53 Writing Prompts 2018-2019

These are prompts I came up with in my third year of judging "The Writer's Cramp" . You are free to use any of them if they will help you in your writing:

1. Get inspired by the following scenario and write a short story or poem:

A very intelligent alligator is on the loose in a residential neighborhood.


Given April 10 - 11, 2018 = 4 Entries

2. Get inspired by the following quotation and write a short story or poem:

"It isn't what we say or think that defines us, but what we do"

Jane Austen

Given April 17 - 18, 2018 = 2 Entries

3. Write a short story or poem that begins at a funeral. End it wherever you choose.

Use the following five words bolded for judging convenience:

episode
barnacle
quartet
raccoon
desire

Given April 24 - 25, 2018 = 3 Entries

4. Get inspired by this quotation and write a short story or poem - you pick the genre:

"Things are sweeter when they're lost"

The Beautiful and Damned by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Given May 1 - 2, 2018 = 4 Entries


5. What is your favorite city?

Make this the first or last line of your poem or short story and select "Travel" as one of your genres:

"I'll see you in ________" (your favorite city goes here - for example, Paris, London, Chicago, New York, Dublin, etc. - whatever your favorite city may be)

Given May 8 - 9, 2018 = 3 Entries


6. Write a poem or short story about someone who unexpectedly receives a mysterious flower delivery the day after Mother's Day. Please select "Mystery" as one of your genres.

Given May 15 - 16, 2018 = 1 entry


7. Write a poem or short story from the point of view of the most delicious sandwich you can imagine. Make comedy one of your genres, please.

Given May 22 - 23, 2018 = 2 entries

8. Write a poem or short story using ALL of these Beatles Song titles, BOLDED for judging convenience:

Help
Yesterday
Eight Days a Week
Paperback Writer
If I Fell
Revolution

Given May 29 - 30, 2018 = 3 Entries


9. Write a poem or short story using ALL of these Led Zeppelin Song titles, BOLDED for judging convenience:

The Immigrant Song
Stairway to Heaven
Black Dog
Fool in the Rain
Whole Lotta Love
Candy Store Rock

Given June 5 - 6, 2018 = 3 Entries

10. Write a short story or poem inspired by the following quotation:

"In spite of everything, I still believe that people are really good at heart."

Anne Frank

Given June 12 - 13, 2018 = 1 entry

11. Write a short story or poem inspired by the following quotation:

"The brain may take advice, but not the heart."

Truman Capote

Given June 15 - 16, 2018 = 2 Entries

12. Write a poem or short story using about a Bull, in the Animal Genre, using ALL of these Rolling Stones Song titles, BOLDED for judging convenience:

Get Off of My Cloud
Satisfaction
Angie
Beast of Burden
Brown Sugar
As Tears Go By

Given June 19 - 20, 2018 = 2 Entries


13. Write a poem or short story that STARTS with this quotation BOLDED from Ralph Waldo Emerson:

"When it is dark enough, you can see the stars."

Given June 26 - 27, 2018 = 4 Entries


14. Write a poem or short story that STARTS or ENDS (your choice) with this quotation BOLDED from Ernest Hemingway:

"We are broken. That's how the light gets in."

Given July 3 - 4, 2018 = 6 Entries


15. Today is Cow Appreciation Day. Write a poem or short story about appreciating a cow or cows. Also, please pick "Comedy" as one of your genres.

Given July 10 - 11, 2018 = 2 Entries


16. Write a story or poem about a gray cat, named Franklin, who lives at the Veterinarian's office. Write it from Franklin's point of view.

Given July 17 - 18, 2018 = 3 Entries


17. Write a poem or short story with the title of "Broken Window."

Given July 24 - 25, 2018 = 4 entries


18. Write a poem or short story using all of these song titles, bolded for judging convenience. The genre is up to you:

Knockin' on Heaven's Door
Blowin' in the Wind
Diamonds and Rust
Moon River
Mama Mia
Singin' in the Rain

Given July 31 - August 1, 2018 = 1 Entry


19. Write a poem or short story with this title:

That Summer of 2001

Select "History" as one of your genres.

Given August 7 - August 8, 2018 = 1 Entry


20. Write a poem or short story starting with this song line, bolded:

"Try to remember that kind of September"

The genre is up to you.

Given August 14 - 15, 2018 = 3 Entries


21. Get inspired by this quote and write a short story or poem. The genre is up to you.

"To be kind is more important than to be right." F. Scott Fitzgerald

Given August 21 - 22, 2018 = 1 Entry


22. Write a short story or poem about something that was surprisingly worth waiting for. The genre is up to you.

Given August 28 - 29, 2018 = 6 Entries


23. Write a story about hearing an exaggerated weather report about an approaching catastrophic hurricane, when there is no safe way or time to evacuate. You choose the genre.

Given September 11 - 12, 2018 = 2 Entries


24. Write a story or poem about someone who jumps to conclusions without making any effort to hear both sides of the story. You pick the genre.

Given September 18 - 19, 2018 = 1 Entry


25. Write a story or poem about a day that represents something happy and something sad in equal measures. Use the title: "Autumn's Shadow"

Given September 25 - 26, 2018 = 3 Entries


26. Write a story or poem that ends with this line, bolded:

"That October morning, evil came to call."

Given October 2 - 3, 2018 = 6 Entries


27. Write a story or poem that begins with this line, bolded:

"Echoes of silence enshrouded time."

