1.10 Smells of home
1.09 Word Stimulus
Take a notepad and go into the kitchen at home. Find some herbs or spices and open one of the jars. Smell it and close your eyes. Stay like this for a long as you can (if you can do a minute, this is great.
Think about what the smell make you think of - some place? A time? A meal you have prepared or eaten in the past?
Free-write for minute without stopping. If nothing comes to mind with a herb or spice, try a different one. Do the same with jams and cereals etc.
Pick up a newspaper and turn to the second page (if you haven't got one to hand, use a book or magazine). In the second paragraph, take the second word and write it down, whatever it is. Then go to the fourth page, fourth paragraph and fourth word. And so on, up to the tenth page, tenth paragraph and tenth word.
Once you have your words, use them to write a short poem. It doesn't matter what order you use them or how long the poem is but you must include every word. It can rhyme or have a regular structure but that is up to you.
Once you have it drafted out, try again, this time using all the odd page numbers.
You can vary this activity to generate plays, short stories and song lyrics.
Now write for five minutes, using your thoughts, memories and feelings and letting the writing go wherever it wants, without worrying about structure and form.
Once the five minutes are up, put whatever you have written to one side then reread it and redraft it the next day into whatever form takes your fancy. .
1.08 Picture Prompt
Look at the picture below for at least one minute with no writing.
Think about what comes to mind when you look at it. Does it remind you of somepwhere you have been to? When you were on a walk perhaps?
How does the picture make you feel? Happy or sad? What is the weather like? What time of year is it? What time of day?
Look at the picture below for at least one minute with no writing.
Think about what comes to mind when you look at it. Does it remind you of somepwhere you have been to? When you were on a walk perhaps?
How does the picture make you feel? Happy or sad? What is the weather like? What time of year is it? What time of day?
Now write for five minutes, using your thoughts, memories and feelings and letting the writing go wherever it wants, without worrying about structure and form.
Once the five minutes are up, put whatever you have written to one side then reread it and redraft it the next day into whatever form takes your fancy. .
1.07 Take Note
One of the first things I was told to do when I started writing was to take a notebook everywhere with me.
This was some time ago before nearly everyone had a smartphone, and the idea was that you took notes every time you went out and kept them in a notebook, looking like a detective from a crime novel.
But now most people have a smartphone so you don't need a notebook, just an app to take notes onto. Most phones have them as standard but Evernote is a favourite of mine (and I'm not sponsored by them).
So, when you next go out on your daily exercise session, have your phone to hand and note down anything you see that is interesting. People, places, objects. Animals. Anything.
No one will care as it'll just look like you are texting. You could even add a few photos.
Get out and take note of what is going on.
1.06 Body Scan
This a good one to relax into.
As is often the case with these activities, find somewhere reasonably quiet to sit, where you won't be interrupted. Have a notebook and pen or pencil to hand nearby.
Sit, stand or lie without moving. Settle into your body. Close your eyes. Then focus on one part of your body - your toes would be a good one to start with. How do they feel? Are they warm or cold? How about the texture of socks or whatever they are resting on - is it soft, hard, rough?
Then move on to another part of your body. Perhaps the soles of your feet. Again, how do they feel? Are they warm or cold etc?
Move onto another part of your body and carry on doing this. Work up towards your head and finish with your mouth, running your tongue around. Feeling the individual teeth.
Once you have done this, slowly open your eyes. Give yourself a moment to reorientate and then write something. Anything. See what comes to mind.
1.05 Picture Prompt
Look at the picture below for at least one minute with no writing.
Think about what comes to mind when you look at it. Does it remind you of some time in your childhood? A summer holiday or day at the seaside, perhaps?
Think about the time of year and place - what did you see or smell? Who was with you? How do you feel when you remember the occasion?
Now write for five minutes, using your thoughts, memories and feelings and letting the writing go wherever it wants, without worrying about structure and form.
