Christmas and Hanukkah are almost here. The presents are wrapped under the tree (nope). Holiday cards have all been sent (oops). The stockings are stuffed (with lint). You may sense a theme.... The Internet is a blessing though and allows slackers like me to borrow ideas from industrious souls. Check out these creative writing prompts for both poetry and fiction at LitBridge.
Three Lists, Three Elements, Good Things Come in Threes
Yes, I know I promised to provide prompts for short stories too. I admit I am a slacker. I do have a prompt (a borrowed one) that will work for either short stories or for poetry. Behold, the Power of Three: three categories, three elements, three spinning rings of hell, however you wish to think of it. I “borrowed” this idea from two places, Steve Ramirez and the website Creative Writing Now.
Poetry workshops with Steve Ramirez usually involve two or even three categories of five items: i.e. five mythological beasts, five mundane tasks and five embarrassing secrets. Mix and match until you get friction. Perhaps you decide Medusa likes to sing Disney songs in the shower as she washes her snakes. Which song does she like best? Describe her voice. Do the snakes provide backup?
Now for the short story prompt Three Elements: Choose a set of three elements and write a story that contains all three of them.
- A stolen ring, fear of spiders, and a sinister stranger.
- A campfire, a scream, and a small lie that gets bigger and bigger.
- A broken wristwatch, peppermints, and a hug that goes too far.
Somehow the “hug that goes too far” draws me in. Check out the full list of three element sets as well as other short story ideas.
The story “Cat Person” has generated a lot of attention on Twitter. I think Red Vines, movie theater, and bad sex would be its three-element prompt if I were to attempt to reverse engineer the story.
Faerie Tales Revisited—A Prompt from Two Idiots Peddling Poetry
From my last post, you know how much the Two Idiots Peddling Poetry reading series means to me. Along with providing amazing features, supporting local poets and providing a welcome home for zombie and Star Trek poems, co-host Steve Ramirez posts prompts every day for April’s 30/30 challenge.
Here is a prompt from Steve posted way back in 2013. He even provides sample poems, bless his heart.
Btw, Steve began his own blog. Check it out.
Because I am personally focusing on poetry right now, I have neglected all other forms of writing. I will try to do better in the future, but Steve’s prompt lends itself equally to fiction, whether flash or longer pieces. Check out Jan Stinchcomb’s story published at Rose Red Review.
To read more of Jan’s amazing fiction, visit her website with its links to her other published stories. And buy her book. ;-)
