Category: Blog

March 16th Writing Prompts

We will again have multiple writing challenges for you to choose from. Please give them a try, even if you decide not to read yours to the other members at the meeting.

You can choose to use any or all of the five unrelated words and make them into a sentence, a paragraph, a poem, a memoir, or a piece of short fiction. The words do not have to be used in these forms. For example, instead of just “school” it can be “schoolyard” or “schoolhouse,” etc.

WORDS: school – table – crow – spider – forgiveness

PROMPTS:

Finish this thought: If I could change one thing about myself…

Finish this sentence: I have never done anything unpredictable, but that changed today when I woke up, packed a bag, went to the airport, and randomly bought a ticket to________.

You’re sitting in your office when the fire alarm goes off. As you start to exit the building with other coworkers in an orderly fashion, as you’ve been trained, you hear screaming coming from the corner office. Instinctively, you rush to that office to see smoke and fire all around the door. What do….

You and a friend have decided to try and follow a rainbow to see if the end holds a pot of gold. But when you finally reach the end, you find something much more valuable than a pot of gold–and it changes your life. Write this scene.

Write a story about a millennial teenager who, through a high school experiment gone wrong, time travels back to his/her same high school in the 80s, and has to spend a day in that era before finding a way to time-travel back.

February 16th KWA Meeting

The program for the February 16th KWA meeting was arranged by Wes Brummer. He invited a film crew from WSU Shocker Studios to come talk about their programs, and making trailers. WSU Shocker Studios website https://www.wichita.edu/about/wsunews/archive/index.php?si=3853

This should be a great learning experience. Come with questions for our guests.

February 16th Writing Prompts

We are going to try something a little different for writing challenges this month. These are things I do in the writing classes I teach. Do whatever interests you.

WORDS: angel – queen – mouse – gun – thrill (Use at least three of the unrelated words in a sentence, a paragraph, a poem, a short story. The words can be used in different forms, such as gun – gunshot, gunner, guns.)

PROMPTS: For an additional challenge, incorporate any or all of the Words in your prompt exercise.

  1. She/he studied her/his face in the mirror.
  2. Finish the thought: If I were invisible, I would…
  3. Write about a train journey.

Learning from the Masters

Program presented by Louise Pelzl

Having worked in marketing and sales for years, there is one vital bit of knowledge I gained. It’s okay to borrow ideas that work well instead of reinventing them. We can’t use other authors’ exact words in our writing, that is plagiarism, but we can use the concept of how their work is put together – hence Learning from the Masters.

At the January meeting, I will present the first paragraphs from three or four books written by bestselling authors. Over the years it has been pointed out to me in magazine articles and numerous writing classes that the first paragraph in many books should make the potential reader want to discover more. Entice the reader to wonder where the story is going. It can set the tone of the book or it can supply a mystery clue. It can intrigue the reader enough to purchase the novel. We will explore this as a means to improving our writing. It might just take our writing to a new level.

Later in the year, we will discuss covers, back cover blurbs, red herrings (no it is not a fish), and finally the synopsis.

For the January meeting, please bring your first paragraph from any of your written works to share with the members. The members will offer a critique, if you would like.

See you January 19th, usual place, usual time.

2019 Writing Goals

Are any of you up for setting writing goals for 2019? Years ago we used to do this in January of each year, and then see who had met (or come close to) their goals in December. It was fun and challenging.

It is good to just plan to write when you get a chance. But that is too wishy-washy, too easily ignored. If you are serious about working on your writing career, or even just improving your writing, it is better to think about making personal writing goals.

Here are a few websites with good information about setting writing goals:

Goal Setting 101: Setting Writing Goals the S.M.A.R.T. Way

7 Tips for Creating Writing Goals that Actually Work

3 Writing Goals You Should Set




December 15th Writing Prompts

Yes, we’re going to party at the December 15th KWA meeting. Yes, we’ll have fun visiting and networking. But you can still try you hand at one of the writing prompts for December.

  1. Grandmother pulled the last tray of gingerbread men from the oven. Suddenly…
  2. “Ho-Ho-help me!” came the voice from the chimney…
  3. All the elves were hard at work in Santa’s workshop. All but one that is…
  4. Three children are sitting on a log near a stream. One of them looks up at the sky and say…

If you would rather use a different prompt, please do so.

Remember to bring a snack to share with everyone. If you forget, I’m sure there will be plenty to share anyway.

November 17th Writing Prompts

Once again it is time to offer you some opportunities to challenge your writing skills. The writing prompts for the November 17th meeting are as follows:

  • “Hello,” said the voice on the phone. “My name is _______. I know you never expected a call from me, as famous as I am, but I’ve been given your name as someone who can help me _______. Write a story that follows this line.
  • Your old villain quit over creative differences, so you’ve put yourself in charge of hiring a new villain for your novel. What questions do you ask? What does the new villain’s resume say? Write this scene as if it were a job interview.
  • You’ve scheduled a root canal and the dentist finishes up. You pay and head to your car. Once in your car you hear a voice (from the tooth) that informs you that the dentist inserted a government device in your mouth and you’re needed for a secret mission. What happens next?
  • I have never done anything unpredictable, but that changed today when I woke up, packed a bag, went to the airport and randomly bought a ticket to _______. Write a story that follows this line.

As always, you don’t have to take part in this writing challenge. But you’ll have fun if you do.