INKsters Competitive Writers' Group

Blog Moved

2010-01-01T00:01:00.000-08:00

Future posts related to this blog will be at:
http://www.mammothgardens.com/wordpress/
Come join us there.

New Blog Location

2009-12-09T06:48:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone. Because of some problem with spam and some other limitations with this blog set-up, we'll be moving the daily writing prompt to a new location starting on January 1, 2010. We'll post a link here when everything is ready. The new site will be more powerful and hopefully easier to use. We're taking the rest of 2009 off, so enjoy the season and check back toward the end of the month for more details. Hugs!

Writing Prompts for November 23, 2009

2009-11-23T00:01:00.000-08:00

Game Time
The stadium felt ...

Artist Date or Field Trip:
Take in a sporting event today. Now write!

Literary Quote of the Day (unverified from the web)
Erma Bombeck said, "Anybody who watches three games of football in a row should be declared brain dead."

INKDrop:
Some writers have the luxury of sticking to their favorite subjects and writing obsessively. Others must write about subjects they have little or no interest in studying. We should make a list of our exquisite obsessions and plan to write about them more. If more people spend more time sharing our interests, we will have to spend less time writing about their interests.

Connect:
Join Second Life (it's free) and check out the INKsters group there for more virtual inspiration and literary camaraderie. NaNoWriMo is here! Go sign up and catch up! (It's free, except it will take your soul).

Competition idea: Grab a literate friend or two, agree on the topic today, and write. Maybe 1000 characters (fits in your cell phone notepad), or 500 words (our gold standard), or longer. Then share your work with somebody and ask them to select their favorite effort from today. You might be surprised how much you love winning (or hate losing).

And stop by our old home page and see if we've managed to catch up.

Click image above for full sized version. Permission is granted for unlimited use of this image. It is public domain.
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Writing Prompts for November 22, 2009

2009-11-22T00:01:00.000-08:00

Open
She couldn't believe they were open, so ...

Artist Date or Field Trip:
There is a business near your home you've never patronized. Go there now and see what they have. Then write.

Literary Quote of the Day (unverified from the web)
Publilius Syrus wrote, "Count not him among your friends who will retail your privacies to the world."

INKDrop:
So you're a writer, eh? It's your job to find the story, tell the story, and then most annoyingly of all, sell the story. What privacies are you prepared to retail to the world? To what lengths will you turn art into business? We should be prepared to know where the art ends, and where the business begins.

Connect:
Join Second Life (it's free) and check out the INKsters group there for more virtual inspiration and literary camaraderie. NaNoWriMo is here! Go sign up and write a novel in eight days! (It's free, except it will take your soul).

Competition idea: Grab a literate friend or two, agree on the topic today, and write. Maybe 1000 characters (fits in your cell phone notepad), or 500 words (our gold standard), or longer. Then share your work with somebody and ask them to select their favorite effort from today. You might be surprised how much you love winning (or hate losing).

And stop by our old home page and see if we've managed to catch up.

Click image above for full sized version. Permission is granted for unlimited use of this image. It is public domain.
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Writing Prompts for November 21, 2009

2009-11-21T00:01:00.000-08:00

Winter Wait
It was cold sitting there, but ...

Artist Date or Field Trip:
We need to go find a public bench someplace and sit, and wait, and watch. Then write.

Literary Quote of the Day (unverified from the web)
An anonymous writer said, “Love is what makes two people sit in the middle of a bench when there is plenty of room at both ends”

INKDrop:
What has love made you do? What will it make you do? Your characters may or may not share the same views on love as you. Whenever we approach the subject of love, we need to pay attention to the details, like sitting in the middle of the bench, without allowing our own authorial views to color the scene and distort our characters' beliefs.

Connect:
Join Second Life (it's free) and check out the INKsters group there for more virtual inspiration and literary camaraderie. NaNoWriMo is here! Go sign up and catch up! (It's free, except it will take your soul). Nine days left, can you make it?

Competition idea: Grab a literate friend or two, agree on the topic today, and write. Maybe 1000 characters (fits in your cell phone notepad), or 500 words (our gold standard), or longer. Then share your work with somebody and ask them to select their favorite effort from today. You might be surprised how much you love winning (or hate losing).

And stop by our old home page and see if we've managed to catch up.

Click image above for full sized version. Permission is granted for unlimited use of this image. It is public domain.
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Writing Prompts for November 20, 2009

2009-11-20T00:01:00.000-08:00

Fill 'er Up
I didn't want to stop there, but it seemed ...

Artist Date or Field Trip:
Go buy a package of gum or mints from the clerk at the ugliest petrol station in your neighborhood. Tell us about him or her.

Literary Quote of the Day (unverified from the web)
Peter Rose once said, "I'd walk through hell in a gasoline suit to play baseball."

INKDrop:
Often, the most famous people we know are so passionate about their craft, they would do anything necessary to continue doing it. How passionate are you about writing? Is it a nice diversion? Is it something you must do? Is it something that turns your days and nights into a nightmarish obsession? Based on your passion, can you imagine where it will take you?

Connect:
Join Second Life (it's free) and check out the INKsters group there for more virtual inspiration and literary camaraderie. NaNoWriMo is here! Go sign up and catch up! (It's free, except it will take your soul).

Competition idea: Grab a literate friend or two, agree on the topic today, and write. Maybe 1000 characters (fits in your cell phone notepad), or 500 words (our gold standard), or longer. Then share your work with somebody and ask them to select their favorite effort from today. You might be surprised how much you love winning (or hate losing).

And stop by our old home page and see if we've managed to catch up.

Click image above for full sized version. Permission is granted for unlimited use of this image. It is public domain.
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Writing Prompts for November 19, 2009

2009-11-19T00:01:00.000-08:00

Unfolding the Map
The map was so much larger than he remembered it, and ...

Artist Date or Field Trip:
Grab a map of your town, close your eyes and point. Now go visit the place where your finger landed. Describe.

Literary Quote of the Day (unverified from the web)
Christopher Columbus wrote, "For the execution of the voyage to the Indies, I did not make use of intelligence, mathematics or maps."

INKDrop:
Christopher Columbus ran into the Caribbean Islands without a map. Not bad shooting there Chris! Where have you ended up by accident? List some good places and some bad places. Create a character who stumbles into a place quite by accident and then jot down positive and negative outcomes. Which seems more likely?

Connect:
Join Second Life (it's free) and check out the INKsters group there for more virtual inspiration and literary camaraderie. NaNoWriMo is here! Go sign up and catch up! (It's free, except it will take your soul).

Competition idea: Grab a literate friend or two, agree on the topic today, and write. Maybe 1000 characters (fits in your cell phone notepad), or 500 words (our gold standard), or longer. Then share your work with somebody and ask them to select their favorite effort from today. You might be surprised how much you love winning (or hate losing).

And stop by our old home page and see if we've managed to catch up.

Click image above for full sized version. Permission is granted for unlimited use of this image. It is public domain.
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Writing Prompts for November 18, 2009

2009-11-18T00:01:00.000-08:00

Booty
Her captive seemed ...

Artist Date or Field Trip:
Probably encouraging you to go out a capture a slave is a politically incorrect thing to do, so how about you run out and capture an item that will serve you well? What did you decide to claim? How will it serve you?

Literary Quote of the Day (unverified from the web)
Ezra Pound writes, "A slave is one who waits for someone to come and free him."

INKDrop:
Ezra Pound, never being one to notice how incredibly stupid he is, defines slaves as people patiently enduring until salvation arrives. What groups of people actually do this and how do you feel about them? What do you endure? What constitutes salvation in your mind?

Connect:
Join Second Life (it's free) and check out the INKsters group there for more virtual inspiration and literary camaraderie. NaNoWriMo is here! Go sign up and catch up! (It's free, except it will take your soul).

Competition idea: Grab a literate friend or two, agree on the topic today, and write. Maybe 1000 characters (fits in your cell phone notepad), or 500 words (our gold standard), or longer. Then share your work with somebody and ask them to select their favorite effort from today. You might be surprised how much you love winning (or hate losing).

And stop by our old home page and see if we've managed to catch up.

Click image above for full sized version. Permission is granted for unlimited use of this image. It is public domain.
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Writing Prompts for November 17, 2009

2009-11-17T00:01:00.000-08:00

In the Mist
We could barely see the outline of a person toward the top of the waterfall and ...

Artist Date or Field Trip:
Time to get wet. Find a water feature near you ... waterfall, fountain, local pond, or maybe you only have access to the shower. What are the benefits of the place you found?

Literary Quote of the Day (unverified from the web)
Lucretius in an astonishingly literary vein writes, "From the heart of the fountain of delight rises a jet of bitterness that tortures us among the very flowers."

INKDrop:
It's a glass half empty kind of day. What is your fountain of delight? What causes your jet of bitterness? What tortures you even among the flowers?

Connect:
Join Second Life (it's free) and check out the INKsters group there for more virtual inspiration and literary camaraderie. NaNoWriMo is here! Go sign up and catch up! (It's free, except it will take your soul).

Competition idea: Grab a literate friend or two, agree on the topic today, and write. Maybe 1000 characters (fits in your cell phone notepad), or 500 words (our gold standard), or longer. Then share your work with somebody and ask them to select their favorite effort from today. You might be surprised how much you love winning (or hate losing).

And stop by our old home page and see if we've managed to catch up.

Click image above for full sized version. Permission is granted for unlimited use of this image. It is public domain.
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Writing Prompts for November 16, 2009

2009-11-16T00:01:00.000-08:00

Bunk Beds
Plotting her evil plan, the imp stared at the lower bunk and ...

Artist Date or Field Trip:
Head off to the furniture store and shop for bunk beds. What type of person would love to be sleeping in the top one?

Literary Quote of the Day (unverified from the web)
Joan Rivers jokes, "I blame my mother for my poor sex life. All she told me was 'the man goes on top and the woman underneath.' For three years my husband and I slept in bunk beds."

INKDrop:
A dangerous INKDrop today! What's going on in your bedroom that ends up in your writing? Do you create characters with essentially the same bedroom mannerisms as you, or do you let them do things you've only read about on the internet? Today let's live dangerously and have our characters be a bit more free than we might be ready to grant ourselves.

