. It was this time of year that decided Alive as my creative prompt for the week. Now it is time to turn that into a writing prompt and have a little fiction or journal fun.

    This prompt is all about life and being alive. Movement often defines life, and certainly intelligent life. This prompt explores that, although what is moving is entirely up to you.

    • What is beginning to move?
    • How do you describe the movement?
    • Is the movement hoped for, wanted or not?

    Depending on your setting and perspective, who the narrator is, will always determine what you write. One area to explore in fiction is the emotional response. Both hoped for life and feared life will bring out strong emotions. Depending on what is alive will bring relief or fear.

    In a journal setting, you might want to explore how to give life to your dreams and hopes. How can your ideal future become a reality and be alive?

    Put pen to paper, or finger to keyboard and let the words come alive.

    As always these writing 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 for your journal. If you do write something, please share it or a link, in the comments, use the hashtag #ffwp or tag me. I’d love to read what you create. Write and enjoy the learning process.

    Original moss image by Susann Mielke 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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  • Worship — Friday Fiction Writing Prompt

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

    I stop. My senses are overwhelmed. It is spectacular. I am in awe. Friday Fiction Writing Prompt

    I stop. My senses are overwhelmed. It is spectacular. I am in awe.

    Writing Prompt Expanded

    At times the above prompt is very real to me. Quite often a moment out among the trees or by the sea will stop me in my tracks. The beauty and untamed magic found at those times take me beyond the mundane. The complexity and, at the same time, simplicity of nature is amazing to behold.

    This prompt is all about taking one of those moments and exploring it. This falls into my own broad definition of worship.

    • What is causing you to feel this way?
    • How do you describe the effect on your senses?
    • What is the physical response of your body?

    This prompt works equally well as a fiction starter or as a personal journal prompt. For fiction, it could be unreal or an apparition, there might be ‘false gods’! It might be the realisation and culmination of a hero quest or pilgrimage? If you use the prompt in your journal, remember that worship isn’t limited to organised religion. In its broadest sense worship is simply acknowledging the awe and wonder of what is around us. And, I can’t help thinking that we could all do with a little more awe and wonder in our lives.

    As always these writing 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 a journal prompt. If you do write something, please share it or a link, in the comments, use the hashtag #ffwp or tag me @darrenrhill. I’d love to read what you create. Write and enjoy the learning process and stop in awe at what you have created!

    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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  • Balance – Friday Fiction Writing Prompt

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

    I hold my breath. This moment can go as planned or spectacularly wrong. I begin to move. Friday Fiction Writing Prompt

    I hold my breath. This moment can go as planned or spectacularly wrong. I begin to move.

    Writing Prompt Expanded

    My creative word this week is balance. It is a word that keeps cropping up in my thoughts and journaling. And it is the background for today’s writing prompt. The narrator is ready to do something. Before moving everything is ready and in balance. Then they move.

    This prompt is about describing balance and how movement affects it. One challenge is to write without actually explaining what is balanced. Another is to explore something that isn’t tangible, such as feelings or dreams of the future. Here are a few more questions to inspire…

    • Does time stand still, and how do you describe that?
    • What is the predominant feeling, hope or fear? Why?
    • Who benefits if balance is lost, and who will not?

    I struggle with living in the present ‘balanced’ moment (more of that in future posts) as I spend far too much time either looking backward or to the future. If you are like me then this challenge is quite helpful as something to explore in your journal. Take a moment to appreciate and give thanks when things are balanced. It is beneficial. However, we all need to take a step and begin to move… and begin to write as well.

    As always these writing 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 as a journal prompt. If you do write something, please share it or a link, in the comments, use the hashtag #ffwp or tag me @darrenrhill. I’d love to read what you create. Write and enjoy the learning process.

    Original stone balance image by Einfach-Eve 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