Writing Prompts | Writing Forward

Five Poetry Prompts

You know what’s great about writing prompts? On those days when you’re feeling uninspired but you want to write, they’re there for you. On days when you want to get your writing practice in but don’t particularly feel like writing, they’re there for you. Writing prompts give you a little push to kick-start a writing…Read More

Artistically Inspired Journal Prompts

We, the people of the arts, feed off each other. A painter is inspired by a song. A musician is inspired by a novel. A photographer is inspired by a sculpture. So we come full circle by inspiring one another. Journal prompts are a useful tool for getting inspired. When you want to write but…Read More

Fiction Writing Prompts for Every Genre

Today I’d like to share a selection of fiction writing prompts from my book, 1200 Creative Writing Prompts, which includes 500 fiction prompts plus prompts for writing poetry and creative nonfiction. Writing prompts are ideal when you’re feeling uninspired because they provide you with ideas for your writing sessions and projects. But prompts are also…Read More

Poetry Prompts for Ranting and Raving

It’s easy to think of poetry as soft, flowery, and convoluted. It’s the stuff of Shakespeare, greeting cards, and children’s books. It’s precious, sweet, and erudite. But some of the most exciting modern poetry defies all those stereotypes, and you need look no further than the slam poetry and spoken word communities to see how…Read More

Creative Writing Prompts: Politics and Religion

Today’s post includes a selection of prompts from my book 1200 Creative Writing Prompts. Enjoy! My mom always says, “Don’t ever discuss politics and religion in mixed company.” She has a point: these are taboo subjects that can destroy friendships, rip families apart, and even divide an entire nation. But politics and religion are important…Read More

25 Story Starters for Writing Fiction

Are you a storyteller? Do you want to be a storyteller? If you’re interested in writing flash fiction, short stories, or novels, then you’re going to need lots of ideas, especially if you want to write professionally. Some of us have too many ideas; others don’t have enough ideas. Maybe we have a solid idea…Read More

Seasonal Poetry Prompts for Spring and Summer

Poets have a long tradition of honoring the seasons by writing poetry that celebrates spring and summer for bringing renewal to the land and warmth to our lives. Rebirth is a common theme in poetry, so the spring season, with its fresh skies and new shoots, is a rejuvenating source of inspiration. Summer is packed…Read More

Poetry Prompts for Paying Tribute

Writers have been expressing their feelings through poetry for centuries. Rant poems release anger, melancholy poems reveal sorrow, and love poems declare affection. Some poems are meant to make readers laugh. Other poems make people think. Tribute poems (or odes) express praise for the poem’s subject. Odes can be written to honor people, animals, objects, and abstract…Read More

Creative Writing Prompts That Explore Society and Culture

Today’s post includes a selection of prompts from my book 1200 Creative Writing Prompts. Enjoy! The unofficial motto of the United States of America is E pluribus unum, which means, “out of many, one.” It’s sometimes translated as “one out of many.” The phrase can be interpreted many ways. According to Wikipedia: “The traditionally understood…Read More

100 Poetry Prompts

My first love in writing was poetry. In my early teens, writing poetry was a creative and cathartic way to explore my ideas and vent my emotions. Writing poetry was accessible — all I needed was some paper and a pen. It didn’t even require a huge investment of time. I scrawled words onto the…Read More