Personally, I enjoy reading through prompts for inspiration. The more open-ended they are, the better. These prompts were the best, because they were specific enough to get an image in your head, but brief enough that I didn't feel restricted to a particular type of writing.
There were prompts that fit all kinds of genres. Realistic stories, magical stories, stories for adults, stories for children... there truly is something in this book for everyone.
Today, I'm interviewing author Tyrean Martinson about this book and others. Here's what she has to say:
What made you decide to write A Jumble of 500+ Writing Prompts?
I started writing and collecting writing prompts at the request from parents at my home-school co-operative where I teach classes. Four years ago, it began as a list of a 100 prompts for summer writing, and then it grew each year in a messy jumble of prompts. Over the years, I discovered I like prompts out of order, not in line with a season or theme, because they prompt me to think outside the box.
(Side note from Shelley: I like prompts out of order too, which is why your book and I really get along!)
Do you have a favorite prompt (or prompts) from the book?
It’s hard for me to pick because I like all of them, but here are a few that stand out to me, today:
- in the wide, waiting land
- dear, angry henchmen
- a damsel not in distress
- an uncomfortable relative
- it is not impossible that I will make the catch
(I made a list of the ones I plan to write about, and "an uncomfortable relative" is one of my favorites on the list!)
Can you tell us about your other books?
The Champion Trilogy, a Christian YA fantasy series, came out of a conversation I had with my daughters and a dream image of a young woman cowering on a muddy battlefield while holding a sword struck by lightning. As a short story, it kept getting rejected with the words “it sounds like a chapter from a novel,” so I took it to novel length. After three years and seven content drafts, I realized that Clara, my MC, needed a trilogy to share her journey. The dream image starts the first novel, Champion in the Darkness, and acts as a prophecy that she must try to avoid to save someone she loves.
Ashes Burn is an experimental micro-fiction series that is coming out in seasons. Wend is on the run, Teresa is hunting down the man she loves, and King Bryant is trying to take over the kingdom and cover up what really happened to his parents and brother.
My other book-length published projects include a poetry collection called Light Reflections, and a speculative short fiction and poetry collection called Dragonfold and Other Adventures. In addition to those, I have some individual short stories available in e-story format, including “Seedling,” which is a perma-free MG urban fantasy story.
(Can't wait to check these out!)
Do you have any upcoming books in the works?
Yes!
Ashes Burn will continue coming out over the next two years.
Three writing curriculum books, Dynamic Writing 1-3, which were previously published privately just for my writing classes, will be released publicly over the spring and summer.
Plus, the final book in The Champion Trilogy, Champion’s Destiny, will come out in September. Clara will discover a secret about the Champions of Aramatir that has been hidden for hundreds of years, but revealing the secret comes with a price.
(Wow, you write a whole lot! I'm impressed!)
Thanks for having me here today, Shelley!
My pleasure! Guys, if you're looking for inspiration, I encourage you to check out A Jumble of 500+ Writing Prompts!
Her latest releases reflect her love of everyday writing: A Jumble of 500+ Writing Prompts eBook with the companion paperback, A Pocket-Sized Jumble of 500+ Writing Prompts, and the additional Jumble Journals. The eBook version is only 99 cents at Amazon, Smashwords, and Barnes and Noble.
28 comments:
Cool tool you've created, Tyrean! And wow, you've been one busy lady.
I like the idea of Dear angry henchmen :) Fun!
I like ashes burn. It makes me think because in my mind the ash comes after the fire. So when ashes burn it seems there is a continuation of something else.
Everyone could use inspiration! What a great idea. I will often have clients email to say, "Give me 10 story ideas about office copiers." I have to then come up with 10 ideas, right then and there. They don't seem to realize how hard ideas are!
Tyrean, that is really smart to publish the curriculum books. Get connected with the right homeschool groups and those could sell huge.
Great interview! I'd like to read a story about a damsel not in distress.
Great idea! This could be so much fun, not just as a writer but as party games. Or does that make me a nerd? I don't care, sounds fun to me.
Laurel - Thanks! Yes, I've been busy . .
Tiana Smith - Glad you like that one!
Peaches - Great imagery. That's part of what I think of, too.
Stephanie - 10 story ideas about office copiers? Whoa. Hmm. One walked down the street. One caused an interoffice romance, another caused an interoffice romance, umm. . . and I'm running out already.
L.Diane - That's part of my hope with those books . . . there's a big convention in June in my state, so I'm hoping to head there with them.
Christine - Thanks! I like damsels not in distress stories, too. :)
S.P. - I hadn't thought of party games, but that would be fun! :)
Shelley - Thanks so much for hosting me here today! I'm sorry I was so late about visiting.
One of my favorite is the damsel not in distress. Tyrean is so creative.
An angry henchman! I like that one.
Tyrean is really prolific. Publishing the prompts is a really helpful thing to do and so are the curriculum books. Great interview!
What a wonderful idea Tyrean and my favorite is "dear, angry henchmen"
Those are some good prompt examples. I like "a damsel not in distress."
Susan - thanks! You're incredibly creative, too. :)
Alex - glad you did! :)
Nick - Thank you! I just keep working away at old and new projects . . . and I've been working on some of them a long while.
Maurice - Thanks! Glad you liked that one. :)
Sherry - Thanks!
Tyrean - Thank you so much for sharing on my blog! It's been a pleasure having you here. :)
Everyone else, thank you for stopping by! I appreciate it!
Congratulations, Tyrean! Thank you for hosting, Shelley. It's nice to learn more about Tyrean and her book.
Looks like a great writing resource to get the creative juices flowing.
Nice interview. Ashes Burn sounds very interesting... waiting.
This post makes me happy! Congrats, Tyrean!! Bravo, for pushing through and coming up with a great idea to inspire our youth- Cheers to you~
Great interview, ladies!!
Tyrean is one highly productive lady!
I have my copy of 500+ Writing Prompts...
Congrats on all the achievements, Tyrean!
Congrats, Tyrean!! This is a such an awesome tool. I think I can never have too many prompts!!!
Thanks again, everyone, for stopping by and reading about this fun prompt book!
I know Tyrean! Didn't know she had a book of writing prompts. That's what I get being out of the blogosphere for so long. Time to catch up.
Great interview, guys! :)
I wish writing prompts were the problem. =) Super awesome resource!
Great interview and I like the idea of this story.
Thanks so much for having me, Shelley! And thank you to everyone for stopping by and visiting!
Sounds like a great book - love the list. Those uncomfortable relatives make for some great stories!! :)
Thanks, Jemi! And yes, they do. :)
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