50 Shades of Grey (writing prompts!)

And a poem by the wonderful Beth Ruscio.

Nov 26, 2024

Before we get to tonight's prompts, I want to share this poem by Beth Ruscio.

TAKEN TO THE SOIL

In late September, the ground he picked out
warm yet, the boy lay down.   His human days,
over, he had taken, quite devoutly

to the soil. Fall was heavy, drifts of rust
ballast for the voyage. He felt the knot
in his stomach un-sprool, become tap

root, his spine dowse for a vein of loam. He let
his lungs fill with spores, dust, the cast-off wings
of insects. He matched his breath to the suck

of the wind as glint ebbed to thrum, then hush,
he let the earth hear him out.
                                                  Each day,

before school, his sister fills a bottle
from the tap, carries it to him by the neck.
Evenings, she scatters coffee grounds

flecked with gleaming eggshells, and quietly,
she stretches out next to him, their faces
                                                  close as crossing lights.

And now...in a complete shift of tone and mood...today’s prompts were inspired by the movie version of Fifty Shades of Grey:

Prompt #1: “So this is just an interview for the newspaper...”

JOURNALING PROMPT: Imagine you could interview someone who’s a peripheral character in your life (a crush, a casual friend, a neighbor) and come up with a list of questions you’d like to ask them. What do you NOT know about this person?

FICTION PROMPT: If you’re writing a narrative, write a scene – just as an exercise – where you are interviewing your protagonist. Ask them difficult questions. Then don’t think too much about what they would say, just answer for them.

RANDOM ELEMENT: A moment that lasts longer than you expect it to.

Prompt #2: “To what do you owe your success?”

JOURNALING PROMPT: Write a thank you letter to someone who helped you get where you are today.

FICTION PROMPT: If you’re writing a narrative, write a scene where your protagonist opens up to something about something that makes them feel like either a success or a failure (your choice).

RANDOM ELEMENT: ROUGHNESS

Prompt #3: “I’m incapable of leaving you alone.”

JOURNALING PROMPT: Make a list of at least 3 things you’re obsessed with. Pick the one that has the most energy and write about why you love it.

FICTION PROMPT: If you’re writing a narrative, write a monologue for your protagonist where they confess to an obsession.

RANDOM ELEMENT: a moment of discomfort

Prompt #4: “I had a rough start in life. You should steer clear of me.”

JOURNALING PROMPT: Write about a very specific difficulty you faced when you were a child. Find a moment that had a great impact, that you still think about sometimes. Write about that difficult moment and look at how it informs your life now.

FICTION PROMPT: If you’re writing a narrative, write a flashback scene from your protagonist’s childhood. A moment of struggle.

RANDOM ELEMENT: an ending

Share Your Daily Writing Prompt

Prompt #5: “My tastes are very singular.”

JOURNALING PROMPT: Write about something you like that makes you an outlier. What is your strangest (or most controversial) habit/hobby/joy?

FICTION PROMPT: If you’re writing a narrative, write a scene where one of your characters introduces another character to something EXCITING and NEW.

RANDOM ELEMENT: unfinished business

Prompt #6: “Why are you trying to change me?”

JOURNALING PROMPT: Write about either a parent or an ex who tried to change you. Let your writing get emotional. Tell them off.

FICTION PROMPT: If you’re writing a narrative, write a scene where one of your characters confronts another character – start with an accusation and then go from there. See how messy you can make things between them.

RANDOM ELEMENT: animal instincts

Prompt #7: “Because I’m fifty shades of fucked up, Anastasia.”

JOURNALING PROMPT: What is the most fucked up thing about you?

FICTION PROMPT: If you’re writing a narrative, make a list of all of your main characters and freewrite at least one paragraph answering that question for each character. What is the most fucked up thing about them?

RANDOM ELEMENT: Nature

Your Daily Writing Prompt

50 Shades of Grey (writing prompts!)

And a poem by the wonderful Beth Ruscio.

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