A Writing Exercise Using Color

 

C O L O R

We promote showing over telling, emphasize it, in fact. It's a lot easier to tell (or report) than it is to show what a character does or feels or what is occurring. Today's post should help you try to show more than tell. It's a bit of a challenge. I've done a sample of the exercise. Give it a try. You might even find the beginning of a new story or essay. 

I want you to choose a color.  Don’t make it tough for yourself, skip chartreuse and go with green.  Got that color in mind?  Okay, now I want you to write a scene that reflects that color.  What do I mean by that?   Well, take red. How about a man chopping brush at the edge of a forest fire with flame and glowing embers all around, maybe at twilight. Or think of an avalanche of cut-paper Valentine hearts as a surprise for someone’s sweetie.  A cold, sweating stone tomb on a misty day (gray, anyone?).  See what I mean?  

The thing is that you cannot mention the name of the color in this exercise. Show your reader what the color is without naming it. A challenge? Perhaps--but one with benefits. 

My sample exercise is below. The color I chose is 'purple'. You have a rainbow to choose from. Try the exercise using a different hue each time. Note that other colors are named, but not the one you are attempting to 'show'.

PURPLE: (285 words)

The heavy velvet cloak on the bed appeared to glow, its deep shade overpowering the white coverlet it lay upon. Elizabeth ran her hand over the soft fabric. “It reminds me of the grapes grown in the vineyards beyond the castle walls. So deep and rich, they call out for any passerby to pluck them off the vine and taste, the juice running down his chin.” Her silvery laughter echoed off the stone walls as she swept the rich-colored cloak from the bed. 

“Milady, please, it’s time to go. Let me help you with the cloak.”

Elizabeth released the garment when the servant girl grasped it. “Allright, let’s put it on and be on our way. But be careful with the cloak. It cost a king’s ransom!”

“And why wouldn’t it, Milady? Look at the gold threads around the collar and all across the hem, woven in and out to make a design that looks magical. The whole thing reminds me of ripe plums hanging low on those little ornamental trees in the courtyard.”

“Really? I’d not thought about that, but you’re right. Grapes. Plums. But neither of those has the depth of this fabric, nor the softness. My hand reaches out of its own accord, needing to touch it again and again. "Hurry Hester, put it on so I can look in the mirror.”

Elizabeth gathered the cloak close when Hester placed it on her shoulders. She gazed into the long mirror and gasped. “Look Hester, the cloak matches my eyes. Never did I think of them as glorious a color as this, but perhaps it is only a reflection.” She bent close to the mirror and studied herself, eyes opened wide. 

A Writing Exercise with Words

 

 It's been a while since I sent you a writing exercise. Today, I want to concentrate on replacing mundane words with ones that have a little pizzazz. Those 'to be' verbs like is, are, was make up the worst, but there are others we can also replace, those that show something but are a bit boring. Doing so will make your writing come alive and be more publishable, as well. 

Let's concentrate on what would appear to be active verbs instead of the passive ones mentioned above. These are perfectly good verbs, but they could be better. For each word, make a list of words that show more, give a better mental picture for the reader. I'll do the first one, and you can carry on with the rest. Use a thesaurus if you must, but do try to come up with as many as you can on your own.

A. walked: strolled, strode, sauntered, shuffled, trudged, meandered, ambled, hiked

B. laughed: 

C. cried: 

D. want:

E. love: 

F. made

After you have made your lists for the words, write a sentence using each one. Notice how the new words show more than the original

Writing exercises help us stretch those writerly muscles, make us more aware, and can enhance our writing. Give this one a try!

A Winter Writing Exercise

 

Nighttime in Prague

Description is such a big part of writing well. If we merely report what happened, but give no indication of when, where, what, images, weather, feelings and more, our piece ends up being exactly that--a report. You can give a report to your boss at work using simple language and not embellishing it in any way. Just the facts, and that's fine.

