Writing prompt for December 31st

Take a popular New Year's Resolution (ie., lose weight, stop smoking, eat more vegetables) and write a short story about someone who resolves to do the opposite (ie., gain weight, start smoking or smoke more, eat no vegetables.)

Writing prompt for December 30th

If you could 'unknow' one thing, what would it be?

How would this alter your life?

Writing prompt for December 29th

If you had to have been any dictator or tyrant in history, which one would you choose to have been?

Why?

Write a speech in their voice, justifying their actions.

Writing prompt for December 27th

Write a poem about your back yard.

Writing prompt for December 26th

Today is National Whiners Day.

Spend a good half-hour to an hour ranting and raving about anything and everything. Be self-indulgent.

When you're done, go out and enjoy the day!

Writing prompt for December 24th

Rewrite 'T'was The Night Before Christmas' as a horror story.

Writing prompt for December 23rd

Think about your favorite holiday gifts, either given or received.

Explain what that gift has meant to you or the person who received it.

What has been the long-term impact of the gift.

Writing prompt for December 22nd

Choose one of your favorite Christmas carols or seasonal song.

Rewrite the lyrics to fit your family, friends, living situation.

Writing prompt for December 21st

Hanukkah, aka The Festival of Lights, begins today.

If you are very familiar with Hanukkah traditions, write a scene or short story that reflects this.

If you are not at all familiar with Hanukkah traditions, spend about a half hour doing a google search, then write a scene or short story as someone who is celebrating the holiday for the first time.

Writing prompt for December 20th

Write a letter to Santa as your five year old self.

Writing prompt for December 19th

Write a monologue or essay that persuades an audience to either engage in healthy or unhealthy eating habits.

Writing prompt for December 18th

Finish the poem as applicable to your current relationship, or if you are not in a relationship, an imagined relationship.

How do I love thee?
Let me count the ways...

Writing prompt for December 17th

If you could train a pet bird to do one thing for you and always return home again, what would it do?

Describe the birds adventure from his/her point of view.

Writing prompt for December 16th

On December 16, 1773, the Boston Tea Party took place.

Spend about a half hour reviewing the facts behind this historic event in colonial history.

Write a first person account of what transpired that day.

Writing prompt for December 15th

Using the most admirable qualities of your closest friends, create your own fairy godmother.

Writing prompt December 14th

If you had a bust of yourself sculpted, where would you want it placed?

Who would make it?

How would the inscription read?

Writing prompt for December 13th

If you were able to travel to the South Pole, who would you want to take along with you and why?

You can choose from anyone – someone you know, someone famous, someone alive or deceased.

Writing prompt for December 12th

Imagine you're a guest star on your favorite sitcom.

Write your dialogue for the episode.

Writing prompt for December 10th

If you had to spend one year alone in the wilderness, where would you go?

What would your daily routine by like?

Why did you choose this place?

Writing prompt for December 9th

Explain how the roller skate is similar and different from today’s roller blades.

Which would you rather skate on and why?

Write about any memorable experiences.

Writing prompt for December 8th

You've lost electricity at your place of residence.

What are you going to do?

Plan for the entire day.

Writing prompt for December 7th

On December 7, 1941, the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor in Honolulu, Hawaii, sparking the beginning of the United State’s involvement in World War II.

Write a few facts about the war from memory.

Write about a war-related event you either witnessed or were told about by a friend or relative.

Writing prompt for December 6th

If you could have the home phone number of anyone in the world, whose would it be?

What do you want to say to them?

Write the scene how you want the conversation to go...

... or...

Write the worst case scenario version of the scene.

Writing prompt for December 5th

Imagine a moral lesson about love you want your children to learn.

What is it?

How will they learn it?

Why is it important?

Writing prompt for December 4th

If you had to kill one person you work with, who would you off?

Why?

Explain what they have done to merit being the candidate.

Writing prompt for December 3rd

Imagine a street or square or park being named after you.

Which would you select?

Where is it?

What exactly would you want it named?

Write about that place and what it means to you.

Writing prompt for December 2nd

Think about your favorite childhood toy.

Describe it.

Who gave it to you?

What made it your favorite?

Do you still have it or did you give it away?

Why?

