Recommended for you

Start writing a post

Student Life

18 Of The Best Creative Writing Prompts To Help You Break The Cursed Writers Block

Sharpen your pencils and get ready to start feeling like yourself again.

Katryna Eastwood

Aug 29, 2018

Grand Canyon University

187

18 Of The Best Creative Writing Prompts To Help You Break The Cursed Writers Block

https://unsplash.com/photos/n6judbg4SOY

We all have it. It's the fate of everyone who decides to pursue writing as their professional or academic goal. Sometimes we stare at blank pieces of papers just begging for something inspirational to come, blow our minds and be able to perfectly execute it into the written word. It's not always that simple. Actually, it's never that simple.

I had a teacher tell me once that there was no such thing as sitting alone in the cabin in the woods and writing the next great novel. Ideally, this sounds romantic, intellectual and charming but truly, it's not possible. Writing is a craft that is controlled by your human thought. If you can't think straight, you can't write clear thoughts. And why yes, sometimes inspiration hits us like a truck, other times it takes a while to breathe until we can finally write the story we want to tell. How do you figure out what to write? That's where the writing prompts come in.

The purpose of a writing prompt is a developed thought, tone or idea is to allow your mind to start functioning as a writer. The idea may not be at all what you are seeking to write, but it will allow the gears in your brain to start to work again. There are no rules to the prompt either. You can write a paragraph, a page or a complete short story. The prompt can be centered around a plot, a setting or a character. You don't have to follow the prompt word for word either. You can adjust and weave as you go.

There are also different types of writing prompts and most likely when you think of the idea, you think of your middle school English class where the teacher will tell you what to write by putting a prompt on the whiteboard. "Write about a kitten lost in a tree. What does the kitten look like? What does the tree look like?" To me, those are lack-luster prompts that just ask you to describe events. As creative writers, we are tasked to describe so much more than fluffy kittens in tall oak trees. That's middle school writing. You, my friend, are a creative writer. These prompts are grown up, just like you.

These writing prompts provide a one to two line piece of dialogue or description. These style of prompts are aimed to inspire the deeper meaning of writing. The emotions and the voice of a character. The feeling and sounds of a place. The tone and mood of a piece. Digging deeper than adjectives in front of nouns. You're better than that.

Your story can either begin or lead up to these prompts. Like I said, there are no rules here. Just close your eyes and pick a prompt. Or write to which one speaks the loudest to you. Or give them all a shot. Set up some music if you need to focus and most importantly, have fun.

Happy witting!

1. The person of mystery.

Mystery prompt

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/444871269424877390/

2. The pure children.

Children

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/430093833138727176/

3. The future ya thriller

YA Promt

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/430093833138727176/

4. The brutal betrayal

Betrayal

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/AYGigIoXHrD8DYrWi4hQZVs9pm3JPqMxhf5DQ2i2fqgTyN1YRyDObAQ/

5. The summer horror piece

Summer horror

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/567172146805795580/

6. The calm before the storm

Before the storm

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/567172146805795580/

7. The story of the person who wants the normal life

Normal Life Prompt

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/342836590365553135/

8. The comedy Halloween story

Halloween humor

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/342836590365553135/

9. When the good turns bad

Good promt

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/342836590365553135/

10. The library love story

Library Love

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/559079741219685528/

11. The king seeking his queen

King Love

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/559079741219685528/

12. The not so innocent school crush

School Crush

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/462041242996670380/

13. The dark humor piece

Dark Humor

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/98797785553195748/

14. The sassy female character

Eye Contact

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/456411743466066686/

15. The broken man

Broken

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/482025966345185231/

16. The playful bickering

Shut up

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/482025966345185231/

17. Once upon a romance

Sad part

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/482025966345185231/

18. The truth of it all

Somethig is wrong

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/482025966345185231/

writers block

Report this Content

This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.

Swoon

To The Girls With "Daddy Issues," You Are Worthy Of The Love He Never Gave You

You are not alone.

5792

Persnickety Prints on Unsplash

This is for the girls who have dealt with an emotionally, mentally, physically or verbally abusive father.

The ones who have grown up with a false lens of what love is and how relationships should be. The ones who have cried themselves to sleep wondering why he hurts you and your family so much. This is for all the girls who fall in love with broken boys that carry baggage bigger than their own, thinking it's their job to heal them because you watched your mother do the same.

Keep Reading...Show less

single life

Entertainment

Why Blair Waldorf Is The Realest Bitch To Ever Live

XOXO, Gossip Girl.

Michigan State University

688

"DESTINY IS FOR LOSERS. IT'S JUST A STUPID EXCUSE TO WAIT FOR THINGS TO HAPPEN INSTEAD OF MAKING THEM HAPPEN." - BLAIR WALDORF.

The world stopped in 2012 when our beloved show "Gossip Girl" ended. For six straight years, we would all tune in every Monday at 9:00 p.m. to see Upper Eastside royalty in the form of a Burberry headband clad Blair Waldorf. Blair was the big sister that we all loved to hate. How could we ever forget the epic showdowns between her and her frenemy Serena Van Der Woodsen? Or the time she banished Georgina Sparks to a Christian summer camp? How about that time when she and her girls took down Bart Bass? Blair is life. She's taught us how to dress, how to be ambitious, and most importantly, how to throw the perfect shade.

Keep Reading...Show less

blair waldorf

Student Life

11 Moments Every College Freshman Has Experienced

Because we made it, and because high school seniors deserve to know what they're getting themselves into

Drexel University

180

We've all been there. From move-in day to the first finals week in college, your first term is an adventure from start to finish. In honor of college decisions coming out recently, I want to recap some of the most common experiences college freshmen experience.

1. The awkward hellos on move-in day.

Awkward Icarly GIFfrom Awkward GIFs

You're moving your stuff onto your floor, and you will encounter people you don't know yet in the hallway. They live on your floor, so you'll awkwardly smile and maybe introduce yourself. As you walk away, you will wonder if they will ever speak to you again, but don't worry, there's a good chance that you will make some great friends on your floor!

Keep Reading...Show less

freshman

Student Life

21 Things I've Learned About College Life

College is not what everyone expects it to be.

SUNY Plattsburgh

Unsplash

The college years are a time for personal growth and success. Everyone comes in with expectations about how their life is supposed to turn out and envision the future. We all freak out when things don't go exactly as planned or when our expectations are unmet. As time goes on, we realize that the uncertainty of college is what makes it great. Here are some helpful reminders about life in college.