Tag: inspiration

Monthly Writing Prompt | August 2023

The image flashes before you–a vision you’ve been anticipating, like a bubble swelling in your chest to the point of almost bursting. And now it’s here. No more waiting. You sweep your eyes over it, taking in every detail. And a new feeling begins to prickle across your skin.

Muse Stimulators:

  • What is the image that the POV has been waiting to see?
  • Is it what the POV expected, or different?
  • What is the new feeling seeping in? Excitement? Disappointment? Something else?
  • Why is this image so important to the POV?
  • What happens next?

Happy Writing!
~MJ

Monthly Writing Prompt | July 2023

You push your foot to the floor and feel the surge of power echo from the earth upwards through your entire body. The world swirls past as you drive. Butterflies in your gut, a slight pressure between your eyes, and somewhere ahead is something that you’ve been waiting for your entire life.

Muse Stimulators:

  • Is ‘something you’ve been waiting for’ metaphorical or literal?
  • Where are they driving to and what do they expect when they get there?
  • Where are they driving away from and are they planning to return?
  • Do they stop anywhere in between?
  • Who is the first person they meet during this journey?

Happy writing!

~MJ

Monthly Writing Prompt | June 2023

The last piece slips into place and you feel a great sense of calm and accomplishment. It’s done. And though you weren’t sure you’d actually make it this far, you’re proud of yourself for sticking it out.
The success sinks in, spurring your anxiety. Is it good enough? Will it hold up? Is everything right? And in the back of your mind, you just know you forgot to do something extremely important.

Muse Stimulators:

  • What has the POV accomplished?
  • Is this an end goal or a just milestone toward a bigger goal?
  • What benefits did the POV anticipate from this accomplishment?
  • Did the POV actually forget something important?
  • What happens next?

Happy Writing!
~MJ

WIP Challenge – March 2023

Time for another monthly writing challenge!

Consider a time when you felt embarrassed by something or someone. Remember your emotions, your physical sensations, how you reacted.

Now write a scene in your story that would elicit the same reaction from your main character.

Work this incident into their character development arc.

Happy Writing!

~MJ

Monthly Writing Prompt | March 2023

Blood surges through every appendage as you clutch the cargo closer. This thing… your mind scrambles as you feel it; your pulse thrums against your fingertips–as though your own heartbeat is desperate to reach the thing you hold. Someone waits for you to relinquish it. You step closer to comply…

Muse Stimulators:

  • What is the POV carrying?
  • Is the POV’s reaction a positive one or a negative one? Why?
  • Why is the POV giving the thing away? Do they follow through?
  • What benefit does the POV see in performing this action?
  • What happens next?

Happy Writing!

~MJ

WIP Challenge – February 2023

Need to spice up your current novel with a writing challenge?

Write a scene that takes place before your book begins. Detail something specific that happened to your main character that still haunts/influences/motivates them.

  • What new insights does this activity give you about your character and their world?
  • How can you weave this into your novel and provide a resolution/show character growth from this event in your current narrative?
  • Does this change anything about your current plot?
  • Does this change anything about the relationships your character has in the book?

Monthly Writing Prompt | February 2023

Are you a writer looking for some inspiration for your next scene or story? Read this month’s writing prompt and let your Muse guide you:

Ping. Another one drops, and your heart races inside your chest. How many are there now? You’ve lost count. Ping. You try to remember all the ones that came before… it’s imperative that you keep track. Ping ping. Your mind scrambles, overwhelmed. It’s all just too much.

Muse Stimulators:

  • What is dropping?
  • Why does the POV need to keep track of the pings?
  • What will happen if the POV can’t keep up and what will happen if they do?
  • How did the POV get into this situation?
  • What happens next?

Happy Writing!

~MJ

Monthly Writing Prompt | January 2023

Happy New Year!!! Here’s your monthly writing prompt to kick us off on a great year of writing!

You close your eyes, picturing it in your mind. Blood tingles through your veins as the image becomes more detailed, more vivid. It’s almost like you could reach out and grasp it. For a minute you wonder if you can, and if you could… would you?

Muse Stimulators

  • Does the POV want to picture this image or is it involuntary?
  • Is it a memory or something imagined for the future?
  • Is it something good or bad? how and why?
  • What would happen if the POV could grasp it, or if it could grasp the POV?
  • What does the POV learn from this image, and what do they do with the information?

Happy writing!

~MJ

WIP Challenge – December 2022

Take your character into a densely populated place. Take time to describe the colors, smells, sounds. Weave the chaos of it into your character’s journey through. Do they overhear something? Do they get bumped or shoved in the melee?

Happy Writing!

~MJ

Monthly Writing Prompt | December 2022

The noise has been constant since you opened your eyes. At first, it was tolerable, but now… now you’d do anything to make it stop. The temperature is uncomfortable, and it’s getting worse as the moments drag on. You look around for something, anything, anyone who can help.

Muse Stimulators:

  • What is the noise and where is it coming from?
  • Is it hot or cold? What other environmental conditions are in play?
  • Is anyone around to help or hinder?
  • Is this situation unexpected for the POV? Why or why not?
  • What happens next?

Happy Writing!

~MJ