Clock

My theme for the A to Z Challenge is: writing warm-ups.

I find if I start a writing session with a five-minute warm-up, I have a much more productive session.

There are several ways I like to do this. For each day of the challenge, I’ll suggest various exercises such as photo prompts, mind maps and freewrites. I’m confident you’ll find your muse lurking beneath one of them. Grab a cuppa and a notepad…

Today’s warm-up is: C for Clock.

1. You’re running late for an important meeting/date. The consequence of not getting there on time is beyond dire. Try and come up with as many obstacles in your journey from A to B and scribble down a high-suspense scene.

2. Sketch a mind-map using the key word as the nucleus, then branch out in whatever direction you please. You might find yourself going in completely unrelated paths (which I personally prefer). Do a five-minute freewrite incorporating as many (or few) branch words as you like. Here is my mind map (created using the SimpleMind app on my phone).

3. Choose one of the following sentence starts and freewrite for a few minutes, letting the words tumble out without a second thought:

• I knew he wouldn’t turn up…
• If only she’d answer her phone…
• They weren’t expecting me home an hour early…

I find it best not to read my freewrites for at least a few days. Why not stuff them in a drawer and surprise yourself? It’s blatant evidence that our minds work in mysterious ways. Plus, I defy you not to find an array of story seeds amongst your work.

Do you have any writing warm-ups you’d like to share?

Take care,
Catherine x