Turning Bad Weather into Great Writing
#2 Sunday Snippets
Welcome to Behind the Chapters. On Sundays I share brief tips, notes, and prompts for fiction writers.
It’s a lazy Sunday. In many parts of the country, nature isn’t exactly pulling us outdoors: heavy rain, tornado watches, wildfires. Please do whatever you can to stay safe.
For those not in any danger, this is the perfect time to catch up on that pile of books that has been waiting so patiently for your attention. Pull out a blanket, fluff up the pillows, and spend a few hours . . . or all day . . . just reading.
If you’re a writer, this is an opportunity to work on that novel or start a new one. Need a little inspiration? I’ve got you covered. Below are three tantalizing prompts to warm your typing fingers and stir your imagination.
Choose a character from your work-in-progress or create a new one. Place her or him in a setting completely opposite their usual or expected environment—a city dweller in the remote wilderness, a historical character in modern times, or maybe a fantasy creature in an ordinary workplace. Write a scene showing how they interact with this unfamiliar world. What surprises them? What skills transfer unexpectedly? What new sides of their personality emerge?
Recall an object that was important to you as a child—a toy, a book, an article of clothing. Close your eyes and visualize it. See it in detail. Now write a scene where this object appears in an adult character's life. How does it arrive? What memories or emotions does it trigger? How might the object become a catalyst for change or revelation in your story?
Think about a strongly held belief you once had that has since changed. Write a scene between two characters—one who embodies your former perspective and one who represents your current view. Without making either character entirely right or wrong, create dialogue that explores the nuance and complexity of how beliefs evolve.
This is the kind of thing I often do when my writing needs a little kick in the rear to get going. What I come up with may or may not appear in a novel, but this gets my creative juices flowing. Hopefully it helps you in the same way.
If you’re feeling it, share a little of what you come up with using these writing prompts in the comments.