In creative writing, it's a whole different story. Take a look at today's photo. It's a nighttime picture of Prague, Perhaps on Christmas Eve. It begs for description when you write about the photo and what it depicts. 

Here's a list of words that came to mind when I studied the scene: 

A. silent

B. snowy

C. frigid

D. slippery

E. darkness

F. lamplight

G. stone wall

H. tall trees

I. dome

J. city buildings

K. night sky

L. street lamps

M. distant light

N. softness

O. chill

P. footprints

Q. hill

R. steep

S. winter

T. peace

U. cold

V. icy

W. shine

X. roof

Y. windows

Z. weather

How about that? I found 26 words for the 26 letters in our alphabet. Challenge yourself to do the same. With the photo for today, or one of your own choosing. As you study the scene, and the words come to mind, perhaps a story idea will also evolve. Use your list of words to either write a story or only a few paragraphs describing the scene. Note that I suggested you 'study' the scene. A mere glance won't bring much. 

There are so many photos online for you to use. It's an easy and productive winter writing exercise. Give it a try! 

Write About a Rainy Fall Day

 

A Rainy Fall Day

Another weekend is nearly here. In many areas, clocks will be set back an hour, so it will get dark earlier. In Manhattan, KS, our day is dark and gloomy. Off and on thunder booms, and lightning flashes, then heavy rain pours from the sky for a short time. A lull, then the threesome begins again. The weather people tell us this will be the pattern all day and through the night until around 5 a.m. Our state needs the rain desperately, so no one will complain. 

Still, it puts a damper on a lot of plans people have. High School football playoffs are in full swing. Our unbeaten Manhattan High team is scheduled to play tonight. Unless the lightning creates a delay or cancellation. 

Rainy days are ones many like to curl up with a book and a cup of tea, maybe a cookie to go with it. Listen to the rain against the window pane, read by the light of a lamp. Othrs must brave the elements to go to work, arriving a sodden mess or just cold and damp.

For a writing exercise this weekend, write a few paragraphs describing a rainy, fall day. Use the outdoors if you like, or write about being inside on a day when the rain keeps coming. Or about having to brave the elements to go to an appointment or to work. Maybe there is a chance of flooding, or a tornado. Write about your feelings on a day like this. Use sensory details. 

This exercise can be merely descriptive, or you can turn it into a story using description. What does the rain sound like? What does it look like when you gaze our a window? Can you smell the rain when you are outdoors walking on a rainy day? What does it feel like on your exposed skin? 

This rainy day exercise could become a full story or essay, one you can submit to a contest or for publication. Don't ignore writing exercises. They can become very useful in advancing your writing journey.

Triple Photo Exercise For Fall Writing

 

Today, we have three photos for you to use as a writing prompt exercise. All have to do with the autumn season we are experiencing in the northern hemisphere. The background of each is made up of fallen leaves and trees in one. 

Each photo also has a human touch. In one, we see the backs of a couple walking. In another, a young woman is stretched out among the leaves, and the third shows the wheels of two bicycles and the legs and shoes of two riders. 

Choose one or all three today to do this photo prompt exercise. Use description, sensory details, and emotion. Write a paragraph for each, or a full story. Perhaps you can come up with a Flash Fiction piece to submit to a magazine. Try writing a poem for each photo. Or an essay of some kind. Whatever comes to mind. 

Some writers turn their nose up at the thought of doing writing exercises. They shouldn't, as inspiration for writing a full story or poem comes from doing these exercises. Not every one, of course. But you will find some that give you good ideas for further writing. 

What's a WRITE-A-THON?

 

My online writing group, writersandcritters, is in the midst of a WRITE-A-THON  for the full month of August. We did this last year, and it was a great success, so onward again in 2022. 

Normally, we are each committed to sending in two submissions per month and four critiques. At least, we aim for that. Life and what it delivers sometimes makes it less than that or more, depending the circumstances. But for August, we do not need to sub or crit, unless we want to. What we are doing is writing something every single day. No length requirements, no time limits. A prompt is given which can help some members get started, but it is not necessary to use.