Connect:
Join Second Life (it's free) and check out the INKsters group there for more virtual inspiration and literary camaraderie. NaNoWriMo is here! Go sign up and catch up! (It's free, except it will take your soul).

Competition idea: Grab a literate friend or two, agree on the topic today, and write. Maybe 1000 characters (fits in your cell phone notepad), or 500 words (our gold standard), or longer. Then share your work with somebody and ask them to select their favorite effort from today. You might be surprised how much you love winning (or hate losing).

And stop by our old home page and see if we've managed to catch up.

Click image above for full sized version. Permission is granted for unlimited use of this image. It is public domain.
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Writing Prompts for November 15, 2009

2009-11-15T00:01:00.000-08:00

Motel
Oddly, the place seemed completely abandoned, and ...

Artist Date or Field Trip:
Go on an excursion to a really cheap or really fancy hotel and document what you find there of interest.

Literary Quote of the Day (unverified from the web)
Augusten Burroughs writes, "But I can also write in crappy motel rooms, while standing in line, or sitting in the dentist's chair."

INKDrop:
The environment we choose to create literature within probably plays a role in its final form. Do you find yourself writing at the kitchen counter surrounded by dishes? In a fully dedicated writer's office? In a cheap motel room? How do your emotions and your words change as you change writing locations?

Connect:
Join Second Life (it's free) and check out the INKsters group there for more virtual inspiration and literary camaraderie. NaNoWriMo is here! Go sign up and catch up! (It's free, except it will take your soul).

Competition idea: Grab a literate friend or two, agree on the topic today, and write. Maybe 1000 characters (fits in your cell phone notepad), or 500 words (our gold standard), or longer. Then share your work with somebody and ask them to select their favorite effort from today. You might be surprised how much you love winning (or hate losing).

And stop by our old home page and see if we've managed to catch up.

Click image above for full sized version. Permission is granted for unlimited use of this image. It is public domain.
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Writing Prompts for November 14, 2009

2009-11-14T00:01:00.000-08:00

Nobody Home
I stopped by the trailer, but nobody was inside and ...

Artist Date or Field Trip:
We make fun of trailer parks all the time. Take a trip through one today and look for something positive there.

Literary Quote of the Day (unverified from the web)
Hilary Swank said, "I don't know what I did in this life to deserve all of this. I'm just a girl from a trailer park who had a dream."

INKDrop:
Where you're from can change the appearance of where you're going. How does your past color the writing you do?

Connect:
Join Second Life (it's free) and check out the INKsters group there for more virtual inspiration and literary camaraderie. NaNoWriMo is here! Go sign up and catch up! (It's free, except it will take your soul).

Competition idea: Grab a literate friend or two, agree on the topic today, and write. Maybe 1000 characters (fits in your cell phone notepad), or 500 words (our gold standard), or longer. Then share your work with somebody and ask them to select their favorite effort from today. You might be surprised how much you love winning (or hate losing).

And stop by our old home page and see if we've managed to catch up.

Click image above for full sized version. Permission is granted for unlimited use of this image. It is public domain.
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Writing Prompts for November 13, 2009

2009-11-13T00:01:00.000-08:00

What?
He couldn't believe she said it, and yet ...

Artist Date or Field Trip:
The stranger on the bench! Go to a busy place and sit uncomfortably near somebody and (of course) eavesdrop ... or better yet ... start up a conversation with them. What did you hear?

Literary Quote of the Day (unverified from the web)
Murphy's Law states, "Tell a man there are 300 billion stars in the universe and he'll believe you. Tell him a bench has wet paint on it and he'll have to touch it to be sure."

INKDrop:
We all accept certain things we hear as true without investigation. The nightly newscast is primarily designed to deliver you a list of the aberrant behaviors of the day and we often accept on faith that the list is somehow relevant in our lives. What news items are you pondering today that probably will never affect you in any way?

Connect:
Join Second Life (it's free) and check out the INKsters group there for more virtual inspiration and literary camaraderie. NaNoWriMo is here! Go sign up and catch up! (It's free, except it will take your soul).

Competition idea: Grab a literate friend or two, agree on the topic today, and write. Maybe 1000 characters (fits in your cell phone notepad), or 500 words (our gold standard), or longer. Then share your work with somebody and ask them to select their favorite effort from today. You might be surprised how much you love winning (or hate losing).

And stop by our old home page and see if we've managed to catch up.

Click image above for full sized version. Permission is granted for unlimited use of this image. It is public domain.
**************************************************************************************

Writing Prompts for November 12, 2009

2009-11-12T00:01:00.000-08:00

The Tree
The tree stood alone as if it were out of place and we ...

Artist Date or Field Trip:
Go find some nature amidst the concrete of human existence. Spend some time writing about it.

Literary Quote of the Day (unverified from the web)
Ogden Nash in the Song of the Open Road writes: "I think that I shall never see / A billboard lovely as a tree. / Perhaps, unless the billboards fall, / I'll never see a tree at all."

INKDrop:
Sometimes we write to glorify or vilify humans amidst the oceans and trees, and sometimes we do the same with them surrounded by steel and glass. How much nature will nurture your characters? How much of your own view of the natural world do you bring into your stories?

Connect:
Join Second Life (it's free) and check out the INKsters group there for more virtual inspiration and literary camaraderie. NaNoWriMo is here! Go sign up and catch up! (It's free, except it will take your soul).

Competition idea: Grab a literate friend or two, agree on the topic today, and write. Maybe 1000 characters (fits in your cell phone notepad), or 500 words (our gold standard), or longer. Then share your work with somebody and ask them to select their favorite effort from today. You might be surprised how much you love winning (or hate losing).

And stop by our old home page and see if we've managed to catch up.

Click image above for full sized version. Permission is granted for unlimited use of this image. It is public domain.
**************************************************************************************

Writing Prompts for November 11, 2009

2009-11-11T00:01:00.000-08:00

Neighborly
She didn't care if the whole neighborhood knew, so ...

Artist Date or Field Trip:
Time to observe the neighbors! Find a convenient spot to observe your neighbors in action. What are they up to now?

Literary Quote of the Day (unverified from the web)
Mignon McLaughlin writes, "Few of us could bear to have ourselves for neighbors."

INKDrop:
Community building of some type is essential for most authors. What relationships do your characters have with other characters? What does their neighborhood look like? Where would they like to live if they moved? What would they like to do to change the environment around them? Do you agree with your characters choice of friends and acquaintances?

Connect:
Join Second Life (it's free) and check out the INKsters group there for more virtual inspiration and literary camaraderie. NaNoWriMo is here! Go sign up and catch up! (It's free, except it will take your soul).

Competition idea: Grab a literate friend or two, agree on the topic today, and write. Maybe 1000 characters (fits in your cell phone notepad), or 500 words (our gold standard), or longer. Then share your work with somebody and ask them to select their favorite effort from today. You might be surprised how much you love winning (or hate losing).

And stop by our old home page and see if we've managed to catch up.

Click image above for full sized version. Permission is granted for unlimited use of this image. It is public domain.
**************************************************************************************

Writing Prompts for November 10, 2009

2009-11-10T00:01:00.000-08:00

Too Perfect
She'd tried a bit too hard to be perfect and ...

Artist Date or Field Trip:
Visit a local college or university and hang out in the student union. What do you see of interest?

Literary Quote of the Day (unverified from the web)
John Ciardi writes, "A university is what a college becomes when the faculty loses interest in the students."

INKDrop:
How has education benefited you as a writer? What has it done to inhibit you as a writer? Examine the role education plays in the lives of the characters you create and discover how your own views of higher learning color their views.

Connect:
Join Second Life (it's free) and check out the INKsters group there for more virtual inspiration and literary camaraderie. NaNoWriMo is here! Go sign up and catch up! (It's free, except it will take your soul).

Competition idea: Grab a literate friend or two, agree on the topic today, and write. Maybe 1000 characters (fits in your cell phone notepad), or 500 words (our gold standard), or longer. Then share your work with somebody and ask them to select their favorite effort from today. You might be surprised how much you love winning (or hate losing).

And stop by our old home page and see if we've managed to catch up.

Click image above for full sized version. Permission is granted for unlimited use of this image. It is public domain.
**************************************************************************************

Writing Prompts for November 9, 2009

2009-11-09T00:01:00.000-08:00

Campbell's
Oh she liked soup all right, but this was becoming ...

Artist Date or Field Trip:
Go buy a can of Campbell's soup and create a work of art with it. Tell us (or show us) how you did.

Literary Quote of the Day (unverified from the web)
Andy Warhol said, "An artist is somebody who produces things that people don't need to have."

INKDrop:
Make a list of the things you absolutely couldn't survive without. Then make an additional list of things you wouldn't want to live without. Where on your list is the process of writing? Could you live without it? Why do you live with it?

Connect:
Join Second Life (it's free) and check out the INKsters group there for more virtual inspiration and literary camaraderie. NaNoWriMo is here! Go sign up and catch up! (It's free, except it will take your soul).

Competition idea: Grab a literate friend or two, agree on the topic today, and write. Maybe 1000 characters (fits in your cell phone notepad), or 500 words (our gold standard), or longer. Then share your work with somebody and ask them to select their favorite effort from today. You might be surprised how much you love winning (or hate losing).

And stop by our old home page and see if we've managed to catch up.

Click image above for full sized version. Permission is granted for unlimited use of this image. It is public domain.
**************************************************************************************

Writing Prompts for November 8, 2009

2009-11-08T00:01:00.000-08:00

Blake
She peered through the opening and ...

Artist Date or Field Trip:
Pick a famous painting you enjoy and write about it and why you like it today.

Literary Quote of the Day (unverified from the web)
William Blake says, "Active evil is better than passive good."

INKDrop:
Do you believe some people are evil? Can good exist without evil? Is passive good better than active evil? How have you used good and evil to a positive extent in your writing? How have you used it sloppily without considering the important role each plays?

Connect:
Join Second Life (it's free) and check out the INKsters group there for more virtual inspiration and literary camaraderie. NaNoWriMo is here! Go sign up and catch up! (It's free, except it will take your soul).

