Hamilton (writing prompts!)
And some inspiration from Shirley Jackson.
Let’s start with a reading. This is Shirley Jackson on being weird:
“The very nicest thing about being a writer is that you can afford to indulge yourself endlessly with oddness, and nobody can really do anything about it, as long as you keep writing and kind of using it up, as it were. . . All you have to do—and watch this carefully, please—is keep writing. As long as you write it away regularly, nothing can really hurt you.”
What oddness are you indulging yourself in these days?
Today’s prompts were inspired by the musical Hamilton.
EXERCISE #1: “My name is Alexander Hamilton.”
JOURNALING PROMPT: What does your name mean to you, and how does your name affect how you interact with the world?
FICTION PROMPT: If you’re writing a narrative, write a scene where a minor character is talking *about* your protagonist. Telling a story about them – how does this other character see your main character?
EXERCISE #2: “And there’s a million things I haven’t done.”
JOURNALING PROMPT: What are (at least) five things you haven’t yet done that you would like to accomplish? Make a list, then pick one to write about more deeply.
FICTION PROMPT: If you’re writing a narrative, write a monologue where your protagonist mourns an opportunity they passed up on – something from their past that they regret.
EXERCISE #3: “You punched the bursar.”
JOURNALING PROMPT: Write about a fight you were either in, or a fight you witnessed – describe every stage of the fight. What lead up to it, the choreography of the fight itself, and the aftermath.
FICTION PROMPT: If you’re writing a narrative, write a fight scene. Make it emotional. Whatever your characters are fighting about should have weight.
EXERCISE #4: “My mother was a genius, my father commanded respect.”
JOURNALING PROMPT: Write about a parental figure in your life, biological or chosen. What do you respect about them? What’s the most genius thing they’ve ever done?
FICTION PROMPT: If you’re writing a narrative, write a scene between your protagonist and one of their parents. Start a line of dialogue with “there’s something I’ve been trying to tell you...” and include a moment of quiet and a moment of singing.
EXERCISE #5: “If I say goodbye, the nation learns to move on.”
JOURNALING PROMPT: Write about a difficult goodbye you had with someone who you loved.
FICTION PROMPT: If you’re writing a narrative, write a goodbye scene – any kind of goodbye you want to explore with your characters. Someone moving to another city, someone leaving a job, someone dying, a break-up, etc.
EXERCISE #6: “We’ll give the world to you and you’ll blow us all away.”
JOURNALING PROMPT: Write a letter to a family member, telling them five things that you hope for them. Be specific.
FICTION PROMPT: If you’re writing a narrative, write a scene where your protagonist gives a gift to someone. Include some sort of expectation. Your protagonist wants something from this other character.
EXERCISE #7: “It’s the feeling of freedom, of seeing the light. It’s Ben Franklin with the key and the kite.”
JOURNALING PROMPT: Write about something that THRILLS you. You can start with a list if you want – people, places, ideas, etc., that EXCITE you. Then pick one thing from your list and rant about how wonderful it is.
FICTION PROMPT: If you’re writing a narrative, write a monologue for your protagonist where they gush about something they’re obsessed with.
EXERCISE #8: “When our children tell our story, they’ll tell the story of tonight.”
JOURNALING PROMPT: Think of a night that would go down as one of your Best Nights Ever. Don’t overthink it – whatever memory comes to you first. Write out the story of that night. Everything you remember. It doesn’t have to make sense. You can write a series of images. Who was there? What were you all doing? What were you wearing? What was the weather like? Why was this night so great?
FICTION PROMPT: If you’re writing a narrative, write a scene where your protagonist tells another character about their “favorite night.”
And we will end with a question -- if you've gotten this far, please comment on this post with your answer! What is a book that you love so much that you wish you could read it again for the very first time?
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