How To Use Writing Prompts

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A writing prompt is a technique, word(s)
association, to ignite your creative process.
It's for the times you're at your desk, and
can't write a word. You looked out the
window, tapped a tune out with a pen, threw
balls of paper in the waste-basket, drank four
cups of coffee, and couldn't come up with a
single writing idea. You sat, dozed, and wasn't
able to write anything.

Some people keep prompts by their beds
to start the day off. Yes, I'm referring to before
they are seated in their writing places.

"How does that work?" You turned the
television off.

--Some use quotes
--Remarks they've heard
--Something a relative use to say, or says
--Make-up their own
They write them in a journal, for example.

People awake from a night's sleep, and
look through the journal. They go through their
routine. The quote swirls around the mind,
forming writing ideas.

By the time they reach their desks, they're
geared up, and ready to paint word pictures.

The condition has a name.

"What condition?" You asked.

The condition of sitting with a blank mind,
not being able to put five words together.

It's called writer's block. We have, all,
faced the problem at one time or another.

Let's look at quotes.

1. "I wish they would only take me as I am."
Vincent Van Gogh

2. "History repeats itself, and that's one of the
things that's wrong with history."
Clarence Darrow

3. "Ideas are the root of creation."
Ernest Dimnet

4. "You must, first, believe in yourself
to soar."
Marcella Glenn

Remarks open the doors to writing ideas.
Have you heard a remark that plays over in
your mind?

**Try, or you're always wonder what if.

**Money follows money.

**Success comes after an action has been
taken.

A family member, often, says,

5. "Read or your brain will starve."

6. "Chalk it up to life."

7. "Keep trying."

Let's discuss Ernest Dimnet's quote: "Ideas
are the root of creation."

Read it out-loud, several times. What does it
mean to you? Are ideas the root of creation?
What do you want to write about the quote?

Write anything, everything, that comes to mind.
Don't worry about grammatical, syntax errors,
etc.

Correct them at a later date. The idea is to
write. Try to write five hundred words about
the quote.

Stir in characters, plot, and dialogue. Use
more than one quote in your writing idea.

Allow yourself, at least, two hours for
writing, more if needed. It's up to you,
determine how long to spend on it.

The goal was met, and that was to start
your creative flow.

Use writing prompts to spark your creative
side. A word, sentence, or quote will stir-up,
break through writer's block.