Writing Prompts of the Week

Hello to all and welcome to another week of writing prompts. This week, we reach the end of yet another month. Time flies! Plus, Easter is just around the corner, meaning that many of us get to relax over a long four-day weekend. I can’t wait! This said, I won’t keep you waiting. Here are this week’s writing prompts.

Sunday, March 28th

For this first exercise of the week, invent a non-human character. Is your character a mermaid? A cyclops? A werewolf? No matter what you pick, instead of trying to write a story around them, conduct an interview to get to know them better. You can find a good one here.

Getting to know the ins and outs of your character is a great way to add depth to your stories. By interviewing them, you give your character background, a history. You give them desires, goals, fears and motivations, all little details that make them seem more genuine when they are incorporated into a narrative. Of course, not all of the information from your interview will be mentioned in your stories, but at least you’ll have the information ready if it is needed.

Monday, March 29th

Today, your challenge is to write a story from your neighbour’s point of view. Some of you might have many, some of you might have a single one. Pick one, and if needed, make one up. The goal of the exercise is not to portray your neighbour perfectly (so you’re not in trouble if you don’t know them that well), but rather to write about yourself from someone else’s point of view. How would they describe you physically? What do they like or dislike about you as their neighbour? Do you leave your trash cans out by the road for too long? Does your dog bark too often?

Tuesday, March 30th

March is Women’s History Month, so for today’s prompt, research and write about a woman in history who inspires you. Write her a biography, or write a scene describing one of the key moments of her life. Let us know why the person you chose is so amazing.

Wednesday, March 31st

For today’s writing challenge, write a story set in a museum – any museum! – and make sure you use the setting in your story. Don’t just describe it; make it part of the plot. Does someone knock a statue off from its pedestal? Does a celebrity figure come to life in Madame Tussauds’ wax museum? Feel free to set it in a museum you’ve never been to: the exercise is not aimed at describing a scene accurately, the goal is to practice using the setting to drive the plot forward.

This week, I took the time to write a short story for one of these prompts, and this is the one I chose. I wrote a story called "Bothered," set in the National Gallery in London. You can find it here.

Thursday, April 1st

Happy April Fool’s! This year, because of the pandemic and the isolation, it might be slightly more difficult to prank our friends, family or coworkers. This said, write a story about a prank, or write a piece of writing that is a prank!

In my old school, for April Fool’s, we would write fake eulogies or news stories and see how many students would fall for the trap. We had quite a few laughs! In your own way, try to write a story that will put people’s gullibility to the test.

Friday, April 2nd

Today is Children’s Book Day, so today’s challenge is to write a children’s book! Pretty straightforward, don’t you think? Of course, writing an entire book is asking a bit too much, so instead, try writing the outline for a children’s book.

Who are the main characters? What will be the moral of the story? Will there be a villain? After you answer all the basic questions, try writing one sentence for each page of the book. If one day you lack inspiration, you will be able to dig up this document and write a few pages.

Saturday, April 3rd

And of course, I can’t forget this week’s skill challenge. For this challenge, write a story without live characters. You may have characters, but they must be inanimate objects or elements. They cannot move or speak. Depending on what the chosen character is, tell the story using the senses it has. For instance, glasses could see small details with clarity, while a stapler might feel used, and abused, forced to give a part of themselves every time they’re touched.

That’s it for this week! I’d love to hear what you thought of these prompts, and of my short story (constructive criticism is always appreciated). I invite you to comment on either my Instagram (@n.m.blom) or my Facebook page (Noémi Blom – Writer) and to let me know your thoughts or share your own writing, even if it’s just a line or two.

Not inspired? Check out last week's prompts here.

See you next week!