Welcome! We’re glad you found us.

Our Inspiration: Wordsmiths put pen to paper as they write from prompts and share their work aloud in a no-pressure atmosphere.

At a distance from us here in Narragansett, RI? Can’t make a meeting? That’s okay. We’ll post our prompts weekly, and would welcome your responses.

Wondering how to complete a prompt? Find a place to write. It doesn’t have to be quiet. You don’t have to be alone. It can be quiet, and you might write alone. But don’t worry, those aren’t requirements. The only requirements are these: Take a moment to clear your mind. Read the prompt. Set a timer for 20 minutes, and write. Write without editing much or at all. Write without listening to the voice in your head that says that what you’re writing isn’t any good. The goal is simply to get words on the page. As writers, we sometimes make a lot of excuses. We edit ourselves out of good ideas, or we feel that conditions must be ideal before we can write. Maybe your prompt response is mostly useless, but you can salvage one perfect sentence. Maybe you create a character that you find yourself wondering about later. Maybe you don’t write more than a few words. It doesn’t matter. The idea is to get writing, and to get in the practice of writing. And maybe, someday very soon, the timer will begin and you will be able to write something that you really, really like.

What is a writing prompt? According to Google, “A writing prompt is simply a topic around which you start jotting down ideas. The prompt could be a single word, a short phrase, a complete paragraph or even a picture, with the idea being to give you something to focus upon as you write.”

The best writing prompts can be anything. A line of poetry. A phrase you hear in a song. An insult. A photograph. An odd juxtaposition of words. A dream. A memory. Dialogue from a conversation you’re blatantly eavesdropping on. (We know. Generally speaking, you’re not supposed to end on a preposition. But you can definitely end with a proposition…that sounds promising.)

From http://www.dailywritingtips.com:

Here are four good reasons for writing to prompts :

1. Sometimes it’s hard to start writing when faced with a blank page. Focusing on an unrelated prompt for a while helps get the creative juices flowing. If you write for just ten minutes on a prompt, you should then find it easier to return to the piece you intended to write. You may also find that if you stop trying to think so hard about what you wanted to write and switch you attention to the prompt instead, the words and ideas for your original piece start to come to you after all.
2. The things you write in response to a prompt may also end up as worthwhile material in their own right. The prompt may give you ideas from which a complete story grows or you may get fresh ideas for another piece you are already working on. It’s often surprising how much material you come up with once you start.
3. Writing to a prompt regularly helps to get you into the habit of writing. This can act as a sort of exercise regime, helping to build up your “muscles” so that you start to find it easier and easier to write for longer and longer.
4. Prompts can be a great way to get involved in a writing community. Sometimes writing groups offer a prompt for everyone to write about, with the intention being for everyone to come up with something they can then share. This can be a source of great encouragement, although knowing that others will read what you have written can also inhibit your creativity.

Today’s Writing Prompt: When the cows come home.

Further Inspiration? Andy Weir. Now 43, the author originally published ‘The Martian’ as a free serial on his website. Upon readers’  request, Mr. Weir self-published his material on Amazon, where it became a best-seller and was purchased by a publishing company. Matt Damon is rumored to be an Oscar contender in the movie, in theaters now.