Struggling to Live a Creative Life in a Stressful World
Let this image engage your muse. Write a paragraph, a short story, a poem, a memory, a journal entry … or whatever you feel inspired to create. And share your creations in the comments if you’d like!
DOWNLOAD YOUR FREE CREATIVE BURSTS WORKBOOK!
And receive free creativity prompts delivered to your inbox twice a week.
CLICK HERE! (To learn more, click here)
Let this image engage your muse. Write a paragraph, a short story, a poem, a memory, a journal entry … or whatever you feel inspired to create. And share your creations in the comments if you’d like!
DOWNLOAD YOUR FREE CREATIVE BURSTS WORKBOOK!
And receive free creativity prompts delivered to your inbox twice a week.
CLICK HERE! (To learn more, click here)
I was looking through my blog posts, and I found this one I posted in 2010. I think it’s a fun one to do periodically, changing the tone depending on your mood. I hope you enjoy…
One of the regular readers of this blog pointed me toward the journaling exercise below (thanks, Kablooey!).
I can see many uses for these prompts:
* to use as a journal and reflect on your life…
* to go inside the head of a character in your current novel or story and gain some insight into his or her world…
* to have some fun with creative whimsy (my choice for today)…
* to use creatively in whatever way resonates with you…
As always, I’d love to see any responses you want to share in the comments!
FOR TODAY
Outside my window… the fog has turned into 20 dancing giraffes who are putting on a Broadway show for me.
I am thinking… about whether I’d rather have wings or wheels.
I am thankful for… aardvarks.
From the kitchen… the cinnamon and the butter are having a passionate affair.
I am wearing… my brain on my sleeve.
I am creating… a guest house in my mind out of gorgeous, unrealistic ideas.
I am going… to dance on the beach until the waves applaud me.
I am reading… the extravagant body language of the bent fork that’s trying to seduce one of my spoons.
I am hoping… my new wings don’t fall off when I fly into my dreams tonight.
I am hearing… ideas chattering outside my door like excited giraffes auditioning for a play.
Around the house… I have folded scientific evidence and foggy memories into every drawer.
One of my favorite things… curious elephants peeking into my windows on Sunday mornings.
A few plans for the rest of the week: thinking about giraffes, wrestling with foggy memories, waving at stars, dancing with my brain, breathing…
(journaling exercise from The Simple Woman’s Daybook via Creating Balance: My Rich Life)
DOWNLOAD YOUR FREE CREATIVE BURSTS WORKBOOK!
And receive free creativity prompts delivered to your inbox twice a week.
CLICK HERE! (To learn more, click here)
I’m on vacation until the end of the year. If you’re looking for a little creative fuel, check out these writing exercises I’ve created for this blog in the past. Most of them can be done in 15 minutes—or take longer if you’re inspired!
Use a word pile to create something tasty
Combine a random image and a line of text to create a new writing prompt
Turn your life into a movie, a bubblegum card, a fortune cookie…
Use a clincher detail to create a vivid character in just one sentence
Gather words you find sprinkled throughout your day and turn them into something new
Try one of these five exercises to shake up your muse
Turn something old into a new piece of writing
Use the environment to reflect a significant change in a character’s life
Craft compelling first and last sentences
Try one of these 10 ideas to get your muse out of neutral
Use this prompt as a launching pad into creativity
Compile a thesaurus of the senses
Create a thesaurus of memories
Turn found words and phrases into something new
Transform a creative block into a character (with another example here)
Write a haiku about creativity
Create a faux-history for a random item
Dive into this word pool to write about a physical, emotional or creative journey
For bloggers—create a poem using search engine terms
You’ll also find photo prompts here, and some 5-minute creative quickies here.
And, if you want to work on something larger, write the story of your life with a series of 6-word memoirs.
DOWNLOAD YOUR FREE CREATIVE BURSTS WORKBOOK!
And receive free creativity prompts delivered to your inbox twice a week.
CLICK HERE! (To learn more, click here)
If you’re looking for some artistic inspiration, this Random Art Prompt Generator might be just what you need! You can choose either a simple or an elaborate prompt, and they’re pretty creative. These are for all types of artists. If you want a writing prompt, the simple prompts will work, and sometimes the elaborate ones will as well. (But some of the elaborate prompts are more focused on visual art.)