Competition idea: Grab a literate friend or two, agree on the topic today, and write. Maybe 1000 characters (fits in your cell phone notepad), or 500 words (our gold standard), or longer. Then share your work with somebody and ask them to select their favorite effort from today. You might be surprised how much you love winning (or hate losing).

And stop by our old home page and see if we've managed to catch up.

Click image above for full sized version. Permission is granted for unlimited use of this image. It is public domain.
**************************************************************************************

Writing Prompts for November 7, 2009

2009-11-07T00:01:00.000-08:00

Wingman
I could hear the buzzing and knew ...

Artist Date or Field Trip:
Go find an insect. Write about it.

Literary Quote of the Day (unverified from the web)
"If you want to live and thrive, let the spider run alive." American Quaker saying.

INKDrop:
Some of us are terrified of spiders, or snakes, or weird sounds in the dark, or planes, or the girl working in the next cubicle. What phobias do you have? Which ones would make for a great character in your own writing?

Connect:
Join Second Life (it's free) and check out the INKsters group there for more virtual inspiration and literary camaraderie. NaNoWriMo is here! Go sign up and catch up! (It's free, except it will take your soul).

Competition idea: Grab a literate friend or two, agree on the topic today, and write. Maybe 1000 characters (fits in your cell phone notepad), or 500 words (our gold standard), or longer. Then share your work with somebody and ask them to select their favorite effort from today. You might be surprised how much you love winning (or hate losing).

And stop by our old home page and see if we've managed to catch up.

Click image above for full sized version. Permission is granted for unlimited use of this image. It is public domain.
**************************************************************************************

Writing Prompts for November 6, 2009

2009-11-06T00:01:00.000-08:00

Big Bug
It was maybe the biggest one she'd ever seen and she ...

Artist Date or Field Trip:
Go find something big. Really really big. Abnormally big. What did you find?

Literary Quote of the Day (unverified from the web)
Bill Gates is quoted as saying, "There are no significant bugs in our released software that any significant number of users want fixed."

INKDrop:
Which bugs in your work are you unwilling to admit to creating? Which bugs would it take a significant number of complaints before you fixed them?

Connect:
Join Second Life (it's free) and check out the INKsters group there for more virtual inspiration and literary camaraderie. NaNoWriMo is here!! Go sign up! (It's free too, except it will take your soul).

Competition idea: Grab a literate friend or two, agree on the topic today, and write. Maybe 1000 characters (fits in your cell phone notepad), or 500 words (our gold standard), or longer. Then share your work with somebody and ask them to select their favorite effort from today. You might be surprised how much you love winning (or hate losing).

And stop by our old home page and see if we've managed to catch up.

Click image above for full sized version. Permission is granted for unlimited use of this image. It is public domain.
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Writing Prompts for November 5, 2009

2009-11-05T00:01:00.000-08:00

Making Do
It was a crummy place, but it was all there was, so ...

Artist Date or Field Trip:
Find a relaxing place in the midst of chaos. What makes it peaceful? What creates the chaos?

Literary Quote of the Day (unverified from the web)
Robert Bork writes, "A society deadened by a smothering network of laws while finding release in moral chaos is not likely to be either happy or stable."

INKDrop:
Most artists, but not all, can tolerate a good deal of moral chaos, but have little patience for smothering networks of laws. What parts of your life do you allow to be chaotic, and what parts must you have orderly? Why? Do these beliefs force their way into your writing?

Connect:
Join Second Life (it's free) and check out the INKsters group there for more virtual inspiration and literary camaraderie. NaNoWriMo is here! Go sign up and catch up! (It's free, except it will take your soul).

Competition idea: Grab a literate friend or two, agree on the topic today, and write. Maybe 1000 characters (fits in your cell phone notepad), or 500 words (our gold standard), or longer. Then share your work with somebody and ask them to select their favorite effort from today. You might be surprised how much you love winning (or hate losing).

And stop by our old home page and see if we've managed to catch up.

Click image above for full sized version. Permission is granted for unlimited use of this image. It is public domain.
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Writing Prompts for November 4, 2009

2009-11-04T00:01:00.000-08:00

Rear View
She could see the delivery truck from here, and ...

Artist Date or Field Trip:
Go find a loading dock, truck stop, or other place where heavy equipment is being used. What are the people like there?

Literary Quote of the Day (unverified from the web)
B.C. Forbes writes, "There is more credit and satisfaction in being a first-rate truck driver than a tenth-rate executive."

INKDrop:
Most of us have a value system of some sort in our heads for the relative value of human beings in our lives and in our writing. Some people are powerful and important, others are weak and replaceable. As you write today, try elevating the lowly and impeding the grandiose. What will be the long term result of your intervention?

Connect:
Join Second Life (it's free) and check out the INKsters group there for more virtual inspiration and literary camaraderie. NaNoWriMo is here! Go sign up and catch up! (It's free, except it will take your soul).

Competition idea: Grab a literate friend or two, agree on the topic today, and write. Maybe 1000 characters (fits in your cell phone notepad), or 500 words (our gold standard), or longer. Then share your work with somebody and ask them to select their favorite effort from today. You might be surprised how much you love winning (or hate losing).

And stop by our old home page and see if we've managed to catch up.

Click image above for full sized version. Permission is granted for unlimited use of this image. It is public domain.
**************************************************************************************

Writing Prompts for November 3, 2009

2009-11-03T00:01:00.000-08:00

Headlight
The headlamps cast their garish light onto her and ...

Artist Date or Field Trip:
Time for a night time drive through the city again. You're looking to make cool shadows with your headlights. Where did you find the best ones?

Literary Quote of the Day (unverified from the web)
Friedrich Nietzsche wrote, "Thoughts are the shadows of our feelings: always darker, emptier and simpler."

INKDrop:
Nietzsche draws a distinction between thinking and feeling. How do you handle these two different human experiences in your writing? Is one more trustworthy? One more important? Try using the same literary tools to convey thoughts, and then emotions. Which is more easily wrought?

Connect:
Join Second Life (it's free) and check out the INKsters group there for more virtual inspiration and literary camaraderie. NaNoWriMo is here! Go sign up and catch up! (It's free, except it will take your soul).

Competition idea: Grab a literate friend or two, agree on the topic today, and write. Maybe 1000 characters (fits in your cell phone notepad), or 500 words (our gold standard), or longer. Then share your work with somebody and ask them to select their favorite effort from today. You might be surprised how much you love winning (or hate losing).

And stop by our old home page and see if we've managed to catch up.

Click image above for full sized version. Permission is granted for unlimited use of this image. It is public domain.
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Writing Prompts for November 2, 2009

2009-11-02T00:01:00.000-08:00

Leaving
Walking out of town, she ...

Artist Date or Field Trip:
You're off to find the nearest ghost town, the nearest abandoned place, or the nearest woman walking. What does the imagery you find evoke in you as a writer?

Literary Quote of the Day (unverified from the web)
In the movie Ghost Town, Bertram Pincus asks Gwen, "Shoes. Your shoes are comfortable?"

INKDrop:
Footwear isn't just for fetishes anymore. The characters in your stories will all select shoes based on the season, their income level, their fashion sense, and their function. Shoes can tell you more about a person than you might imagine. What kind of shoes are showing up in your writing?

Connect:
Join Second Life (it's free) and check out the INKsters group there for more virtual inspiration and literary camaraderie. NaNoWriMo is here! Go sign up and catch up! (It's free, except it will take your soul).

Competition idea: Grab a literate friend or two, agree on the topic today, and write. Maybe 1000 characters (fits in your cell phone notepad), or 500 words (our gold standard), or longer. Then share your work with somebody and ask them to select their favorite effort from today. You might be surprised how much you love winning (or hate losing).

And stop by our old home page and see if we've managed to catch up.

Click image above for full sized version. Permission is granted for unlimited use of this image. It is public domain.
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Writing Prompts for November 1, 2009

2009-11-01T00:01:00.000-07:00

NaNoWriMo
I decided to write a novel this month hoping to ...

Artist Date or Field Trip:
Go to http://www.nanowrimo.org/ and sign up!

Literary Quote of the Day (unverified from the web)
Go to this page http://www.nanowrimo.org/eng/forum and scroll nearly to the bottom. You'll find the virtual worlds forum. Look for the Second Life thread. There we are!

INKDrop:
I'm going to have another novel done on November 30. Are you?

Connect:
Join Second Life (it's free) and check out the INKsters group there for more virtual inspiration and literary camaraderie. NaNoWriMo is coming!! Go sign up! (It's free too, except it will take your soul).

Competition idea: Grab a literate friend or two, agree on the topic today, and write. Maybe 1000 characters (fits in your cell phone notepad), or 500 words (our gold standard), or longer. Then share your work with somebody and ask them to select their favorite effort from today. You might be surprised how much you love winning (or hate losing).

And stop by our old home page and see if we've managed to catch up.

Click image above for full sized version. Permission is granted for unlimited use of this image. It is public domain.
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Writing Prompts for October 31, 2009

2009-10-31T00:01:00.000-07:00

Condemned
We weren't about to go into that house until ...

Artist Date or Field Trip:
Happy Halloween! Don't know if it's a big deal where you live, but in many places this has become THE big holiday for drunken adults. Visit a costume shop and see what's going on and see what things you could become.

Literary Quote of the Day (unverified from the web)
Anna Held writes, "Costumes and scenery alone will not attract audiences."

INKDrop:
Here's the hardest question most writers ever ask themselves ... mostly because the answer might result in you needing to change! What WILL attract audiences to your work? Really. Sit down and write about this and make an action plan for changing the lives of others with your art.

Connect:
Join Second Life (it's free) and check out the INKsters group there for more virtual inspiration and literary camaraderie. NaNoWriMo is coming!! Go sign up! (It's free too, except it will take your soul).

Competition idea: Grab a literate friend or two, agree on the topic today, and write. Maybe 1000 characters (fits in your cell phone notepad), or 500 words (our gold standard), or longer. Then share your work with somebody and ask them to select their favorite effort from today. You might be surprised how much you love winning (or hate losing).

