Tag Archives: story ideas

Writing prompt – robot

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Lamp at Arnos Vale cr Judy Darley

This small lantern was sitting abandoned on a wall in a local cemetery. Something about its squat, green slightly rusted trunk appealed to me.

Then I realised I was seeing this inanimate object as a character. A little robot, to be exact. With four arms, and possibly two feet tucked away underneath, a somewhat beetle-y, forest robot.

And there, a story began to sprout, running away in my imagination. Could he be a man-made robot gone feral? Perhaps he spends his day foraging and gathering vital resources (but what might those be?), or perhaps he’s solar powered! What risks could he face? I suspect priorities include trying to keep out of the rain to avoid further rust, and avoiding the squirrels, roe deer, dogs and cats that could potentially cause him mischief.

What object, seen askance, might prompt a fantastical work of fiction in your mind?

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 – shame

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Porto homeless cr Judy DarleyWhile visiting Porto in late February/early March, I was struck by the grandeur of many of the buildings set against the hardship of the people sleeping on their steps.

It’s a story you’ll see enacted in cities across the world, unless officials have moved them out of sight. During the UK lockdown, homeless people were moved into hotels temporarily, but what happens now? I’ve noticed that on the rare occasions I now meander into the city centre, more individuals are begging again, asking for any germ-laden coins I can offer.

It feels like we’ve already entered a dystopian future. Can you explore this idea with a touch of exaggeration (sadly, a touch is all that’s needed), where a ravaged society is in desperate need of a solution before the health of those on its lowest rungs are poised to infect those at the top?

Can you invent a solution leading to a happy ending to give your readers hope?

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 may publish it on SkyLightRain.com.

Writing prompt – message

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Giraffes Against RacismI spotted this giraffe campaigning in my neighbourhood, reminding us that black lives matter just as much as everyone else. It’s, sadly, an important message in these difficult times, and feels particularly fitting coming from such a dappled creature.

Imagine if all creatures were able to have their say regarding prejudice (racism, sexism and homophobia, among others), human rights infringements, animal cruelty, the climate crisis and more. What might a blue whale want to tell us about the state of our oceans, or an orang-utan about the impact of deforestation?

Could you embark on your own searing version of George Orwell’s Animal Farm to make a clear point about the troubles we’ll face if we don’t sort ourselves out?

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 may publish it on SkyLightRain.com.

Writing prompt – change

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OH56.cover by Jago Silver
The lovely folks at Oh Magazine have invited me to create the following writing prompt, using their autumnal issue 56 cover by Jago Silver as a starting point.

As the seasons change, dream up a character who is dreaming of a new adventure. But first they must bid farewell to the past. For every leaf that falls from this tree, imagine the message they would write to someone they used to know – an apology, a promise or a declaration.

How have each of these people influenced the individual your character is now? What will sending those messages free them up to become?

You can subscribe to Oh magazine here.

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 may publish it on SkyLightRain.com.

Writing prompt – uninvited

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OH55 magazine cover by Jago SilverThe lovely folks at Oh Magazine have asked me to create the following writing prompt, using their atmospheric issue 55 cover by Jago Silver as a leaping-off point.

This issue asks the question: What lights your fire and kindles your joy?

A group of friends gather to celebrate the anniversary of a success, but one person turns up who wasn’t invited. What reason do they have for attending? What ripples does this spread through the invited guests? Does someone have a revelation to share?

How can you pin this drama to a grain of burgeoning joy? 

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 may publish it on SkyLightRain.com.

Writing prompt – overcoming

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OH54.cover_1cm_ERV2.inddThe lovely folks at Oh Magazine have invited me to create the following writing prompt, using their leafy issue 54 cover by Jago Silver as a leaping-off point.

Issue 54 is all about togetherness, solitude, and how caring for others may help us through the most challenging circumstances.

Your character glimpses a person they want to connect or reconnect with – an old friend, a person they believe could help them, someone they believe they could help, or perhaps all three.

But a secret fear or guilt is holding them back. How do they overcome that negative emotion? What does their courage lead them towards?

What do they do? What are the outcomes?

You can subscribe to Oh magazine here.

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 may publish it on SkyLightRain.com.

Writing prompt – decisions

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Oh53 magazine cover by Jago SilverThe lovely folks at Oh Magazine have invited me to create the following writing prompt, using their atmospheric issue 53 cover by Jago Silver as a leaping-off point.

Issue 53 focuses on how one moment in time may result in a ripple effect that changes everything.

Your character has a decision to make. One choice will keep everything in their life exactly the same, or even make things slightly worse, but change the life of a stranger for the better. The other will improve everything in their own life, but make the stranger’s worse – in small or large ways.

What do they do? What are the outcomes?

Your characters are free to change their mind. What happens if they do?

You can subscribe to Oh magazine here.

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 may publish it on SkyLightRain.com.

Writing prompt – peril at sea

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Oh52 magazine cover by Jago SilverThe lovely folks at Oh Magazine have commissioned me to create the following writing prompt, using their dramatic issue 52 cover by Jago Silver as a leaping-off point.

Issue 52 explores possible cures for endless comparison, rituals to lighten darker days and ways to live life to the bittersweet brim.

Imagine two siblings, friends or lovers take a trip to the sea and end up in peril. As they seek safety, old rivalries bubble up and spill over.

You can subscribe to Oh magazine here.

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 may publish it on SkyLightRain.com.

Writing prompt – distraction

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Oh Mag 51 cover by Jago Silver

The lovely folks at Oh Magazine have commissioned me to create the following writing prompt using their beautiful issue 51 cover by Jago Silver as a leaping-off point.

This issue is all about satisfying, mood-brightening pastimes.

Begin by selecting an absorbing activity, such as knitting, baking bread, making the perfect cup of tea, putting up shelves, or kayaking, to put at the forefront of your tale. Now focus on the person (your protagonist) performing the activity. Give them an underlying absorption – have they lost or gained something or someone? How has this troubled or excited them? How do the task and the preoccupation impact each other? What will your protagonist do when they finally complete their activity?

You can subscribe to Oh magazine here.

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 may publish it on SkyLightRain.com.

Writing prompt – response

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You are doing a great job. Photo by Judy Darley

My city is full of artists using innovative means to spread a little cheer. At the start of lockdown, messages like these popped up on street corners, sticking out of flowerbeds and hedges.

They foster such positivity that some days I’ve found they make me smile, and others, when I’m feeling a little grouchier, they’ve made me turn away with a frown.

It reminds me how little of how we react is actually about with the thing we’re reacting to.

Present your character with a well-meaning act of kindness, and give them an extreme emotional response that’s really all about some news they received that morning. How much can you show without telling your reader the exact nature of that news? How can you stagger the reveal though what is said and done?

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 may publish it on SkyLightRain.com.