Here are some of the random prompts I got when I played around with this:
SIMPLE:
ELABORATE:
Click here to try it out and get creative!
DOWNLOAD YOUR FREE CREATIVE BURSTS WORKBOOK!
And receive free creativity prompts delivered to your inbox twice a week.
CLICK HERE! (To learn more, click here)
Once again, I’ve compiled some of the writing exercises I’ve created for this blog in the past. If you’re looking for a little creative fuel, check them out. Most of them can be done in 15 minutes—or take longer if you’re inspired!
Use a word pile to create something tasty
Combine a random image and a line of text to create a new writing prompt
Turn your life into a movie, a bubblegum card, a fortune cookie…
Use a clincher detail to create a vivid character in just one sentence
Gather words you find sprinkled throughout your day and turn them into something new
Try one of these five exercises to shake up your muse
Turn something old into a new piece of writing
Use the environment to reflect a significant change in a character’s life
Craft compelling first and last sentences
Try one of these 10 ideas to get your muse out of neutral
Use this prompt as a launching pad into creativity
Compile a thesaurus of the senses
Create a thesaurus of memories
Turn found words and phrases into something new
Transform a creative block into a character (with another example here)
Write a haiku about creativity
Create a faux-history for a random item
Dive into this word pool to write about a physical, emotional or creative journey
For bloggers—create a poem using search engine terms
You’ll also find photo prompts here, and some 5-minute creative quickies here.
And, if you want to work on something larger, write the story of your life with a series of 6-word memoirs.
DOWNLOAD YOUR FREE CREATIVE BURSTS WORKBOOK!
And receive free creativity prompts delivered to your inbox twice a week.
CLICK HERE! (To learn more, click here)
I’m on vacation until January 1. If you’re looking for a little creative fuel, check out these writing exercises I’ve created for this blog in the past. Most of them can be done in 15 minutes—or take longer if you’re inspired!
Use a word pile to create something tasty
Combine a random image and a line of text to create a new writing prompt
Turn your life into a movie, a bubblegum card, a fortune cookie…
Use a clincher detail to create a vivid character in just one sentence
Gather words you find sprinkled throughout your day and turn them into something new
Try one of these five exercises to shake up your muse
Turn something old into a new piece of writing
Use the environment to reflect a significant change in a character’s life
Craft compelling first and last sentences
Try one of these 10 ideas to get your muse out of neutral
Use this prompt as a launching pad into creativity
Compile a thesaurus of the senses
Create a thesaurus of memories
Turn found words and phrases into something new
Transform a creative block into a character (with another example here)
Write a haiku about creativity
Create a faux-history for a random item
Dive into this word pool to write about a physical, emotional or creative journey
For bloggers—create a poem using search engine terms
You’ll also find photo prompts here, and some 5-minute creative quickies here.
And, if you want to work on something larger, write the story of your life with a series of 6-word memoirs.
DOWNLOAD YOUR FREE CREATIVE BURSTS WORKBOOK!
And receive free creativity prompts delivered to your inbox twice a week.
CLICK HERE! (To learn more, click here)
I’m on vacation until September 25. If you’re looking for a little creative fuel, check out these writing exercises I’ve created for this blog in the past. Most of them can be done in 15 minutes—or take longer if you’re inspired!
Use a word pile to create something tasty
Combine a random image and a line of text to create a new writing prompt
Turn your life into a movie, a bubblegum card, a fortune cookie…
Use a clincher detail to create a vivid character in just one sentence
Gather words you find sprinkled throughout your day and turn them into something new
Try one of these five exercises to shake up your muse
Turn something old into a new piece of writing
Use the environment to reflect a significant change in a character’s life
Craft compelling first and last sentences
Try one of these 10 ideas to get your muse out of neutral
Use this prompt as a launching pad into creativity
Compile a thesaurus of the senses
Create a thesaurus of memories
Turn found words and phrases into something new
Transform a creative block into a character (with another example here)
Write a haiku about creativity
Create a faux-history for a random item
Dive into this word pool to write about a physical, emotional or creative journey
For bloggers—create a poem using search engine terms
You’ll also find photo prompts here, and some 5-minute creative quickies here.
