Happy Monday! Starting today, you’ll not only see motivation in my Monday posts, but also a writing prompt you can use throughout the week.
This week’s writing prompt: Snow.
The point is to think outside the box for this one; I’d love to see something totally unique and unexpected. If you write a story based on this writing prompt, I want to read and/or reblog it! You can post the link in the comments below or email it to me here! As for me, you’ll see my “snow” story on Wednesday.
I sort of already used this writing prompt with my recent story “First Cold,” which actually inspired today’s prompt. I wanted to write something wintry in a sci-fi environment, so I figured: why not red snow? But the story wasn’t as easy to write as I’d first intended. First of all, it got way longer than a little flash fiction story. The characters seemed to grow on their own. And though I liked where the story was going, I didn’t expect it to take nearly as long as it did.
It gets even harder to put so much effort into a story when no one has read the past two I posted. Why bother? I think. The story may be fun, but if no one reads it, what’s the point? So, I struggled to finish “First Cold.” I put it off again and again, not wanting to face what felt like a failure. Even after putting my all into my stories, it seemed like no one cared. What made this one any different?
Eventually, I had to pull the story back out again because, as discouraged as I was, I couldn’t leave the characters hanging. I wrapped it up and finished after several hours. I stared at the document and wondered if it would be doomed to sit unread like so many others. So far, it has. But that’s not the point.
The point is potential and growth. Potential means that maybe no one is reading the story now, but what if, one day, someone comes along and experiences pure joy from reading it? Even if it’s not their favourite story ever, the fact that it brought them happiness, that it made them feel something or taught them something…that’s important to me. Growth means that I grow and learn from every story I write. “First Cold” taught me about descriptions and the pacing of “quieter” stories. Even if no one ever reads it, I took away valuable lessons from it.
And even if no one else gets enjoyment out of it, I do. I love the story, and maybe that’s all it takes.
So don’t get stuck, no matter how many or how few read your stories. Discover writing for writing’s sake. Of course, we all want people to read the things we spend so much time putting together, but there’s freedom in realising that your stories still matter, even if no one else reads them – because they matter to you.
So let’s get writing, and don’t forget about the prompt for this week. If you do share your story with me, you’re guaranteed at least one reader!
Happy writing!
E.J.
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When you write as much as I do, you have to take frequent breaks from sitting. A standing desk (not a whole desk, but a mini desk that will sit on top of my current desk with my laptop, keyboard, and mouse and extend upward) will allow me to continue working while maintaining that good blood flow to my brain. Thank you so much for your support that allows me to keep producing free content. God bless you! ♥️ E.J.
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E.J. Robison 