Billie Eilish inspired today's writing prompts
And some inspiration from Amy Tan.
As always, we'll start with a little reading. This is from an interview with Amy Tan where she talks about how she fills up the creative well in between books:
“Right now I’m enjoying doing something I’ve wanted to do since I was a kid, and that’s drawing. I draw every single day. I go out and fill my birdfeeders every morning, and I greet the birds and take photos and draw pictures of them. I do very detailed drawings, little stroke by little stroke. It’s meditative. Some of the early drawings I did are not good at all—they’re out of proportion, and I didn’t know how to use the watercolors. Almost as therapy, I share these imperfect things, saying, “You can do stuff, even though it’s not perfect! That is not the goal. You can just enjoy it and put it out there and share it.” Nature is something you share with people. Just before I got on the phone with you, I was outside, where I had brought a hand feeder. I stood there and waited, and within thirty seconds this one hummingbird came up to me and began to feed out of my hand! No other birds challenged him, because everybody knew I was his, and he made a little chip! chip! chip! And then I had to come in to do this interview. Now I’ve just stepped outside again, and another one came right up to me. It’s a real thrill.”
All of today’s prompts were inspired by songs from Billie Eilish’s new album... (I'm so young and hip!)
Prompt #1:
Inspired by the song Getting Older: “Things I once enjoyed just keep me employed now.”
JOURNALING PROMPT: Write about something you used to love that you don’t find any joy in anymore? Did it get old or did someone take the joy away from that thing? How could you find it again?
FICTION PROMPT: If you’re writing a narrative, answer this question for your protagonist. Freewrite about something they used to love.
RANDOM ELEMENT: water
Prompt #2:
Inspired by the song I Didn’t Change My Number: “You were easy on the eyes, but looks can be deceiving.”
JOURNALING PROMPT: Write out an anecdote about the hottest person you know.
FICTION PROMPT: If you’re writing a narrative, write a scene where one of your characters talks about their attraction to another character. Maybe it’s a confession.
RANDOM ELEMENT: A MOMENT OF GRACE
Prompt #3:
Inspired by the song Billie Bossa Nova: “A lot can happen in the dark.”
JOURNALING PROMPT: Write a memory that takes place in the dark, perhaps something that happened when the lights were out, or something that happened outside in the middle of the night. What’s the first memory that comes to you when you think of the dark?
FICTION PROMPT: If you’re writing a narrative, write a scene from your current work-in-progress that takes place in total darkness. Three other ingredients from the song to include: a phone, an obsession, and jealousy.
Prompt #4:
Inspired by the song My Future: let’s go with the titular lyric, “I’m in love with my future.”
JOURNALING PROMPT: I want you to write out a vision of something you want to happen for either yourself or a loved one in the future. Be as specific as possible.
FICTION PROMPT: If you’re writing a narrative, write a scene where two of your characters are talking about something they’d like to do together in the future, perhaps one of them shares a vision.
RANDOM ELEMENT: victory
Prompt #5:
Inspired by the song Not My Responsibility: “Would you like me to be smaller, weaker, softer, taller?”
JOURNALING PROMPT: Write about the expectations that others put on you.
FICTION PROMPT: If you’re writing a narrative, freewrite about your protagonist’s insecurities.
RANDOM ELEMENT: Youth!
Prompt #6:
Inspired by the song NDA: “At least I gave him something he can cry about.”
JOURNALING PROMPT: Write about the last time you comforted someone else who was crying. (Or a time someone comforted you!) What were they going through? How were you involved?
FICTION PROMPT: If you’re writing a narrative, write a scene where your protagonist cries – start the scene there, start it in the middle of a crying jag, and then see where the scene goes.
RANDOM ELEMENT: Rebirth
Prompt #7:
Inspired by the song Therefore I Am: “Get my pretty name out of your mouth.”
JOURNALING PROMPT: Write about someone who you’d rather not have a relationship with. A family member, a friend, a partner. Maybe it’s someone who has some sort of power over you that you wish they didn’t have.
FICTION PROMPT: If you’re writing a narrative, freewrite about your protagonist and a relationship that they would rather not be in.
RANDOM ELEMENT: Stillness
Prompt #8:
Inspired by the song Male Fantasy: “I got a call from a girl I used to know.”
JOURNALING PROMPT: Write about someone who you used to be close to but who you’ve drifted apart from.
FICTION PROMPT: If you’re writing a narrative, write a scene where your protagonist bumps into an old friend on a street corner. See what this old relationship might reveal about them.
Get my prompt books: https://www.camdenhighstreetbooks.com
Attend a writing sprint with me on Zoom: https://www.patreon.com/erikpatterson
Commission a prompt via Cameo: https://www.cameo.com/erikpatterson
Read one of my plays: https://www.camdenhighstreetbooks.com/plays