Novel Kicks Fiction Friday: Pick Up From The First Line
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 is – pick up from the first line.
Using the first line below, create a story. The genre, the character and setting is up to you. The only rule is you have to use this first line…
‘Well, this is where I live.’
I am so excited to see what you do with this line. Remember, don’t worry about what you’re writing. The aim of this is to get the words down onto the page and to see where it takes you.
Have fun.
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Novel Kicks Book Club: The Phone Box At The Edge of the World By Laura Imai Messina (Translated By Lucy Rand)
Hello and welcome back to the Novel Kicks Book Club.
What a joy it is to be saying hello to February. We did it. We got through another January.
For this month’s book club, I have chosen a book that I know is going to wreck me. We all need a good cry every now and then, right? Then a piece of cake to make us feel better?… Right….
We will be reading The Phone Box at the Edge of the World by Laura Imai Messina. Translated by Lucy Rand, this japanese based novel is inspired by true events. You know when you read the blurb for a novel and even that gives you all the feels. This book did that for me. Plus, this cover is so beautiful.
How To Take Part?
Are you new to our book club? Well, anyone and everyone is welcome and at any point in the month. Maybe you’ve read it and want to talk about it? You may be reading along with me? I’ve posted a question in the comments to get discussion going. I look forward to seeing you there.
About The Phone Box at the Edge of the World –
We all have something to tell those we have lost . . .
On a windy hill in Japan, in a garden overlooking the sea stands a disused phone box. For years, people have travelled to visit the phone box, to pick up the receiver and speak into the wind: to pass their messages to loved ones no longer with us.
When Yui loses her mother and daughter in the tsunami, she is plunged into despair and wonders how she will ever carry on. One day she hears of the phone box, and decides to make her own pilgrimage there, to speak once more to the people she loved the most. But when you have lost everything, the right words can be the hardest thing to find . . .
by Novel Kicks Writing Room: From Three Different Ways
Welcome back to the Novel Kicks Writing Room.
Today’s exercise is about looking at the same event in three different ways.
First, pick one of the following scenarios –
- You’re at a magic convention and you bump into the one person who has made your life a misery.
- You go speed dating but it’s all your previous partners.
- You wake up and all of the colour has disappeared from the world. You go on a quest to find out why.
- Your life is being narrated by a mysterious voice.
by Novel Kicks Writing Room: Journal Entries
Hello and welcome back to the Novel Kicks Writing Room.
Today, I thought it would be fun to write a journal entry from the point of view of your main character from your work in progress.
What I thought would be interesting, is if we write three journal entries in total.
The first entry would be based toward the beginning of your story.
The second entry would be based in the middle of your story.
And, you’ve guessed it, the third entry would be from the end of your story.
With each one, focus on what is happening within that story section. Have your character ask themselves questions like –
What is currently going on?
How am I feeling now?
What is my reaction to what is going on?
How have I changed from the first/last entry?
by Novel Kicks Fiction Friday: No Music Allowed
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: No Music Allowed.
Your character, a musician, has woken up from another night where they’ve indulged in something they shouldn’t have. As they try to piece together what happened, they become aware that they can’t hear music.
What happens? Why has this happened?
Have fun!
by Novel Kicks Book Club: The God Of The Woods by Liz Moore
Hello to 2026. Howdy to January.
Why is it that all the other months have up to 31 days but January feels like it drags on for a decade?
I’m hoping that you’re as excited as I am about January’s book pick and that it will help you get through this loooooonnnnng month.
The book we’re reading this month is The God of The Woods by Liz Moore.
I first came across a snippet of this book from the Taylor Swift documentary, The End of an Era on Disney+. Even though I only heard a few lines, it had me hooked.
So, how does our book club work?
If you’re new to our book club, welcome. Anyone can join and it can be at any point in the month. Maybe you’ve already read it and want to talk about it or you’ll be reading along with me?
I’ve posted a question below to start the discussion.
I am looking forward to seeing you there.
by Novel Kicks Fiction Friday: Celebration Figures Support Group
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: Celebration Figures Support Group.
Your character is someone that is tied to a festive season, a celebration or a tradition – think Father Christmas, The Easter Bunny, Cupid etc. Put in as many as you’d like/can think of.
They have all come together for their weekly support meeting the week before 25th December.
Write a story about what happens at the meeting. Start with the sentence below –
‘Hey, Father Christmas, you made it.’
