writing prompts

Write a poem that captures a moment in the rain, a story that involves scent and memory, and an essay that traces minor feelings to larger sociocultural or historic forces. 

Write a poem inspired by extreme weather, a fiction piece in which the protagonist reevaluates the definition of home, and a lyric essay incorporating scenes written like a script.

Write a poem attempting to find meaning in visual artifacts, a short story about a world in which memories can be manipulated, or a nonfiction piece about the season’s soundscape.

Write a poem exploring the idea of slipping into another’s skin, a story inspired by your school days, or an essay that attempts to decipher a deeper meaning in a piece of literature—three prompts to get you started. 

Write a poem that uses illogical language, a short story inspired by a historical figure’s words, or an essay based on a photo—three prompts to get you started. 

Write a poem that flows like a river, consider food in your fiction, or create a catalogue of objects in an essay—three prompts to get you started.

Write a poem inspired by emptiness, explore your characters’ perceptions of love, or write about your interior self—three prompts to inspire you in the New Year.