1001 Writing Prompts For Journaling

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Journaling has been around for centuries. In fact, there is evidence that some of the most famous figures in history did this activity. This includes Albert Einstein, Frida Kahlo, Leonardo da Vinci, and Marie Curie. 

Many people enjoy journaling mainly because of the many benefits it offers. For instance, writing your negative thoughts in a journal can help reduce stress and anxiety. In addition to that it also improves your writing and communication skills, and helps you find inspiration. 

If you’ve been meaning to start journaling, below are writing prompts you use to fill the pages of your notebook: 

1. Write about a door you never wanted to open.
2. Write about the day you left your hometown.
3. Write a letter to and from the future you.
4. Write about your first awkward kiss.
5. Write about something you hate
6. Make a list of everything that annoys you during a typical day.
7. How would you describe the first memory you have?
8. What would your eleven year old self say to your present-day self?
9. Choose a running headline.
10. Write about a time you went to the emergency room.
11. Write about a time you were really happy.
12. Let’s see what fruits come out of bushes.
13. Write about a place you work.
14. An ongoing fantasy story from a partner or best friend involving you.
15. Write about a photograph you’re most proud of
16. Write about the last time you met a celebrity.
17. Tell me about a stranger.
18. Write about stargazing.
19. Write about something you wonder is real or fake.
20. As quickly as you can, write up a dialogue between you and a random person in the next room.
21. Write about your favorite childhood book.
22. Review someone’s life.
23. Write about your first heartbreak.
24. Write about a child you used to be.
25. Write about your favorite holiday.
26. How do you believe you are a superstar?
27. A story starts with you receiving a mysterious letter in the mail.
28. Write about a time you were scared.
29. Write about how your current relationship is different from the one you had with your parents.
30. How did it make you feel?
31. Write about your first celebrity crush.
32. Imagine your first car as a love interest. Who were you? Who was he/she?
33. Write about a time you were closest to succeeding.
34. You can hear music coming from the house across the street.
35. Write about something you always do but no one notices.
36. Write a list story that turns out to be about something else.
37. Tell the story of your dream car.
38. A restaurant burns to the ground. Write about the incident the next day.
39. Write about your favorite holiday
40. Tell a story you would make up if you were telling stories at a backyard bonfire.
41. Write a letter to someone you’ve never met and take the letter to the post box.
42. What is your most terrifying childhood dream?
43. Describe your inner dialogue in a given situation, then have someone tell you how you speak.
44. Write about two different ideas that contradict one another.
45. Write about the last time you gave or received a hug.
46. Write about your favorite childhood band.
47. Write about a place you never want to return to.
48. Write in the voice of your favorite animal or pet.
49. You get a chance to save your best friend from death.
50. Between the pages of an old book, you find a new lock of hair. What story does it have to tell?
51. Write a final text to your best friend in your ultimate breakup scenario.
52. Write about the last time you talked to your pet.
53. Write about a dishonest person you know in your life.
54. How would you navigate the kitchen if you couldn’t read recipes.
55. A childhood friend is standing beside your bed at night.
56. Write about something in nature that makes you feel calm.
57. It’s a new Life Day in the galaxy. What is your annual gift to the galaxy? Write about this tradition you uphold.
58. Bring one of your books to life and write a story from that book.
59. What’s in your bag? Write an ode to it.
60. Make a menu using names of people you know or have known.
61. Write about the oldest item you have personally kept.
62. Write about the first time the electric went out.
63. Write about colors you don’t see but wish you could.
64. Write about an especially scary dream.
65. If every cloud has a silver lining, what would yours be?
66. Write what you see in the mirror.
67. If you had a superpower, what would it be?
68. Send someone a letter, tell them why you love them and why you want them to love you. Send it if you want and destroy it if you don’t.
69. Write about your ideal high school.
70. What’s the most terrifying thing you’ve ever seen?
71. Best thing, worst thing.
72. Read a book and rewrite your favorite scene.
73. Who are your two idols? What do you admire about them?
74. Write about why you love your school.
75. You have just been insulted.
76. There’s a knot in your stomach, and you can’t understand why.
77. Walk to the corner shop, and write about a scene you see along the way.
78. Write about a secret no one else knows.
79. Write about a time you got caught in traffic.
80. Write about a time that you were a stranger.
81. Write about something and pretend that you speak it to a captivated audience.
82. Write about a time you went shopping.
83. Write about a song that reminds you of a first kiss.
84. Write a letter from one character to another character.
85. Five toys meet in a restaurant to discuss dating.
86. Listen to the rain and write what you hear.
87. Write about a time when a teacher had high expectations of you.
88. Make a list of the things you love most about your life.
89. Why doesn’t xyz get a bigger table at this restaurant?
90. Write about someone who is about to walk away.
91. Write about the last good or bad meal you had.
92. Write three pages about a painting you once loved.
93. Write about a persistent rumor you heard about someone, who you know is completely false.
94. Write a note to one of your teachers
95. In a week, it will be the last day of school, just like how you were on the first day of school feeling awkward around new people.
96. Write about a time you were hurt.
97. Write about your first day of school.
98. A stranger you just met smiles and you know you’ve already forgiven him.
99. What does ‘home’ mean to you?
100. What is the last thing you ate?
101. Find a website and write about your favorite part of the website.
102. Write about when you read your favorite book under a blanket or near a window.
103. What you could fix if given the chance.
104. Write about your first day at your job.
105. Write a letter to your new crush
106. Think of a time you did something that made you feel like a hero and write about it.
107. Write about your grandma’s cooking.
108. Writer’s block? Try writing a two character interaction scene.
109. Write about why you eat alone.
110. Write about a stranger you met up with in your dream.
111. Write a letter to someone living overseas who hasn’t yet heard about an unexpected death or other devastating news.
112. Write about the time you found gold.
113. How do you know when someone is about to jump?
114. What is your view on the world?
115. Write about the object that is your most prized possession.
116. You chance upon something you’ve long-sought.
117. Write about the thing you value the most.
118. What did you learn from a teacher who has changed your life.
119. Write about your favorite band.
120. Writing prompts on paper or in a digital writing journal can often help jump-start writing during the morning commute or throughout the day.
