Written by July 25th, 2013

Writing Prompt: Multiple Angles

This exercise involves several steps. The only material you need is a pen (or pencil), a piece of paper, and a timer.

Once you have all your materials set up, picture a character in your head. After you have thought about the character for a minute or two, set a timer for five minutes. Write during these five minutes. After the timer buzzes, read over what you have written.

Next set another timer for five minutes. Now try to convey the character from the perspective of another person. Once the timer buzzes review what you have written again.

Before you set the timer a third time imagine how your character would behave in a foreign country. Write about how the character behaves in this situation.

The fourth timer is set for only one minute. Now try to convey this character in just one sentence.

By the end of this exercise you should have a much better sense of this new character that you have created. You should know how they would behave in all sorts of strange situations. If you like this character you can even keep him or her around for a longer project.

 

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

30 Literary Journals Focused on Limited Demographics

30 Literary Journals Focused on Limited Demographics

This list focuses on a wide variety of journals that are seeking specific kinds of writers, including older writers, writers attending university, working class writers, the incarcerated, veterans and their families, women writers, and Southern writers. Some of these limitations are geographic, some are not. Some publications have stricter guidelines than others. Not all are…

The Amphibian: Now Seeking Submissions

The Amphibian: Now Seeking Submissions

A literary journal seeking fiction and poetry.

Notes From the Editor’s Desk: July 2025

Notes From the Editor’s Desk: July 2025

Print Book Sales are Down; Quirk Books Pauses Publishing and Lays Off Employees; 5 Submission Calls; Reader Success Stories.

7 Reasons Why You Should Try Using Writing Prompts

7 Reasons Why You Should Try Using Writing Prompts

How writing prompts can help your career.