And stop by our old home page and see if we've managed to catch up.

Click image above for full sized version. Permission is granted for unlimited use of this image. It is public domain.
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Writing Prompts for October 30, 2009

2009-10-30T00:01:00.000-07:00

Lift Off
She felt the pull dragging her toward heaven and ...

Artist Date or Field Trip:
You might not be able to find a hot air balloon on short notice, so stop by the grocery store or card shop and grab a helium balloon. Attach a note to it with your e-mail address and let it go. Describe your feelings as you watch and wonder.

Literary Quote of the Day (unverified from the web)
Demetri Martin writes, "Another term for balloon is bad breath holder."

INKDrop:
Demetri uses a joke to turn a good thing into a bad thing. How about you do the same thing today in your writing? Make your favorite character do something evil. Find something you adore and write about it in awful terms. Then, just before you leave the writing desk sad, do the opposite and write about something awful in glowing terms. Which is easier?

Connect:
Join Second Life (it's free) and check out the INKsters group there for more virtual inspiration and literary camaraderie. NaNoWriMo is coming!! Go sign up! (It's free too, except it will take your soul).

Competition idea: Grab a literate friend or two, agree on the topic today, and write. Maybe 1000 characters (fits in your cell phone notepad), or 500 words (our gold standard), or longer. Then share your work with somebody and ask them to select their favorite effort from today. You might be surprised how much you love winning (or hate losing).

And stop by our old home page and see if we've managed to catch up.

Click image above for full sized version. Permission is granted for unlimited use of this image. It is public domain.
**************************************************************************************

Writing Prompts for October 29, 2009

2009-10-29T00:01:00.000-07:00

Docks
The scene at the back door of the hospital would have been ...

Artist Date or Field Trip:
Yup! You're off to the back door of the hospital. What are the employees up to when they're not saving lives?

Literary Quote of the Day (unverified from the web)
Gerald R. Ford wrote, "For millions of men and women, the church has been the hospital for the soul, the school for the mind and the safe depository for moral ideas."

INKDrop:
Gerald Ford takes the idea of "hospital" and uses it more broadly as a place of healing. Where is your "hospital?" Where do you go for healing?

Connect:
Join Second Life (it's free) and check out the INKsters group there for more virtual inspiration and literary camaraderie. NaNoWriMo is coming!! Go sign up! (It's free too, except it will take your soul).

Competition idea: Grab a literate friend or two, agree on the topic today, and write. Maybe 1000 characters (fits in your cell phone notepad), or 500 words (our gold standard), or longer. Then share your work with somebody and ask them to select their favorite effort from today. You might be surprised how much you love winning (or hate losing).

And stop by our old home page and see if we've managed to catch up.

Click image above for full sized version. Permission is granted for unlimited use of this image. It is public domain.
**************************************************************************************

Writing Prompts for October 28, 2009

2009-10-28T00:01:00.000-07:00

Vista
From here she could see ...

Artist Date or Field Trip:
You're off to find a beautiful or interesting view. Find a high spot and look out. Describe!

Literary Quote of the Day (unverified from the web)
Helmut Walcha writes, "Bach opens a vista to the universe. After experiencing him, people feel there is meaning to life after all."

INKDrop:
Bach used music to open eyes. How can you use words to open up the senses of your readers? Try creating a description in a scene but avoid using the most obvious sense as the dominant description.

Connect:
Join Second Life (it's free) and check out the INKsters group there for more virtual inspiration and literary camaraderie. NaNoWriMo is coming!! Go sign up! (It's free too, except it will take your soul).

Competition idea: Grab a literate friend or two, agree on the topic today, and write. Maybe 1000 characters (fits in your cell phone notepad), or 500 words (our gold standard), or longer. Then share your work with somebody and ask them to select their favorite effort from today. You might be surprised how much you love winning (or hate losing).

And stop by our old home page and see if we've managed to catch up.

Click image above for full sized version. Permission is granted for unlimited use of this image. It is public domain.
**************************************************************************************

Writing Prompts for October 27, 2009

2009-10-27T00:01:00.000-07:00

Flags
When we told him we needed a few decorative flags, we had no idea ...

Artist Date or Field Trip:
Head out today to find some flapping cloth. What flag is it? Where is it? Why is it there? Who put it there?

Literary Quote of the Day (unverified from the web)
Henry Miller writes, "We have two American flags always: one for the rich and one for the poor. When the rich fly it means that things are under control; when the poor fly it means danger, revolution, anarchy."

INKDrop:
Which flag are you flying? The one that sends the message to the world that you have everything under control? Or the one that signals danger, revolution and anarchy? Why?

Connect:
Join Second Life (it's free) and check out the INKsters group there for more virtual inspiration and literary camaraderie. NaNoWriMo is coming!! Go sign up! (It's free too, except it will take your soul).

Competition idea: Grab a literate friend or two, agree on the topic today, and write. Maybe 1000 characters (fits in your cell phone notepad), or 500 words (our gold standard), or longer. Then share your work with somebody and ask them to select their favorite effort from today. You might be surprised how much you love winning (or hate losing).

And stop by our old home page and see if we've managed to catch up.

Click image above for full sized version. Permission is granted for unlimited use of this image. It is public domain.
**************************************************************************************

Writing Prompts for October 26, 2009

2009-10-26T00:01:00.000-07:00

Skeleton
"Here you go," the skeleton said to the little girl and ...

Artist Date or Field Trip:
Stop by the flower shop and find a scary or forlorn arrangement. Create an adventure for it. Who will receive the bouquet and for what occasion?

Literary Quote of the Day (unverified from the web)
H. L. Mencken wrote, "A cynic is a man who, when he smells flowers, looks around for a coffin."

INKDrop:
Flowers symbolize happiness and sadness. Good times and bad. What symbols are you using in your writing without thinking about them and assuming your audience agrees on the predetermined meaning? Try adding new meaning behind traditional items such as roses, skeletons, or flying saucers and see how you and your audience resist or accepting the new symbolism.

Connect:
Join Second Life (it's free) and check out the INKsters group there for more virtual inspiration and literary camaraderie. NaNoWriMo is coming!! Go sign up! (It's free too, except it will take your soul).

Competition idea: Grab a literate friend or two, agree on the topic today, and write. Maybe 1000 characters (fits in your cell phone notepad), or 500 words (our gold standard), or longer. Then share your work with somebody and ask them to select their favorite effort from today. You might be surprised how much you love winning (or hate losing).

And stop by our old home page and see if we've managed to catch up.

Click image above for full sized version. Permission is granted for unlimited use of this image. It is public domain.
**************************************************************************************

Writing Prompts for October 25, 2009

2009-10-25T00:01:00.000-07:00

Partners
The cop and the vagabond knew ...

Artist Date or Field Trip:
Go search out an officer of the law. Who did you find, what did they look like, describe how they might react if you committed a crime.

Literary Quote of the Day (unverified from the web)
Orson Welles said, "Did you ever stop to think why cops are always famous for being dumb? Simple. Because they don't have to be anything else."

INKDrop:
Think about viewpoint as you move into today's writing. What do the cops believe? What do the bandits believe? What do you as a citizen of Earth believe? Cops spend so much time around criminals they begin to think like they do. Who are you spending time around and how have they influenced your viewpoint?

Connect:
Join Second Life (it's free) and check out the INKsters group there for more virtual inspiration and literary camaraderie. NaNoWriMo is coming!! Go sign up! (It's free too, except it will take your soul).

Competition idea: Grab a literate friend or two, agree on the topic today, and write. Maybe 1000 characters (fits in your cell phone notepad), or 500 words (our gold standard), or longer. Then share your work with somebody and ask them to select their favorite effort from today. You might be surprised how much you love winning (or hate losing).

And stop by our old home page and see if we've managed to catch up.

Click image above for full sized version. Permission is granted for unlimited use of this image. It is public domain.
**************************************************************************************

Writing Prompts for October 24, 2009

2009-10-24T00:01:00.000-07:00

Playground
Sitting alone on the giant piece of candy ...

Artist Date or Field Trip:
Go to a pond in your area or a place you frequented as a child and report the impact on all five of your senses.

Literary Quote of the Day (unverified from the web)
Gilbert K. Chesterton writes, "The true object of all human life is play. Earth is a task garden; heaven is a playground."

INKDrop:
Assess the amount of time you spend at "work" and the amount of time you spend at "play." How can you increase the amount of play without getting in trouble for not accomplishing your work? Is it possible to build a new life where you are playing and working at the same time? What would that world look like to you?

Connect:
Join Second Life (it's free) and check out the INKsters group there for more virtual inspiration and literary camaraderie. NaNoWriMo is coming!! Go sign up! (It's free too, except it will take your soul).

Competition idea: Grab a literate friend or two, agree on the topic today, and write. Maybe 1000 characters (fits in your cell phone notepad), or 500 words (our gold standard), or longer. Then share your work with somebody and ask them to select their favorite effort from today. You might be surprised how much you love winning (or hate losing).

And stop by our old home page and see if we've managed to catch up.

Click image above for full sized version. Permission is granted for unlimited use of this image. It is public domain.
**************************************************************************************

Writing Prompts for October 23, 2009

2009-10-23T00:01:00.000-07:00

Bank
It wasn't much of a town, but there on the sidewalk ...

Artist Date or Field Trip:
Visit your bank and view it with the eyes of a bank robber. How does your change of viewpoint affect your experience and your emotions there?

Literary Quote of the Day (unverified from the web)
Johnny Carson joked that "Anytime four New Yorkers get into a cab together without arguing, a bank robbery has just taken place."

INKDrop:
Writing about the bad guy can be a tempting opportunity to view your character's negative traits, but the experienced writer knows the villain is often the most important character in the plot. As you write today, study your relationship with the bad people and try to find the goodness inside them. Then find the root causes creating their negative behaviors in the world. How can you compassionately portray your character without ignoring his or her evil deeds?

Connect:
Join Second Life (it's free) and check out the INKsters group there for more virtual inspiration and literary camaraderie. NaNoWriMo is coming!! Go sign up! (It's free too, except it will take your soul).

