“What if” posts are not simple writing prompts but supercharged explorations into the many directions a simple prompt can take you. Here you will find conventional questions and “what if” questions surrounding a prompt to help get the creative juices flowing.
From the book StoryStarters by Clifford Fryman comes this one story starter prompt.
Three years I spent with and without her. The last time she called, I blew her off. Two weeks later, I gave her eulogy.
Three basic questions jump right out to me. Sentence by sentence of the prompt they are:
Why was their relationship rocky?
Why did he/she ignore her the last time she called and what was the call about?
Why/how did she die and what happened during those two weeks?
These entice more questions (I’ll use He for ease).
The funeral service:
Why was he giving the eulogy when their relationship wasn’t a strong bond between them?
Why did he give the eulogy and not someone else, and how was it decided on?
What if he gave the eulogy but didn’t know the circumstance of her death or the reason he was asked to speak?
What if he didn’t know anyone at the service and thought it best not to ask about her death?
What if those at the service knew him by name but he had no clue who they were?
What if some of those at the service thought he had some part in her death?
What if this was all staged and she is not dead? There was a closed casket.
What if she is someone else and not the person he had a rocky relationship with?
Their relationship:
Why was their relationship rocky?
Were they lovers? Married? Just friends? Business partners? Or rivals? Etc…
Why did she call? Did she leave a voicemail? What if he did not check his voicemail until he found out she was died and was asked to give the eulogy? How does that message change his approach to the funeral?
Was she in trouble? What if she didn’t know she was in trouble but suspected it?
What if she called for his help to investigate something and that got her killed? What if he was next?
Did she want to confess something? What if she set a series of events in motion that would cause him harm? What if she did it by accident? What if she planned it over something he did to her years ago?
Her death:
How did she die? Accident, natural causes, murder, fire, drown, suicide, etc…
Suicide? Drugs, gun, cut wrist, etc…
What if she died in car accident while running from those trying to get to her or running from someone she doesn’t know but suspects to be after her for some reason? Or what if they were trying to help her?
What if she died by fire? A fire she set while hiding from someone? A fire she set trying to get those who were after her?
What if she was so obsessive over him that she was trying to turn his friends and family against him and his current girlfriend found out and killed her?
What if she was trying to warn him about his current girlfriend for not being who he thinks she is and she winds up dead just as she was leaving a voicemail for him?
What if she died because someone thinks he gave her something that they want and need? What if she gave him something they want and need but don’t know it yet and will be coming after him next?
This story prompt is just loaded with questions and directions to go in.
Comments