darren r hill

the creative minimalist

Tag: creative journaling

  • Stars — Weekly Creative Prompt

    Welcome to the new complete weekly creative prompt. We begin with a single creative prompt word and expand it to inspire fiction writing, journaling, and a host of other creative activities. These creative prompts, are to give me, and anyone else who wants to join in, some focus to our creative work.

    Ever since humanity first walked on the planet, we have looked up. And as the sun sets and the greater light travels over the horizon, the sky darkens, and the myriad of tiny pinpoints of light emerge. Our previous prompt was clouds, and if those clouds are missing from the night sky a remarkable light show can be seen. Therefore, this week’s creative prompt is:

    Stars — fixed luminous points in the night sky which are large, remote incandescent bodies like the sun.

    This is a plural definition of the singular I found in the dictionary. What I find interesting is the use of the word fixed because stars just like atoms are anything but that.

    Let the prompt ‘stars’ inspire you in any area of creativity that you are interested:

    • writing fiction
    • journaling
    • art journaling
    • songwriting
    • photography
    • painting
    • composing
    • blog posts
    • art therapy
    • anything that could use a little nudge to begin

    Let’s expand the word a little further…

    Fiction Writing Prompt

    The Fiction Writing Prompt aims to stretch the literary muscles. No rules. No word counts. Simply write and explore.

    They say the stars can predict the future. All I want to know is where you are.

    Writing Prompt Expanded

    The motions of the stars fascinated us before we began to grasp the mechanics of gravity. We put meaning and prediction into their motions. They guided us and prompted us. Today, we understand that life on this planet is controlled by gravity and other natural forces just like the stars. And yet, we still look to them. And occasionally, some of us, enquire.

    This prompt is very open. The sentences uttered offer little context. So, the challenge is to dig deep and use your imagination.

    • Who is the narrator looking for?
    • Are they out looking at the stars when they say these words?
    • Are they skeptical about astrology or an ardent disciple?

    The writing perspective is the first person, but beyond that, the setting and context are yours. I wondered whether the narrator is on a planet while the person they seek is traveling among the stars. Is the narrator one of many out looking for a missing person? These are just a couple of ideas that jumped into my mind. And you could always look to the stars for a little inspiration.

    Journal prompt

    Journaling allows us to hold conversations on paper. From private diaries to creative art journals we pour out our deepest thoughts. It only takes a layer of black paint or gesso followed by a little splattering of a lighter colour to make a simple vista of stars. White gel or paint pens can do the same. We can use them to write upon our starry background as well.

    Questions to answer, thoughts to explore or images to create in your journal:

    • Do you believe there is a connection between the stars and our destiny?
    • What do you think about the theory that our very atoms were forged when older stars exploded eons ago in our universe; that we are stardust?
    • How do you grasp the magnitude and size of the universe, that each pinpoint of light is a sun just like ours (some, if not most of the night lights are in fact galaxies and not single stars)?

    Theory of General Creativity

    I now have ‘stars’ written on the board above my computer. I am confident it will inspire me on my creative journey this week. Not only that, but I find stepping outside, barefoot if possible, and looking up into the night sky a truly humbling yet positive spiritual experience. To me spirituality and creativity are closely linked, they may even be different facets of the same force. The vastness of space and the beauty of the flickering lights upon the night sky are an inspiration for so much of my creative process this week. May it be for you as well.

    Let ‘stars’ inspire your music, photography, and painting this week.

    Finally…

    As always, these creative prompts are optional and entirely open to your interpretation. Use them as a starting point for a short story, something a little more grandiose.

    As mentioned before, this isn’t a ‘challenge’ but the prompts can be used that way if you want. If you do create anything using them, I would love to see or hear about it. Please leave a link in the comments below or tag me @darrenrhill or #thecreativeminimalist on any social platform.

    Original Milky Way image by Free-Photos from Pixabay

    Thank you for reading this post. Please share your thoughts in the comment section below.
    namaste
    d
    xox

    If you enjoyed this post please support my writing by making a donation of any amount.

    Sign up for my (ir)regular newsletter to keep up to date with my creative adventures, including special offers, and join me on Instagram | YouTube | Twitter | Pinterest

  • Dreams — Weekly Creative Prompt

    Welcome to the new complete weekly creative prompt. We begin with a single word, a creative prompt, and expand it to inspire fiction writing, journaling and a host of other creative activities. These creative prompts, are to give me, and anyone else who wants to join in, some focus to our creative work.

