ADVENTURES IN STORY – DAILY WRITING PROMPTS

Hello world!

I have been messing around with instagram the past few weeks. I’ve had an account for ages, but I never posted anything. I just used it to view the photos of friends and family. But I have changed all that! And now I have not one, but two accounts, and am posting daily.

It is a lot of fun – the perfect new procrastination tool. (Which actually is a bit problematic, I know.) But I have other motives to get active on this new (for me) social media channel. Firstly, I’m developing a subplot in my current WIP that involves social media and instagram in particular, so I thought I better find out how it all works. (So it’s useful procrastination.)

But, secondly, and more importantly (kinda), is that I’ve been trying to think of a way to encourage daily writing – and not just for writers, but for kids and teachers and classrooms, so I developed a new account @adventuresinstory and set myself the challenge of posting a visual writing prompt every day until the end of February. So far, I have posted 25 prompts  and have nine to go to complete the (self-imposed) challenge. My hope is to create a resource for teachers to use in their classrooms, as well as for writers who need something to get the creative juices flowing.

This is most distressing! When I left this buggy yesterday it was brand new – delivered especially to take mam into town. Now it looks as if it’s 100 years old! What is going on?

I have to say, it has been a really interesting, and sometimes difficult process.

When I visit schools, one of the most common questions I’m asked is “Where do you get your ideas from?” (Second to “How much money do you make?”) My stock answer is “Ideas are everywhere. You just need to keep your eyes and mind open to them.” Well, having to come up with a new image and writing prompt for twenty-five days in a row has made me do just that and it has reinvigorated my “ideas are everywhere” belief. I am suddenly looking at everything differently again, asking myself constantly “Is there a story idea here?” or “How can I make this into a story starter?” or “How can I turn this upside down?” It has been such an unexpected shot in the arm of creativity for me – my mind is bubbling with ideas.

Writer’s Seeds display at Forest Street Primary School

And doesn’t that just affirm the importance of daily practice in creativity?

Another wonderful side-effect of my challenge is that I have had some lovely messages from authors who have said that are enjoying the daily prompts (and writing some very funny responses). But most excitedly a few teachers have also messaged to say they are already using them in their classrooms. YAY! One teacher and writer, Jodi Toering, from Forest Street Primary School in Victoria, even sent pics of the fabulous display she made with the prompts to inspire her enthusiastic Year Five writing group. I can’t tell you how thrilled I am about this.

To complete the challenge I am going to hold a competition in the last week of February – so stay tuned! (I will post details to my twitter, facebook and insta pages.) And if you are a writer or a teacher or whatever, please feel free to use these prompts to spark your creativity or the creativity of those you teach or hope to inspire.

Yours in adventures in story.

Sue