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Journal of Creative Writing Studies  is a peer-reviewed, open-access journal. We publish research that examines the teaching, practice, theory, and history of creative writing. This scholarship makes use of theories and methodologies from a variety of disciplines. We believe knowledge is best constructed in an open conversation among diverse voices and multiple perspectives. Therefore, our editors actively seek to include work from marginalized and underrepresented scholars.  Journal of Creative Writing Studies  is dedicated to the idea that humanities research ought to be accessible and available to all.

See our  Submission Guidelines  for the kind of work we publish. We recommend potential writers review the   Journal of Creative Writing   site and read a recent issue for examples of published work.

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Creative Writing: Journals

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• Introduction

A journal is a regular publication (monthly, yearly, etc.) in which you will find academic and research articles. The articles present current research and are critiqued by experts before publication, so you can be confident of their quality. The majority of journals held by the Bodleian Libraries in both physical and electronic formats can be searched via SOLO , as can the individual articles within ejournals.

On this page you will find recommended journals and guidance on how to search for and access print and ejournals.

Definitions

Terms you may encounter in your research.

Journal: A regular publication of academic and research articles.

Serial: A broad term that refers to items published in a series but the items are separate and standalone. Examples include indexes, yearbooks and some journals.

Periodical: A regular publication that includes articles, stories and other text. Magazines and newspapers are examples of these.

Conference proceedings: The published record of a conference.

Full-text: This means you can read the item in full from beginning to end, not just the abstract or summary.

Platform: This refers to the site on which you can find and access the journal.

Electronic journals (ejournals)

• Key ejournals
• Ejournal Collections
• Free Resources

Ejournals are digital versions of select types of serial publications. Broadly speaking they come in two forms: they are either 'born digital' or are digital reproductions of physical works.

The tabs at the top of this section list key ejournals, ejournal collections and free online resources relevant to the study of Creative Writing.

Members of Oxford University can use ejournals that the Bodleian Libraries have purchased for free. Search for them on  SOLO . They can be read on a desktop computer, laptop, tablet, e-reader or mobile phone; you just need your Oxford Single Sign On to access them. Individually purchased ejournals are all searchable on SOLO, but not all purchased ejournal  collections  are, so it is important to visit the websites of ejournal collections too. Look at the 'ejournal collections' tab above.

Note, some ejournals have restrictive access and usage terms, for example they can only be read by one person at a time.

Some journals are acquired via 'electronic Legal Deposit'. These must be read on a library desktop computer in one of the Bodleian Libraries. Further information on how to identify and access electronic Legal Deposit items on SOLO is at the link below.

• Electronic Legal Deposit guide

Help with ejournals

The links below are provided for those wishing to learn more about ejournals.

• Online and Remote Access Information on accessing Bodleian Libraries content remotely.
• University of Oxford E-resources Blog The e-resources team use this blog to help keep you informed of news and changes in the world of ejournals and databases.

Below you will find key texts for Creative Writing.

Depending on the journal provider, you may need to use your Oxford Single Sign On  to access materials.

• New Writing New Writing: The International Journal for the Practice and Theory of Creative Writing is a leading international journal in the field of Creative Writing Studies and publishes both critical and creative work. more... less... Articles can focus on any area of Creative Writing Studies including (but not limited to): pedagogy, practice and research the processes of creative writers, their drafts and completed works the history of particular writing forms analysis of particular creative works diversity, equity and inclusion in creative writing and creative writing teaching studies of creative writing in languages other than English explorations of teaching in different contexts (e.g., high schools, the community) In addition to scholarly articles, New Writing publishes: stories, poems, works of creative non-fiction, novel extracts, writing for the stage or for the screen, and other creative pieces extracts from works in progress and discussions about themes and subjects interviews with creative writers, publishers, editors, designers, booksellers
• Poets and Writers magazine
• Modern Fiction Studies MFS publishes theoretically engaged and historically informed articles on modernist and contemporary fiction. The journal's substantial book review section keeps readers informed about current scholarship in the field. MFS alternates general issues with special issues focused on individual novelists or topics that challenge and expand the concept of "modern fiction."
• Adaptation Academic articles on book to screen adaptation, screen to book adaptation, popular and classic adaptations, theatre and novel screen adaptations, television, animation, soundtracks, production issues, and genres in literature on screen. Includes book and film reviews.
• Modern Drama Close readings of both canonical and lesser known dramatic texts through a range of methodological perspectives. The journal features refereed articles that enhance our understanding of plays in both formal and historical terms, largely treating literature of the past two centuries from diverse geo-political contexts, as well as an extensive book review section.
• Life writing Life Writing is one of the leading journals in the field of biography and autobiography, and publishes scholarly articles, critically informed creative personal essays, and book reviews.
• The Literary Review An international journal of contemporary writing.
• Novel: a forum on fiction Novel is a peer-reviewed journal devoted to the best new criticism and theory in novel studies.

The following is a list of ejournal collections and journal indexing services applicable to those studying Creative Writing at Oxford. Not all ejournal collections are available on SOLO, so it is important to visit ejournal collection websites to expand your search.

The platforms that host ejournal collections allow you to browse and search across all ejournals on their site and encounter titles of interest you may not have otherwise found. Unlike search engines, such as Google, these platforms allow you to effectively refine your search. You can be confident content is credible as it has been collated by the platform editors. It is clear where articles can be read for free through the Bodleian Libraries' subscriptions.

The ejournal collections have been selected by the Bodleian Libraries and you are able to access them for free because of institutional subscriptions. You will need your Oxford Single Sign On to access the ebooks if you are not on the University network.

• Arts & Humanities Citation Index (ISI) more... less... Alternative name: Web of Science. Arts & Humanities Citation Index is a multidisciplinary index covering the journal literature of the arts and humanities. It fully covers 1,144 of the world's leading arts and humanities journals, and it indexes individually selected, relevant items from over 6,800 major science and social science journals.

JSTOR is a not-for-profit organization with a dual mission to create and maintain a trusted archive of important scholarly journals, and to provide access to these journals as widely as possible. JSTOR offers researchers the ability to retrieve high-resolution, scanned images of journal issues and pages as they were originally designed, printed, and illustrated. The journals archived in JSTOR span many disciplines.

