Tag Archives: books

Writers Block Hacks – The Story Prompt Jar

Continuing on with our journey into how to remove the dreaded writers block without spending any (or very much) money, I’m going to show you a simple but powerful tool – the Story Jar writing prompt.

For anyone who would like a fun way to inject a a little creative boost to their writing and generate a few stories on the fly, this really works to get the brain ticking over in ways that you may not have thought possible before.

A bonus is, this can also work in a. group situation so try it with your writing group or even with your family around the dinner table or the sofas and see just where a group imagination exercise can take you. Beats mindless scrolling any day!

What is a Story Jar I hear you ask?

It’s basically just a container of some sort filled with pieces of paper – each bearing a story element such as a character, setting, object, goal, theme, genre…. it could be anything you wish.

You can be as creative as you like, grab some coloured paper and put a different element on each colour such as characters on pink paper, settings on brown paper, genres on yellow paper….you get the idea…

Then you can select a colour depending on what element you want to concentrate on – or, go rogue and stick them all on the same colour – oh the risks that could come from that!!!

All you need is a container, paper scraps, a pen and your imagination.

Steps to create your own

1 – Choose your categories

Examples could be: Characters; Settings; Objects/motifs/ Conflicts/problems or Emotions.

2 – Write one idea per piece of paper.

Examples could be: Character – A retired circus performer; Setting – A haunted coastal village; Object – A broken compass; Conflict – Keeps reliving the same day; Emotion – Longing

3 – Fold or stack your prompts and put them into the container. make sure you have plenty of each category so that you have loads of variety.

4 – Draw one from each category (or mix and match) and start writing.

So, it you were to draw the following – A young inventor, an underground library, an ancient key and a phobia of spiders…You could write about a curious inventor who discovers an abandoned library beneath a city and uncovers a key that unlocks a hidden past – but, he’s so afraid of spiders that he struggles to make his way through the labyrinth of spider webs that have accrued over the many years that the arachnids have lain here undiscovered and unchallenged…

Oooo, my fingers are itching to type already!!!

I’m wondering what the funniest or strangest story prompt you’ve ever come up with is?

Share them in the comments…

Let your imagination run wild and happy writing!!!

Anita x

When Writer’s Block Strikes…

With the demise of Nanowrimo it’s now Novel November. So what better time to get those words down and making them count?

Great idea, but, as writers, we all know that awful feeling of the dreaded ‘Writers Block’.

Imagine the scenario – for once, we have found time to write. We’ve made our favourite drink (coffee for me, white, no sugar). We are in our favourite place to write with no distractions (in the office, window to the estate in front of my desk so I can look up and see what is going on outside every so often – me? nosey? no! seeking inspiration…). We open our writing implement of choice (laptop) and navigate to the blank page… Fingers poised over the keyboard we wait… and wait… we know words are there, we’ve done it before, we had loads of ideas half an hour ago when we were boiling the kettle and preparing ourselves for the epicness that was about to be unleashed from our souls…

… and, dejected, we drink our coffee, close the laptop and walk away, telling ourselves that we will try again tomorrow.

So, what we need to do is break that block, do something that will get the flow going and those tetchy fingers typing away like there’s no tomorrow.

“How do we do that though?’ I hear you ask – You are, I know you are….

Well, there are plenty of things on the market for you to purchase that are designed to help you through this – but, as those of you who have been with me for a while know, I’m always on the lookout for saving money and doing something that is free or at minimal cost. Beating writer’s block is no different, after all, we are creative beings are we not? Surely we can come up with some creative DIY writing prompts?

So, I’m going to do a series (because nobody wants to read me waffling for hours on end in one sitting- I’ll be kind and break it down into much more enjoyable chunks) of different ways that we can prompt ourselves to get writing. Today. Right now in fact.

I’ll start with an oldie but goodie.

