Have you ever had a day when you had several writing ideas floating around in your head? Do you have trouble focusing to put words on paper? Maybe you have no ideas in your head at all, but you want to write something that day?
Writing every day is the best way to keep ideas flowing. However, writers can’t always think of a topic off the top of their head.
Sometimes you just need a kick in the pants to get that writing going. I do from time to time.
Writing prompts are useful tools for a writer. They help us focus on one topic and get the ideas flowing.
Do you have problems finding writing prompts? Let me help you with that.
1. Books
Get on Amazon or Barnes and Noble. Type in “writing prompts” in the search bar. Many books about writing prompts pop up.
I bought one called 642 Things to Write About. I actually bought my copy of this book at Barnes and Noble. However, Amazon has it, too. The book has various sizes of writing prompts. Some are a quarter of a page. Some are a whole page.
You can even write your response in the book, as I have done. I usually open the book to a page and pick one. I don’t allow myself to turn the page.
Back at Amazon or Barnes and Noble, you could even type in “journaling.” I know journaling is different that writing prompts, but journaling gives you ideas to write about.
You’re just wanting a topic to write about so what difference does it make?
2. Pictures
Do you subscribe to a magazine? If so, open it and find a picture. Ignore the caption if there is one. Write in your own words what is happening in the picture.
You say you don’t subscribe to a magazine? Get on the Internet and type in your browser a subject that interests you. Better yet, go to a website that you know will have some kind of action picture. Again, don’t read the caption if there is one. Make up your own story about what is happening in the picture.
3. Articles
Find any article of interest online or in a magazine. Maybe there is something controversial about the subject? Write your opinion about it.
Of course, you don’t have to share what you write anywhere. I prefer to keep my opinions about gun control or abortion or one of those topics to myself most of the time. People don’t always agree with me, and I don’t like conflict.
4. Short stories
Read a short story and rewrite the ending. As a former English teacher, I had my high school students do this a time or two. It was interesting to read their different new endings.
I even had them rewrite a fairy tale as a modern day one. That was even more interesting. I know this is more a creative way for a writing prompt, but it is a way to get those ideas going.
5. Free writing
The old standby always works. You start writing whatever thought jumps into your head. If you think you have no idea, you must have one thought on your mind. Maybe it’s how you’re going to get your son to his football practice on time. Or how you are going to get your house cleaned before the weekend.
Your writing doesn’t have to make sense. It doesn’t even have to be a particular subject.
The main thing is you are writing. You are putting words down on paper or on your computer’s screen. You could jump from topic to topic if you wanted with each sentence saying something different.
As you can see, finding writing prompts is not hard. They are right there glaring at you, and you don’t even realize it.
I could even write about an object that sits here on my desk as I type this blog. I could describe the object. What would that object say to me if it could talk? What would it say to the other objects on my desk? The list is endless.
See how easy it is to find writing prompts? Writing topics surround us if you think about it. Every person or item can be a writing prompt.
Where do you find your writing prompts? Share your writing prompt ideas so I can add them to this list.