Originally conceived as a project at The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, JSTOR began as an effort to ease the increasing problems faced by libraries seeking to provide adequate shelf space for the long runs of backfiles of scholarly journals. JSTOR is not a current issues database. Because of JSTOR's archival mission, there is a gap, typically from 1 to 5 years, between the most recently published journal issue and the back issues available in JSTOR.

Browse journals published by Oxford University Press.

An online archive of digitized, full-image journal articles, Periodicals Archive Online (formerly PCI Full Text) offers unprecedented access to international, scholarly literature in the humanities and social sciences disciplines from 1802 to 2000. Many journals are non-English. Oxford has access to Collections 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7 and 8, which also includes The Spectator 1828-2000.

Note that Periodicals Archive Online is separate from other ProQuest databases such as British Periodicals.

The following is a list of ejournal collections applicable to those studying Creative Writing at Oxford and freely available on the web.

You do not need your Oxford Single Sign On to access these collections. Note, they are different to the ejournals subscribed to by the Bodleian Libraries for which you need your Single Sign On for access.

• DOAJ The Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ) is a community-curated online directory that indexes and provides access to high quality, open access, peer-reviewed journals.
• Google Scholar Used to search for scholarly literature including articles, theses, abstracts and books from a variety of publishers.
• JSTOR JSTOR's collection of OA journals offers broad coverage in the field of humanities as well as other subject areas. You can create an account to access further content.
• Oxford University Research Archive (ORA) ORA provides a single point of public access to electronic copies of peer-reviewed journal articles, conference proceedings by Oxford authors and Oxford research theses.

Physical journals

• Principal Collections
• Other Collections

The tabs at the top of this section list Oxford University libraries with print journals of interest to those studying Creative Writing. A lot of journals are available online but some are still in print, especially those published before the introduction of computers and online journals, and they have not all been digitised.

Help with print journals

For those wishing to learn more about searching for journals in Oxford, we recommend the following guide:

• SOLO: Search Oxford Libraries Online guide A guide for students and researchers at the University of Oxford, or those visiting, who seek support in using the Bodleian Libraries resource discovery tool, SOLO.
• Rewley House Continuing Education Library The Rewley House Continuing Education Library supports the teaching, learning and research of the Oxford University Department for Continuing Education, including the Diploma and Masters courses in Creative Writing.

The following journals are held in print format in the Continuing Education Library:

London Review of Books: current issue and most recent 2 years held in the Reading Room

New York Review of Books: current issue and most recent 2 years held in the Reading Room

Poetry News: 1997 - 2002, Lower Library

Poetry Review: 1997 - current, Lower Library

Times Literary Supplement: current issue and most recent 2 years held in the Reading Room

Writers Chronicle: 2014 - current, Lower Library

• Bodleian Library The Bodleian Library is the University's largest library, with holdings numbering several million items. It offers access to many journals, to be read within the library itself, the majority of which are stored offsite. Journals stored offsite need to be requested to a reading room via SOLO, or you can request a scan to be sent to your email.
• English Faculty Library The English Faculty Library (EFL) primarily serves all those reading and teaching English at Oxford, as well as other readers requiring access to its collections.

Recommend a journal

If the Bodleian Libraries don't have the journal or article you are looking for, you can make a recommendation by completing the form below ( Oxford Single-Sign On required).

• Recommend a purchase

Inter-library loans

If the Bodleian Libraries don't have the journal you are looking for, we may be able to source it through Oxford's inter-library loan service.

• Inter-library Loans Service Online Form Use this form to request material not held by the Bodleian Libraries. Please check Oxford collections on SOLO and ensure that the item is not in stock, either in print or electronically.

• BrowZine Intended for staff and students of Oxford University wishing to learn more about BrowZine.
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50 Inspiring Journal Prompts to Spark Your Creativity

Sanjana is a health writer and editor. Her work spans various health-related topics, including mental health, fitness, nutrition, and wellness.

Rachel Goldman, PhD FTOS, is a licensed psychologist, clinical assistant professor, speaker, wellness expert specializing in eating behaviors, stress management, and health behavior change.

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Benefits of Using Journal Prompts

How to use journal prompts, journal prompts you can try, how do you come up with a journal prompt.

A journal can be a trusted companion that helps you reflect on your thoughts, feelings, actions, decisions, and relationships. Research shows that journaling is linked to better planning, lower stress, and better physical and mental health.

Whether you write in your journal regularly or you’re just getting started, you might sometimes find yourself staring at a blank page and wondering what to write. If you’re at a loss for words, a journal prompt can come to the rescue.

Journal prompts are suggestions, ideas, or questions that can help guide and inspire your journal entries, says Sabrina Romanoff , PsyD, a clinical psychologist and professor at Yeshiva University.

“Prompts are typically themes to reflect on or questions that are meant to motivate you to think deeper about something,” Dr. Romanoff adds.

In this article, we suggest some journal prompts that can spark your creativity . We also ask the expert for some strategies that can help you create your own journal prompts.

Prompted journaling, also known as guided journaling, offers several benefits:

• Starting point: If you’ve never tried journaling before or if you’re experiencing writer’s block, journal prompts can help you get started.
• Direction: Prompts can provide direction to your writing, says Dr. Romanoff. By focusing on a specific topic or question, you can explore your thoughts and feelings around it. 
• Structure: Sometimes, you might prefer to write down your thoughts freely as they occur. However, there may be times when you want to organize your thoughts more coherently. Journal prompts can provide the structure you need to organize your thoughts.
• Creativity: Using different journal prompts can introduce variety to your journaling experience. It can encourage you to think more creatively and approach things from different angles.
• Insight: Journal prompts can provide topics or themes that help you explore fresh perspectives and new dimensions of yourself, says Dr. Romanoff. This process can help you discover personal insights and promote greater self-awareness .
• Consistency: Having a prompt to guide each journaling session can encourage you to maintain a regular journaling practice. The prompts can make journaling feel like a purposeful and engaging activity, which may help you be more consistent with it.