The Random Book Prompt.

Grab the closest book to you – don’t cheat – and open a random page. With your eyes closed, point to anywhere on the open page. Write the closest sentence down and use it to prompt a piece of writing.

  • It could be the opening line of a story.
  • A poetry prompt.
  • Dialogue from a character.
  • Scene or mood inspiration.

As an example, I have just done this exercise and here are my results from just ten minutes writing.

The book I choose was a book on Tarot – I’m already on a hiding to nothing when that was the closest book and it really does prove that I didn’t cheat!

The sentence was ‘Rest and relaxation is needed here.’

And this is what I came up with…

‘Rest and relaxation is needed here,’ she said to me, authority oozing from every syllable of her consultant doctor’s title.

‘I know, but it’s easier said than done,’ I replied.

‘If you don’t make the time now, then your body will force you to. It’s already starting the process or you wouldn’t be sitting in my office now.’

I hung my head dejectedly. She was right. Of course she was. but there was too much that I had to do and nobody could do for me.

As if she read my mind, she continued, ‘You’re no use to them if you burn out. They need to help you f or a little while. Put yourself first and do something you enjoy. Go for it a walk, or a swim. Hug a tree or read a book. Do anything that will help you de-stress. Even five minutes will help.’

I picked up my bag and nodded at her as I walked towards the door. ‘I’ll try,’ I said, knowing that I couldn’t.

He’d kill me long before he would help.

Ok, I know it will never be Oscar winning material, but for a quick exercise to get the brain going, it’s ok… I think…

I’d love to hear what you thought…

Or let me know what you came up with…

#writingprompt #amwriting #creativewriting #writingcommunity #writingprompt #diywritingprompt

New year, new me and all that jazz…

It’s 20 days into 2024 and it already feels like a lifetime ago that it was 2023. I think that i always start out the new year with good intentions, with ideas to make this be MY year, the one that is going to change my life forever.

Sometimes, this has happened, not always for the better when we think of people who we sadly lose, and who we really want to still be around us. But, most often, the good intentions peter out as the months drag on and we revert to old habits and the safety of our comfort zone. Sound familiar to you too? Thought so.

It’s been a while since i’ve done a blog post, this site is sooo out of date (one for the to do list i guess) and so much has changed over the last couple of years since i last wrote about my exploits. A quick summary is that of getting the second Cornwall Writers anthology – Secret and Hidden – out into the world, becoming the performance signer for Rock Choir Cornwall – that was so out of my little introverted comfort zone you wouldn’t believe it - Boardmasters was amazing…ly scary… but so much fun!

I absolutely love that the audience were trying to copy what i was signing as well!

I also signed a two book publishing deal with the fabulous Spellbound Books Ltd. My debut novel, Behind The Curtain, is set to be published in August 2024. I still pinch myself regularly about that one, whilst i am tearing my hair out as i’m writing the first draft of my second novel. I’m keeping that one under wraps at the moment though, so you’ll have to keep checking back to see if i let out any spoilers for it.

SpellBound Books Ltd

𝗡𝗘𝗪 𝗔𝗨𝗧𝗛𝗢𝗥 𝗔𝗟𝗘𝗥𝗧 !!📣

𝗜𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗿𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗦𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘄𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝗪𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗿’𝘀 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹 𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 , 𝘄𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘄𝗲𝗹𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗔𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗮 𝗛𝘂𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗕𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱!

𝗔𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗮 𝗛𝘂𝗻𝘁 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗻𝘄𝗮𝗹𝗹. 𝗦𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝗠𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗔𝗿𝘁𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗪𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝗽𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗱 𝗽𝗼𝗲𝘁, 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗿𝗲 𝗰𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝘄𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝘄𝗼 𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘂𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗻𝘄𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗪𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗔𝗻𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝗶𝗲𝘀. 𝗦𝗵𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝗹𝘀𝗼 𝗮 𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗻𝘄𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗪𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗱𝗺𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺.

