writing exercises

40 Days of 3 Questions – Day 11

by Ramona DeFelice Long

Welcome to 40 Days of 3 Questions!

For the next few weeks, meet here every morning with a notebook or document to answer three questions about writing, about your status quo as a writer, or about the writing life. You can answer briefly and go about your day, or you can use this as a warm up exercise before your regular writing schedule. Whatever works for you, works for me.

Day 11 Questions

  1. What is your daily writing habit?
  2. What works for you about this habit?
  3. What is not working and why?

You may post answers in comments or keep your thoughts private–your choice!

And here is today’s pretty picture:

writing habit
My morning set up: coffee, journal & pen, laptop. Wait–where’s my biscotti?

40 Days of 3 Questions – Day 10

by Ramona DeFelice Long

Welcome to 40 Days of 3 Questions!

For the next few weeks, meet here every morning with a notebook or document to answer three questions about writing, about your status quo as a writer, or about the writing life. You can answer briefly and go about your day, or you can use this as a warm up exercise before your regular writing schedule. Whatever works for you, works for me.

Day 10 Questions 

  1. What is your strongest skill as a writer?
  2. What are your weaker areas?
  3. What are you doing to show off or strengthen these skills?

You may post answers in comments or keep your thoughts private–your choice!

And here is today’s pretty picture:

Be awesome
Know your strengths and don’t be afraid to wield them!

40 Days of 3 Questions – Day 9

by Ramona DeFelice Long

Welcome to 40 Days of 3 Questions!

For the next few weeks, meet here every morning with a notebook or document to answer three questions about writing, about your status quo as a writer, or about the writing life. You can answer briefly and go about your day, or you can use this as a warm up exercise before your regular writing schedule. Whatever works for you, works for me.

Day 9 Questions

  1. What is the first line of your current project?
  2. What subtext or hints about the story ahead does this line carry?
  3. What do you want the reader to consider or wonder after reading this opening?

You may post answers in comments or keep your thoughts private–your choice!

And here is today’s pretty picture:

I don't even know
The only way to know what’s inside a book is to read it!

40 Days of 3 Questions – Day 8

by Ramona DeFelice Long

Welcome to 40 Days of 3 Questions!

For the next few weeks, meet here every morning with a notebook or document to answer three questions about writing, about your status quo as a writer, or about the writing life. You can answer briefly and go about your day, or you can use this as a warm up exercise before your regular writing schedule. Whatever works for you, works for me.

Day 8 Questions

  1. In your current project, is any part based on facts–a real person, crime, event?
  2. Do you stick to the facts or bend them?
  3. Does using a real person/crime/event constrain your writing or help to shape it?

You my post answers in comments or keep your thoughts private–your choice!

And here is today’s pretty picture:

vcca-horses
Horses sitting in the sun. Really happened.

40 Days of 3 Questions – Day 7

by Ramona DeFelice Long

Welcome to 40 Days of 3 Questions!

For the next few weeks, meet here every morning with a notebook or document to answer three questions about writing, about your status quo as a writer, or about the writing life. You can answer briefly and go about your day, or you can use this as a warm up exercise before your regular writing schedule. Whatever works for you, works for me.

Day 7 Questions

  1. In your current project, how is your protagonist tested?
  2. Is this challenge internal, external, or both?
  3. Will this test leaving a lasting mark on the character when the drama is over?

You may post answers in comments or keep your thoughts private–your choice!

And here is today’s pretty picture:

she needed a hero
A wonderful friend gave me this card. Sometimes a person–or a character–has to be a hero of her own making.

 

40 Days of 3 Questions – Day 6

by Ramona DeFelice Long

Welcome to 40 Days of 3 Questions!

For the next few weeks, meet here every morning with a notebook or document to answer three questions about writing, about your status quo as a writer, or about the writing life. You can answer briefly and go about your day, or you can use this as a warm up exercise before your regular writing schedule. Whatever works for you, works for me.

Day 6 Questions

  1. Do you know the ending of your current project, or with each project?
  2. Do you need to know the outcome when you begin writing so you can write toward it, or does the story’s end come organically as you write?
  3. Have you ever changed a story’s original ending?

You may post answers in comments or keep your thoughts private–your choice!

And here is today’s pretty picture:

Zoltar
This is Zoltar, a mechanical fortune teller who lives on the Boardwalk at Rehoboth Beach. Maybe he knows your story ending!

 

40 Days of 3 Questions – Day 5

by Ramona DeFelice Long

Welcome to 40 Days of 3 Questions!

For the next few weeks, meet here every morning with a notebook or document to answer three questions about writing, about your status quo as a writer, or about the writing life. You can answer briefly and go about your day, or you can use this as a warm up exercise before your regular writing schedule. Whatever works for you, works for me.

Day 5 Questions:

  1. What is the time and place of your current project?
  2. What do you hope a reader will discover or consider about this setting?
  3. Did you select this setting to fit a plot or vice versa?

You may post answers in comments or keep your thoughts private–your choice!

And here is today’s pretty picture:

francis in snow
This is a photo of a peaceful place, after an unexpected snow.

 

40 Days of 3 Questions, Day 4

by Ramona DeFelice Long

Welcome to 40 Days of 3 Questions!

For the next few weeks, meet here every morning with a notebook or document to answer three questions about writing, about your status quo as a writer, or about the writing life. You can answer briefly and go about your day, or you can use this as a warm up exercise before your regular writing schedule. Whatever works for you, works for me.

Day 4 Questions:

  1. When you write, do you think about readers?
  2. Do you have an imaginary perfect reader? If yes, what is  he/she like?
  3. What does this imaginary perfect reader want from you?

You may post answers in comments or keep your thoughts private–your choice!

And here is today’s pretty picture:

imaginary reader
This is a soul collage, but also my imaginary perfect reader. She looks nice, doesn’t she?

40 Days of 3 Questions – Day 3

by Ramona DeFelice Long

Welcome to 40 Days of 3 Questions!

For the next few weeks, meet here every morning with a notebook or document to answer three questions about writing, about your status quo as a writer, or about the writing life. You can answer briefly and go about your day, or you can use this as a warm up exercise before your regular writing schedule. Whatever works for you, works for me.

Day 3 Questions:

  1. Do you participate in any writing communities?
  2. What benefits have you gained from your community?
  3. What do you give back?

You may post answers in comments or keep your thoughts private–your choice!

And here is today’s pretty picture:

Biden Center tribe
My Delaware writing tribe.

40 Days of 3 Questions – Day 2

by Ramona DeFelice Long

Welcome to 40 Days of 3 Questions!

For the next few weeks, meet here every morning with a notebook or document to answer three questions about writing, about your status quo as a writer, or about the writing life. You can answer briefly and go about your day, or you can use this as a warm up exercise before your regular writing schedule. Whatever works for you, works for me.

Day 2 Questions:

  1. What is your current writing project?
  2. What parts of this project are a joy, and why?
  3. What parts of this project drive you batty, and why?

You may post answers in comments or keep your thoughts private–your choice!

And here is today’s pretty picture:

VCCA installation path
Do you ever go on thinking walks? Just like writing a story, sometimes it’s hard to make out what’s ahead until you get there.