Writing Prompts

Christine Evans
Oct 25, 2023
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  • Take a look at the MSWL website to see if there’s something that inspires you to write today.

  • Look around your room right now and choose five random objects. Write a story about them.

  • Write a poem, short story, or picture book including these words: pumpkin, moon, yoga mat, jacket, cobwebs.

  • Write a poem, short story, or picture book including these words: flashlight, magnolia tree, red sweater, shadow.

  • What can you hear right now? What can you see? What can you smell? What can you touch? And yes what can you taste? Bring all your senses into a poem or short story.

  • Restrict yourself to writing a complete story in just 50 words (like Susanna Leonard Hill does in her regular writing contests).

  • Take a walk and snap a photo of something that catches your eye. Write something based on that photo.

  • Take a book from your bookshelf. Turn to page 76. Write a poem (or short story or anything) starting with the first word on that page.

  • Write a letter to your happy place.

  • Go through your ideas files and find two ideas (or more) to blend together into a story.

  • Use these five words in a poem or story: run, medal, doll, basket, lemonade.

  • Choose a photo from your phone or google photo prompts and write a story or poem inspired by it.

  • Write about a birthday. It can be memoir, nonfiction, or totally made up.

  • Write a journal entry from the perspective of an underwater creature (real or mythical).

  • Use these words in a story: blanket, water balloon, Tuesday, hamster, window.

  • Write a poem about an object you can see right now.

  • Take a classic fairy tale or nursery rhyme and set it at the ocean. Bonus: add a refrain!

  • Write something inspired by this photo.