If you have been writing to the prompts regularly, well done. If you haven’t followed any prompts yet and you’re here now, this is what matters. Be brave, give it a go and be present. Write and pour your heart on to the page. Write by hand if you can. When the time is up type it up. Explore a new genre if you wish. Look at today’s theme and write what first comes to your mind. If you are an artist who prefers to draw or create other pieces than writing that’s ok too.
Writing is about what you see and how you see it. Others may not want to see what you have to share. It’s your job to tell the story that’s burning inside, even if the pages get to carry too much. Your job as a writer is to write it.
If you use these prompts to make a post or other work please say what inspired you to create and link it back to this post and the Writer Pilgrim by So Elite publication.
If a prompt doesn’t work, make it work for you. Pick an element, a word or an angle and try again and well done for persevering. Be gentle and be kind to yourself.
Previous prompts are available on the Prompt Station starting page. Give all prompts a chance. While you may be inclined to pick and choose, you may want to look more closely at the ones you’re avoiding. It may be that those prompts can offer you some guidance or discovery as you set out to write. Don’t always go for the safe option. Try new things in your writing. That’s what a prompt is for, to play, explore have fun and be silly or serious without planning.
Today’s prompt is:
Set your timer to 5 minutes. If you feel like writing more after the 5 minutes have passed carry on.
This is a 5 minute exercise in writing in long hand and letting your pen lead your words on the page. No judging, no editing, just a stream of words coming out.
These prompts started for the participants of writing workshoppers and have continued to include everyone. You may choose to write to the prompt and keep it private on your notepad. If you decide to post your writing in comments, you may get a comment or like from someone other than me! Can you handle it? This page is online, so only share what you are comfortable with.
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Hi Writer Pilgrim, I really appreciated your point about giving every prompt a fair shot even the ones we're tempted to skip. It's surprising how a prompt outside our comfort zone can open up a completely new style or idea. One thing I’ve found helpful is setting a timer and then deliberately picking a word I’d never usually use sometimes those outliers spark the best writing. Have you ever had a prompt lead you down a path you didn’t expect? FOR ME IT A HAPPENS 90% OF THE TIME
Oh, this is *delightful*! A box of donuts as a writing prompt - each one so distinct, so decorated, so full of personality. Let me play with this:
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Six Donuts, Six Stories
*Top left (the daisy):* She always ordered the same one - vanilla with the paper flower. "It's optimistic," she'd say, though everyone knew it reminded her of the funeral arrangement she couldn't afford to send.
*Top right (maple glaze):* The plainest one always went last. Not because it wasn't good, but because it required no decision, no contemplation. It was the donut of surrender.
*Middle left (chocolate):* Dark, glossy, unadorned - the donut someone brings when they don't know you well enough to guess your favorite, but well enough to know you're hurting.
*Middle right (crumble top):* Her grandmother's hands, all gnarled and sugar-dusted, pressing the streusel down. "Don't be afraid to make a mess, baby. That's where the flavor lives."
*Bottom left (strawberry swirl):* The Valentine's Day donut, still sitting in the box three weeks later. He never showed up. She ate it anyway, because wasting heartbreak felt worse than tasting it.
*Bottom right (the fancy one):* Someone always saves this one for last - the one with too much going on, the one trying too hard. It tastes like a first date that went surprisingly well.
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Six donuts. Six small resurrections. Each one a tiny eucharist of butter and glaze, saying: today, you get to begin again. 🍩✨