Writing Prompts
A sampling of some of Michael’s favorite writing prompts for students
View Michael teaching here
1) Write a poem called “Being an Elder” or “Growing Up”
I used to think….
but now I know….
I used to be afraid of….
but now I fear……
I used to wonder….
but now I want to know……
2) Write a piece called “Zoological Park,” making each member of your family an animal.
For example, “My father is a lion‑‑usually he is sleeping, but at times he gets up and paces back and forth, looking ominous. Sometimes he roars. Even when he yawns he is scary. “My mother is…,” “My sister is …,” etc. You might want to end with “I am…” and then “Together we are…” and draw a conclusion that is both accurate and a metaphor for the constellation of your family in relationship.
3) Write about something in nature and what that thing knows about a human feeling.
For example: What the grass knows about love, or what a tree knows about patience, or what a blackberry bush knows about anger.
4) Take an object from your person or pocket or purse.
Hold the object in front of you and write about yourself as the object –making the object a metaphor for you. For example: “I am this pen. I like to think of myself as sleek and slender, but I bulge in the middle. Basically I keep a mask of myself to the outside world, though at times there are flashes of either temper or sharing. But inside, there are many more parts to me that I usually don’t show–however, at times I let the tip out and give expression to my inner self….”
5) Make two lists of things you are thankful for.
Little Things / Ordinary Things
Big Things / Amazements
Think about ways that gratitude for any of these might be used to fill the empty spaces in you that ordinarily get filled by going shopping, eating, being angry, or doing things to gain approval from others … any of our many cravings that are often provoked by a spiritual emptiness.
Write, simply and unpretentiously, an expression of gratitude for some or all of them. You might try beginning with any of the following stems (or any other that is genuine for you) :
- Blessed be ________ .
- Praise ________ .
- I offer thanks for ________ .
- I am grateful for ________ .
- How wonderful that ________ .
- How amazing that ________ .
- How might I ever fully comprehend ________ .
6) Elevator exercise
Imagine you are on an elevator. Each floor the elevator can stop at is a different year in your life. Ride the elevator up and down until it stops. Look at the number of the floor it stops at. Get out and wander around. Write about what you see. Write to discover, write to make some sense of that year of your life that you hadn’t hitherto understood.
7) Write something that responds to any of the following:
a) When I went to the ________________ I saw _________ and ___________________ .
b) My mother never told me ________________ .
c) I’ve always wanted to tell the story of ___________ .
d) If my __________________ could talk, I think it would say ____________ .
e) Ways I’m like: (my mother, father, teacher, pet, a character from literature, someone you admire, someone you are angry at, something you are studying in school, etc.)
8) Make a list of things you’ve seen that have left lasting images in your mind
Try to pick memories/ images that are so important and lasting for you that someone reading this someone will have some major understandings of what has shaped you to become who you are now. You can think of this as a self-portrait.
Some Things I’ve Seen: Self Portrait
I’ve seen….
and I’ve seen… etc.
9) Write a first person narrative
At some point in the story, have the speaker say, “I am limiting my exposure to heart break. . . .”
10) Write something about one of the following
- darkness
- shadows
- your favorite pet
- growing up
- something in your room
- when you feel guilty
- snakes
- the falling leaves
- trees
- the days of the week
- monsters
- clouds
- lies
- grandma
- grandma’s house
- secrets
- friends
- mud
- homework
- something happy
- something sad
- a place you like to go
- something you like to do
11) Think of a question you would really like to ask someone
Then imagine yourself to be that person, and write down the answer that you think the other person would give. Let your answer tell a story.
12) Think of a person, a pet or a thing that you have strong feelings about.
Describe that person, pet, or thing in five lines, each line using a different one of the five senses (taste, touch, sight, smell, sound) When you have done that, rearrange the sentences in the order that seems most accurate and / or interesting to you.
13) Think of the idea of metamorphosis
How things change, how eggs become birds, tadpoles become frogs, bulbs become flowers, seeds become plants, brothers and sisters become monsters, seasons change, caterpillars become butterflies.
Write a Metamorphosis story or poem. You might want to use one or all or any combination of the following structures:
a) Once I was ….
now I am ….
once I was ….
now I am ….
once I ….
now I ….
b) Once I was ….
but I’m not yet ….
Once I ….
but I can’t yet ….
some day I hope to ….
c) I used to think ….
but now I know ….
I used to think ….
but now I wonder ….
I used to be afraid of ….
but now I worry ….
I used to wish ….
but now I hope ….
d) Mom used to call me ….
but now she says ….
Dad used to think I ….
but now he thinks ….
my teachers used to say ….
but now they only ….
e) I used to dream ….
but now I hope ….
I used to hope ….
but now I know ….
I used to know ….
but now I wonder…
14) Take an idea that interests, concerns, or delights you
For example: mud, homework, something happy, something sad, something you wonder about, something that is changing, a place you like to go, something you love to do, or something in nature.
- Write the word (or words) for that in the center of a page.
- Think about that word and what it represents to you.
- Write down all the words and images you associate with that word. Surround your word with all these associations.
- Then use as many of those words / images as you want in a poem or story that might begin: “I’d like to tell my story about (your word) . How and how and why I , etc.
15) Capture a dream
Examine it to discover the tension in it. Explore that tension in a poem.
16) Write a poem or story about something you planted
17) Write a character sketch of yourself or another character
Make it 7 stanzas or paragraphs long. Each stanza / paragraph should be about a different part of who you are (or who that character is).
You might want to choose some of the following suggestions:
a) The family or neighborhood you grew up in, including family or neighborhood traditions.
b) Initiations you have experienced (into a school, a group, a family, scouts, a gang, a fraternity, confirmation, graduation, etc.)
c) A listing of firsts (and strongest memory of each)
- 1st day of school
- 1st great sadness
- 1st kiss
- 1st significant risk you took
- 1st important failure
- 1st great love
- etc.
d) Something truly weird that happened to you or your character.
e) Something that “stretched” or changed you or your character.
f) The greatest act of cowardice you have committed.
g) The one thing you have done you are most proud of.
h) A reoccurring dream or nightmare
i) A significant place you have traveled
j) A truly significant person (for you) that you have met or known.
k) A meaningful trip you have taken.
l) An important realization (truth) about life you have had‑‑and when, and why.
End with some reflection, question, or understanding about how these experiences have led you (or your character) to be the person you are.
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