Topics/Prompts to use for Writing
Sandi Greene, M.A.
English Adjunct Faculty
1. Write about something you did over Christmas break. (or Summer break).
2. What are your goals for this year? 5 years from now? 10 years from now?
3. Explain what you learned about yourself in your first job (or if you haven’t had a first job yet;
what you learned about yourself during high school).
4. Describe your most memorable celebration experience – a birthday, holiday, wedding,
graduation, etc….
5. Pick a current issue. Describe variously held positions. Respond to the issue or to one of the
positions.
6. Express something that has been bothering you. Try to discover why it is bothering you.
Propose a solution.
7. Copy a saying or short passage from someone else’s writing (story, book, poem, essay, etc.).
Tell what it means to you, how you feel about it, and why.
8. Write down the lyrics of your favorite song; explain what they mean.
9. Free write.
10. Watch someone else for at least five minutes. Write down the non-verbal communication
signs and what you think they mean.
11. Compare and contrast your views of relationships versus that of one of your close friends’.
12. Write a letter to a parent or guardian attempting to persuade them to do something or take a
certain measure.
13. Write a pretend letter to the editor arguing for a current issue in your community.
14. If you could go back and change something in your life what would it be and why?
15. Sit down and look at something outside. Describe it using vivid adjectives.
16. Create your dream apartment or house.
17. What do you look for in a person you want to date? What do you want in a person to marry
(if you wish to marry someday)? If you are already married, what did you look for?
19. Describe your room.
20. Tell about a pet or pets you have or have had.
21. Tell about your family and your relationship with them.
22. What makes a good friend?
23. Describe the top morals and values that you personally hold.
24. Write a poem even if you don’t think of yourself as a poet.
25. Write about a time when someone was kind to you or did something that made you feel
special.
26. Write about something that you did nice or kind for someone else. Write something that you
could do nice for someone else.
28. Write about a favorite past teacher. What made this teacher your favorite?
29. Write a short story either real or make believe in which at least two people have a
conversation.
30. Write a character sketch of someone you are close to and admire. Describe their appearance,
mannerisms, and speech.
31. Write about one of your favorite books. Why is it your favorite?
32. Why are you going to college? What goals will college help you to reach?
33. What are some of your hobbies and talents? Are there any hobbies you would like to pick
up?
34. Write about one of your favorite television shows or movies. Why is it your favorite?
35. How do you keep your life organized? What could you do to better organize your life?
37. Who is the most important person in your life and why?
38. If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?
39. Describe an experience in your life that changed or shaped who you are. Why did it change
or shape you?
40. What would you do differently when raising your children than what your parents did? What
would you do the same?
41. If you were deserted on an island, what three things would you want with you and why?
42. What do you feel are your greatest strengths and weaknesses? What do you do to improve
both of them?
43. Describe a tradition that your family did. If you don’t have one, describe a tradition that you
would like to do if you have a family of your own one day. Why do you think traditions are
important?
44. What did you learn or get out of college this semester, either academically, socially, or both.
45. What do college professors expect of their students?
46. What are some marks of effective writing?
47. What helps or hinders you in getting ready to write? What, if any, rituals do you undergo as a
writer?
48. Do you need to write under certain conditions? Do you, for instance, work best in bright,
crowded restaurants, where there are so many conversations going on at once that you can't
overhear any particular conversation? Or do you require solitude and quiet?
49. Do you thrive on pressure? Do you, in other words, wait until absolutely the very last minute
to start? Are you a perfectionist?
50. What does it mean to "write from the heart" as opposed to from the head?
51. What topics have you struggled with in the past? What topics, by way of contrast, have you
written about that have emanated from your heart? How did you discover them?
52. In what kind of writing projects have you partaken? What was your purpose? Who was your
audience? How much did you know about the subject beforehand? What worked for you in terms
of formulating your thoughts? What did not? What have you since learned that has led to your
improvement as a writer?
53. How do you, personally, move from the summary of someone else's ideas to the development
of your own?
54. Write down some of the benefits to sharing your work with a neutral third party. Which of
the services above do you think you will most likely use and why? How have you determined in
the past who would give you the best feedback? Was the assistance you got helpful? Why or why
not?
55. Describe a painful experience you went through and something positive that came out of in.
56. What do you feel your purposes in life are?
57. Describe a time you met someone special.
58. Describe what happened when you had your first child.
59. Discuss an accomplishment that you are most proud of.
60. Do you use social media? Why or why not? What do you like and not like about social
media?