Are your so-called “creative” writing exercises starting to seem a little mundane? Spice it up with these outside-the-box writing ideas and prompts…
1. Explain why the chicken crossed the road.
Is the chicken fleeing the alien invasion? Leaving farm life behind in favor of a more sophisticated urban atmosphere? Headed for breast reduction surgery? Going out for cocktails? Have fun with it.
2. Describe a memorable experience from the perspective of your pet.
What does the family pet think when you strap a tree to the roof of your car and drag multitudinous boxes from the attic down to decorate for the holidays? How might they interpret the addition of a new baby to the family? Memorable doesn’t have to be happy, either. Think natural disaster, or even renovation gone bad… I hate it when there’s drywall dust on my paws!
3. Refuse to accept one million dollars.
A far different take than writing ideas that involve the common fantasy of falling into money, under what conditions would you refuse such a windfall?
4. Prove you’re not crazy.
This is one of the more entertaining writing ideas to spur creativity: if you were carted off in a straightjacket to the looney bin tomorrow morning, how would you prove your sanity? What are you accused of to land you there? Are you truly only crazy if you say you’re not?
5. Someone leaves the bathroom with toilet paper hanging out of their pants.
This is one of the best writing ideas for embracing your inner immaturity. Don’t hold back!
6. Suddenly everyone in the world can read minds.
Would your relationships survive? What do you learn about the kind of person you are and how does it change the way you view those around you? How does the world deal, as individuals and as a whole? And if you could take a pill to prevent the ability, would you? Discuss.
7. If you could go back in time and alter one event in your life, what would it be?
Describe the event and the effect it has had on your present day situation.
8. A day in the life of a pencil.
Copious notes. A worn-out eraser. The sharpener. A teenager with a nibbling fetish. Pencil fights (gasp!). How could that possibly be boring? Don’t be afraid to embrace other common, inanimate objects for further writing ideas as well.
9. You can “download” various new skills into your brain, but you can choose only three.
What three skills would be most important to you? Coping mechanisms? Self-defense? Cooking? Medical skills? Dance? Crocheting?
10. The pharmaceutical industry invents a pill that eliminates your need for sleep without negative side effects. What do you and others do with the extra time?
Spend it with your family? Work another 40 hours a week? Spend the time Googling or poring over social media posts? Is there truly ever enough time?
Still Stuck?
Writer’s block stinks. But you can get past it with a little effort – though it might not be the effort you had imagined. Try out these additional strategies:
- Stop trying. Trying to force your way through writer’s block is like waiting for a pot of water to boil. Engage your brain in any other creative, non-writing activity, whether it be sidewalk chalk with your kid or looking up dance tutorials on YouTube, and writing ideas are sure to come.
- Escape your usual scene. Monotony is the great murderer of creativity. Get out of the house and go somewhere new!
- Work it out. Exercise is a great way to boost endorphins and relax a taxed mind, allowing creative to flow again.
- Disconnect. Opt out of being jacked-in, eliminating the distractions of phones and other devices.
- Go with a pro. If you still can’t come up with any writing ideas, private lessons with an experienced author or writing tutor can help get you out of the slump – and boost your writing skills at the same time!
Banish boring writing exercises, lose the lackluster writing ideas, and start having a little fun with your writing today. Fun, clever, quirky ideas like the ones above are a great way to improve your writing skills and get those creative juices flowing. Good luck!
Photo by Sam Wolff
Suzy S.