Beginning writing prompts

Writing Prompts for Beginners • JournalBuddies.com

Journal Buddies Jill | September 27, 2022December 27, 2021 | Writing

Writing prompts are perhaps the most valuable tool in any writer’s arsenal—and that is doubly true for beginning writers who are just starting out. Now, get to it and take a look and enjoy our wonderful prompt list shown below. You’ll be glad you did!

Table of Contents

Why Use Our Writing Prompts for Beginners?
4 Tips to Help Beginners Get Started with Writing & Journal Prompts
Writing Prompts for Beginners
More Resources for Beginners

Why Use Our Writing Prompts for Beginners?

Every writer struggles with writer’s block from time to time. I mean, it can be a challenge to pull words seemingly from thin air. However, writing prompts can help break the loop of feeling like you have nothing to say.

You see…

Many new writers tend to have preconceived ideas about what writing is “supposed” to be—but prompts can show them that journaling is actually totally flexible and freeing.

And…

A prompt gives the writer a direction to go in and allows you room to experiment and see where your pen takes you.

Writing prompts are especially helpful to beginning writers because they show students what is possible through journaling.

4 Tips to Help Beginners Get Started with Writing & Journal Prompts

Here are a few tips to help your beginning writers get started with writing prompts:

1. Answer a daily writing prompt. Regular, consistent journaling is key to developing good writing habits. Create a routine of having your students use a new writing prompt each day.

2. Write for a set period of time. We recommend having a regular time to journal each day, as well as a minimum writing time of 10-20 minutes (depending on the age and experience level of your students).

3. Be fun and flexible with your journal. Encourage students to treat their journals artistically! Students should feel free to show their creativity by decorating the covers of their journals, doodling in the margins, or pasting in photos or magazine clippings.

4. Try different types of writing prompts. Every writer responds differently to different types of writing prompts, so be sure to try a variety of styles with your students. Some kids will prefer writing short stories, while others will enjoy personal, self-reflective writing.

Ok… without further ado. Check out the 33 brand-new writing prompts for beginners below to get your students journaling!

Writing Prompts for Beginners

What is something that you wish people understood better about you? Explain how this makes you feel.
What is the happiest moment you’ve ever experienced?
Write a short 100-word biography of yourself. Be as specific as possible.
Imagine that you are asked to give a speech with a list of “rules for life.” What rules would you include? List three to five rules and explain why you believe they matter.
How frequently do you use social media? How does it influence your perspective on the world?
Are you excited to grow up and become an adult, or would you rather stay the age you are now? Why?
What is the craziest thing you think you might see someday in the future? How old do you think you’ll be when it happens?
What is the most important lesson you’ve ever learned from a friend or classmate? How did it impact you?
Write a “recipe for happiness.” Be sure to include an ingredient list, measurements, and instructions!
What is your favorite way to spend a rainy Saturday?
Write a poem about the passage of time. Include a line that describes each year of school you have completed.
Write about something you think is highly underrated.
Write about something you think is highly overrated.
What current event is most interesting or engaging to you? Explain why it has captured your attention.
Describe what standing in the grass with bare feet feels like as though you were explaining it to someone who had never experienced it before.
Do you believe honesty or kindness is more important? Are they the same thing or different? Why?
What is your favorite word? Try not to think too hard about your answer and go with your gut! Then explain why it appeals to you.
What would you do if you had the ability to communicate with animals?
Write a short story about a teenager who wakes up on their 16th birthday to a magical surprise.
What are you most looking forward to right now?
Do you feel like the adults in your life understand the issues you face? Why or why not?
If you had to describe your family in just three words, what would they be? Explain why you chose each word.
Write a short story about the most vivid dream you have ever had.
What are you thankful for? Write about one specific thing you are grateful for or make a long list of all the things you appreciate!

