Improbable Press Blog — Writing Prompts

I have a secret. I'll tell it to you because it's a good one, and the secret is this: each time you post a tiny, perfect jewel of a story, each time you use these writing prompts to create something eerie or hopeful, dark or delightful, every damned time, it's like I'm unwrapping a Christmas present. The best part is never knowing what to expect. Some of you go grim with these prompts, others write slice-of-life, many are a bit of both. I try and help with weird words and at least one slightly veering image. This week I wonder—what...

Five little words. Maybe? For nearly a month it seemed that's all I'd written, five. little. words. Then I posted last week's writing prompt, black water, and I looked at it side-eye and thought, "I want to think about this thing." So I did. For a few seconds. Then I just…wrote some stuff. What turned out to be a dark ode kind of thing. And put it down in the comments of the prompt. And that was more than I had written in a month and I guess what I'm trying to say is writing prompts work. So here's yours...

Every single week. We'll be here. With a prompt. If you need it. Even if you don't, we'll be publishing writing prompts each week to inspire something for someone. Most weeks a voice raises itself and we're delighted by wee stories, delicious tiny tales prompted from that week's prompts. From last week's Start over… "'Do you mind?!' The merman snapped……freckles, dusted across the merman’s nose and cheeks like blue and green stars" * "Sherlock, a stone’s throw away and sitting contently on a garden bench, watched his little family. Who knew his life could be so full of love?" *...

What a difference a week or two makes. Sorry there wasn't a writing prompt up last week, as we know, shit got real for a lot of us. That's when Trinity College Dublin shut down, where I'm doing my masters degree, and like you I had Other Things On My Mind. Without further ado here's this week's writing prompt. I'd super duper appreciate a short comment of hello, a bit of companionship as it were, even if they don't feel inspiration brewing for this particular prompt. Just for Writing Inspiration And a reminder, these are always and ever just to...

So many wonderful stories for the previous writing prompts! "I watch you while you sleep, watch your scales changing colour as you dream. Are you dreaming of me?" …and… 'Some things in me will never change. You’re still the venom, and you’re still running through my veins.' …and… '"It’s…fascinating how the…threat of…losing something…precious, losing you, made everything so…clear to me. I’m…so…sorry, John. Now…please…kiss…me…before I…pass out."' …and… '"Then open your lungs, my dear fire siren. Your song will lead them to their deaths…"' And much more! Such delicious stories, won't you tell some more? These Writing Prompts Will Be Up Every...