And, if you want to work on something larger, write the story of your life with a series of 6-word memoirs.
DOWNLOAD YOUR FREE CREATIVE BURSTS WORKBOOK!
And receive free creativity prompts delivered to your inbox twice a week.
CLICK HERE! (To learn more, click here)
The Book of Questions, by Pablo Neruda, contains poems made up entirely of questions. I’ve pulled out one of these for today’s writing prompt:
Does a word sometimes slither like a serpent?
Write a poem, essay, story, memory, freewrite, description…whatever this question evokes in you.
I’d love to see your creations in the comments if you feel like sharing!
DOWNLOAD YOUR FREE CREATIVE BURSTS WORKBOOK!
And receive free creativity prompts delivered to your inbox twice a week.
CLICK HERE! (To learn more, click here)
The Book of Questions, by Pablo Neruda, contains poems made up entirely of questions. I’ve pulled out one of these for today’s writing prompt:
Why does the hat of night fly so full of holes?
Write a poem, essay, story, memory, freewrite, description…whatever this question evokes in you.
I’d love to see your creations in the comments if you feel like sharing!
DOWNLOAD YOUR FREE CREATIVE BURSTS WORKBOOK!
And receive free creativity prompts delivered to your inbox twice a week.
CLICK HERE! (To learn more, click here)
The Book of Questions, by Pablo Neruda, contains poems made up entirely of questions. I’ve pulled out one of these for today’s writing prompt:
Is it true they scatter transparent letters across the sky?
Write a poem, essay, story, memory, freewrite, description…whatever this question evokes in you.
I’d love to see your creations in the comments if you feel like sharing!
DOWNLOAD YOUR FREE CREATIVE BURSTS WORKBOOK!
And receive free creativity prompts delivered to your inbox twice a week.
CLICK HERE! (To learn more, click here)
I’m on vacation until January 1st. If you’re looking for a little creative fuel, check out these writing exercises I’ve created for this blog in the past. Most of them can be done in 15 minutes—or take longer if you’re inspired!
Use a word pile to create something tasty
Combine a random image and a line of text to create a new writing prompt
Turn your life into a movie, a bubblegum card, a fortune cookie…
Use a clincher detail to create a vivid character in just one sentence
Gather words you find sprinkled throughout your day and turn them into something new
Try one of these five exercises to shake up your muse
Turn something old into a new piece of writing
Use the environment to reflect a significant change in a character’s life
Craft compelling first and last sentences
Try one of these 10 ideas to get your muse out of neutral
Use this prompt as a launching pad into creativity
Compile a thesaurus of the senses
Create a thesaurus of memories
Turn found words and phrases into something new
Transform a creative block into a character (with another example here)
Write a haiku about creativity
Create a faux-history for a random item
Dive into this word pool to write about a physical, emotional or creative journey
For bloggers—create a poem using search engine terms
You’ll also find photo prompts here, and some 5-minute creative quickies here.
And, if you want to work on something larger, write the story of your life with a series of 6-word memoirs.
DOWNLOAD YOUR FREE CREATIVE BURSTS WORKBOOK!
And receive free creativity prompts delivered to your inbox twice a week.
CLICK HERE! (To learn more, click here)
The Book of Questions, by Pablo Neruda, contains poems made up entirely of questions. I’ve pulled out one of these for today’s writing prompt:
Is the sun the same as yesterday’s, or is this fire different from that fire?
Write a poem, essay, story, memory, freewrite, description…whatever this question evokes in you.
I’d love to see your creations in the comments if you feel like sharing!
DOWNLOAD YOUR FREE CREATIVE BURSTS WORKBOOK!
And receive free creativity prompts delivered to your inbox twice a week.
To learn more, click here!
The Book of Questions, by Pablo Neruda, contains poems made up entirely of questions. I’ve pulled out one of these for today’s writing prompt:
What is the name of the cocktail that mixes vodka and lightning bolts?
Write a poem, essay, story, memory, freewrite, description…whatever this question evokes in you.
