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Day Six (of Seven)
By: Nancy Colasurdo
Tags: Series, Sales, Life Coaching, Writing, Writing Prompts

I frequently use writing prompts in my teaching and coaching. In fact, when the pandemic lockdown began in the Northeast, I had a regular weekly group and later developed a course under the umbrella of Prompted Expression. In the spirit of sparking my own creativity and getting ideas for my students and clients, I’ve decided to write from a prompt for seven consecutive days and share the results. The prompts are from a deck of cards called Actually Curious.

Writing Prompt Six: Name one thing that makes you nervous or uncomfortable and explain why.

I was at a networking event with a close male friend once. We met a guy who sold real estate in our town and he struck up a conversation. My friend mentioned he was going to be looking for a home soon. The realtor guy hired me as his life coach.

These all seemed like separate things to me on that evening over wine and appetizers. But a month or so into our coaching, the realtor mentioned my husband talking about buying a house. As I told him I wasn’t married, I suddenly made the connection — he thought my friend was my husband and that “we” were going to need a realtor. It was clear from the light dawning on his face that that was why he’d hired me as his coach.

I found it funny.

Sales. Selling.

That mindset. I don’t have it, for the most part. It makes me uncomfortable. Perhaps I don’t want it because I hate being sold to. It feels slick.

I have often wondered how this has worked against me in business. When I worked for media companies — newspapers or major network websites — all the selling was done by the marketing and public relations departments. Readership numbers weren’t my problem.

However, as an independent contractor, who’s going to sell me but me? Every facet of my work, whether writing, coaching or teaching, needs to be sold so I can keep a steady client base, get eyes on my columns, and fill my classes. What to do when being salesy (read: artificial, aggressive) is such a turn-off?

On the best days the answer is to keep being authentic, open, vulnerable, inquisitive and consistent. Word gets out. It spreads. It sells, hopefully.

I don’t know where this strong aversion to sales comes from. Being encroached upon has never been a joy for me.

And yet, my mind drifts to walking into a boutique and building a seller-customer relationship there. Enough of one where the discomfort melts away and becomes about trust based on familiarity, listening, and keen observation skills.

Selling, ideally, is an art form, a way of getting us to see ourselves using or wearing what we are being sold. There’s a host on QVC who I always joke could sell me sand in the desert. It’s because of her storytelling. I see myself with the smooth skin from the fancy product made of the most natural ingredients, wearing the chic suede boots to a gallery, rocking the trendy duster on a cool fall day.

That doesn’t feel slick. It feels like a good fit. A reminder that sales and selling can be organic and beneficial and uplifting.

Next up … read Day Seven (of Seven).
Secrets in the Ice
By: Josh Petersen
Tags: Thriller, Centina, Fiction, Quick Reads, Writing Prompts

Secrets in the Ice

Photo taken on unsplash.com by Alex Hawthorne

“Daddy, did you check it already?” Ashley asked eagerly.

Beau was cozied up with his wife when his daughter entered, “Yes, baby girl. I checked.”

“And?!?” Ashley pressed, holding up her skates.

“And… it’s thick enough. Lace up and let’s go,” Beau kissed his wife, “See you in a bit,” and grabbed his skates.
Hi Jill Kelley, you’ve been added as a writer. Our latest prompt is below — deadline is roundabout Thursday 7 PM CEST. https://medium.com/microcosm/weekly-writing-prompt-revolution-303959b5e6e3 Word…
By: Zane Dickens
Tags: Flash Fiction, Fiction, Writing, Microcosm, Writing Prompts

Welcome to Microcosm!

Hi Jill Kelley, you’ve been added as a writer.

Our latest prompt is below — deadline is roundabout Thursday 7 PM CEST.

Word limit is a strict 100 this week. Good luck — looking forward to your stories!
New Year, Renewed You — 21 Questions to Get You Ready for 2021
By: Coco Lily
Tags: Reflections, 2020, New Year Resolution, New Year, Writing Prompts

It’s that time of year to reflect, reset, recharge, and renew our lifetime subscription on this Earth for another lap around the sun.

Create some time for yourself to be introspective with this end-of-year reflection and new year intention-setting exercise below—light a candle to ignite your fire. Be specific, be descriptive, and have some fun with it.

It might be safe to say 2020 was not exactly our year, but we can only hope the future will be more kind to us. The new year is just another new day. Coronavirus isn’t going to magically disappear at the stroke of midnight on New Year’s Eve.

The feeling of a clean slate and a fresh start the new year brings is always incredible. Everyone is in high spirits, jumping onto the “new year, new me” train, but how about we shift the need to “fix ourselves” into just accepting that we are *evolving* and what a wonderful process that truly is…

We can change our minds about something in a matter of seconds, but nothing actually happens overnight. Resolutions are deeply rooted in self-criticism. We waste so much time being our own worst critics instead of building ourselves up.

Imagine planting seeds to produce a beautiful harvest. What does it look like? What does it feel like? Let’s focus on qualities we want to see develop in ourselves instead of setting goal-oriented resolutions. Share this exercise with everyone you love and want to see grow. Answer as many as you’d like. Choose your own adventure(s).

