Monday, April 25, 2022

Photo Writing Prompt: The Magnifying Glass and Postcards

In the truly old school detective novels and movies, the magnifying glass was a useful tool.  After all, it is the tool that inspectors used to inspect things.  In the photo below, a magnifying glass sits atop a pile of vintage postcards.

Magnifying Glass and Postcards - photo by Anna, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons



For today's writing prompt, create a story where a character uses -
a magnifying glass to solve a mystery.

Monday, April 18, 2022

Writing Prompt: Don't Do It!

Archeologists have discovered a lead-lined sarcophagus containing a body beneath fired-damaged Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, France. 

Notre Dame Cathedral - Carlos Delgado, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Of course, scientists want to open the coffin and examine the body before re-interring it. While the general public has seen enough horror movies to know that this is a bad idea, we are powerless to stop it.  This news article in The Huffington Post summarizes the situation.

Sarcophagus Gallo Ignalli - Photo by DmitriiLD, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

For today's writing exercise, create a short piece of fiction highlighting -- 

the hazards of opening a sarcophagus!

 

Saturday, April 2, 2022

Writing Prompt: The Gold Prospector

The hunt for treasure has driven many a story.  From pirates along the Spanish Main to prospectors in the Old West or the Alaskan Klondike, there is something about finding gold and striking it big that captures the imagination.

Gold Prospector - Sketch by Tony Oliver from Denver, CO, USA, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

For today's writing prompt, write a short story or piece of flash fiction that features 

a gold prospector 

Your gold prospector story can be set in the American Old West, Alaska, South America, Appalachians or a far away planet in any time-setting.  If there's gold in them thar hills and the an opportunity to strike it rich, I'm sure they'll turn up!




Setting Writing Prompt: The Old Shack

America's countryside is littered with old houses, barns, and shacks.  Many of these are documented and explored in Abandoned Places pho...