Write a poem based on your favorite movie.
If you could ensure that you would remember every detail of one memory forever, what would it be? Why?
If you could forget one memory forever, what would it be? Why?
Imagine that you and several classmates get trapped in the school overnight. Do you try to escape or take the opportunity to cause a little mayhem?
Write a letter to your future 45-year-old self.
What is the first thing you notice when you meet a new person? What do you think people notice first about you?
Write a short story about an eerie portal to another world.
Do you believe that nature or nurture has more of an impact on a person’s development? Why?
Make a list of things that would be on your “bucket list.” Then choose one and explain why you chose it.

We hope your beginning writers have found inspiration in these writing prompts that can be used as creative writing prompts, journal entries, story starters, or even the start to a novel! Regular writing exercises will always result in increased writing skills.

More Resources for Beginners

How To Journaling Guide for Beginners
Journal Writing Examples and Activities
Writing Skills: Advice for Writers
Kid-Friendly Writing Warm-Ups

Until next time, happy writing…

If you enjoyed these Writing Prompts for Beginners,
please share them on Facebook, Twitter, and/or Pinterest.
I appreciate it!

Sincerely,
Jill
journalbuddies.com
creator and curator

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Now Offering You 15,000+ Prompts!

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47 Writing Prompts for Beginners – Teacher's Notepad

Writing is difficult for some. Unforeseen obstacles and challenges may be no trouble for a more experienced writer, yet they may seem daunting to a beginner.

These prompts are for a beginning creative writer.

They are meant to inspire and not create fear instead of words. Let new writers, whatever their age, explore and practice their skills with these prompts.

How to use these

Since these are prompts meant for beginners, drawing them randomly is a great way to get started.

If you have a large enough group you could have students pick prompts for each other.

These could even be used as daily journal prompts, to help writers find their strengths and weaknesses.

Beginning Prompts

Look outside and let today’s weather inspire a story.
Describe your favorite meal and what it means to you.
Write a story describing when you met your best friend.
Pick a random word from the dictionary and use it to write a story.
Write a story starting with: “What would you do if…”
What are you afraid of? Use your fear to tell a story.
Who is someone you envy? Write from their perspective.
What makes you the happiest? Why?
Create a story about trying or being surprised by new things.
Who do you admire? Describe them and why they are admirable to you.
Write a story about an animal using personification.
Do you have good neighbors? Describe them and why or why not they are good neighbors.
Describe when you got caught doing something wrong.
Write a story about having a fight with your parents.
Who inspires you? How? Why?
Write a story about an abandoned warehouse and what you find there.
Write a story about receiving a phone call from an unknown number and what happens.
Write a story about a dragon. Anything goes.
Describe a new sport of your own creation. Give it rules and regulations.
Write a story about someone you miss dearly.
What is your favorite time of day? Write a story that takes place at that time.
Write the plot for a new movie. Make it something you would want to see.
Tell a story about or that takes place in darkness.
Can you describe your hardest day ever? What happened?
Turn one of your dreams into a story that someone else would want to read.
Do you have a special talent? Describe what makes it unique.
How do you react to being frightened? Take that reaction, and apply it to a story about Halloween.
Rewrite a favorite story or a scene from a favorite novel. How and why did you change it.
Who is your hero? Write them a letter telling them why.
Create a civilization of aliens and describe how it is and isn’t like our societies on Earth.
Write a story about something magical happening.
Write a story about a character who everyone else in the story ignores.
Write a letter to your future self. Describe your goals and what your hopes for your future are right now.
Write a letter to your past self. Include things you know now that you didn’t then.
Write a story where each sentence begins with the next letter of the alphabet. Start with an “A” sentence, then a “B” sentence, and continue to the letter “Z.”

Write a biography of yourself. Include all the things you want to be known or remembered for.
Rewrite a story you know from the perspective of a different character.
What are the best and worst things about growing up? Why?
Create a story where the main character is misunderstood by those around them.
Can you write a story about an important lesson that you learned?
Write a story based on your favorite word.
Describe a fight you had with your best friend.
Write a story about your family.
What do you feel is your greatest achievement? Why?
Make a new constellation. What is it? Why would it be significant?
Write your bucket list.
Write a story about a character meeting new people.

