Category: Writing Prompts

Prompts are short, fun exercises that can be used to get the creative juices flowing or break the ice at a critique meeting. They start as a brief list of ingredients, forming a challenge for the writer to incorporate all of them into one self-contained piece. There are many ways to come up with prompts and each author will find a unique way to express a given prompt.

Pool Table

k-avatarThis week’s prompts involved comparing a person to an inanimate object, creating a metaphor and then extending it.

Kent’s object: Pool Table

Jerry had the same low center of gravity as the tables at the pool hall where he kept his “office,” and like them he usually had an 8-ball in one of his pockets. Unlike those tables, Jerry was on the level.

Granted, he was a loan shark (not a pool shark) and there were dozens of local legends about what that 8-ball was for. But he always stuck to the original terms of a deal, and never hurt people who didn’t have it coming.

He also upheld a sort of personal code against talking about his clients, understandably enough. But two underage hustlers had been dragged out of the river in the past week, both known regulars at Jerry’s establishment, and I had to know if they were also his personal customers.

Because if they were, that would put Jerry behind the 8-ball this time.

Obscene Marionette

by jen

This week’s prompts involved comparing a person to an inanimate object, creating a metaphor and then extending it.

Jen’s object: Obscene Marionette

Sexually, Francine was an obscene marionette, preferring bondage games, and always allowing her puppet master to dictate her behavior, pull her strings, and force her to perform on a tiny stage in front of a young audience.

Burton Frowned

  • k-avataryou know that’s not allowed
  • pretty sure
  • pommel
  • ignorant

Burton frowned at the model landscape, then frowned at Spinrod across the table.

“Hey. There’s a cow on the roof. You know that’s not allowed.”

“Are you sure?”

“Pretty sure.”

Spinrod frowned now. “Do you think anyone else will notice?”

Burton nodded solemnly.

Spinrod tapped his temple. “What if it wears a saddle. We could use the pommel exemption.”

Burton sighed. “That’s only for aquatic installations. How can you be so ignorant?”

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About the Author

  • by jenmisinterpreted the gesture
  • St John said dully
  • smooth-edged skull
  • dark-haired and fleshy
  • naturally athletic
  • barking chorus
  • buy a small Pacific island

About the Author

Rune Skelley has always been naturally athletic, even back in the 20th century, before such things were in vogue. For several years Rune enjoyed a writing partnership with the dark-haired and fleshy novelist Augustus St John, until a misunderstanding involving sign language. Rune attempted to sign, “I’m hungry,” but Augustus misinterpreted the gesture. This lead to their falling out, of which St John said dully, “It’s over.”

Rune Skelley’s smooth-edged skull echoes with the barking chorus of the muses. Rune’s ultimate ambition is to buy a small Pacific island.

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Dizzy Fracas

Today we offer two versions of the same prompt, one written by Kent and one by Jen. This prompt is a simplified form of the stichomancy prompts we use most often. Instead of phrases or sentence fragments, we have a short list of words that must be included.

  • dizzy
  • fracas
  • gender
  • curve

k-avatarKent’s take:

In the tumultuous midst of a fracas

Said the dizzy lad, “Here’s where your mistake is

Although I’m quite slender

I assure you my gender

Has no curve: my bosom all fake is.”

by jen

 

Jen’s take:

“All I said was I like the gender with curves,” Sam said, gazing out the window at the flaming chaos below.

Gina replied, “Well, Samantha, this is a pretty conservative town. An announcement like that coming from the new librarian is bound to make some of the gentry dizzy.”

“I suppose you’re right. I should have expected it. But, Gina, this fracas is making me horny. Take off your spectacles and kiss me!”

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Fear-Joy

Today we offer two versions of the same prompt, one written by Jen and one by Kent. This prompt is a simplified form of the stichomancy prompts we use most often. Instead of phrases or sentence fragments, we have a short list of words that must be included.

  • concerned
  • concentration
  • fear-joy
  • murderous physicians

by jenJen’s take:

“Murderous physicians fill me with fear-joy,” Joanne told her concerned therapist. “Doctors in general frighten me with their looks of caring concentration, their probing questions, their needles, and nasal-lights. And yet, their deadly intentions, the dangers they represent, are a turn-on.”