Have fun.
by Novel Kicks Fiction Friday: You Find Yourself Back At School
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: You Find Yourself Back At School.
After wishing they could go back to school and change the day where things started to go wrong but with the knowledge of life they’ve built in adulthood, your character wakes up and finds themselves in their old childhood bedroom. They are fifteen.
They go to school. Write about a school day in their life that changed everything – they are staring in the christmas show maybe? What do they do differently? Is there something that they misremebered?
Have fun.
by Novel Kicks Book Club: The Toymakers by Robert Dinsdale
Welcome back to the Novel Kicks Book Club.
Who else is excited that it’s finally December? The tree is up, the lights are on. Ot maybe you choose to be a little bit low key for the last month of the year or are simply looking forward to a new year? However you spend December, I hope you’ll join me in our book club.
This month, I had to admit, it was the cover that originally drew me to this title. The book we’re reading is The Toymakers by Robert Dinsdale.
The blurb sounds so intriguing and I am looking forward to hearing your thoughts on the novel.
Anyone can take part in our book club, whether you’ve read this book or if, like me, you’ll be discovering it. You can join us at any point in the month. Like always, I’ve put a question in the comments below to get the discussion going.
See you there!
About The Toymakers –
The Christmas Emporium opens with the first sign of frost . . .
It is 1917, and while war wages across Europe, in the heart of London, there is a place of hope and enchantment.
by Novel Kicks Writing Room: Inserting Prompt Sentences
Welcome back to the Novel Kicks Writing Room.
For the last Writing Room of November, I have a fun exercise (at least I hope you find it fun.)
The task is to write a story using the prompt sentences below. There’s a twist though. Starting with the first sentence to begin with, set a timer for two minutes. Once that’s done, use the next prompt sentence in your story and set the alarm for another two minutes and so on, continuing the story as you go until you’ve used all the prompt sentences.
For example, these two sentences-
‘I thought I’d cracked the case’ and ‘whatever happens, I can’t let the ducks in.’
I thought I’d finally cracked the case…… write, taking the story wherever you’re inspired to take it whilst setting the timer, once the timer goes off, use ‘whatever happens, I can’t let the ducks in,’ continuing the story yourself for two minutes and so on. Make sense?
So, your prompts are –
‘Oh for goodness sake, I told you to shut the door.’
by Novel Kicks Fiction Friday: Halloween
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: Halloween
Your character wakes up on the morning of Halloween and suddenly finds themselves surrounded by their fears.
It could be that they are afraid of clowns? Spiders? Vampires? Fire? A room full of strangers?
Write a piece chronicling a part of their day and how they rid themselves of the problem?
Have fun and Happy Halloween.
by Novel Kicks Fiction Friday: Traitor or Faithful?
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: Traitor and Faithful.
As Celebrity Traitors has been popular over the last few weeks, I thought it would be fun to put our own spin on it.
Place all of your characters from your current WIP into a castle and place them in a gameshow style situation. Who would be faithful and who not so much?
If you’d prefer to pick a set of characters from another piece of fiction, that’s fine too.
by Novel Kicks Fiction Friday: Woken In A Daze
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: Woken in a daze.
Your character wakes up in a room that doesn’t feel familiar.
However, going by the pictures on the walls, this seems to be where they live. They shout for someone, anyone to hear them but the home and the surrounding area remain quiet.
After checking the rest of the rooms, they go outside. Their head is hurting and vision is a litle blurred.
Out of the corner of their eye, they spot a movement…
Continue the story.
Have fun.
by Novel Kicks Book Club: Rewitched by Lucy Jane Wood
Hello October.
This month is my favourite for many reasons and not just because it’s when I have my birthday. There is something about October. It’s Autumn and Halloween all in one and, it’s a chance to rewatch shows like The Gilmore Girls, have hot chocolates and best of all, pull out the autumn themed novels.
So, I have chosen Rewitched by Lucy Jane Wood as the book club pick for this month.
Even the cover has me wanting to grab a cup of tea, chocolate, a warm blanket and a comfy chair whilst I disappear into this novel.
Anyone is welcome to take part in our book club, whether you’ve already read it and want to talk about it or if, like me, you’ll be jumping in during this month.
I’ve posted a question below to kick start the discussion. I look forward to seeing you there.