Once the five minutes are up, put whatever you have written to one side then reread it and redraft it the next day into whatever form takes your fancy.
1.04 Sound Stimulus
This is a favourite of mine, and it works well in warmer weather.
For a couple of minutes you are just going to listen. Find somewhere to go where you can hear sounds from outside. This may be in a back yard or garden or near an open window or door. It doesn't matter where you are as long as you can hear sounds from beyond your home.
You can do this in the rain or if it is sunny but cold weather can shift the focus away from the sounds to how chilly you feel (which is okay, but not what this exercise is about).
Once you have found your spot, sit or stand (if your balance is good) and close your eyes. Keep them shut for around two minutes and just listen. Hear the sounds of the neighbourhood.
Are there cars and other vehicles? Rising engine notes, horns blaring, loud exhausts? Birds and insects? People shouting or distant radios? Power tools?
Whatever you can hear, listen and think about what images they conjure. As you get some good ones, write them down - in as much detail as you want - then close your eyes again and see whatever else you hear.
1.03 Out the Windows
Find a quiet place to sit near a window. Make sure you are comfortable and unlikely to be interrupted. Stay there for around five minutes just looking out of the window. Don't do anything else.
Think about what is out there. Are there any people (probably not many)? Can you see trees and vegetation? Animals? What buildings are there or structures? Is there a bridge or road?
Once the five minutes are up, look out of the window again, but this time take some notes. Watch catches your eye? Try to really focus one thing and describe it in detail. Describe it. Think about its history. How did it get there? What will it look like in a year? Ten years?
Once you have written all you can for that object, choose something else. Go through the same process. Also think about how this thing feels to the touch. Is it warm? Cold? Soft or hard?
Let your ideas wander and keep them for future use.
1.02 Idea Time
This is an interesting way to stimulate new ideas, used by a number of professional writers.
Find somewhere quiet to sit. Turn your phone to silent, but set a timer (see below) and make sure that the TV and radio are off. If there is a window, close the curtain or blinds.
Set your phone's time to 30 minutes and sit without moving. Do absolutely nothing. Don't try to direct your thoughts and don't avoid thinking about things. Allow your mind to wander where it wants to go, with no plan or intention. You don't need prompts or anything to stimulate your thinking.
The first ten minutes will be quite hard, but you'll settle into it.
At the end, I guarantee you will have some ideas. Write them down, however random they are. Save them as prompts for writing. Or work on them straight away, if they take your fancy.
You'll be amazed what you come up with.
1.01 Picture Prompt
Look at the picture below for at least one minute with no writing.
Think about what comes to mind when you look at it. Does it remind you of some time in your childhood? A holiday or weekend away perhaps?
Think about the time of year and place - what did you see or smell? Who was with you? How do you feel when you remember the occasion?
Now write for five minutes, using your thoughts, memories and feelings and letting the writing go wherever it wants, without worrying about structure and form.
Once the five minutes are up, put whatever you have written to one side then reread it and redraft it the next day into whatever form takes your fancy.
One of the first things I was told to do when I started writing was to take a notebook everywhere with me.
This was some time ago before nearly everyone had a smartphone, and the idea was that you took notes every time you went out and kept them in a notebook, looking like a detective from a crime novel.
But now most people have a smartphone so you don't need a notebook, just an app to take notes onto. Most phones have them as standard but Evernote is a favourite of mine (and I'm not sponsored by them).
So, when you next go out on your daily exercise session, have your phone to hand and note down anything you see that is interesting. People, places, objects. Animals. Anything.
No one will care as it'll just look like you are texting. You could even add a few photos.
Get out and take note of what is going on.
1.06 Body Scan
This a good one to relax into.
As is often the case with these activities, find somewhere reasonably quiet to sit, where you won't be interrupted. Have a notebook and pen or pencil to hand nearby.