These are some strategies that can help you use journal prompts:

• Find prompts that inspire you: Dr. Romanoff suggests making a list of prompts that you find inspiring or motivating—you can come up with your own, buy a journal with prompts, or look online for examples.
• Decide your frequency: It can be helpful to set a frequency for journaling, such as daily, weekly, monthly or at any other interval that works for you. You can use prompts every time you journal or just when you’re feeling stagnant and craving inspiration or motivation for your journaling session, says Dr. Romanoff.
• Keep an open mind: Approach prompted journaling with an open mind . Reflect on the prompt and explore where it takes you. You can write as much or as little as you like. 
• Get creative: Don’t be afraid to get creative with your responses or limit yourself only to words. You can even pen down your thoughts and feelings in the form of drawings or poetry, if you prefer.
• Be honest and authentic: Honesty is key to getting the most out of journaling. Write from the heart and don't be afraid to express your true feelings, even if they are complex or challenging.
• Reflect on your responses: After you've written your responses, take a moment to reflect on what you've written. Consider how your thoughts and emotions have evolved over the course of writing them down.

These are some journal prompts that can help you get started.

Self-Discovery Prompts

Self-discovery prompts can help you self-reflect and get to know yourself better. Greater self-awareness is linked to improved emotional intelligence.

These are some journal prompts that can enable self-discovery:

• First, list five words that best describe you. Then, think about which five words you would like to describe yourself.
• Complete this sentence: “My life would be incomplete without….”
• Reflect on a phrase, quote, or mantra that resonates with you. Explain why it’s significant to you.
• Make a list of the things in your life that you’re most grateful for.
• Explain what you do best.
• Reflect on the qualities that you value most in others.
• Share three things that made you smile today.
• List your best and worst habits.
• Write down three life lessons you’ve learned.
• Explain what love means to you.
• Describe the values that are most important to you and consider whether your actions align with them.
• Think about what you would do with your life if you had unlimited resources and explain why.
• Describe what is stressing you out and how you’re coping with it.
• Write about your biggest regret and what you would do differently in hindsight.
• Identify and label the fears and insecurities that are holding you back right now.

Personal Growth Prompts

These are some journal prompts that can encourage personal growth:

• What are three short-term goals you would like to achieve within the next three months?
• What are three long-term goals you would like to achieve within the next five years?
• Which skill would you like to cultivate in yourself?
• Which qualities do you admire most in others that you would like to develop in yourself?
• Which areas of your life would benefit from more self-discipline ?
• What is your worst habit and how would you change it?
• What’s something new you would like to try?
• What habit do you want to add to your daily routine?
• What would you like to contribute to your community?
• What is the biggest challenge you’re dealing with right now?
• What is the biggest failure you’ve ever faced and what have you learned from it?
• How would you like to be remembered by others?
• How can you better support your loved ones?
• What boundaries would you like to set in your relationships to protect yourself?

Mindfulness Prompts

Mindfulness prompts can help you become more aware of your thoughts, emotions, senses, and surroundings. Being more mindful can help you be more intentional and purposeful in the way you live your life.

These are some journal prompts that can support greater mindfulness:

• Describe a meal you ate today. What colors, textures, tastes, and feelings did you experience?
• Pick an everyday object from your surroundings, like a plant or a pencil. Write a detailed description of it as if you've never seen it before.
• Focus on a sound in the background, such as the ticking of a clock or the rustling of the breeze. Describe the sound and its impact on you.
• Close your eyes for a minute and pay attention to your breath. When you open your eyes, write down what it felt like.
• Describe your ideal day from morning to night. What activities, people, and experiences would be part of it?
• Reflect on your thoughts without judgment . Identify and describe any feelings you're experiencing in the present moment.
• Write about a recent interaction with someone. What were their words, expressions, and gestures? How did you feel during the interaction?
• Think back to a moment of happiness you experienced recently. Relive the sensations, thoughts, and emotions associated with it.
• Think about the place where you feel most at peace. What makes it special to you?
• Recall a time when you were worrying about something in the future. How did it affect your present moment and what would you have done differently?

Creativity Prompts

These are some journal prompts that can spark creativity :

• Write a letter to your favorite fictional character, describing your life to them.
• Make a list of questions you would like to ask a future version of yourself.
• Think about your favorite word or phrase. Explain why you love it.
• Choose a random object from your surroundings. What qualities do you have in common with it?
• Make a list of ten unusual ways to use a common household item. Get creative and think outside the box.
• Write a conversation between two inanimate objects, giving them personalities and voices.
• Invent a gadget that would make your life more efficient or interesting.
• Choose a word from a foreign language that doesn't have a direct English translation. Describe the last time you encountered or experienced it.
• Imagine you get the chance to be any animal for a day. Which animal would you pick and what would you do?
• Invent a new holiday and outline the traditions, celebrations, and rituals associated with it, based on your values.
• If you have a time machine and you can go anywhere in the past or future, where would you go and what would you do there?

These are some strategies that can help you come up with your own journal prompts:

• Decide your goals: First, consider what your goal of journaling is and then work backwards to find ways to achieve that goal, says Dr. Romanoff. For instance, she says gratitude , relationships, learning, self-growth, or creativity are goals that you might want to pursue.
• Find prompts that align with your goals: Write down a few prompts that resonate with you and align with your current goals, interests, or areas of focus. You can add more or tweak them as you go along.
• Mix and match different prompts: Feel free to mix and match prompts from different sources or create your own variations. Experiment with different types of prompts to keep your journaling practice engaging and varied.
• Build on existing prompts: If a prompt leads you to new insights or questions, consider exploring those ideas in subsequent journal entries. You can use your initial response as a springboard for deeper exploration.

Journaling can be a form of self-care , a way to connect with yourself, or a creative exercise. 

If you enjoy journaling, having prompts can help guide your thoughts and focus your attention in a specific direction. Having a new journal prompt to work on every time you’re in the mood to journal can be exciting, comforting, and even a little scary. Just think of each prompt as an opportunity to learn something new about yourself.

