A year of writing prompts; 2 June

How to use these prompts

Who is arriving?
What are they arriving at?
What happens next?

Prompts

1. In 1955, a woman called Nannie Doss was sentenced to life in prison for murdering four of her husbands with rat poison. A fifth husband divorced her because he was suspicious when their children died of food poisoning. Five more of her relatives met mysterious ends. Write about someone who kills a series of spouses, offspring and/or relatives. How and why do they do it?
2. The first children's zoo opened in 1937. Write a story set in a children's zoo.
3. It's Leave the Office Early Day. Your character leaves work early. Why?
4. There have been at least two coronations on this date - Elizabeth II in 1953 and the fourth king of Bhutan in 1974. Write a story about a coronation.
5. "There is music in the air, music all around us, the world is full of it and you simply take as much as you require." Edward Elgar

Character Names

Anita, Emma, Carmen, Erasmus, Eugene, Myrna, Brock, Xenia, Rutger, Marianna, Roger

Character Traits

• Good sense of harmony and balance.
• Have faith in the future; but their faith is not always realised.
• Reversals of fortune are likely which may result in having to reduce their lifestyle.
• May be affected by sudden deaths or unpleasant surprises. May be widowed early or lose a child.
• Philosophical about misfortunes and carry on with determination.
• Can be sarcastic and critical.
• The can appear stubborn, but this is usually because they want clear evidence before admitting they are wrong. When they get the evidence, they will readily admit they are wrong.
• Sensitive and highly strung.
• Often feel superior to others.
• Find it hard to trust.
• Logical, mathematical and mental, but have artistic talents as well.
• Keep society's conventions, but hold their own convictions.
• May become engineers, architects, mechanics or seek a career in the technical sciences.
• Tendency towards jealousy and envy.
• May be affected by oppression and slavery.

Possible Themes

Mutual support.

Fortitude.

Standards turned upside down.

Rebellion against authority.

Expressing one's needs.

Objects

A crane; a hook; a ledger; a broken laurel tree with a new shoot growing at its foot; urns full of wheat.