I’d love to see your creations in the comments if you feel like sharing!
STOP STRANGLING YOUR MUSE!
I’ll help you slay your Perfectionism Dragon,
Herd your Inner Critics into a soundproof room,
Send your Procrastination Monster whimpering back to his cave,
And defuse all your creative blocks.
To schedule a free 30-minute telephone creativity coaching session with me, or for more information, click here.
I’m taking a short (2-3 week) break from this blog in the wake of my father’s death. In the meantime, this previous post will direct you to a variety of writing exercises if you’re looking for a little creative fuel. For some of my more recent offerings, click on Writing Exercises or Photo Prompts.
As we head into the weekend, I’m offering a round-up of some of the writing exercises I’ve created for this blog. Most of them can be done in 15 minutes—or take longer if you’re inspired!
Use a word pile to create something tasty
Combine a random image and a line of text to create a new writing prompt
Turn your life into a movie, a bubblegum card, a fortune cookie…
Use a clincher detail to create a vivid character in just one sentence
Gather words you find sprinkled throughout your day and turn them into something new
Try one of these five exercises to shake up your muse
Turn something old into a new piece of writing
Use the environment to reflect a significant change in a character’s life
Craft compelling first and last sentences
Try one of these 10 ideas to get your muse out of neutral
Use this prompt as a launching pad into creativity
Compile a thesaurus of the senses
Create a thesaurus of memories
Turn found words and phrases into something new
Transform a creative block into a character (with another example here)
Write a haiku about creativity
Create a faux-history for a random item
Dive into this word pool to write about a physical, emotional or creative journey
For bloggers—create a poem using search engine terms
You’ll also find photo prompts here, and some 5-minute creative quickies here.
And, if you want to work on something larger, write the story of your life with a series of 6-word memoirs.
Copyright © Sandy Ackers, Strangling My Muse: Struggling to Live a Creative Life in a Stressful World, http://www.stranglingmymuse.com
The Book of Questions, by Pablo Neruda, contains poems made up entirely of questions. I’ve pulled out one of these for today’s writing prompt:
Do we learn kindness or the mask of kindness?
Write a poem, essay, story, memory, freewrite, description…whatever this question evokes in you.
I’d love to see your creations in the comments if you feel like sharing!
STOP STRANGLING YOUR MUSE!
I’ll help you slay your Perfectionism Dragon,
Herd your Inner Critics into a soundproof room,
Send your Procrastination Monster whimpering back to his cave,
And defuse all your creative blocks.
To schedule a free 30-minute telephone creativity coaching session with me, or for more information, click here.
The Book of Questions, by Pablo Neruda, contains poems made up entirely of questions. I’ve pulled out one of these for today’s writing prompt:
What do they call a flower that flies from bird to bird?
Write a poem, essay, story, memory, freewrite, description…whatever this question evokes in you.
I’d love to see your creations in the comments if you feel like sharing!
I recently took a journey back through an old journal, and I found a page where I’d written some prompts. I wrote these at the tail end of an illness that forced me into a deep retreat inside myself, unable to work or do much at all for a year. In my journal, I wrote:
I feel it coming back and I feel such gratitude. I know the journey of healing isn’t always a straight line and will continue to feature bumps and dips, but I feel the energy of my writing, my creative soul, pouring back into my heart, my arms, my fingers. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
I will try to keep blank paper at hand so my heart can fill it…
Then I gave myself these writing prompts, which came from a deep place of reflection on my life that my illness and my feeling of creative rebirth inspired. I’d like to share them with you now:
As always, if you use these prompts to write something you’d like to share, I’d love to read them!
As we head into the weekend, I’m offering a round-up of some of the writing exercises I’ve created for this blog. Most of them can be done in 15 minutes—or take longer if you’re inspired!