Pena‐Silva RA, Velasco‐Castro JM, Matsingos C, Jaramillo‐Rincon SX. Journaling as an effective tool to promote metacognition and enhance study methods in a pharmacology course, during and after the pandemic . FASEB J . 2022;36(Suppl 1):10.1096/fasebj.2022.36.S1.R4840. doi:10.1096/fasebj.2022.36.S1.R4840

Drigas AS, Papoutsi C. A new layered model on emotional intelligence . Behav Sci (Basel) . 2018;8(5):45. doi:10.3390/bs8050045

Crego A, Yela JR, Gómez-Martínez MÁ, Riesco-Matías P, Petisco-Rodríguez C. Relationships between mindfulness, purpose in life, happiness, anxiety, and depression: testing a mediation model in a sample of women . Int J Environ Res Public Health . 2021;18(3):925. doi:10.3390/ijerph18030925

By Sanjana Gupta Sanjana is a health writer and editor. Her work spans various health-related topics, including mental health, fitness, nutrition, and wellness.

ThinkWritten

365 Creative Writing Prompts

Here are 365 Creative Writing Prompts to help inspire you to write every single day! Use them for journaling, story starters, poetry, and more!

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Sharing is caring!

If you want to become a better writer, the best thing you can do is practice writing every single day. Writing prompts are useful because we know sometimes it can be hard to think of what to write about!

To help you brainstorm, we put together this list of 365 creative writing prompts to give you something to write about daily.

Want to Download these prompts?  I am super excited to announce due to popular demand we now have an ad-free printable version of this list of writing prompts available for just $5. The  printable version  includes a PDF as a list AND print-ready prompt cards. {And all the design source files you could ever need to customize any way you would like!}

Here are 365 Creative Writing Prompts to Inspire:

Whether you write short stories, poems, or like to keep a journal – these will stretch your imagination and give you some ideas for topics to write about!

1. Outside the Window : What’s the weather outside your window doing right now? If that’s not inspiring, what’s the weather like somewhere you wish you could be?

2. The Unrequited love poem: How do you feel when you love someone who does not love you back?

3. The Vessel: Write about a ship or other vehicle that can take you somewhere different from where you are now.

4. Dancing: Who’s dancing and why are they tapping those toes?

5. Food: What’s for breakfast? Dinner? Lunch? Or maybe you could write a poem about that time you met a friend at a cafe.

6. Eye Contact: Write about two people seeing each other for the first time.

7. The Rocket-ship: Write about a rocket-ship on its way to the moon or a distant galaxy far, far, away.

8. Dream-catcher : Write something inspired by a recent dream you had.

9. Animals: Choose an animal. Write about it!

10. Friendship: Write about being friends with someone.

11. Dragon : Envision a dragon. Do you battle him? Or is the dragon friendly? Use descriptive language.

12. Greeting : Write a story or poem that starts with the word “hello” or another greeting.

13. The Letter: Write a poem or story using words from a famous letter or inspired by a letter someone sent you.

14. The Found Poem : Read a book and circle some words on a page. Use those words to craft a poem. Alternatively, you can cut out words and phrases from magazines.

15. Eavesdropper : Create a poem, short story, or journal entry about a conversation you’ve overheard.

16. Addict: Everyone’s addicted to something in some shape or form. What are things you can’t go without?

17. Dictionary Definition : Open up a dictionary to a random word. Define what that word means to you.

18. Cleaning: Hey, even writers and creative artists have to do housework sometimes. Write about doing laundry, dishes, and other cleaning activities.

19. Great Minds: Write  about someone you admire and you thought to have had a beautiful mind.

20. Missed Connections: If you go to Craigslist, there is a “Missed Connections” section where you can find some interesting storylines to inspire your writing.

21. Foreclosure : Write a poem or short story about someone who has lost or is about to lose their home.

22. Smoke, Fog, and Haze: Write about not being able to see ahead of you.

23. Sugar: Write something so sweet, it makes your teeth hurt.

24. Numbers:  Write a poem or journal entry about numbers that have special meaning to you.

25. Dread: Write about doing something you don’t want to do.

26. Fear: What scares you a little? What do you feel when scared? How do you react?

27. Closed Doors: What’s behind the door? Why is it closed?

28. Shadow: Imagine you are someone’s shadow for a day.

29. Good Vibes: What makes you smile? What makes you happy?

30. Shopping:  Write about your shopping wishlist and how you like to spend money.

31. The Professor: Write about a teacher that has influenced you.

32. Rewrite : Take any poem or short story you enjoy. Rewrite it in your own words.

33. Jewelry: Write about a piece of jewelry. Who does it belong to?

34. Sounds : Sit outside for about an hour. Write down the sounds you hear.

35. War and Peace: Write about a recent conflict that you dealt with in your life.

36. Frame It: Write a poem or some phrases that would make for good wall art in your home.

37. Puzzle: Write about putting together the pieces of puzzles.

38. Fire-starters: Write about building a fire.

39. Coffee & Tea: Surely you drink one or the other or know someone who does- write about it!

40. Car Keys: Write about someone getting their driver’s license for the first time.

41. What You Don’t Know: Write about a secret you’ve kept from someone else or how you feel when you know someone is keeping a secret from you.

42. Warehouse : Write about being inside an old abandoned warehouse.

43. The Sound of Silence: Write about staying quiet when you feel like shouting.

44. Insult: Write about being insulted. How do you feel? Why do you think the other person insulted you?

45. Mirror, Mirror: What if you mirror started talking to you? What might the mirror say?

46. Dirty: Write a poem about getting covered in mud.

47. Light Switch : Write about coming out of the dark and seeing the light.

48. The Stars : Take inspiration from a night sky. Or, write about a time when “the stars aligned” in your horoscope.

49. Joke Poem : What did the wall say to the other wall? Meet you at the corner! Write something inspired by a favorite joke.

50. Just Say No : Write about the power you felt when you told someone no.

51: Sunrise/Sunset : The sun comes up, the sun goes down. It goes round and round. Write something inspiring about the sunrise or sunset.

