Your Monster writing prompt
By Rose Lindsey
In relation to Juan Carlos Reyes’s exploration of trauma in Three Alarm Fire, and in celebration of October’s lean towards the frightening, this month’s writing exercise will focus on channeling fear and trauma into an explorable character. As is always true for writing prompts, remember that this is an invitation to engage rather than a requirement; we recommend following this prompt as closely as feels comfortable for you.
To begin, consider an experiential moment where you have felt fear. This can be in an individual moment, or it can be a broader worry that you have carried. While considering this experience, try to center yourself in bodily response. In thinking about this, where are you feeling that fear in your body? Is it in your head, chest, stomach, feet? Take the opportunity to jot down these observations. Give yourself as long as you’d like to determine that you have a full account of your body.
Once you feel satisfied, take a look at the spaces and sensations you’ve identified. With this list, begin carving out the shape of a character – I’ll refer to it from here as your monster. What about these feelings becomes manifest through the shape of your monster? For instance, if your fear emerges as a pit in your stomach, maybe give your monster some kind of hole or maw where its stomach would be. If you have felt like your thoughts begin to spiral, maybe your monster has a spiral shape to its head. Whatever feels conducive to your embodied experience, incorporate it. See if you can find a way to make this imaginative and a little fun.
Lastly, now that you have your monster, create a scene with them. Through poetry, prose, or personal narrative, see how this monster engages with the world. Do they cause destruction where they travel? Do people look at them with fear? What happens when somebody shows them reconnection or kindness? Does your monster become someone else in the company of others? Do they have sinister plans? Do they have passions? Are they misunderstood? Let any questions of curiosity flow as you write about your monster. They are your character to guide, so allow yourself to be a guide.
Once you’ve reached a conclusion point, give your work a read. You’ve written a monster story! Treasure it however you wish, or if it feels more helpful, abandon it. Monsters may frighten us, but they allow us to explore the anxieties, traumas, and desires that feel impenetrable. Hopefully this process has helped you explore these realms just a little bit further.