This is so exciting! I really appreciate the dedication and support that I feel from you at Fictionistas. I've cross posted your announcement to my Substack 'Imagine That' and hope to join in on the community fun this month.
I agree! I can't wait to connect with other fiction writers here on Substack. What you are doing is building the bridge for us to meet and connect together so that we won't have to write alone!
Writing prompts in community is a completely different beast than doing prompts solo. I will be very curious to see how this experience turns out for you!
I’ve been doing writing prompt parties with Nicole since 2020. They are one of my absolute favorite things, and I do my very best to never miss one. There are some days when I am really not feeling like writing, and my brain isn’t working, but I still show up. There are other times when I’m super excited and I write garbage. Regardless of where my head is at and how my writing turns out, the experience is still rewarding, and I almost always end up with something that I can use later.
In fact, pretty much all of the short fiction I write these days comes from a writing prompt party, and some of it is fully formed in just 15 minutes of writing (not always – I struggle to come up with a clever ending in the time frame most of the time - but sometimes).
Anyway, I really hope you and everyone else joins us for a live writing prompt party, and if you can’t make it, you at least try to write to the prompt and share what you come up with afterwards.
This sounds exciting! Simple Stories is in! A few of the stories I have written were from prompts given to me by my 15-yr-old son. He hasn’t started his Substack yet, but this might be a great opportunity for him to engage with. Fictional Fantasia is coming soon!
Oh this will be a wonderful space for you both! As a former high school teacher myself, 15 year olds are among my favorite group of people to inspire. I also might add that you have done a wonderful job of propagating some magnificent family alliteration here that needs to be celebrated and congratulated. #yourock
Ooo I know the type. He will get there! Once he gets out *into the world* and gets to recognize the superpower his writing can be, you might not be able to ever stop him! 🤗
Yes, Heather, we will try to do that! I just saw that you do poetry prompts on your stack. I also have a stack devoted to poetry called The Daily Rhyme. I look forward to maybe using some of your prompts for my daily posts!
I do lots of different things with my writing community, but sharing writing prompts and hosting writing prompt parties ranks as my favorite because of how much fun I have with it!
This sounds like fun although I'm not that good with prompts, well sometimes yes, sometimes no. Let me go with honestly mostly no, but willing to give it a try. Dynamic Creed on board. Thanks for setting this up!
Victor, one of the best things about doing this in community is that you get to see that everyone’s kind of in the same boat. It’s just showing up to this type of practice over and over that gives some people a bit of an edge, but thinking on your feet and being creative all at once is difficult. This is why we have writing prompt PARTIES, I always love to emphasize the fact that this is for fun with fiction. We get a chance to really play with words without damaging our precious projects that need our serious selves! I look forward to having you along for this ride!
Victor, I've been going to the prompt parties for a few years and they are still hit or miss on the stories but, it's so worth it. I actually got a prompt party story publish in an anthology. Have faith in yourself and your abilities!
Heather, I have faith in myself and my abilities. It's a faith of wellsprings within. I also know myself and know I'm not so good when it comes to ideas of others and running with them, although it can be beautiful when our orbits and our sensibilities intersect.
And I'm open to trying new things, they can be fun. So I look forward to the party and will give it my best.
This is the place to be to meet other writer, especially if you are looking to mingle with those who are also in the Substack trenches here. If you are looking to expand beyond even that, my Stop Writing Alone community hosts events for all writers seeking community regardless of where their writing lives!
Ooo this is going to be such a fun way to warm up my fiction muscles (and to give myself a low stakes playground and some much needed accountability to get moving!)
Writing Fitness With Friends is such a great name! And should maybe go on a t-shirt. 🤔 I'm imagining a little character lifting weights, but instead of barbells, it's books...or they're bench pressing a pencil!
That’s exactly how to look at it. It’s an exercise, and it might go well, and it might not. I’ve definitely had moments where what I wrote was horrible, but others where I was pretty impressed with what I could come up with. There’s some magic that happens when you get a random prompt and have to write something down in a very short amount of time. You can’t really think about it or second-guess yourself, you just start writing. I’ve actually come up with an entire novel concept out of a writing prompt party, and the short story that I wrote, and in other instances, the story helped move a novel along. And then, of course, plenty of them have been standalone pieces, but overall, the activity/exercise has been really good for my writer brain.
Ooo I love hearing this, Jackie! This is the part that I'm most excited about + terrified of + will benefit greatly from..."There’s some magic that happens when you get a random prompt and have to write something down in a very short amount of time. You can’t really think about it or second-guess yourself, you just start writing."
The great thing is, you can still participate! They will be sharing the prompt after the zoom call, so you can still write with us and share what you come up with.