Sit, stand or lie without moving. Settle into your body. Close your eyes. Then focus on one part of your body - your toes would be a good one to start with. How do they feel? Are they warm or cold? How about the texture of socks or whatever they are resting on - is it soft, hard, rough?
Then move on to another part of your body. Perhaps the soles of your feet. Again, how do they feel? Are they warm or cold etc?
Move onto another part of your body and carry on doing this. Work up towards your head and finish with your mouth, running your tongue around. Feeling the individual teeth.
Once you have done this, slowly open your eyes. Give yourself a moment to reorientate and then write something. Anything. See what comes to mind.
1.05 Picture Prompt
Look at the picture below for at least one minute with no writing.
Think about what comes to mind when you look at it. Does it remind you of some time in your childhood? A summer holiday or day at the seaside, perhaps?
Think about the time of year and place - what did you see or smell? Who was with you? How do you feel when you remember the occasion?
Now write for five minutes, using your thoughts, memories and feelings and letting the writing go wherever it wants, without worrying about structure and form.
Once the five minutes are up, put whatever you have written to one side then reread it and redraft it the next day into whatever form takes your fancy.
1.04 Sound Stimulus
This is a favourite of mine, and it works well in warmer weather.
For a couple of minutes you are just going to listen. Find somewhere to go where you can hear sounds from outside. This may be in a back yard or garden or near an open window or door. It doesn't matter where you are as long as you can hear sounds from beyond your home.
You can do this in the rain or if it is sunny but cold weather can shift the focus away from the sounds to how chilly you feel (which is okay, but not what this exercise is about).
Once you have found your spot, sit or stand (if your balance is good) and close your eyes. Keep them shut for around two minutes and just listen. Hear the sounds of the neighbourhood.
Are there cars and other vehicles? Rising engine notes, horns blaring, loud exhausts? Birds and insects? People shouting or distant radios? Power tools?
Whatever you can hear, listen and think about what images they conjure. As you get some good ones, write them down - in as much detail as you want - then close your eyes again and see whatever else you hear.
1.03 Out the Windows
Find a quiet place to sit near a window. Make sure you are comfortable and unlikely to be interrupted. Stay there for around five minutes just looking out of the window. Don't do anything else.
Think about what is out there. Are there any people (probably not many)? Can you see trees and vegetation? Animals? What buildings are there or structures? Is there a bridge or road?
Once the five minutes are up, look out of the window again, but this time take some notes. Watch catches your eye? Try to really focus one thing and describe it in detail. Describe it. Think about its history. How did it get there? What will it look like in a year? Ten years?
Once you have written all you can for that object, choose something else. Go through the same process. Also think about how this thing feels to the touch. Is it warm? Cold? Soft or hard?
Let your ideas wander and keep them for future use.
This is an interesting way to stimulate new ideas, used by a number of professional writers.
Find somewhere quiet to sit. Turn your phone to silent, but set a timer (see below) and make sure that the TV and radio are off. If there is a window, close the curtain or blinds.
Set your phone's time to 30 minutes and sit without moving. Do absolutely nothing. Don't try to direct your thoughts and don't avoid thinking about things. Allow your mind to wander where it wants to go, with no plan or intention. You don't need prompts or anything to stimulate your thinking.
The first ten minutes will be quite hard, but you'll settle into it.
At the end, I guarantee you will have some ideas. Write them down, however random they are. Save them as prompts for writing. Or work on them straight away, if they take your fancy.
You'll be amazed what you come up with.
1.01 Picture Prompt
Look at the picture below for at least one minute with no writing.
Think about what comes to mind when you look at it. Does it remind you of some time in your childhood? A holiday or weekend away perhaps?
Think about the time of year and place - what did you see or smell? Who was with you? How do you feel when you remember the occasion?
Now write for five minutes, using your thoughts, memories and feelings and letting the writing go wherever it wants, without worrying about structure and form.
Once the five minutes are up, put whatever you have written to one side then reread it and redraft it the next day into whatever form takes your fancy.