121. Write about standing out of the crowd.
122. If monsters or creatures existed, how would you cast them in a movie?
123. Write about a recurring nightmare.
124. Tell me about the happiest 5 minutes of your life.
125. Write the story of how something important to you was ruined.
126. Write about your first crush.
127. Write about a battle.
128. Write about your grandmother.
129. A girl who isn’t afraid to show who she is.
130. What did you used to believe in?
131. How would you describe your personality without using Word?
132. Write about your sorority/fraternity hazing experience.
133. How you knew you were born for more than just surviving
134. Write about being the favorite child.
135. Two popular girls invited you to their lunch table in high school. Talk to me about what you said or did. See if you can predict the outcome.
136. Write about a movie you would like to direct.
137. When is the next time you want to go fishing?
138. Sweet sixteen or eighteen
139. Describe the last swear word you said out loud.
140. Write about being stuck in traffic for an hour.
141. This isn’t quite a prompt, but it is something that makes journals more interesting. Use metaphors and similes in your writing. It adds description and can stimulate the imagination. You could write a whole story just describing a certain person, place, thing, or emotion using metaphors and similes alone.
142. Write about your fondest childhood memory.
143. Write about your favorite time you misbehaved.
144. Call up someone that you haven’t talked to in years, the conversation turns into your lifetime story.
145. Write about a road trip that was more than just a trip.
146. Write about your grandmother.
147. What did a college application tell you about yourself?
148. Write about a character on your show that you can relate to the most.
149. You have been granted three wishes.
150. The next time you eat at McDonald’s, write about it.
151. Write about a time that you were on the run.
152. Write about your nerdiest addiction.
153. Write about me eating an apple.
154. Write about getting in trouble as a kid.
155. Imagine a life without your phone.
156. Write about a time you first saw the moon.
157. Write about the most spontaneous thing you ever did.
158. Write about the best meal you ever had after a breakup, a death in the family, getting too drunk, or something memorable like it.
159. Turn a memory into a short story.
160. On your birthday, you wake up to your father sobbing. Write about what happened.
161. Write about a time you were found.
162. The last thing you remember before losing consciousness is…
163. Write about pretending to be someone else.
164. Warm and Dark Your favorite childhood vacation
165. A moment from your life you wish you could go back to.
166. Write a story in the style of Edgar Allan Poe.
167. Write about something you wished you would have said.
168. Everything around you is white.
169. Write about the way your family eats.
170. Write about your first phone call with your favorite person.
171. Describe a delicious meal you had.
172. Write about a time you went nuts.
173. Describe the color pink.
174. Verbally describe an object to someone and capture their reaction.
175. Write about the wildest dream you’ve ever had.
176. If you could take an infinite number of photos on your phone, what would you capture?
177. Write about skiing down a mountain. How does it feel?
178. Write about building yourself a home.
179. Write about the last time you lied.
180. Describe a character you once hated, but now would consider becoming friends with.
181. Write about your favorite childhood toy.
182. You’d gotten lost on your way to the movies. Now you were sitting in a dark movie theater staring at the screen, but blankly-not at all focused.
183. What you didn’t say that should have been said
184. Write about something that happened after midnight.
185. Write about the last time you drank a delicious soda.
186. An unexpected meeting.
187. Write about the night you said goodbye to someone special.
188. What makes you feel like a child?
189. Write about a time you felt love.
190. Mash up movie scenes.
191. Write about a difficulty you’ve had writing.
192. How did your perception of your friends change?
193. “There will always be another mountain.”
194. Write about a time you were unexpectedly reunited.
195. Write about what you know about loving your mother.
196. Write about the first time you were heartbroken.
197. Write about a time you changed your mind about someone.
198. Read this sentence five times without failing, then write something using that sentence. “She ate the magic mint.”
199. Tell a story about the moment you felt completely alone.
200. Write about a time you felt retarded.
201. Write about a time you felt found.
202. Does agony equal brilliance?
203. Describe a typical college day in third person for a few paragraphs.
204. Write about something you’re proud of.
205. A stranger says he has a secret to tell you.
206. Bring a plant or animal or pet with you into your story.
207. Write about how it felt when you fell in love for the first time. Think about the events leading up to the meeting. Write about the moment you first held your child.
208. Without any quotation marks or words, write a story that has at least three characters.
209. Write about a secret you’ve never told anyone else.
210. How to write in a busy place and no one notices you
211. Write about your first crush.
212. Write about a time you forgot the birthday of someone special.
213. Write a Disney story.
214. Write about when someone saved the day.
215. Are you a morning person or a night person?
216. Write a story in 3rd person about yourself
217. Write about your first day back at work after a vacation.
218. Do most people think you’re happy?
219. Write about your first bad memory.
220. What is the best meal you’ve ever had?
221. Write a character interview question.
222. Write the way you hope to feel on your wedding day.
223. At the racetrack, you cause a wreck.
224. Write about your last great meal.
225. Write a letter to your future lover.
226. Write about a holiday not celebrated in your culture.
227. Why is it that when it’s hot outside, all you want to do is sit inside with one leg crossed over the other and flip through a good magazine?