21 writing prompts to welcome in 2021:
The boring writing prompts on Medium.
By: Pretheesh Presannan
Tags: Short Read, Humor, Funny, Writing, Writing Prompts

The boring writing prompts on Medium.

Once an electrician started writing on Medium. Later, he even started a publication. It was named “Shock”.

He used to provide creative writing challenges for his beloved writers.

Some of his famous writing prompts were:

“Switch”, “Fuse”, “Wire”, “Insulation”, “Nose Plier”, “Voltage”, “Supply”, “Three Phase”, “Starter”, “Fan”, “Neutral”, “Earth”, “Capacitor”, “Screwdriver” etc.

The writers under that publication, “Shock”, celebrated the writing prompts with great joy. All of those writers who were depressed before joining the publication slowly began to find a new ray of hope.

Their lifes finally lightened up like a 1000 Watts bulb with his writing prompts.

Just for fun.

A simple way to improve self-worth is to get Din Dongding to clap for your story:
Reflect on the Past Year and Set Intentions for 2021 with These 10 Journal Prompts
By: Julia Appa
Tags: New Years Resolutions, Introspection, Journal, Life, Writing Prompts

Photo by cottonbro from Pexels

In 9 days 2020 is coming to an end and we will welcome the new year. This year there will be no big New Year’s Eve parties. We won’t go to clubs.

It’s gonna be a quiet transition.

Even if that’s not what we expected or wished for, this is okay. We can take this time of the year to reflect on the past year.

Our wins, our losses and everything in between.

Journaling is one of the greatest and yet most underrated tools that we have at our disposal to turn inwards and set our intentions.
The 100 Day Writing Project
By: Aditi Sarawagi
Tags: Writers Life, Writer, Writers On Medium, Writing, Writing Prompts

In the middle of last night, I remembered an article I had read some years ago regarding a writing project-writing 100 words everyday for 100 days-on anything you want to write about. Everyday, without fail, whether anyone reads it or not, whether you get anything out of it or not. No matter the obstructions in your path, no matter how late in the night or how early in the morning it gets, you have to punch out those 100 words every single day. I wasn’t “selected” for that project, but I realised what’s stopping me from doing it anyway? With the New Year popping open in less than 10 days, the idea of starting this from 1st seemed extremely lucrative, then again “jab jaago tabhi savera”. So here goes Day 1 of my 100 Day Writing Project. I hope to see you on the other side.
Once Again, I was Late for…
By: Terry L. Cooper
Tags: Illumination, Writer, Fiction, Writing, Writing Prompts

…my own funeral. Yes, mine. Yes, again. The first time was a fluke. Not me being late, but me being dead.

Let me explain.

Ya see I had been in the ICU for three weeks. I had been given last rites on day two. Took me a long time to die. Those idiots couldn’t find a heartbeat and pronounced me dead at 12:14 pm.

The only problem with that was that my heart rate was really low because of the infection and fever coursing through my body. Imagine the poor doc’s face when I came to in the morgue. So, I never made it to my funeral. A lot of lost deposits that day.

But this time was different though.

I was zipping along in my little blue Ford Mustang. I had the top down. It wasn’t like it was nice out or anything. Driving was my thing. That’s how I relaxed. A long winding road, my mind not 100% on my driving, a very deep curve, and…over the guard rail I went. That’s the last thing I remember.

Since then, I’ve been wandering around trying to figure out what the hell is going on. I see friends and family huddle in small groups whispering and crying. Flowers that would be any florist green with envy. And food? My God, who’s feeding what army around here?

No one will listen to me. I jump up and down. Talk loudly. Hell, I even scream. I hit people. Shove them. And nothing. No response whatsoever. If they’re trying to punish me for driving like an idiot — okay I get it. I should have been going slower. I should have been paying attention. But look at me. I’m fine.

Aren’t I?

Suddenly, everyone was staring at me. FINALLY. As I open my mouth to speak, everyone has a seat. I don’t recognize the room we’re in.

Just then a man in a suit and tie walked right through me and kept going. He stopped at the front of the room and turned around to face the crowd. He then began giving my eulogy.

The whole time I keep saying, “No, this is a mistake! Listen to me!” but no one does. I see the open casket behind the suited man. I figure if I walk up there and show them that it’s empty maybe they will snap out of it. I walk past the suited man and peer inside. If I hadn’t already been dead, I would have no doubt fainted.

It was me lying in the box looking better than I had ever looked alive.

Just then I let out a scream that shook the walls of hell, but no one heard.
What’s My Prompt? Day 21: Negro Solstice
By: Jeff J.
Tags: December 21, Creative Writing, Superpowers, Negro Solstice, Writing Prompts

It’s Negro Solstice

New York winters feel different

When you have powers
I cheated
By: Nichole Nichole
Tags: Six Word Story, Storytelling, Poets Unlimited, Poetry, Writing Prompts

Nichole Nichole deals with day to day Reality through Poetry and Self Expression. Her writing will motivate and inspire https://www.nicholenichole.com
Winter Spiral Day #22
By: Emily Willow
Tags: Writing Challenge, Winter Solstice, Writing Prompts

a WBC writing invitation series for the Winter Solstice

Just as the winter solstice is the shortest day, it is equally the longest night, and the longest window to look at the stars.

