Journey to the Dark Side with @JaspersIzzy

Yeah, I was #FAIL this week with posting. The DT Staff should hand me my ass. Shame on me, but here I am for Friday's post. Another installment of Journey to the Dark Side. 

I hope you were able to find some inspiration from the last prompts we used. It is the goal of this segment to help you on your way to writing things of the darker nature if you so choose. 

I can't speak for everyone, but from my own experiences I can suggest a few things that help me when I get ready to write something devious or heartbreaking in nature. *love the angst* 

It might sound so cliche, but frankly setting the mood when writing is crucial. If you are not feeling what you are wanting to come across, then it most likely isn't going to come across. When we want romance, we think of candle lit dinners or rides on the Ferris Wheel  at the county fair. 

When we think dark, we think just that. Dark Alleyways, Dark Rooms, Dark Chocolate? Hmm, maybe not so much unless you're drowning someone in it. Intriguing! So why not set your mood a little. The absolute best time for me to write, is in the dead of night. I'm talking the crickets are throwing shoes at you for making a sound and waking them up time of night. But I also understand not everyone suffers from a lack of need for sleep as I do, therefore this won't work unless you want to fall asleep while making Timmy his breakfast the next morning. 

A rainy day filled with massive claps of thunder? Late evening when the kids and spouse are away; sitting in a darkened room with nothing but a your laptop and a skeleton key to that crazy attic room that freaks you out every time you walk past it? These are good times and places to set the mood. Get yourself psyched up, by setting an eerie environment. If you feel spooked out, more than likely your mind will start racing with ideas, therefore producing creativity. 

Now, don't get yourself so spooked you won't go near your laptop again, swearing you saw that freaky girl from The Ring peeking out of the corner of your screen at you. That wouldn't be good. Set the mood just enough to make your skin tingle slightly and then launch yourself right in. You'd be surprised how well that works. It's a much better option than trying to write Edward sinking his teeth into Bella and draining her dry with The Backyardigans theme song playing in the next room. 

So, with this tip in mind, give it a go. Set your atmosphere up. Get somewhere dark and quiet, or even with music that helps inspire your darker side, and give it a go. I wouldn't recommend chanting monks though. They creep even me out so that might not be too good for you beginners out there. 

Now that you have your scene set up, I give you prompts. Hopefully these will help inspire those creative juices to flow, giving you something dark and sinister. 

NOTE: Although I don't consider these to be very disturbing, *says a lover of horror movies* I know we do have those of the sensitive nature out there. I want to warn you that some of these images do contain blood or frightening images. Viewer be warned.

Reminds me of an old horror film I once saw as a child. Can't remember the name of it though. 

This one creeps me out. 

Hmm, Bloody Mary? 

Oh the things I could do with this one. Hell, it inspires me. 

For all you blood play lovers. 

Now tell me that wouldn't creep you out if you saw your vent birth a bloody hand? Hmm? 

Now that you have set your scene, have some inspiration in the form of prompts, find the time to write something; anything. It can even be a few drabbles. If you'd like to share them with us, or would like to have them posted on the blog, just email us with which "Journey to the Dark Side" Segment prompt(s) inspired you and we'll read or post them. 

I hope this helps you take one step closer to finding your inner dark. A piece of it can always be found in us all. 

Until next time, Have a Happy Halloween!

*Insert Izzy's evil laughter*