Beat February Blahs with Writing Prompts
Prompt 15
Escape those February blahs with some writing prompts.
For people who live in dark places, cold places, or discouraging weather places, February can be a month of lethargy. January is often a big month for depression and “the blues” after the rush of the holiday season that seems to last from Halloween to New Year’s, even though January often begins with a desire for a fresh start.
But in places with inclement weather, that exuberance can face smack down after smackdown as you’re too cold, too hot, can’t start the car, you’re snowed in, or maybe it never stops raining, and you’ve not seen the sun in weeks. You wonder if maybe you are in a simulation, and they are testing your patience to the very core. Lethargy and depression might return. Distraction. Why bother? And writer’s block. That elusive creature called Writer’s Block that is different for everyone and visits can last a day or decades.
Sometimes to snap out of our lethargy, our Writer’s Block, our procrastination, we just need a nudge in a different direction. Sometimes seeing something from a different angle or thinking about something in a different manner can shift our thinking.
It occurred to me that maybe for the month of February, each day I will post a picture with no comment. And you can use them as prompts.
Unleash your mind and see what words appear on the screen!
The pictures can evoke emotion. Maybe the colour makes you think of something. Perhaps the figure in the picture has a story to tell.
You might write a story, a poem, a novel.
You could start at the beginning of the month and write a bit every day and end up with a story or an outline.
Everyone will see and experience a writing prompt photo in their own way.
There is no right or wrong.
This is not genre-specific. If you like to write horror, write horror. If you like to write romance, write romance. There are no rules.
Just write about what the photo says to you.
I’ll have this same information up every day of the month for the month of February with a different photo every day for the prompt.
All of the photos are copyrighted by Sèphera Girón and may not be used without written permission.
Feel free to share your thoughts, ideas, and even snippets of your inspirations in the comments!
"What the hell are these purple flowers in the salad?" Frank asked.
Or rather, he whined.
In fact, everything Frank said, basically came out as some sort of a mewling complaint.
For the million-millionth time, I asked myself just what the hell had I seen in the man, that warranted marrying him.
"They are morning glory petals," I replied. "I know you like to be all environmentally whole earth at the dinner table. Morning glory are quite edible. I found this recipe in a cookbook. Just try it. They are a little peppery. You'll like it."
I sat there and watched him gulp the salad down, petals and all.
He always gulped his salad.
In fact, he hated salad, but his mother had told him that he always needed to eat a salad with his supper, so even though his hatefully domineering queen-bitch of a mother had passed away in mid-tantrum, over a decade ago, Frank still tried to follow her instructions.
I smiled while he ate.
"Aren't you going to eat your salad?" he asked.
"I will," I said. "But I always like to watch you eat."
That wasn't true, but Frank didn't argue.
He ate the salad up.
Then he went to the living room and turned on the television to whatever channel men were playing with balls on.
Shortly after he fell asleep.
He didn't wake up.
I knew he wouldn't.
The salad HAD been edible.
The almond dressing, with added cyanide, was a whole other story.