Write a luminous detail about your day, month, year (this can be a very small, everyday beauty). Ask several people, friends, family for their luminous moments, or imagine the luminous moment of someone who has passed on, a character in a book, the tree out your window. Collect several of these, and then trace the space between them.

Let each luminous moment consider the others, until an image, a narrative, a question, a tension emerges — write into it, and you’ll have yourself a luminous constellation.
Day Four (of Seven)
By: Nancy Colasurdo
Tags: Series, Life, Rape, Writing, Writing Prompts

I frequently use writing prompts in my teaching and coaching. In fact, when the pandemic lockdown began in the Northeast, I had a regular weekly group and later developed a course under the umbrella of Prompted Expression. In the spirit of sparking my own creativity and getting ideas for my students and clients, I’ve decided to write from a prompt for seven consecutive days and share the results. The prompts are from a deck of cards called Actually Curious.

Writing Prompt Four: Is there anything too serious to be joked about?

I have over 30 first cousins. While I’m not close to all of them, I have great affection for each one.

A few years ago, a cousin I’ve shared many laughs with over the years made a rape joke in a comment on one of my Facebook posts about something that was happening in the news. He made reference to a woman who he said was too ugly to be raped. I deleted the comment and unfriended him immediately.

It made me sad to do it, but because he’d said it publicly I would have been in a position to either defend or condemn him when the Facebook locusts swarmed. As well they should have. The comment was reprehensible.

I love dark humor, sometimes bordering on twisted. I laughed at a Halloween costume photo that went viral a few years ago that was a guy dressed as Bill Cosby with a cocktail and a dummy dressed as a passed-out woman attached to his back. I saw it as clever, as a statement.

Maybe that’s my line — mock the rapist, not the victim. Perhaps that’s still too cruel a line and I should rethink my standards.

Since #MeToo even my ability to watch certain things has changed. I recently turned off a movie just minutes into it because I felt uncomfortable with the consent dynamic in the first scene. And that wasn’t even supposed to be humorous.

Rape is serious. We’ve passed the point where there should be any question about it.

Next up … read Day Five (of Seven).
Thawing a Frozen Heart
By: James Finn
Tags: LGBTQ, Storytelling, Love, Writing Challenge, Writing Prompts

Writers, pens out!

It’s prompt time, and since I’m squinting out my kitchen window at dazzling snow and ice, what a great time to think about warmth and thawing.

This challenge might be a little more specific than usual, but let’s try it.

P&P’s new two-week prompt starts today

Let’s tell stories about “Thawing a Frozen Heart.” Fiction, nonfiction, poetry — you name it. Unrequited love blazes into passion? Why not! But that’s not all heart thawing means. What does it mean to you? I’m waiting to find out.

New to Prism and Pen?

Here are our submissions guidelines.

Alert! We now accept artist interviews and reviews (book, film, music, etc) of queer-focused art, and stories about art and artists.

Stories so far —

Esther Spurrill-Jones, BFoundAPen, Kathy Lee Tolleth, Brian Pelletier, Fred Shirley, Ikedi Oghenetega, neil chapman, David Wade Chambers, Artemis Shishir, alto, Sean Stephane Martin, Gabriela Penelope Carolus, Lois Shearing, b.henriques, Carl Rebeiro 🏳️‍🌈, Rodney Frazier, Simon, Carl Rebeiro, Brian Fehler, Deneishia Jacobpito, Chris Hedges, Ronald C. Flores-Gunkle, Kathy Lee Tolleth, Brian Pelletier, Alex David Bevan, Ikedi Oghenetega, David Wade Chambers, Sean Stephane Martin, Gabriela Penelope Carolus, Lois Shearing, Valentine Wiggin, b.henriques, Carl Rebeiro, Rodney Frazier, Simon Z. Brian Fehler, Cassie Brighter, Deneishia Jacobpito, Ronald C. Flores-Gunkle, James Patrick Nelson, Brigid Maloney, Gabriela, Presley Thomas, Evan McCoy, Loren Olson, Ken Wilson, Chandler Myer, NaNa’sworld, Arabelle J., Liam Heitmann-Ryce, Edis Rune, Prickly Pam, Dawn McGrath, Jonathan | sex & theology, Tabitha Lowndes, Emma Nwosisi, Melissa Speed, Dr. Thomas J. West, Till Kaeslin, Dave Smurthwaite, Ellie Rebecca, Zoey Milford, Edris Quinn C., Dennett, Michael Constable, Jim Martens, Stephen Foster, Kravitz M. Kristen Nadel, William Kuhn, Denisa Bogdan, MSci, Rafaela Mempin, Tre L. Loadholt, theoaknotes, Rachel Brindell, Elle Fredine, Jess Darnell, Emma Holiday, Gabe Evaristo, Joshua Mackey, Steve Alexander, Stevie Wilkinson, Andy Killoran, Nick Bundarin, ElMehdi El Azhary, Bradley Wester, Stella Luna (they/she?), Chuy G. Gonzalez, MS, Aaron W. Marrs, Tima Loku, Cam, The Transgender Therapist, Sean Bennett, Ty Bo Yule, Abbie Drake
Writing Prompt: Humble Warrior
By: Ren Powell - Mad Orphan Lit.
Tags: Creative Writing, Yoga, Meditation, Poetry Writing, Writing Prompts

A Meditative Approach to Your Creative Writing/A Creative Approach to Your Meditation Practice

Photo: Ren Powell

(Baddha Virabhadrasana)

When have you stood your ground

while bending to the wind

like a palm tree in a storm?

