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One
​Writer's ​Life

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One author helping others navigate the writing world.
​Tips, ideas, and guidance for new or experienced writers,
​shared through my experience of the writing world.

Flash Fiction Fridays - June

6/6/2020

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June Release:
Joseph's Gold.

​This story came about as a challenge to myself – using one of my latest prompts to write this month’s Flash Fiction Friday story. I thought that’d be challenge enough, but of the five prompts I’d set myself to choose from, the one that sang out to me just happened to be in a genre I hadn’t attempted before: western. So, a double challenge then! Oh, fun and games!
Picture of Joseph's Gold book cover by Emily Larkins. Old West mountain, blue sky with thin cloud.
Click cover to go to Free Flash Fiction Fridays page
​I decided that the prompt itself demanded to be the opening of my story:
The boy staggered into town just on dark, filthy, half-starved, and delirious. We took him to the infirmary, fed him, cleaned him up, and let him sleep. It wasn’t until I passed his cot the next morning that I noted the glint of gold between his clenched fingers and the fervent look in his eye.
                                   - Original writing prompt by Emily Larkins.
The boy’s plight caught me in the chest, however I didn’t feel that this story was his in the telling. Instead, the narrator is an observer, though no less part of the story. Both are caught in that hazy zone between boy and manhood, and both have weights on their shoulders that aren’t a boy’s to carry. They share desperation, drive, and more…
This story required research. I’m not a natural Western writer, but I have taken on historical fiction pieces in the past, and approached it from that direction. I wrote the guts of the story first, then went digging for information on the Western genre – particularly the identifiable features of Western – and swept back toward places I knew, lending them to the story. My experiences with gold come from the Central Otago region of New Zealand, particularly Cromwell, Arrowtown, and Queenstown. I panned for gold on school camp when I was eleven, but before that, family holidays to Bannockburn and Cromwell were spent out in the old diggings; dry, dusty places of shale, burning sun, and the evidence of the search for gold back in the late 1800s. I also borrowed from T.V. and movies, particularly scenes involving medicine and hospitals/infirmaries.
But how to get all that into 1500 words? Well, not easily! I had to balance what was important to the genre with the heart of the story, which essentially is the idea that a strike (yours or not!) could change a life. I found it addictive and used it to build the desperation within the story. If you want to find out how, I suggest you have a read when Joseph’s Gold comes up for FREE Flash Fiction Friday, or, if you can’t wait, Joseph’s Gold (and all other Flash Fiction Friday stories) is locked down to a tiny price throughout the month. If you’d like to check out the images I collected that helped inspire Joseph’s Gold, there’s a link just over here! I’d also love to hear what you think of the story, so feel free to pop a review on via the link. Plus, this prompt, and more, are available on my Prompts by Emily board on Pinterest, so go to it! Write your own version of the story!
Picture of Writing Prompts By Emily Pinterest board cover.
Picture of Joseph's Gold Pinterest inspiration board cover
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February News 2020

13/3/2020

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UNIVERSE, WHY DO YOU KEEP THROWING CHALLENGES AT ME???

Title image for Emily Larkins's February news.
​I fell into that sweet, sweet trap of looking forward to quiet time and getting into routine. I could see it coming in my diary – three whole days a week without husband or kids in the house to blog and write and do writerly stuff. ‘Ha!’ said life, ‘I’ll show you!’ Oh how I wish I didn’t set myself up like that. Lesson learned.
Instagram image for Emily Larkins's February news.

The new routine at home. Routine? Haha!

