INSPIRATIONS Starters for Ten Week 6

 

In this last of the Starters for Ten writing prompts series*,  K. M. Lockwood suggests a little introspection.

This time, it is all about you.

I'm not advocating creating a 'brand' or any other kind of corporate image. Instead, these ten-minute exercises are a way to explore/confirm who you are. Knowing that may help your 'voice', strengthen your commitment and bring gasps of admiration from friends and family. Probably. At least some fun and a sense of authenticity.

Photo by Hector Laborde on Unsplash

You know the rules - write for ten minutes without editing.

1. Big up your bio

Make a silly or a serious CV
Think of any roles you've had.
Be specific.
Make them as outrageous, camp or glamorous as you like.
Anything from Milk Monitor at St Mary's Infants to Guardian of the Snuffly Blanket.

Photo by Henry Hustava on Unsplash ( I wanted to be a Knight since I was five or so)

2. Ambitions

What or who did you want to be as a child?
What about as a teen?
Any vocations/ jobs suggested to you?
As usual, be as dull, daft or downright dangerous as you like.

Hobs bring my ideas over the moors

Photo by Brigitta Schneiter on Unsplash

3. FAQS part I

Where do you get your ideas from?
Chart all the possibilities in as much detail as you like - from art galleries to zoos.
Who brings them to you? (If you want to get metaphorical/humorous)

Books - where else? Photo by Ben White on Unsplash

4. FAQs part II

Who are your influences?
Who do you read/listen to/watch?
Be as truthful or bonkers or both as you wish.

Photo by Roksolana Zasiadko on Unsplash

5. Muse

Your Muse (divine spirit of inspiration) would be/is . . .
Describe their appearance, smell, sounds, weather, behaviours, symbols - anything you'd like.
You could doodle if you wanted.
Where and when and how do you meet?

Well, there's a surprise - the sea! Photo by Alex Perez on Unsplash

6. Themes

What topics fascinate you?
What's on the back burner, what are your dream commissions?
What types of characters or settings or styles do you find yourself creating or drawn to?

Photo by Kyle Glenn on Unsplash

7.  Drawing the line

What won't/can't you do? Where won't you go in terms of genre, topics, length, style, age-range . . .
Why not?

Photo by John Jennings on Unsplash

Sources of prompts you might like:

• https://twitter.com/writingprompts - frequent trios of words to inspire
• https://twitter.com/MagicRealismBot - barking mad set-ups, approach with caution
• https://twitter.com/hourlyprompts - a new word/theme every hour
• http://writingexercises.co.uk/firstlinegenerator.php - first lines to get you started (you'd probably want to tweak them)
• https://web.njit.edu/~ronkowit/poetsonline/generator.html
• https://web.njit.edu/~ronkowit/poetsonline/generator2.html - both meant to be for poetry but they work for me

We'd love to read YOUR work

If you've used any aspect of Starters for Ten on your blog/website/somewhere on t'Internet, then please post a link on the Words & Pictures FB page or tell us on Twitter. We'll tell everyone about your genius (well, as many as we can.).

If you've enjoyed the series, please let the team know - maybe they'll let me loose on another!

Featured image: Pen, Watch, Paper by Eduardo Olszewski via Unsplash 

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K. M. Lockwood writes, reads and edits in The Garret.  
Once downstairs, she runs a tiny writer-friendly B&B/retreat or wanders off looking for sea-glass on the Sussex coast.
Website: www.kmlockwood.com
Twitter: @lockwoodwriter