writing inspiration

40 Days of 3 Questions – Day 22

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 22 Questions:

  1. Are any of your characters based on real people?
  2. Why that person?
  3. What is different and alike between character and real person?

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

And here is today’s pretty picture:

sprint club at PW
Some real people who sprint every morning–and they are all characters, too!

40 Days of 3 Questions – Day 21

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 21 Questions:

  1. Do you generally write stories with open or closed endings?
  2. As a reader, do you have a preference for open or closed endings?
  3. If you’ve written an open-ending story, why did you make that choice?

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

And here is today’s pretty picture:

snow leaf
A leaf in the snow–where could this story go?

40 Days of 3 Questions – Day 20

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 20 Questions 

  1. Do you have an internal editor?
  2. Is this editor a critic or a champion?
  3. Can you shut off the critic and listen to the champion?

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

And here is today’s pretty picture:

joan-of-arc-saved-france-women-of-america-save-your-country-buy-war-savings-stamps-haskell-coffin
Jeanne d’Arc

 

40 Days of 3 Questions – Day 19

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 19 Questions 

  1. In your current project, is any character (other than a killer) keeping a secret?
  2. How does this secret affect the plot or the character’s arc?
  3. How are you using this secret to create drama?

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

And here is today’s pretty picture:

VCCA bird 1
“a little bird told me”

40 Days of 3 Questions – Day 18

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 18 Questions 

  1. Do you ever read your work in public–literary readings, open mic, etc.?
  2. Are you comfortable reading in public?
  3. Would you like to do more, less, the same amount of public readings?

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

And here is today’s pretty picture:

preview
Designing postcards–my idea of fun!

40 Days of 3 Questions – Day 17

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 17 Questions 

  1. What is your most comfortable narrative voice as a writer?
  2. Is it natural or practiced?
  3. Do you write in different narrative voices for different projects?

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

And here is today’s pretty picture:

hello
It’s a carton of water. Odd, but at least it’s friendly.

40 Days of 3 Questions – Day 16

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 16 Questions 

  1. Does your current project require suspense?
  2. Is the danger in the story external, internal, or both?
  3. How do maintain fear or tension in your current project?

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

And here is today’s pretty picture:

creek
Not pretty, but certainly atmospheric: the creek behind my home with muddy rushing water and a mist in the distance.

40 Days of 3 Questions – Day 15

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 15 Questions 

  1. Does your protagonist have a clear character arc in the story?
  2. What is his/her status quo in the opening?
  3. What is his/her new normal at the end of the story?

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

And here is today’s pretty picture:

Paper mill road park
A character’s journey can lead anywhere. What’s on the other side of the bridge? I didn’t know until I went there.

40 Days of 3 Questions – Day 14

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 14 Questions

1. When did you write your first story?

2. Did you read or tell it to anyone?

3. Is there a story you’ve always wanted to write but never have (so far)?

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

And here is today’s pretty picture:

Book shelf
My bookcase. One of them, anyway!

40 Days of 3 Questions – Day 13

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 13 Questions

  1. What works are similar to your current project?
  2. How is yours alike and different?
  3. What one book/story would you hold up as the most like your current project?

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

And here is today’s pretty picture:

snow globe
My Pride & Prejudice snowglobe