Competition idea: Grab a literate friend or two, agree on the topic today, and write. Maybe 1000 characters (fits in your cell phone notepad), or 500 words (our gold standard), or longer. Then share your work with somebody and ask them to select their favorite effort from today. You might be surprised how much you love winning (or hate losing).

And stop by our old home page and see if we've managed to catch up.

Click image above for full sized version. Permission is granted for unlimited use of this image. It is public domain.
**************************************************************************************

Writing Prompts for October 22, 2009

2009-10-22T00:01:00.000-07:00

Props
She opened her box of props and ...

Artist Date or Field Trip:
Head out into your neighborhood on a quest to find a box. It contains the answer to the riddle. Where did you go? Who did you meet along the way? What was the answer? What was the riddle?

Literary Quote of the Day (unverified from the web)
Tori Amos writes, "Some of the most wonderful people are the ones who don't fit into boxes.”

INKDrop:
Knowing who you are can sometimes help reduce the time you spend trying to figure out who you are. If I came over and interviewed your friends, what type of box would they put you into and how could I quickly learn about you without ever meeting you? How is the box you are perceived to be inhabiting different than the box you actually inhabit?

Connect:
Join Second Life (it's free) and check out the INKsters group there for more virtual inspiration and literary camaraderie. NaNoWriMo is coming!! Go sign up! (It's free too, except it will take your soul).

Competition idea: Grab a literate friend or two, agree on the topic today, and write. Maybe 1000 characters (fits in your cell phone notepad), or 500 words (our gold standard), or longer. Then share your work with somebody and ask them to select their favorite effort from today. You might be surprised how much you love winning (or hate losing).

And stop by our old home page and see if we've managed to catch up.

Click image above for full sized version. Permission is granted for unlimited use of this image. It is public domain.
**************************************************************************************

Writing Prompts for October 21, 2009

2009-10-21T00:01:00.000-07:00

Required
She wasn't sure she looked forward to it, but nevertheless ...

Artist Date or Field Trip:
It's October, go to a haunted house, or find somebody in your neighborhood with plenty of Halloween decorations and report your findings.

Literary Quote of the Day (unverified from the web)
Kate Walsh said, “Knitting and crocheting are huge trends right now and many of the latest fashions include knitted and crocheted items or trim. Designer Nicole Miller included a crochet-topped party dress in her latest line. So, grab a few balls of yarn, a needle or a hook and join the fun.”

INKDrop:
Knitting and weaving are literary archetypes. We create tangled webs. A writer is nothing without a comfy crocheted sweater from Shetland wool. Focus your mind on the purpose of clothing and other accoutrement your characters might adorn themselves with and what those items say about them and you.

Connect:
Join Second Life (it's free) and check out the INKsters group there for more virtual inspiration and literary camaraderie. NaNoWriMo is coming!! Go sign up! (It's free too, except it will take your soul).

Competition idea: Grab a literate friend or two, agree on the topic today, and write. Maybe 1000 characters (fits in your cell phone notepad), or 500 words (our gold standard), or longer. Then share your work with somebody and ask them to select their favorite effort from today. You might be surprised how much you love winning (or hate losing).

And stop by our old home page and see if we've managed to catch up.

Click image above for full sized version. Permission is granted for unlimited use of this image. It is public domain.
**************************************************************************************

Writing Prompts for October 20, 2009

2009-10-20T00:01:00.000-07:00

Sign Here
Standing at the check-in counter, ...

Artist Date or Field Trip:
Go someplace where people are waiting in line. Describe your version of their concerns.

Literary Quote of the Day (unverified from the web)
Ralph Waldo Emerson writes, "The world is all gates, all opportunities, strings of tension waiting to be struck."

INKDrop:
Which gates are you going through? Are they open or closed for you right now? What opportunities exist as you go through them? Is life full of strings pulled tight and ready for striking and the production of melody, or is life full of strings being pulled by other and turning you into a puppet? Explain.

Connect:
Join Second Life (it's free) and check out the INKsters group there for more virtual inspiration and literary camaraderie. NaNoWriMo is coming!! Go sign up! (It's free too, except it will take your soul).

Competition idea: Grab a literate friend or two, agree on the topic today, and write. Maybe 1000 characters (fits in your cell phone notepad), or 500 words (our gold standard), or longer. Then share your work with somebody and ask them to select their favorite effort from today. You might be surprised how much you love winning (or hate losing).

And stop by our old home page and see if we've managed to catch up.

Click image above for full sized version. Permission is granted for unlimited use of this image. It is public domain.
**************************************************************************************

Writing Prompts for October 19, 2009

2009-10-19T00:01:00.000-07:00

Too Big
She wanted it big, but this was ridiculous, and ...

Artist Date or Field Trip:
The gazebo is an enduring symbol of out door beauty and peace. Go visit one and write about it.

Literary Quote of the Day (unverified from the web)
Philip Johnson writes, "All architecture is shelter, all great architecture is the design of space that contains, cuddles, exalts, or stimulates the persons in that space."

INKDrop:
Look around the space you're in now. Does it cuddle, exalt and stimulate, or depress, anger, and violate? Either way, it will make a wonderful descriptive piece. Add emotional value to the objects there and what do you get?

Connect:
Join Second Life (it's free) and check out the INKsters group there for more virtual inspiration and literary camaraderie. NaNoWriMo is coming!! Go sign up! (It's free too, except it will take your soul).

Competition idea: Grab a literate friend or two, agree on the topic today, and write. Maybe 1000 characters (fits in your cell phone notepad), or 500 words (our gold standard), or longer. Then share your work with somebody and ask them to select their favorite effort from today. You might be surprised how much you love winning (or hate losing).

And stop by our old home page and see if we've managed to catch up.

Click image above for full sized version. Permission is granted for unlimited use of this image. It is public domain.
**************************************************************************************

Writing Prompts for October 18, 2009

2009-10-18T00:01:00.000-07:00

Roadside
He might have looked cool, but really ...

Artist Date or Field Trip:
Visit a motorcycle store or go find one on the streets and write about what makes them a symbol of excitement, freedom, and danger.

Literary Quote of the Day (unverified from the web)
Brock Yates writes, "I admit to wasting my life messing around with fast cars and motorcycles."

INKDrop:
So the question becomes, what are you wasting your life messing around with? After they put you in the box, and they're summing you up at the eulogy, what will they say you loved? What will they say you spent your time on? What will they say was the result of your passions? Is that how you want to be remembered? Explain.

Connect:
Join Second Life (it's free) and check out the INKsters group there for more virtual inspiration and literary camaraderie. NaNoWriMo is coming!! Go sign up! (It's free too, except it will take your soul).

Competition idea: Grab a literate friend or two, agree on the topic today, and write. Maybe 1000 characters (fits in your cell phone notepad), or 500 words (our gold standard), or longer. Then share your work with somebody and ask them to select their favorite effort from today. You might be surprised how much you love winning (or hate losing).

And stop by our old home page and see if we've managed to catch up.

Click image above for full sized version. Permission is granted for unlimited use of this image. It is public domain.
**************************************************************************************

Writing Prompts for October 17, 2009

2009-10-17T00:01:00.000-07:00

Kisses
She looked into his eyes and ...

Artist Date or Field Trip:
Go find a public display of affection and add to the story.

Literary Quote of the Day (unverified from the web)
“Your heart is my pinata,” jokes Chuck Palahniuk.

INKDrop:
Love hurts, love heals, love moves the plot forward and gives your characters goals. What traditional and non-traditional views of love do you bring to your writing and how will you avoid trapping your characters with your own views?

Connect:
Join Second Life (it's free) and check out the INKsters group there for more virtual inspiration and literary camaraderie. NaNoWriMo is coming!! Go sign up! (It's free too, except it will take your soul).

Competition idea: Grab a literate friend or two, agree on the topic today, and write. Maybe 1000 characters (fits in your cell phone notepad), or 500 words (our gold standard), or longer. Then share your work with somebody and ask them to select their favorite effort from today. You might be surprised how much you love winning (or hate losing).

And stop by our old home page and see if we've managed to catch up.

Click image above for full sized version. Permission is granted for unlimited use of this image. It is public domain.
**************************************************************************************

Writing Prompts for October 16, 2009

2009-10-16T00:01:00.000-07:00

Mmmm pizza!
So far the best thing about Earth was the pizza, and ...

Artist Date or Field Trip:
You saw this one coming: Go for pizza. Then write!

Literary Quote of the Day (unverified from the web)
Steven Wright jokes, “There's a pizza place near where I live that sells only slices. In the back, you can see a guy tossing a triangle in the air.”

INKDrop:
When you run a pizza parlor, you need your recipes, your ingredients and your team. As a writer you already have your recipes and your ingredients. Who is on your team? If you don't have a large team, do you have a quality team? When it's time to distribute your work, how will your team help you?

Connect:
Join Second Life (it's free) and check out the INKsters group there for more virtual inspiration and literary camaraderie. NaNoWriMo is coming!! Go sign up! (It's free too, except it will take your soul).

Competition idea: Grab a literate friend or two, agree on the topic today, and write. Maybe 1000 characters (fits in your cell phone notepad), or 500 words (our gold standard), or longer. Then share your work with somebody and ask them to select their favorite effort from today. You might be surprised how much you love winning (or hate losing).

And stop by our old home page and see if we've managed to catch up.

Click image above for full sized version. Permission is granted for unlimited use of this image. It is public domain.
**************************************************************************************

Writing Prompts for October 15, 2009

2009-10-15T00:01:00.000-07:00

Odd Companions
Gawd these guys are driving me crazy, she thought, as she ...

Artist Date or Field Trip:
You've seen it a million times. Do it again. Go rent Wizard of Oz with the plan to write another part of the story. At least two successful Broadway shows have begun this way; why not you?

Literary Quote of the Day (unverified from the web)
"Ding dong the witch is dead."

INKDrop:
Dorothy's house kills one of the wicked witches. Today you should muse about a moral dilemma. Does it make sense to you to eliminate evil in the world by killing it off? You're going to have terrible things happen to your characters; where do you stand on violence against the evil in them?

