Mystery: February 21, 2007 Issue [#1562]
<< February 14, 2007Mystery Archives | More From This Day | Print This IssueFebruary 28, 2007 >>

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Mystery


 This week:
  Edited by: darkin
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Table of Contents

1. About this Newsletter
2. A Word from our Sponsor
3. Letter from the Editor
4. Editor's Picks
5. A Word from Writing.Com
6. Ask & Answer
7. Removal instructions

About This Newsletter

Welcome to the Mystery Newsletter. Why are mysteries so popular? Because mysteries make you think. You follow every clue, examine the crime scenes and remember what each suspect said, until you solve the crime. A good mystery can keep you interested until the end. A great mystery will keep you guessing until the last page...when it makes you slap your forehead in surprise!


Word from our sponsor

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Letter from the editor

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Finding Prompts to Inspire Your Stories


Sometimes a story idea just hits a writer. A seed of a story pops into our mind and we are off and writing. Other times, we are not so lucky. We sit at our desks and wonder what we will write today.
On days when the ideas just will not come, I like to use writing prompts to get my creative juices flowing. I find writing prompts to be inspirational. Many of my stories and even poems came from something I have heard, or read recently.

There are groups dedicated to writing prompts on the site. You will find a list of them at the end of the editor's picks.

Using someone else's prompts is great, but there are times you won't be able to get online to retrieve them. Those are the times you will need to find your own prompts so you can keep writing. Where in the real-world can you find your own muse-inspiring writing prompts?

1. Writing prompts in literature. Take any book off of your shelf. Flip through it and stop at a random page. Close your eyes and put your finger anywhere on the page. Use that line to start your story. You can use this method with just about any kind of book regardless of the genre. Another suggestion is to look for inspiring sentences while you are reading. I keep a notebook near where I read, and when I find a line that strikes me as inspiring, I write it down.

2. Writing prompts from real-life conversations. This is another great place to find a writing prompts. Everywhere you go, there are people talking. Start listening to what they say, and how they say it. Write down snippets of conversation to use later for inspiration. Listen for the dialect and personality. You can learn a lot about someone by the way they use their words.

3. Television and movies are a great place to find inspiration. Now, I am not suggesting copying what you see on the big, or little, screen. But you can get great ideas from watching them. It could be a character or a line that makes you run to find your pad of paper and pencil. Either way, you are writing. You can also try a trick I use all the time. Turn on a TV show you do not normally view and watch it without the sound. Then make up the story and dialog based on the actor's body language and movements. You will be amazed at what you come up with.

4. Signs, flyers, and other things you see along the way are also great sources for inspiration. How about that odd band name plastered all over town. Or the new coffee shop that uses a unique spin for their business name. Even that weird street name could lead to a story; you just have to give it a chance.

5. When all else fails, buy a book of writing prompts. There are so many wonderful books out there filled to the brim with inspiring writing prompts. You can even find ones dedicated to your specific genre of choice.

Inspiration is everywhere you look, even in the most mundane and unimaginative places. All it takes to find these tidbits of creativity is pay attention to your surroundings. Do this, and you will never run out of things to write about.

Thank you for taking the time to read. Happy Writing!

darkin


Editor's Picks

Here are some items I found while traveling the highways and byways of Writing.Com!

 The Haunted Pipe Open in new Window. (ASR)
Prompt: A Magic Carpet, a Siamese Cat, and an out-of-work trombone player.
#506562 by trigger Author IconMail Icon


 The Devil's Masquerade Open in new Window. (13+)
A poem written using a picture prompt for "Pretty as a Picture Contest"
#1206998 by GregRyan Author IconMail Icon


 Invalid Item Open in new Window.
This item number is not valid.
#1147867 by Not Available.


 Invalid Item Open in new Window.
This item number is not valid.
#1140978 by Not Available.


 Mystery Trunk Open in new Window. (E)
Written for contest. Prompt: "the small trunk held" {In Mystery Newsletter 02/21/07}
#1151303 by Nanapockets Author IconMail Icon


 Invalid Item Open in new Window.
This item number is not valid.
#1138879 by Not Available.


 Whole Again Open in new Window. (E)
Short Story Prompt 15/9/05 - an aging war veteran searches for the answer
#1016505 by Amaris Author IconMail Icon


Bomb Threat Open in new Window. (13+)
A dream prompts a man to prevent a tragedy.
#906575 by Robert Waltz Author IconMail Icon


 Invalid Item Open in new Window.
This item number is not valid.
#725955 by Not Available.


 
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Mystery Aquatic Open in new Window. (E)
Prompted by a news story about a mysterious sea creature found in Chile...what is it?
#713985 by winklett Author IconMail Icon


 Dogs and Canes (Original) Open in new Window. (13+)
prompt: A barking dog, a ringing payphone, and a murder weapon.
#495231 by trigger Author IconMail Icon


 Invalid Item Open in new Window.
This item number is not valid.
#1024230 by Not Available.


 Momento Open in new Window. (18+)
Written for a contest using movie name prompts. This one's a bit grim.
#962120 by Midnight Dawn Author IconMail Icon


Prompt Inspired Contests

 Mystery Madness Open in new Window. (18+)
A prompt-based mystery short story contest PROMPT1 WINNERS ANNOUNCED
#1112811 by Caren Rose Author IconMail Icon


 Invalid Item Open in new Window.
This item number is not valid.
#1115385 by Not Available.


Image Protector
FORUM
The Writer's Cramp Open in new Window. (13+)
Write the best poem or story in 24 hours or less and win 10K GPS!
#333655 by Sophurky Author IconMail Icon


 Invalid Item Open in new Window.
This item number is not valid.
#1141147 by Not Available.


 Invalid Item Open in new Window.
This item number is not valid.
#1218607 by Not Available.


Daily Flash Fiction Challenge Open in new Window. (13+)
Enter your story of 300 words or less.
#896794 by Arakun the twisted raccoon Author IconMail Icon


Groups that use writing prompts

 Invalid Item Open in new Window.
This item number is not valid.
#619884 by Not Available.


 Invalid Item Open in new Window.
This item number is not valid.
#700291 by Not Available.


 Invalid Item Open in new Window.
This item number is not valid.
#1192091 by Not Available.


 Invalid Item Open in new Window.
This item number is not valid.
#1183959 by Not Available.


 Invalid Item Open in new Window.
This item number is not valid.
#1101374 by Not Available.


 
Submit an item for consideration in this newsletter!
https://www.Writing.Com/go/nl_form

Word from Writing.Com

Have an opinion on what you've read here today? Then send the Editor feedback! Find an item that you think would be perfect for showcasing here? Submit it for consideration in the newsletter!
         https://www.Writing.Com/go/nl_form

Don't forget to support our sponsor!

ASIN: 197380364X
Amazon's Price: $ 15.99


Ask & Answer

Thank you all for taking the time to read this newsletter, and for all of your wonderful feedback*Smile* Until next time!

Darkin

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Submitted By: SHERRI GIBSON Author Icon
Submitted Comment:

Another exceptional newsletter, Darkin. There's nothing better than a well written mystery that keeps us in suspense from beginning to end.
Hugs,
Sherri

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Submitted By: billwilcox
Submitted Comment:

Squirrely,
No one knows how to write mysteries as well as you do. This newsletter, like all the others you write, is an excellent example of How-To-Do-It. It is also easy to see what your favorite genre is because I could feel the enthusiasm you put into it. Great job!
-Bill

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Submitted By: Vivian Author Icon
Submitted Comment:

Wow! Thanks, Darkin, for the idea of a character keeping a journal or diary. What a great way to reveal missing components. ~~ Viv

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