Written by April 23rd, 2013

Writing Exercise: Favorite Words

When you are stuck, and you don’t know what to write or how to start a piece, this prompt helps free your imagination. It is a very simple prompt but a little bit time consuming.

This prompt works best on paper, but in a pinch you can do it on your laptop. Start writing down every word that pops into your head. Do not turn these words into sentences or add filler words like the, a, and. The point is to fill the page with words.

Make sure to add plenty of space between the words, so they are all clearly separate and distinct. This way the eye knows not to string them together. When you fill up the page with words, stop.

Take a break for a few minutes, just make sure you do something besides reading. Go get a glass of water, or make the bed, then come back and read the page. Highlight any of the words that seem interesting to you. If it’s just one word, that is great. If it is 15 try and reduce it down to 4 or 5. Those words are where your story is.

If highlighting doesn’t work for you, discover the words that you like by crossing out the ones you don’t. No matter how you find these favorite words, the end result is the same.

Take those words and turn them into a sentence, a short story, or a whole novel, depending on where they lead.

If none of the words jump out at you, that is fine too. Just start again on a new page. Soon you will find a word you will want to use to create something new and exciting.

 

 

 

We Send You Publishers Seeking Submissions.

Sign up for our free e-magazine and we will send you reviews of publishers seeking short stories, poetry, essays, and books.

Subscribe now and we'll send you a free copy of our book Submit, Publish, Repeat

The Alchemy Spoon: Now Seeking Poetry Submissions

The Alchemy Spoon: Now Seeking Poetry Submissions

A journal accepting poetry, essays on poetry topics, and cover art.

81 Opportunities for Historically Underrepresented Writers (June 2025)

81 Opportunities for Historically Underrepresented Writers (June 2025)

Opportunities open to writers of color, LGBTQ+ writers, writers with disabilities, and more.

Why You Should Question Your Writing Goals

Why You Should Question Your Writing Goals

Ways to make your writing practice more focused and productive.

53 Literary Journals Seeking Genre Fiction

53 Literary Journals Seeking Genre Fiction

Most literary journals are interested in literary work, by which they mean, not genre work (although this is changing a little). The definition of genre is a category of artistic composition, as in music or literature, characterized by similarities in form, style, or subject matter. However, in the context of writing, genre can refer to…