Novel Kicks Writing Room

Novel Kicks Writing Room – Reflections in Conversations. 

Reflections in Conversations. 

Happy Wednesday everyone.

What I thought we could do today is write a conversation in two parts.

The situation of your story is as follows – your character is a clown and has just been fired. They’ve been told that the upcoming performance is their last one. In the first conversation you write, your character is having a conversation with another colleague just after they’ve been fired.

Then write the conversation again but the clown is alone. He is looking into the mirror as he’s putting on his make-up. He is talking to his reflection.

How different are the two conversations? Would the clown be saying something different to his colleague than he would to his reflection?

Write up to 500 words per conversation.

If you feel like sharing your writing, please do post in the comments below.

Have fun.

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Novel Kicks Writing Room: The Art of Letter Writing

The art of writing letters is so wonderful. 

I am such a fan of writing letters and fascinated in what can be said and the emotion that can be conveyed – how handwriting your thoughts and feelings to someone and the symbolism that represents.

So, what is the task today I hear you ask?

Writing a letter of course.

The letter is from the point of view of either the main character of a current work in progress or a favourite fictional character. The recipient is you.

What would your character say to you? What would they want to convey? Is there something about them that they want to tell you?

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Novel Kicks Writing Room: Switching

Today, I wanted to focus on a writing prompt with a bit of a twist.

Your word target is a minimum of 1000 words.

The prompt – The story begins when your character discovers an object that convinces them that they can have the superpower they desire the most.

Begin your story using the prompt and one of the genres below. It doesn’t matter which one you start with.

Here’s the twist – every 200 words, change the genre, choosing another from the list.

 

Romance

Horror

Sci-fi

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Novel Kicks Writing Room: Can Anyone See Me?

Happy Wednesday everyone.

For today’s writing room, I thought it would be fun to do a bit of free writing today but with a few additions.

Your prompt is that your character realises they have gained the ability to be invisible at will.

What do they do first? What are the consequences.

Also, just to add to the challenge, try adding these words –

Elephant, nightmare, market, eccentric, bibble. cattywampus.

Have fun with it and I look forward to hoping seeing your writing in the comments below if you feel up to sharing.

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Novel Kicks Writing Room: Prose to a Script

Today, we are looking at changing a piece of prose to a script.

I feel that it’s good to change things up every so often.

I don’t know about you but, when I am writing, I imagine everything as though I am watching a movie. I found this helps.

Take a passage from something you’ve written and convert it into a script. What would you add/take out? What would the background look like? Would you include music? Continue reading

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Novel Kicks Fiction Friday: Continuation Ever After

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

Fiction Friday is our weekly writing flash fiction prompt.

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

Don’t edit, just write. Once you’re done, you’re welcome to share in the comments but there’s no obligation. 

Today’s prompt: Continuation Ever After.

Today, think of your favourite fairytale and how it ended. Now write a continuation of the story. Did Cinderella adjust to Palace life or did she crave her country house? Did Belle spend all her time in the library and this annoyed the beast?

Did Hansel and Gretel face any consequences for what they did to the witch?

Have fun.

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Novel Kicks Writing Room: Making a List

Today, we are going to be making a list.

If you’re anything like me, you love a list. I feel more in control if I have a to-do list for example. Whether I complete that is another matter. Haha.

As writers, we can also benefit from having lists and that is the task today.

Grab your writers notebook and pick three of lists below. Make a list for each. Then, if you feel like doing so/are inspired, begin a story to include some of the things from your list. Begin with this first line – ‘I didn’t expect that to happen.’

List ideas:

What 10 things would you grab if your house was on fire?

Which five things could you never forgive?

List five of the worst presents you’ve ever received.

List five places you’d love to go on holiday.

List five situations you’d never like to find yourself in?

List five people who have had an influence on your life.

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Novel Kicks Fiction Friday: Accidental Mind Reader

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

Fiction Friday is our weekly writing flash fiction prompt.

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

Don’t edit, just write. Once you’re done, you’re welcome to share in the comments but there’s no obligation. 

Today’s prompt: Accidental Mind Reader. 

On your way to a job interview, your character falls over and hits their head. They don’t think too much about it until the next morning.

They wake up and discover they can hear the thoughts of other humans and animals around them.

Write a conversation between your character and either another person or animal.

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Novel Kicks Writing Room: Micro Fiction

For today’s writing room, I thought we could write some micro fiction. 

Short stories are deceptively hard to write, micro fictions even more so.

Pick three out of the following genres – gothic, romance, horror, sci-fi, historic, young adult.

Now, write a 6 word short story, a 50 word short story and a 100 word short story assigning one of the genres you’ve picked to each one.

For example, I’ve chosen gothic to the 6 word short story:

Midnight struck; she’s now lost forever.

Let me know how you get on in the comments below and as always, if you feel brave enough to post your work, I’d love to read it.

Have fun!

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Novel Kicks Writing Room: Pick ‘n’ Mix

Hello and welcome to the first Novel Kicks Writing Room of 2023. 

Today, I thought it would be fun to write a short story.

Before you begin writing, pick one thing from each section. Don’t overthink it, just write down the one you’re immediately drawn to. Once you’ve done this and written your piece, ask what kind of story it is. Is it a rag to riches, a quest? You get the idea.

Let me know how you found this exercise in the comments below or if you’re feeling brave, feel free to post your story.

 

Section one – pick one of the following occupations.

A joiner, a detective, an oil rig worker, an ice hockey player, a diplomat.

 

Section Two – pick one of the following places.

The alps, a basement, top of the Shard, a cat sanctuary, a bank vault.

 

Section Three – now pick an object.

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Novel Kicks Writing Room: Change a Story’s POV

For today’s writing room, change a story’s POV.

Sometimes, it can be good to change it up a little.

Take a passage from either a current work in progress of your own or a favourite novel.

Change the POV of the main character and rewrite the passage.

What would a scene from Pride and Prejudice be like from the point of view of Lady Catherine De Burgh or what about if Rom was the main character in a Harry Potter scene?

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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 Writing Room: Setting

rp_writeanything-300x19911-300x1991-300x1991-300x199-300x1991-300x199-300x199-1-1-1-1-1-300x199-1-1-1-1.jpgTuesday 13th September 2016: Setting. 

For today’s writing exercise, we’re going to be looking at setting.

Choose a place that you know well. Place your work in progress or an idea you’re thinking about developing into this setting.

Now think of an event that began up to a month before the beginning of your story.

Then, by only describing the place/setting reveal as much as you can about the story and the characters.

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Writing Room: Introducing Something Unexpected

rp_writeanything-300x19911-300x1991-300x1991-300x199-300x1991-300x199-300x199-1-1-1-1-1.jpgTuesday 12th July 2016: 

Today’s writing group exercise is about introducing something unexpected.

Take something you’re working on at the moment. Make a copy of it (one that you can discard after.)

Now, using that copy, pick a major point in the story and introduce something unexpected into it. If it’s a serious subject, introduce something crazy like a talking animal circus or if it’s a lighthearted plot, introduce something serious into it. What if a unicorn suddenly popped up in a history lesson where your character has just assured the students that unicorns don’t exist?

How do your characters react to the change?

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