What were you defending?

What were you holding on to for strength?

What did you lose?

Would you do the same again?

When have you stood your ground

while bending in the wind

like a willow tree in a summer breeze?

What were you sheltering?

What were you holding on to?

What did you catch and hold in your branches?

What have you learned from the trade winds

blowing east to west through everything that is you?

And how have you guarded your occidental heart?
Meditation / Writing Prompts
By: Ren Powell - Mad Orphan Lit.
Tags: Creative Writing, Archive, Meditation, Writing Prompts, Poetry

Find an old prompt that takes your mind somewhere new

Photo: Ren Powell

The Nothing But Metta4 website archives are here.
Winter Spiral Day # 21
By: Stephanie Michele
Tags: Contemplation, Prompt, Writer, Writing, Writing Prompts

Winter Spiral Day # 21

Is there power in sitting with things that you dislike?

Make a list of 10 things that you don’t love. This can be anything from food, to colors, to activities, to sounds. Acquaint yourself with your distaste, contemplate.

Choose three items off your list. Research them.

Write a one-page essay about this meeting. What has it taught you? Can you empathize?
Creative Over Christmas
By: Sam H Arnold
Tags: Creativity, Competition, Inspiration, Writing Prompt, Writing

Like many other writers, I have decided to take a little break over the festive period. I never say I am not writing, because the bug can hit at any time, but I have no plans or schedules to keep. If you are like me, then you might like this little competition to keep you creative over Christmas.

To start 2021 off, I am running a writing competition, where the winner will be awarded a £20 gift card for Amazon. I am happy to change this to the currency of your country.

The rules are easy, write an article around the theme of ‘love in a pandemic.’ This can be fiction, non-fiction or poetry. It can also be any length that you wish. Microfiction is as welcome as a 15-minute post. You can also enter as many pieces as you wish, as long as the theme is there. The closing date for this is January 31st and I will inform the winners by 14th February.

Once you have written this piece you can publish it on any platform you wish. If you make money from Medium, that makes no difference to me. If you can’t find a publication for it, then consider my About Life publication, drop a message below if you want to be added as a writer. To keep it fair, I will not be editing any of these pieces, not through my publication or coaching package. You are also welcome, to publish these on your blogs or other social media, just leave me a link to find it.

To enter you need to be at least a £1 member of my Patreon. I will place a post on there where you can drop your links to the articles you are submitting. You can join for a month and then leave after entry, although I would prefer you stayed and enjoyed the other benefits. I would also really appreciate you sharing this competition, so more people enter.

Thank you

Finally, a massive thank you to everyone who has read my articles, offered words of encouragement and generally supported me. The writing community has become an intricate part of my life and I could not imagine not being here.

Writers are some of the most friendly, supportive people I have ever met. Happy Christmas and New Year to you all. I can’t wait to read all your amazing articles in 2021.
The December Song
By: Priyanka Srivastava
Tags: Cultural Prompt, Blue Insights, Poetry, Writing, Writing Prompts

CULTURAL PROMPT- “WHAT DOES DECEMBER MEAN TO YOU?”

The December Song

Photo by leonie on Unsplash

It is December but I am still stuck in January

my poems are waiting to breathe

there is a new clutter in my home

the unused masks, the loose masks and

the masks in the bin.

It is December but my heart is not ready

to be dazzled by the Christmas lights.

my poems are still sad, I am still searching

that window to escape.
Hi Rob Eggers, you’ve been added as a writer. Our latest prompt is below — deadline is roundabout Thursday 7 PM CEST. https://medium.com/microcosm/weekly-writing-prompt-revolution-303959b5e6e3 Word…
By: Zane Dickens
Tags: Flash Fiction, Fiction Writing, Writing Tips, Writing, Writing Prompts

Welcome to Microcosm!

Hi Rob Eggers, you’ve been added as a writer.

Our latest prompt is below — deadline is roundabout Thursday 7 PM CEST.

Word limit is a strict 100 this week — just like a Centina.

Looking forward to your stories.
How to start writing?
By: Lena Mora
Tags: Blog, Writing Tips, Writer, Writing, Writing Prompts

You probably are thinking what’s the best way to find motivation to finally start writing and share my art with others, right?

Well there’s many ways you can actually find motivation outside but the point always starts with if you are willing to unfold the motivation that comes from your within to experiment your role as a writer and to actually do the hard work it takes, when I say the “hard work” I mean the trouble you’re going to set yourself because jokes aside writing is not easy for people who haven’t tried writing ever in their life.

But seeing that you are trying to connect with this side of yours by reading this simple blog write or maybe you just want to challenge yourself with something new that is completely awesome from your side!

Now without further due this blog post will be simple yet useful since that is my main end point I want to achieve with those who get to read these words, here with some simple tips we can all relate I will be taking you to a whole new level if you haven’t already explored those in yourself you will thank me later when you get to experience the adventure on how beautiful writing is for your mental health and your daily life in general.

