Pitch a Tent and Write

Hey folks, remember when I talked about Camp NaNoWriMo? They usually have it a couple times a year and the month of April is one of those camps!

“But Stacy,” you say, “It’s already so far into the month! I can’t write 50,000 words now!”

Well, you probably could if you put your mind to it, but that’s not what I’m encouraging you to do. Campers can set their own goal (unlike the official NaNoWriMo in November) with a minimum of 10k words. You can totally write 10,000 words.

I didn't actually intend to participate this month because I have a pretty full plate, but I have felt quite a bit of pressure to do it anyway. So here I am, pressuring you to join in too.

“But Stacy,” you repeat, desperately grasping for excuses, “I don’t know what to write about.”

Seek and ye shall find, child.

I have the tendency to think of ideas or have crazy dreams and never actually produce anything related to them, so why not share them with you? Below are some different writing prompts to help you get started on pumping out those words like an absolute boss!

Here is the link to the Camp NaNo website: https://campnanowrimo.org

Keep an open mind when looking at prompts online. Don’t assume the dialogue or scene falls into a specific genre.  Be creative in using what you find instead of conforming to a pattern.

One

Dialogue Prompt

"In my line of work, one should expect to see a good deal of blood."

"And what line of work is that, exactly?"

"I am a secretary."

Ni

Synopsis Prompt

A man has become a squatter in the crawlspace of a house. Describe what the residents go through on a day to day basis until they discover him. Sounds through the house, a faint whispering, etc.

Sahm

Scene Prompt

Detectives and a medical examiner arrive at an apartment a few hours after a woman has been murdered. When the doctor begins to examine the body, however, the woman opens her eyes.

Quatro

Character Prompt

A former Soviet spy has settled in a rural American town, but even as an octogenarian, he suffers from constant paranoia that the friendly townsfolk are actually plotting to kill him for his treachery decades ago.

Cinq

Synopsis Prompt

You are the lead for a team of scientists waking up on their last morning on a space station. Everyone is excited to go home after being there for over a year. Before you can get on the shuttle, everyone must have a final medical exam to ensure they are healthy enough for the trip home. During the morning of packing, a scream is heard and the doctor is found dead, surrounded by a number of vials filled with blood samples. One of the samples is clearly tainted, meaning one of your team is carrying a dangerous disease, but there is no label. No one can go home until you determine who is infected. Everyone is desperate to leave, but no one is willing to give another sample. Your wing of the station is placed under lockdown until the host is found: violence ensues..

Sei

Synopsis Prompt

In an apocalyptic world, an insane billionaire runs the city. Your character has committed a crime by his standards and has been sentenced to death, but they wake up the morning after their execution. So they are executed again and the process repeats. Death and awakening over and over. It becomes a sport for the man to have them killed, but during the day the character forms strange relationships with the others in his estate.

I actually started one based on number 3, but kept re-writing it over and over and never finished it. So go nuts!

I know it’s tough to get motivated when the weather is (occasionally) nice or you come home from a long day at the office and just need a break. I feel you, I really do. It’s the end of tax season and I work at an accounting office and on top of all the last minute tax returns, we also have financial statements and other documents out the wazoo! When I get home, I want to shovel in some dinner, drink an iced coffee and then enjoy a cup of tea while mass murdering orcs.

And I can still do that too. Just not as much as I would like. The orc kill count is going to be lower than my word count this month, but I will have a greater sense of accomplishment for sure!