More Visual Prompts

This time look at who the character in the picture would be. What are they wearing? how would someone like that react to their world? Would they be intelligent, street smart, ditzy? Would they have an accent? Where would someone like that live? Who would they associate with? Create a character as deep as a person you might see on the street. Once you know them, their story will come.

Prompts with Pictures

Writing prompts, pictures, with a situation twist. Comment and tell me how you made out. Write about 1, 2, 3, or all four of these prompts.

He has a hangover. 

She can't swim

Someone is hiding behind a tree.

Those flowers are an apology.

 Follow for more visual, situational, and quote prompts each week. Comment below to let me know what you are interested in seeing more of.

Name Prompts

You've been with your name as long as you can remember, right? Is it common, unique, is there a story behind it? Maybe it is just hard for people to say, like mine. Here was my exercise with the name prompt.

My name is Kirstie--
Not Kristi, not Kayleigh, not Karissa, Kayla, not even Kristina.
not anything, but Kirstie
I can see the mix up of R and I but it's like there is a massive spread of dyslexia, whenever my name is said.
They spit out twisted vowels, in my name, like it went through the dryer, or like it was burned, half-melted, in a fire.
But, it's Kirstie.
Two syllables. Seven letters.
If this were charades, I'd say, sounds like:
Nerdy, jersey, hershey, mercy, murphy, earthy.
I'm Thirsty Kirstie to those who obstane from off-rhymes, because you're picky like Mark Twain.

Let me explain, if I had a dime every time someone said my name right. I'd have ten dimes. If I had one for every time my name was wrong, id jam coin star machines, I would have enough for infinity dry-cleans, and I would be able to buy all of New Orleans, or half of New York.

So, my mom liked late night Cheers reruns. She liked it because it was different and sure I've thought that Brittany, Amy, or Sarah might suit me more, or make it so remembering my name wasn't a chore. But, my name is still Kirstie despite the pain it is to say. I've learned to respond to anything that starts with "k" when called on for attendance, I just convince myself they had good intentions.

But my name isn't a disposable task, my name is my identity and when it is said wrong, it turns into a mask. I like my name on most days, even though it's hard to say.

But here we go, one last time, my name is Kirstie, okay?

North

This is a writing prompt exercise where the writer takes one word and it becomes the theme of their poem or flash fiction. The word I chose was, North.


If I were a boat, and my sails shifted south, I would hire men to make them sail straight. Straight towards a harbor. North, even if it meant choppy waters, If it meant seasickness, or if it meant mutiny. In the darkest night, north. In cloudless, Cuban sky that smelled like liquor and salt, still north. North no matter the navigation, despite the directions. North, even if I had to carry my ship in a weatherless, glass dome.

North, because it always points home.

Paul,

This is my attempt to stop being your best kept secret and start being a human being. Its not a threat, I'm not saying this "scare" you. I am just going to tell the truth--to every person you don't want me to tell it to.

I will start by telling your Chemistry class we weren't holding hands on a dare and that you gave me the bruise, bridging across my neck, that I hid with red scarves. Maybe, on the bus, I'll tell the driver about our late drives in your moms Buick. Remember, when you told me about your parents divorce and it even made you cry, and you had to pull over to wipe your eyes--remember?

Ill write addresses down, to our secret spots, and I will give them to your teachers. The lake house the Lander's lived in before they moved and the shed in my parent's backyard where you took me for my first time--ring a bell? You never rang mine.

I'll tell the freshman girls you go after how it feels to be warmed by you, all over, five minutes after foreplay. I'll give away all your lines, so by the time you tell it to them--they are halfway through slapping you.

I'd have trouble deciding who to tell next, but maybe ill let my dad see the bottom of my trash cluttered with colored wrappers and thin, used, latex things. He might not be so happy to see that, Paul and i'm not really sure what he'd do. But, he is still on parole so I am sure he will think it through and maybe he will go easy on you.

Your mom might faint when I tell her how many girls you've taken to Dr. Dillinger (I'll show her my file if she doesn't believe me). She might be disappointed that I cant count that number on two hands.

Whose next? Oh, now this will be fun--my very last one to tell. Now, I know your girlfriend has practice in the gym at three sharp on Thursdays. Why don't I meet her in the locker room and tell her about the freckle on your inner thigh and how your mouth tastes in the mornings?

See Paul, I want my shirts back and my CDs that you blare. I want everything you took from me, because I don't think it's fair, that I am left with all these lies and all these secrets to keep. I am what's left in the space of a bank vault that no one is allowed to see. But whatever is locked in a safe--Paul, it's always worth more then you think.

You might want to start begging for mercy because that side girl you tried to keep away but still strung along might not be as sad as you thought she was. Secrets are bad, Paul. But, I know a few--and I am not afraid to unleash them all over you. You might not think so, but I think it's true--shh, lets wait to see if the others agree with me too.

Writing Prompt Places

Here are five writing prompt websites that will save time that would be spent jumping to page ten of google, searching for one good prompt.

1. http://visualwritingprompts.wordpress.com/
They focus on visual prompts and questions.
2. http://voices.yahoo.com/20-first-lines-20-creative-writing-prompts-spark-10162735.html
This article helps establish the first line of the piece
3. http://www.creative-writing-solutions.com/creative-writing-prompts.html
Some of these prompts give opportunity to finish prompt like " my father said to always..."
4. http://writeanything.wordpress.com/fiction-friday/
This page gives detailed situational prompts.