A memorable vacation could also mean taking a trip with people who are special to you- which could be your family, close friends, a significant other, etc. Perhaps this was your most memorable vacation because you got to become closer to the people you love most. You could also be the adventurous type, which would make your most memorable vacation likely when you were finally able to check a significant city or country off of your bucket list. This trip then becomes significant to you because you not only fulfilled a personal goal, but also because you got to learn about a new city or culture, see sights, have adventures, and figure out what lives up to and what exceeds your expectations.

Finally, there are those trips that are disastrously memorable. Maybe someone got your flight dates wrong or the hotel “four-star” hotel you stayed in made you question the whole star rating system. Perhaps the restaurant you were so excited to try gave you food poisoning and the weather was dreary almost every day. On one hand, trips like that can be hard to get through. But, for some reason, people are often able to look back on those experiences with a good sense of humor and bond over the shared experience- even if it was a terrible one.

There are lots of different ways one could categorize the most ‘memorable’ vacation of their lives. But how would your protagonist categorize it?

In this writing prompt, we’re tasking you to write a short story taking the protagonist of your book on their most memorable vacation. This vacation could take place at any point in their lives, from childhood to adulthood. And, as we’ve pointed out, there are many ways to define what could be memorable. So think- what would your protagonist consider the most memorable or significant vacation of their lives and why? What did they learn over this period? What did they gain? What did they lose? What memories were made and why are they either cherished or stuck in the protagonist’s psyche?

Don’t be afraid to take them out of their comfort zone, that’s when some of the best character writing can happen. And make the experience visceral, we should have the sights, smells, tastes, touches, and sounds in every scene. After all, if it’s their most unforgettable trip, they would remember it in great detail.

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Regardless of whether you view them in a positive or negative light, there’s no denying that New Year’s resolutions say a lot about who we are. For example, you’ve likely made some kind of writing-related resolution, am I write? Whether it be to finally finish a book you’ve been working on or to be more active with your writing, this resolution shows that writing is important to you. And whether or not you stick to it also tells us a lot about you- whether you’re more disciplined/organized or more spontaneous/disorganized (we’re not judging… well, maybe a little).

But we’re not here to talk about your resolutions, we’re here to talk about your character’s! New Year’s resolutions are a great way to reveal character. Start by thinking of a character you’ve written or are in the process of writing- whether they be from a book you’re working on or a short story idea you have. What would this character’s New Year’s resolution be? As you know, what drives character action is their desires or what they want, how could this be boiled down into a resolution?

Next, create obstacles for your character. Let’s say your character resolved to ‘be open to romance’ or something along those lines, let’s say their first date since making the resolution is the complete antithesis of everything they want in a romantic partner. They chew with their mouth open, their favorite band is Drake, they’re unemployed- everything that could go wrong, will go wrong. Will your protagonist stick it out through the date? Will they go on a second date to try to remain open? Think of a few obstacles that could happen within the first few months of the year to test your protagonist’s resolve.

Finally, consider your protagonist- this character you already know or are just beginning to know. What reveals character the most is their choices throughout a story. Will your protagonist make the right choices at every turn? Will they make some right and some wrong- if so, why? Will they end up sticking to their resolution or giving up? And be honest about them too, we won’t like them any less for giving up if that makes more sense for their character.

Writing Prompt: Now that you have a general outline, let these scenes play out. Write the scenes necessary to show us your protagonist’s resolution playing out, how they handle each obstacle, and finally whether or not they choose to give up or stick it out. This exercise will not only be a fun way to flex your writing muscles, but also a great exercise in the different ways that character actions and choices can reveal things about who they are.

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So… all that goes to say that titling a book that you’ve put your heart and soul into can be an uphill battle. But, on the reverse, working backward using a title can be a fun little writing exercise to get your creative juices flowing. Below are three lists, use a random number generator to select an option from each of these lists…

Chose a descriptor

1. Diamond
2. Deadly
3. Envious
4. Blue
5. Humble
6. Comely

Chose a primary word

1. Hammer
2. Elephant Tusk
3. Daughter
4. Apology
5. Dragon
6. Roller Coaster

Chose an ending word

1. The Awkward Muffin
2. The Man Called Once
3. The Land of Lost Things
4. The Silent Winter
5. The Giant Gourd
6. The Extraordinary Hour

Create your title

Now drop the words you selected into the following title:

The [Descriptor] [Primary Word] and [Ending Word]

You’re now tasked with writing a short story using the title you’ve generated. Try to imagine how these three things could all be part of one cohesive story. Maybe they’re symbolic in some cases and more literal in others- but try to create characters, plot, and a story that will match up with the zany title you’ve created.

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In a very literal sense, these phrases are utter nonsense. But, as anyone growing up in an English-speaking country learns, each of these phrases contains a nugget of wisdom or a ‘general truth’ that is being imparted on the reader or listener. Example: Too many cooks in the kitchen– when too many people are working on something, it can end up being more chaotic than helpful. You can’t teach an old dog new tricks– the older you get, the harder it is to learn new things or break old habits.

But imagine, for a moment, that these ancient phrases we’ve heard all of our lives are much more literal than we originally thought. What if too many cooks in the kitchen originated with a disastrous cooking experience hundreds of years ago? What if Pride cometh before the fall originated from a woman named Pride having bad luck, journeying from town to town, and catastrophes brewing in her wake?

The Write Practice has created an excellent writing prompt involving these odd old sayings, guaranteed to get your creative juices flowing. Here’s how this prompt works: Think of an adage. Obviously most adages have traceable origins, you may even know them in the back of your mind. But forget that, for now.

Think of why the adage you chose became a saying. Twist the adage’s meaning around, turn it on its head, be illogical or fantastical or highly scientific- whatever you like. It could come from an alien species galaxies away, from a historical figure, from a literal experience of the adage or a metaphorical one. Regardless of what direction you choose to go with it, think of how that adage came to be and how it made its way into our lexicon. Then write a story about it.

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