How One Small Word Leads to Thousands More

I tend to have so many ideas for writing that I can’t settle down and choose just one to go with. So then I end up writing nothing and I spend all my time messing around with editing or something else. Something productive, but not “new word count” productive.

A site I write for used to do a lot of writing prompts, but we’ve since included many more contributors and we all have something to say (of course!), so it’s few and far between that we run prompt posts anymore. I know there’s a blog titled prompt romp out there – It does exist; I follow it. Good stuff on that site.

Well, the other day I discovered something that I’m just beyond in love with. Maybe you all know about it.  I found it through someone on Twitter and was expecting something rather blah when I clicked the link to the website. Boy, was I wrong. It was the opposite of disappointment, that’s for sure.

All the site does is give you one word—a new one each day, and a little box pops up for you to write in as a bar begins to move above said box.

You’re given sixty seconds to write whatever it is that one word makes you feel, and when your time’s up, it’s up. You sign your name and submit. If you’re so inclined, you can go check out what others wrote about the same word.

The first time I gave it a shot, the word was incense. So much swirled in my mind, I wasn’t sure what to think, let alone write! But then it all came out. Soon, I grew sad seeing the green bar move over the the right and become yellow, then orange—showing me that I was out of time. Besides the fact that I adore deadlines (yeah, I know, right?!?), I was all about the word.

Incense fit perfectly for how I was feeling that day. So, naturally, I tried again the next day, with the word result of headband. That one was pretty easy, as well. In fact, incense has led me to work on my memoir a bit more. I’m using what I wrote in that short sixty seconds as the opening (which will call for quite a bit of rearranging) and have an even better idea of how to portray my story. Headband brought up something from the past, too, so I’m sure that will work its way in the story at some point.

Just one, simple word got me thinking  . . .  which is exactly what we, as writers, need.

I’m glad I found it and I honestly think it’s something everyone should try. Even if you do something as basic as open up the dictionary and point to a random word. Don’t give yourself time to actually think. Just set an egg timer and start writing/typing. Stream of consciousness, but with a time limit. See what you come up with. I’ll bet you’ll be surprised and I’d also bet that after a few times of doing this exercise, you’ll come up with something to work into a story somewhere. Prove me wrong.

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