In today’s Journal
▪ I got a new coffee mug
▪ Topic: Turning a “Story Prompt”…
▪ Daily diary
▪ Of Interest (a boatload of links)
▪ The numbers
I got a new coffee mug from Zazzle (https://zazzle.com).
My new mug reads
I’M A FICTION WRITER.
Yes, I’m poor.
No, I don’t wish I wrote “__________.”
Yes, I’m aware that no one reads anymore.
No, I’m not drunk.
Just thought I’d share. (grin)
***
Topic: Turning a “Story Prompt” into a Story Idea
From Reedsy’s Writing Prompts newsletter, “You’re a professional cleaner and the beginning of spring is always your busiest time.”
This is for their current short story contest, but it could also easily be a premise for a novel. Here’s what sprang to mind for me:
First, define “cleaner.” It might be a person who cleans houses and businesses for a living (as intended).
It might also be the lower-level mobster or associate who “cleans” a crime scene after someone else does the deed.
It might be something else. Up to you. And which type of cleaner you choose will help define your genre.
Likewise, “What does the cleaner find?” popped into my head. This will also help define your story and your genre. Answering that question sets up the initial conflict (an ordinary citizen suddenly finds him/herself in an extraordinary situation).
Say the cleaner is a person who cleans houses and businesses, but is also a retired cop or retired CIA or a wannabe PI or an amateur sleuth (or… or… or…).
What does the cleaner find while s/he’s cleaning? Again, that will lead you into the story and help define your genre.
Old blood stains?
A fine golden necklace buried in the corner of the carpet? What does the amulet signify for the cleaner?
A black fleck the cleaner recognizes as microfilm from the days of the Cold War?
A tiny antique ladies’ watch (maybe with no band) that turns out to have magical time-transport properties?
Or a tiny antique ladies’ watch the back of which is loose and inside is that bit of microfilm?
A small knife with a decorative handle inlaid with bands of mother-of-pearl, turquoise and coral? And old bloodstains on the blade? (Sorry. That’s where my mind goes.)
A small, balled-up scrap of paper that draws the cleaner’s attention and on it is ….
A different item altogether?
The possibilities are practically endless, and each leads to a different story and genre.
To subscribe to Reedsy’s weekly Writing Prompts newsletter, see https://blog.reedsy.com/writing-contests.
Happy writing! (grin)
***
Rolled out at 3, got coffee in my new mug, and headed for the Hovel.
I added a “Facilitators” group to the sidebar of PWW and changed “Guest Contributors” to the more apt “Alternate Contributors.”
Took a break at 5. To the novel at 5:30.
I had a really good writing day today, off and on.
Talk with you again tomorrow.
Of Interest
See “A Brief History of “Unlikeable” Protagonists” at https://www.thepassivevoice.com/a-brief-history-of-unlikeable-protagonists/.
See “Next Step in Disinformation…” at https://www.thepassivevoice.com/next-step-in-disinformation-how-a-dating-app-becomes-a-weapon/.
See “Book Challenge Update” at https://www.deanwesleysmith.com/book-challenge-update/.
See “…Share Your Feelings…” at https://killzoneblog.com/2019/03/reader-friday-share-your-feelings-when-your-first-book-was-published.html.
Fiction Words: 4479
Nonfiction Words: 530 (Journal)
Total words for the day: 5009
Writing of Blackwell Ops 5: Georgette Tilden (novel)
Day 1…… 2494 words. Total words to date…… 2494
Day 2…… 3107 words. Total words to date…… 5601
Day 3…… 3076 words. Total words to date…… 8677
Day 4…… 1515 words. Total words to date…… 10192
Day 5…… 0731 words. Total words to date…… 10923
Day 6…… 1002 words. Total words to date…… 11925
Day 7…… 2492 words. Total words to date…… 14417
Day 8…… 4479 words. Total words to date…… 18896
Total fiction words for the month……… 41976
Total fiction words for the year………… 201034
Total nonfiction words for the month… 17720
Total nonfiction words for the year…… 68940
Total words for the year (fiction and this blog)…… 269974
Calendar Year 2019 Novels to Date…………………… 4
Calendar Year 2019 Novellas to Date……………… X
Calendar Year 2019 Short Stories to Date… X
Novels (since Oct 19, 2014)…………………………………… 41
Novellas (since Nov 1, 2015)………………………………… 7
Short stories (since Apr 15, 2014)………………… 193
Short story collections……………………………………………… 31