Writing Prompt Monday – Entry #5

My apologies for being so late with the post. I was babysitting this morning, trying out archery this afternoon, and trying to do school this evening. Busy day, to say the least. BUT I GOT TO PLAY WITH A BOW AND ARROW!!! Now, I want my own.

But, back to the topic at hand…writing prompts. Due to my weapon-filled day, we’re gonna have a weapon-themed prompt.

Q. How does your character feel about weapons and the violence connected with them? Does he/she have a weapon? Do they carry it with them? Write an interview style response with one of your characters.

A. Flynn Churchill:

“Weapons? It rather depends upon whose hands they’re in, as to whether or not I like them. They’re ruddy useful things when you’re in trouble, but I don’t like solving problems and getting out of scrapes that way. It sort of feels like…cheating.
Pulling a pistol or a knife takes all the challenge (and therefore the fun) out of it. Though, on the other hand, if someone’s about to kill you, it’s hardly fun, anyways. Weapons can be very handy in certain dire circumstances.

Concerning violence…I don’t like it, weapon-related or not. But humans have always been violent creatures, and it’s better to be armed and ready for it than unprepared. When I studying the Indian ruins in Arizona, practically every chap I met carried at least one gun (if not more) and a knife. Typically, those were the chaps that survived.

Sometimes. In my younger days, I did not. If I needed one, I usually improvised with what was around me–fireplace pokers, chairs, priceless vases–and made do. Now that I have to carry a blasted cane, I occasionally take the one with the sword in it. Or the one with the dagger. Or possibly the shillaly.”

Your answer? Let me know in the comments!

Prompt, Please!

Ironically, starting a writing blog has been somewhat detrimental to actually getting any of the real writing done. I’ve been using it as yet another brilliant escape from the rigors of editing (Bad Zissa!), but not tonight. Tonight, I shall finish a chapter(or a half of one) if it kills me. Or worse, if it means I don’t have time to iron my church clothes tonight and am forced to actually get up early in the morning.

But, anyways, I’m here to talk(for a very short while)about writing prompts. I sort of have mixed feelings about them. There are rare occasions in which they’ve actually turned out a useful bit of prose or sparked a new idea to be worked into one of the novel outlines, but for the most part they just seem to be…busywork. Now, I realize that practice–however pointless it may seem–is good. I realize that. But I prefer to get my practice in by actually working on my designated project and therefore getting it down on file faster. Granted, this method can lead to a much longer revision period, but hey–practice makes perfect. Or as perfect as an art can be.

That doesn’t mean they’re useless, though. Since prompts tend to be somewhat on the insane side, they can bring out some really off-the-wall ideas. And those are the best kind. Here’s a site I found that has quite literally a ton of them. Now, go write something!

http://writingprompts.tumblr.com/

On a completely unrelated note,here’s the painting I mentioned in the cop-out post. Obviously, I still have Big Ben and some detailing to finish.