We head each email to the group with something like Nancy's THON #11, which means it is my offereing for the 11th day of August. We shortened the full name which works just fine.

It has been interesting to read what other members have sent. Sometimes, it is a poem. It can be a paragraph, or a full page. It's whatever the writer wants to do. I've never had a problem finding a topic. 

A few have selected a theme to follow. One member is traveling through Germany with her husband and daughter, so she writes every day about their travels. Another is writing about culture differences. One is writing about how she met her husband in a continuing story. One is writing childhood memories. Some have no theme at all, something different each day. That's my category, although many of mine have been memory pieces. 

It's nice to do this with a group, but you can do it on your own, as well. You can start tomorrow on August 11 and go through September 10. A full month. Or wait until September 1st and run through that 30 day period. There are no real rules. The direction is to write something every day. Write with abandon. Write with passion. Most of all, don't worry about time limits or deadlines or commitments. The WRITE-A-THON is for you. Just write and enjoy!

I have already found a few of my daily THON offerings that could be expanded into a personal essay. I am keeping each day's writing in file folder, so that I can go back later and work on the ones that seem of interest. 

So how about it? Will any of you accept my challenge to participate in your own WRITE-A-THON? If you belong to any kind of writing group, draft the members to do this with you. If not, do it yourself. You might be surprised at how much comes from this. The pieces often start with fluff, and then the good stuff starts coming forth. 

No Power Today? Write About It!

 

Electric Power

They are building a twin tower apartment building kitty-corner from our house. We live in a retirement complex, and the need for more apartments has been front and center recently. A few days ago, we received a notice that the power in the circle area where our house is located would be turned off from 9-12 on Wednesday morning. The notice ended with cautioning us to not open the refrigerator or freezer door while the power is off. 

We have all electric utilities in our house, so we would be definitely affected. No hot water. No cooking. No lamp to read by should it be a gloomy day. Not able to open the garage door, which would take two men to do manually. No charging phones or computers. No tv. No radio. No heat, but at least it is not winter. We only get a shot of heat in the mornings right now. 

We were forewarned so we could plan ahead, but sometimes the power goes out during a storm and is off for hours, even days. Several years ago, we had an ice storm in mid-December which left us without power for 4 1/2 days. People in our rural areas went powerless for up to two full weeks. You don't realize how dependent we are on things like electricity, gas, and water until you don't have them.

Electricity is something we take for granted when we have it. When we don't, it feels like a disaster has struck. 

For a writing exercise today, write a short story or poem, or even a few paragraphs about living without electricity. Choose the place, the time, the situation. Make it scary if you like. Or make it humorous. Or make it very serious. Your choice. Make use of adjectives and active verbs. Show rather than tell. 

We were also given the opportunity for a free lunch today at our restaurant in the main building where the power will not be affected. Ken and I will definitely be taking advantage of that offer. 

A Photo Prompt Exercise for Writers

The photos today were taken several years ago when we were in South Aftic at a game reserve. Use them today to do a Photo Prompt Exercise. 

Choose one or both, since they are related. Take some time to study the photos before you begin writing. Note any details in the scenes. Then write whatever the photo(s) bring to mind. 

Use your powers of description. Create the beginnings of a story. Write a poem. Write a nonfiction piece sharing whatever knowledge you have of these two wild African animals. 

Use this exercise as a warm-up to whatever writing you plan to do today. 
 

Blizzard--A Photo Prompt Writing Exercise

 

Heavy snow blew across parts of Kansas yesterday. Our town, Manhattan, is in the north central part of the state. We were predicted to get 1-2 inches, since we were on the edge of the storm. My daughter lives two hours east and south of us. She had freezing rain, thundersnow, ice, and around 5 inches of snow on Thursday. Towns around her had up to ten inches. And for us? Zip! None! Nary a flake!