52. Memory Lane : What does Memory Lane look like? How do you get there?

53. Tear-Jerker : Watch a movie that makes you cry. Write about that scene in the movie.

54. Dear Diary: Write a poem or short story about a diary entry you’ve read or imagined.

55. Holding Hands : The first time you held someone’s hand.

56. Photograph : Write a story or journal entry influenced by a photograph you see online or in a magazine.

57. Alarm Clock: Write about waking up.

58. Darkness: Write a poem or journal entry inspired by what you can’t see.

59. Refreshed: Write a poem about a time you really felt refreshed and renewed. Maybe it was a dip into a pool on a hot summer day, a drink of lemonade, or other situation that helped you relax and start again.

60. Handle With Care : Write about a very fragile or delicate object.

61. Drama: Write about a time when you got stuck in between two parties fighting with each other.

62. Slip Up: Write about making mistakes.

63. Spice: Write about flavors and tastes or a favorite spice of yours.

64. Sing a New Song: Take a popular song off the radio and rewrite it as a poem in your own words.

65. Telephone: Write about a phone call you recently received.

66. Name: Write a poem or short story using your name in some way or form.

67. Dollhouse: Write a poem or short story from the viewpoint of someone living in a doll house.

68. Random Wikipedia Article : Go to Wikipedia and click on Random Article . Write about whatever the page you get.

69. Silly Sports: Write about an extreme or silly sport. If none inspire you, make up the rules for your own game.

70. Recipe : Write about a recipe for something abstract, such as a feeling.

71. Famous Artwork: Choose a famous painting and write about it.

72. Where That Place Used to Be : Think of a place you went to when you were younger but it now no longer there or is something else. Capture your feelings about this in your writing.

73. Last Person You Talked to: Write a quick little poem or story about the last person you spoke with.

74. Caught Red-Handed: Write about being caught doing something embarrassing.

75. Interview: Write a list of questions you have for someone you would like to interview, real or fictional.

76. Missing You: Write about someone you miss dearly.

77. Geography: Pick a state or country you’ve never visited. Write about why you would or would not like to visit that place.

78. Random Song: Turn on the radio, use the shuffle feature on your music collection or your favorite streaming music service. Write something inspired by the first song you hear.

79. Hero: Write a tribute to someone you regard as a hero.

80. Ode to Strangers: Go people watching and write an ode to a stranger you see on the street.

81. Advertisement: Advertisements are everywhere, aren’t they? Write using the slogan or line from an ad.

82. Book Inspired: Think of your favorite book. Now write a poem that sums up the entire story in 10 lines.

83. Magic : Imagine you have a touch of magic, and can make impossible things happen. What would you do?

84. Fanciest Pen: Get out your favorite pen, pencils, or even colored markers and write using them!

85. A Day in the Life: Write about your daily habits and routine.

86. Your Muse: Write about your muse – what do they look like? What does your muse do to inspire you?

87. Convenience Store : Write about an experience you’ve had at a gas station or convenience store.

88. Natural Wonders of the World: Choose one of the natural wonders of the world. Write about it.

89. Status Update: Write a poem using the words from your latest status update or a friend’s status update. If you don’t use sites like Facebook or Twitter, you can often search online for some funny ones to use as inspiration.

90. Green Thumb: Write about growing something.

91. Family Heirloom: Write about an object that’s been passed through the generations in your family.

92. Bug Catcher: Write about insects.

93. Potion: Write about a magic potion. What is it made of? What does it do? What is the antidote?

94. Swinging & Sliding: Write something inspired by a playground or treehouse.

95. Adjectives: Make a list of the first 5 adjectives that pop into your head. Use these 5 words in your story, poem, or journal entry.

96. Fairy Tales: Rewrite a fairy tale. Give it a new ending or make it modern or write as a poem.

97. Whispers: Write about someone who has to whisper a secret to someone else.

98. Smile: Write a poem about the things that make you smile.

99. Seasonal: Write about your favorite season.

100.  Normal: What does normal mean to you? Is it good or bad to be normal?

101. Recycle : Take something you’ve written in the past and rewrite it into a completely different piece.

102. Wardrobe: Write about a fashion model or what’s currently in your closet or drawers.

103. Secret Message : Write something with a secret message hidden in between the words. For example, you could make an acrostic poem using the last letters of the word or use secret code words in the poem.

104. Vacation: Write about a vacation you took.

105. Heat: Write about being overheated and sweltering.

106. Spellbinding: Write a magic spell.

107. Collection : Write about collecting something, such as salt shakers, sea shells, or stamps.

108. Taking Chances: Everyone takes a risk at some point in their life. Write about a time when you took a chance and what the result was.

109. Carnival: Write a poem or story or journal entry inspired by a carnival or street fair.

110. Country Mouse: Write about someone who grew up in the country visiting the city for the first time.

111: Questions: Write about questions you have for the universe. Optional: include an answer key.

112. Rushing: Write about moving quickly and doing things fast.

113. Staircase : Use a photo of a staircase or the stairs in your home or a building you love to inspire you.

114. Neighbors: Make up a story or poem about your next door neighbor.

115. Black and Blue: Write about a time you’ve been physically hurt.

116. All Saints: Choose a saint and create a poem about his or her life.

117. Beach Inspired: What’s not to write about the beach?

118. Shoes: What kind of shoes do you wear? Where do they lead your feet?

119. The Ex: Write a poem to someone who is estranged from you.

120. My Point of View: Write in the first person point of view.

121. Stray Animal: Think of the life of a stray cat or dog and write about that.

122. Stop and Stare : Create a poem or story about something you could watch forever.

123. Your Bed: Describe where you sleep each night.

124. Fireworks : Do they inspire you or do you not like the noise and commotion? Write about it.

125. Frozen: Write about a moment in your life you wish you could freeze and preserve.

126. Alone : Do you like to be alone or do you like having company?

127. Know-it-all: Write about something you are very knowledgeable about, for example a favorite hobby or passion of yours.

128. The Promise: Write about a promise you’ve made to someone. Did you keep that promise?

129. Commotion: Write about being overstimulated by a lot of chaos.

130. Read the News Today : Construct a poem or story using a news headline for your first line.

131. Macro: Write a description of an object close-up.

132. Transportation : Write about taking your favorite (or least-favorite) form of transportation.

133. Gadgets: If you could invent a gadget, what would it do? Are there any gadgets that make your life easier?

134: Bring on the Cheese: Write a tacky love poem that is so cheesy, it belongs on top of a pizza.

