John’s Missing Wife

“The mind is its own place, and in itself can make a heaven of hell, a hell of heaven..”

― John Milton, Paradise Lost

Writing Prompt:

John’s mind was a wonderland of ideas and places. If he closed his eyes and focused really hard, he could go anywhere and see anything. For his entire life, he believed he just had a very powerful imagination, but he would soon find out just how powerful it really was. John was in his room daydreaming the night his wife went missing. That night, he saw her in his dreams, but she was strangely lucid, as if she were making her own decisions separate from John’s subconscious mind. John dreamt of her every night she was missing. The police were stumped. There was no evidence of a break in, none of her stuff was missing, and her car was still in the drive way. It was as if she had vanished into thin air. The fifth night of his wife’s disappearance, John dreamt of her again but this time he approached her and started a conversation. She seemed confused and tired. John asked if it was really her, and she got upset. Of course it was her! For the first time John realized, his wife was never missing….

Writer’s Block?

  • Trying going outside! You should get 20 minutes of sunlight everyday, plus a change in your environment can spark a change in your mind.
  • Get moving! Do a couple jumping jacks or stretches, get that blood flowing. Exercise stimulates blood flow and gets more oxygen to the brain. Will that make you think better? I have no idea!
  • Open a book to a random page, pick a sentence, and use it as your opening line. This may not lead to much of a story, but it starts the creative process and may help you think of more ideas.
  • Watch an episode of a TV show (but don’t get sucked in!) Remember that art begets art. Watching something new may stimulate your creative juices.

Thanks for reading today’s writing prompt. Sorry I haven’t been posting everyday, I’ve been doing site maintenance, and some recovery work for my mental health. It’s important to take breaks, even from things you love, to avoid burn out. Make sure you take a break today, drink water, and stretch. Your body and your mind are your most important assets. If you don’t feel like writing today, that’s okay! If you want, you can relax and check out my YouTube channel, or download a free copy of my poetry collection, The Moth that Haunts the Laundry Room. Thanks for visiting today and check out my LinkTree for more content!

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