About Rewitched –
IT’S TIME TO REDISCOVER HER MAGIC . . .
Belladonna Blackthorn hasn’t lost her magical spark, but she hasn’t seen it in a while either. Balancing work at her beloved London bookshop, Lunar Books, with handling her toxic boss and concealing her witchcraft from those around her – Belle is burnt out. Perfecting the potential of her magic is the last thing on her mind.
by Novel Kicks Fiction Friday: By The Roll Of The Dice
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: By The Roll Of The Dice.
Find a dice. There’s plenty of free dice apps on the various app stores if you can’t find one.
Roll and use the first line that corresponds to the number you throw.
1 – When walking down an alleyway, your character finds themselves in another time.
2 – Your character is lost in a forest and reach a crossroads. They go left instead of right and end up at an isolated farm.
by Novel Kicks Writing Room: To Start Not At The Beginning
Welcome back to the Novel Kicks Writing Room.
Many of us have heard of the saying, ‘let’s start at the beginning.’ I thought it would be interesting to approach our stories at a different place.
‘Two friends fall out within the story.’
Taking this premise, do the following –
Start the story at the beginning – instead of the beginning, wrtie a section from the end of this story. How do you see this premise ending?
Start in the middle – write a section from the middle of the story – from the heart of the action.
Conflict – write a scene that details the actual falling out. If you like, you could write from one point of view and then write it again but from the other point of view.
If you have a work in progress, feel free to use that rather than the premise above.
Have fun.
by Novel Kicks Fiction Friday: Your Fictional Hero/Heroine Comes To Visit
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: Your Fictional Hero/Heroine Comes To Visit
Picture this scene…
Your character is sat eating breakfast, minding their own business when there is a knock at the door.
Standing on the doorstep is their fictional hero/heroine. They are there – a living, breathing person.
Write about what happens next. What do they make of our world? What is the same? What is different? How do they react to things?
by Novel Kicks Writing Room: Writing Scenes
Welcome back to the Novel Kicks Writing Room.
Today, we will be focusing on writing a scene that will draw your reader in.
Pick a scene from one of your favourite books and read it.
Then re-read it. This time though, make a list of bullet points covering the following –
. What do you think is the goal from the author’s point of view?
. What plot points does it touch on?
. What characterisation does it reveal?
. What world-building does it disclose?
by 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 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: Freaky Friday.
After getting drunk and making a wish, your character wakes up to find they’ve swapped places with the person they admire most in the world or someone they feel has everything together like a rival or a celebrity.
Write about whether the grass is actually greener.
by Novel Kicks Writing Room: The Plot Thickens
Hello and welcome back to the Novel Kicks Writing Room.
For today’s excerise, we will be looking at plots. Pick two of the following –
Rags to Riches – Your character is changed by money.
Coming of Age – Your character potentially becomes something better because of what they’ve been through.
The Quest – Your character must go through a journey to acomplish something great.
Mystery – Your character must solve a puzzle.
Stranger – Someone new upsets the status quo.
Now write a story that combines them. The genre and style is up to you. Try to write at least 750 words.
I’d love to see them in the comments but no pressure to post. Have fun.
by Novel Kicks Writing Room: All The Feels
It’s Wednesday. Welcome to another Novel Kicks Writing Room session.
Today’s writing will focus around emotions.
Listening to a favourite song, reading a great book or watching a compelling film – these are great ways of feeling all the feels.
Do one of the following –
. Pick a favourite song and then a favourite lyric.
. Grab hold of your favourite book and then re-read your favourite scene.
. Think of your favourite movie and think back to an important scene.
Once you’ve done one of these things, think about the emotion it elicits. Then, write a piece where your character is listening/reading/watching the same thing. Do they react differently to you to the film/song/book? Try to write for at least 10 minutes.
by Novel Kicks Fiction Friday: Musical Days
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: Musical Days
Your character, who is usually someone who keeps to themselves, hates music and loves quiet, finds that when they wake up, they are singing. Everyone around them is singing and there is a full orchestral backing too.
Write about the day as your character tries to find out what has occurred? Who do they meet along the way?
Have fun!
by Novel Kicks Writing Room: Show, Don’t Tell
Welcome to the Novel Kicks Writing Room.
Today, the exercise is going to be focusing on showing, not telling. With your writing, you want to try and be as sensory as you can to pull the reader into your story.
