Thursday, March 29, 2012

Can't write a complete story ? Start with prompts

I've just joined the Internet Writing Workshop.


I'm impressed by the professionalism of this online group.


The IWW Practice List involves submitting 400 words in response to a weekly prompt. I can't write whole stories yet, but maybe I can complete 400 word exercises.


And I've submitted twice! Just one baby step. But it's a start.


Responding to a prompt with 400 words, completing an 'exercise', isn't as terrifying as sitting down to Write A Story. Seems I'm more inspired by an idea that isn't mine - is that because someone else's idea is more exotic somehow?  Does it get you out of a mental rut?


The two pieces I produced came out of early writing attempts. I tried again to find my way into a tooth fairy story. The theme that keeps coming up is man's pollution of nature. But I still have no idea about the characters to hang the story on.