Writing Prompts: Why I Love them

Wow, I haven't written my blog for a while. I love my blog, but illness put me behind, and I needed to catch up on my writing once I managed to get settled once more. My blog-prompt group has moved forward, but I'm going to continue with the prompts, because it's something I've always wanted to do. I might just focus most of them on character prompts. Since characters and emotion are my passions, I may write about characters I like and why, as well.

At any rate, thank you for joining me, and being patient. If there are things you would like to see me write about, I would love to hear your thoughts.

This post is focused on writer's prompts, and why I love them.

Anyone who knows me knows that I love prompts of all kinds. I have a Pinterest board dedicated to it, and a Tumblr blog devoted to writer issues and prompts I'm not better at posting on that blog than I am here, but do try to keep it up. I also post thunderclapts there for new releases from author friends on occasion. Pinterest I use to calm my nerves. I can post without too much thought, so I use my boards a lot. I also have a Encouragement and Hope for Writer's board there if you want to check it out.

Like many people, I started writing by poetry, although it's not my strongest talent, moved to short stories, one of them became a novel called Veiled Memories, and then on to writing novels. Most of my storylines came from something I read, or heard, or something I saw. Here are a few prompt methods that I've used.

Images

Images have been big for me since I decided I wanted to work on a dragon story, but the full plot wasn't strong enough for me to use it. A friend sent me numerous imaged of dragons to help me out, and I was hooked. Those images led to a short story, which became a novel called, Methalis, One with the Dragon. It's on the back burner waiting for a rewrite, but the first draft is mostly intact. I have just a few chapters to finish yet. For a taste of that book, check out A Bucket of Fishes in the A Horde of Dragons, anthology. 

Here is a teaser for that story:

A Bucket of fish is a historical companion novella to Methalis, One with the Dragon

Another story born from an image is called The Covens of Misty Haven. This story is also awaiting a rewrite, but almost finished. There is also a short story novelette, called Eyes of the Gods, for that one that will be released sometime next month. Sorry, I don't have the official date or link yet, but here are the images that inspired it. I do not own them.

 I need to make a teaser for this one, which is sitting on the editors desk at this moment.

I have a co-authored book of dark faitytales to be published later this year, and all of the stories I'm contributing at inspired by my own stories, companion shorts, and images. I'll be sharing more about that in future posts. 

Music

While I haven't used a prompt for them, Instrumentals and music done in foreign languages has been a great inspiration in my writing, and often helps me creating scenes. It's a different sort of prompt, but a prompt in my opinion none the less. Here are a few of the musician's/composers that have inspired me.

Within Temptation - Although Memories is just one of their songs that have inspired me. Going under helped me to give Alexis more of a back bone in the upcoming Silas, book two of Passages of Time, The Carriage.

Sad Violin and Piano - I love piano and violin

Yuki kajiura and Kalafina - The audio was removed from youtube, so I didn't include the links here.

Yiruma - I just missed him in concert and I'm still pouting over it. I cheered myself up by purchasing one of his CD's.

My other stories were all based on something I read or heard, or simply wanted to try. I always loved fantasy, but didn't think I could possibly write it. Recently, a friend told me he couldn't imagine me writing anything else, but my first story was not fantasy. A die hard fan of the fantasy genre, he hasn't read my new adult/contemporary romance, Pretentious, yet.

Are you a writer inspired by writer's prompts, or a reader inspired by great artwork?

My newsletter is behind, but will be going out the 5th of September, back on schedule. There is a follow me sign-up on the right hand side of this post, if you haven't signed up yet. I'd love for you to travel through this journey of writing with me.

Have an awesome week everyone.