Writing prompt for December 1st

Listen to your favorite holiday song (jingle, choral or pop) seven times with eyes closed, mind open.

Then write fast and furious anything that comes to mind.

Write at least 3 handwritten pages.

Writing prompt for November 30th

If you were to select the moment in your life when you looked the sexiest, when would it be?

Describe how you looked then.

Explain why you consider that moment to be your sexiest.

Writing prompt for November 29th

Confess to a crime you've already committed.

What was the crime?

Who was it perpetrated against?

Why did you commit it?

Describe the circumstances.

Writing prompt for November 28th

Hope ya'll enjoyed a day full of turkey! Now back to...

Imagine the biggest hypocrite you've ever met.

What is this person hypocritical about?

Give them a backstory to explain their behavior.

Writing prompt for November 26th

If you could commit one crime without being caught, what crime would you commit?

Describe in detail what you would do, how you would do it, and why.

Writing prompt for November 25th

If your daughter told you she was pregnant and she didn't know who the father was, what advice would you give her?

Writing prompt for November 24th

If you had to choose the single most valuable thing you've learned, what would it be?

Why?

Under what circumstances was this lesson learned?

Writing prompt for November 23rd

Imagine the best telephone call you could receive.

Write the scene.

Writing prompt for November 22nd

Write an ad to put in the personals for a weekend fling.

Write a second ad that would grab your attention.

Writing prompt for November 21st

Envision the perfect Thankgiving feast table.

Write about each dish.

Remember to include all of your senses - colors, textures, odors, sounds, flavors.

Writing prompt for November 20th

Name one advantage daughters have over sons.

What is it?

How is it an advantage?

Writing prompt for November 19th

Listen to your favorite song five times back to back.

Freewrite whatever comes to mind.

Writing Prompt for November 18th

Design your own amusement park ride.

Imagine the details of the ride and any coinciding storyline.

Who would most enjoy your ride - toddlers, teens, adults.

Why?

Writing Prompt for November 17th

Write a poem about your favorite color.

Writing prompt for November 16th

Choose a neighbor you don't know very well.

Write a character sketch about them using the little that you know of them and their behavior and embellish it with your imagination.

Writing prompt for November 15th

Describe your favorite concert-going experience.

If you've never attended a concert, see a live band play this evening and write about your experience.

Writing prompt for November 14th

Describe your knowledge of gambling, gaming, casino/card games.

Explain how, under what circumstances you acquired this knowledge.

Writing prompt for November 13th

Describe your favorite road trip.

Who went with you?

Where did you go?

What did you see? Did something unexpected happen?

Writing prompt for November 12th

Describe your favorite flower.

Remember to engage all the senses.

Explain why it is your favorite flower.

What are your first thoughts when you see or smell it?

Writing prompt for November 11th

Research your own family for any war veterans.

Interview one who is alive, if possible.

If not, research the service records of those who aren't.

Writing prompt for November 10th

Your significant other just got a job at your office.

How does this make you feel?

Writing prompt for November 9th

Go to a garage/yard/estate sale.

Browse the items for sale, and have a brief chat with the seller.

Write a short story using him as a main character.

Writing prompt for November 8th

What is the one thing about your physical appearance you would most like to change about yourself?

Write a short story as if you were that body part.

Writing prompt for November 7th

If you could dedicate one work of art to someone you love, which would it be?

To whom would you dedicate it?

Writing prompt for November 6th

If you were to bear the child of a famous person alive today, whose child would you like to have?

Why?

Writing prompt for November 5th

Describe your Election Day experience.

If you did not vote, explain why.

Writing prompt for November 4th

If you found out for certain there is a Heaven and Hell, how would you change your life?

Describe what you would do differently.

Writing prompt for November 3rd

Describe the most difficult good-bye you've ever had to say.

Where were you?

What were the circumstances?

Who did you have to say good-bye to?

Writing prompt for November 2nd

Describe one romantic experience that changed your life.

Writing prompt for November 1st

If you were to articulate the biggest difference between the way a woma loves a man and the way a man loves a woman, what would you say?

Writing prompt for October 31, 2008

What is your favorite super power?

If you possessed this power, how would it change your life?

How would it change the world?

Writing prompt for October 30, 2008

If you could change the ending of any book ever written, which one would you pick?

How would you change it?

