1. Write a story with a headstrong, take no shit character pushed to work with a lazy, well to do, annoying character by forces outside of their control

2. Write a story set during the worst storm in history in the most beautiful place to ever exist where people have never dealt with such an experience

3. Write a story where a couple must go on an epic journey that requires them to confront all of the things they hate about each other

4. Write a story about a character raised to believe in something so strongly they can hardly separate themselves from it until something unexpected forces them to do just that

5. Write a story with two estranged siblings who must band together to fulfill their individual goals and confront the thing terrible event that drove them apart in the first place

Yes it is winter still im just tired of it

1. a walk on a brisk morning, ice frosted windows, a bouquet of flowers from a farmer’s market

2. distant bird song that wakes a character in an unsavory place, April showers, a character named May who betrays another

3. a picnic just before it’s warm enough, a love that blossoms like early spring flowers, a promise made in good faith

4. a bet for who can do something before the first flowers spring up, a robin with a worm, borrowing someone’s jacket

5. a gurgling fountain in a park, days that grow slowly longer, a time for moving on and fresh starts

1. “You can’t just make it disappear.”
“No, but I can make myself disappear.”

2. “What the hell is that?”
“Don’t worry, it’s not staying for dinner.”

3. “Am I missing something? Why does he want you dead?”

4. “She came back.”
“From the west?”
“From the dead.”

5. “Say, whatever happened to you and I?”

6. “I can never go back.”

7. “Do you ever wonder what would’ve happened to us if we hadn’t be tossed in prison together?”
“Well, we wouldn’t be back here now would we?!”

8. “I wish we could start over.”

9. “The docks, half past midnight, bring a weapon.”

10. “You can’t just do things like that! I thought you were dead!”
“Yeah? And I thought we were a team!”

1. “Well if you aren’t going then why should I?” 

2. “You forget yourself. Are you a prince or a poor man? You have decisions to make, I suggest you make them soon or risk the future of your kingdom.” 

3. “Mom and dad didn’t say you were coming.” 
“They didn’t know.” 

4. “I came to you because you’re supposed to be the best. Am I mistaken?” 
“Unfortunately for you, no.” 

5. “Are you from around here?” 
“No, I arrived today. With the other survivors.” 

1. a blizzard, a bucket list, soul searching 

2. a theme of loneliness, a stray cat, flickering gas station lights 

3. a falling out of love story, an open window, something broken 

4. a swing set, a supernatural experience, a character who is lost 

5. a garden, a magic key, a child of warring parents 

1. “Don’t tell me what to do! It’s mycurse.” 

2. “Oh, just kick me off this cliff! It would be merciful at this point!” 
“I can’t do that my liege, I was charged with-” 
“With keeping me alive, yes, I am aware.” 

3. “I thought you’d be scarier.” 
“Excuse me?” 
“Well, I don’t know. I just thought, ‘reclusive vampire who lives on a mountain, he’s probably scary’ and … .” 
“And?” 
“And taller. I thought you’d be taller.” 

4. “Your mother always loved you best in red.” 
“Yes, well my mother also always loved me best in prison so I think I’ll go with the blue.” 

5. “Well? What are you waiting for?” 
“I thought this was gonna be the moment where you confess your undying love for me before I run into the thick of the battle where I’ll probably be martyred? Or did I read the moment wrong.” 
“You read the moment wrong. Go!” 

Write a story including a set of three things

1. a grey sky, a farm, a broken fence 

2. a magical item, a middle schooler, a pawn shop 

3. a letter without a return address, a stockbroker with a dark secret, a curse of a family who really deserves it 

4. two opposing organized crime families, a silver coin, a painting 

5. a garden, a talking bird, a shattered window 

6. an ill parent, an after school job, a suspicious person 

7. a shopping mall, time travel, bells chiming 

8. a warm fire, a traveler seeking shelter for the night, a deal to be settled in blood 

9. reincarnation, a spell that goes wrong, a smashed vase 

10. footprints, fog, a bus 

1. “Who the hell do you think you are?” 

2. “I didn’t want you! I didn’t want any of this! You should have left well enough alone.” 

3. “Are you still there?” “Of course. I’ll always be here.” 

4. “We have a visitor.” “A visitor?” “They are waiting at the door?” “What are you talking about? Who’s here?” “A visitor.” 

5. “Well, you haven’t changed, have you?” 

6. “Arson is not an acceptable coping mechanism.” 

7. “Don’t go in there! Don’t! He’s there, he’s back, he’s coming for us!” 

8. “I got you that. For your 17th birthday, do you remember?” 

9. “I did this for us!” 

10. “If you want to go back I won’t stop you. But I am never setting foot in that city again so help me god.” 

1. apples, an accomplice, an articulate character 

2. a bacchanal, a backstabbing, a book 

3. a curiosity shop, a calico cat, a calendar 

4. a daisy, a dime, a dance 

5. an earthquake, an early morning, an Easter lily 

6. a fable, fainting, a false alarm 

7. a distant galaxy, a game, a garden 

8. a habit, a hero, a home remedy 

9. an isle, an idealistic character, an imposter 

10. a joke gone wrong, a jar of something precious, a jogger 

11. a knife, a kid, a kite 

12. a lost family heirloom, a letter, a lonely old man 

13. mac and cheese, a myth, a musty old attic 

14. a nagging sibling, a nap, a nighttime walk 

15. an open door, an oak tree, an old key 

16. a poem, a penknife, a pocket that seems endless 

17. a quest, a quitter, a queen 

18. a roaming cat, a romcom, a radio 

19. a snake, a spy, sand 

20. a table, a toothache, a tabby cat 

21. multiple universes, a university for the strange and dangerous, a urn 

22. a vegetarian, West Virginia, a vet 

23. a windy night, a wobbly desk, a wedding 

24. a xanthic flower, a xylophone, a xeric environment (idk folks) 

25. a young girl, a yellow scarf, a yawning cat 

26. a zoo, a zero, a zigzag 

1. “I tracked him into the forest, lost him at the creek, I’m sorry sir … he’s gone.” 

