Alternatives to Writing Prompts

Writing prompts are popular for a reason--they contain little nuggets of inspiration to boost your brain. I always hesitate to base a story completely off a cool prompt because it makes me feel like an idea theif. Whether thats the case with you or not, I've found several alternatives to true writing prompts that help me come up with my own ideas.

Sometimes there are writing prompts that aren't really prompts. Like this one:

*from Pinterest*

These are the kind I like because they allow the writer to still discover their own idea. Not that it matters because every idea we have is based off what's around us. However, I like more "process" prompts than story ideas. It's more like an imagination prompt than a writing prompt if you really want to draw a difference.

Here are a few more such prompts or methods that I use regularly:

• ask my siblings for a random word
• base something off a song (shuffle play is best!)
• pick a random word, possibly think about its multiple meanings
• trace a myth or story for an obscure detail (basically how I wrote Andora's Folly)
• scroll through my Pinterest pins for a thought-provoking image
• pick a name and research the meaning
• base something off a season or around a specific event
• think of something common (regency era) and then something uncommonly followed amongst it (the violinists at all the balls)
• write down the dreams you remember (how I wrote Martin Hospitality)
• keep a running list of random ideas to review

These tend to work better for short fiction because then it can be worked back and forth until you have something brief you like. Every now and then I get something that fits well into a dry spot of a novel, too.

In general, I have no fail-proof way of prompting myself. I just have to start somewhere like above and eventually, if I chase it far enough, something will often spark.

What kind of prompts work best for you? Do you prefer writing story prompts (a damsel in distress) or imagination prompts like I gave?

Self-Publishing Checklist

Today I give you the last little add on for the self-publication series! It's been really fun to write out everything I've done and what's been helpful. I hope you've enjoyed the different installments. :)

I'm giving you my self-publishing checklist created specifically because you guys asked for it! Instead of sharing it in post form where you have to revisit all the time, I've typed it all up in a tidy PDF. Click HERE to download it! You'll have it on your computer and be able to print it off.

Also, because it's nearing the end of the month and Ivy Rose will be here on Saturday to talk about writing biography, I'm sharing the #typewriterprompt for the month.

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There you have it! Short and sweet. What did you think of the self-publication series? Does the checklist look helpful? What would you like to see me do next? Be sure to come back Saturday for Ivy's post :)

Birthday Blowout // The Left-Handed Typist Turns 1

Welcome to the extravaganza celebration! I have been planning this and taking notes on how people celebrate their blog anniversaries since I started a blog. Ignore that I'm still late to my own party nevertheless. This is going to be so much fun.

Before you get started, make sure you play my Spotify playlist in the sidebar for some nice ambiance music ;) Now you may continue.

Before we really get started I want to say a huge thank you to Jesus for laying this on my heart just over a year ago. I always despised the thought of blogging--so much time and having to be nice to people I don't even get to meet! Hehe ... well, here I stand corrected. This has been very fun, so sorry for being a stick-in-the-mud!

I have to blame the amazing Katie Grace, my first online friend, first blogger to follow, and first critique partner. God has forged such an awesome relationship with us. Your blog inspired me to have one, and your help is what got me here! I really have to thank you in person some day ...

And thanks to all of you. What's a blog if there are no readers? A journal. And I really really stink at journaling consistently. You people are the reason I keep coming back. :)

Lots of bloggers give their blog a fresh design for a new year. I wanted to change mine up a little, but not by much. So note the new header and the change of red to an army green. Still not 100% but it's new and I like it for now :) I imagine I will change to a fresh downloadable template at some point. Nevertheless, something fun for the one year mark!

I asked for celebratory photos and my favorite would be awarded a Martin Hospitality e-book! I received several submissions, all of which were awesome (!!!!). I'll list them below before revealing the winner.

From Laura A. Grace:

Sorry, you'll have to follow the link right here. Couldn't find another way to do this :P 

From Victoria Lynn:

How oh how I can I be expected to choose from just two people?! The cruelty. I love that Laura used my cover for her background and my original typewriterly blog font, but I love that Victoria used stats and made it all official. Gr. An e-book for the both of you I say for participating and being so different for one another! Congrats to Laura and Victoria!!

There is still a Goodreads giveaway going on where you could win 1 of 5 signed, first edition paperback copies of Martin Hospitality. It ends in 3 days, so be sure to enter! It is selectively international, but you must 18 or older to enter.

Never fear! I didn't know about the age restriction on Goodreads so I have another giveaway in honor of The Left-Handed Typist's birthday/blog anniversary ... whatever you want to call it. These are 3 separate giveaways and are not international (sorry):

1 // one signed, first edition paperback of Martin Hospitality

2 // two typewriter coasters & three bottlecap world map magnets

3 // one green watercolor notebook (unlined) & one blue watercolor world map postcard

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I love stats!! So I'm going to include them all hehe

Number of posts: this makes #89 ........ o.o

Number of followers: 70 GFC, 35 Feedburner, & 23 newsletter ... although I'm sure there's overlap in there ;)

Number of comments: 2,021. Isn't that a beautiful number?! About half of those are my replies

Number of views: 26,256 although that number has already changed. Still. That's a lot. While over 75% of those are from the USA, the next country up is Croatia with 8% followed by Russia with 2.5%. Not what I was expecting.

Your favorite to read: A Vlog and Ramblings with where I shared my first vlog and a few random updates / announcements. Although it only has Jonathan's guest post beat by like ... 6 views I'm not sweating that at all But in all honesty I did suggest the topic of his post to him. He's just good at making things epic. Moving on >.>

My favorite to write: Ehm. The Art of Book Journaling probably. Which reminds me I need to do more of that.

I wanted to introduce something new for this year. While I tried this once before, I didn't really promote it or ever add to it. What better time than now?!

Introducing: writing prompts! Or as my own special line of them will be called #typewriterprompts.

I have 12 I'm introducing here (all free for media sharing and using in writing etc) and I will introduce a new one every month. So I'm revealing a year's supply ;) I'm really excited to give this a shot. Hopefully it will encourage me to write down interesting ideas and give you guys some surges of creativity as well!

I'm also hoping to begin a post series soon on self-publication. I want to know all the specific questions you have for that series right here so that I can tailor this to you.

Aaand as one final announcement, I now blog over at Teen Authors Journal as well. I'm aiming for weekly on Thursdays, so wish me luck and leave me a comment over there!

Hopefully this has been a fun post thus far! Before you go and even if you have participated in nothing so far please, please, pleasepleaseplease take this survey and let me know what changes you would like to see me bring to my blog and the writing world in general. I do this for you guys. Your experience is important to me ;)

Also, post requests and how we met and any other fun facts because I love getting to know you all better!

Sadly I neither created, photographed, or consumed this. But what's stopping us? (Thanks to my sis and myself for all the other pics.) Do take a slice of lemon cake on your way out.

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Thanks so much for partying with me!! I wouldn't still be posting here, loving it despite all odds, and meeting new people with their own awesome dreams if it weren't for you.