We, of course, have had our share of snow and blizzard conditions in the past, but this time we were fortunate. Our roads were dry and our sky clear. If you live in an area where snowstorms are the norm, you can relate to the photo I selected for a writing exercise today. 

It's the perfect one for a photo prompt. Either write a descriptive paragraph using sensory details and super adjectives, or write a full story. Remember to spend some time studying the photo before you start writing. Take time to absorb everything you see. Besides the main focus, check the small details. You might make a list of words that describe a scene like this. Put some emotion into what you write. 

These exercises are often scoffed at by some writers, but others find they are great practice and some have even come up with a story to finish and submit to a publication. Most of all, have fun with this exercise. Unlike the freewrite  exercise, this one has no time limit. 

Photo Prompt Writing Exercise

My husband and I had the great good fortune of visiting South Africa twice. We were guests of friends who were born and raised there. We visited Kruger National Park while there and saw animals normally seen in the zoo in their natural habitat. Another place we visited was our friends' daughter's home called Glen Afric, where the animals roam free. The site of many movies, Glen Afric is also a lodge for guests with a lovely restaurant. These photos were taken as we drove through the many acres to view the animals. After Sunday lunch at the Lodge, we were delighted to partake in the Sunday tradition of feeding the elephants with scraps and leftovers from the lodge kitchen. 

For a photo prompt exercise this weekend, write a paragraph or more using the pictures above as your prompt. Create a full story if you are inspired to do so. 

Things to include when doing a photo prompt:

Sensory details--sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch 

Strong description

A sense of place

A possible story

Active verbs

Show, don't tell

Doing photo prompt exercises help you become a stronger writer. Some of the exercises can be expanded into a full story, poem, or essay. 

The photo below will show you the rondavel huts where we lived for the three days we spent at Kruger National Park. Electricity, air-conditioning, a kitchen on the covered porch--all the comforts of home, as well as monkeys screeching in the trees.  Maybe you can use this photo for your writing exercise, as well as the ones above. 

 

A Writing Exercise Using Many Windows

 Can you use a still photo for inspiration to write? Sure you can. The photo posted today has no people in it, no cars, buses, or taxis, no street signs. Nothing but three buildings butted together. How can that inspire you to write a story? 

Look at the windows. There's a story behind each and every one. People are inside the buildings and behind the windows. Who are they? What are they doing? What is happening in their lives? Do the stories behind several windows overlap? Are they all adults? Families? Children deserted by distraught parents? Think about sensory details of the people behind those windows. What can be seen, heard, felt, tasted, smelled? 

You can create all kinds of stories that happen behind each one of those windows. Another story might be why all those tiny lights are across the buildings. Who put them there? For what purpose? Do the people behind the windows like them or hate them? 

When you want a photo to inspire you, the important thing to do is to study the photo, then ask yourself questions. Not one, but many. The more questions you ask, the more clear the story that is waiting becomes. 

Most often, we use photos like this as a beginning of a freewrite exercise. You can do the exercise with this photo, too. Do it after you study the photo and ask yourself the questions. Let your mind be free and let your fingers hit the keyboard without stopping. You might be surprised at what comes from this exercise. 

What I particularly like about this photo is the possibility of a new story behind each and every one of those many windows and the two doorways. A treasure trove for you if you're willing to be creative and use your imagination to the fullest extent. 

Save the photo and write the stories, one window at a time. 

A Top Freewrite Exercise

 

One of the best writing exercises is a freewrite one that begins with two little words meant to trigger memories and more in your mind, both conscious and subconscious. 

A freewrite exercise is simple and not time consuming. You are given a prompt or a single word. Set a timer for 10 minutes, write the prompt or word and then keep writing without stopping for the full ten minutes. Don't worry about punctuation or spelling. Don't stop to think about what you're writing. Don't worry if nothing connects or seems to make sense. Keep going until the ten minutes is up. 

Marlene Cullen of The Write Spot uses wonderful prompts to help writers do this exercise. Visit her website and blog sometime. You'll find it very interesting, I'm sure.