228. Write about the last major conversation you had with your partner.
229. Write a poem about a dream you had.
230. Write about a part of your childhood.
231. Think and write about the best advice you have ever gotten.
232. Describe the taste of your favorite food.
233. Write about a time someone went to great lengths to protect you.
234. Write about the first thing you ever planted.
235. Any time there was ever a possibility.
236. Write about a time that you were afraid.
237. Write about a television show that inspires you.
238. You win a trip to space, blindfolded.
239. Open your phone and message someone to say what you want to say.
240. Write about a time you were caught.
241. Write about a dream you had.
242. Write about the moment you knew you would never forget.
243. Describe your favorite street.
244. Write about the last birthday wish you made.
245. Write about a past relationship.
246. Write a letter to your future child about what you expect him/her to do.
247. Write about a time you were seen.
248. Write about your favorite winter or summer.
249. Write about something interesting you ate.
250. You wake up with a startling revelation.
251. Describe an outdoors piece of art that you would love to have.
252. Write a list of everything you wore today. Details.
253. Your 5-year-old self is talking to your adult self without agreeing to what your adult self is saying. Write about the result.
254. Write about a time when you were nervous to do something, even though you were excited about it too.
255. Write a love letter to your partner.
256. You’re pulled over on the side of the street. The cop asks if you know why.
257. Describe an unusual meal you’ll never forget.
258. Was there one thing that ended up changing everything, one thing that changed the whole way you felt? What was it?
259. Write about the summer you most looked forward to.
260. Write about a time your favorite movie came alive in your place.
261. Write about a time you were scared.
262. Write about the creepiest story you have ever heard.
263. All of your success sounds like luck, but others want the truth. Describe the beginning of that success story.
264. You run the busiest business, and somewhere along the way, it all stops.
265. Write about being visited by demons.
266. Write about the worst situation you have been in. Was there an unexpected turning point?
267. Your city is hit by an earthquake. Now describe it.
268. Write about a time you were sorry.
269. Write about the first time someone invited you to an event.
270. You’re shoveling snow with your father when…
271. Write about a ghost encounter
272. Write about a time you went back and forth about something.
273. One of your friends asks you to tell a secret, but you really don’t have one.
274. Write about when you were betrayed.
275. Write about something you own that someone else would like to have
276. If you could turn anything blue, what would it be?
277. Write about the smell of the first library you ever set foot into.
278. Write about a time you made a difference in someone else’s life.
279. Write down a speech you’d give about your best quality.
280. Remember the best Valentine’s day you ever had.
281. The house you live in loses power.
282. Write about the way your teeth look after you eat a popsicle.
283. Write about a memory of your first kiss.
284. Write about the day you first met your significant other.
285. Pick a day and write about that day as part of a story.
286. Write about how you felt the first time you saw yourself in a mirror.
287. What’s the worst part about your job?
288. Write about a time you stayed up all night.
289. Write about when you will stop writing this poetry
290. Write about the first love affair.
291. Write about a dramatic event that happened between two siblings.
292. Write about your favorite Halloween costume.
293. It’s snowing outside, but instead of random spots, it’s converging on one point.
294. There is a person who is the most important person in your world.
295. What was a single moment in your life that made you fall in love with nature?
296. Imagine if a friend of yours was telling this story.
297. What is one thing that you’ve always dreamed of doing?
298. If you could wear a neon orange shirt to work, what would it say?
299. Write about the first time you were awake all night.
300. Write about your first professional rejection.
301. Write about a time you were found.
302. Write a letter to your future-self. If you had only one wish, what would it be for?
303. Write about your perfect day.
304. Write about a person that inspires you.
305. You notice something changes the way you see things.
306. What was a favorite academic memory from high school?
307. Write about the last mistake you made, or a mistake someone else made in your eyes.
308. Write about someone who is now present again, who disappeared a while ago.
309. Write about the first real friend you had.
310. Write about the best friend you ever had.
311. Write about the first time you saw fireworks.
312. Write a scene that intersects this moment and another time.
313. Write about your favorite place to live.
314. Write about watching a stranger.
315. You wander into an unknown land and meet a stranger.
316. Write from the point of view of a tree.
317. Write about the first time you saw snow.
318. Write about your first day on social media.
319. Your ten year old self meets yourself as a twenty year old. You both go back in time.
320. Write about a rule you broke.
321. Tell what might happen to a letter that you decide not to mail.
322. One day, a stranger hands you a hundred dollar bill for absolutely no reason. Write a story about what you’re going to do with it.
323. What will you always remember the place as?
324. What is the most difficult part of being a parent?
325. Write about an odd dream you had.
326. Imagine you could write anything you wanted without worrying about someone finding it. What would you write?
327. Share the details of the last dream you had.
328. You look down at the floor in order to avoid eye contact with someone.
329. My best dog or cat story.
330. Write about ten days hence .
331. Write about a bad habit you want to break.
332. Add a new middle or end to a book or movie.
333. Write about yourself, a year from now.
334. Something which happened as a child is coming back.
335. Write about your favorite relative apart from your parents.
336. Which was your favorite book when you were five?
337. Write about what happened the first time you lied.
338. Write as if you’re the thing you miss most. Use rose petals/tea leaves/flames on a wall/dust you’d like to capture in a jar/cigarette butts/yourself.
339. Write about your favorite lullaby.
340. Write about an awesome experience that happens regularly.
341. Write about someone famous you wish you could meet.
342. Write about the last time you felt too al…
343. Your heart beats.
344. What did winning the lottery feel like?
345. You notice your mom crying.
346. Pick an argument between two of your friends. Write about it in third person limited.
347. Who’s your favorite teacher?
348. Write about your favorite kiss.
349. Inspired by a single photo.
350. What happens when you and the love of your life are sitting in a gazebo?
351. Write about a secret you should have told, but never did.
352. Write about a time you were scared.
353. What would you pack if you were moving?
354. Write about a time you were lost at sea.
355. List all the regrets you’ve experienced in your life so far. What prevents you from repairing the damages from these regrets?
