Writing Prompts

Novel Kicks Writing Room: Freewriting Objects

Happy July everyone. 

For the writing room today, I thought we could do some free writing.

First, write down the first four objects that come to your mind.

You are looking under your bed for something.

At the very back, behind some bags, is a shoebox. It is dusty. It’s not been touched for a while. It’s a box you’ve never seen before and you didn’t put it there.

You open it and discover….

Set a timer – ten minutes per object. Write about finding each one.

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Novel Kicks Fiction Friday: Trapped in a Lift

It’s Friday which means it’s time to start writing some fiction.

Fiction Friday is our weekly writing prompt.

The aim is to write for a minimum of five minutes and then keep going for as long as you can.

Once you’ve finished, don’t edit, just post in the comments box below.

 

Today’s prompt: Trapped in a lift. 

Three people find themselves trapped in a lift.

These people have not seen each other for a few years.

They are all enemies.

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Novel Kicks Fiction Friday: Stranded

It’s Friday which means it’s time to start writing some fiction.

Fiction Friday is our weekly writing prompt.

The aim is to write for a minimum of five minutes and then keep going for as long as you can.

Once you’ve finished, don’t edit, just post in the comments box below.

Today’s prompt: Stranded.

You wake up to find that you’re on a deserted Island. You don’t remember how you got there. The last you remember, you were at home.

There doesn’t seem to be anyone around until you are approached by an animal. Yes, this animal seems to be able to walk like a human can.

What shocks you even more is when this animal smiles at you, welcomes you to the island and hands you a tent.

Continue the story…

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Novel Kicks Writing Room: Planning Short Stories

Today, I want to go back to the beginning and look at planning. 

I am quickly becoming aware that I am not a writer who can just sit down and write. I need to know where I want my story to go or I end up with a lot of similar scenes as my story goes around in circles as I have no idea how to move it forward.

So, today’s exercise is the following…

Make a plan for a story, in note form that’s related to one of the following topics..

Inheriting an old house.

A blind date

Broken down car in a deserted area

A holiday that goes wrong

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Novel Kicks Writing Room: Childhood Differences

Today, I want to again focus on how the same scene can be seen differently by two people despite being in the same room, witnessing the same thing. 

I have been thinking about this a lot lately. When writing from the point of view of my main character, I also wonder what the other people in the particular scene are thinking.

In my own childhood, if asked, I would probably remember an event differently than my siblings would. I used to dance and enter competitions. How was it for my brother who was dragged along?

Think of an incident from your childhood where you were the centre of attention. How did you feel? What happened? Write for ten minutes, basing your story about this incident.

Now, write for another ten minutes but this time, write from the point of view of a sibling, cousin or friend who was also there. What differences are there in the thoughts, feelings and view of events?

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Novel Kicks Fiction Friday: Once Upon a Time in a Fictional World

It’s Friday which means it’s time to start writing some fiction.

Fiction Friday is our weekly writing prompt.

The aim is to write for a minimum of five minutes and then keep going for as long as you can.

Once you’ve finished, don’t edit, just post in the comments box below.

 

Today’s prompt: Once Upon A Time in a Fictional World…

You’ve fallen asleep. When you wake up, you find yourself in a fictional world. This world is from whatever novel you’re currently reading.

Without directly referencing the novel, place yourself in one scene and rewrite it to include you as a character. How would you react to find yourself in a fictional world?

Are you reading a romance and have woken up to find that the main character doesn’t like you? If you’re rediscovering Harry Potter? How about waking up in the great hall at Hogwarts?

Have fun.

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Novel Kicks Writing Room: Different Voices

Today, I thought we could look at distinguishing one character from another. 

Making my characters sound different to one another is one of the things I am finding the hardest to do as a first time writer.

I came across this exercise via The Writers Digest and thought that it sounded quite interesting. (Visit their website if you’d like to explore more of their prompts and writing exercises.)

Write a couple of pages of conversation where one character talks in say, four word sentences and the other in ten word sentences.

For example, ‘I can’t do this.’

‘Yes, you can. You are being ridiculous. Just be brave.’

‘It’s just too hard.’

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Novel Kicks Fiction Friday: Following the Leader

It’s Friday which means it’s time to start writing some fiction.

Fiction Friday is our weekly writing prompt.