For today's exercise, do a freewrite starting with these two words--I remember...

Give yourself free rein and see where it takes you. Have fun!

Write About the 1st Day of School

 

First day of school for the Julien kids

The photo today is of me and my two younger brothers (#3 had not been born yet) on the first day of school in front of our apartment building entrance. I was one of those kids who loved school and was always eager to begin a new year. I'm not sure what grades we three were entering that year, but there were no jeans and there were no pants worn by girls in those days. 

The one thing I remember so clearly is that we all had new shoes as did the vast majority of our classmates. The plan was that we would wear them all year, but if you were a kid whose feet grew fast, it didn't work so well. 

One of the things I loved on the first day of school, when I was a student, was receiving all our textbooks. The teacher passed them out, one by one, and we got to leaf through to see what the year might bring. To this day, I enjoy leafing through a new book.

My first day of school as a teacher in 1961 is clear to me, as well. I remember standing in front of the 21 emotionally disturbed children who made up my class. Every one of them had new shoes, and so did I. Mine were pointed-toe, 3 inch heels, and theirs were shiny leather. Very few kids wore gym shoes or athletic shoes to school in that era. They were leather, not yet scuffed or dusty. Every child had his/her hair neatly combed, and shirts tucked in. 

What are your memories of going back to school after a summer vacation? It's definitely a topic to write about for your family stories book. The list below might help trigger your memories:

A.  Did you have new shoes to start school each year?

B.  Were you excited about going back to school or dreading it?

C.  Did you always have a new notebook, ruled paper, and pencils to take with you?

D.  Were you eager to see your classmates?

E.  Were you apprehensive?

F.  Did you know who your teacher would be ahead of time?

G.  Did you bring your lunch to school?

H.  Did you get a new outfit to wear that first day?

I.   Did you walk to school with other kids? 

J.  What was your grade school like? High school? 

It's a great topic to write about for an exercise today. Do a bit of pondering after you read the list above. 

Set Your Writer's Voice Free

 

I've often posted a freewrite exercise here. For those who aren't quite sure what that is:  We use a prompt, usually a single word or a phrase. The writer is to start writing, no thoughts ahead of time. Write continuously for a minimum of 10 minutes without stopping. It doesn't matter what you write. Let it come from the recesses of your mind to your fingertips. Set a timer to help you know when to stop.

One of the big benefits of this type of exercise is that you may pull deep thoughts from your subconscious, ones you keep buried under normal circumstances. You also free your emotions and can bring forth some strong writing. When working on a story or essay, many writers tend to keep their emotions in check, refusing to let the reader see the real writer. It's then that someone critiquing your work will tell you to 'dig deeper.' They are trying to tell you that you've only skimmed the surface of your subject. It's more common than you think.

It's when we release those deeper thoughts and emotions that our writing becomes stronger and worth being published. As the poster for today says, it sets your writer's voice free. Suddenly, the real you appears. The more often you do a freewrite exercise, the easier it will be to let your writer's voice shine through. We establish a habit.

What if the majority of what you write in that ten or fifteen minutes seems like gibberish, worth nothing? It can happen, but you can also end up with the bones of a story or personal essay. You might find that you've written some excellent phrases. Those phrases might end up in a poem sometime.

Remember to write continuously without stopping. That is key for this exercise. Keep your thoughts moving as though they are on a wheel that keeps spinning. 

Prompts for a Freewrite Exercise

 A. Words

blue

lemons

regret

shock

flowers

bulldozer

Phrases for a Freewrite Exercise

a sip of tea

running through  a rainstorm

the grace of a woman

the strength of a man

a soothing lullaby

a bloody battle withiin

Blog Notes and a Writing Exercise

I don't know about you, but for me, June passed in a flash. There were so many things I hoped to get accomplished this month, but my list is nowhere near complete. Ah well, there is always July. 

