I’ve been so busy catching up on all the Wattpad responses that I haven’t been keeping up to date here. Join in with the Wattpad prompts if you’re getting the urge to write, and I’ll concentrate on getting some more fun content on here too!

Wattpad Week Nine

Last week we wrote character actions that helped describe setting. This week, we’re thinking about the objects a character owns and how your character describes them. The way your character views the things around them shows your reader the essence of your character.

Both of these exercises deepen your knowledge of your characters through physical and emotional description of the things around your character.

Specifically think about an object either you or one of your characters own. This object is something inherited.

Why is it important? Who is it from? What does it look like, feel like? What words do you, or your character use to describe it? Think about voice.

Write a personal essay – either from your point of view, or a fictional piece in the voice of your character – of up to 400 words describing this object and where it came from. Think about how the words you use reveal character.

Post your responses here at the Weekly Workshop Series Discussion Thread! I’ll read and give feedback as often as I can.

I’m reading a wonderful novel about clearing out a graveyard: Pure, by Andrew Miller. It’s making me think as the year comes to the end about clearing out, which leads to the writing prompt for today.

Write 1000 words about someone clearing out something – what do they find?

Challenging yourself as a writer pushes your imagination and your skills. The prompt this week follows a few steps to challenge your writing ability.

One thing we’ve been thinking about during these Wattpad prompts is how to find new and original ways to say things. For example, in a poem, instead of saying ‘My heart bled’ find a more unusual way to describe the pain of loss.

This week we’re going to use the prompt WINTER MORNING. And we’re going to write a poem – even if you don’t normally write poetry (I told you it might be challenging).

First, I want you to list any words that come to mind when you see the words WINTER MORNING.

Re-read what you’ve read. The words on your list are the words I do NOT want you to use when you write your poem. The words on your list are your first impressions, but I want you to dig deeper this week and find out what else you have to say. Forbid yourself the words on this first list. You cannot use them in your poem.

Write a second list of NEW words using WINTER MORNING as a prompt – this list may be shorter, but it will be more original.

Use these words to put together a poem.

Remember, you don’t have to use rhyme, but you do need to think about language and how to bring ideas together in new ways. And it doesn’t have to be long. Sometimes, less is more.

Post your second list and your poem here at the Weekly Workshop Series Discussion Thread! I’ll read and give feedback as often as I can.