Write a scene for a story with two characters. One character has kept a secret from the other, and the other has recently discovered it, but not yet revealed her discovery. Have the characters engaged in an activity—shovelling out from a snowstorm, preparing for a party, looking for a lost ring. Use the dialogue and the action to express the tension between the two, without having them directly discuss the secret.
Dialogue, when it’s working well, moves the story forward and more fully develops your characters. Keeping this in mind, write a scene for a story that is only dialogue between two characters. Let what the characters say reveal the plot and their personalities and motives.
“You look nice?”
“Where you off to?”
“I’m going for cocktails with Angela.”
“If you don’t mind.”
“Of course not honey.”
“How is Angela by the way? I haven’t seen her around town lately.”
“She’s fine.”
“And Barry?”
“I’m sure you would know better than I would. I haven’t seen or heard from him since he moved out. Neither has Angela for that matter.”
“What? He moved out? When did that happen?”
“A few weeks ago I suppose.”
“A few - a few weeks? Why in the world haven’t you said anything?”
“Well, frankly, I assumed he’d tell you dear. Aren’t you two always meeting for scotch at that horrid bar?”
“Yes - well I mean to say - yes, yes of course, but we’re men sweetheart. We don’t exactly sit around discussing every minute detail of our lives like you and Angela would.”
“My apologies darling. I was simply not aware that leaving your wife and children after 20 years was a minute detail.”
“Well no. It’s not. Of course it’s not, sweetie. I just meant - we don’t -“
“Either way, I’m off. I’m already late and Angela is dreadfully impatient. You have a lovely evening.”
“Maybe give your pal a call.”
“I will.”
“I mean - Barry. We’ll grab a drink at Odell’s or go for a drive or something like that. I might be able to talk some sense into him. Get him to grow up a bit. Be responsible, you know?”
“Whatever you’d like sweetheart.”
“I might not be in when you get home is what I’m saying. I’m really going to give him a good talking to.”
“Of course honey.”
“Just be careful when you’re coming in alright?”
“Goodnight dear.”
Dialogue, when it’s working well, moves the story forward and more fully develops your characters. Keeping this in mind, write a scene for a story that is only dialogue between two characters. Let what the characters say reveal the plot and their personalities and motives.
Choose two people who you know well and write a detailed character description of each one. Next, change their gender, name, and physical traits. Begin a story with both characters standing on the platform of a train station, waiting for a train.
Think about something that you did or said to someone that you regret. Write a poem of apology, comprising five four-line stanzas, with the same number of stressed syllables in each line. Avoid sentimentality. Rely on images, rhythm, and structure to convey your regret.
Freewrite for ten minutes about the most significant events that happened in your life during the past year. Choose one of these events and use it as the basis for a story. Write about it from an imagined character’s perspective and/or change how the event transpired.
Prompt Websites
Below I’ve listed a few of the sources I’ve used for prompts over the past year. The bolded sites are my favorite. I added a shuffle function to my blog a while ago, so you can also use that at your leisure if you’re ever in need of some inspiration!
And as always feel free to send me any of your writing. I’d love to read your work, offer advice, or be of help in anyway possible, regardless of whether it’s a fill to one of the prompts I’ve posted.
http://www.warren-wilson.edu/~creativewriting/Prompts.php
http://www.writingforward.com/writing-prompts/creative-writing-prompts/25-creative-writing-prompts
http://www.davidrm.com/thejournal/tjresources-exercises.phphttp://www.writersdigest.com/prompts
http://www.pw.org/writing-prompts-exercises
http://www.build-creative-writing-ideas.com/creative-writing-prompts.html
http://www.creative-writing-now.com/creative-writing-prompts.html
http://www.creative-writing-solutions.com/creative-writing-prompts.html
http://earlswynn.hubpages.com/hub/101-Writing-Prompts-To-Inspire-You
Prompt #365
Tell the tale of a character on a trip in search of something. What are they in search of—family connection, relaxation, adventure? What do they find? Was it what they expected?
Prompt #366
Last prompt of the year!! Christ, this year went by fast and I don’t feel like I accomplished all that much. Completely bombed with this resolution, but I am proud of my initial effort.
Hope you all enjoyed the prompts, I’m pretty sure I plumbed every source for prompts on the Internet and I’ll make a master post of those in the near future. I’m not sure what I’m going to do with this blog next, but it’ll definitely be writing related and I’ll always post interesting prompts as I see them. Anyway on to Prompt #366!!!
At exactly midnight on New Year’s Eve you receive an email labeled “Open Immediately.” The really strange thing is that the email is apparently from your future self. What does it say?