356. Write about your favorite aunt or uncle.
357. Write about your biggest gift.
358. Write about your face now.
359. Write about a time you were bullied.
360. Write about your favorite lazy day.
361. Write about a place you’ll never go.
362. Write about a time you were scared to go to school.
363. Write about your last day on Earth.
364. Write about the day you didn’t speak but wished you had.
365. Write about high school dreams that didn’t come true.
366. Write about what you’re afraid to tell your therapist.
367. Write about a time you died.
368. A housefly is crawling on your desk.
369. Write about love
370. Write about a deep anger or hatred you keep inside.
371. You walk into the room, and you smell something pleasant. What is it? What happens next?
372. Write about the last time you lied.
373. Write about a family secret.
374. Write about a house.
375. In your house, you find a strange gemstone. Write about what curiosity leads you to do.
376. You just released a huge, heavy box into space without a tether.
377. How would you tell a grandparent that they smelled bad.
378. Write about the last time you slept in late.
379. Your favorite book character.
380. On the way to your favorite ice cream shop, it starts to rain cats and dogs.
381. Write about a time you fell in love.
382. What is your favorite ice cream flavor?
383. Write about your favorite diaries.
384. Write the current weather outside.
385. Look at an object in a strange way and write about it
386. What something you ate tastes like in writing.
387. Turn a recent Facebook status into a haiku.
388. Your best friend asks you to explain poetry.
389. Write about a dancing show you saw or a dancing show going on right now in your town.
390. Write about your favorite movie.
391. You have the opportunity to turn a piece of writing from one artist into a digital portrait of that artist.
392. Write about your last day of school.
393. Write about your first crush in middle school.
394. Write about your first kiss.
395. Is the sky a mirror? If it is, who looks back at you?
396. Write about turning up early.
397. The setting for a novel
398. Write about your first flight/train/boat ride /etc.
399. Write about someone you miss.
400. Write about your favorite food.
401. Sitting at home, you have no idea what to do.
402. You’re on a Caribbean island, there’s no contact with the rest of the world. What happens?
403. Write about a time you felt deeply.
404. What makes you feel safe?
405. Write about something that happened as you were maturing young.
406. Write about a time in your childhood when your mother loved you unconditionally.
407. Write about the world around you, in five years.
408. Retell the last movie you watched.
409. Write about a lie.
410. Describe the most beautiful kiss you have ever had. Create a scene to go with it.
411. Describe the last time you cried.
412. I am visited by my characters. What do they want?
413. Write about a time you were wronged.
414. Write about a stunt you really liked.
415. What was the first computer game you ever played? How did you know how to use it?
416. Write a poem about your favorite food.
417. Write about a time in your life when you were really misunderstood.
418. Describe your worst date.
419. Write about your language.
420. Write about your greatest fear at that moment.
421. Write about a time you were lonely.
422. Write about an unforgettable concert experience.
423. Journals are for sharing things you wouldn’t share anywhere else.
424. Describe what happens after the sun sets.
425. Write about the food you dream about.
426. Write about a time you almost died.
427. Write about a time in school when you were pushed into a locker by another student.
428. Write about someone’s birthday.
429. Sit under a blank blue sky. The wind whispers. Write words that come from the silence.
430. It’s your school’s prom, and you don’t have a girlfriend.
431. Write about the moment right before you did something important.
432. Once upon a time, there was a secret.
433. Write about your favorite restaurant.
434. You found out something that everyone has kept a secret.
435. When did you last write to someone new?
436. Did you ever have a reason to hate someone? Write about your realization that this was a pointless emotion.
437. Write a fictional diary entry of your first kiss.
438. If your character was stuck looking at an inanimate object for an hour, what would they be looking at?
439. Write about one day feeling hopeful and one day feeling all gleaned
440. Write about a time you were nearly scared to death.
441. Your journaling prompt table
442. You’re sentenced to thirty years in prison and need to confess.
443. Write about a time you were almost caught.
444. On your bike ride today, you come across an old friend.
445. What does it feel like when you watch your parents kiss?
446. Your favorite beverage
447. Write a letter to the President of the United States.
448. Write about meeting someone.
449. Write about a time you held hands.
450. Your favorite ice cream flavor
451. You have already lost your chance at true love.
452. Write about the last time you laughed till your stomach hurt.
453. Write about one of your thumbs taking over.
454. Imagine that you can time travel. Where do you want to go? How do you get there?
455. About a recent injury you got.
456. What do you miss the most?
457. Write about nine words about loneliness.
458. Write about the sound of  giggling .
459. Where was the last place you went where you saw a rainbow?
460. Write about a vacation you would like to take.
461. Write about your secret history with someone else.
462. Write about your favorite book after five years.
463. Write about someone waiting for you.
464. Write a love poem where you say “I love you” in all the different languages you know.
465. You have been asked to host a television game show.
466. You buy a new perfume/ cologne. What does it feel like to spray it on your skin?
467. Write about the moment you realized your parents aren’t infallible.
468. Write about the first time you flew on a plane.
469. Write about one of the best gifts you’ve ever received.
470. Time Traveling
471. Write about something that goes perfectly.
472. Look over your life and write about what you have learned.
473. Write about how it rained when you were upset
474. Write your first kiss.
475. Write about your favorite place for a date.
476. Write about a secret.
477. Write about a serious prank you pulled.
478. Write a love letter to an apple.
479. Rewrite a line of poetry or a song.
480. You are opening your closet for the first time. What comes out?
481. Write about someone you barely knew. What is it about them that you liked so much?
482. Write about a time someone was lost.
483. Write about meeting your biggest hero.
484. Describe a significant challenge your partner overcame.
485. What memories do you still keep from your childhood?
486. Write about a room without doors.
487. From a box you find a present from your father.
488. You stumble upon a fortune cookie.
489. Using your “headings”, write the second line.
490. Change a happy event to an unhappy event, then write about it.
491. Sit in a room with a stranger for the first time and own it.
492. Something important happens today. Write about it from the future.
493. Write a letter to someone who doesn’t know you.
494. No-one sings Breaking Free
495. Write about an imaginary land.
496. Write about losing someone you loved.
497. Write about your favorite book.
498. Which emotion would you never, ever fake?
499. Write about your favorite childhood smell.
500. Write about the last time you were called.
501. Think of the worst thing that can happen.
502. Replay an argument you had with a friend. List five secrets you’ve never told anyone.
503. Write about a time you won an award.
504. A memory of childbirth.
505. Imagine your favorite store was in your house and describe every single item it had.
506. Write about a weekend you spent at your best friend’s house.
507. Write about the last time you hung up the phone at the end of a conversation.
508. Write about the first time you saw someone famous.
509. What does your body language say about you?
510. Write about someone who returns home
511. One day you’re surrounded by light. The next day, by darkness. How do you feel?
512. Write about falling in love.
513. Write about your first experience with traditions.
514. Write about the first time someone hugged you.
515. Write about a karaoke song you like.
516. Imagine it’s rainy outside, but inside you’re gazing at the stars in the sky.
517. Write about the biggest mistake you ever made.
518. Write about the day an old love leaves your heart.
519. Write about the last time you cried.
520. Write about a time you thought you might be dying.
521. Write a love letter to yourself.
522. Describe your perfect meal.
523. The last time you saw your first love
524. What is your secret power?
525. Write about the one person you wish you could be.
526. Write about the worst night of your life.
527. Writing prompts about eye contact
528. What did you want to be when you grew up?
529. Write about your first love.
530. Plant a seed. Write about its life cycle.
531. Write a letter to your favorite teacher of all time.
532. Write about the last time you made a mistake.
533. Five year from now, where will we be?
534. You’ve been invited to interview a famous architect.
535. Describe what the perfect morning would be for you.
536. Write a story about the first sound you remember hearing.
537. Write about the time you said something to shut someone up.
538. Write about a family recipe written illegibly.
539. Write about being queen for the day.
540. Food is evocative. Write about the scene where you ate a dish you don’t normally eat.
541. Try one of these personal history writing prompts . This is a good way to expand on your personal history writing prompt list.