Looking for More…?

If you find the need for more prompts or educational materials, browse the rest of our website! Or tell a friend and brainstorm together.

We have plenty of resources to suit all types of educational needs.

If you think there is a resource we overlooked or if you have a great idea for us, let us know. We love hearing from you!

15 tips on how to start writing a Ph.D. thesis *

Not all people can immediately start doing something. Some are overwhelmed by doubts, others are lazy, and the main goal seems so multitasking to others that they don’t even know where to start. But at the same time, in all these cases, the work stands still and things are not done at all. Often the same thing happens with writing a PhD thesis. Therefore, today we will give fifteen tips on how to start such a laborious process quite painlessly.

CONTENTS

Hint #1. Outline the general scheme

Any dissertation is difficult to write if you have no idea what exactly you want to end up with. In this case, take a piece of paper and sketch out a general scheme, so you can determine the structure of the work, and also understand what exactly should be in it at the beginning.

Hint #2. Make a detailed plan

If in the first case we indicated only the general scheme, then more efforts will have to be made here. The plan is the skeleton of any scientific work, which can then easily be turned into its content. The following are usually considered as the main structural elements: introduction, main body, divided into paragraphs, and conclusion. Divide each of them into subparagraphs and describe in detail. Then you will get a fairly common summary that can be used as a guide map.

Hint #3. Stop thinking about work and just start writing it

It is often difficult to just start doing something, because a person is haunted by doubts. In the workflow itself, you have to not only think, but also solve certain problems. Many simply need to sign for the work to really start to argue in their hands.

Hint #4. Set yourself up for a positive start

It is often our thoughts that are our main enemy, especially when we initially prepare ourselves for failure. Therefore, it is important to set yourself up only for the good, so it will be easier for you to endure the difficulties associated with the work process. Remember, they are always temporary. Therefore, good results can be achieved only when you are not only externally, but also internally calm.

Hint #5. Gather ideas

If you don't know where to start writing your PhD, then start strengthening your information base first. Find literature on the topic you need, or, for example, get yourself a notebook in which you will write down all the interesting details and ideas. Perhaps they will set you in the right mood, and also be able to give a great push forward.

Hint #6. In any case, keep writing

Unfortunately, not everyone is satisfied with what they write. For example, perfectionists often go back to the very beginning of their work to edit everything right away. As a result, half of the written text is already deleted. Therefore, it is always worth remembering that the first version rarely turns out to be good, so you just need to “hold it out” to its logical conclusion, and then edit it or completely rewrite it.

Hint #7. Designate specifically the goal and objectives of the work before writing it

The goal is exactly the final point you want to reach, so if you designate it initially, then moving in an already given direction will be much easier than if you don’t you will know where to go. Tasks, in turn, are specific steps that are needed to achieve the goal. Therefore, with their schedule, it will be possible to draw up a certain route for yourself.

Clue #8. Try to immediately think over exactly how you will solve the tasks

If you have already set a goal for yourself and set certain tasks, then do not be too lazy to describe them in more detail, then you will not only see them, but also approximately know how to solve them .

Hint #9. Decide what exactly you want to say in your work

In any case, a PhD thesis should have a certain message that the author wants to convey to his readers. Therefore, it will also be useful to decide on it.

Hint #10. Summarize the previously received information

If you have already managed to use the tips that were given a little earlier, then you should already have certain material on hand. Try to arrange it in such a way that you get the introductory part of the work.

Hint #11. Group literary sources

Having picked up books, articles and monographs for writing a dissertation, immediately scatter them according to the plan, outlining which parts of the text can be reworked and inserted into your Ph.D. But in this case, always remember that all sources need to be processed, and not mindlessly copied. Since this work should turn out to be yours.

Hint #12. Do not force yourself with excessive writing

Usually, when a person wants to do everything at once, he burns out too quickly, and also gets very tired, so breaks in work must be taken, switching from mental to physical activity.

