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Since I have had trouble getting around here, I decided to give you a theme based prompt today. A broken clock. Think of the possibilities on that one for a moment, from a broken clock that shows the exact time of a murder to an ancient artifact that should not have been present at the time period in which it was discovered at an archaeological dig.

What do you think the results would be if a group of archaeologists uncovered a prehistoric burial site and one of the cavemen was wearing a Timex? Or how about an ancient Roman soldier with one on? Plenty of movies have had that error in their row of Roman soldiers in full regalia and a Timex. oops!

How about someone from another world or time discovering something like that? What would they make a religion based around this strange artifact of the gods?

Maybe the broken clock is as simple as an old clock on the mantle of your heroin’s fireplace, a family heirloom that her grandmother handed down to her? Or your hero carries his father or grandfather’s pocket watch just as a good luck talisman? Maybe two people are bidding for a broken watch they found at an auction only to discover that the one bidding against them for it wanted it for the same reason they wanted it? Maybe they were siblings separated as children and the watch had belonged to their grandfather and now brought them back together because each wanted it for sentimental reasons?

If I can think of this many prompts in such a short time then I am sure you must be brimming with ideas by now, so go forth and have fun writing!

With today being the birthday of the New York Times (founded on September 18, 1851), it seems only right that today’s writing prompt should be to do with a newspaper.

Maybe your character is buying a newspaper when they see something happen? Is something they have been trying to figure out explained in the headlines of that morning’s newspaper?  Maybe they see someone they have been looking for in a picture of a crowd taken for an article in the newspaper?  Do they get a message passed to them in a newspaper?  Or find where the murder weapon they had been trying to locate was wrapped in newspaper and thrown into the trash?

I’ve been down with the flu, still got it, so it seems only natural to suggest fictional character torment based on the flu.

What would your lead do if they caught the flu? What if they had to help defend against a mutated form of the flu that was resistant to vaccinations?  What if they were the only person that was resistant to a widespread outbreak?

This prompt is inspired by a good friend of mine who I work with all the time in trying to help improve my writing.

She has a character who, like many other muses out there, is represented visually by a picture of a celebrity (no I’m not saying who).  Well, one day as my friend was looking at some pictures of this particular celebrity it was noticed that one picture in particular made the person look a little chubby in the middle.  This immediately had the muse for the fictional character asking if it needed to go on a diet.

This was an amusing event that inspired a lot of humorous jokes about the muse between me and my friend and a few very fun to write scenes of the muse munching celery and mixing up salads.

So, your prompt for today - what would prompt your muse to decide they needed to go on a diet?  Would they go on a diet?  If not, why not?  Write up something that shows them at the moment of discovery for the need to diet and then follow through on do they or don’t they go on a diet.

Think of a way in which something about a carousel might be worked into your story. Is it a real carousel or a memory that a character has of one? Is it complete or just a piece of one? Maybe the character has found something that has triggered a memory? A photograph of a carousel? A golden ring from one?

Has your character found an old carousel figure in the storage shed/spare room/attic/basement? Maybe they opened up an old room that has been sealed off for centuries and found something pertaining to a carousel?

Is it the first carousel that was made in the world you write in? Is it a remnant of a time long past and no one has ever seen anything like it before? Maybe the carousel is the story. A story that takes place entirely on a carousel? A magical carousel the animals on come to life at certain times?

As you can see, there are a multitude of ways you could work a carousel into a story. Maybe a victim in your crime novel is found on or near a carousel? Perhaps the lovers in your romance walk past one playing a romantic melody in the park?

Whether you use on of these examples, or you dream up an entirely different way to add a little of the magic that is a carousel to your story, have fun and write to entertain yourself. The rest will work out as long as you are entertained.