Connect:
Join Second Life (it's free) and check out the INKsters group there for more virtual inspiration and literary camaraderie. NaNoWriMo is coming!! Go sign up! (It's free too, except it will take your soul).

Competition idea: Grab a literate friend or two, agree on the topic today, and write. Maybe 1000 characters (fits in your cell phone notepad), or 500 words (our gold standard), or longer. Then share your work with somebody and ask them to select their favorite effort from today. You might be surprised how much you love winning (or hate losing).

And stop by our old home page and see if we've managed to catch up.

Click image above for full sized version. Permission is granted for unlimited use of this image. It is public domain.
**************************************************************************************

Writing Prompts for October 14, 2009

2009-10-14T00:01:00.000-07:00

Open 24/7
I'll just ride my scooter down to the liquor store since ...

Artist Date or Field Trip:
Go for a drive late at night and pay particular attention to the lighting and the signs. What different impressions do you have of your neighborhood in the dark rather than the day?

Literary Quote of the Day (unverified from the web)
Frank Langella wrote, "Each of us needs something, food, liquor, pot, whatever, to help us survive. Dracula needs blood."

INKDrop:
What do you need? Look around you and make a list of what you absolutely couldn't live without. Then spend some time thinking about what that means about you.

Connect:
Join Second Life (it's free) and check out the INKsters group there for more virtual inspiration and literary camaraderie. NaNoWriMo is coming!! Go sign up! (It's free too, except it will take your soul).

Competition idea: Grab a literate friend or two, agree on the topic today, and write. Maybe 1000 characters (fits in your cell phone notepad), or 500 words (our gold standard), or longer. Then share your work with somebody and ask them to select their favorite effort from today. You might be surprised how much you love winning (or hate losing).

And stop by our old home page and see if we've managed to catch up.

Click image above for full sized version. Permission is granted for unlimited use of this image. It is public domain.
**************************************************************************************

Writing Prompts for October 13, 2009

2009-10-13T00:01:00.000-07:00

Waitress
He told her, "Just stand out on the sidewalk with a tray, and ...

Artist Date or Field Trip:
Go enjoy a meal and engage the waiter in a meaningful conversation. What did he or she have to say?

Literary Quote of the Day (unverified from the web)
Bryan Miller writes, “The disparity between a restaurant's price and food quality rises in direct proportion to the size of the pepper mill.”

INKDrop:
Most writers carry around very large pepper mills. We have all those tools our middle school English teachers gave us. Similes, metaphors, alliteration, enough adjectives and adverbs to send our peppered red fishes back to the sea. What kind of writer are you? One who uses the big pepper mill and fills your writing with spice, or one who uses the little pepper mill preferring prose with mostly meat and potatoes?

Connect:
Join Second Life (it's free) and check out the INKsters group there for more virtual inspiration and literary camaraderie. NaNoWriMo is coming!! Go sign up! (It's free too, except it will take your soul).

Competition idea: Grab a literate friend or two, agree on the topic today, and write. Maybe 1000 characters (fits in your cell phone notepad), or 500 words (our gold standard), or longer. Then share your work with somebody and ask them to select their favorite effort from today. You might be surprised how much you love winning (or hate losing).

And stop by our old home page and see if we've managed to catch up.

Click image above for full sized version. Permission is granted for unlimited use of this image. It is public domain.
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Writing Prompts for October 12, 2009

2009-10-12T00:01:00.000-07:00

First Dance
The flew across the dance floor and ...

Artist Date or Field Trip:
Sneak into a wedding. Return and write!

Literary Quote of the Day (unverified from the web)
Germaine Greer writes, "A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person."

INKDrop:
Few writers escape from telling the tales of love. How will you use love, romance, and eternal bliss to your advantage? How can you use the opposites of unfaithfulness, sordid affairs, and eternal boredom as tools to help you with your stories? Open your mind to exploring both sides of love when writing today.

Connect:
Join Second Life (it's free) and check out the INKsters group there for more virtual inspiration and literary camaraderie. NaNoWriMo is coming!! Go sign up! (It's free too, except it will take your soul).

Competition idea: Grab a literate friend or two, agree on the topic today, and write. Maybe 1000 characters (fits in your cell phone notepad), or 500 words (our gold standard), or longer. Then share your work with somebody and ask them to select their favorite effort from today. You might be surprised how much you love winning (or hate losing).

And stop by our old home page and see if we've managed to catch up.

Click image above for full sized version. Permission is granted for unlimited use of this image. It is public domain.
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Writing Prompts for October 11, 2009

2009-10-11T00:01:00.000-07:00

Sorcerer's Apprenctice
Her diminutive stature wasn't about to stop her from ...

Artist Date or Field Trip:
Call up somebody smarter than you and take them to lunch. What's on their mind lately?

Literary Quote of the Day (unverified from the web)
Famous basketball coach Bobby Knight once said, "All of us learn to write in the second grade. Most of us go on to greater things."

INKDrop:
So, why do you keep writing? Start a journal entry today with "I keep writing because..." and see where you end up, and then, here's the scary part, go share this with a reader. Ask them if they knew this about you. (Hopefully they're already keenly aware of your passion for our obsession.)

Connect:
Join Second Life (it's free) and check out the INKsters group there for more virtual inspiration and literary camaraderie. NaNoWriMo is coming!! Go sign up! (It's free too, except it will take your soul).

Competition idea: Grab a literate friend or two, agree on the topic today, and write. Maybe 1000 characters (fits in your cell phone notepad), or 500 words (our gold standard), or longer. Then share your work with somebody and ask them to select their favorite effort from today. You might be surprised how much you love winning (or hate losing).

And stop by our old home page and see if we've managed to catch up.

Click image above for full sized version. Permission is granted for unlimited use of this image. It is public domain.
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Writing Prompts for October 10, 2009

2009-10-10T00:01:00.000-07:00

Elephants at Sunset
They liked watching the sunset together and ...

Artist Date or Field Trip:
The multi-armed figurine is a staple of some Eastern philosophy. Go find one near you and describe it in detail. Why so many arms?

Literary Quote of the Day (unverified from the web)
Fran Lebowitz wrote, "Your life story would not make a good book. Don't even try."

INKDrop:
Joking or not, the question is, would your life make a great book? Examine the critical incidents in your life and imagine them distilled into a book. Another question, would your day today be worthy of a short story? Have you done something today worthy of a beginning middle and end? What was your point of no-return today?

Connect:
Join Second Life (it's free) and check out the INKsters group there for more virtual inspiration and literary camaraderie. NaNoWriMo is coming!! Go sign up! (It's free too, except it will take your soul).

Competition idea: Grab a literate friend or two, agree on the topic today, and write. Maybe 1000 characters (fits in your cell phone notepad), or 500 words (our gold standard), or longer. Then share your work with somebody and ask them to select their favorite effort from today. You might be surprised how much you love winning (or hate losing).

And stop by our old home page and see if we've managed to catch up.

Click image above for full sized version. Permission is granted for unlimited use of this image. It is public domain.
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Writing Prompts for October 9, 2009

2009-10-09T00:01:00.000-07:00

Frozen
The residents of the city on the hill buried in ice were ...

Artist Date or Field Trip:
Go find a snow globe or some other winter-esque accoutrement. Describe.

Literary Quote of the Day (unverified from the web)
Thomas Berger writes, "Why do writers write? Because it isn't there."

INKDrop:
You create when you write. You bring a universe into existence. You are the God of that universe. What are the key tools and warning signs you follow so as not to abuse your power? When do you know you've been an amiable god, and a vengeful one?

Connect:
Join Second Life (it's free) and check out the INKsters group there for more virtual inspiration and literary camaraderie. NaNoWriMo is coming!! Go sign up! (It's free too, except it will take your soul).

Competition idea: Grab a literate friend or two, agree on the topic today, and write. Maybe 1000 characters (fits in your cell phone notepad), or 500 words (our gold standard), or longer. Then share your work with somebody and ask them to select their favorite effort from today. You might be surprised how much you love winning (or hate losing).

And stop by our old home page and see if we've managed to catch up.

Click image above for full sized version. Permission is granted for unlimited use of this image. It is public domain.
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Writing Prompts for October 8, 2009

2009-10-08T00:01:00.000-07:00

Unique
She began to realize her choice to remain tattoo free was ...

Artist Date or Field Trip:
You're off to visit the underworld today. Visit a music shop or a tattoo parlor and tell us what you found. If you come back with a "Hello Kitty" tattoo on your butt cheek, don't send me the bill.

Literary Quote of the Day (unverified from the web)
Blaise Pascal in "Lettres Provinciales" writes, "I have made this letter longer, because I have not had the time to make it shorter."

INKDrop:
Ahhhh, editing. You hate butchering up your child and yet you have your readers to think about. You want to believe they love everything you jot down because it came from you. It's precious and perfect. Yet hand it over to an editor and they immediately turn it into a blood bath. The best ones cut it down to half its original length and you can't even tell without comparing it to the original. The worst ones change the meaning and purpose behind your intent. Grab a short piece you've written lately and examine every word. Try crossing things out and recasting sentences with active verbs to reduce the overall length. Tell the same story in half the space.

Connect:
Join Second Life (it's free) and check out the INKsters group there for more virtual inspiration and literary camaraderie. NaNoWriMo is coming!! Go sign up! (It's free too, except it will take your soul).

Competition idea: Grab a literate friend or two, agree on the topic today, and write. Maybe 1000 characters (fits in your cell phone notepad), or 500 words (our gold standard), or longer. Then share your work with somebody and ask them to select their favorite effort from today. You might be surprised how much you love winning (or hate losing).

And stop by our old home page and see if we've managed to catch up.

Click image above for full sized version. Permission is granted for unlimited use of this image. It is public domain.
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Writing Prompts for October 7, 2009

2009-10-07T00:01:00.000-07:00

The Cabin
We crawled along the ground to find it ...

Artist Date or Field Trip:
Halloween is just around the corner. Do you plan for it early? Late? Not at all? Go visit a retailer and study the Halloween displays. What does it say about your neighbors?

Literary Quote of the Day (unverified from the web)
George Ade in his Fables in Slang wrote, "After being Turned Down by numerous Publishers, he had decided to write for Posterity."