So here we go:

Write your emotions out

While existing in this generation of too many things we all tend to feel deeply the emotions that follow every issue we deal with in our daily lives but writing those emotions out in a realness level can help you highlight your skills on writing and usually those emotions will touch other people so why not connect this deeply with the people your aiming at.

2. Write everything

You have probably heard or read this too often that now it’s kind of boring and useless to even do that every time something travels in our mind but from my personal experience this is what helped me the most to get to enjoy it and connect with my deeper issues in another level while at the same time it felt so reliving to take things out and let it all go all by writing everything out even if you don’t take paper all the time with yourself you can use notes on your phone and vent it out every time you feel like something is troubling you or that you need to ease those emotions out.

3. Experiment with writing and don’t be shy about it

Use experimenting in private and never be shy about it since you are not already showing those writings to anyone but yourself, you may be a little unsure about posting them but in the long run practising and just writing about your real moment feelings will help you develop and more than often discover new things about yourself which is the best way to get to know yourself and what style of writing suits you the best.

Now, I know that writing is not easy but it’s not hard either when that’s something you enjoy doing and with this blog I wanted to get straight to the point with some simple but useful tips from my personal experience on how I managed to be better at writing and now I am just so fully in love with all of the experience this all got me and trust me you will love it too!
Get Creative … in under 3 minutes !
By: Isequaltoklasses Navneet
Tags: Creativity Hack, Writing Tips, Movies With Meaning, Creativity Tips, Writing Prompts

Judgement and Creativity are two different processes…It’s not possible to Judge and Create at the same time. Defer forming opinions until the end of the process.

Rod Junkins — The Art of Creative Thinking

Of all the advise I have gathered about creativity , I like this the best.

I take it so seriously that I don’t even look at the screen as I type the first draft. I keep punching the keyboard like a whatsapp GIF. No spelling corrections , no punctuation mark, no paragraphs , …Nothing stops me sir — as stopping is bad juju.

In my mind, I’m a pristine mountain stream gurgling with joy.

It’s only once the initial fury is over — that I invite the “super-ego” to take charge of the mess. But by then, I usually have what I was looking for. Or what I never intended!

movie screenshot

I am learning photography. For every photo I upload on Instagram — I shoot 20/30 photos. When I start clicking scene A — at times, a completely different angle B appears. And when I am editing , there are times when I discover a element C that was never supposed to be there. For example, a sunrise or an interesting passerby in the background . That surprise element C can give an entirely different perspective to the shot.

Trust this process for serendipity

Now if this true for photography —it’s true for writing too.

Type like a mad man…hoping that the “Id” will throw up some interesting stuff. And trust the process enough — so as to catapult you into an entirely different territory.

6 times out of 10 — you’ll have something interesting in hand .

Heck if it worked for Columbus — it’ll work for you too!
Winter Spiral Day #20
By: Amy Bobeda
Tags: Writing Challenge, Nature Writing, Birds, Women Writers, Writing Prompts

From November 30 until the Winter Solstice on December 21, 2020, Wisdom Body Collective is offering daily writing invitations to inspire your creative work during these darkening days. Join us in our journey and check in every day for each new invitation!

We invite you to share your process or outcomes along the way. We’ll be posting some of our favorites after completing the Spiral!
The whole Armoury
By: Chiugo Presh Igwegbe-Odum
Tags: Christian Living, Poetry Writing, Writing Prompts, Christian Poetry, Poetry

The whole Armoury

Ready the Chariots of fire !

Get me my belt of truth,

for I am at war, make it known.

Unfold this fight, my feet is ready

with the gospel shoes of peace.

Amidst this battle chaos,

First, I will calmly

drink the waters of words,

Then recheck my breast plated with

righteousness.

Handy is my shield of faith.

This war won't have my head

with the helmet of salvation.

And I won't cease from mental fight

Nor shall the sword of

the spirit sleep in my hands,

Until all things out and within me are in

obedience to Christ.
Everyone’s Writing Prompt Sucks
By: Hogan Torah
Tags: The Bad Influence, Inspiration, Humor, Writing Prompts, Poetry

Everyone’s Writing Prompt Sucks

Image author

I’m naturally a competitive person. Put my best writing up with the best in the world and you will see it belongs. What’s the best way to prove this? A contest.

Most writing competitions are a scam. Pay 30 bucks to enter a 100 word story up against other punters who were scammed into paying 30 bucks into a contest that was destined to be won by the person the contest creator wants to sleep with most.

Much better are writing prompts. My favorite was a website named B3ta.com. Once a week they would have a prompt in the form of a question that gave the readers a chance to choose the best answer. It was not a popularity contest. What did you win? Nothing you just won. Like when you win at air hockey.

I’ve been looking for a prompt worth writing an answer for. But all the prompts I’ve found on Medium have been fucking terrible.

I saw this one somewhere the other day.

Sea

Okay, first that’s a word not a prompt. One word prompts aren’t prompts. It’s a word. The prompt might as well have been write something.

On top of that they are only giving me 50 words. Awesome. The only stories written using 50 words that are any good are called jokes. I could tell you the story of the time I went to Venice Beach high on mescaline and there was a clown taking a shit who wanted to kick my ass for laughing at him but that’s already 50 words.

Your loss. It’s a good story.

