Tag Archives: Writing Exercises

Writing Exercise – Titles

Writing Exercise #2: Come up with as many titles as you can. You don’t have to know the story behind them (although that can be a fun extension of this idea), but just find some phrases that you think would make great book titles.

  • Not Here, Not Now
  • Like Falling Asleep
  • You Said You Would
  • Let Me Down (I like the duality here of disappointment and physically being put down…could be interesting.)
  • Vibrations of Panic (Poem or band name? You decide.)
  • Parts of Speech
  • Balance
  • Tuesday, 10 a.m.
  • Never Born, Simply Was
  • Do No Harm
  • Dark Threads (I really like this one.)
  • Aren’t You Glad You Let Me Go?
  • You, Too
brain exercising

Work that creativity muscle!

I think another aspect of this exercise could be to list titles of current works by other authors that you absolutely love. These could be book titles, but also the titles of chapters, albums, or poems. The point is to find phrases that you love and see where your creativity goes from there. You may end up with a new story idea, or you may find something that will help out with a piece you’re working on.

What are your favorite titles? Let me know in the comments!

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Ashley O’Melia is an independent author and freelancer from Southern Illinois. She holds her Bachelor’s Degree in Creative Writing and English from Southern New Hampshire University. Her books include The Wanderer’s Guide to Dragon Keeping and The Graveside Detective. Her short stories have been published in The Penmen Review, Paradox, and Subcutaneous. Ashley’s freelance work has spanned numerous genres for clients around the world. You can find her on Facebook and Amazon.

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Writing Exercise: Business Names – Florist and Butcher Shop

I have to admit that I haven’t always been crazy about writing exercises.  I’ve had times when I thought they were nothing but a waste of time.  (Then again, I thought that about prewriting for a long time, and I was so wrong.)  I’ve discovered lately that I’ve been doing all sorts of writing exercises even when I don’t really think about it, so I figured I might as well make it official.

Writing Exercise #1:  Come up with several different names for a business.  They can be fun, serious, rhyming, whatever.  Think of words that would be associated with that business and see where it takes you.

Today’s writing exercise is a short and fun one.  (No lengthy writing prompts here.)  I completed this particular drill while I was working on a ghostwriting project and I needed to name a flower shop.  I had a lot of fun coming up with business names.  I can’t say that all of them are something I would necessarily use, but here they are:

  • Bouquet Boutique
  • Bloom Room
  • Flower Power
  • What in Carnation
  • Stem Sell (This one cracked me up!)
  • Peony Place
  • Dahlia Depot
  • Dahlia Store (also amusing…it doesn’t take much for me)
  • Convenient Carnations
  • Discount Daisies
  • Daisy Maze

It turns out that I also needed to name a butcher shop.  I don’t have quite as many on this one:

  • Steak Out
  • Brisket Basket (my favorite)
  • Sir Loin’s
  • Sirloin Sam’s
  • Off the Hoof
  • The Poultry Pantry

I think this is a great writing exercise because it gives your mind a break from plot, structure, and dialog and let’s you focus on something a little more fun.  It also allows you to pay attention to word patterns and how different phrases sound together, which can only help with your writing.

What store names can you come up with?  Let me know in the comments.  And you don’t have to stick with just flower shops and butchers. 🙂

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Ashley O’Melia is an independent author and freelancer from Southern Illinois.  She holds her Bachelor’s Degree in Creative Writing and English from Southern New Hampshire University.  Her books include The Wanderer’s Guide to Dragon Keeping and The Graveside DetectiveHer short stories have been published in The Penmen Review, Paradox, and Subcutaneous.  Ashley’s freelance work has spanned numerous genres for clients around the world.  You can find her on Facebook and Amazon.

 

 

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