    I am not the deepest of sleepers. I find it easy to drift off, but I will often be awake again in a short while. Quite often, when I awake fully in the morning, I will be left wondering what memories were real and what ones were dreams. Unfortunately, both drift away quickly, especially when chased away by the morning coffee. Therefore, this week’s creative prompt is:

    Dreams — a series of thoughts, images, and sensations occurring in a person’s mind during sleep

    there are other meanings, but I like the way the dictionary uses sensations, dreams are so often a fully immersive experience

    Let the prompt ‘dreams’ inspire you in any area of creativity that you are interested:

    • writing fiction
    • journaling
    • art journaling
    • songwriting
    • photography
    • painting
    • composing
    • blog posts
    • art therapy
    • anything that could use a little nudge to begin

    Let’s expand the word a little further…

    Fiction Writing Prompt

    The Fiction Writing Prompt aims to stretch the literary muscles. No rules. No word counts. Simply write and explore.

    This was not a coincidence. This is precisely what I remembered from my sleep. My dream was coming true.

    Writing Prompt Expanded

    Some of us suffer from motion sickness. It is a very unpleasant feeling and quite debilitating for some. As far as I understand, it is quite often caused by our senses getting confused. They send mixed messages to our brain suggesting, or not suggesting, movement.

    This prompt is all about describing two events. There is the dream element and there is the current reality. Finally, you can explore how to explain how this is all occurring.

    • What is happening?
    • Do the feelings from your dream match the reality before you?
    • How do you explain this apparent premonition?

    This writing prompt allows you to explore any situation. The wonderful thing about dreams is that they can be about anything. Although perhaps the less wonderful aspect of dreams is that they have a darker side. I am sure many of us can remember at least having one nightmare. But this is fiction, remember that all fiction has an end, just like a nightmare.

    Journal prompt

    Journaling allows us to hold conversations on paper. From private diaries to creative art journals we pour out our deepest thoughts. I know there are many who keep a dream journal; a place to record their dreams. As mentioned, I struggle to remember mine, so perhaps keeping a journal or at least a piece of paper by the bed will help. However, why would we want to record our dreams? We know that dreams often contain memories from the past, but are they more than just a rehash of events?

    Questions to answer, thoughts to explore or images to create in your journal:

    • Does your dream relate to something that has happened recently?
    • Do you think your dreams offer guidance?
    • Are your dreams generally pleasant or unpleasant?
    • Do you dream more when anxious about something?

    Theory of General Creativity

    I now have ‘dreams’ written on the board above my computer. I am confident it will inspire me on my creative journey this week. Furthermore, I can recall having quite lucid creative moments when I dream. I have come up with many creative ideas while sleeping. Unfortunately, many were lost as I didn’t capture them. There is something magical about dreams, and I hope that their creative inspiration will find you.

    Let ‘dreams’ inspire your music, photography, and painting this week, and also as you drift off to sleep…

    Finally…

    As always, these creative prompts are optional and entirely open to your interpretation. Use them as a starting point for a short story, something a little more grandiose.

    As mentioned before, this isn’t a ‘challenge’ but the prompts can be used that way if you want. If you do create anything using them, I would love to see or hear about it. Leave a link in the comments below or tag me on any social platform.

    Thank you for reading this post. Please share your thoughts in the comment section below.
    namaste
    d
    xox

    If you enjoyed this post please support my writing by making a donation of any amount.

    Sign up for my (ir)regular newsletter to keep up to date with my creative adventures, including special offers, and join me on Instagram | YouTube | Twitter | Pinterest

  • Tangible — Weekly Creative Prompt

    tangible weekly creative prompt

    Welcome to the new complete weekly creative prompt. We begin with a single creative prompt word and expand it to inspire fiction writing, journaling and a host of other creative activities. These creative prompts, are to give me, and anyone else who wants to join in, some focus to our creative work.