Write the new ending.

Writing prompt for October 29, 2008

Read an autobiography, and find an inspirational quote.

Write about what it means to you.

Writing prompt for October 28, 2008

If you had to name one person (famous or not) who should NOT have divorced their spouse, who would you pick?

Describe what their future would have been like had they stayed married.

Writing prompt for October 27, 2008

Research a famous (or as close to famous as you can find) relative or ancestor.

Write a short summary of why she's famous (or infamous).

Writing prompt for October 26, 2008

Turn on the radio, and wait for the start of a new song.

During the tune, write continually, without worrying about spelling or punctuation.

When the song is over, revise your short work.

If it's good, keep writing.

Writing prompt for October 25, 2008

If you were to name the one person you know who is lacking sound judgment about their own relationship, who would it be?

Why?

Describe their relationship.

Sorry

I hate making excuses. Yesterday was just... a really bad day for personal reasons.

Hope you still found something to write about!

Writing prompt for October 23, 2008

If you had to identify the worst hotel room you have ever stayed in, where was it?

Describe it.

Remember colors, textures, smells.

Writing prompt for October 22, 2008

Fill out a mock application to be on a reality show.

Which show is it?

Why should you be chosen?

Writing prompt for October 21, 2008

Suppose all world leaders agree to defer to your judgment for 24 hours.

What orders would you give?

Writing prompt for October 20, 2008

Find a new place to eat or drink, and introduce yourself to the server.

Later, write a character sketch based on what the server told you.

Writing prompt for October 18, 2008

Look around the room and pick an object.

Write one paragraph describing the object in full detail and a second paragraph explaining where it came from.

Writing prompt for October 17, 2008

Select a paragraph from one of your current works.

Change the point of view to see what new details you might find.

Writing prompt for October 16, 2008

Write a Super Bowl jingle for your favorite product.

What's the product?

And what's the jingle?

Writing prompt for October 15, 2008

Make a list of products or services that no longer exist, but you remember (i.e., turn tables, 8-track players).

What memories are connected to them?

Write to the next generation describing them and relating your experiences.

Writing prompt for October 14, 2008

If the moon were made of cheese, how would the rest of the universe be affected?

Writing prompt for October 13, 2008

Consider your favorite hero whose life was cut short (i.e., Martin Luther King, Jr., your mother, JFK, John Lennon).

What would they have done with the rest of their life?

How would the world, your world, have been changed?

Writing prompt for October 12, 2008

Take one bite of your favorite food or candy.

Pretend it's the last bite of your last meal.

Write down what you're feeling and thinking.

Writing prompt for October 11, 2008

You've been promoted to vice president of a huge toy conglomerate.

What new toy would you suggest the company start making?

Writing prompt for October 10, 2008

Describe today's weather using 10 words that aren't typically applied to the weather.

Writing prompt for October 9, 2008

If you could have any magical power for only one hour, what would it be?

How would you use it?

Why?

Writing prompt for October 8, 2008

Pretend you find yourself in the hospital without a clue who you or how you got there. You have no identification or personal effects.

How did you get amnesia?

What's the first thing you'll remember?

Do you want to go back to your old life or start a new one?

Recommended Reading for Screenwriters

A list of texts that are worthwhile for every screenwriter to be familiar with. I've done my best to categorize them according to specifics fields (ie, writing, production, etc.).


Filmmaking

Jolliffe, Genevieve and Jones, Chris, The Guerilla Filmmakers Handbook

If you get one book, make it this one. Huge, heavy, indispensable. This goes through every step of the process in the form of interviews with people who actually do those jobs. Fun to read, distilling a wealth of experience and guided by authors who are focused on making very small, very inexpensive movies.

Maschwitz, Stu, The DV Rebel's Guide

Maschwitz is the founder of the FX house The Orphanage and the maker of extremely cheap DV movies with ridiculously high production value. The book is focused on shoestring digital effects work.

Gaspard, John. Fast, Cheap and In Control

Great war stories from a wide range of filmmakers working without a monetary net.


Writing

Ackerman, Hal. Write Screenplays That Sell

In a world of good screenwriting books, this one really stands out.

Seger, Linda, Making a Good Script Great, 2nd Ed

Many people view this as a rewriting book, but it can be used as a writing partner for the first draft.