​The start of the school year has come with a whirlwind of trips to kick off the year. Between my two girls (five and seven), they’ve had school swimming lessons, a Beach Education day at St Kilda (a thirty minute trip away in town) and one at the local jetty. Though learning to swim is vitally important, and especially in the different water environments we have on the Otago Peninsula, it’s been trying for a number of reasons. 1. I’m utterly sick of washing togs to get dry for the next day, 2. I’m not that confident in the sea myself and parents were required to be in the water, 3. Sand on the carpet, enough said. I also accompanied Miss Seven to Quarantine Island/Kamau Taurua. We went on the Port to Port ferry service and the kids LOVED the boat ride. It’s such a special place – I can see the island from my office window at home, and I’d bet ninety percent of Dunedin residents haven’t been there. Oh how this trip reminded of what I loved about teaching, but it reminded me of the challenges too! It’s a very busy job mentally, keeping track of twenty kids, prompting, providing, reminding, answering questions, not falling over (I failed on that one), constant noise, and making sure everyone stays safe. We had a great day though, and I was lucky to be able to take part.
Right, how many days of writing time did I use up there? Three so far…
Image of the long jetty at Quarantine Island, Dunedin New Zealand, on a bright and sunny day.
Quarantine Island's jetty.
Image of the unique chapel at Quarantine Island. The small building is shaped like the upturned hull of a boat, the window is a tall triangle and frames a view looking toward the Otago Harbour heads.
A unique view from the chapel.
Hereweka/Harbour Cone viewed between old macrocarpa trees.
Hereweka/Harbour Cone from the back garden of the lodge.
Poor old Miss Five has already had two tummy bugs, (pretty standard for a new school kid), and Miss Seven, one. Five days of children at home. Luckily Miss Five loves school, and, like her sister, is hungry to read! She comes home so proud that she’s learned new letters and reads me stories. There’s something special about that first read, when they open the book and just start. Let’s hope she never stops!
That big step I was looking toward last news has happened! I put myself forward for a leadership role that in the past I vowed I’d never even consider. I always thought, ‘too big, too much responsibility!’ In short, never say never. The universe hears you and says ‘we’ll see about that!’ I’m like that though, reluctant until I’m challenged to truly think about something in depth. Once I’ve got an ounce of encouragement, talked it through with others, and considered what my role will be, my mind flips and I see my capabilities and what I can bring to the opportunity. It’s a position of responsibility, one I always considered an honour for the holder, and to be honest, out of my league. It turns out it wasn’t, I just had to believe in myself and own what I’m capable of, and in the end, I was given the role. So yes, I’m honoured, and I’ll bring my best to the position. Time to get my game face on!

How does one write amongst the chaos?

​What a mishmash I’m in work-wise! I had those romantic dreams of three blissful writing days per week, but oh how the universe likes to play games! It’s been musical chairs shifting days to fit around family commitments and school events. Then there were the school trips and illnesses. It’s meant juggling the rather full schedule of writing commitments I’ve set myself – trying to get blogs written, flash fiction and short stories ready to publish and market, AND doing my best to find time for working on The Weight of Expectation (click to view my inspiration board on Pinterest). Just when I think I’m getting into a routine, something else crops up. Such is life! I’m on track so far though, and exciting things are happening in my mind for my novel. Now to get them onto paper…
I am feeling more like a professional writer, and that I can claim that title authentically. The projects and deadlines I’ve set myself have increased my productivity. They’ve also boosted my sense of achievement. I’m learning how to grab little moments for quick tasks, like a quick social media session whilst the kids eat their morning tea, or making notes alongside them doing homework. As a result, I’ve got more works out there, being seen by more and more people. The idea that readers are entering the world of my stories is a wondrous thing!

​It’s time for a new motto.

​I think my motto needs to be ‘I can do this,’ whether it be roles of responsibility, or handling the schedule I’ve set myself, even when I’m feeling like I can barely keep up. I just have to remember I can. Sure, it’d be lovely to have a settled routine and very little responsibility outside of my own house, but where’s the life in that? Where’s the learning and the opportunity to grow? So I’m not a nine to fiver, I don’t commute to work, or work with loads of people day in, day out. No, I’m a mum that gets to help on school trips and other school roles (I wanted to be able to do that for my children, and I am!), and I don’t have to take a sick day when they’re sick; I’m an author with the responsibility of setting and achieving my own goals (how great is that?), and I’ve got a bunch of stories out there in the world with many more to come.
So, whatever I am, and whatever you are, we can achieve what we set out to, so long as we believe in ourselves. If you really want something, you’ll make it happen. Even when it’s hard and the world seems to be working against us, in time that will change, and we’ll smash it. I surely intend to!
So, for all of you out there feeling under the pump, like you’re climbing Everest in stilettos, don’t panic, take a breath, the chaos will calm, and you’ll get there.
Keep on keeping on,
Emily.

Do you have any quotes or words of encouragement for others? Drop them in the comments! If you need some, visit my Pinterest Board and check out the 'Self Care' section, or 'Words that motivate and inspire me.'

Coming up:

Flash Fiction Friday - next week's story Late.
Another Quick Tip next week too!
Check out my Prompts By Emily Pinterest board for brand new story starters every weekend.
Looking ahead to April - New short story to be released!