The only word limit that should exist is your readers attention span.

You want some terrible poetry? Sure.
The Lone Set of Footsteps At Lago Ghiacciato
By: Riku Adler
Tags: Horror Stories, Thriller, Horror Fiction, Writing Challenge, Writing Prompts

Photo by Touann Gatouillat Vergos on Unsplash

During these times, I have been told, snow storms are common, on top of the already frigid temperature throughout the year. Since I moved here in the mountains years ago, I can attest that it is winter almost all year long.

According to the weather news, we are expecting the snowstorm later this evening. People have been busy rushing to stock up on their groceries, get last minute errands done, bring home some fire wood, and for some enjoy the last of the “normal” days.

Although most of the time it is dark and gloomy, we do experience bursts of sunshine too. When the skies are clear, and the sunlight gets through, expect people sun bathing in their backyards despite the snow on the ground. Today is one of those days.

Thanks to my boys scout experience, I am well stocked on firewood, water, food and everything needed to survive for a month. I was trained that way. So instead of running around town and going crazy over rush preparations, I decided to walk my dog, Darcy, over to the lake. We both need some good old vitamin D and stretching anyway.

I love Lago Ghiacciato. This lake, surrounded by lush forest could be trekked easily, but only for those who dare. Although it is easily accessible, the unpopularity of the lake to locals rendered it visitor free, except for the occasional tourists who don’t know any better.

If you ask me, personally, I just love the serenity that the lake brings. Sure, it is frozen all year round, and honestly, I’ve never seen it unfreeze, it is gloomy most of the time and it emits these sounds like laser noises to the untrained ears. There is nothing magical in it per se, except the fact that it is always frozen. Thus the name — Lago Ghiacciato.

Walking along the lake, I removed Darcy from his leash and set him free. He loves running around and sniffing things. He especially likes chasing the squirrels, it’s his favorite past time.

As for me, I sat by the bench, dusting the freshly fallen snow off the seat. I got my thermos from my backpack and started sipping the tea I packed with me.

Moments like this gives me peace of mind. I love how I can easily detach myself from the demands of my work and responsibilities that awaits me at home. Perhaps, this is the main reason why I moved into this tiny town years ago — away from the hustle and bustle of the city, peaceful surroundings, and close to nature.

I was brought back from my reverie when Darcy started barking. It sounded like a bark of excitement rolled with anxiousness. I placed my thermos down on to my seat and ran towards where Darcy was- in the frozen lake.

I ran towards him, slightly slipping and tripping due to the smoothness of the frozen lake. When I arrived, I finally saw what Darcy was barking about. He was standing near a patch of cracked ice.

And from the cracked ice, a pair of footsteps can be seen.

A single pair of footsteps that led out.
Winter Spiral Day #19
By: C. M. Chady
Tags: Winter, Writing Community, Writing, Winter Solstice, Writing Prompts

a WBC writing invitation series for the Winter Solstice

The weight of the year can fall on us within us noticing and putting our tension in check and freeing us for more creative and life energy.

Where are you harboring negativity?

Write into this space. Feel where it is in the body. Name it, manifest it, destroy it.

What is reborn from the ashes?
Weekly Centina Prompt: Cold
By: Bill Adler Editor
Tags: Winter, Cold, Pubprompt, Fiction Prompts, Writing Prompts

Weekly Centina Prompt: Cold

Photo by Bill Adler

For this week’s centina prompt, write a 100-word story about cold temperature.

If you’re in the northern hemisphere, now in winter’s frosty grip, conjuring cold won’t be hard at all. If you live in the southern hemisphere, where spending the weekend at the beach may be on your agenda, don’t worry, cold weather will be back.

The coldest temperature ever recorded on Earth was −89.2 °C (−128.6 °F) in Antarctica.

The coldest day in the lower forty-eight states in the United States was a brisk -44 °C (-47 °F), in December 1934. It was at the summit of New Hampshire’s Mt. Washington.

Space is even chillier, a frosty -271 °C (-455 °F).

Some people hate cold weather, while for others there’s nothing better than standing outside in a short sleeve shirt while the mercury hovers above freezing. The Japanese language even has words to describe cold-weather people: atsugari (somebody who’s sensitive to hot weather.) The opposite in Japanese is samugari, somebody who hates the cold.

Of course, in real life, people who like cold and hot temperatures always end up marrying each other.

I do think that regardless of where you come down on the cold versus hot battle, everyone can agree that watching dry ice sublimate from a solid to a gas (which it does at −78.5 °C, −109.2 °F) is fun to watch.

Remember to write a descriptive subtitle (instead of just writing something like a “100-word story.”) Make good use of the subtitle space.
LOVING YOU IN SILENCE
By: Lusi Mardiyanti
Tags: An Idea, Poems On Medium, Love, Feelings, Writing Prompts

LOVING YOU IN SILENCE

Instead of say I Miss You

I Pray

Instead of say I Love You

I hold it inside and Pray

Instead of say I Need You

I place my sajadah and Pray

I Pray to Allah SWT for

Your Happiness, Success and Blessing

I Talk to Allah SWT about you a lot

In your presence and absence

I Talk to Allah SWT about my

Hopes, Dream of sharing this life with you

I Beg to Allah SWT to

Guarding you and your heart

I Beg to Allah SWT

Leading our heart to each other

To Unite us in this world and here after

In His Perfect time

For you are out of my reach

Until then we manage to be best version of our self

Until we meet again under His Mercy, His Perfect time

In shaa Allah....
The First Supper
By: Kawira Koome
Tags: Creative Writing, Fiction, Writing, Kenyan Writer, Writing Prompts

It burned.

