Writing Prompts
Think about the assumptions that have been made about you. This could be based on your race, religion, gender, your outward appearance, or your association with a certain club, sport, or group. Think about all the labels that people might place on you based on assumptions. This prompt allows you to express how you’re more than the stereotypes that people box you into. Start your piece with the phrase “I’m more than...” and see where it takes you.
“You may not always have a comfortable life and you will not always be able to solve all of the world's problems at once but don't ever underestimate the importance you can have because history has shown us that courage can be contagious and hope can take on a life of its own.” – Michelle Obama
Write about a time you were underestimated. Why do you think that person (or people) had that impression of you? How did it affect you? Did you get motivated by it or did it put you in a slump?
Alternatively: Write about a time you underestimated someone and they surprised you. How did this affect your relationship?
“You’ll give boys the wrong impression if you wear a tank top.” “You won’t make any friends if you don’t participate.” “If you’d run a little faster, you could have scored that goal.” “Are you really going to eat all of that?”
What are the things you, or your character, are tired of being told? Make a list. Begin with the phrase, “I’m tired of being told...” Think of who said those things and now looking back on it, tell ‘em how you really feel. You can change the pronoun from me to he, she, or they.
Friends are awesome! But what makes a good friend? Is it kindness? Do they make you laugh? Are they there for you when you are feeling down? Write a recipe for friendship. Include all the ingredients (and measurements!) that you’ll need and write some clear instructions for how you make a good friend. Be as creative as you like.
Ingredients:
A pinch of happiness
1 cup of trust
¾ cup of laughter
2 cups of understanding
1 tablespoon of forgiveness
Mix happiness, trust, and laughter into a large bowl. Sift understanding and mix well, until all lumps have evened. Add forgiveness until blended well. Bake with love in the oven for 45 minutes. Let cool and enjoy with a large cup of coffee.
What would you do with a million dollars? Write a story on how you’d spend your life as a millionaire. How would it be different? What would your job be? How would you spend your money? Be as imaginative or as detailed as you’d like.
Does pineapple belong on pizza? Write an argumentative essay as to why or why not.
Letter writing has been around for centuries, and letters were even delivered by way of pony across the country. Now we have much more expedited processes, but nothing takes away how special it is to receive a letter from someone! Write a letter to the essential worker of your choice that has made an impact on your life. Has your gratitude for a specific worker grown during this period of shelter-in-place? What do you most appreciate or value from this person? Let them know about the impact they have on your life. If you are able to, deliver this letter to the person!
Here are some examples of who to write letters to:
Postal worker
Hospital Worker
Grocery store clerk
Food delivery person
Teacher
Local businesses
Internet provider
Tutor
Babysitter
Here’s a basic format you can use as an example:
Dear ____________,
My name is __________ and I am ____ years old. I am writing to you to thank you for your dedication to serving your community. I wanted to let you know that I see you and value how hard you work. Without you, _________________ could not happen.
Thanks again! Be well,
___NAME HERE_______
Step 1: Closely observe/experience a piece of fruit and describe it physically using all five senses.
Step 2: List everything you associate with this fruit. Don’t spend time thinking about it, just free associate. Don’t worry if it doesn’t make sense, but keep coming back to your memory of the fruit.
Step 3: Answer the following questions to create metaphors or similes (this is also free-association, or brain-storming, so don’t worry if it doesn’t make logical sense):
· How does the smell move inside your nose?
· If the smell was an animal, what kind of animal would it be?
· How does the taste move inside your mouth?
· If the taste were a place, what place would it be?
· What emotion is the color of the fruit, or its taste or texture?
· If it was a building, what kind of building would it be?
· What kind of weather would it be?
· What musical instrument? What item of clothing or jewelry?
· Any other question that occurs to you!
Step 4: Look at your lists. Which metaphors/similes do you love? Write a paragraph, or three, or a poem or story using the sensory information and associations you’ve gathered.
Step 1: Make a list of words or phrases you would use to describe the idea of poetry. What comes to mind when you think of poetry? Do you love it? Do you hate it? Use your five senses to help.