 

k-avatarKent’s take:

Fear-joy heightened all Carlos’s senses in the waiting room. The idea that he was perhaps waiting to see one of the murderous physicians he’d read about made him giddy, stoking the fetishistic core of his mind to a white glow. He directed all his concentration at a magazine. Outwardly, no one would know of his agitation. He did not look at all concerned.

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Tracy Clutched Her Skull in Agony

  1. k-avatarCharacter – equestrian
  2. Setting – the moors
  3. Object – halter
  4. Situation – blinding headache

Tracy clutched her skull in agony, wrapping her arms around her head to ward off further dashings as Seawind galloped heedless across the moors with Tracy’s leg thrust through the stirrup.

She knew the mare was too spooked to stop, might plunge over the approaching cliff. She had to regain control. She shouted, “Seawind! Whoa!” and coughed as soil and grass flew into her mouth. Desperate, she risked reaching with one hand. She heaved her torso upwards and strained after the halter. Seawind’s pulsating movement threw her about, the leather straps slipping her fingers three times before offering a hold.

Tracy clambered up the animal’s flank, drawing her weight off her leg and pulling it free. Seawind veered and Tracy tumbled into the heather, and then the horse went riderless over the lip.

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Heather Skirted the Edge of the Exercise Yard

  1. by jenCharacter – chunky cheerleader
  2. Setting – prison
  3. Object – scissors
  4. Situation – need to find the black market

Heather skirted the edge of the exercise yard, eyeing the pyramid formation with jealousy. The scissors were concealed in her left pompom and she had to remember not to be too spirited, or one of the guards would notice.

Where was Sarah? Normally she’d be near the trampoline, surrounded by her posse of bitches. But the trampoline was vacant today.

Heather had to hurry. In another 10 minutes it would be time for headcount.

Ah! There was Sarah, by the over-sized megaphones.

Heather hurried over. On the black market, these scissors would buy at least a case of Ding Dongs.

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Harry Couldn’t Go Out There

  1. k-avatarCharacter – politician
  2. Setting – Australian outback
  3. Object – monocle
  4. Situation – earthquake

Harry couldn’t go out there. The crowd was rabid. He would call campaign headquarters, but some lunatic wallaby had his cellphone in her pouch.

“He’s almost ready. Where’s that monocle? Harry looks dignified with a monocle.”

That kangaroo is only making this worse, thought Harry. The noise of the crowd was suddenly louder and a stray boomerang caromed off the wall near his head.

The kangaroo was shouting now. “No! Monocle, I said monocle, you egg-laying imbecile! I suppose it’ll have to do…”

Before he could react, Harry’s wrists were bound by cold iron manacles and he was shoved out onto the stage.

Suddenly, the building began to shake. The pandemonium of the crowd sputtered out.

Harry cleared his throat, lost his balance, and toppled to the floor. He couldn’t get up because of the restraints, and the shaking of the floor. Plaster dust sifted down onto his blue suit as he thought, I can see the headlines now — Harry won’t take a stand.

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Francine’s Toes Hurt

  1. by jenCharacter – South American cannibal
  2. Setting – submarine
  3. Object – lucky rabbit’s foot
  4. Situation – new shoes today

Francine’s toes hurt. The new “sensible” shoes were worse than her old heels.

Stopping her pacing, Francine leaned against the wall of the submarine passageway and felt the faint vibration. They would be in Caracas soon.

Francine rubbed her lucky rabbit’s foot and thought about what it would be like to be reunited with Stanley after all this time.

The mix-up, last time, had been unbelievable but understandable. Stanley and Ngegue looked exactly the same. Still it was embarrassing to explain to both the Bridge Club and Stanley’s mother that she had mistaken a South American cannibal for her own husband.

No matter. Everything was about to be put right. Ngegue would go back to his tribe, Stanley and Francine would return to the State Department.

Francine wondered, though, whether Stanley would ever live up to Ngegue’s performance in the sack.

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