If anyone is interested in writing some micro fiction, I’ve been hosting fifty-word story prompts twice monthly. (I’m calling them Fifties by the Fire.) It’s been a lot of fun!
Finally, a writing group where we can write together and stop writing alone! Lo and behold it’s not a 5am time slot for me in the southern hemisphere hehe! 🇦🇺. I can’t wait! Thanks 🙏🏻 for setting this up !
Hi MJ! Great question (and something I absolutely should have included in this post 🤦🏻♀️). As Heather said, we occasionally run over with read alouds, so I tend to budget myself an hour and fifteen minutes. This is looking like it might be a bigger group than usual, and the first time in attendance for most of the group, so I have been thinking we might go to 1 and a half hours for this one.
Sounds terrific! I can't wait! My "Fantastical Library" substack would definitely benefit from some love & feeding.
I can not wait to visit the Fantastical Library! What a wonderful name that is ❤️
Thank you!
Oooh, I love the name!!! Looking forward to reading your story.
This is so exciting! I really appreciate the dedication and support that I feel from you at Fictionistas. I've cross posted your announcement to my Substack 'Imagine That' and hope to join in on the community fun this month.
Thank you so much for the cross post! This is definitely one of those situations where it’s the more the merrier!
I agree! I can't wait to connect with other fiction writers here on Substack. What you are doing is building the bridge for us to meet and connect together so that we won't have to write alone!
This is my purpose — getting people to Stop Writing Alone! 🎊🎈🎉💃🏻🕺🏽🪩
Yes! Community is so important to the creative process.
What better way to treat my prompt aversion than to try writing to a prompt! I’m in. 🙂
Writing prompts in community is a completely different beast than doing prompts solo. I will be very curious to see how this experience turns out for you!
I’m really curious too ... I’m open to my mind being changed.
I'm glad you're going in with an open mind. Prompt parties are a great place to not only write something new but a great way to engage in a community.
I’ve been doing writing prompt parties with Nicole since 2020. They are one of my absolute favorite things, and I do my very best to never miss one. There are some days when I am really not feeling like writing, and my brain isn’t working, but I still show up. There are other times when I’m super excited and I write garbage. Regardless of where my head is at and how my writing turns out, the experience is still rewarding, and I almost always end up with something that I can use later.
In fact, pretty much all of the short fiction I write these days comes from a writing prompt party, and some of it is fully formed in just 15 minutes of writing (not always – I struggle to come up with a clever ending in the time frame most of the time - but sometimes).
Anyway, I really hope you and everyone else joins us for a live writing prompt party, and if you can’t make it, you at least try to write to the prompt and share what you come up with afterwards.
Sounds like a blast! It’s a Prompt-ibration!
Good times are to be had, words are to be shared and invented! 🤗
This is great. I have been experimenting with prompt based writing at my fiction substack, Gibberish, and I can’t wait to take a stab at the prompt!
Prompt experimentation is the name of the game. This should be right up your alley. Can’t wait to gobble up your Gibberish! 👍
You're in for a treat. I came up with a good one. Well, I think it's a good one. Lol.
I am ready!
This sounds exciting! Simple Stories is in! A few of the stories I have written were from prompts given to me by my 15-yr-old son. He hasn’t started his Substack yet, but this might be a great opportunity for him to engage with. Fictional Fantasia is coming soon!
Oh this will be a wonderful space for you both! As a former high school teacher myself, 15 year olds are among my favorite group of people to inspire. I also might add that you have done a wonderful job of propagating some magnificent family alliteration here that needs to be celebrated and congratulated. #yourock
Thank you, Nicole! He is a reluctant writer, but he is so good at it. I try to encourage him every chance I get.
Ooo I know the type. He will get there! Once he gets out *into the world* and gets to recognize the superpower his writing can be, you might not be able to ever stop him! 🤗
Maybe you could get him to listen in on the prompt party so he can get a taste of what's to come and how awesome writers are.
Yes, Heather, we will try to do that! I just saw that you do poetry prompts on your stack. I also have a stack devoted to poetry called The Daily Rhyme. I look forward to maybe using some of your prompts for my daily posts!
That would be amazing! I started Sprinkled Inspiration because I wanted to inspire people's writing.
Love it! Sounds like fun :-)
I do lots of different things with my writing community, but sharing writing prompts and hosting writing prompt parties ranks as my favorite because of how much fun I have with it!
This sounds like fun although I'm not that good with prompts, well sometimes yes, sometimes no. Let me go with honestly mostly no, but willing to give it a try. Dynamic Creed on board. Thanks for setting this up!