The aim is to write for a minimum of five minutes and then keep going for as long as you can.

Once you’ve finished, don’t edit, just post in the comments box below.

 

Today’s prompt: Following the Leader. 

Your character wakes up and finds themselves in a strange village.

There are four other people with them and no one seems to have met one another before.

Someone appoints themselves the leader of the group whilst you all try to find a way out of this village.

On first inspection though, there doesn’t seem to be a way out.

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Novel Kicks Writing Room: Word Association

Happy Wednesday all. For today’s writing group, I thought we’d work from a prompt using word association.

This is one of my favourites as you can never tell what it will inspire.

Pick up the book that’s closest to hand. Go to page one hundred.

Make a note of the first and last words on the page.

Now, on a sheet of paper, put each word at the top and divide the page into two columns.

Use the timer for five minutes each side and using each word as a beginning, write down as many words as you can think of.

Once you’ve done that, write a story by using the first two words you took from the book to start with and then incorporating all the other words as you go.

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Novel Kicks Writing Room – Dear Me

I often wonder what my future and past self would tell me if I were to receive a letter from them.

What advice would I give myself? What would my ten-year old self talk about that is different to my older self?

I find this thought fascinating.

That is why I have chosen this exercise today. Write a letter to you, from yourself ten years in the future. Also write a letter from the point of view of your ten-year old self.

Obviously the advice and content would be slightly different but are there recurring themes?

Set the timer for about ten minutes for each one. Try not to edit, just write.

Now repeat the exercise but for one of your characters.

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Novel Kicks Fiction Friday: Talk to Animals?

It’s Friday which means it’s time to start writing some fiction.

Fiction Friday is our weekly writing prompt.

The aim is to write for a minimum of five minutes and then keep going for as long as you can.

Once you’ve finished, don’t edit, just post in the comments box below.

 

Today’s prompt: What if I could talk to the animals? 

You have been stuck inside for a few days now. You are on your own with only your pet for company.

One morning, a voice you don’t recognise brings you out of sleep.

Your pet is on the bed with you but there is no one else there.

That is until you hear the voice again.

You turn toward your pet…

Continue the story.

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Novel Kicks Writing Room: The Same But Different

Today, I thought we could look at different points of view. 

You have three characters standing together in the same spot.

They are all looking at the same thing. It could be the sky, a building, a pier, another group of people. The situation and gender of your characters are up to you.

Set the timer for ten minutes each character.

Write three different pieces of prose, describing what they are looking at but from each person’s point of view, voice and opinions.

How do they differ?

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Novel Kicks Fiction Friday: What Curfew?

It’s Friday which means it’s time to start writing some fiction.

Fiction Friday is our weekly writing prompt.

The aim is to write for a minimum of five minutes and then keep going for as long as you can.

Once you’ve finished, don’t edit, just post in the comments box below.

 

Today’s prompt: What curfew? 

A curfew has been put in place all over the city where you live. There are patrols everywhere. There’s not a lot that will get by them.

You find yourself defying the curfew to deliver a message on the other side of the city. You must do this by morning.

Write about the journey. Do you and your message make its destination in time and in one piece?

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Novel Kicks Writing Room: The Torn Piece

Happy Wednesday everyone. Today, I wanted to do some more free writing.

The amount of time and word count is up to you.

Today, imagine that you’ve found a torn piece of paper.

It appears to be the end of a letter; a love letter from someone named Paul.

There’s no sign of the first piece.

It says “even though what we have is gone, I would not change the decision I made for you, regardless of the consequence for me. I will love you forever. Paul”

Write the first part. Try and put in as much detail as you can.

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Novel Kicks Fiction Friday: Freaky Friday

It’s Friday which means it’s time to start writing some fiction.

Fiction Friday is our weekly writing prompt.

The aim is to write for a minimum of five minutes and then keep going for as long as you can.

Once you’ve finished, don’t edit, just post in the comments box below.

Today’s prompt: Freaky Friday. 

Your character and their spouse have not been getting along lately.

One morning, you wake up and you’ve swapped bodies. You also currently have no idea how to get switched back.

How does this affect the relationship?

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Novel Kicks Writing Room: Inanimate Objects

It’s all about inanimate objects today. 

