One of the things I am hoping to do with writing year is to reflect a little bit more on all different parts of writing and creativity, and also to push my thoughts about my writing a little bit more. I was going through lots of journaling prompts, questions for writers, etc. and while some were interesting, I was not finding any kind of lists that I felt fully pushed the inquiry into myself and my writing that I was hoping for. So I started making a list of my own. Any time I had a thought or an idea of how to engage even further with my writing work, I wrote it down. I think it's finally complete. I had originally planned for 52, to basically have one prompt a week for my year of writing, but it turned into 54, so it's a year and a bonus.
I thought I would share my list with other writers. There are plenty of lists out there for just about any kind of journaling, and lots of questions to ask authors, and I would say this falls somewhere in the middle of those two things.
How did you get into storytelling?
What is the ‘why’ of the WIP you’re currently working on?
Who is a writer who inspired you to start writing?
Who is a writer who inspires you to keep writing?
What is something about writing you find energizing?
Randomly select somewhere on your local map (a café, a library, a park). Try writing there today, and reflect on how it felt different from your regular writing spots.
What is something about writing you find exhausting (if any)?
What is your writing ‘mascot’?
What does literary success look like for you?
What is a half-finished work you would like to get back into?
What is your daily writing process? A setting or ritual that makes writing feel easier?
Is there a story behind the name of the main character of the WIP you’re currently working on?
What is something you would like to add to your writing website? (if you have one. If not, what is something you would want to include on your writing website?)
What does the term writers block mean to you? Do you believe in it?
Do you have any fears about approaching the publishing industry?
What comes first for you, the plot or the characters? Why do you think that is?
Have you written something that you consider you “favourite”?
Which of your main characters do you relate to the most?
Which of your supporting characters do you relate to the most?
Do you write linearly?
What is something writing related you would like to learn more about?
What is the most random thing you have or need to research for a story?
What has been the hardest scene you have had to write so far?
Consider the title for your current WIP. Is it the right title? Why or why not?
Which characters from different WIPs do you think would be friends?
Plotter or pantser? (And any thoughts on your progress)
If you were to write a spin off about one of your supporting characters, who would you choose? Why?
Are there any places you want to travel to do research for your books?
What’s going in the background when you write (TV/Music/Other)? Bonus: Challenge yourself to try with a different kind of background noise and write about if it changed how you wrote
How do you schedule writing around the rest of your life?
Have you ever left writing?
Do your family/friends know that you write? How do you feel about that? What do they think?
Favourite way to write that isn’t actually putting words on a page.
If you were asked for writing advice, what would you say?
Do you have any non-published writers in your life you look up to? In the online or in person community.
Do you remember the first full story (finished or not) that you wrote?
Quick, someone just asked about the book you’re writing right now…what do you tell them?
Randomly select one of your WIPs, or an idea you want to start working on. Without looking at a blurb, synopsis, or page, write down what the book is about.
Randomly select one of your WIPs that you think you know the ending of. What happens to the characters after your ending?
Is anyone in your books based on real people?
Randomly select one of your WIPs. What character from published works would you compare your main character to? Or alternatively: who would your main character befriend from your favourite media?
What software (or…hardware if you don’t type on a computer) do you use to write? To organize?
Randomly select one of your WIPs. Describe the inspiration behind the setting/worldbuilding.
Go to a random word generator. Find that word in one of your WIPs, and describe the scene happening around it.
Listen to a podcast episode (writing or book podcast makes the most sense here, but any podcast would do). Reflect on what is discussed in that episode.
Breathe and remember how cool you are. Write out your bio as if you are being presented to a panel audience. Include at least 2 non-writing fun facts about yourself. Be as funny or serious as you would like.
Randomly select one of your WIPs. Describe the themes you think could be pulled out of it.
Today is for dreaming. Discuss what your dream book launch would look like.
Watch a movie or TV show episode – either one of your favourites, or something completely new. Write about the storytelling aspect (in dialogue or visually) of whatever you watched.
How do you, or how could you, prioritize different WIPs?
Are there any scenes in your WIPs based on things you actually experienced? If there are many, choose one and consider why that scene resonated enough to be put into your story.
How do you think your educational path has influenced your writing?
Who is your biggest hero outside them literary world?
What is the next step on your writing path?
I'm hoping to put together another list when I get towards the end of these prompts, to put together another list, and if I do I will definitely be posting that list too.
Happy reading, happy writing everyone! -TS
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