542. Write about your first time with a significant other.
543. Missing a loved one.
544. Write about your first crush.
545. What belongs here?
546. Write about a time you stole something.
547. Write about what happens at night when you’ve locked your bedroom door.
548. What are the scariest words you could say to someone.
549. You just won the lottery, what do you spend the money on?
550. What is your earliest memory? What year was it? Describe it in detail.
551. Take today and turn it into a poem.
552. The way you dance.
553. Give me the book you would have written if you were J.K. Rowlings.
554. You break into your neighbor’s house. What’s the first thing you do?
555. Write about the time you realized your career path.
556. Describe where you last slept.
557. How do you know when it’s their birthday?
558. Write about the first Chinese food you ever tried.
559. Write about a favorite family event growing up.
560. What’s the first mistake you regret?
561. Write about your ideal birthday.
562. Write about a time you were afraid to be alone.
563. Write about the morning after a friend’s death.
564. Write about the last time you felt scared.
565. Look up a friend on Facebook and then lie about their life.
566. If you knew you wouldn’t be thought of poorly, what would you act on?
567. Write about how many times you go to the dentist a year.
568. A street light is extinguished. Write about that.
569. Fall is in the air, and outside apple peels are everywhere.
570. Text a friend and ask if they’d be willing to write your eulogy.
571. It’s been raining for days, and suddenly the plumbing has burst.
572. Write about an object you own that was exhibited in a museum.
573. Someone near you is having a panic attack. They need you to help them. What do you do?
574. Write about your first run in with your partner’s family.
575. What do the veins in your wrist look like?
576. What was your favorite gift you ever received.
577. Write about the last time you had no cell phone reception.
578. Describe a time you did something you wish you hadn’t.
579. Write about a time you made a new friend.
580. You have the opportunity to watch a spirit
581. Write about a time you were homesick.
582. Write a poem or song about the games you played in grade school.
583. You hold a single flower in your hand
584. Write about the night before your first day at school.
585. You see something that triggers an emotion.
586. Write about the car ride you took that taught you something new.
587. Where are you right now? Now that you’ve sat down and think about it – are you there?
588. Write about one word from a text you sent or received recently.
589. Pick a song and write about the lyrics.
590. Write about the most humiliating thing that ever happened to you.
591. Write about character flaws that are strengths
592. The way you wake up is different today from every other day.
593. The first time you discovered you had a gift.
594. Write about something you think someone should never have to experience.
595. Write about the last time you saw a dog.
596. Write from the point of view of someone who dislikes you.
597. Build a story around your secret talent.
598. Your dream customer is an interesting person. Describe that person in detail.
599. Write about your favorite restaurant.
600. Write about the last time you felt young.
601. Have you ever had one hit wonder a song? Take the lyrics from it and turn it into a story.
602. Wishing you were somewhere else
603. Write about a time you were misunderstood.
604. Write about when you stopped loving someone.
605. Last year, you thought you and someone were a perfect match, but something happened.
606. Write about the end of a friendship.
607. Brush by brushes with death or injury.
608. Start writing about where you were, and bring you somewhere else.
609. Who did you look up to as a child?
610. Write about your favorite place to study.
611. Think back to middle school, when the days seemed to last forever.
612. Describe the first time you had a crush. Where were you?
613. Describe the hopes and dreams of a stranger.
614. Write a story with a green cab driving through it.
615. Write about the first time you saw an electric light.
616. Write about something your parents won’t forgive you for someday.
617. Tell the story of something that shocked you.
618. Read a page of a book and write about what you’re picturing.
619. In one word, make a list of the ten most important people in your life.
620. You’re driving along in your car, when you come across something you’ve never seen before.
621. Write what will be shown on the screen at your funeral.
622. Who is the most beautiful?
623. Write about the time your parents missed your birthday. Write about why.
624. What would you have told your 10 year-old self about your life today?
625. Write about the dream you had last night.
626. Write about a song that brings back memories.
627. Write about when and where you last had a panic attack.
628. Write about a friend that was always there.
629. Write at night in a dream.
630. Write about a time you got lost.
631. Write about your best friend for a day.
632. Write about an item you’ve held dear for the longest time, and why.
633. Write about the last argument you had with a loved one.
634. Before going on vacation, you get a call from a relative or friend. They tell you they can’t attend a family event after all
635. A phone call in the middle of the night changes your life.
636. Prayer is never wasted.
637. Write about a time you were found.
638. Write about a fender bender.
639. Write about the time you discovered a mutual love of something.
640. Write about a time someone was lost.