For today’s exercise, it’s a little bit of free writing but with the following situation in mind.

Write from the point of view of an inanimate object. Maybe something in an antique shop or something in the corner of the room you are sat in.

How old is it? Where has it been? What has this object seen?

Also, you could allow it to have an interaction with a human in which they can understand one another.

Write for at least fifteen minutes.

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Novel Kicks Fiction Friday: Message to Mars

It’s Friday which means it’s time to start writing some fiction.

Fiction Friday is our weekly writing prompt.

The aim is to write for a minimum of five minutes and then keep going for as long as you can.

Once you’ve finished, don’t edit, just post in the comments box below.

 

Today’s Prompt: Message to Mars.

You win a competition where the prize is to write a message.

The message will be sent to Mars. It’s the first communication from earth.

What would be in your message?

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Novel Kicks Fiction Friday: Wrong Number

It’s Friday which means it’s time to start writing some fiction.

Fiction Friday is our weekly writing prompt.

The aim is to write for a minimum of five minutes and then keep going for as long as you can.

Once you’ve finished, don’t edit, just post in the comments box below.

Today’s Prompt: Wrong Number….

You are at home, it’s the weekend and after a long week, you want to rest.

Your phone pings, indicating a message.

Absent-mindedly, you look at the message and you have to read it a couple of times in order to take it in.

‘You’ve not answered my question. The clock is ticking.’

You stare at your phone, not sure what to do.

Another message arrives…

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Novel Kicks Writing Room: Point of View

Today’s exercise is changing POV for your character. 

I am quite excited about today’s exercise and I think it’s great to flip the WIP on its head.

Using your current work, pick a passage featuring your main character. If you’d rather pick a character from your favourite novel, please do.

Now, change the point of view. For example, if you’ve written in first person, re-write in third person and vice versa.

If you wanted, you could also re-write from a secondary character’s point of view.

How did you find it? Did it inspire you to add more to the story and to see another aspect?

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Novel Kicks Fiction Friday: The Room

It’s Friday which means it’s time to start writing some fiction.

Fiction Friday is our weekly writing prompt.

The aim is to write for a minimum of five minutes and then keep going for as long as you can.

Once you’ve finished, don’t edit, just post in the comments box below.

Today’s prompt: The Room. 

Your character is guided into a room. There are four people already there, sat on two of the three sofas that line the walls.

Your character has never seen these people before…. or have they?

To begin with, no one talks to one another. When conversation begins, things are revealed.

Carry on the story…

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Novel Kicks Fiction Friday: The Guest Book

It’s Friday which means it’s time to start writing some fiction.

Fiction Friday is our weekly writing prompt.

The aim is to write for a minimum of five minutes and then keep going for as long as you can.

Once you’ve finished, don’t edit, just post in the comments box below.

 

Today’s prompt: The Guest Book.

As your spouse is away on business on the other side of the country, you decide to take a weekend away with a friend, staying at a lovely guest house on the coast. Being an hour away from home, it is still nice to have a change of scenery.

The owner of the guest house asks you to sign the guest book.

Whilst doing so, you scan the names on the page and spot that your spouse checked in… the day before.

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Novel Kicks Fiction Friday: Movie Scenes

It’s Friday which means it’s time to start writing some fiction.

Fiction Friday is our weekly writing prompt.

The aim is to write for a minimum of five minutes and then keep going for as long as you can.

Once you’ve finished, don’t edit, just post in the comments box below.

Today’s prompt: Movie scenes. 

Your character claims to have a glamorous life when in reality, they live their life through the films they watch on TV.

One day, they magically find themselves in the scene of their favourite movie.

They need to work to get out and back to real life but with every action, it is changing the outcome of the movie and therefore, your character’s knowledge of it.

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Novel Kicks Fiction Friday: Cat’s Eyes

It’s Friday which means it’s time to start writing some fiction.

Fiction Friday is our weekly writing prompt.

The aim is to write for a minimum of five minutes and then keep going for as long as you can.

Once you’ve finished, don’t edit, just post in the comments box below.

 

Today’s prompt: Cat’s eyes.

Where does your cat go when out on an adventure? I have always wanted to know and been fascinated about what the answer could be.

Your character finds that they have an insider view into the day of their cat. They get to follow them around and see where they go. Write about the day you have.