INKDrop:
Most everything I write these days will probably be for Posterity. It's my favorite publishing company since they joyfully accept everything I do. With the literary and book publishing world changing so quickly, traditional publishing seems more and more like an anachronism each day. How do you decide what is worth sending to an editor, and what do you decide to drop onto a website or blog and offer up to the world for free?

Connect:
Join Second Life (it's free) and check out the INKsters group there for more virtual inspiration and literary camaraderie. NaNoWriMo is coming!! Go sign up! (It's free too, except it will take your soul).

Competition idea: Grab a literate friend or two, agree on the topic today, and write. Maybe 1000 characters (fits in your cell phone notepad), or 500 words (our gold standard), or longer. Then share your work with somebody and ask them to select their favorite effort from today. You might be surprised how much you love winning (or hate losing).

And stop by our old home page and see if we've managed to catch up.

Click image above for full sized version. Permission is granted for unlimited use of this image. It is public domain.
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Writing Prompts for October 6, 2009

2009-10-06T00:01:00.000-07:00

Lookout
Waiting for their arrival, she ...

Artist Date or Field Trip:
Find something "science-y" in your area and stop by for a visit. What did you discover?

Literary Quote of the Day (unverified from the web)
Edwin Powell Hubble in The Nature of Science writes, "Equipped with his five senses, man explores the universe around him and calls the adventure science."

INKDrop:
We can only perceive with five (maybe six) surprisingly unreliable senses. Write with all the sights, sounds, smells, textures and tastes you can dare to include and your readers will experience your story in their bodies as well as their minds.

Connect:
Join Second Life (it's free) and check out the INKsters group there for more virtual inspiration and literary camaraderie. NaNoWriMo is coming!! Go sign up! (It's free too, except it will take your soul).

Competition idea: Grab a literate friend or two, agree on the topic today, and write. Maybe 1000 characters (fits in your cell phone notepad), or 500 words (our gold standard), or longer. Then share your work with somebody and ask them to select their favorite effort from today. You might be surprised how much you love winning (or hate losing).

And stop by our old home page and see if we've managed to catch up.

Click image above for full sized version. Permission is granted for unlimited use of this image. It is public domain.
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Writing Prompts for October 5, 2009

2009-10-05T00:01:00.000-07:00

Camouflage
Trying to hide didn't seem to be working out, so the next option was ...

Artist Date or Field Trip:
Army Surplus store, hardware store, kitchen supply house, automotive supply, adult book store. Go to a retail establishment you've never entered and have a good shop. What items exist you never knew about and how would they change your life?

Literary Quote of the Day (unverified from the web)
Dante Alighieri in the Divine Comedy writes, "Avarice, envy, pride: Three fatal sparks, have set the hearts of all on fire."

INKDrop:
Today we examine what role avarice, envy and pride play in our lives. They're not front page evil like we imagine they once were and might on occasion be helpful to us. Then ask yourself, if complicating issues of money, time, location, and personal obligations could be magically lifted from your life, what would set your heart on fire?

Connect:
Join Second Life (it's free) and check out the INKsters group there for more virtual inspiration and literary camaraderie. NaNoWriMo is coming!! Go sign up! (It's free too, except it will take your soul).

Competition idea: Grab a literate friend or two, agree on the topic today, and write. Maybe 1000 characters (fits in your cell phone notepad), or 500 words (our gold standard), or longer. Then share your work with somebody and ask them to select their favorite effort from today. You might be surprised how much you love winning (or hate losing).

And stop by our old home page and see if we've managed to catch up.

Click image above for full sized version. Permission is granted for unlimited use of this image. It is public domain.
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Writing Prompts for October 4, 2009

2009-10-04T00:01:00.000-07:00

Umbrella
At this point, the umbrella seemed superfluous and ...

Artist Date or Field Trip:
The local coffee shop, your coat closet, the back of your car ... these are the places you'll find an umbrella. Go there now and report your findings. Better yet, carry an umbrella around all day with you and describe the reaction.

Literary Quote of the Day (unverified from the web)
Marcus Fabius Quintilianus writes: "Prune what is turgid, elevate what is commonplace, arrange what is disorderly, introduce rhythm where the language is harsh, modify where it is too absolute."

INKDrop:
Your readers hope to have a lovely time reading your work ... a lovely short time. So wasting their time with extravagant and poorly edited writing will make them unhappy. Find a piece you've written lately and chop it up. Yep, take everything out that's not the bare bones skeleton of what you wrote. Find out what you really said without the art. In the midst of beautiful prose, did you also tell the story or convey the information? Now gingerly decide exactly what bits of beauty should be restored to the piece. (Hopefully all of it!)

Connect:
Join Second Life (it's free) and check out the INKsters group there for more virtual inspiration and literary camaraderie. NaNoWriMo is coming!! Go sign up!

Competition idea: Grab a literate friend or two, agree on the topic today, and write. Maybe 1000 characters (fits in your cell phone notepad), or 500 words (our gold standard), or longer. Then share your work with somebody and ask them to select their favorite effort from today. You might be surprised how much you love winning (or hate losing).

And stop by our old home page and see if we've managed to catch up.

Click image above for full sized version. Permission is granted for unlimited use of this image. It is public domain.

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Writing Prompts for October 3, 2009

2009-10-03T00:01:00.000-07:00

Posing
We could see they wanted a certain look, so they ...

Artist Date or Field Trip:
There's a bridge someplace near you. Go there and hang out. Take photos and notes. Return with your adventure story about life at the bridge.

Literary Quote of the Day (unverified from the web)
John Gardner writes in The Art of Fiction: “We care about what we know and might possibly lose, dislike that which threatens what we care about, and feel indifferent toward that which has no visible bearing on our safety or the safety of what we love.”

INKDrop:
Create a character sketch today in one of two ways: Either, make the character resemble somebody you love and then have something horrible happen to them; or, make the character resemble somebody you dislike and then have something wonderful happen to them. Examine your inner-editor's attempts to resist you and learn to combat the resistance.

Join Second Life (it's free) and check out the INKsters group there for more virtual inspiration and literary camaraderie. NaNoWriMo is coming!! Go sign up!

Competition idea: Grab a literate friend or two, agree on the topic today, and write. Maybe 1000 characters (fits in your cell phone notepad), or 500 words (our gold standard), or longer. Then share your work with somebody and ask them to select their favorite effort from today. You might be surprised how much you love winning (or hate losing).

And stop by our old home page and see if we've managed to catch up.

Click image above for full sized version. Permission is granted for unlimited use of this image. It is public domain.
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Writing Prompts for October 2, 2009

2009-10-02T00:01:00.000-07:00

C'mon In!
Hiring a trumpeter to announce her arrival seemed ...

Artist Date or Field Trip:
Find the nearest public work of art and describe it.

Literary Quote of the Day (unverified from the web)
Woody Allen said, "If you're not failing every now and again, it's a sign you're not doing anything very innovative."

INKDrop:
Try writing something today that is innovative. Be a different kind of writer for half an hour. Don't worry about being awesome; just try a new approach. Toss out all those rules in your head and try something dangerous, or weird, or fun. Then decide what is successful and what failed in your new attempt.

Join Second Life (it's free) and check out the INKsters group there for more virtual inspiration and literary camaraderie.

Competition idea: Grab a literate friend or two, agree on the topic today, and write. Maybe 1000 characters (fits in your cell phone notepad), or 500 words (our gold standard), or longer. Then share your work with somebody and ask them to select their favorite effort from today. You might be surprised how much you love winning (or hate losing).

And stop by http://www.mammothgardens.com/inksters

Click image above for full sized version. Permission is granted for unlimited use of this image. It is public domain.
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Writing Prompts for October 1, 2009

2009-10-01T00:01:00.000-07:00

Mayan Princess
Arriving about a thousand years too late, she ...

Artist Date or Field Trip:
Go visit a tourist attraction in your neighborhood and write about it.

Literary Quote of the Day (unverified from the web)
Mark Twain writes in "How to Tell a Story": "To string incongruities and absurdities together in a wandering and sometimes purposeless way, and seem innocently unaware that they are absurdities, is the basis of the American art, if my position is correct."

INKDrop:
You have incongruities in your own life. Every time your ire rises, you can speak passionately on absurdities surrounding you. You can be purposeful and innocent all at once (I hope). Grab your pen and your notebook and make some "American" art right now. You might as well, none of your neighbors are bothering to try and they might like to read what you've put together.

Join Second Life (it's free) and check out the INKsters for more virtual inspiration.

Competition idea: Grab a literate friend or two, agree on the topic today, and write. Maybe 1000 characters (fits in your cell phone notepad), or 500 words (our gold standard), or longer. Then share your work with somebody and ask them to select their favorite effort from today. You might be surprised how much you love winning (or hate losing).

And stop by http://www.mammothgardens.com/inksters

Click image above for full sized version. Permission is granted for unlimited use of this image. It is public domain.
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September 30th Topics

2009-09-30T00:01:00.000-07:00

She of the Lake
We could see her through the cattails and ...

OR
Tell your story about swimming in the lake.

Write everyday ... so someone will know who you were.
Check out the INKsters in Second Life for all things virtually literary.

September 29th Topics

2009-09-29T00:01:00.000-07:00

Glowie Thingie
She would stand her ground, she told herself, but ...

OR
Describe a time when you made a stand against something foolish.

Write everyday ... so someone will know who you were.
Check out the INKsters in Second Life for all things virtually literary.

September 28th Topics

2009-09-28T00:01:00.000-07:00

Gotcha
Being in the arms of death felt ...

OR
You've acquired a cape, a scythe, and a foul expression. Who will you visit first?

Write everyday ... so someone will know who you were.
Check out the INKsters in Second Life for all things virtually literary.

September 27th Topics

2009-09-27T00:01:00.000-07:00

Flying Car
Getting around town these day is ...

OR
So we're not getting flying cars. That's all there is to it. What do you want instead?

Write everyday ... so someone will know who you were.
Check out the INKsters in Second Life for all things virtually literary.

