Category: writing prompts

  • The Value of Writing Groups

    Last December I posted about two different types of writing groups. That brief overview was related to a couple of columns I wrote for a private writing group’s newsletter. Even then, I didn’t feel as though I’d said all I wanted to on the subject. Result? An expanded how-to guide,…

  • Is a Writing Group a Waste of Your Time?

    Quick answer: they can be. Or not. Depends. Don’t you love answers like those?!? But seriously. Much does depend on what the group’s purpose and who’s attending it. Purpose Though types of writing groups vary, two primary categories are critique groups and creative groups. Critique Groups There’s no one way…

  • Found Prompts

    Prompts are everywhere. We just have to be able to spot them and know how to use them. Take receipts, for instance. Ever pick up a random receipt someone left in a shopping cart or tossed away and give it a close look? You should. What did this stranger buy?…

  • Using Prompts

    Usually prompts are used to generate a new piece of writing — often through a timed, free-writing exercise. For example, you set a timer for ten minutes and write whatever pops into your head using the prompt. Fiction, real-life memory, poem, country music lyrics, recipe… whatever rings your bell. In…

  • A Fortune in Writing Prompts

    Fortune cookies, that is! Let me back up and start at the beginning. I recently started leading a weekly writing group after its founder passed away. She’d established a great group that meets weekly for two hours, doing ten minute free-writing activities. I was honored when asked to continue the…