641. Write about a time you were wrong.
642. You suddenly feel an intense pain in your foot. Write a dialogue with your foot.
643. Divided between three senses write about a memory of your choice—smell, sound, and sight.
644. car wash, or fair, or zoo.
645. Write about stepping onto a subway car.
646. You’ve just heard you have a life-threatening illness. Now write about the funniest thing you remember.
647. Write about a time you first thought today was a special day.
648. How do you feel about your parents?
649. You wake up one day and realize you’ve become the world’s voice. What are you going to say?
650. Write a letter to your future self.
651. Write a story about when someone said yes even if you said no.
652. Write a letter to one of your favorite characters telling him or her your reaction to the book.
653. Describe a time you got lost with all the details.
654. It was a hot summer day. Can you smell the sweat?
655. Write about a time you were stolen.
656. Write about your favorite animal.
657. You’ve been eaten alive by a monster.
658. Write about a scandal you were involved in.
659. Write about a time your sister annoyed you.
660. At a concert, you heard a song you didn’t like much. Post that song and describe what it did for you that day.
661. If every time you typed a word, food appeared on your table, would you type?
662. You see your name on a shelf in a foreign language book.
663. Someone handed you a baby.
664. Write about a time you felt like a clown.
665. Write about a time you found something.
666. What does your writing desk look like?
667. What would you do if you found a sword?
668. Write a paragraph about an imaginary animal.
669. Remember the first time you shattered something.
670. Write about your favorite birthday party.
671. Write about someone who forgot about you.
672. You wake up in a hospital and don’t know why.
673. Write about your greatest achievement
674. In the shade of an apple tree, a love long lost returns.
675. Your friends are making fun of someone for having a name they think is ridiculous. How do you feel?
676. Write about what happens when you die.
677. Write about a bad day.
678. Write about what your life will be like one hundred years from now.
679. Define a word you didn’t know when you were younger.
680. Write about your strongest reactions to someone else’s writing.
681. Write about one important thought about your life.
682. Write about your favorite sweatshirt.
683. Write about a time you knew exactly what you wanted.
684. My life would be unforgettable if.
685. Write about the winning goal you once made in a soccer match.
686. Write about what you’re afraid of or what you want outrageous things.
687. Write about one of the strangest dreams you’ve ever had.
688. Write about the sport you play best.
689. Write about a time you were overjoyed
690. What is the capital of Mexico?
691. Rain is falling on your face. Write about the story of that rain.
692. Write about a fantasy of yours. Write about it like no one will ever read it.
693. You are something beautiful.
694. Write about taking a test. Where are you? Who are you with? What are you wearing? What is on your final paper? How did you feel when you got your grade?
695. Write about your grandparents and their love story.
696. Write about a place you would never go again.
697. Write about a time you were turned on by someone.
698. Write about the best thing you ate last week.
699. Do poetry, literature, or history, inspire you?
700. Write about a time a stranger helped you.
701. Write about a time you were lost in a book.
702. Write about a secret you have.
703. Before the world ends, tell a story…
704. Write about a dream you had the night before.
705. Write about your favorite book.
706. Write about a secret that no one would guess about you.
707. Write about someone you hate so little that you wish they weren’t alive.
708. Write about the place you feel most at peace.
709. What is the most disgusting thing you’ve ever eaten?
710. You are at an old family reunion when you see.
711. The sky opens up.
712. The dark unfolds its wings.
713. Someone cuts in front of you in the grocery line.
714. What happens when you rewind time?
715. Write about the last time the car broke down.
716. Write about missing someone who is gone.
717. Now write about your current age.
718. Travel back in time to the last birthday party you attended.
719. Name some words you’re tired of seeing. Describe an object and detail the moments it comes into your life.
720. Write about someone’s smile that made you smile.
721. Sing a song completely different from what you usually sing.
722. Write about a time you were angry.
723. In your stories, you choose a menu for your date, but you don’t know what the items taste like.
724. Who or what made you decide to keep living?
725. What was your big break? What happened?
726. Tell a story about something uninvited that happened to someone you knew.
727. Write about a time your mother smiled
728. Write about your life 20 years from now.
729. Write about what is on your selfie.
730. What is your family like? How have they influenced you?
731. You find a condom and you have no idea how long it will last…
732. Write about something that inspired you.
733. Write about my dream house.
734. Write about your favorite hat.
735. Write about some of the events in a school, place where you were working, college or high school
736. Who is your favorite superhero? How would they change the world?
737. Down a dark alley you hear something.
738. Describe the first time and only time you walked into a coffee shop without knowing how you would pay for your drink.
