Winter-Inspired Writing Prompts

Writers and artists have always been inspired by the seasons. Winter, spring, summer, and fall have functioned as metaphors, backdrops, and even characters in literature.

Like all artists, writers are constantly hunting for inspiration. But inspiration is fleeting. Sometimes, we need a little help.

When inspiration isn’t coming from within us, all we need to do is look out the window or step outside, where nature offers an abundance of ideas.

That’s where these writing prompts come in. These prompts are designed to generate imagery that will inspire a writing session. Use these writing prompts to create a poem, a short story, or just spend about twenty minutes freewriting.

Writing Prompts

You can use these writing prompts to write anything you want. Change them or mix them up. Choose the prompts that seem most vivid to you. Use these as idea-starters to create prompts of your own. Just have fun with them.

1. The sky is laden with dark clouds and the land is buried under a blanket of pale, gray snow. The ground, the streams, and the lakes are frozen and the whole world is eerily quiet and still. It’s the perfect day for . . .
2. You have decided that this year, you’re going to take up a winter sport. Now that winter is here, you . . .
3. There’s an old man out on the lake. He’s sitting in a rickety wooden chair and fishing through a hole in the ice. A loud cracking suddenly reverberates and he feels the ice shift beneath him. He scurries, but the hole expands too quickly and he goes into the icy water before he can get away. What happens next?
4. It’s the season of snowmen and sleigh rides. Children are out galavanting on snowy slopes and making snow angels in their backyards. One little boy longs to join them, but he cannot, so he watches from his lonely upstairs window. Why can’t he go play outside?
5. It’s the end of the fall semester and two college students are tackling an unusual project. They’re building an igloo. First, they choose an isolated spot on the crest of a small hill that borders the university town in which they live. Then, they start digging. It’s freezing cold and the work is tough. They’re exhausted. But they are awakened and warmed with excitement when they dig up something unexpected  . . .

Do you ever use writing prompts to initiate your writing sessions? Have you found them useful? Do you have any writing prompts of your own to share? Leave a comment!