Gaspard, John. Fast, Cheap and Written that Way

More great anecdotal lessons from screenwriters sharing their adventures and techniques in the low budget world.


Craft

Hitchcock, Alfred & Truffaut, Francois, Hitchcock/Truffaut.

Entertaining and illuminating exploration of a master's creative processes. Best if you can accompany it with DVDs of the films.

Murch, Walter, In the Blink of an Eye, 2nd Ed

Oscar-winning film editor and sound designer (and Final Cut Pro user) Murch is a renaissance man and it shows in this slim, elegant gem of a book about editing.

Mascelli, Joseph V. The Five C's of Cinematography: Motion Picture Filming Techniques

A venerable book that is a remarkably clear primer on basic film-language. If you know nothing and memorize this, you won't go wrong.


Acting

Weston, Judith, Directing Actors

An extraordinarily valuable book about how actors work and how to work with actors. Designed for film directors, but equally essential for producers and anyone who wants to understand the most elusive, public and misunderstood job on the set.

Comey, Jeremiah, The Art of Film Acting

Idiosyncratic examination of film acting, by an actor, for actors.


Financing

Wiese, Michael , Film & Video Financing

Hugely comprehensive. Start here.

Cones, John W. , 43 Ways to Finance Your Feature Film

A technical, comprehensive book covering every imaginable finance arrangement. Hard-core money stuff.

Levison, Louise, Filmmakers and Financing: Business Plans for Independents, Fifth Ed


Production and Scheduling

The two books below are similar, but Goodell comes from a production standpoint, while Halloran focuses on entertainment law.

Goodell, Gregory, Independent Feature Film Production

Straightforward, encyclopedic rundown of the whole process, start to finish. A bit dated, but there is a wealth of “how it works” and standard practices in here, conveyed with great clarity.

Erickson, Halloran and Tulchin. Independent Film Producer's Survival Guide: A Business and Legal Sourcebook

Great book full of agreements, standard forms, sample deals, and an entire chapter on what “profit” means.

Simon, Deke and Wiese, Michael. Film and Video Budgets

An updated industry standard that walks you through every line item on a selection of presented budgets.

Singleton, Ralph. Film Scheduling

The book is eleven years old, but the considerations that control scheduling are basically unchanging. The entire book walks you through scheduling the movie “The Conversation.”


Distribution

Anderson, John & Kim, Laura. I Wake Up Screening

After you've made the movie, then what? Festival and distribution insight and case studies by two of the best in the business.

Hall, Phil. Independent Film Distribution

A great overview on the current state (2006) of independent film distribution.


The Big Picture

Vachon, Christine. A Killer Life

What it's really like for one of the best indie producers.

Kaufman, Lloyd. Make Your Own Damn Movie

Edgy tales from the front line of Troma Entertainment's camp-sleaze empire. Warning: Has as much swearing as the average film set.

Biskind, Peter. Down and Dirty Pictures

The appalling history of the behind the scenes machinations that built American indie film. An essential cautionary tale about art and commerce.

Suber, Howard. The Power of Film

An examination of the audience's psychological relationship with movies. If you're looking for the subtleties that make a movie last for decades, Suber's spent decades trying to figure it out.

Recommended Reading for Playwrights

Recommended Texts on the craft of Writing:

Ball - Backwards & Forwards
Bradbury - Zen in the Art of Writing

Brohaugh - Just Open A Vein

Cole - Playwrights on Playwriting

Keyes - The Courage to Write
King - On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft

Sweet - The Dramatist's Toolkit
Spencer - Playwright's Guidebook

Recommended Texts on the craft of Acting:

Ackerman - A Natural History of the Senses
Boleslavsky - Acting: The First Six Lessons
Easty - On Method Acting

Hagen, Respect for Acting
Lewis - Method or Madness
Meisner - On Acting

Morris - No Acting Please
Shurtleff - Audition

Stanislavski - An Actor Prepares, Building A Character, Creating A Role
Strasberg - A Dream of Passion


Recommended Texts related to Theatre History:

Clurman - The Fervent Years
Hethmon - Strasberg At the Actors Studio
Jones - The Dramatic Imagination
Stanislavski - My Life in Art



Recommended Plays:


