Posted on by Chris Sarantopoulos

Inspirational prompt 19

I’ll be taking the next few weeks off from blogging. The last post of 2015 is an inspirational prompt with an image I consider related to The Darkening.

Though I’ve never watched the show Ripper Street, from which the image is taken, I can not but feel captivated by that look on the girl’s face. Also, notice the body language, how tense she appears.

In The Darkening, my protagonist John Piscus, is a deranged survivor of an apocalyptic event. I envisioned John having this same expression on his face each time he looked inside him and his life, and of what he was capable of doing to carry on; of what lines he was willing to cross.

So, have you ever tried writing a story from the POV of a person like that? How would you tackle it? What POV would you use and why? Does it inspire you to write something?

Until the next time (sometime in January 2016), I wish you all a happy festive season, and a happy New Year!

Posted on by Chris Sarantopoulos

Inspirational prompt 18

Here’s another image to set you creativity gears in motion. What do you think happened? Accident or something deliberate? WAs someone dear to the girl in the picture lost or is it just a reaction to the loss of worldly possessions? What if the character you create is more selfish and cries not over the ashes and the destruction, but because now she won’t be able to fulfil some self-centred whim? What if she was misguided into doing something that resulted in the fire.

There are a lot of stories you can come up with this one. Try one 🙂

Posted on by Chris Sarantopoulos · 7 Comments

Inspiration prompt 17

“Hey, don’t worry,” the dog said. “We’ll find your master. I have a nose for these things, you know.”

The horse whinnied and shook its mane. “You said that the last time we were here. We ‘ve been going in circles for two hours now.” It paused, glanced to its left, then to the right. “I don’t think you’re as good with your nose as you think you are.”

What do you think? Are these two animals friends? Are they lost? Perhaps looking for something? Have you ever tried writing a story from the POV of an animal or an object? How would you tackle it? What stories can you come up with this image?

Posted on by Chris Sarantopoulos

Inspirational prompt 16

She stood on the building’s entrance and spared a passing glance at the drenched and hunched figure that jumped gracelessly over the puddle of water, his coat flapping briefly behind him, one hand holding on to his wet fedora. She drew one last puff from her cigarette, flicked in the rain, and opened her umbrella. Well, the meeting could have gone better. If only she had pushed him more. She turned her collar to the damp breeze that found a way under her coat and forced the small hairs at the nape of her neck to attention.

Well, that’s my take on the picture. Have a go, see where it leads you 🙂

Posted on by Chris Sarantopoulos

Inspirational prompt 15

I have mentioned in the past how much I like black and white pictures. You won’t hold it against me if I present you with another one, will you? The following, is a photo taken back in 1920, in Athens from a neighbourhood directly beneath the Acropolis.

Imagine being a peddler in a similar cart, selling your wares from street to street. What would a peddler’s life be like? What manner of different people would they come across? What hardships, would they face? What would the bond be between the man and the animal (horse, donkey, mule)? What would happen if the peddler was to lose the animal? Place yourself in his shoes and write a story, or change your point of view to one of the residents in the areas he crossed daily. Experiment, let your mind roam free.