September 26th Topics

2009-09-26T00:01:00.000-07:00

Last Rays
She knew she should go inside, but ...

OR
What magazines do you read and what do you get out of them?

Write everyday ... so someone will know who you were.
Check out the INKsters in Second Life for all things virtually literary.

September 25th Topics

2009-09-25T00:01:00.000-07:00

Weeeee!
For her the playground was ...

OR
Field Trip: Go to a local park and watch the activity and report back. (Don't scare the people while you're there with your notepad.)

Write everyday ... so someone will know who you were.
Check out the INKsters in Second Life for all things virtually literary.

September 24th Topics

2009-09-24T00:01:00.000-07:00

Man Down
KERPLUNK! His body hit the floor and she ...

OR
You've picked a fight and, despite being right, you're losing. What happens next?

Write everyday ... so someone will know who you were.
Check out the INKsters in Second Life for all things virtually literary.

September 23rd Topics

2009-09-23T00:01:00.000-07:00

Like That Would Happen
"I'm a poor lonely school girl lost in the forest, and ...

OR
Write about an outdoor excursion you've been on recently.

Write everyday ... so someone will know who you were.
Check out the INKsters in Second Life for all things virtually literary.

September 22nd Topics

2009-09-22T00:01:00.000-07:00

Odd Couple
We thought they seemed like oil and water, but ...

OR
Describe your strangest companion.

Write everyday ... so someone will know who you were.
Check out the INKsters in Second Life for all things virtually literary.

September 21st Topics

2009-09-21T00:01:00.000-07:00

Apartment for Rent
She thought living above a porn shop would be ...

OR
All right, worst apartment, fess up ... where was it and how did you end up there?

Write everyday ... so someone will know who you were.
Check out the INKsters in Second Life for all things virtually literary.

September 20th Topics

2009-09-20T00:01:00.000-07:00

Warrior
The tattoos, the scars, the weapons, the coming of darkness ...

OR
Find a role-playing game and describe a character you'd create in the game.

Write everyday ... so someone will know who you were.
Check out the INKsters in Second Life for all things virtually literary.

September 19th Topics

2009-09-19T00:01:00.000-07:00

Over Done
Heading out to the pool on Tuesday morning, she wondered ...

OR
Lavish buildings create opportunities for writers to explore their emotional interactions with architecture and location. Give it a shot with your favorite fancy structure.

Write everyday ... so someone will know who you were.
Check out the INKsters in Second Life for all things virtually literary.

September 18th Topics

2009-09-18T00:01:00.000-07:00

Oddity
The more she gazed at it, the more ...

OR
Take a field trip to find something odd, out of place, or super cool and report back.

Write everyday ... so someone will know who you were.
Check out the INKsters in Second Life for all things virtually literary.

September 17th Topics

2009-09-17T00:01:00.000-07:00

After School
After school, she liked ...

OR
Go to a new place and hang out for awhile. Write a description.

Write everyday ... so someone will know who you were.
Check out the INKsters in Second Life for all things virtually literary.

September 16th Topics

2009-09-16T00:01:00.000-07:00

Colored Forest
I stood alone in the colored forest and ...

OR
If you could change the colors of something, what would it be?

Write everyday ... so someone will know who you were.
Check out the INKsters in Second Life for all things virtually literary.

September 15th Topics

2009-09-15T00:01:00.000-07:00

Retreat
Escaping from the day and the chaos ...

OR
When you need to run off and hide for a bit, what do you do?

Write everyday ... so someone will know who you were.
Check out the INKsters in Second Life for all things virtually literary.

September 14th Topics

2009-09-14T00:01:00.000-07:00

Sunrise
She was still dancing at sunrise and ...

OR
Tell a story about staying up all night.

Write everyday ... so someone will know who you were.
Check out the INKsters in Second Life for all things virtually literary.

September 13th Topics

2009-09-13T00:01:00.000-07:00

Shadow
His shadow followed him everywhere and today ...

OR
Ever play music outside or done something in public that drew attention to you?

Write everyday ... so someone will know who you were.
Check out the INKsters in Second Life for all things virtually literary.

September 12th Topics

2009-09-12T00:01:00.000-07:00

Lights Up
This will be the best place for ...

OR
Tell about a time you were on stage.

Write everyday ... so someone will know who you were.
Check out the INKsters in Second Life for all things virtually literary.

September 11th Topics

2009-09-11T00:01:00.000-07:00

Drummer
He beat those sticks like ...

OR
So I hear you're a rock star. How is it?

Write everyday ... so someone will know who you were.
Check out the INKsters in Second Life for all things virtually literary.

September 10th Topics

2009-09-10T00:01:00.000-07:00

Announcement
He pulled the tractor up an announced ...

OR
If you could only have one farming or gardening implement, what would you select?

Write everyday ... so someone will know who you were.
Check out the INKsters in Second Life for all things virtually literary.

September 9th Topics

2009-09-09T00:01:00.000-07:00

Balcony
He nearly vanished in the flowers with that Hawaiian shirt of his but the view from the balcony ...

OR
You're standing on a balcony and a throng of admiring supporters waits for you to give a speech. Write it out for us.

Write everyday ... so someone will know who you were.
Check out the INKsters in Second Life for all things virtually literary.

September 8th Topics

2009-09-08T00:01:00.000-07:00

Git Up
"How many times have I told you? You can't handle yer liquor. Now git up, and ...

OR
How does your robot act when he's drunk?

Write everyday ... so someone will know who you were.
Check out the INKsters in Second Life for all things virtually literary.

September 7th Topics

2009-09-07T00:01:00.000-07:00

Here Piggy
So this was how it would all play out -- with pigs and cows and ...

OR
Tell a story about a time you found yourself out of your element and how you coped.

Write everyday ... so someone will know who you were.
Check out the INKsters in Second Life for all things virtually literary.

September 6th Topics

2009-09-06T00:01:00.000-07:00

My Pet
I was the only one in the neighborhood with an animal companion like him, but ...

OR
What would you do if you had a gargoyle for a pet?

Write everyday ... so someone will know who you were.
Check out the INKsters in Second Life for all things virtually literary.

September 5th Topics

2009-09-05T00:01:00.000-07:00

Cave Women
Sitting in the circle, the four decided ...

OR
Write a story about a secret society you like.

Write everyday ... so someone will know who you were.
Check out the INKsters in Second Life for all things virtually literary.

September 4th Topics

2009-09-04T00:01:00.000-07:00

Crying
A single tear dropped from her eye, because ...

OR
Describe a situation when you knew it was all over.

Write everyday ... so someone will know who you were.
Check out the INKsters in Second Life for all things virtually literary.

September 3rd Topics

2009-09-03T00:01:00.000-07:00

Storage Shed
"Aha!" she said aloud, "I could put him in here and ...

OR
What do you have locked away?

Write everyday ... so someone will know who you were.
Check out the INKsters in Second Life for all things virtually literary.

September 2nd Topics

2009-09-02T00:01:00.000-07:00

Ouch
Sitting in that place, at that time of day, with her head pounding, she couldn't help but think ...

OR
Describe a place you've been with less-than-wonderful accommodations.

Write everyday ... so someone will know who you were.
Check out the INKsters in Second Life for all things virtually literary.

September 1st Topics

2009-09-01T00:01:00.000-07:00

Whatcha Say?
He thought he heard the voice coming from the car, but ...

OR
Tell a story about a boy and his car.

Write everyday ... so someone will know who you were.
Check out the INKsters in Second Life for all things virtually literary.

August 31st Topics

2009-08-31T00:01:00.000-07:00

Gray Day
Leaving the trailer that morning, she ...

OR
Re-live a recent day where everything seemed slightly (or drastically) off kilter.

Write everyday ... it's good for your readers' souls.
Check out the INKsters in Second Life for all things virtually literary.

August 30th Topics

2009-08-30T00:01:00.000-07:00

Morning Joe
Her cup of coffee ...

OR
What's your morning routine?

Write everyday ... it's good for your readers' souls.
Check out the INKsters in Second Life for all things virtually literary.

August 29th Topics

2009-08-29T00:01:00.000-07:00

Grand Entrance
I could see her coming down the stairs, and ...

OR
Who has come into your life recently and made a big impression?

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August 28th Topics

2009-08-28T00:01:00.000-07:00

City Beyond
From the hill we could see ...

OR
Find a vista in your neighborhood and take your paper and pencil. What did you write?

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August 27th Topics

2009-08-27T00:01:00.000-07:00

Goin' In
She didn't care, she just didn't care, so she was going in and ...

OR
Discuss a foreboding place you've entered.

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August 26th Topics

2009-08-26T00:01:00.000-07:00

The Oasis
At the oasis ...

OR
Describe a time when you metaphorically circled your wagons?

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August 25th Topics

2009-08-25T00:01:00.000-07:00

Big Boys
Staring up at them she could only hope ...

OR
If you could build a monument, what would you commemorate?

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August 24th Topics

2009-08-24T00:01:00.000-07:00

What?!
She was surprised to hear her say ...

OR
What is something shocking you've heard lately?

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August 23rd Topics

2009-08-23T00:01:00.000-07:00

Dancers
It might have been the mushrooms, or it might have been love, but ...

OR
Where's your favorite dance place?

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August 22nd Topics

2009-08-22T00:01:00.000-07:00

Justice
"Are you sure you need the sword?" he asked, and ...

OR
Discuss a favorite archetypal image you like.

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August 21st Topics

2009-08-21T00:01:00.000-07:00

Misty Bridge
For her, crossing the bridge was more than ...

OR
You're walking through the forest, you find a human-created object. What is it and how did it get there?

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August 20th Topics

2009-08-20T00:01:00.000-07:00

Mermaid Family
We saw the mermaid family on the rocks and ...

OR
Write a story about the fantastic creatures in your family.

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August 19th Topics

2009-08-19T00:01:00.000-07:00

Cave in the Sands
Walking toward it, she knew the road less-taken would ...

OR
Describe a visit to a cave you've experienced.

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August 18th Topics

2009-08-18T00:01:00.000-07:00

Bolts
Staring into the mirror, she decided her next piercing would be ...

OR
How do you feel about the cranial accessory craze?

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