My first time having a guest over. My 100th time making this recipe. Cooking is my zen. And it burned.

"I'm at the junction."

Expletives are unbecoming. I'm a lady after all.

It burned.

"5 minutes," I text back.

It burned. What do all the gods of food and fire and flavor and pots and pans want me to learn?

It burned. He can probably smell it from out there.

I lock up--force of habit. I walk past the small shops, trying to think of an emergency supper for two. Instant noodles? Ugh, no. I'm trying to save my face, not destroy it to oblivion.

Oh gods, there he is. I realize that I've been hoping he was at the wrong junction. Shame is a powerful thing.

I can't duck. There's nowhere to hide. Maybe he senses my embarrassment and turns and smiles at me. It aggravates the butterflies.

"Hey," he says, bundling me into a hug. "How are you?"

Is he genuinely happy to see me or am I dreaming this?

"I'm good," I grin. Don't ruin this.

"I burned our food." Yep, ruined.

He laughs. At me, probably.

"I thought we agreed. Don't cook."

"I had to. Couldn't help myself."

We're almost home. I'm shaking. Can he tell?

I fumble with the padlock, can't get the damn key in. Done this a million times and today...

"Relax, Shiku," he says.

I click my tongue and curse him quietly.

I didn't mean it, honest. But when I'm having a nervous breakdown the last thing I want to hear is bloody "relax".

Gods, it smells of burned burnedness. I can't even look at him. I don't want to see him wrinkle his nose. I'm on the verge of tears.

"Would you like some tea? Coffee?" I try to keep the quiver from my voice.

"Coffee please, thanks." He sits on the mat on the floor. I had warned him: I have no furniture save for three wooden palettes, one as a table and two as my bed. He had said, "Cool."

He did seem comfortable enough in my bare single room. I watched him sidelong as I waited for the kettle to boil. He looked up at me and put his phone aside. "Dinner will be here in about half an hour."

"I'm really sorry," I begin. Apologizing is my gift to the world. "I didn't want you spending anything on me--"

"Listen, if you apologize one more time I’m walking out."

Well, that worked. I want to scream, but I concentrate: stir the coffee. Stir the coffee.

"How much sugar?"

"None."

I hand him his mug and sit beside him.

"Not having any?"

"I prefer tea," I say.

He sips. He swallows. He sighs.

The mug doesn't make it onto the palette table. I snatch it before the coffee spills.

He folds neatly, falling sideways onto the floor.

Three. Two. One. My phone buzzes.

"It's done," I say.

"Cleanup is on the way."

I chose the wrong profession. The nerves are never an act. I am brittle, haunted constantly. But someone must clean up the scum of the earth. He was one of them. My first hit. His body is gone in 10 minutes. A text says my pay has arrived, five minutes later.

I stare at the burned pot soaking in a basin. Supper is obviously cancelled--the boss took care of it as soon as the scum hung up.

Fine. I’ll buy some bread.
Sea, Sand, Sky, And Sun
By: Marla Bishop
Tags: The Bad Influence, Poem, 50 Words, Sea, Writing Prompts

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Sketch or Figma which is better for UX Designers?
By: Sathish Kumar
Tags: UX Design, Design Tools, UI Design, UX, Design

Becoming a UX UI Designer is not that tough, but choosing which tool to use for designing is quite difficult. There are a lot of softwares which does pretty much the same thing like Adobe XD, Figma & Sketch which is turning your ideas into low to high fidelity prototypes.

Which one should you start with?

If you are a beginner in design and don’t know which one to pick and start learning, in my opinion I would recommend either Figma or Sketch. But let’s see what things you might need to know while using these two when you are working in a small scale design agency or if you are in a large company.

Figma or Sketch, which is better?

Before jumping into which software is better, you need to understand what you can do with both these tools and in what ways it will help you wether you are working in a small design agency or a large company, wether if it is a small project are a large scale project. Lets see the pros & cons of both these from my experience using these in my design journey.

Figma

User friendly & easy to learn

Easy to animate your prototypes

Provides easy realtime collaboration with team mates

Works best for small to big scale projects

Free to use

Paid features are available which is not needed if you are working on a small level projects

Sketch

Little bit of learning curve needed to get used to the tool

It is a paid tool with 30 days free trial which is a downside

Better to work with complicated components and style guides

Not best suited for animating prototypes

Previewing designs & prototypes is not that better when compared to figma

In my experience I would definitely say that Figma is much better than Sketch to use as a design tool. But if you land in a company which doesn’t uses the tool that you like to use, you just have to keep that aside and learn what is needed. But all these design tools wether if its Figma or Sketch or Xd is incomplete when its needs a design handoff and you need to know a little bit of other helpful tools which I will talk about in my upcoming posts.
DMV Wait Times , User Experience Case Study, UX, UI, Mobile
By: Kara Barnes
Tags: UX Design, Case Study, UI Design, Wait Times, Government Services

USER ISSUES:

UX Case Study by Esther Oh: “Thus, we also noted that a lot of residents were expressing the same frustrations regarding the DMV. Many of them griped about the long wait times and being turned away for bringing in the wrong documents. They weren’t always sure on what they needed to bring in and this resulted in multiple visits to the DMV”.

