#WriterInMotion 2020 – Week 0

The time has come! After a month of #WIMGames and almost a year since the last one, there’s a new prompt, and a new short story just waiting to be pulled out of my brain. Which, given the state of 2020, any sort of creativity has been sorely lacking in my apartment, and this is just the kick that I’ve been needing to get some words on paper.

Over the next 5 weeks, we’ll see a story start in a woefully hilarious state grow and evolve into something magical, something beautiful, and something that couldn’t have been dreamed of at the start of this process. And that’s exactly what this process is about! Putting our heart and soul out on display so that it can get better, and we can improve as writers. I hope anyone reading this will join in the process! You can find us on the #WriterInMotion hashtag and it’s open to anyone and everyone who wants to join can!

Anyways, I’ve spoken too long without actually showing the prompt, so lets fix that!

If you’ve spent any amount of time on Reddit’s popular or all feeds, you’ve probably run into the subreddit /r/WritingPrompts. I’ve always felt like those prompts are so…restrictive. Or they’re like Jean-Ralphio from Parks and Rec, where they never know when to stop. They come up with this interesting idea and then specify it down to where there’s no real creativity allowed. But wow! Look at this image. There’s nothing but creativity hiding in those pixels.

From the bold yellow cabin to the faded mountains in the background. The colors are so varied and the setting so unique. With something like this, a story could go any direction, and I’ve certainly got about 10 different ways I can take this one! I’ll keep those ideas hidden for now, let them marinate for a few days. This time next week, meet me back here and I’ll have a rough draft posted!

Day 2 (August 2nd)

So I couldn’t get much sleep last night, which gave me a lot of time to think about this prompt some more. Last year I wrote a fun spooky story set in a haunted mansion. This year, my mind keeps taking me down the path of a spooky story set out in the woods. But I’m not sure if that’s being too literal to the prompt. I’m also not sure if I can make that story happen in 1000 words, because that whole idea, of being trapped out in the woods, or lost, and the possibility of something supernatural being out there too…that’s a big story!

But my mind keeps coming back to that spot. I might be destined to write that story, and this is just a scene within something larger. I’m lost in thought about the possibilities of this prompt, and all the wonder that could come from it. I’m still not sure where exactly it’s going yet, but I have 91 words written, just in case I do go down this path.

To get myself in gear for the idea of a spooky story, I’ve curated a list of horror movies that involve the woods, or witches, or other supernatural beings, and will be spending some time with those this week (no possessions/demons/etc unless it meets another criteria too). I’m hoping that seeing some of these other stories, while not MG, will help me nail down what’s been done, and what direction I could go. Definitely a lot more work to do before more words go on paper, but I am confident we’ll have a great draft with a ton of potential come Saturday!