Victor, one of the best things about doing this in community is that you get to see that everyone’s kind of in the same boat. It’s just showing up to this type of practice over and over that gives some people a bit of an edge, but thinking on your feet and being creative all at once is difficult. This is why we have writing prompt PARTIES, I always love to emphasize the fact that this is for fun with fiction. We get a chance to really play with words without damaging our precious projects that need our serious selves! I look forward to having you along for this ride!
I get it – prompts have always been my nemesis. But writing prompt parties are a very different kind of activity, so I hope you give it a try.
Victor, I've been going to the prompt parties for a few years and they are still hit or miss on the stories but, it's so worth it. I actually got a prompt party story publish in an anthology. Have faith in yourself and your abilities!
Heather, I have faith in myself and my abilities. It's a faith of wellsprings within. I also know myself and know I'm not so good when it comes to ideas of others and running with them, although it can be beautiful when our orbits and our sensibilities intersect.
And I'm open to trying new things, they can be fun. So I look forward to the party and will give it my best.
This is such a cool opportunity! I've been looking for a way to get involved and meet other writers and this seems like the perfect thing.
This is the place to be to meet other writer, especially if you are looking to mingle with those who are also in the Substack trenches here. If you are looking to expand beyond even that, my Stop Writing Alone community hosts events for all writers seeking community regardless of where their writing lives!
Yay! I can't wait to meet you.
Ooo this is going to be such a fun way to warm up my fiction muscles (and to give myself a low stakes playground and some much needed accountability to get moving!)
Yes!! You get it! This is exactly what it is all about - fun Writing fitness with friends!!
Writing Fitness With Friends is such a great name! And should maybe go on a t-shirt. 🤔 I'm imagining a little character lifting weights, but instead of barbells, it's books...or they're bench pressing a pencil!
I’m kicking myself that I didn’t come up with it sooner!
OMG! This is brilliant.
That’s exactly how to look at it. It’s an exercise, and it might go well, and it might not. I’ve definitely had moments where what I wrote was horrible, but others where I was pretty impressed with what I could come up with. There’s some magic that happens when you get a random prompt and have to write something down in a very short amount of time. You can’t really think about it or second-guess yourself, you just start writing. I’ve actually come up with an entire novel concept out of a writing prompt party, and the short story that I wrote, and in other instances, the story helped move a novel along. And then, of course, plenty of them have been standalone pieces, but overall, the activity/exercise has been really good for my writer brain.
Ooo I love hearing this, Jackie! This is the part that I'm most excited about + terrified of + will benefit greatly from..."There’s some magic that happens when you get a random prompt and have to write something down in a very short amount of time. You can’t really think about it or second-guess yourself, you just start writing."
oh, I won’t lie, I was terrified the first couple of times. But it got better.
This is so cool! I can't make this month's Zoom but I'll be there next month!
The great thing is, you can still participate! They will be sharing the prompt after the zoom call, so you can still write with us and share what you come up with.
Oh, I'm *definitely* going to write something! Thanks Jackie!
We’ll keep an eye out for your story!
I'm excited to read your story!
I’m in! Can’t wait to take part.
If anyone is interested in writing some micro fiction, I’ve been hosting fifty-word story prompts twice monthly. (I’m calling them Fifties by the Fire.) It’s been a lot of fun!
https://alongthehudson.substack.com/p/fifties-by-the-fire-vortex/comments
That sounds like loads of fun. I will spread the word in the Stop Writing Alone crowd. We do have some micro lovers in there!
Oh, that would be amazing! Thanks, Nicole. Looking forward to the prompt. 😊
I've never written micro fiction. It sounds fun and difficult.
Oooh, you’ll have to give it a whirl! I love it. It feels like piecing together a puzzle.
Finally, a writing group where we can write together and stop writing alone! Lo and behold it’s not a 5am time slot for me in the southern hemisphere hehe! 🇦🇺. I can’t wait! Thanks 🙏🏻 for setting this up !
I'm so glad it's a time that works for you. I look forward to reading your story.
How long is the writing party please?
It's scheduled for 1 hour but, sometimes we run long when people are reading what they wrote.
Hi MJ! Great question (and something I absolutely should have included in this post 🤦🏻♀️). As Heather said, we occasionally run over with read alouds, so I tend to budget myself an hour and fifteen minutes. This is looking like it might be a bigger group than usual, and the first time in attendance for most of the group, so I have been thinking we might go to 1 and a half hours for this one.
Sounds good to me 👍🏻 thanks
Cool! Not sure if I can make it live but will be looking for the email with the prompt. My writing brain loves prompts!
Sounds great Maegan! We’ll keep an eye out for your story!
I can't wait to read your story!
Simply awesome!