135. Ladders: Write a story or poem that uses ladders as a symbol.

136. Bizarre Holiday : There is a bizarre holiday for any date! Look up a holiday for today’s date and create a poem in greeting card fashion or write a short story about the holiday to celebrate.

137. Blog-o-sphere : Visit your favorite blog or your feedreader and craft a story, journal entry, or poem based on the latest blog post you read.

138. Mailbox: Create a poem, short story, or journal entry based on a recent item of mail you’ve received.

139. Sharing : Write about sharing something with someone else.

140. Cactus: Write from the viewpoint of a cactus. What’s it like to live in the desert or have a prickly personality?

141. It’s a Sign : Have you seen any interesting road signs lately?

142. Furniture: Write about a piece of furniture in your home.

143. Failure: Write about a time you failed at something. Did you try again or give up completely?

144. Mystical Creatures: Angels or other mystical creatures – use them as inspiration.

145. Flying: Write about having wings and what you would do.

146. Clear and Transparent: Write a poem about being able to see-through something.

147. Break the Silence : Record yourself speaking, then write down what you spoke and revise into a short story or poem.

148. Beat: Listen to music with a strong rhythm or listen to drum loops. Write something that goes along with the beat you feel and hear.

149. Color Palette: Search online for color palettes and be inspired to write by one you resonate with.

150. Magazine: Randomly flip to a page in a magazine and write using the first few words you see as an opening line.

151. The Grass is Greener : Write about switching the place with someone or going to where it seems the “grass is greener”.

152. Mind & Body: Write something that would motivate others to workout and exercise.

153. Shaping Up : Write something that makes a shape on the page…ie: a circle, a heart, a square, etc.

154. Twenty-One: Write about your 21st birthday.

155. Aromatherapy: Write about scents you just absolutely love.

156. Swish, Buzz, Pop : Create a poem that uses Onomatopoeia .

157. What Time is It? Write about the time of day it is right now. What are people doing? What do you usually do at this time each day?

158. Party Animal: Have you ever gone to a party you didn’t want to leave? Or do you hate parties? Write about it!

159: Miss Manners : Use the words “please” and “thank you” in your writing.

160. Cliche: Choose a common cliche, then write something that says the same thing but without using the catch phrase.

161. Eco-friendly : Write about going green or an environmental concern you have.

162. Missing You: Write about someone you miss.

163. Set it Free: Think of a time when you had to let someone or something go to be free…did they come back?

164: Left Out : Write about a time when you’ve felt left out or you’ve noticed someone else feeling as if they didn’t belong.

165. Suitcase: Write about packing for a trip or unpacking from when you arrive home.

166. Fantasy : Write about fairies, gnomes, elves, or other mythical creatures.

167. Give and Receive : Write about giving and receiving.

168. Baker’s Dozen: Imagine the scents and sights of a bakery and write.

169. Treehouse: Write about your own secret treehouse hideaway.

170.  Risk: Write about taking a gamble on something.

171. Acrostic : Choose a word and write an acrostic poem where every line starts with a letter from the word.

172. Crossword Puzzle: Open up the newspaper or find a crossword puzzle online and choose one of the clues to use as inspiration for your writing.

173. Silver Lining : Write about the good that happens in a bad situation.

174. Gloves: Write about a pair of gloves – what kind of gloves are they? Who wears them and why?

175. All that Glitters: Write about a shiny object.

176. Jealousy: Write with a theme of envy and jealousy.

Want to Download these prompts?  I am super excited to announce due to popular demand we now have an ad-free printable version of this list of writing prompts available for just $5. The  printable version  includes a PDF as a list AND print-ready prompt cards. {And all the design source files you could ever need to customize any way you would like!}

177. How Does Your Garden Grow? Write about a flower that grows in an unusual place.

178. Jury Duty : Write a short story or poem that takes place in a courtroom.

179. Gifts: Write about a gift you have given or received.

180. Running: Write about running away from someone or something.

181. Discovery: Think of something you’ve recently discovered and use it as inspiration.

182. Complain:  Write about your complaints about something.

183. Gratitude: Write a poem or journal entry that is all about things you are thankful for.

184. Chemistry: Choose an element and write a poem or story that uses that word in one of the lines.

185. Applause: Write about giving someone a standing ovation.

186. Old Endings Into New Beginnings:  Take an old poem, story, or journal entry of yours and use the last line and make it the first line of your writing today.

187. Longing: Write  about something you very much want to do.

188. I Am: Write a motivational poem or journal entry about positive traits that make you who you are.

189. Rainbow : What is at the end of a rainbow? Or, take a cue from Kermit the Frog, and ask yourself, why are there so many songs about rainbows?

190. Museum: Take some time to visit a nearby museum with your journal. Write about one of the pieces that speaks to you.

191. Cartoon: Think of your favorite cartoon or comic. Write a poem or story that takes place in that setting.

192. Copycat: Borrow a line from a famous public domain poem to craft your own.

193. From the Roof-tops:  Imagine you could stand on a rooftop and broadcast a message to everyone below – what would you say?

194. Time Travel: If there was a time period you could visit for a day, where would you go? Write about traveling back in time to that day.

195. Changing Places: Imagine living the day as someone else.

196. Neighborhood: Write about your favorite place in your neighborhood to visit and hang out at.

197. Pirates: Write about a pirate ship.

198. Interview : Write based on a recent interview you’ve read or seen on TV or heard on the radio.

199.  Hiding Spaces : Write about places you like to hide things at. What was a favorite hiding spot for you as a child playing hide-and-seek?

200. Extreme Makeover: Imagine how life might be different if you could change your hair color or clothing into something completely opposite from your current style.

201. Empathy: Write about your feelings of empathy or compassion for another person.

202. Opposites: Write a poem or story that ties in together two opposites.

203. Boredom: Write about being bored or make a list of different ways to entertain yourself.

204. Strength : Think of a time when you’ve been physically or emotionally strong and use that as inspiration.

205. Hunger: Write from the perspective of someone with no money to buy food.

206. Greed: Write about someone who always wants more – whether it be money, power, etc. etc.

207. Volcano: Write about an eruption of a volcano.

208. Video Inspiration : Go to Vimeo.com or YouTube.com and watch one of the videos featured on the homepage. Write something based on what you watch.

