A great jump start for writer's block!

Lou3000

Lou3000

I have just bought myself a copy of The Romance Writers' Phrase Book.  Contains over 3,000 descriptive phrases; arranged for quick, easy reference etc. I read a review on Amazon.com about it & one reviewer said she used it as an aid for writer's block - choose a phrase at random & see where it takes you.  My copy arrived at lunchtime today: I've been playing with an idea for a story but I just didn't know how to start it off.  Dipped into this book and Hey presto!  I was off!  I shall open a page at random just now...'lately, she had cultivated a certain smile..'  Now then, what can you do with that phrase?!!

Lou

Stan2

Perhaps she has cultivated that smile because she wants to borrow some money.

Nicola

Or had secretly come into some money!

Sylvia

Or she has won the lottery and is on her way to tell her boss what he can do with his job.

Or she has just left the flat of the man who recently dumped her for her best friend. He has gone on two weeks holiday and she has just liberally sprinkled five pounds of mustard and cress seed on his expensive new carpet and watered it well in.

Woll52

I am a subscriber to Writer's Forum as well as Writing/Writer's News. I came across an article called Ideas from Idioms and made my own copy for reference. Another source is Brewers Dictinary of Phrase and Fable are one of many sources to jerk ideas as well as newspapers, unusual postcards or greetings cards. The affectionate term for the Johnston's is squirrel as we find throwing away very difficult

Jacey

I cultivated a certain smile when I got Bell's Palsy!

(Meant as a joke, but also true, in case you were wondering!)

Madame-Porridge

I cultivated a certain smile when I got Bell's Whisky!

Stan2

I cultivated a certain smile when I read this thread.

sal

Lately, she had cultivated a certain smile,inclining her dark head,raising her small chin.  Smiling straight into the mirror-practising,just like the book said...But had it happened?  Olivier stared tearfully at her reflection. No, Daniel had not looked at her, not given just one teeny glance, even once...
  Hey Lou where did you say you bought this book?

Jacey

Madame Porridge, I believe I've cultivated that smile too! (Great come back, by the way - really made me laugh!)

sal

me too, Jacey

Susan

Lou - thank you for recommending this book. I got it for my birthday and I am really enjoying it.

Betsie

I cultivated a certain smile when a toffee cemented my teeth together

Kangaroo

I cultivated a certain smile when a naked man ran past the restaurant window.

Daniela

It was her turn. The injections were like minor stings and Barbie was anxious to find out if her smile would match her personality and self-image. The procedure took about five minutes and soon afterwards she noticed everyone was having 'that' weird smile...
Fortunately the kids were away, otherwise she was pretty sure her friends would’ve scared the daylights out of  them. Her mouth tried to curve up slightly, and then she knew: she had cultivated that certain smile... the one that wouldn’t match her personality or self-image.

magwitch

'Lately she had cultivated a certain smile....which she hoped made her look enigmatic, but in truth made her look just what she was, a woman who's just had all her teeth removed.'

Jenny

Maybe someone could cultivate a certain simile instead!

Jacey

Kangaroo, I think I must be going to the wrong restaurants!

Dianne

I'm so pleased you like the book.  I ordered it a couple of weeks ago but its not going to be delivered until February.  I can't wait now!

neil

Sounds to me as though they're all sending the book up. But I'm sure that Lou3000 who started this thread agrees that there's more to this book than this one slightly pathetic phrase.

slopey

Lately, she had cultivated a certain smile... Her smile had grew, it was a smile that is linked with an emotion know as love. The fool, Cindy had foolishly fallen in love. I needed to find out this young man's name, and quickly. I envied her, the bitch, how dare she find that special smile before I?