Poetry looks like...
Poetry sounds like...
Poetry smells like...
Poetry feels like...
Poetry tastes like...
Step 2: From your list, use the words or phrases that inspire you the most to form a poem. Include sensory-detailed descriptions to truly encapsulate the feeling of poetry.
Alternatively, use the format above to personify the idea of music.
Warmth can mean many things: the sun beaming on your face on a warm day, the warmth from hot chocolate or coffee in the morning, snuggles from your favorite four-legged friend, or even the warmth that you feel when a loved one says they love you.
Write a poem about what warmth mean to you. Where do you find warmth? You may take this literally, figuratively, emotionally, physically...
Alternatively: Write about the cold.
Today we’re going to think about the world around you—your backyard, your neighborhood, your schoolyard, or even nearby parks or areas you visit for other recreation. What do YOU notice or know about our planet? Think as big as the forests, oceans, or sky; then on the smaller things, like insects, soil particles, or even the air around you. Make a list.
Now think about how you take care of and appreciate Earth. Do you recycle? Do you have a plant or garden that you water? Or maybe you enjoy the fruit from the tree outside your window.
Using descriptive details to write a poem with the following sentence starters:
Mother Earth gives me...
I give to Mother Earth...
Complete the following and form it into a poem:
I can...
I can...
I can...
I can’t... (yet)
Allow your young writer to select 5 different spices from your spice rack. Let them smell it (or maybe even taste). Now have your writer think about what each spice reminds them of. Does it bring out a specific memory or perhaps a magical world? Does the spice smell warm or cold? Is it earthy or spicy? Use as many spices in your writing as desired.
This exercise gets your creative wheels turning by playing with the potential within the words around you. Choose a word from the list provided, or start with a word of your choosing. Don’t spend too long thinking. Just pick a word that starts with one of the letters within the word and write it down in the space next to it. Work around that first word to quickly create the rest of the acronym. It doesn’t have to be good or even relate to the word’s meaning. The idea is to do this fast to build up your skill at thinking on the spot. See how many different results you can come up with for the same word.
Word List:
DONUT | BOING | NEATO | FLIPPANT | GLOB | SKITTER
TOOT | PUMPERNICKLE | BLASTOFF | AARDVARK | GIBLETS
TEEPEE | DIPTHONG | LUNKHEAD | SKULL | WALNUT | SPAM
ELBOW | BANJO | LUTE | CORNPONE | YOGURT | DOODLE
UNDERPANTS | SALIVA | PENCIL | PHONE | STAPLER
Line 1, 2 words: adjective and noun
Line 2, 3 words: first word must end in “ing”
Line 3, 4 words: one must be a color
Line 4, 3-4 words: one must name a place
Line 5, 1 word: must represent a sound (onomatopoeia)
Line 6, 3 words: one must name an animal
Line 7, 4-5 words: one must describe the weather
Line 8, 2-3 words: one must give a sense of the time
Line 9, 3-5 words: must convey emotion
Line 10, 3-5 words: prepositional phrase
Line 11, 3-5 words: one must name a body part
Line 12, 2 words
You’ve been given the opportunity to pick three fictional characters to have dinner with. For one night, the will come to life and you will have the chance to interact with them? Who do you choose and why? What would you talk about? What would you have/where would you go for dinner?
Everybody has a moment in his or her life where something strange happens that no one else would believe happen. Think about your life and recall any fantastic moments that happened to you, but no one else believes. Did the TV ever turn itself on? Were you practicing throwing a basketball with your back to the basket only to make it in… when no one else was around? Can’t think of a moment that’s too-good-to-be- true? Feel free to embellish on a typical experience and weave it into a tall tale.
Choose a random item from your household. Where did it come from? What memories are attached to this item?
Come up with 5-10 questions of what you would like to know more about your family member or a friend. Then go ahead and ask to interview them!
Learn to do something new (maybe cooking a meal, baking a pie, caring for a succulent, etc.) and write a how-to poem with instructions.