One of the big matters on my list was to get my subscriber list transferred over to a new email service since Google is terminating the one that goes with my blogspot.com service now. Why they have chosen to do this, I don't know. I do know that they have given a major headache to many a blogger. 

Most bloggers are not technology people, not unless they're writing about technology. But cooks, artists, moms, daycare providers, and writers are usually not well versed in what it takes to switch over to a new service, and that's after you figure out how to export your subscriber list. The second part for me is done. The first one is half-done.

I am planning to use Mailerlite as my new email service. I filled out pages of questions a few days ago, but it still was not enough. I'm working on getting the final pieces to the puzzle. If you do not get an email with my post tomorrow or Friday, it is because all is not completed yet. I may need to call (scream) for help from an IT person. 

Sadly, those IT people do not come running at your first call (scream) so I can't give you an "It's all done now." date. Writer Granny's World will be back in some form sooner or later. Sooner, I hope.

Meanwhile, how about a writing exercise today? Descriptive prose is something we all would like to master, whether we're writing fiction or a personal essay. We certainly need descriptive writing in poetry, as well. 

Exercise:  Select any word from the list below. (hopefully, you'll do several). Write a paragraph that describes the word. Don't overload on adjectives. Work on showing rather than telling whenever possible. The more you do this type of exercise, the more natural this kind of writing will be when you are writing on your own. 

1. firecrackers
2. trash can
3. football player
4. ballet dancer
5. old house
6. roses
7. lemonade
8. monkey
9. five-year-old
10. flag
11. tractor
12. umbrella
13. snow storm
14. flood
15. pizza
16. passenger train

 

Photo Prompt Writing Exercise

 

The photo is a very simple one. A basket of apples. Use it to do a photo prompt exercise. It might tax your creativity a bit. There are no people, no buildings, no trees or flowers. No sky to indicate the weather. 

You'll need to be creative, to use your imagination What intrigues you about the apples? Who picked them? What are they destined for? 

Maybe the basket will inspire you. Where did it come from? Who made it? What does it feel like? Does it have a scent? 

Do the apples have an aroma? What do they feel like? What do you feel like when you bite into one? 

A simple basket of apples. Write a story. Write a descriptive paragraph. Write a poem. Your choice. Or try all three. 

Many artists paint still life. Something very simple. They must see something in the subject to make them want to reproduce it in a painting. See what you can do with the basket of apples--another still life. 

Freewriting Exercise

 

I've posted many times about the freewriting exercise. The reason I remind you every now and then about doing it is that the exercise brings results.

Freewriting is done with the aid of a prompt. It can be a word or a phrase. What word? What phrase? Find one by opening a book, any book, close your eyes and point. Wherever your finger lands is the word you'll use for the exercise. 

Set a timer for ten minutes. Type the word, then start writing. No thinking, just write. It need not make any sense to you but keep writing whatever comes into your mind and flows to your fingers. As our poster today tells us, this exercise helps to free your writer's voice. It also allows thoughts to emerge from the depths of your mind. 

More than once, when I've written for ten minutes, then read what I'd written, I am amazed at what I read. I've thought 'where did that come from?' Sometimes, memories from long ago surface.

You might also find the bones of a story or a personal essay. And everything you wrote might seem like gibberish. That happens, and it's no problem. The important thing is to do the exercise and let the words flow without stopping for the entire ten minutes. I know people who set the timer for fifteen or twenty minutes. Ten is fine, especially when you first try this exercise. 

Some writers do this exercise on a regular basis as they feel it gets the juices flowing for the more serious writing they will do next. A warm-up.

If you don't want to try the point to a word in a book method, here's a list of winter words to use as prompts. You may end up writing something altogether different than the weather these words imply.

• cold
• temperature
• snow
• sleet
• ice
• skates
• ski
• chills
• frost

Writing exercises are the way writers practice just like athletes who do warm-ups before a game.

Don't be one of those writers who thumb their nose at exercises. They can be fun and help you on your writing journey.