The scene: your character is drunk and they’ve just arrived back at what they think is their home. Write a passage about what happens without once saying they are drunk.
What are they feeling?
What can they hear?
What can they touch?
What can they see?
What are they tasting?
Set a timer for 10 minutes. Have fun.
How did you find that exercise?
by Novel Kicks Fiction Friday: Three’s A Crowd
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: Three’s a Crowd
You have the chance to spend a day with three people of your choice. However, it’s all at the same time and not everyone gets on.
Write about the day.
by Novel Kicks Book Club: The Last Party by Clare Mackintosh
Hello June, it’s lovely to see you.
I am very excited about the pick for this month’s book club. It’s The Last Party by Clare Mackintosh and is the first novel in the DC Morgan Mysteries.
I am such a fan of thrillers and of this author. I hope you join me below in the book discussion. I have posted a question to kick things off.
Anyone can take part in the Novel Kicks book club and at any point in the month. Don’t worry if you’ve not read it yet, our book club runs all month.
So, what’s the book about?
On New Year’s Eve, Rhys Lloyd has a house full of guests.
His lakeside holiday homes are a success, and he’s generously invited the village to drink champagne with their wealthy new neighbours. This will be the party to end all parties.
But not everyone is there to celebrate. By midnight, Rhys will be floating dead in the freezing waters of the lake.
On New Year’s Day, DC Ffion Morgan has a village full of suspects.
The tiny community is her home, so the suspects are her neighbours, friends and family – and Ffion has her own secrets to protect.
by Novel Kicks Fiction Friday: Jumping Into Your Favourite World
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: Jumping into your favourite world.
Pick your favourite fictional world. It can be from any medium – books, films, video games, even a music video.
You find yourself waking up in this world. Put yourself into the shoes of one of the characters. Write a scene from your point of view. How would you react to the world?
For example, if your choice is Bridget Jones’ Diary and you found Mark Darcy at your door closely followed by Daniel Cleaver, forget how Bridget reacted and that scene as you know it. Put yourself and your reactions and emotions into that scene.
Have fun.
by Novel Kicks Writing Room: Talking Whilst Doing
Hello Wednesday and I’d like to welcome everyone back to another Novel Kicks Writing Room.
For today’s task, I thought it would be fun to concentrate on writing dialogue.
Many of us will hold conversations whilst doing something else and your character will be no different.
Spend a few minutes listing some activities. Then pick an activity from that list and write a piece using mostly dialogue. Make sure to incorporate the activity into the piece.
Here are some examples of activities should you need them –
Driving a car.
Washing up.
Walking around a supermarket.
Painting a wall.
Moving house.
by Novel Kicks Writing Room: Starting Lines And Genres
Hello Wednesday.
You made it. You’re halfway through the week. It’s time for another Novel Kicks Writing room writing exercise.
Today, I thought it would be good to take the following starting line and then write in different styles.
The starting line is as follows: ‘the last thing I broke was.’
Now pick a genre:
Crime/psychological thriller
Romance
Dystopian
Historical
by Novel Kicks Writing Room: Choose Your Own Adventure Story
Welcome back to the Novel Kicks Writing Room.
Today, I thought we’d have a go at doing an interactive story where you can choose your own adventure.
Here is a link to writing.com to give you an idea of what you’re aiming for in terms of mechanics. Have a go at one or two of the stories. It can be very enjoyable. I loved the choose your own adventures as a child.
Next, find a story of your own. I found an idea by googling ‘interactive story generator AI’.
Once you’ve picked a story, write story threads for at least two characters with two endings.
This is a task that may take a while but it’s an interesting way to create a plot.
I hope you have fun.
by Novel Kicks Fiction Friday: A Story From Lyrics
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 – A story from lyrics.
Today’s inspiration is going to come from a song.
Head to your favourite playlist or an available playlist on wherever you stream your music. Hit shuffle. Then write a story inspired by whatever song plays.
If you don’t use streaming and are more about vinyl and CD’s, just pick a random one and hit shuffle/place the needle in a random spot.
by Novel Kicks Fiction Friday: Immersed
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: Immersed.
Your character falls and suddenly finds themselves in a video game. This world they find themselves in has its dangers. They have allies and enemies.
Think Dreamlight Valley, Animal Crossing or Hogwarts Legacy – that kind of game.
Write an adventure in a world you create.
by Book Club