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Novel Kicks Writing Room: Unexpected Journey

I am excited to be back with the first Novel Kicks Writing Room of 2020. 

Today, it is writing about an unexpected journey.

Your character’s day begins like any other.

They wake up, have coffee, see the kids off to school, take the same bus and arrive for the same job they’ve held for a few years.

The plan is to work, go back home, eat with the family, have the same conversations, watch TV and then go to sleep for it all to start again the next day.

Yet, that evening, they are on a train and are far from home.

Write about what happens between work and this point and/or what happens after.

 

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Novel Kicks Fiction Friday: Come Get Father Christmas

It’s Friday which means it’s time to start writing some fiction.

Fiction Friday is our weekly writing prompt.

The aim is to write for a minimum of five minutes and then keep going for as long as you can.

Once you’ve finished, don’t edit, just post in the comments box below.

 

Today’s prompt: Where is he?

Father Christmas has been kidnapped. It’s all over the news around the world.

However, your character is made aware of this when a red, hand-delivered envelope is posted through their door. The number one has been printed on the front. The note inside reads…

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Novel Kicks Writing Room: Witchy AGM

It’s Friday which means it’s time to start writing some fiction.

Fiction Friday is our weekly writing prompt.

The aim is to write for a minimum of five minutes and then keep going for as long as you can.

Once you’ve finished, don’t edit, just post in the comments box below.

 

Today’s prompt: Witch AGM. 

Your character is on their way to the annual witch meeting. The Witch AGM.

On the agenda, ‘Witches are not hags. Helping debunk the bad myths and stereotypes.’

What we can do to help our image. A practical workshop.

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Novel Kicks Writing Room: Structure

I am currently preparing for National Novel Writing Month. October is known as Preptober.

This got me thinking about structure and I have come across many variants of a three-act structure.

Take an idea you have and plan the plot using the following as a guide.

 

Act One:

1. Introduce your character and their world.
2. An event that sets the story in motion.
3. Determine what happens next.

 

Act Two:

4. Determine the goal that isn’t going to come easily.
5. The game changer.
6. The decision.

 

Act Three:

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Novel Kicks Fiction Friday: Go Back and Read The Instructions

It’s Friday which means it’s time to start writing some fiction.

Fiction Friday is our weekly writing prompt.

The aim is to write for a minimum of five minutes and then keep going for as long as you can.

Once you’ve finished, don’t edit, just post in the comments box below.

 

Today’s prompt: Go back and read the instructions.

Your character has invented a time machine. Now it is time to write the instruction manual, including a content page.

For example:

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Novel Kicks Writing Room: Alphabet Story

Welcome back to another writing exercise. 

Today, I wanted to do an alphabet story. This exercise sounds fun but also a challenge.

Write a story but start each sentence with a different letter of the alphabet. In order.

For example…

Albert heard a knock and immediately opened the door.

Beaming at him, Tina stood in the hallway, a bag of groceries in her hand.

Come in,’ he said, stepping aside and letting her into the flat.

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Novel Kicks Fiction Friday: Unexpected Speech

It’s Friday which means it’s time to start writing some fiction.

Fiction Friday is our weekly writing prompt.

The aim is to write for a minimum of five minutes and then keep going for as long as you can.

Once you’ve finished, don’t edit, just post in the comments box below.

 

Today’s prompt: Unexpected Speech. 

 

Your character is walking along the street when they are called over by a person they have never met before.

Before they know it, they are being led, by this stranger down a narrow corridor, through a door and onto a stage where there is an unusual looking audience.

Your character is asked a question. All eyes are on them.

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Novel Kicks Fiction Friday: Pictorial Inspiration

It’s Friday which means it’s time to start writing some fiction.

Fiction Friday is our weekly writing prompt.

The aim is to write for a minimum of five minutes and then keep going for as long as you can.

Once you’ve finished, don’t edit, just post in the comments box below.

 

Today’s prompt: Pictorial Inspiration. 

Write about what this picture inspires….

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Novel Kicks Fiction Friday: Step Back in Time

It’s Friday which means it’s time to start writing some fiction.

Fiction Friday is our weekly writing prompt.

The aim is to write for a minimum of five minutes and then keep going for as long as you can.