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Prompt Perfection: Using story starters In writing.

6/6/2019

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​I’ll start by saying that I LOVE writing prompts. They’re great little nuggets that get you thinking creatively. I use them in several different ways and that’s their other brilliance: they serve multiple purposes and you can use them in whatever way suits you!
I've created three short examples of how I get started with different kinds of prompts down the right side of this post - read, enjoy, or have a try at one yourself. 
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Read on to find out all about writing prompts and how I use them to enrich my writing experience, and to find links to free prompts and an exclusive printable I've put together just for you!
What are writing prompts?

Writing prompts (or story starters) are sentences or short paragraphs, snippets of dialogue, character or setting ideas, or even images, that kick-start the creative process.
The purpose of the prompt is to inspire ideas in the mind from which you can start writing. There are literally thousands on the internet (Pinterest is a quick and easy place to find and save them for future reference) and you can take or leave what you like.

Not all prompts work for all people. What sparks you to pick one up might be a non-starter for me, just as what I’m excited about might be bland to you. It all depends on our different life-experiences, interests, and sometimes just the time of day or frame of mind we’re in at that particular moment. Images might be a stronger inspiration for you, or text might be your thing. Give both a go and use what really lights you up.

An effective prompt will give just enough to ignite your imagination without leading all those who use it down too narrow a path. There should be a multitude of avenues open for exploration so we don't all end up writing subtle variations of essentially the same story.
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​In short, a writing prompt is the spark that ignites an inspirational fire for your creative process.
How I use writing prompts.
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In the beginning (when I was young and just developing a taste for writing), I thought prompts were just for getting started on a story. That's how they were used in my high school writing class after all. Now I've discovered different ways my writing can benefit from prompts:

  1. I search out other people’s prompts, save them, share them, and write from them.
  2. I write my own prompts for myself and others to use (you’ll find a link to them on my website under RESOURCES).
  3. If I’m stuck, bored, or frustrated, creating my own writing prompts is a great way to push my mind into the creative process. It almost always works and I often find ideas for new stories this way!
  4. I use them as exercises to stretch the boundaries of my writing (I'll discuss this further below).
  5. Visual prompts are another way of tapping into the creative brain (sometimes visual will work for me when text won’t, and sometimes it’s the other way around).

The main use for a prompt is to either begin a story (like a first line) or drive the idea for a story (perhaps a dramatic event), but over my years of writing, I’ve discovered they come in handy in other ways as I mentioned above. Writing prompts can lead in a myriad of directions, and it’s all driven by you. You may choose to write a poem from a prompt, a piece of flash fiction, a short story, or a full-blown 100,000 word epic. Just choose something that really grabs you.

If you’re stuck, try a prompt exercise. I like to challenge myself with ‘close your eyes and point,’ set a timer for say fifteen or thirty minutes, and push hard to create a captivating piece. Whatever prompt on screen that I've pointed to is the one I use. This is a fantastic exercise to challenge your creative mind and may even lead to a publishable piece (it has for me).

I'm a big fan of Pinterest, and not just for writing. I'll talk about this more in another post, but there are a few resource boards I've put together that will be of great use to you when looking for great writing prompts. Feel free to use my Pinterest boards Write! Prompts By Emily, or Write! Prompts (collected prompts sourced from across the internet) for this. You can find links to them both below). Write! Images for Inspiration contains thousands of images separated into useful sections to help you narrow down where you want to go. The beauty of Prompts By Emily is that they’re all numbered, so you can use a random number generator or pick a random number yourself before you open the board and let the universe decide!
So what next?

Now it’s time to go hunting for yourself. I’ve added 34 of my most popular prompts to this post as an exclusive printable PDF. Feel free to save it, share it, and use it as you like. Also, pop on over to Pinterest to see more fantastic prompts. My original prompts are on my Write! Prompts By Emily board. At the time of publishing this post it contains 245 little gems. The found prompts I love and have collected over time are filed under Write! Prompts. There are over 650 story starters there from a wide range of sources and covering a myriad of genres. Write! Imagery contains hundreds of inspiring images that are sure to capture the imagination.
Most importantly, have fun, be inspired, and get writing!
FREE RESOURCES

​Click the file download below to claim your FREE printable pdf. It contains 34 of my most popular original prompts. This resource can't be found anywhere else, it's available exclusively for my wonderful readers!
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prompts_by_emily_34_top_prompts_printable.pdf
File Size: 2468 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File


If you’d like to know more about writing prompts, or if you’d like some more ideas for using them, let me know in the comments below. If you have favourite prompts that you think I’d like, or other ways of using prompts, please send them on through too. Pop on over to my Resources page for thousands of useful writing tools on a range of topics from getting started in writing, right through to publishing and marketing yourself. I’m all about sharing and helping other writers with their creative process, so please get in touch!
 
