Summer Writing prompt
By Rose Lindsey
As Hinton Publishing looks to the coming months, we’re looking for those special summer vibes. The theme of escape is on our minds, considering how we can find reprieve through literature. With this in mind, the goal of this month’s writing prompt will be to take a vacation with language. As always, prompts are invitations; follow this as closely or as loosely as feels comfortable.
To start out with, grab up one of your favorite books, preferably one that alights you, gives you a unique uplifting feeling. A novel you loved when you were younger might be an especially good choice. Then, flip through the pages of your book until your eyes are caught by a line. It could be that the magnetic force of the line is a specific word of interest to you – perhaps for its sound or complexity. Take as long as you need to find a line which calls to you, and then mark it down on a separate sheet of paper.
Next, determine which word in the line draws your eye the most, and start researching it. Practice escapism through etymology. What are the origins of this word? Its lineage? What happens if you dissect parts of the word, separate them, rearrange them? This works especially well for compound words – “deadlines” into “dead lines”, as an example. What homophones does this word have? What connecting lines to other words are you uncovering? Give yourself at least ten minutes to explore this word, through every approach you can think of. Try to dig into the nooks and crannies of it; uncover something you didn’t know about it before. Gain a new perspective on just a few letters.
After this time is up, utilize your newfound understanding to construct a composition. Center that word in front of you, and follow the connective tissues, the new definitions you’ve discovered. Try using it in sentences or stanzas, of every shape and size. Go until you’ve found the comfortable rhythm of knowing this word, and this word alone.
By this point, you’ll have taken your selected word on its own vocab vacation! When the pen settles, give yourself a moment to breathe in that fresh literary air.