Happy Friday! Hope you’ve had a good week and, if you were in one of the areas with earthquakes, high winds, lashing rain, blizzard conditions, or just politics-as-usual, that you have survived unscathed.
It has been a hectic week at the Day Job, so I’m looking forward to some downtime and dinner with friends this weekend. If you’re looking for something a little more exciting, then you’re in luck. Saturday marks the 3rd Annual Women’s March. The main march will be in Washington, D.C., but there are satellite events scheduled across the globe, including one just blocks from my office. If you’re interested in attending, check here to see if there will be a march near you.
Not in the mood for marching this weekend? Well, Saturday is National Popcorn Day, so maybe you can celebrate by heading off to the movies with a big bucket of buttery deliciousness.
I’ll be here curled up on the couch with a cozy blanket, a mug of coffee, and a lazy cat, alternating between reading the latest Louise Penny book I’m in the midst of, and doing some writing of my own. I’ve got a story with a sagging-middle that needs some work, but before I tackle that I think I’ll try and jump-start my creativity by giving today’s “what-if” and random words a try.
Care to join me?
For those of you working away on a story (whether a first draft or a polished version on its way to publication), if you’re not feeling random, we’d love to hear a bit – whether it’s a scene, a paragraph, or even a phrase that you are especially pleased with and would like to share.
If you don’t have a story in progress, or just want to work on something new, I hope today’s story prompt and/or random words will catch your creative fancy.
Ready?
What if: “Your character got passed over for a promotion?”
Feel free to include any (or all) of the following random words:
whisper cadaver freak blend
announcer landscape adhesive flash
curse lemon anonymous future
drunk arrival wholesome gloves
I look forward to seeing your stories in the comments. If you’re not feeling in the writing mood today, or don’t have time, feel free to post suggestions you might have for future “what-if” prompts. Ideas are always welcome.
Happy writing to all!
Eight Ladies Writing 
Hello! I love all the voices on this blog! I feel I have a story fighting its way out of me but while I hoped to be a writer some day, this story has become a bit of a mystery which is not the type of story I typically like to read let alone write. Have any of you had something like this happen-you have an idea but the process takes it somewhere else?
Thanks, Julie
Hi Julie, thank you and we’re very glad to meet you.
First off, I’d say, you may not be published, but if you’re writing then you already are a writer, even if you don’t feel like one yet 😉 . Not sure how the other Ladies would answer your question, but I’d say everyone’s process is different. Some writers are naturally planners and once they’ve figured out the shape of a story they tend to stick quite closely to it. Others are pantsers who will explore the story as they discover it and see where it takes them. It sounds as though you’re on the pantsing end of the continuum, but the more you write, the more you’ll learn what works for you.
I keep notebooks where I do most of my brainstorming, and sometimes when I flick back through them I’m amazed to see how much my story changed as I was developing it.
I say follow your muse to the end of the story and see where it takes you. You can decide later whether to change it, revise it, or chalk it down to experience, but if you’re feeling inspired then don’t fight it! And please let us know how it goes. Good luck!
Sometimes writing is therapy. (-: And sometimes you can take therapy, and shape it into something you discover you like, after all. I would write. Often, the fighting story blocks all other sorts of things, so it’s better out than in. You don’t have to show anyone or publish it — you just have to say, “Yes, I see you.” Then see what happens.