Shannon Dittemore is the author of the Angel Eyes novels. She has an overactive imagination and a passion for truth. Her lifelong journey to combine the two is responsible for a stint at Portland Bible College, performances with local theater companies, and an affinity for mentoring teen writers. Since 2013, Shannon has taught mentoring tracks at a local school where she provides junior high and high school students with an introduction to writing and the publishing industry. For more about Shan, check out her website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.
It happens to us all. It really does. The only way to claw out of a dry season like that is to {wait for it} write your way through it.
I know. I know. It’s rough. It is. And I’m a huge advocate of taking time off when you need time off, but at some point, you’re going to have to sit back down in that chair and knock the rust off. One of the best ways to do that is to just write.
“WRITE ABOUT WHAT?” you ask.
My answer is a simple one. Write about anything. Write about nothing. Just write.
The internet is full of writing prompts–and you should totally avail yourselves of those–but sometimes cyberspace can be like all those rabbit holes little girls fall into. There are so many options to choose from. So many shiny ideas. You just keep falling and falling and never getting any writing done.
So, today, instead of trolling Pinterest for writing prompts, I want you to grab the nearest book (puh-lease keep in PG, alright?). Flip to the very last page and put your finger on the very last sentence.
That, my friends, is your beginning. That’s right. The last line of the book in your hand is the first line of your shiny new paragraph.
I want you to write me that paragraph and leave it in the comments section below. And then be sure to come back throughout the weekend to see what you’re friends are coming up with. We all need a little encouragement now and then.
A couple things:
1. We frown on spoilers here, so please do not tell us the name of the book and if there are recognizable names in the final sentence (like Katniss or Hermione), do us a favor and change them.
2. Your goal is not to continue the book your holding. Use this sentence as a jumping off point. Start something new. Something that’s all yours.
3. And, remember! When you participate in our writing exercises you can enter to win an opportunity to ask Jill, Steph and me a question for one of our upcoming writing panels. Once you leave your response to the writing prompt in the comments section, use the Rafflecopter below to enter. Next week, Rafflecopter will select one winner and we’ll contact you for your question via email. Happy writing, friends!