    This past year has been anything but normal, although whether there ever is a ‘normal’ is open to debate. Let’s just say things have been different to what they were before. Many of the things we took for granted have been removed. Freedoms we were used to, have been curtailed, and we have not even been able to touch many of the things that were at our fingertips before. Therefore, this week’s creative prompt is:

    Tangible — a thing that is perceptible by touch

    This is just one definition. However, my word for the year was tangible because I was looking forward to things becoming perceptible by touch. I wanted to be reminded of that.

    Let the prompt ‘tangible’ inspire you in any area of creativity that you are interested:

    • writing fiction
    • journaling
    • art journaling
    • songwriting
    • photography
    • painting
    • composing
    • blog posts
    • art therapy
    • anything that could use a little nudge to begin

    Let’s expand the word a little further…

    Fiction Writing Prompt

    The Fiction Writing Prompt aims to stretch the literary muscles. No rules. No word counts. Simply write and explore.

    The atmosphere of depression and decay was almost tangible. fiction writing prompt

    The atmosphere of depression and decay was almost tangible.

    Writing Prompt Expanded.

    Being able to describe a place or situation is a key writing skill. We stretch our writing abilities when we describe something abstract. Mixing our language and using it in unusual ways adds to our composition. Describing something using a different sense to what we would normally use can be a challenge but is worth it.

    This prompt is all about describing something abstract and which can’t be literally touched in such a way as it feels and is perceived as something that can be touched.

    • How do you describe depression as a physical environment?
    • How do you link decay and depression?
    • Tangible hints at touch, how do your other senses react?

    The setting for the scene is completely up to you. As is the perspective; first or third person… or can you use another perspective? The challenge is to have fun describing. Mix as many senses as possible and enjoy your writing. The prompt may be about a dour atmosphere, but you don’t have to feel that way as you write.

    Journal prompt

    Journaling allows us to hold conversations on paper. From private diaries to creative art journals we pour out our deepest thoughts. As mentioned above my word for 2021 is tangible and I explored this in my journal toward the end of 2020. As I near the mid-point of the year, I’ll pour out some more thoughts in the journal, both positive and negative. What does tangible mean for you as we near June?

    Questions to answer, thoughts to explore or images to create in your journal:

    • What would you like to be more tangible in your life?
    • What can you do to make this more tangible?
    • How will you cope with things beyond your control?

    Theory of General Creativity

    I now have ‘tangible’ written on the board above my computer. I am confident it will inspire me on my creative journey this week. It has felt like a lot of the past year has been anything but ‘perceptible by touch’. It feels like my creative adventure has been at the most percolating. It’s time to explore this prompt and also bring it into reality.

    Let ‘tangible’ inspire your music, photography, and painting this week.

    Finally…

    As always, these creative prompts are optional and entirely open to your interpretation. Use them as a starting point for a short story, something a little more grandiose.

    As mentioned before, this isn’t a ‘challenge’ but the prompts can be used that way if you want. If you do create anything using them, I would love to see or hear about it. Leave a link in the comments below or tag me on any social platform.

    Thank you for reading this post. Please share your thoughts in the comment section below.
    namaste
    d
    xox

    If you enjoyed this post please support my writing by making a donation of any amount.

    Sign up for my (ir)regular newsletter to keep up to date with my creative adventures, including special offers, and join me on Instagram | YouTube | Twitter | Pinterest

  • Fire — Friday Fiction Writing Prompt

    A Fiction Writing or Journal Prompt exploring ‘fire’ to stretch the literary muscles. No rules. No word counts. Simply write and explore.

    It’s a cliché but very apt right now, there is no smoke without fire.

    Writing Prompt Expanded

    A golden rule in writing is to avoid clichés. The thinking behind this is simple, using an overused phrase is lazy. Writers should be creative, therefore don’t use something that someone, or many ones, have used before. However, we do use clichés because they are so often true and convey meanings that are easily understood by many. In this prompt, we are using a cliché, intentionally, and intentional use is fine, permission granted.

    This prompt is all about cause and effect, the fire is causing smoke, what the smoke and the fire are though is up to you…

    • Is your smoke real or a metaphor for something?
    • How do you notice the smoke?
    • Can you use all your senses to describe the smoke?

