Hello, citizens of Gotham… I mean…writers…
You may recognize this next prompt from our favorite creepy clown, The Joker. (If he’s not a clown, he is definitely clown-adjacent…)
You know the drill, look at the photo and the words.
And, here… we… go.
Tag: Your story
13 Prompts of Halloween: Killer POV
“Killer fun” awaits all those who attempt this next writing prompt…
Here’s the thing. Many horror movies take a look at things from the killer’s perspective. Now, those aren’t necessarily the norm, but they exist.
And, it’s your turn to step into they’re shoes in order to create the scariest things you can think of.
Unique challenges ahead of you include, but are not limited to: not making it predictable, twisting your mind (for fictitious purposes only, please), and making this villain the hero of his, her, or its (you could write about a dummy…we hear it worked for some brilliant author out there) own story.
We can’t wait to hear about the cool new villains you come up with! Please send us your finished work… We all know it would look and sound great in The Green Light.
13 Prompts of Halloween: Empty Chairs
For our next prompt, we want you to imagine an empty chair. It can be any empty chair. One you read in at the library, one you eat dinner in, or maybe even one you used to play musical chairs with when you were young. #Options
But, now you’re task is simple…make it spooky and tell it’s story.
Why is the chair empty? Who used to sit there? Do they still “sit” there?
It’s all up to you… Good luck! And don’t forget to send your work to us here at the Green Light! Don’t be haunted that you missed this opportunity.
13 Prompts of Halloween: Under the Floorboards
Now, on day four, we draw inspiration from another great source of horror… Edgar Allan Poe.
Any true fans of Horror or Poe, should already know where this is going. It’s time to take a page out of “The Tell-tale Heart” by Poe.
Tell the story of a new homeowner doing some repairs around his/her home. For whatever reason, s/he pulls up a floorboard. But, from between the others, a human eye blinks.
Dun, Dun, DUN!!!
We cannot wait to see the results. Tweet us at #GreenLightLit and let us know how your work turned out! (Or, we’d really love to see your piece in our inbox for our next Halloween issue!
13 Prompts of Halloween: Closet Case
By now, your character has been through quite a bit, but they still managed to survive…much like the heralded scream queen Jamie Lee Curtis.
So, it’s not hard to see where this prompt is coming from… Picture it. John Carpenter’s Halloween. Michael Myers. His sister Laurie. The good doctor. A pile of bodies. The classic closet scene with the hangers.
How many times have we heard “There’s something in the closet.” or watched the closet door creep open when the music gets quiet?
We want you to think about what’s in the closet. Or, perhaps what dances in the corners even when the lights are on…
Throw open the door(s) and let all those skeletons out, because we cannot wait to see the results. Tweet us at #GreenLightLit and let us know how your work turned out! (Or, we’d really love to see your piece in our inbox for our next Halloween issue!
13 Prompts of Halloween: It Lives in the Woods
Psst…
Psssssst…
PSSSSSSSSSST.
Did you make it through the first writing prompt??? Was it a harmless character? Or perhaps your character left the victor? Either way…
Now, he or she has made their way outside. (Or you can start over with a new character.) And they are making their way toward the woods. Ask yourself as the artist, “What lives in the woods?”
Wolves live if the woods…swamp beasts live in the woods…giant mosquitoes live in the woods… Or, is it…something ELSE?!
We want to know! Send us your finished product because we really want to see what you come up with. And tweet to us at #GreenLightLit if you take this challenge on.
Weekend Writing #17: Sensations
Welcome back friends!
June is almost over and the days are finally getting shorter. Editor Caitlin is thinking an awful lot about Halloween…despite the fact that it MONTHS away…and wishing that time would move just a little bit faster to bring back the scent of crisp apples, the sound of leaves crunching underfoot, the feel of knee-high boots keeping you warm in the chilly breeze, the sweet mingling taste of caramel, and the vibrant hues of pumpkins resting in their patches.
Do you feel autumn washing over you?
We hope you do!!!
Okay, so this week’s writing prompt asks you to focus on your senses. Go back to a scene or poem you’ve written before, and put yourself right in the middle of it. FEEL everything. What is around you? Under your feet? What smells are so strong you can taste them? Get really into it.
And, if you’re having trouble, we think it’s time you go for a field trip. Maybe somewhere that’s old, familiar, and comfortable… Maybe, someplace you’ve never been before…
And, as always, we really hope we see this prompt come to fruition and end up back in our submissions box! Happy writing! (And have a wonderful and safe 4th of July!)
Prompt #12 : Adventure is out there
Hello writers, readers, friends…
We’re back with another writing prompt to help clear the figurative cobwebs from your fingers… Believe us, we’ve been there.
For this prompt, we want you to think of an adventure that you or a character of yours missed out on. Take those could haves an should haves and make them a reality. The point of this exercise is to make sure that you can keep yourself or your characters in character.
Think about that trip you didn’t go on, that chance you didn’t take, that person you didn’t tell about your feelings, that friend you never talked to again…
“Picture it: 2016. I was offered a job as a sports layout editor at a newspaper, but I didn’t take it. I could have lived in the same city as one of my best friends. I could have…”
Okay, okay…I couldn’t resist the Golden Girls moment for style…but there’s an essay, a poem, a story, a scene in that road not taken. We can’t wait to hear about it.
Perhaps you’ll send your finished project for our next reading period?!
Follow our blog, tweet to us on Twitter, mention us on Facebook, and/or use #GreenLightLit! Good luck and happy writing!
Prompt 11 : Gently Down the Stream (of Consciousness)
Hey fellow writers!
We’re back with a new writing prompt for you!
We’ve been thinking about the importance of writing using stream of consciousness. Now, we can’t all be James Joyce, but it can be a useful technique for getting to know your character, as well as putting words on the page (or screen).
So, today’s prompt is to get in touch with a character. You can pick the character, but this character has to be weighing the consequences of a big decision.
Questions to ask yourself are:
What are their thoughts like? Do they follow a linear pattern, or are they more like Lorelai Gilmore’s “monkey monkey underpants”?
And, besides the main problem that they’re thinking about, what else is going through their minds?
And, of course, remember…
We can’t wait to hear about it…or to read it…perhaps for our next reading period?! Tweet to us on Twitter, mention us on Facebook, and/or use #GreenLightLit! Good luck!
Prompt #9 : Ordinary Things
“Hi, I’m Chucky. Wanna play?”
Today we’re going to take a lesson from some scary talented people and talk about “ordinary” things.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned over the years, it’s that everyday items aren’t always as they appear. R.L. Stine does it ALL the time! Sponges, dummies, little poodles, you name it! Chucky and Annabelle were just dolls, Christine was just a car, and the Stay Puff Marshmallow Man was just a (pretend) logo until someone looked at them and thought ‘this thing creeps me out…I bet I can creep other people out with it, too.’
For this writing prompt, we want you to think about something completely ordinary. It doesn’t even have to be something that is scary…yet. The next step, is to make that object give your readers chills.
In order to help you out, here’s a list of things that we want to see you creepify: a can opener, a light bulb, a mirror, a beautiful/expensive pair of shoes, a photo album, Christmas ornaments, household appliances, a night light cover, an item of clothing, an old musical instrument, a camera, an old toy, and of course, you’re welcome to add your own item to the list…
This would be a great photography prompt, too…just saying…
We know that a few of these have been used in the past, but we’re beyond curious to see what you come up with. Remember, Halloween is right around the corner and we want you to send these in for our special issue! (You know you want to!)
We can’t wait to experience your work! Tweet to us on Twitter, mention us on Facebook, and/or use #GreenLightLit! Good luck!
The Green Light 