Starting point prompts and a lesson in how not to do it!

Where has the week gone? I was so pleased with myself last week when the blog went up early, but this week it is late, but not too late. My day job has been frantic for various reasons and I have to admit I was relieved when Friday’s working day was over.

On the writing front I have been editing as I reread something I had sent off and realised it was riddled with errors that I hadn't noticed. Not desperately bad, but NOT good enough. I let myself down.  A learning curve for me - check things more thoroughly. I did however realise that the version I had submitted was not the correct one either! It was a bad week. I think I have burnt my bridge there, but I have learnt so much about how much more I need to focus on the details and to ensure that I don’t attach the wrong version when submitting. Onward and upward as they say. The upshot of my error has given me a good kick and I am working hard on making corrections and improving the three chapters of my WIP. Never take your eye off your goal and make sure you don’t get complacent and submit before you are 100% happy with your sample. I have lost out, by my own sloppy approach, something I hope not to repeat.

My suggestion is to check, check, re check and check again. Please don’t make silly mistakes because you think you are up against it. Instead make contact and let people know you need a little more time.

So for this week’s writing challenge. Take a look at the prompts below, select one or all if you want more of a challenge. Set aside thirty minutes in which you will not be disturbed. To help you have a timer at hand. You are going to attempt to write without stopping for the whole thirty minutes. No editing as you go, just allow your thoughts to run free. Follow the stream of thinking and write whatever comes to mind. You might find this brings some interesting results. When you first selected one of the starting points you may have thought you knew where the story might take you. However, doing this exercise allows your mind to direct you, rather than you to direct it. Can you do it? It is similar to walking down a path and finding doors that are open and ones that are closed. Do you take the easy option or open a door. Will the easy option be a trap? 

You must use the prompts as your starting point and run on from there.
1. Dusk weaved through the trees like…
2. She took three steps downward and…
3. Relief flooded through the aching feet when they meet the icy flagstone floor.
4. At the top of the tree he looked down before edging forward.

So there you are, four openings for you to work with. Remember you are writing for thirty minutes, without editing or thinking – just write. I suggest that you write the openings down on separate pieces of paper, fold them and then pick one. Open it, set your timer and write. This way you don’t have time to think about how the writing might turn out, you just write.

Hope you enjoy this challenge. So go on, get writing.