Writing Prompt #16
Each week, ORW will feature a new writing prompt meant to spark your creative juices. Use it to generate new fiction, creative non-fiction or poetry, or apply the prompt to a current project. Even if you don’t create a scene that fits with your project, you may find that you’ve learned more about your story.
First line of a scene: The very idea was like a pebble in my shoe.
Dr. Sexier or Why Not to Rely on Spell Check
My first job out of college was as assistant to the director of public relations at a private college. One of my responsibilities was to write press releases. For the first few months, my boss would proofread everything I wrote before I submitted the work, but before I gave it to her, I always ran spell check, printed a copy, and read it over myself.
That trickster spell check liked to automatically change our college president’s name to Dr. Sexier. Until I learned how to add his name, I was quite vigilant about proofreading!
One of the best ways I know to combat the flaws of spell check is to read your document from end to beginning. By reading backwards, you’ll focus on the words rather than the content. Your brain won’t automatically adjust its perception to the correct spelling; you’ll be able to catch mistakes more easily.
And you’ll minimize the risk of embarrassment!
They’re Back! Writing Prompt #15
After a little hiatus, the weekly writing prompts are back.
Each week, ORW will feature a new writing prompt meant to spark your creative juices. Use it to generate new fiction, creative non-fiction or poetry, or apply the prompt to a current project. Even if you don’t create a scene that fits with your project, you may find that you’ve learned more about your story.
Sex. Some writers shy away from letting their characters enjoy pleasures of the body. Write a close third-person scene in which your protagonist has sex. Writing YA with characters not yet having sex? Let the protagonist make out with someone. Strive to avoid cliches and to bring real pleasure to your character.
Let me know how the prompt works for you!
I study and practice the craft of writing for multiple audiences and purposes. Through my experience in public relations, grant writing, and academia, I have acquired the ability to create text that garners results. I hold a MA in English literature and a MFA in Creative Writing. Having taught nearly 900 students in classes ranging from business writing to creative writing, I believe in writer-centered instruction as the most effective way to empower my clients. 
