How This Works

Utilize these prompts for poetry, fiction, essays, creative nonfiction, or articles. Interpret them freely! Make sure to include a link to the prompt at the end of your post. If you choose to write based on one of these prompts, you can submit your work here at PW, to any publication that accepts external prompts, or self-publish. If submitting elsewhere, remember to link back to the prompt and tag PW editors to ensure we see your work!

You are not limited to PW's prompts when submitting; we welcome established and new writers to share their stories, whether they stem from prompts or not. When submitting, please use the appropriate Reader Interest Tags to ensure your work appears in the correct category on the homepage. Choose ONE of the following tags: Poetry, Fiction, Essay, or Articles. Feel free to select four additional tags of your choice.

Only draft submissions are accepted. After completing your writing, click on the three dots (…), select Add to Publication, then choose Promptly Written to submit your work for review. Each week, you’ll find prompts for Monday through Sunday. However, you can explore them at your leisure and use only those that resonate with you. Submissions are welcome any time during the week, or even later!

If you previously contributed to PW but haven’t in a while, please refer to the Submission Guidelines to rejoin our community. We briefly paused submissions a few months ago, so previous writers will need to sign up again.

Now, let’s get started with the prompts!

Moody Monday

Craft a ‘moody’ poem, story, or essay based on any of the following themes:

1. A tear unseen
2. A shattered clock
3. The dimming light
4. A tune half-remembered
5. A forgotten name

Tuesday Twosome

Conceptual Theme — Labels and Expectations

Twosome — Identity Labels AND Breaking Expectations

1. Write about an occasion when you surprised someone by acting completely out of character. What did you learn about yourself?
2. Freewrite for five minutes starting with “I am NOT…” and see where it leads.
3. Recall a time you judged someone based on their appearance. How did that alter your viewpoint?
4. “I always thought I’d be…” Finish this thought and reflect on what might be holding you back.
5. “The first time I realized I could…” Complete this sentence and contemplate the power of discovering new possibilities.

Wednesday’s Either/Or

1. Either “Follow the Rules” or “Break the Mold”
2. Either “Seek Validation” or “Trust Your Gut”
3. Either “Play it Safe” or “Take a Risk”
4. Either “Driven by Fear” or “Guided by Hope”
5. Either “Accept the Status Quo” or “Be an Agent of Change”

Thursday’s Thoughts

1. “The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson
2. “Your assumptions are your windows on the world. Scrub them off every once in a while, or the light won’t come in.” — Isaac Asimov
3. “The world as we have created it is a process of our thinking. It cannot be changed without changing our thinking.” — Albert Einstein
4. “We see the world, not as it is, but as we are.” — Anaïs Nin
5. “Your beliefs become your thoughts, your thoughts become your words, your words become your actions, your actions become your habits, your habits become your values, your values become your destiny.” — Mahatma Gandhi

Fiction Friday

Use any or all of the following concepts to inspire a story:

1. A divorced couple unexpectedly rekindles a connection after years apart. Will past patterns of mismatched expectations reemerge?
2. A classic fairytale is reimagined — what if Cinderella wasn’t truly compatible with Prince Charming?
3. A young person raised with an idealized notion of love faces heartbreak when their first romance doesn’t match the fairy tale they envisioned.
4. An overheard bus conversation prompts a character to reassess a major decision they recently made.
5. A conflict between colleagues pushes two rivals to reevaluate their assumptions about each other.

Random Words Saturday

Using two or more of these words, describe a moment that challenged your beliefs about yourself or the world. Was it unexpected? Eye-opening? Perhaps even amusing? Draw inspiration from these words: open, label, surprise, trust, limit, shift, curious, lens, stuck, grow, wrong, explore, truth, expect, accept, frame, unique, connect, belief, imagine.

Spiritual Sunday

1. Is there a stereotype you wish people would stop associating with you?
2. When have you misjudged someone based on first impressions?
3. What practice helps you regain inner peace when feeling stressed or overwhelmed?
4. In which areas of your life do you need to embrace greater self-acceptance?
5. Meditate on the idea of impermanence. What feelings does this evoke for you?

Bonus Prompt — Write a poem, flash fiction (500 words or less), or essay about a time you followed your heart instead of adhering to external expectations.

Bonus Prompt Two — Drabble

A drabble is a concise story of exactly 100 words. Use one or more of the following words as inspiration: mask, mirror, chain, voice, shadow, key, crack, echo, wish, choice, lock, unlock, burden, truth, facade, limit, blindfold, break, free, change, light, dark, illusion, real, shift, trap, reveal, soar, burden, possible.

There you have it! A week’s worth of prompts to ignite your creativity. We eagerly await your submissions, so please tag me to ensure I see your work.

Bella enjoys exploring themes of life, psychology, and relationships. Click here to subscribe and receive Bella’s latest stories directly to your inbox.

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