Most writers are familiar with three common woes of our profession--fear of beginning a project, writer’s block, and loss of creativity. Some writers overcome these obstacles with the "just do it" theory—planting themselves in the chair and soon thereafter the words begin to flow. For most of us, however, this method doesn't work. Sometimes we need an occasional jump-start; that’s where writing exercises and prompts can help.
Writing prompts and exercises increase your skill as a writer and help generate ideas for future work. They also can give you a new perspective on a current project. To grow as a writer, it is important sometimes to write without the expectation of publication. Writers need not be afraid of imperfection when doing these exercises. With practice comes skill. What is created via these prompts and exercises may not be your best work, but it is practice for when you'll need to write your best.
What follows below is a compilation of writing prompts that you can use to start writing, to free yourself from writer's block, to explore new possibilities, or to help you get in touch with your genius. Some demand a lot of time, but then the serious writer devotes a lot of time to learning the craft.
You'll get out of these exercises as much as you put in. If you like a prompt, use it several times. Even if you don't care one, try it anyway; don't use your dislikes as obstacles. In general, plan to spend 30 to 60 minutes on each exercise. But if something particularly stimulates you, of course, keep going.
This page will be updated approximately once a month.
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