    The prompt works well for all genres of fiction, so you’ll have your creative muscles stretched to pin down an idea. If you are using this as a journal writing prompt, you could use it to explore actions in your life. What is the fire that causes you to act the way you do? Quite often we focus on the symptom and not the cause and then wonder why we struggle. What is the fire that perhaps needs putting out, or at least damping down? Enjoy the creative writing time, but remember, in general, avoid clichés like the plague.

    In the next couple of days, I’ll be posting about a change in these creative prompts, until then…

    As always, these writing prompts are optional and entirely open to your interpretation. Use them as a starting point for a short story, something a little more grandiose or a prompt in your journal. If you do write something, please share it or a link, in the comments, use the hashtag #ffwp or tag me. I’d love to read what you create. Write and enjoy the learning process.

    Thank you for reading this post. Please share your thoughts in the comment section below.
    namaste
    d
    xox

    If you enjoyed this post please support my writing by making a donation of any amount.

    Sign up for my (ir)regular newsletter to keep up to date with my creative adventures, including special offers, and join me on Instagram | YouTube | Twitter | Pinterest

  • Fire — Weekly Creative Prompt

    It’s time for another weekly creative prompt word. These weekly words, or prompts, are to give me, and anyone else who wants to join in, some focus to our creative work.

    The festival of Beltane marks the point between the spring equinox and mid-summer solstice. In the Northern Hemisphere, it is observed at the beginning of May. Many of the ancient customs and rituals associated with Beltane involve burning and marking people and boundaries with ashes. Therefore…

    This week’s creative prompt word is:

    Fire — a process in which substances combine chemically with oxygen from the air and typically give out bright light, heat, and smoke; combustion or burning

    this isn’t the only definition of Fire, in fact, as you’ll see later, I quite like this… one of the four elements in ancient and medieval philosophy

    Let the prompt inspire you in any area of creativity that you are interested:

    • writing fiction
    • art journaling
    • songwriting
    • journaling
    • photography
    • painting
    • composing
    • blog posts
    • art therapy
    • anything that could use a little nudge to begin

    I now have ‘fire’ written on the board above my computer. I am confident it will inspire me on my creative journey this week. Alchemists regarded fire as the change agent. Fire would change element to element. And the alchemists’ goal was to create gold. What creative gold will our alchemy refine this week?

    As mentioned before, this isn’t a ‘challenge’ but the prompts can be used that way if you want. If you do create anything using them, I would love to see or hear about it. Leave a link in the comments below or tag me #thecreativeminimalist on any social platform.

    Thank you for reading this post. Please share your thoughts in the comment section below.
    namaste
    d
    xox

    If you enjoyed this post please support my writing by making a donation of any amount.

    Sign up for my (ir)regular newsletter to keep up to date with my creative adventures, including special offers, and join me on Instagram | YouTube | Twitter | Pinterest

  • Silence — Friday Fiction Writing Prompt

    A Fiction and Journal Writing Prompt exploring silence to stretch the literary muscles. No rules. No word counts. Simply write and explore.

    I hear nothing. There should be a cacophony, but there is only silence.

    Writing Prompt Expanded

    Last week was all about sound so this week it seems only fitting that we delve into the opposite. It is often easier to write about something that is there. Something that has shape and form, that triggers our senses. The challenge here is to write about something that doesn’t exist. The prompt should help a little in that it suggests an expectancy of sound.

    This prompt is all about silence, a complete lack of sound. It is about describing something that isn’t there.

    • What sound should there be?
    • How do you describe the absence of sound?
    • Why is there no sound?

    There is a lot of scope for creativity if you use this as a fiction prompt. You might be expecting noise from children having fun, a machine running, or a pet playing. It works well in both funny or sinister situations. As a journal prompt, it gives plenty of space to think about where the sound should or shouldn’t be in our lives, and again, how do you express this artfully on the page?

    As always these writing prompts are optional and entirely open to your interpretation. Use them as a starting point for a short story, something a little more grandiose or a journal page. If you do write something, please share it or a link, in the comments, use the hashtag #ffwp or tag me. I’d love to read what you create. Write and enjoy the learning process.

    Thank you for reading this post. Please share your thoughts in the comment section below.
    namaste
    d
    xox

    If you enjoyed this post please support my writing by making a donation of any amount.

    Sign up for my (ir)regular newsletter to keep up to date with my creative adventures, including special offers, and join me on Instagram | YouTube | Twitter | Pinterest