This Writing Prompt came from a Summer Teacher Write a few years ago. For those who attend Teacher Write, most writers are working on a novel, and we are encouraged to think of one of our characters to use.
Write a scene that captures your main character experiencing a moment of unexpected joy. How do you convey that true, inner feeling of blissful surprise? How can you show your reader your character’s pure happiness without explicitly telling us how he or she feels?
My mind first went to the element of surprise. There are so many different types of surprises.
Shock
Amazement
Astonishment
Bewilderment
Startle
Stunned
Stupefaction
Disbelief
Dismay
Here are some physical reactions a character experiencing surprise might have:
Eyes widen
Mouth opens
Eyebrows raise
Head jerks back or forward
Hands fly to the mouth or chest
Gasping or inhaling sharply
Freeze or pause momentarily
Body tenses up
Heart rate increases
I wanted to engage the reader to capture how my character felt. So, here is my attempt:
Think of the ice cream truck’s music as it turns the corner to your street. Think of the rustle of aspen leaves in the wind as you lie on your sleeping bag in your tent. Think of a baby’s first laugh. Think of the ocean at sunset and the first days of fall. Think of the first time you drove a car, feeling your heart pound. Think of your family singing Happy Birthday, the moment they stop, and the whoosh when you blow out the candles.
Then, add all those together. They would be nothing compared to the sound of Olivia’s cry for joy when she opened the door to see Claire sitting in her living room.
Are writing prompts helpful? Writing prompts keep my concepts fresh and stretch my creativity. They are a powerful tool that can empower you to develop your stories and practice your skills. Another benefit of writing prompts is that if you belong to a writing group or have a writing partner, you can share and receive feedback. The more I practice my writing, the better I get, and I have used a writing prompt or two to finish a short story.
I like C.M. Mayo’s writing prompts. His website has writing prompts for each day. Another great website is The Writing Life, which I found some of my ideas for this post.
Do you use writing prompts to help you develop stories or practice your skills? In the comments, share your strategies and favorite sources of prompts!
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