As the Traffic Shows, You Love Your Writing Prompts

What do you think about when you can't fall asleep?

Write the final paragraph of a story. Then, work backward to create the rest of it.

Write about where you first learned to do a particular activity (e.g., ride a bike, make change, etc.)

Write about a vacation taken in childhood

Write about something/someone that creeped you out

Continue this story: “By the time Mr. Zanorsky had arrived in Memphis, Annabella had already..."

Pretend you are a world famous musician about to release your first album. What is the title of your CD (and the name of your group, if you choose not to be a soloist.) Now write the name of 10 songs/movements you'd have on your debut CD.

Using only dialogue, write a story about a mother and her child in a playground. Now using the exact same dialogue, but adding descriptive text, write the same story, but imagine a stranger is watching the child intently.

List 50 things you'll never do.

Begin with "Today I will..." and write for 10 minutes.

Write a letter to the teacher who gave you a hard time in grade school or high school.

List three things you want to keep; three things you want to lose. Write from one or both lists whatever comes to you.

Imagine opening a medicine chest in a bathroom. List what you find there. Use these objects to begin your writing.

What is the strongest type of love? Why?

Use the first line of a nursery rhyme (take your pick) to start a story.

Make a list of 40 things that happened to you this month. They can be funny, embarrassing, happy, or infuriating. Then pick one from your list and write about it.