739. Be honest. What is your secret?
740. Write about a fond memory of your grandfather.
741. Write about not being safe.
742. Describe a place you had planned to visit, but never did.
743. Write about a time when you went a little too far.
744. Write about your first kiss.
745. Write about the first time you stepped out of time for others.
746. Write about a favorite teacher getting paid what s/he deserves.
747. What was the last music you heard before you fell asleep?
748. If you could have dinner with three people from history, who would it be? And with whom would you switch places?
749. The smell of your grandmother’s kitchen brings back memories.
750. Write about your first love.
751. If you could apologize to one person in this world, who would it be and why?
752. Write about an act of kindness that changed everything.
753. Tell the story of a time that you witnessed a crowd when you were hiding behind something.
754. Write about kissing a frog to find his prince
755. Imagine you are meeting your 5 year old self. What would you say to each other?
756. While daydreaming, something strange happens.
757. Build a character piece around “What makes this person so fascinating?”
758. Write about the first time you were arrested.
759. Write about a superhero you want to be.
760. A funny thing happened…
761. Think about an item that you always carry with you.
762. Write down all the places you’ve lived.
763. Write a page about the moment you decided to be in love forever.
764. Write about a time you were lost
765. If you could invent a new instrument, what would it sound like?
766. Write about a feeling you would like to understand.
767. Your favorite breed of dog, or your cat.
768. Which is your fault that you can’t forgive you?
769. Write about your fondest Christmas memory.
770. Write about a time you initiated a conversation with someone.
771. Write about the birth of your first job.
772. Where were you the moment the election results were announced?
773. Write about your car.
774. The first person who actually loved you.
775. Write about a particularly disorienting day.
776. For children you love even if it’s the last time.
777. Take someone you admire and compress their timeline by one day. Write it out.
778. Write about a “before and after.” Write about the before and what happens after.
779. Write about a time you “disappeared” for a day.
780. Right before going to sleep, you have a strange dream.
781. Write about why you love someone.
782. Write about the way a song makes you feel.
783. Write about a mistake you made.
784. My Last Text
785. Describe the last time you rode in a taxi cab.
786. Write the letter of apology you never sent.
787. Write about a time you first had an argument with your best friend.
788. Find the first item that the doorknob touched that day.
789. Write about your first day of school.
790. Describe your first breakup.
791. The last time you cried
792. What things do you carry with you for good luck?
793. Write about a time you dropped your phone in the toilet .
794. Write about something that’s scarred you.
795. Write about the worst thing to ever happen to you.
796. Write about a guilt-free indulgence.
797. Write about a time you misunderstood someone.
798. Write about the first song you sang to a child.
799. If you had a letter to send back in time, what would it say?
800. It’s your first day on the job.
801. Write about a house you always wanted to be in.
802. Write a letter to your one true love.
803. What is the worst decision you made?
804. Under the current circumstances, what’s my life purpose?
805. Write about a time you thought someone else was lost.
806. Write a memoir of your wedding day, using only your journal as guidance.
807. Write about the first time you had to lie to a parent.
808. If you had a theme song, what would it be?
809. A mystery awaits you at the top of the stairs.
810. Ask a question you’ve never asked anyone before.
811. Two people you know who are getting married tell you that they want to be your best friend.
812. Once upon a time…
813. Write about a time you saw a shooting star.
814. Write a letter to the person you wish you could be.
815. Write about a time you were found.
816. Write your life from the point of view of an object.
817. Write about your first day of kindergarten.
818. Write about a time you came home.
819. What’s your favorite kind of soap?
820. What you’d like to teach your children.
821. Write about little things that make you happy.
822. You’re watching an episode of a show you love when a usual scene takes a turn for the weird. Write about what happens next.
823. Write for five minutes. Then crumple what you wrote up into a ball. Start again, but this time, write with your non-dominant hand.
824. Write about a time you saw a car you will never forget.
825. Write about a time you got mad until it wasn’t fun.
826. Write about a time you saw something you shouldn’t have.
827. What’s the scariest thing that has happened to you?
828. What you like the most about going to the fair
829. Write about your first quarry.
830. Streetcars are the transportation of the future.
831. Build the story around your favorite among your friends.
832. Write about a character that is an opposite from who you are in this moment.
833. Write about a wonderful gift you have ever given.
834. What was the first piece of art that captured your imagination?
835. What is the worst advice you’ve never listened to?
836. How long have you known your best friend?
837. Write about a time when you felt missed.
838. Two pets, one of them imaginary, explain to a third what makes their relationship work.
839. Write something from a character’s point of view.
840. You learn that you have a new neighbor and you were expecting more.
841. Write about a time you found the key in the last place you looked.
842. Write about the most unforgettable first date you ever had.
843. Write about a time you were laughing so hard, you were crying.
844. There is a crowd, a big crowd.
845. How many minutes can you go without speaking today?
846. Write about watching TV as a kid.
847. Write about waiting for something special.
848. Describe the first time you tasted ice cream.
849. Write most annoying habit of a close family member Write about a time you weren’t there when someone was really there for you
850. Write one page about who you are in one hundred years.
851. Tell a ghost story in first person.
852. You feel like you can’t move without making a mess.
853. You find a hand-written letter in your family hiding in your parents’ drawers.
854. Write about a fun summer activity.
855. You should go home and study, but you go out instead.
856. Write about what it is like to be a child.
857. Write about a time you remember someone putting you before themselves.
858. Write about why you always put off doing your homework.
859. Write about the last crime that was committed near your house.
860. Describe something that amazes you
861. Write about a time when someone lied about something.
862. You realize you’re responsible for something amazing.
863. Now would be a perfect time to write about a time you won.
864. Your hero / heroine comes to life on screen. A movie based on your novel comes out. What song does it have? Write about something you saw or discovered on Google Maps today.
865. Write a letter to a country dictating parts of your personality.
866. Turning point in my life
867. Write about a long-forgotten camping trip.
868. Write about your favorite beach.
869. What did you really want for Christmas as a child?
870. Write about a time you were unkind.
871. Write a letter to a dying relative.
872. Write about a time you felt ashamed.
873. Yours is the only car on the road.
874. Write about a day that ended with laughter.
875. All the streets in your city are one way streets. What’s your route?
876. Write about your family.
877. Write about a secret you kept.
878. Write about a bad decision you’ve made
879. Write about your first attempt at painting.
880. Write about a time something bad happened to you and you felt powerless.
881. A firework unexpectedly pops—you jump and look around trying to figure out where it came from. Write about the people around you.