Writing About the Weather

 

Blizzard Conditions

Today, weather is on my mind. The wind warnings we had yesterday have now turned into blizzard warnings. In central Kansas, we are to have only a skiff of snow but still dealing with winds that are howling. East and north of us there will be small to moderate amounts of snow, 1-4 inches, but the winds will create blizzard conditions with hazardous driving all day.

When we write, weather can add a lot to a story and offer the writer choices in using description. What a shame to say 'There was a storm outside.' and then move on. The word 'storm' tells us it's not a sunny, balmy day. But there is so much more a writer can do in setting a scene. Even if the character is snug inside, you can write about what they see from a window or how the window panes were rattling. 

There have been stories or books written that actually use the weather as a character. Why? Because the weather, whatever it was, played a significant part in the story. In such a case, you'll read so much about the storm, whether snow or rain, you may feel like you're there.

Poetry lends itself well to describing the weather, both good and bad. Wonderful adjectives, similes, and metaphors abound in poems about the weather.

Here's a list of the kinds of weather you can use in your writing:

• Snowstorm
• Blizzard
• Cyclone
• Tornado
• Monsoon
• Dust Storm
• Hurricane
• Rain
• Sleet
• Ice
• Wind
• Hail
• Sunshine
• Cloudy
• Cold
• Heat

For an exercise, make a list of adjectives for each of the kinds of weather in the list above. Then write a paragraph describing one or more kinds of weather using strong adjectives. 

When you're writing a story or a personal essay where the weather is involved in some manner, make the reader see and feel that storm or brilliant sunshine or hail. Don't tell me there is a storm outside. Help me to see the trees bending close to the ground, traffic lights waving in wind, and the tattoo of heavy rain on the windows. Writing about the weather is a glorious opportunity. Make the most of it.

The Gift--A Writing Prompt

 

Which is THE one?

Let's try a photo prompt today. Usually, I choose a scene with a person or people in it. Many parts to study. With this one you'll need a little more imagination.

There are four gifts under a Christmas tree. Consider that one of them holds a very special gift. Write a short story, or even a few paragraphs about the four gifts and the one that is special. If; you enjoy writing poetry, try a narrative poem for the exercise.

Before you begin, ask yourself:

1. Where does the story take place?
2. Who will receive that one special gift?
3. Why is that person getting a special gift?
4. What did you have to go through to get the gift?
5. Where did you go to get the gift?
6. Did you have enough money or not?
7. What is the person's reaction when he/she opens the gift?
8. How does the giver feel when the gift has been received?
9. What period of time is this taking place?
10. What is the gift?
11. The packages are wrapped in simple paper and twine with a sprig of greenery. Is this significant?

This photo prompt could take you to many places, stir up emotions, and help you write a Christmas story. It's a writing exercise but one that can go many different ways---humorous, sci-fi, horror, fantasy, romance--your choice.

A Photo Prompt Writing Exercise

I thought this was a great photo to use for a Photo Prompt Exercise.  Write a slice of life vignette or a full story using the picture and all it entails as your starting point.

When doing an exercise like this, it's important to spend some time studying the photo. Don't merely look at it and start writing. Check the different parts to the picture. Make a list, or even a mental list. 

What I see:

• two people on a bench
• one appears to be a man, the other a woman
• the bench is made of wood
• the bench is on what appears to be a dirt path
• it must be chilly, or even cold since they are wearing coats
• the people both are wearing boots but in different styles
• the season seems to be late fall or winter
• there are houses in the distance
• the trees are bare
• there are some bare looking plants in front of them
• the woman is wearing a scarf and hat
• the man is either wearing a scarf or has his coat collar up
• lack of color

Do you see something else that I did not?

After you have made your list start thinking about their conversation. Is it amiable? Bitter? Coarse? Troubling? Frightening? Or something else? 

Many stories that can end up as submissions can come from an exercise like this. It may be worth your time and effort to do the exercise. Have fun dreaming up a story for these two people.