Weekly Writing Prompts: #16


It’s hard to escape that most talked-about and often clichéd theme: love. It’s a fundamental part of many stories, whether it’s love between people, love for a thing, or love that was lost.

weekly writing prompt_love
Taking clichés out of the love story…
Image Credit: Giacomo via Flickr Creative Commons.

But how do we approach the topic of love in our writing without sounding sappy or following too closely in the footsteps of the many authors who have written about ‘love’ before us?

This week’s writing prompt is about battling the clichés and writing something original.

Write a scene where two characters show love for each other.

Sounds simple enough, right? Here are the rules:

  • Set your scene somewhere completely unromantic (the dump, a fish market, a funeral – it’s up to you).
  • You cannot use the words, ‘love’, ‘beautiful’, ‘overwhelming’, ‘heart’, or ‘butterflies’.
  • You cannot use a ‘love at first sight’ or ‘let’s make love’ plot (keep it PG-13, people!).
  • Avoid clichés at all costs!

 

Writing about love (and making it sound sincere rather than silly) is a difficult thing, so cut out the clichés and broaden your imagination.

For more exercises to test your skills, check out our writing prompts page. Happy writing!

Kyra Thomsen

Kyra is a writer and editor from Wollongong. She works full-time as a content writer while reading on the train and drafting short fiction stories in her spare time. Kyra won the 2012 Questions Writing Prize and has been published in Kindling, Seizure Online, Space Place & Culture and Tide. She enjoys admiring her bookshelves, watching cheesy shows on Netflix, and browsing her Tumblr. You can learn more about Kyra's previous publications, plus find fortnightly posts, on her website: kyrathomsen.com.

Recent Posts