Wishing you all an inspired writing day!
Emily.
Three quick examples using different prompt types...
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A found prompt (from Pinterest):
​I struggled up through the fog of sleep, thicker than usual, and with an unusually bitter taste in my mouth. When I sat up on the edge of the bare mattress my head spun like I'd been on the teacups ride at a themepark. I needed a drink, badly. An old sink with rusted taps hung against the wall. I splashed water on my face and started at the feel of short stubble on my cheeks. The hairs on my arms rose, a chill shot down my spine as I gazed down. These were the blunt-nailed, rough-skinned hands of a man, not my soft, immaculately manicured, genetically female
hands. I gripped the sink for balance. I looked into the mirror and I didn't see me. I saw a young man...
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A dialogue prompt of my own creation:
I'd only been at the bar a matter of minutes before I turned down the first offer of a drink. The next followed close after, an older man taking the empty stool on my other side. He ordered himself a beer and another lemon, lime and vodka for me. He didn't ask if I wanted it; he created obligation by placing it next to my still half-full glass. As he leaned close his hand brushed my arm. Moist breath tainted with hops and onion foud my ear. I leaned away and slid the full glass toward him; a clear message.
"Oh, don't be like that, Love, it's a free drink! I'd be all over a free drink," a brow raised as his fingertips found my thigh, just below the hem of my skirt.
"As you can see, I'm perfectly capable of buying my own drink, and I don't plan to be 'all over' anything to do with you." I pushed his hand away.
"Sweetheart, I think you need to work on your manners," the hand slithered back.
I turned my face slowly toward him, my jaw set hard, fists balled in my lap to prevent his upward creep.
"I didn't think I was in the mood to kick anyone's arse tonight. All I wanted was a nice, quiet drink at the bar, but I swear, if you touch my leg one more time, I'm going to surprise myself, and you."
"Woah, hey now, Darlin, don't get your knickers in a knot, I'm just being friendly, offering my services..."
"Friendly? Try a sleazy, unwanted advance I've already rejected twice."
He opened his mouth to contradict me and I snapped. I whipped off my stool and grasped his hand, the thumb bent back hard toward his wrist...
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From an image found on Pinterest:
Somewhere ahead I heard running water. Not the trickle of a stream, but the open echo of a larger source flowing with intent. The close tunnel of bush cracked open ahead of us, the light harsh after the dappled dimness of the trees. When I reached that opening I stopped dead in my tracks.
"You can't possibly expect me to cross that? You know I don't do bridges, any bridges, let alone that death-trap!"
My boyfriend leaned close, his warm hand on my shoulder. "It's perfectly safe. I scouted this walk out last week and had a good jump on it. Look, I'll show you now," he strode onto the planks with supreme trust and confidence. I could hardly even look at him when he bounced and swayed and held out a hand toward me. The vines creaked and twisted, matching the feel in my stomach. I no longer cared about the proposal I suspected he'd planned. He wouldn't get me to step on that bridge for anything, not even if my life depended on it.
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​Click the images below to access these awesome Pinterest boards for writing inspiration galore:
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Please note, images I have used that are not my own are linked to their original source by clicking on them. The creator deserves credit for their own work.
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    Author

    Hi, I'm Emily,
    I'm an indie-published author and busy mum working hard to make my dreams come true.
    I'm passionate about helping other beginner writers find confidence and get motivated to give their writing dreams a shot with help along the way.
    ​Join me for mini adventures to see what works for me and learn how to make your writing dream a reality!

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  • HOME
  • ABOUT
    • About the Author
    • News
  • STORIES
    • All Books and Stories
    • Flash Fiction Fridays
    • Anthology: Flash Fiction Fridays Project
    • Victory Island
    • The Weight of Expectation
    • On Thin Ice
    • Late
    • Thirty-Four
    • Into the Mist
    • Burning the Cow
    • The Sirens Series
  • RESOURCES
  • One Writer's Life Blog
  • CONTACT