2. “I’m not looking for trouble, mister.” 

3. “Have you ever thought anything through in your life?!” 

4. “I know better than to mess with them. If you want this job done you better find someone else and they better be as dumb as a box of rocks.” 

5. “This wasn’t the deal!” 

6. “Let me help him, please!” 

7. “After the incident well, everyone thought they would be too ashamed to show their faces in town ever again, we figured they would leave. We were only half right. They’ve been holed up in that mansion of theirs out in the woods for the past thirty years, I haven’t seen them since the funeral.” 

8. “This city … it’s like it’s alive.” “Something isn’t right here. I want to go home.” 

9. “And what exactly makes you think I’m gonna hop on this crazy plan of yours?” “Don’t you remember? You owe me.” 

10. “Forget about them. That’s an order.” 

1. a lantern, a boat, a foggy night 

2. a new planet, a government with a shady side project, a wayward pilot 

3. a tense family reunion, a book deal, a painting 

4. a sick child, a car, a town deep in the mountains 

5. a reserved and mysterious neighbor, a pet bird, a town mystery 

6. a party, a proposal, a stamp 

7. a diary, a suitcase, a ticket out of the city 

8. a clock that’s never right, a forest, a cottage 

9. a mad scientist, a swing set, a window 

10. a bus ride, headphones, time travel 

1. “Try that again, I dare you.” 

2. “Don’t look at me like that I didn’t ask to be the savior in the prophecy!” 

3. “I won’t apologize. I did what I had to do to protect my family.” 

4. “This wasn’t the plan!” 

5. “You sure do spend a lot of time out here.” 

6. “Stop it! I can’t just forget what you said! Nothing is the same between us stop acting like it is! How am I just supposed to go back to acting like normal after last night?” 

7. “I swear to god if you ruin this for me-” “I know, I know, you’ll kill me, no one will ever find my body, blah blah blah.” 

8. “If it weren’t for you maybe none of this ever would have happened! Did you ever think of that? Maybe mom would still be alive!” 

9. “I just wish things could have turned out differently between us, you know?” 

10. “Wherever you go I’ll follow.” 

- a quiet place, someone with a secret, something red

- high-heeled boots, a stolen item, a covert deal

- a business card, a devil in disguise, a poor decision

- a ghost light, an empty promise, footsteps walking away

- a library, a secret meeting, a phrase in Latin

- a playground at night, an exchange, a pair of watching eyes

- a photograph, a message, a tarot reading

- a fire, a masquerade, an escape

1. “Wait here!” 

“You know I’m not going to do that.” 

2. “Who are you? What are you doing here?” 

“To be completely honest I was going to rob you but it seems you and I have bigger issues to settle.” 

3. “Officers, you have to understand, we were dumb grad students. We had no idea what we had created we just knew that no one could ever know.” 

“And have you heard from him lately?” 

“No. No, I haven’t seen or spoken to him since the incident.” 

4. “You have no idea what you’re getting yourself into!” 

“Well maybe if you and dad hadn’t kept so many secrets I wouldn’t have to get myself into anything!” 

5. “Just rest. Everything’s okay. You’re safe now.” 

“But I have to get to-” 

“Shh, rest. You can’t save the world in this state.” 

“Why are you helping me? I don’t trust you.” 

“I know.” 

1. a dwindling candle, a character being followed by a monster, a secret passage way 

2. missing pieces of memory, a lullaby, rain in the city 

3. a broken clock, a fortune teller, an invisible bird 

4. letters from an unknown sender, a subway car, flickering lights 

5. a magnifying glass that reveals another world, an unwanted gift, a quest 

6. a rumor, an umbrella, a city split by rival gangs of witches 

7. a forest that seems alive, a chain, a baby 

8. a boat, a spy, a poisoned drink 

9. street lamps on rain damp streets, bells tolling in the distance, a character with a broken heart 

10. a story that becomes real, a lonely old man, a bottle of wine 

1. “I’m starting to think you might not have told me the whole truth.” 

2. “I don’t work for you anymore.” 

“No, but you are in desperate need of money–oh, don’t give me that look, I have ears everywhere. Listen, if you want to have any hope of finding your brother, do one last job with me, I promise, I’ll make it worth your time.” 

3. “Do you still think about her?” 

“Your mom? Honey, I think about her every day.” 

4. “How long has it been like this?” 

5. “Don’t even think about it! We had a deal–goddammit, wait for me!” 

6. “I swear to god, I will burn your kingdom down.” 

7. “You are the last of your bloodline and thus, this responsibility falls to you.” 

8. “Have you talked to him?” 

“Not since the incident.” 

9. “He was one of the greatest writers of his time. His treasure, his game, it’s like his last story but instead of reading it, he left it for us to live.” 

10. “Don’t get any ideas.” 

“Too late!” 

Hey Sparks! Mod Ellie here with a short music-based writing exercise.

- hit shuffle on your music library.

- listen to the first song that comes up for anything that sparks inspiration. It can be a specific lyric, the mood the song evokes, a character the song inspires, a setting in which you would hear the song – anything.

- write a short story based on the inspiration you found in the song.