Friday Fun with Captions

The other day, I came home from work to find this guy waiting for me.

Lion with Crown and Medal

Apparently, my kiddo and his stuffed lion had quite a day.

For today’s creative writing prompt, write a caption or short paragraph about how this glorious scenario came to be.

Happy Writing!

Finish the Friday Fun!

The man slipped through the shadows of the towering pine trees.  In spite of his great bulk, he moved quickly, wraith-like, through the woods towards his destination.  Glancing once at the setting sun and once over his shoulder, he pressed on.  Then, suddenly . . . .

Friday Fun by the Letter

On this day in 1775, the 2nd Continental Congress established the US Postal System, with Ben Franklin as Postmaster General.  For today’s Friday Fun creative writing prompt, imagine that you’ve accidentally received your neighbor’s mail.  Curiosity overcomes better judgment, and you open the letter.

In no more than two paragraphs, write a story describing what  you discover in the letter and how you react.

Happy Friday!

Sinister Friday Fun

For today’s Friday Fun writing prompt, imagine that you are walking along the sidewalk in your lovely suburban neighborhood, when you come upon the scene below:

As you are still contemplating the broken tool before you, you hear a shriek from very close by.  In 25 words or less, start your story from these prompts!

Happy writing and Happy Friday!

Ye Olde Friday Fun

On this date in 1389, Geoffrey Chaucer was named chief clerk for King Richard II.

In college, we English majors had to memorize the first 20 lines of the Canterbury Tales.  I can still recall it to this day:  Whan that Aprille with his shoures soote the droughte of Marche hath perced to the roote . . . .   Sometimes bawdy, sometimes irreverent, always entertaining, Chaucer’s tale of a pilgrimage to the shrine of Thomas a Becket in Canterbury showed a cross section of the social classes:  nobles, peasants, clergy.

For today’s writing prompt,   write the opening paragraph of your pilgrimage tale.  Introduce some of your characters and describe their destination.  Set the tone for an epic road trip!

Happy Writing!

Mysterious Friday Fun!

For today’s creative writing prompt, write the opening sentence to your mystery novel using the words book, starlet, and window.

Happy Writing and Happy Weekend!

Re-thinking Friday Fun

It’s Mercury Retrograde time again, so that means another several weeks of  “review, reflect, re-think.”  Mercury is in Cancer, so that means it’s a great time to examine your emotions, your home, your feminine side.

For today’s creative writing prompt, think of an emotionally-charged scene from your past.  If you got a “do over,” how would you do it differently this time?  Write the old and the new scenario.

Happy Friday!

A Friday Fun Repeat

In a previous Friday Fun, I suggested a six-word memoir for the day’s creative writing prompt.  Since today is the Summer Solstice, representing a new beginning, I thought I’d bring that one back.  We humans are constantly changing and re-making ourselves, so maybe now you’d write a different six-word memoir.

Who are you now?  Describe yourself, your current life situation, or your goals right now in six words.

Happy writing!

More of a Friday Suggestion than a Friday Fun

Hey fellow writers!  I know that Friday Fun is usually a creative writing prompt, but today I wanted to give you a website to try instead.

As a member of SCBWI (Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators), I get lots of great tips and ideas on marketing, publishing, and writing.  One tip was about a website started by the publisher Harper Collins.  The site is called Authonomy, and it’s a great place to get feedback on your work.

Authonomy is a site for writers and readers of all genres.  Once you register on the site, you can upload your work, whether completed or not.  Then, other users can comment and rate your story.  By actively participating in the critique process, your work can climb the ranks and perhaps even gain the attention of the Harper Collins editors.  But even if you don’t attain the ranking necessary for that, you can still get some great constructive feedback on your work.

I recently uploaded my own story, The Travels of Pacha Riley:  Legend of the Inkas, on the site.  It’s been an education, and I’m enjoying reading other people’s stories as well as the comments on my own.

Let me know if you try the site or if you are already on!

Holey Friday Fun!

Today is National Doughnut Day!  It’s kind of hard to argue with a day that celebrates sugary comfort food.  🙂

For today’s creative writing prompt, make a case for YOUR cause.  Imagine that you are campaigning for a National Day.  Write up a proposal to promote your favorite food or cause or thing.