Once you’ve finished, don’t edit, just post in the comments box below.

 

Today’s prompt: Step Back in Time. 

Your character is disillusioned with life.

He or she is going through a marriage break up, the children don’t want to know them and to add insult to injury, they have lost their job.

They are sat drinking and then make a wish to be able to have a do-over.

When they wake up, they are eighteen again. Carry on the story…

 

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Novel Kicks Writing Room: Edit, Edit, Edit

For today’s exercise, I wanted to look at editing. 

Rewrite the following passage. Write up to 500 words. Try making it less passive, adding more emotion and details.

How did you find it?

*****

 

Mark goes into the flat and he sat down. 

It had not changed much since he’d left a year ago. 

He listened to Beth, getting the tea ready in the kitchen, She didn’t know what he was going to say to her. 

She carried the tray in and handed him a mug. His favourite mug. 

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Novel Kicks Fiction Friday: Confession

It’s Friday which means it’s time to start writing some fiction.

Fiction Friday is our weekly writing prompt.

The aim is to write for a minimum of five minutes and then keep going for as long as you can.

Once you’ve finished, don’t edit, just post in the comments box below.

Today’s prompt: Confession. 

Your character is living in a country that, to the outside world is perfect. The truth is that the government is oppressing its citizens.

This character has lived in this country all their lives.  Age, sex and life situation is your choice.

Your story begins when your character commits a serious crime.

Law enforcement is trying to get a confession and your character has been given a piece of paper and pencil.

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Novel Kicks Writing Room: Freewriting with Prompts

It’s another freewriting exercise today. 

If you have something in mind already, then fantastic.

Write up to a 1000 words.

If you’re stuck as to where to start, there are five prompts below to hopefully inspire a story. You could always combine a couple if you like.

 

1. Write a letter to September.

2. Your character wakes up discovering that they are back at school.

3. You are stuck in a locked room alone with the person you despise the most.

4. You are confronted by the person you’ve been saying horrible things about online and they know it’s you.

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Novel Kicks Fiction Friday: Alphabet Sentences

It’s Friday which means it’s time to start writing some fiction.

Fiction Friday is our weekly writing prompt.

The aim is to write for a minimum of five minutes and then keep going for as long as you can.

Once you’ve finished, don’t edit, just post in the comments box below.

 

Today’s prompt: Alphabet sentences.

Your first sentence for today’s story is ‘All he could see was smoke.’

Now, carry on the story but with a little twist.

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Novel Kicks Writing Room: Putting an Idea Together

With National Novel Writing Month just over a month and a half away, I thought it would be nice today to generate some ideas using magazines as inspiration.

This part of the writing process has been scary for me but I also find it fun, especially when doing something like the following exercise.

Gather as many magazines as you can. Cut out any words, images and phrases that interest you/catches your eye for any reason.

Once you’ve done that, put them all in a hat.

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Novel Kicks Fiction Friday: Promises

It’s Friday which means it’s time to start writing some fiction.

Fiction Friday is our weekly writing prompt.

The aim is to write for a minimum of five minutes and then keep going for as long as you can.

Once you’ve finished, don’t edit, just post in the comments box below.

Today’s prompt – promises. 

Something happens to you. At first, you can’t talk about it. You’re frightened.

When you confide in someone, they say they believe you and promise to keep your confidence.

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Novel Kicks Writing Room: The Middle is now the Beginning

Today, I wanted to look at beginning in the middle. 

Look through your current work in progress or your idea book, preferably picking something where you know how you want to begin.

As usual, if you’d prefer to use a book you’ve recently read, that’s OK.

Have a think about the three major events that will happen in the middle of your book. Pick one.

Now, write that scene as though it is the beginning of your story.

Write about 500-750 words.

How was it? What does it do to your plot as it stands?

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Novel Kicks Fiction Friday: Nigel

It’s Friday which means it’s time to start writing some fiction.

Fiction Friday is our weekly writing prompt.

The aim is to write for a minimum of five minutes and then keep going for as long as you can.

Once you’ve finished, don’t edit, just post in the comments box below.

Today’s Prompt – Nigel. 

Your story this week is about a young man named Nigel, who has just arrived in a strange city.

Use the following words in your piece of writing – bloom, exercise, paperwork, continuation, speculate and uncle.

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