882. Write about a time you have hurt someone you love.
883. Write about a time you wished someone had died.
884. Write about staring up at the night sky
885. Who was your first crush on?
886. Write about a time you went missing.
887. What would you tell yourself if you could go back in time?
888. Write a letter to your future self for a future you.
889. Write about a time you used profanity.
890. Where is your favorite place you’d like to visit?
891. Write about a day in the life of a spoonful of sugar.
892. You have one wish to make.
893. Write a story about a moment you recognized peace.
894. Start by writing about your health and what’s going on with that.
895. The first day of school.
896. Describe what you would demand if fortune was at your feet.
897. Write about a dream.
898. Write about a night before you went to war.
899. Write for thirty minutes about a song you love.
900. Write about a daydream.
901. Write to/about your future self.
902. Write a letter to your fiance/fiancée.
903. Write about an apology you recently gave or received.
904. Write a story about your favorite winter vacation
905. Write about a time you were proud
906. Why did you wait in line for an hour today?
907. “Imagine that your house burned down”
908. Anyone can give good advice.
909. Trade secrets with someone you dare not trust.
910. Write about coming home.
911. Scribble the first thing that comes to your mind and see where it leads.
912. Write a character backstory, or the backstory of a real-life person.
913. You are having trouble falling asleep tonight.
914. Write about the first time you tried to quit smoking.
915. Write about the last time you argued.
916. Walk through the steps of making a pie from scratch.
917. Compare yourself to a color.
918. Write about your favorite fruit.
919. Write about your worst summer of your life.
920. Write about a secret.
921. Write about the first time you came home when it was late at night.
922. Write about a time when you helped someone less fortunate than you.
923. Capture a moment in your life in the fewest number of words.
924. Out of the corner of your eye you see a bear coming toward you.
925. Between the broken coffee mugs in the cabinet and the words you’ve got left unsaid, write the story of your life.
926. There’s something you find arousing about someone you’ve never told anyone about.
927. What you learned from the scariest movie you’ve ever seen.
928. Describe the last time you cried.
929. Write about a job you would like to try.
930. Write about “hidden talents.”
931. A door opens in midair and you walk through.
932. Write about a time you were scared.
933. Write about someone that has impacted you.
934. What do you want to ask for in the future?
935. What is the craziest thing that you have ever seen from a house?
936. Write about a time you felt alone.
937. In 25 words or fewer, tell us about your best friend.
938. Write about a time you were wrong.
939. Now draw what you write about from memory
940. Your plans for today didn’t happen because of this one reason.
941. What’s the worst mistake you’ve ever made?
942. Write about a time a biography you were reading inspired you.
943. Explain how an object made you feel.
944. Write about the first time you were hurt.
945. If you could bring your high school gym teacher back from the dead, what would you say to him or her?
946. Write about a relative that you never knew but still meant so much to you.
947. You’re in a food court and the fire alarm goes off.
948. Close your eyes and watch the darkness. Eventually, a character appears in front of you. Write about that character.
949. Inside Whiting, you have nothing else to do but write. And write. And write. Write about how hungry you are. Oops, you got hungry. Just kidding. Drink some chocolate milk.
950. What is a secret you have never told?
951. You get the lead in the school play. What part is it?
952. Write about a situation where you were sure you were right but were wrong.
953. What game did you always play?
954. It’s your last day on earth. How would you spend it?
955. Write about your favorite movie from the past.
956. Tell me about someone you’ve never talked about.
957. With a small pencil in hand, describe yourself.
958. Write about a trip
959. Write about the moment of your life you are most proud of.
960. Write about a particular word that makes you smile.
961. You stumble upon an ad that you find disturbing.
962. Describe a moment of loss.
963. If you knew you couldn’t fail what would you do?
964. Write about a time you lied.
965. Describe your childhood bedroom.
966. Write about your first experience with something you thought was unfair.
967. You see some unrecognizable helicopter flying overhead. What’s it there for?
968. Write about the person who discovered something that changed them.
969. Write about a painful story your mother told you about your childhood.
970. Describe your relationship with your father.
971. Quickly, without thinking, write what comes to mind, without using the letter E. Name something prosperous. Name something that alights. Tell us about it in detail.
972. Write about a precious gem you walked past, but that no one else saw.
973. Write a poem about the last good meal you made.
974. A person you never get to see but see in you.
975. What’s the most interesting conversation you’ve had with a stranger?
976. A ghost appeared before you as you were walking down the street. What did you see?
977. A childhood friend you haven’t seen for ten years tells you one thing that made you choke up and hook you.
978. Write about a smell that brings you back to another time.
979. What’s a magical quality that only existed in your childhood?
980. Write about the moment of clarity that changed your life.
981. Write about when you were stopped by the police.
982. Write an argument between you and your friend through emails.
983. Write about your favorite sports team.
984. Take what someone wrote to you and use it as your prompt.
985. Write a letter to someone who is no longer with you to explain why you care about them.
986. Imagine escaping from grandfather time.
987. Turn a common phrase into a narrative.
988. You miss a person you just met.
989. Write about the coziest place you have ever been.
990. Write about a person you miss.
991. Free write about love using beautiful and complex sentences.
992. If you had three wishes, what would they be?
993. Write about the dumbest advice you’ve ever received.
994. Imagine you work as a detective. Write about a case.
995. Write about a teacher who inspired you.
996. Write a letter to your least favorite teacher.
997. You finally get that elusive subject.
998. Are you a poet? What are a few of your poems with strong emotions? Can we see a sample?
999. Using your imagination, describe a wonderful invention.
1000. Write about a time you couldn’t control your feelings.
1001. Your family is filled with famous authors. What do they write about?