Hint #13. Carefully plan your daily routine

As we wrote earlier: you do not need to overwork too much, so try to distribute your strength evenly, and also remember the work and rest regimen. If you feel that you can no longer write on this day, do not write. Better go for a walk or exercise.

Hint #14. Do not overestimate your capabilities

In order not to start hating the dissertation, try to immediately distribute the amount of work that you do in a day. And strictly adhere to the scheme you have chosen. Then you will not have overwork, and the load will be adequately distributed due to your capabilities.

Hint #15. Do not raise the writing of a Ph.D. thesis to the Absolute

Remember that this is an important, but at the same time a common thing, so treat it responsibly, but without too much fanaticism, excluding absolutely all other things from your life.

Conclusions

In conclusion of this article, I would like to say that there are quite a few ways to start writing a PhD thesis. You may have to try several of them to find the best one for you. In any case, stay calm and remember that you will succeed.

10 More Websites That Help Cure Writer's Block With Tips

Have famous writers like Mark Twain and Leo Tolstoy suffered? You can put in your last drop of ink that they made. Just type "writer and famous authors block" into Google and see the results that appear on the screen. In fact, one of those links led me to an old Wall Street Journal article about how contemporary writers write their novels.

These famous authors (some Booker Prize winners) have their own idiosyncrasies, from jumping in the shower to using voice recognition software. But they all seem to agree on one obstacle: the fear of writer's block.

Most of us do not reach these heights anywhere, but we write in our own way, for example, in blogs or in simple magazines. Even then, sometimes the words just refuse to come. That's when writing hints can help. Let's take a look at ten unique websites that help the writer write tips and ideas.

We'll start with a popular tip writing site. Hints numbered 346 will show up for you to hover over and view writing tips. Most writing prompts are not about words or phrases, but they force you to coax your brain to think more creatively and then write.

WritingFix.com is a resource for educators on writing lessons and language skills. Among the resources you will find different types of hint writing. For example, if you're in the business of writing a journal and need a daily hint to start typing, check out the hint generator here. A hint for a random letter appears with a click, and a small note says that 566 of them have been published so far. You can also subscribe to Daily Written Tips and receive weekly tips every Sunday.

A prompt every day should help you spark creativity. Plink has a nice interface with a tooltip and a text field displayed prominently. You can use the hint in your work or just register and answer it on the site itself. Either way, it should help you think and write. With Plink, you can also add photos, playlists, maps, and more with just a few keywords. You can also share your answers on social networks. You can also add your own hints.

The writer's site allows you to break the stranglehold of stupidity with tools such as Grab Brag , a randomly generated letter that authors can use to start writing an essay, short story, or poem. Select the number of words you want and the site will generate written clues for you using randomly selected words or phrases. The site also has a weekly hint that gives you a more detailed script to work with. You can subscribe to it as an RSS feed.

How about 1,108,918,470 creative tips to get you up and running? This is what the Story Starter Idea Generator gives you at the click of a button. Plus 729 ideas are reserved for kids in the junior section. The site hasn't been updated in a while, but the story clues are still out there waiting for you to mine.

The site says it can inspire you with its random clues. Try it with one click. A popup window will open to display a random invite that you can create or click again to get a new invite. Again, the site is not updated, but as long as it gives you hints, it's useful.

There are clues generated by the database and then there are those that the passionate blogger has personally chosen. This little effort is the last. I found this blog by accident and I must say that I liked it. Why didn't I think of this myself? The idea is very simple - bloggers (Meg Jenge and Laine Taylor) send out a written invitation on Saturday and invite you to post your letter (anything that gets your pen moving). Check out the 256 tips on the view so far.

You can also call it "fried calendar". Written hints are located in the calendar, one per day. Of course, you can change the display, but if that suits you, click the arrows to view any previous month's hints.

I've linked directly to the page where you'll find all the writing tools you'll need in case you get stuck in writer's block. Try Quick Story Idea Generator or Quick Story Theme Generator. There are also a few other tools such as The Problem Generator with Writing, which gives you writing quick ideas according to several combinations and combinations that can be set using drop-down lists.

Learn more