3 Rainy Day Writing Prompts
Is it raining where you are? Well, if it isn’t, it will be sometime. 😛 When it is, and you have a moment to write, why not try a rainy day writing prompt? Or 3.
3 Ways to Use Rain in Writing
Feel the Rain
Rain is sensuous – it’s something you experience with all the senses. That makes it a good time to practice using your senses in your writing.
If you’re inside…
- How does the rain sound? Does where you are change that? Does the roof or floor affect it?
- How does the rain look? Did the room get darker suddenly? Does the light ripple as the drops pass en masse?
If you’re outside…
- How does the air feel? Even if you’re not directly under the rain, the quality of the air changes. How is the rain affecting the temperature or the wind?
- How does the air smell? Rain makes specific scents stronger, so what scent is driven into the air by the rain? (See “Sensory Writing for Smell” for more ideas.)
The questions from inside apply to outside, too, and it will likely change the answers. Especially if there are active streets, trees, or other materials that react differently than the roof and walls.
Answer those questions and then write a scene where we feel the rain going on without having to be told it’s raining. You can try pure exposition or an action scene (where the focus is on what the character is doing or saying). The second will be harder but an excellent writing skill to develop.
Work on a Rainy Day Mood
People react so differently to rainy days. Where I grew up, it rained a lot, so it’s a spirit-lifter and makes me want to cuddle up with a book or writing pad (dreaming days). But apparently, that’s not so common. Many people feel a bit down because the skies are grayer, and they don’t want to go outside and get wet.
So how do you set that mood?
- Identify the details of the day that make you feel that way. Is it an association like me? Is it the shade of light or a chill in the air? Use the senses you explored in the first part. Some will enhance a specific mood, and others may not.
- Describe the day, focusing on those aspects. Remember that word choice is extra important with mood, so pick words that have connotations that fit the feeling you’re aiming for.
- Describe the character’s actions. Extend the feeling of the scene to their movements (are they bouncing around with a smile or moving languidly with a sigh?).
If you really want to challenge yourself, do this one twice and try to achieve a different mood each time with the same situation and the same characters. It’s honestly the best way to practice mood.
Explore Plot Complications
I love rain, but I do admit it can complicate your life. And there are some days you don’t want to deal with it. Or don’t have the time/energy/equipment to do so. Those days and moments are great for complicating plots (or plotting against your characters).
This prompt is going to depend on your life experiences, things you’ve seen in movies/read in books, and your imagination. The biggest advice I can give you is to try to think of things that are harder to do when wet or cold. Also, think about how different objects or materials are effected.
Here are some questions to get you started:
- How are different modes of transportation affected by rain? (Cars, trains, subways, motorcycles, bicycles, scooters, roller blades, etc.)
- If you get soaked, how would where you’re going and what you’re doing affect the result? (To work in an air-conditioned office all day, to an outdoor location doing manual labor in the heat, to visit in-laws for the first time who have expensive furniture, etc.). Think of scenarios where it could affect your health, your smell, what you’re sitting on or able to sit on, and other complications like that.
- What could you be carrying that would be damaged by a sudden downpour? (Papers, cakes, delicate clothing, artwork, etc.)
- How could a sudden lack of visibility or hearing affect a situation? Rain can make it hard to see and hard to hear (especially for those with existing issues).
- How could rain affect mental and emotional states? People who have been through a tornado may react very differently to thunderstorms than people who haven’t. Similarly, people with anxiety or autism may get overloaded by the noise or other sensory aspects. People who have visually-stimulated seizures could be affected. And so on.
- How often has it rained recently? How often does it rain normally? How much is coming down and how fast? Too much or too little rain can ruin crops, destroy grass and flowers, and change the landscape (mudslides, sink holes, flooding, and the Dust Bowl, for example).
- Where does extra storm water go? Sometimes stormwater overflow goes into sewers, and sewers end up flooding. When sewage gets in your house or your water supply, well, that can complicate your day in a pretty negative way.
A lot can happen during a rainstorm, and depending on your characters and the situation, rain can make for dramatic plot conflicts and excellent opportunities for the unexpected.
After You Write, Share
If anyone tries these writing prompts, share the results in the comments – I’d love to read what you wrote or learn about your experience with the exercise.
