Tag Archives: setting

Loretta Ellsworth

Traveling to Poland

Eleven years ago I traveled to Poland for the marriage of my son to his Polish fiancée. It was my first experience abroad, and one that has stood out in my mind in the years since.


Stephanie Watson

Hermitage House in St. Joseph, Minnesota

I have invited several of my writing colleagues to share an essay in answer to this prompt: “What lingers in your memory about a specific place, perhaps a recent vacation or a place you’ve lived? How did this place, or your travels, influence your creative process?” Author Stephanie Watson shares a special retreat for thinking and… Read More


The Moss Forest of Yakashima Island

I have invited several of my writing colleagues to share an essay in answer to this prompt: “What lingers in your memory about a specific place, perhaps a recent vacation or a place you’ve lived? How did this place, or your travels, influence your creative process?” Caren Stelson has been to Japan many times for research… Read More


A Writing Prompt

In Tango: The Tale of an Island Dog, veterinarian Doc Tucker says to McKenna, “The way I figure it, the first step in getting what you want is naming it—knowing what it is you want in the first place.” Do we always have a clear-cut idea of what we want from life? Has naming it… Read More


writing prompt

A Writing Prompt

This month, find inspiration in a photo! Take a look at this photo (wet Tango on the steps) and write one paragraph, including setting, the main character, and the challenge posed in the photo that you might use to begin a short story or a novel. Learn more about the power of storytelling. And, from… Read More