𝗔𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗮 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗡𝗛𝗦 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝘀 𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗹𝗹. 𝗪𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗱𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗰𝗲 𝘀𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗽𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽 𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆, 𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝘀 𝘄𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝗮𝘀 𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗼𝗰𝗸 𝗖𝗵𝗼𝗶𝗿.

𝗜𝗻 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘀𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝘀𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗹𝗲𝗳𝘁, 𝘀𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝗹𝗸𝘀 𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗱𝗼𝗴, 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗻𝘀 𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝗻𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗿𝗮𝗳𝘁𝘆. 𝗦𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗼𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗯𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗮𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 ‘𝘀𝗹𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗶𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘄𝗶𝗺𝗽𝘀…’

𝗔𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗮 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗮 𝘁𝘄𝗼 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁.

𝗛𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸, 𝗕𝗲𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝘂𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻 , 𝗮 𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗱𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝘀𝘂𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝗲 𝗽𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗱 𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰.

𝗪𝗲𝗹𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗕𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝗔𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗮!

So what does 2024 have in store for me? I haven’t set any resolutions but i have some intentions.

They start with the publication of Behind The Curtain and the writing of novel two – nope, still no spoilers!

I will continue my signing journey, i just love bringing the joy of music alive to those who need support to understand and enjoy it. Regardless of my not being a natural extrovert, it is moments like these, with Florence who was non-verbal for the first few years of her life, copying me and engaging in every song, that keeps me determined to continue on this road. I’m thinking of expanding this further, taking it into my writing and maybe performing for others. If this interests you, get in touch.

There are ideas around supporting the start up of a dementia choir locally, getting a book of my poetry out into the wide world and continuing to expand the memory sessions books and activity resources for adults with cognitive disabilities. There is also the third Cornwall Writers anthology in the final editing stages as i type and will be published later this year.

It’s definitely a new year, i’m not sure if it’s a new me – more of a sort of renewed one who is learning that the world is actually hers for the taking and if she doesn’t do it now, when will she?

And as for ‘All that Jazz’?

Well, music feeds the soul doesn’t it?

Let me know if this resonates with you. what are your intentions for 2024?

Have a happy day,

Anita x

Cornwall:Misfits, Curiosities and Legends

An anthology by Cornwall Writers.

This is such exciting news!

We are now at the crowdfunder stage for our new anthology which brings together an eclectic mix of stories all based around our wonderful County of Cornwall.

Eighteen tales are included and range across all genres – historical, science fiction, fantasy, women’s literature, comedy and serious – there’s even a stage play, a letter to a loved one and a poem tucked away inside that beautiful cover.

Oh, and if you are thinking of getting a cover designer for your own work – don’t hesitate to contact Ruta Ciutaite of Blue Rue Designs

I’m sure you’ll all agree that her artwork is amazing. We were blown away by the designs that she gave for us and found it so difficult to narrow it down to this one.

Personally, I have two stories in this book:

‘Waiting ‘ is set in Penzance in 1758 and is the tale of Alice and her children as they wait for her husband to return…

The second is ‘A Cornish Rant’ which does exactly what is says!

This short piece is about the love between a Grand mother and her grand daughter, but with a Cornish twist involving holiday makers, narrow country lanes and with a bit of pasty making thrown in…

To see even more of our fabulous book trailers, go to our YouTube channel which you can find here

At the time of writing our crowdfund appeal has just passed the £1,000 mark which is absolutely brilliant and we are ecstatic with the assistance and trust that this has shown. We need to do more though, we want to put a book into at least every library in Cornwall, then we want to go further afield and spread our work to a much large audience.

So, if you can help – and this means you can also get hold of either our paperback or our ebook at a special, pre-publish price and ensure that you are one of the first lucky people to be able to delve between the pages – then please visit our appeal, take a scroll through our pledges and select your choice… the page can be found here

Enjoy, and have a happy day.

Anita. xx