Aeschylus - Agamemnn
Albee - Who's Afraid of Virgina Woolf, The Zoo Story, A Delicate Balance, Three Tall Women
Anouilh - The Rehearsal


Beckett - Endgame, Waiting for Godot

Brecht - Mother Courage, The Caucasian Chalk Circle
Buchnet - Woyczek


Chekhov - The Seagull, Uncle Vanya, The Three Sisters, The Cherry Orchard
Churchill - Cloud Nine, Top Girls, Mad Forest

Coward - Private Lives, Blithe Spirit


Durang - Sister Mary Ignatius Explains It All For You, Betty's Summer Vacation
Durrenmatt - The Visit
Euripides - Medea, The Trojan Women, Phaedra


Foote - The Young Man From Atlanta
Giradoux - The Madwoman of Chaillot
Goethe - Faust
Gorki - The Lower Depths
Gurney - The Dining Room


Hansberry - A Raisin in the Sun
Hare - Plenty
Ibsen - Peer Gynt, Ghosts, A Doll's House, The Wild Duck, Hedda Gabler
Jonson - Volpone


Kane - Blasted

Kopit - Oh Dad, Poor Dad, Momma's Locked You In the Closet…
Kushner - Angels in America
Lorca - Blood Wedding



Mamet - American Buffalo, Glengary Glen Ross, Oleana
Margulies - Sight Unseen, The Model Apartment
Marlowe - Doctor Faustus
Mee - Big Love

Miller - Death of a Salesman, The Crucible, A View From the Bridge
Moliere - Tartuffe, The Misanthrope


Norman - 'night, Mother
Odets - Waiting for Lefty, Rocket to the Moon
O'Neill - Anna Christie, The Iceman Cometh, A Moon for the Misbegotten, Long Day's Journey Into Night


Parks - Topdog/Underdog

Pinter - The Homecoming, No Man's Land, Betrayal
Rabe - Hurly Burly
Racine - Phedre
Rice - The Adding Machine

Schnitzler - La Ronde
Shakespeare - Hamlet, King Lear, Macbeth, Othello, Romeo and Juliet, Richard III, As You Like It, A Midsummer Night's Dream
Shaw - Mrs. Warren's Profession, Man and Superman, Saint Joan, Pygmalion
Shawn - The Designated Mourner



Shepard - True West, Curse of the Starving Class, Buried Child
Sophocles - Oedipus the King, Antigone
Strindberg - Dance of Death, Ghost Sonata, A Dream Play - Easter, The Stronger, Miss Julie
Vogel - How I Learned to Drive


Weiss - Marat/Sade
Weller - Moonchildren
Wilde - The Importance of Being Ernest, Salome
Wilder - Our Town
Williams - The Glass Menagerie, A Streetcar Named Desire, Cat on A Hot Tin Roof

Writing prompt for October 7, 2008

Change one scene of your favorite movie. Write what you want to happen.

Writing prompt for October 6, 2008

Observe people as they exit a store. Try to pair them with their vehicles before they get to them. Write about someone who surprised you with his car choice.

Writing prompt for October 5, 2008

What is the best prank you ever pulled on someone?

Writing prompt for October 4, 2008

A writing prompt is a word, picture, phrase, quote or set of directions to help you kick start your writing for the day. I find them especially helpful on mornings when I feel like I have nothing to write about. They are intended to get you going. They may be privately held journal entries or may serve as a launching point for a new story, play, scene, novel, etc. And sometimes a writing prompt can even help you break through an obstacle you've hit in an existing piece.

So, are you ready for your first prompt?

Drum roll please!

Write a poem about a color that especially appeals to you this season.

Any kind of poem, any length, doesn't have to rhyme, just put pen to paper or fingers to keyboard for a few minutes and let her rip!

The Doctor Will See You Now

Welcome to The Script Doctor's In!

This blog is dedicated to the art and craft of play and screenwriting. And writing in general.

I have three goals for this blog:

1. To offer up ideas, thoughts, advise, stories from the trenches, etc, as I please.

2. To address any craft related issues readers may have. So, please, don't be shy about asking.

3. To post a daily writing prompt. (I will probably randomly post my writing prompt results and strongly encourage anyone brave enough to do the same.)

Keep checking in, and more importantly, keep writing!