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Exercises to Generate Short Story Ideas

Having trouble coming up with ideas for short stories? These exercises will help you get started.
How to Freewrite
Freewriting is one of the best tools for generating ideas for stories, and all you need to get started is a pen and paper.
Writing Prompts from Your Dictionary
All you need for a wealth of new writing prompts is your handy dictionary.
Secrets -- A Writing Exercise
An exercise for a pair or a group using secrets to help generate entirely new story ideas.
Using Photographs to Generate Story Ideas
Sometimes the hardest thing about getting started is finding a topic. Photographs and other images can provide fresh ideas. This exercise will explain one way to make use of them.
Explore Fiction Writing
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