Skip to main content

Writing on Writing Prompts

By 24/02/2010March 13th, 2016Uncategorized, writing ideas

A large percentage of my writing comes from writing exercises and writing prompts.

Something about writing at random about nothing at all triggers off various associations which would have never got together had I not let my mind roam free with the prompt its only anchor.

Lately, I’ve taken to writing from photographs, most of which I have taken. It is fun to go back to my own memories of the moment the picture was taken, write those, and then write about the same setting from the point of view of a character I’m creating in a story at the time.

This picture was taken on one of my many trips to Malaysia’s fantastic beaches, and I enjoyed reliving the warm water splashing against my ankles, the wet sand between my toes, the breeze on my arms, the blinding sunlight and that blue, blue spread of the ocean.

Have you ever tried writing based on one of your old pictures? Relived memories? What did it feel like?

Please join Daily (w)rite on its Facebook Page if you’d like to be heard by this community. If you liked this post, you can have biweekly posts delivered to your inbox: click the SUBSCRIBE button in the sidebar.

Damyanti Biswas

Damyanti Biswas is the author of You Beneath Your Skin and numerous short stories that have been published in magazines and anthologies in the US, the UK, and Asia. She has been shortlisted for Best Small Fictions and Bath Novel Awards and is co-editor of the Forge Literary Magazine. Her literary crime thriller series, the Blue Mumbai, is represented by Lucienne Diver from The Knight Agency. Both The Blue Bar and The Blue Monsoon were published in 2023.

I appreciate comments, and I always visit back. If you're having trouble commenting, let me know via the contact form, or tweet me up @damyantig !

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

3 Comments

  • Damyanti says:

    Hi Hsin-Li, so lovely to see you here…welcome to my blog, and now I have another added reason to keep updating it.

    It is basically my reading/ writing journal of sorts, and sometimes I share writing advice.

    I don't think I'm an inspiration, most times I juggle quite a few apples and manage to drop one or two every now and then. But I'm blessed with a very understanding husband, so life is not as difficult as it could have been.

    Thanks for visiting, and let's keep in touch. Of course I am on face book, but I am not searchable. If you point out which of the Hsin-li profiles on FB is you though, I'll happily friend you!

    Happy writing, and hope to catch up with you soon…

  • Hsin says:

    Hi Damyanti, this is Hsin-Li – we met at last weekend's workshop. I wanted to say it was a pleasure to meet you. You are a real inspiration. I want so much to write, but have so little discipline to write. I remembered what you said about using that 10 minutes it takes to cook pasta to do a little writing and I'm inspired now. Hopefully I can take this a little further. Looking forward to seeing new material from you. I may not comment often, but you can rest assured I'm trawling around. Take care and good luck! Hsin-Li

    P.S. I have a blog, but I've been losing steam for a while now to keep it updated. Still, I do try once in a long while. You can find me at petridish.wordpress.com. Are you on Facebook?

  • lotusgirl says:

    That water is gorgeous. I like this idea. I should probably do it. I think it would make my writing more vivid.