New Writing Project
Darren Rowse on ProBlogger has done it again. He has challenged readers to a new Group Writing Project.
This time the challenge is to write and post a new “How to..” article and send the link to him. I was writing an article on my birding blog and realised half way through how to turn it into a “How To” article. I wrote an article on how to deal with aggressive birds. This is timely here in Australia, with many birds in breeding mode. In particular, Australian Magpies can be very aggressive towards anyone who wanders near their nest.
An added bonus – Darren has arranged for about $1800 worth of prizes for this writing project.
Links and related articles:
- Do Blackbirds Swoop? How to deal with aggressive bird behaviour – my contribution to the writing project.
- Sixteen Scintillating Short Story Starters – my contribution to the “Lists” project.
A list of blog lists
The Group Writing Project being conducted by Darren Rowse on ProBlogger has finished. A record 301 entries have been submitted.
Bloggers were asked to submit a list on a topic of their choice. I haven’t had a chance to read many of them yet but the few I have looked at are very interesting and well worth investigating. Over coming days I might even get enough time to feature here on this blog a few of those that impress me.
My submission is called Sixteen Scintillating Short Story Starters.
The full list of 301 submissions can be found here.
Writing prompt: the Old House
Ruin near Rankins Springs, NSW
On my trip to Sydney earlier this year, I took a somewhat circuitous route to get there. I wanted to spend some time in the Lake Cargelligo area to do some birding. You can read about that trip on my other site Trevor’s Birding. I have fond memories of a visit to this area some years ago. The route I took went through the large towns of Mildura and Hay. Just before reaching Lake Cargelligo I went through the small village of Rankins Springs. This is a lovely area and is a mecca for birders like me.
An old house
Just north of Rankins Springs, I stopped in a roadside rest area near the edge of Jimberoo National Park. I didn’t have time to fully explore the area, so instead, I walked a short distance along a dirt track. After a few minutes, the open forest took me to a spot overlooking some farming land. In the middle of the nearest paddock was the ruin of a house, shown in the photos above and below.
A peaceful scene
This peaceful scene set my writer’s mind whirring. Here are some thoughts I had which you might like to use as writing prompts.
Writing prompts:
- Write a fictional account of the discovery of this area and how one farmer had the vision to build this house.
- Write a short story about the building of this house and the difficulties of constructing it.
- Write a story from the point of view of the old house. What did it see and hear during its early days? How does it feel about being left to decay? Who was its favourite occupant? Why was it abandoned?
- Choose a fictional character who once lived in the old house. Tell their story as it relates to the house.
- Relate the story of a tragic event that once occurred in or near the house. Was it a sudden death? A murder? perhaps death by drowning in a nearby creek? A violent robbery?
- Imagine that the house was built for a newly married young couple and their wedding was held in the house or in the hills nearby. Write a story about their joys or heartaches that followed.
- Imagine that you grew up in this house in the 1800s. Write a story about the delights or hardships of living in this isolated house.
Ruin near Rankins Springs, NSW
Conditions of use:
- Feel free to use any of the story starters listed above.
- Change anything to suit your needs.
- Give it your best shot.
- Edit your work carefully before sending it off to a publisher or posting it on your blog.
- Let me know in the comments section how it went.
- If you publish your story on your web site or on your blog let me know so I can make a link to it for others to read.
Good writing.
Trevor
Writing prompt: you call that a bridge?
Is that a bridge?
You call that a bridge?
No way.
That was my first reaction when I saw this structure over a river while on a holiday a few years ago. I was hiking through some interesting country with a small group when our leader took us to this location. He told us that this was where we had to cross the river.
We all hesitated at first, but our leader was adamant. We had to cross here or face a three-hour trek back to our starting point. It was either cross here or go back. Our bus was waiting on the other side of the river, a short 50-metre walk. The only stipulation was that we had to cross the bridge one by one. He couldn’t guarantee that it would hold up more than one person at a time.
Great.
My wife, daughter and I were enjoying this adventurous holiday. That was part of the reason why we were there, faced with this little challenge. Thankfully, the bridge looked far worse than it actually turned out to be. All in our party crossed safely and we were soon on our way on the bus, heading for the next adventure.
Writing prompts
Use the information I have already given to kick-start your own writing. If this has not prompted some ideas already, use – or adapt – one of the writing prompts I have listed below.
- Relate the most adventurous thing you have ever attempted – successfully or otherwise.
- Write about the most dangerous activity you have ever undertaken.
- Has anyone else ever put you in a dangerous or potentially disastrous situation? Write about what happened.
- Use the photo as inspiration for a poem.
- Use my photo as a starting point for a flash fiction story (under 500 words – or whatever limit you place on your piece of writing).
- Imagine that you had been in the hiking party with me. Write about how I fell off the bridge and how you came to the rescue – or the bridge collapsed when you were crossing.
- Write a page or two leading up to this point where you have to cross a bridge. As you approach, someone blows up the bridge. Write a story featuring the events which follow.
- Imagine you are a poor farmer living in the place featured in the photo. Write about your life and struggles and how this bridge is critical to your survival.
- There is a path leading from the river crossing. Write about where you think that this path is heading, and what you will find there.
I haven’t stated where the photo was taken. I don’t want to restrict your thinking by telling you. If you really, really must know, use the “Contact” form at the top of the page to send me an email, and I will reply privately.
Conditions of use:
- Feel free to use any of the story starters listed above.
- Change anything to suit your needs.
- Give it your best shot.
- Edit your work carefully before sending it off to a publisher or posting it on your blog.
- Let me know in the comments section how it went.
- If you publish your story on your web site or on your blog let me know so I can make a link to it for others to read.
- Now get writing.
Good writing.
Trevor
Happy Second Birthday to my Blog
Oooops!
I forgot.
This blog should have celebrated its second birthday last week. That just indicates I was too busy last week to remember. This blog has now been going for two years and one week.
Wow. Nearly 600 articles, poems and stories later it is still going strong. You can check all my earlier articles, poems and stories by going to the archives or checking out the various categories – see over on the sidebar – hours of interesting reading, as well as hints for writing and short story ideas.
This blog is getting more and more comments (“keep ’em comin’ folks”) and its readership continues to grow every month. As I’ve already stated recently, my blogging will, of necessity, need to take something of a back seat over the next two years as I complete my MA in Creative Writing. On the plus side, I’m getting heaps of writing ideas that I am just bursting to share here. I’m also heavily into some serious poetry writing in one of the units I am studying, so some of those will find their way here sometime too.
In the meantime….
Good writing.
PS: I’d love to receive dozens of “Happy Birthday” comments.Â
Dozens and dozens of them!