UX Case Study by Amanda Thomas: “A point of confusion, stress and impatience……that is how our users described their experiences at the DMV. Some were unclear what materials they needed to bring with them. Some were simply overwhelmed and frustrated by the arduous process of waiting hours upon hours at the crowded DMV offices. They described these tasks as “time consuming” and overall “unpleasant.”

Our UX Case Study: When surveyed, the biggest issues were long wait times and difficulty with locating correct information on the DMV website as a means to validate what documents to bring in.
UX/UI DESIGN STUDENT
By: Joud Abu Yasin
Tags: UX Design, UX Research, UI Design, Software Development, Social Media

Hello 👋

I am a fresh Computer Science graduate 👩‍🎓

I have basic skills in programming & love illustrating on my iPad as a hobby 🤩

I am a UX/UI design student at Misk Academy 📚

Planning to make it UX/ UI my career path 😁
Concept UI redesign of IDM -Internet download manager app
By: Shrikant Dange
Tags: Ui Ux Design, UI Design, Redesign, UI, Figma

IDM — Internet download manager app, its an media downloader for your desktop.

I am an extensive user of IDM, since 2016. The app is just like it was back in the Stone days, It hasn't changed a bit so I thought of trying some functions re-arrange for better experience.

Lets get to the work now

The old look of IDM - Internet download manager

Reversing the design and starting from wire-frame and lo-fi

Changing some UI elements and re-arraigning

Seems like I found User Friendly UI

Designing in monochromatic UI

Coloring the UI according 2020 trends

IDM UI with Dark mode

Some more tweaks

Tweaks with Dark mode

The Idea was just to re arrange some functions but as you as see ended up making huge design and color changes to get that trendy look and feel.

By the way, tell you what is your take on this, I would love to hear from you.

😋

Thanks for watching 🙏
Life of a Designer Through Funny Memes
By: Akbar Shah
Tags: UX Design, UI Design, Web Design, Design, New York

It’s year-end and it is a fun time of the year. We have all been stressed enough during the entire 2020 and it is time we should leave the past and welcome the new year with all fun and excitement. In today’s blog post, I am sharing a collection of funny web design memes hoping to tickle the funnier side of our regular designer’s lives. So let’s laugh out loud and enjoy.
Ironhack Project 3 Case Study: Add a Feature
By: Víctor Martín
Tags: UX Research, UI Design, UX, Ironhack, UI

Desk Research

After having successfully completed two projects, I was already seeing some patterns in the process of work. As always, we started by doing some research about Tinder, the dating app business and our users.

Reading the app reviews on the different stores lead us to a common complaint by the users: a lot of them find very difficult having interesting and meaningful conversations with their matches. Sometimes the conversation dies after two messages, others you have the same conversation with ten different matches or, in the worst cases but as usual as the others, the match doesn’t even answer.

Another common complaint revolved around the possibility of sending pics in the app chat, but we all know what kind of photos a lot of users end up sending… (yeah, those kind of pics). Introducing chat photos wasn’t an option.

We wanted to deepen a little bit more on the topic. How did people usually break the ice in a real conversation? What do they find attractive in a possible partner?

Interviews and surveys were conducted to answer these questions, as they would surely bring some light on the possible approach we could take in this project to improve people's ability to connect through the app.

This whole research process resulted in the following hypothesis:
UX designer at a small-size design agency or at a big-size company?
By: Sathish Kumar
Tags: UX Design, UI Design, UX, Careers, Ux Careers

A small design agency could have some where between 10–30 ppl working at max. Working at a place like this could be of great exposure in your early stages of design career especially when you are just starting in your design career.

The advantages working in a small size design agency are,

You get the opportunity to learn many things provided you have a good mentor.

You could be involved in stakeholder discussions, interacting directly with clients on the requirements and have design discussions.

You will have active involvement in all stages of design, wearing multiple hats and not doing just one UX role.

You can take care of a whole project along with a couple of team members and be involved in it from start to end.

You get to know the end to end process of how a product is conceptualised and put into the market if your agency is developing a product.

And it just keeps adding.

When working as a UX Designer at a large company which has dedicated teams for different roles with a huge workforce is quite difficult to gel in at the start and understand the existing process the company follows. Especially for a person who has worked in a small design agency before will take some time to set into the new environment.

Working in a large company has the following advantages,

You have lot of people in different levels of experience who can always provide their feedbacks and suggestions that helps you grow.

Separate team’s exist for different UX roles which helps you to master in any one role which you think you are good.

You will learn to manage time much better since there would be other teams that are dependent on the work that you do.

You will learn to be collaborative in terms of wether you manage your design files or when making design decisions as there will be a big team involved who also needs to be informed on the happenings.

Definitely a much better pay than a small size design agency

And lot more depending on the company that you get into.

Each has its own cons which I might not talk about here. One should choose which would suit them best and keep learning and grow your career.