209. Sneeze: Write about things that make you sneeze.

210. Footsteps on the Moon:  Write about the possibility of life in outer-space.

211: Star-crossed: Write a short modern version of the story of Romeo and Juliet or think of real-life examples of lovers who are not allowed to be together to use as inspiration for your writing.

212. Font-tastic: Choose a unique font and type out a poem, story or journal entry using that font.

213. Schedule: Take a look at your calendar and use the schedule for inspiration in writing.

214. Grandparents: Write about a moment in your grandparent’s life.

215. Collage: Go through a magazine and cut out words that grab your attention. Use these words to construct a poem or as a story starter or inspiration for your journal.

216. Oh so Lonely: Write a poem about what you do when you are alone – do you feel lonely or do you enjoy your own company?

217. Waterfall: Think of a waterfall you’ve seen in person or spend some time browsing photos of waterfalls online. Write about the movement, flow, and energy.

218. First Kiss: Write about your first kiss.

219. So Ironic: Write about an ironic situation you’ve been in throughout your life.

220. Limerick: Write a limerick today.

221. Grocery Shopping: Write about an experience at the grocery store.

222. Fashion : Go through a fashion magazine or browse fashion websites online and write about a style you love.

223. So Close: Write about coming close to reaching a goal.

224. Drinks on Me: Write a poem or short story that takes place at a bar.

225. Online Friends: Write an ode to someone online you’ve met and become friends with.

226. Admiration: Is there someone you admire? Write about those feelings.

227. Trash Day: Write from the perspective of a garbage collector.

228. Mailbox: Open your mailbox and write something inspired by one of the pieces of mail you received.

229. Fresh & Clean: Write about how you feel after you take a shower.

230. Energized: Write about how you feel when you’re either at a high or low energy level for the day.

231. Rhyme & No Reason: Make up a silly rhyming poem using made up words.

232. Tech Support: Use computers or a conversation with tech support you’ve had as inspiration.

233. Hotel: Write from the perspective of someone who works at a hotel or staying at a hotel.

234. Underwater: Write about sea creatures and under water life. What’s under the surface of the ocean? What adventures might be waiting?

235. Breathing: Take a few minutes to do some deep breathing relaxation techniques. Once your mind is clear, just write the first few things that you think of.

236. Liar, Liar: Make up a poem or story of complete lies about yourself or someone else.

237. Obituaries: Look at the recent obituaries online or in the newspaper and imagine the life of someone and write about that person.

238. Pocket: Rummage through your pockets and write about what you keep or find in your pockets.

239. Cinquain: Write a cinquain poem, which consists of 5 lines that do not rhyme.

240. Alphabetical: Write a poem that has every letter of the alphabet in it.

241.  Comedy Club: Write something inspired by a comedian.

242. Cheater: Write about someone who is unfaithful.

243. Sestina: Give a try to writing a sestina poem.

244. Fight: Write about witnessing two people get in an argument with each other.

245. Social Network : Visit your favorite Social Networking website (ie: Facebook, Pinterest, Google, Twitter, etc.) and write a about a post you see there.

246. Peaceful: Write about something peaceful and serene.

247. In the Clouds: Go cloud watching for the day and write about what you imagine in the clouds.

248. At the Park: Take some time to sit on a park bench and write about the sights, scenes, and senses and emotions you experience.

249. Sonnet: Write a sonnet today.

250. Should, Would, And Could: Write a poem or story using the words should, would, and could.

251. How to: Write directions on how to do something.

252. Alliteration: Use alliteration in your poem or in a sentence in a story.

253. Poker Face: Write about playing a card game.

254. Timer: Set a timer for 5 minutes and just write. Don’t worry about it making sense or being perfect.

255. Dance: Write about a dancer or a time you remember dancing.

256. Write for a Cause: Write a poem or essay that raises awareness for a cause you support.

257. Magic : Write about a magician or magic trick.

258. Out of the Box: Imagine finding a box. Write about opening it and what’s inside.

259. Under the Influence: What is something has impacted you positively in your life?

260. Forgotten Toy : Write from the perspective a forgotten or lost toy.

261. Rocks and Gems: Write about a rock or gemstone meaning.

262. Remote Control: Imagine you can fast forward and rewind your life with a remote control.

263. Symbolism: Think of objects, animals, etc. that have symbolic meaning to you. Write about it.

264. Light at the End of the Tunnel: Write about a time when you saw hope when it seemed like a hopeless situation.

265. Smoke and Fire : “Where there’s smoke, there’s fire.” Use this saying as inspiration to write!

266. Railroad: Write about a train and its cargo or passengers.

267. Clipboard: Write about words you imagine on an office clipboard.

268. Shipwrecked: Write about being stranded somewhere – an island, a bus stop, etc.

269. Quotable: Use a popular quote from a speaker and use it as inspiration for your writing.

270. Mind   Map it Out: Create a mind map of words, phrases, and ideas that pop into your head or spend some time browsing the many mind maps online. Write a poem, story, or journal entry inspired by the mind map.

271. Patterns : Write about repeating patterns that occur in life.

272. Scrapbook : Write about finding a scrapbook and the memories it contains.

273. Cure: Write about finding a cure for an illness.

274. Email Subject Lines: Read your email today and look for subject lines that may be good starters for writing inspiration.

275. Wishful Thinking: Write about a wish you have.

276. Doodle : Spend some time today doodling for about 5-10 minutes. Write about the thoughts you had while doodling or create something inspired by your finished doodle.

277. Chalkboard: Imagine you are in a classroom. What does it say on the chalkboard?

278. Sticky: Imagine a situation that’s very sticky, maybe even covered in maple syrup, tape or glue. Write about it!

279. Flashlight : Imagine going somewhere very dark with only a flashlight to guide you.

280. A Far Away Place : Envision yourself traveling to a fictional place, what do you experience in your imaginary journey?

