Writing Prompts

“One does not discover new lands without consenting to lose sight of the shore for a very long time.” —Andre Gide Tell me about a time in your life where you had to let go of all that was familiar to forge a new future.

“I set out to dispel daily depression. Every afternoon I get low-spirited, and one day I discovered the walk. . . . I set myself a destination, and then things happen in the street.” —Vivian Gornick Tell me about something that happened on a walk.

“I am a librarian. I discovered me in the library. I went to find me in the library . . . . I discovered that the library is the real school.” —Ray Bradbury Tell me about your relationship with libraries. About something that happened in a library.

“How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives. What we do with this hour, and that one, is what we are doing. A schedule defends from chaos and whim. It is a net for catching days.” —Annie Dillard, The Writing Life Tell me about how you structure your days.

“We should not feel embarrassed by our difficulties, only by our failure to grow anything beautiful from them.” —Alain De Botton Tell me about a time you grew from your difficulties. Or what your difficulties are teaching you now.

“An apology is a good way to have the last word.” —Dale Turner Tell me the story of an apology, given, or received.

“Heartbreak is unpreventable; it is the natural outcome of caring for people and things over which we have no control.” —David Whyte Tell me about a moment your heart broke.

“When someone is struck by loss, there’s an openness to that which is beyond this world. When you really feel loss, when the ground is shaken, the veil thins and there is more access to the timeless, the eternal.” —Tara Brach Tell me about a time loss led to an opening or awareness you didn’t

“You must give up the life you planned in order to have the life that is waiting for you.” —Joseph Campbell Tell me about a time this was true in your life.

“The past has no power to stop you from being present now. Only your grievance about the past can do that.” —Eckhart Tolle Identify a story you have told repeatedly that keeps you locked into an identity you no longer want to define you.

“I don’t fully understand my life until I write it.” —Robert Frost Think back through your life and think about what you are most proud of. The items on your list could be things you accomplished “out in the world” or things that happened internally. Knowing who you are and where you’ve come from, what

“There’s this moment in creation, when you’ve made something truly special, where you become euphoric. And then, utterly lonely.” —John Mayer Tell me about your loneliness. Tell me about all the different kinds of loneliness you have known. Begin each paragraph with the words, “There is the kind of loneliness that…”. Make each paragraph a

“This is the bright home in which I live, this is where I ask my friends to come, this is where I want to love all the things it has taken me so long to learn to love.” —David Whyte, The House of Belonging Tell me about the things it has taken you “so long

“What a wonderful life I’ve had. I only wished I’d realized it sooner.” –Colette Tell me about something you grew to appreciate or understand only in hindsight.

“A poem begins with the writer and ends with the reader.” —Ellen Bass What does this mean to you? What’s the relationship between self-expression for its own sake and communication with your reader?