Writing prompt – dream

Cat dreaming cr Judy DarleySomething about this sleeping cat reminds me of the Salvador Dali painting snappily titled Dream Caused by the Flight of a Bee Around a Pomegranate a Second Before Awakening

What sounds might be contributing to this cat’s dreams? How surreal might those dreams be? And what if those dreams somehow influenced the world we live in?

If you write or create something prompted by this, please send an email to judydarley(at)iCloud.com to let me know. With your permission, I’ll publish it on SkyLightRain.com.

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Writing prompt – snow day

Snow Day by Judy DarleyIt’s hard to believe that this happened less than a week ago. I love all the activity happening in this image, all the different interactions, collisions and connections – not least  between the two dogs on the lower lefthand side.

Let this vibrant scene prompt a story. Whose tale do you want to tell? Or which tail do you want to wag?

If you write or create something prompted by this, please send an email to judydarley(at)iCloud.com to let me know. With your permission, I’ll publish it on SkyLightRain.com.

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Writing prompt – uncanny harvest

Shoes in tree cr Judy DarleyMy nephew spotted this tree full of shoes and asked why people choose to do this with their footwear. I’ve heard a number of theories over the years, but love the fact no one quite seems to know a definitive answer.

Why not make up your own scenario that could explain this phenomena? What message might the shoe casters be trying to spread?

And how might the trees respond?

If you write or create something prompted by this, please send an email to judydarley(at)iCloud.com to let me know. I’d love to know the direction your creativity takes.

Writing prompt – skies

Totterdown sunset Judy DarleyI’m often stopped in my tracks by the beauty of the sky above me. Riddled with light, colour and sculptural cloud formations, they have the power to set us adrift from the mundane, if only for a moment.

Pause at some point today, and look up. Is there a cloud, plane trail or simply an intensity to the grey that moves something creative within you?

If you write or create something prompted by this, please send an email to judydarley(at)iCloud.com to let me know. With your permission, I’ll publish it on SkyLightRain.com.

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Writing prompt – escape

Bournemouth fire escape by Judy DarleyA fire escape creates the perfect set for a moment of reflection or conflict in a story, whether you’re hanging over a creepy alleyway or hotel car park, or looking up at the stars.

Something about all those different levels overlooked by different windows and different lives, plus the perils of height and exposure add up to a scene rife with intensity. What could your character reveal or discover on a fire escape’s stage?

If you write or create something prompted by this, please send an email to judydarley(at)iCloud.com to let me know. With your permission, I’ll publish it on SkyLightRain.com.

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Writing prompt – discards

Christmas tree binbags cr Judy DarleyAt this point in January each year a sorry sight appears as unwanted Christmas trees are hacked up and bagged or simply cast out, ready to be disposed of.

Write a story or poem inspired by the idea of a similar undignified turfing out of a guest previously welcomed in, honoured and celebrated.

If you write or create something prompted by this, please send an email to judydarley(at)iCloud.com to let me know. With your permission, I’ll publish it on SkyLightRain.com.

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Writing prompt – hut

Westcliff Lift, Bournemouth cr Judy DarleyI adore seaside locations out of season. This little hut is the entrance to a Westcliff Lift, which leads down to a Bournemouth beach, but only in summer. In winter, it’s locked up and abandoned. There’s even ivy growing through one window, reclaiming the space.

Imagine someone discovering this small building and taking shelter from the cold. Could this become their home, if only for a time? What might happen if someone notices their infringement? What will occur when summer returns?

If you write or create something prompted by this, please send an email to judydarley(at)iCloud.com to let me know. With your permission, I’ll publish it on SkyLightRain.com.

Writing prompt – hiatus

Dylan walk estuary serenityThese days between Christmas and New Year often feel like a secret to be stepped into. Moments of quiet to be inhaled and exhaled, to be harnessed or released – sand through fingers, light over water…

We’re on the brink of an ending, and a fresh start, and for many of us this offers a wealth of possibilities.

What ideas does this time unfurl within you?

If you write or create something prompted by this, please send an email to judydarley(at)iCloud(dot)com to let me know. With your permission, I might publish it on SkyLightRain.com.

Writing prompt – greetings

Dylan walk post box by Judy DarleyOne of the loveliest things about this time of year is the excuse to reconnect with friends and family. Distant relatives suddenly bob to the surface of your mind with the help of a card or email, and some heartfelt Christmas greetings.

Imagine two people who haven’t been in touch for months or years, and the Christmas card that changes that.

Use this as the foundation of a story – who is the person sending the card? What has motivated them to reach out now? Who is the recipient? What has prevented them speaking for so long? Does the card have the desired result?

If you write or create something prompted by this, please send an email to Judy(at)socket creative.com to let me know. With your permission, I’ll publish it on SkyLightRain.com.

Writing prompt – hull

Azores Boat Underside cr Judy Darley

I’m always intrigued by the parts of things that we rarely see – the underside of bridges, backstage catacombs, caves…

The underside of boats are particularly beautiful when hoisted into the air for maintenance. Someone told me recently that this is a seven-yearly process, which is curiously poetic. Every seven years these hulls are hauled from water to be licked by breezes.

It seems to me that they carry with them the memories of navigations, stars and moons. The barnacles, rust and mottled paint are riddled through with sea shanties and myths. Some parts seem less than vessels than curious whales and other marine creatures….

Azores Boat Underside Hole cr Judy Darley

What do they stir in you?

If you write or create something prompted by this, please send an email to Judy(at)socket creative.com to let me know. With your permission, I’ll publish it on SkyLightRain.com.