Given October 9 - 10, 2018 = 5 Entries


28. Write a story or poem that ENDS with this line, bolded:

"Close that door to October's past."

Given October 16 - 17, 2018 = 4 Entries


29. Write a story or poem that BEGINS with this line, bolded:

"and the black cat danced a tango at dawn..."


Given October 23 - 24, 2018 = 9 Entries


30. Write a story or poem that Ends with this line, bolded:

"There came a plaintive howl one Halloween Eve."

Given October 30 - 31 2018 = 3 Entries


31. Write a story or poem that Begins with this line, bolded:

"I was feeling great until the phone rang."


Given November 6 - 7, 2018 = 4 Entries


32. Write a story or poem that Ends with this line, bolded:

"and the flags waved on a hillside in France."


Please also select "Military" as one of your genres.

Given November 13 - 14, 2018 = 2 Entries


33. In the spirit of the season, write a story or poem that BEGINS with this line, bolded:

"I thought that they would never leave."


Given November 20 - 21, 2018 = 4 Entries


34. Write a story or poem that begins with this line, bolded:

"They could no longer ignore the cow at the window."


Please select "Comedy" as one of your genres.

Given November 26 - 27, 2018 = 4 Entries


35. Write a story or poem that ENDS with this line, bolded:

"The holiday party turned into a gathering of pure horror."


The genre is up to you.

Given November 27 - 28, 2018 = 2 Entries


36. Write a story or poem that includes this line, BOLDED:

"That kiss was meant for Santa."


It can be at the beginning, end, middle or anywhere else in the poem or story. The genre is up to you.

Given December 11 - 12, 2018 = 2 Entries


37. A careless mail carrier drops an important piece of mail. Write the story or poem about what happens next from the point of view of the piece of mail that was dropped.

Given December 16 - 17, 2018 = 3 Entries


38. One of Santa's hardest working elves feels taken for granted. The elf quietly leaves the workshop and applies for a job with Amazon.com. Write a poem or story about the experience and what the elf learns from it. The genre is up to you.

Given December 18 - 19, 2018 = 2 Entries


39. Use all of these Christmas related movie titles in your poem or short story, bolding them for judging convenience:

Love Actually
Elf
It's a Wonderful Life
Home Alone
Die Hard
Miracle on 34th Street

**And yes I know that Die Hard takes place at Christmas time, but does not have a Christmas theme like the others.**

Given December 25 - 27, 2018 = 6 Entries


40. Get inspired by this quote and write a short story or poem. (You do not have to use the quote in the writing - just get inspired by it).

"You can't live a perfect day without doing something for someone who will never be able to repay you."

John Wooden

Given January 1 - 2, 2019 = 5 Entries


41. Start your short story or poem with this quote bolded:

"Whatever you do, do not open that red door!"

You can pick the genre.

Given January 8 - 9, 2019 = 5 Entries



42. End your short story or poem with this quote bolded:

"led by the sea to the lighthouse"

You can pick the genres.

Given January 15 - 16, 2019 = 2 Entries


43. End your short story or poem with this quote bolded:

"hint of honesty, lavender and lies"

You can pick the genres.

Given January 22 - 23, 2019 = 8 Entries


44. Write a story or poem (you pick the genre) with the following bolded as an ending:

"the cat prowled the night without a backward glance"

Given February 5 - 6, 2019 = 4 Entries


45. Please write a poem or short story, selecting the Romance Genre, using these words bolded for judging convenience.

February
pocket watch
coral bracelet
basset hound
scrapbook
anniversary

Given February 12 - 13, 2019 = 8 Entries


46. Please write a poem or short story that ends with these two lines (from Simon and Garfunkel's song, Hazy Shade of Winter), bolded:

"weaving time in a tapestry

won't you stop and remember me?"

Please select "Romance/Love" as one of your genres!

Given February 14 - 15, 2019 = 3 Entries


47. Please write a poem or short story that ends with these words: bolded:

"stale cigarette smoke, Chanel No. 5 and the lingering scent of rain"

The genre is up to you!

Given February 19 - 20, 2019 = 4 Entries


48. Please write a poem or short story that is inspired by this quotation:

"Too much of a good thing can be wonderful."

Mae West

You don't have to include the quote - just get inspired by it. The genre is up to you.

Given February 26 - 27, 2019 = 1 Entry


49. You pick the genre. Please write a poem or short story ending with this quotation, bolded

"The rules simply don't apply to me."

Given March 5 - 6, 2019 = 3 Entries


50. You pick the genre. Please write a poem or short story beginning with this quotation from a popular song: bolded

"When Irish eyes are smiling..."

Given March 12 - 13, 2019 = 6 Entries


51. You pick the genre. Please write a poem or short story BEGINNING AND ENDING with this quote of the first line from Ernest Hemingway's memoir, "A Moveable Feast": bolded

"Then there was the bad weather."

Given March 19 - 20, 2019 = 5 Entries


52. Please select "Mystery" as one of your genres and write a poem or short story BEGINNING with this line bolded

"My memory was bathed in shadow."

Given March 26 - 27, 2019 = 2 Entries


53. Please write a poem or short story (the genre is up to you) BEGINNING with this first line from John Irving's 1989 masterpiece, A Prayer For Owen Meany: bolded

"I am doomed to remember a boy..."

Given April 2 - 3, 2019 = 4 Entries