- Write Starts
- Posts
- March 30, 2025 Writing Prompts for the Week
March 30, 2025 Writing Prompts for the Week
Happy Sunday! On this, the day after my birthday (see how I subtly snuck that in there?), I have a confession to make:
I’ve given up Morning Pages. I was a solid 265 days into the daily practice advocated by Julia Cameron in The Artist’s Way when I finally I realized that I wasn’t getting anything out of it—and I was only sticking with it to be able to say I’d hit a year. (Say it to whom??)
I’m not saying no one should do it; I’m just saying it’s not for me. And this year I’m looking to do a lot more of giving up what’s not for me and ramping up what is.
Like, for example, spending more time writing fiction and less time writing Morning Pages. And on that note…
This Week’s Prompts*
She turned the page slowly and watched the words come into focus.
This was, it seemed, like everything in life, and certainly nowhere more than here, a tradeoff.
They all sat with their hands folded in their laps, heads bowed, as the headmaster paced back and forth, daring one of them to look him in the eyes.
It wasn't a life-changing tally, but it was something…definitely something.
"'I can't complain,'" Johanna repeated back to him mockingly; "Oh yes, you most certainly can complain!"
Describe a thought that comes to a man as soon as his head hits the pillow—and keeps him up all night.
Is there a point of overcooking past which lentil soup ceases to be identified as "lentil" per se?
*How to Use These Prompts: The italicized prompts let you create your writing entirely from scratch; the non-italicized prompts are intended as your first line and jumping off point. But, at the same time, there are no rules. Write on!
All of your work. All in one place. Automatically.
How much time do you spend manually updating your portfolio? And how often is it still outdated?
Say goodbye to the hassle of constantly updating your portfolio. Authory creates a beautiful, self-updating portfolio that automatically pulls in your new articles as you publish them, no matter where.
And that’s not all: Authory also backs up all your published articles automatically, so you never have to worry about losing your work.
Join thousands of writers who already use Authory to impress potential clients and employers.
Book(s) We’re Reading This Week
The Unseen World by Liz Moore
Admittedly, I’ve only just started this one so I don’t have much to share, but I very much enjoyed her novel The God of the Woods and Peacock just released a limited series of another of her books (Long Bright River), so I thought it might be a good time to dive in. From the description, it seems to be about a woman delving into her father’s past and uncovering the secrets therein.
Grab it on Bookshop.org (and support local bookstores!)
Grab it on Amazon
If it sounds like writing, I rewrite it. Or, if proper usage gets in the way, it may have to go. I can’t allow what we learned in English composition to disrupt the sound and the rhythm of the narrative.
Links We Like (And Think You Will, Too)
🎨🧁I find it inspiring to watch artists work and the way this guy layers paint like buttercream frosting is utterly mesmerizing.
🤬➡️😇 It turns out our writing can make us more well-balanced humans, too. This article digs into exactly how to process anger through writing. Tip: don’t skip the last step.
🎶 The most productive I’ve ever been was while writing in the Federal Café in Barcelona. I’ve tried to recreate it since, to no avail. <sigh> BUT, I can get a little closer listening to this eclectic playlist the cafe puts out (and regularly updates).
Top (Published) First Line of the Week
“It rained for forty days and forty nights,” Demian told his younger daughter, Maxima (‘Maxi’), who had gone to bed early with a low-grade fever.
From Sister Europe by Nell Zink
Grab it on Bookshop.org (and support local bookstores!)
Grab it on Amazon
What's your favorite flavor of popsicle?(Second question for personal pondering: Why are lemon popsicles not a thing?) |
P.S.
If you know a burned out teacher—or if you’re feeling a bit burned out at your career, too, whatever that may be—you might want to share this link with them. Nothing gets you inspired to take your next step like a success story, don’t you think?
Some links in this email may be affiliate links and we may earn a commission if you purchase through these links. And, should that happen, thank you!