Here are a few of my favorite writing prompts.
Julia Child, chicken, and language…
In 1992, the Common Council of Syracuse, NY, passed a decree that any more snow before Christmas Eve was illegal. Just two days later, they had more snow. But what’s the story there?
Think carefully before you throw one or more animals into your story. Consider the role of the animal(s), and the fit between your character and the fictional animal(s). And then have fun with it!
Writers Need Toxic Relationships
Eight types of unattuned and unloving mothers:
- Dismissive
- Controlling
- Unavailable
- Enmeshed
- Combative
- Unreliable
- Self-involved
- Role-reversal
The good news for writers is that these toxic relationships needn’t be limited to toxic mothers and vulnerable daughters. (You may recognize here an echo of what I said about Deborah Tannen’s analysis of mother-daughter communication patterns: what one says isn’t necessarily what the other hears could apply to virtually any long-germ relationship.) In this instance, consider toxic relationships between husbands and wives. Consider boss and subordinate. Consider role reversal in that it’s the daughter who is toxic.
Three cheers for toxic (literary) relationships!
Don’t forget my signing later today at Barnes and Noble. Details are below.
Libbie Place Shopping Center
5501 West Broad Street
Richmond, VA 23230
12:00 – 2:00pm
Copies of my Chesapeake Bay Mystery series will be available.