Use a word pile to create something tasty
Combine a random image and a line of text to create a new writing prompt
Turn your life into a movie, a bubblegum card, a fortune cookie…
Use a clincher detail to create a vivid character in just one sentence
Gather words you find sprinkled throughout your day and turn them into something new
Try one of these five exercises to shake up your muse
Turn something old into a new piece of writing
Use the environment to reflect a significant change in a character’s life
Craft compelling first and last sentences
Try one of these 10 ideas to get your muse out of neutral
Use this prompt as a launching pad into creativity
Compile a thesaurus of the senses
Create a thesaurus of memories
Turn found words and phrases into something new
Transform a creative block into a character (with another example here)
Write a haiku about creativity
Create a faux-history for a random item
Dive into this word pool to write about a physical, emotional or creative journey
For bloggers—create a poem using search engine terms
You’ll also find photo prompts here, and some 5-minute creative quickies here.
And, if you want to work on something larger, write the story of your life with a series of 6-word memoirs.
Copyright © Sandy Ackers, Strangling My Muse: Struggling to Live a Creative Life in a Stressful World, http://www.stranglingmymuse.com
The Book of Questions, by Pablo Neruda, contains poems made up entirely of questions. I’ve pulled out two of these for today’s writing prompt:
Where do the things in dreams go? Do they pass to the dreams of others?
Write a poem, essay, story, memory, freewrite, description…whatever these questions evoke in you.
I’d love to see your creations in the comments if you feel like sharing!
The Book of Questions, by Pablo Neruda, contains poems made up entirely of questions. I’ve pulled out one of these for today’s writing prompt:
When does the butterfly read what flies written on its wings?
Write a poem, essay, story, memory, freewrite, description…whatever this question evokes in you.
I’d love to see your creations in the comments if you feel like sharing!
The Book of Questions, by Pablo Neruda, contains poems made up entirely of questions. I’ve pulled out one of these for today’s writing prompt:
At dawn, which smooth syllables does the ocean air repeat?
Write a poem, essay, story, memory, freewrite, description…whatever this question evokes in you.
I’d love to see your creations in the comments if you feel like sharing!
The Book of Questions, by Pablo Neruda, contains poems made up entirely of questions. I’ve pulled out one of these for today’s writing prompt:
Is it true that autumn seems to wait for something to happen?
Write a poem, essay, story, memory, freewrite, description…whatever this question evokes in you.
I’d love to see your creations in the comments if you feel like sharing!
photo by Anna Cervova
The Book of Questions, by Pablo Neruda, contains poems made up entirely of questions. I’ve pulled out one of these for today’s writing prompt:
Where does the rainbow end, in your soul or on the horizon?
Write a poem, essay, story, memory, freewrite, description…whatever this question evokes in you.
I’d love to see your creations in the comments if you feel like sharing!
One of the regular readers of this blog pointed me toward the journaling exercise below (thanks, Kablooey!).
I can see many uses for these prompts:
* to use as a journal and reflect on your life…
* to go inside the head of a character in your current novel or story and gain some insight into his or her world…
* to have some fun with creative whimsy (my choice for today)…
* to use creatively in whatever way resonates with you…
As always, I’d love to see any responses you want to share in the comments!
FOR TODAY
Outside my window…the fog has turned into 20 dancing giraffes who are putting on a Broadway show for me.
I am thinking…about whether I’d rather have wings or wheels.
I am thankful for…aardvarks.
From the kitchen…the cinnamon and the butter are having a passionate affair.
I am wearing…my brain on my sleeve.
I am creating…a guest house in my mind out of gorgeous, unrealistic ideas.
I am going…to dance on the beach until the waves applaud me.
I am reading…the extravagant body language of the bent fork that’s trying to seduce one of my spoons.
I am hoping…my new wings don’t fall off when I fly into my dreams tonight.
I am hearing…ideas chattering outside my door like excited giraffes auditioning for a play.
Around the house…I have folded scientific evidence and foggy memories into every drawer.
One of my favorite things…curious elephants peeking into my windows on Sunday mornings.
A few plans for the rest of the week: thinking about giraffes, wrestling with foggy memories, waving at stars, dancing with my brain, breathing…
(journaling exercise from The Simple Woman’s Daybook via Creating Balance: My Rich Life)
Copyright © Sandy Ackers, Strangling My Muse: Struggling to Live a Creative Life in a Stressful World, http://www.stranglingmymuse.com
And get fun 15-minute creativity prompts delivered to your inbox twice a week
Strangling My Muse 
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