281. On the Farm : Write about being in a country or rural setting.

282. Promise to Yourself: Write about a promise you want to make to yourself and keep.

283. Brick Wall : Write a poem that is about a brick wall – whether literal or figurative.

284. Making a Choice: Write about a time when you had to make a difficult choice.

285.  Repeat: Write about a time when you’ve had to repeat yourself or a time when it felt like no one was listening.

286. Outcast : Write about someone who is not accepted by their peers. (for example, the Ugly Ducking)

287. Scary Monsters: Write about a scary (or not-so-scary) monster in your closet or under the bed.

288. Sacrifice: Write about something you’ve sacrificed doing to do something else or help another person.

289. Imperfection: Create a poem that highlights the beauty in being flawed.

290. Birthday Poem: Write a poem inspired by birthdays.

291. Title First : Make a list of potential poem or story titles and choose one to write from.

292. Job Interview : Write about going on a job interview.

293. Get Well : Write a poem that will help someone who is sick feel better quick!

294. Lost in the Crowd: Write about feeling lost in the crowd.

295. Apple a Day: Write about a health topic that interests you.

296. Cravings: Write about craving something.

297. Phobia: Research some common phobias, choose one, and write about it.

298. In the Moment: Write about living in the present moment.

299. Concrete : Write about walking down a sidewalk and what you see and experience.

300. Battle: Write about an epic battle, whether real, fictional or figurative.

301. This Old House : Write about an old house that is abandoned or being renovated.

302. Clutter: Is there a cluttered spot in your home? Go through some of that clutter today and write about what you find or the process of organizing.

303. Go Fly a Kite: Write about flying a kite.

304. On the TV: Flip to a random TV channel and write about the first thing that comes on – even if it is an infomercial!

305. Fruit: Write an ode to your favorite fruit.

306. Long Distance Love: Write about a couple that is separated by distance.

307. Glasses: Write about a pair of eyeglasses or someone wearing glasses.

308. Robotic : Write about a robot.

309. Cute as a Button: Write about something you think is just adorable.

310. Movie Conversation: Use a memorable conversation from a favorite movie to inspire your writing.

311. Easy-Peasy : Write  about doing something effortlessly.

312. Idiom: Choose from a list of idioms one that speaks to you and create a poem around that saying or phrase. (Ie: It is raining cats and dogs)

313. Playground: Whether it is the swings or the sandbox or the sliding boards, write about your memories of being on a playground.

314. Romance: Write about romantic things partners can do for each other.

315. Rock Star: Imagine you are a famous rock star. Write about the experience.

316. Come to Life: Imagine ordinary objects have come to life. Write about what they do and say.

317. Airplane: Write about meeting someone on an airplane and a conversation you might have.

318. Health & Beauty: Take some time to peruse your medicine cabinet or the health and beauty aisles at a local store. Write a poem, short story, or journal entry inspired by a product label.

319. Determination: Write about not giving up.

320. Instrumental Inspiration: Listen to some instrumental music and write a poem that matches the mood, beat, and style of the music.

321. Wait Your Turn: Write about having to wait in line.

322. Personality Type : Do you know your personality type? (There are many free quizzes online) – write about what type of personality traits you have.

323. Decade: Choose a favorite decade and write about it. (IE: 1980’s or 1950’s for example)

324. I Believe: Write your personal credo of things you believe in.

325. Lost and Found: Write about a lost object.

326. Say it: Write a poem or story that uses dialogue between two people.

327. The Unsent Letter: Write about a letter that never made it to its recipient.

328. The Windows of the Soul: Write a poem about the story that is told through someone’s eyes.

329. Trial and Error: Write about something you learned the hard way.

330. Escape : Write about where you like to go to escape from it all.

331. What’s Cooking: Write something inspired a favorite food or recipe.

332. Records : Go through your file box and pull out old receipts or records…write something inspired by what you find!

333. Banking: Write about visiting the bank.

334. Sweet Talk: Write about trying to convince someone of something.

335. Serendipity: Write about something that happened by chance in a positive way.

336. Distractions: Write about how it feels when you can’t focus.

337. Corporation: Write about big business.

338. Word of the Day: Go to a dictionary website that has a word of the day and use it in a poem, story or journal entry you write.

339. Pick Me Up:  What do you do when you need a pick me up?

340. Unfinished: Write about a project you started but never completed.

341. Forgiveness: Write about a time when someone forgave you or you forgave someone.

342. Weakness: Write about your greatest weakness.

343. Starting: Write about starting a project.

344. Mechanical: Think of gears, moving parts, machines.

345. Random Act of Kindness : Write about a random act of kindness you’ve done for someone or someone has done for you, no matter how small or insignificant it may have seemed.

346. Underground: Imagine living in a home underground and use that as inspiration for writing.

347. Classic Rock: Pick a classic rock love ballad and rewrite it into a story or poem with a similar theme.

348. Night Owl : Write about staying up late at night.

349. Magnetic : Write about attraction to something or someone.

350. Teamwork: Write about working with a team towards a common goal.

351. Roller-coaster : Write about the ups and downs in life.

352. Motivational Poster: Look at some motivational posters online and write a poem or journal entry inspired by your favorite one.

353. Games: Write about the games people play – figuratively or literally.

354. Turning Point: Write about a point in life where things turned for the better or worse.

355. Spellbound: Write about a witch’s spell.

356. Anniversary: Write about the anniversary of a special date.

357. Gamble:  Be inspired by a casino or lottery ticket.

358. Picnic: Write about going on a picnic.

359. Garage: Write about some random item you might find in a garage.

360. Review: Review your week, month, or year in a journal entry or poem format.

361. Detective: Write about a detective searching for clues or solving a mystery.

362. Camera: Take your camera for a walk and write based on one of the photographs you take.

363. Visiting : Write about visiting a family member or friend.

364. Trust: Write about putting trust in someone.

365. Congratulations : Did you write a poem, short story, or journal entry every day for a whole year? Write about what you’ve learned and celebrate your achievement!

We hope you enjoy these creative writing prompts! And of course, if you write anything using these prompts, we’d love to know about it! Tell us how you’ll use these everyday creative writing prompts in the comments section below!

And of course, if you’d like the printable ad-free version of these prompts to reference again and again or to use in your classroom, you can find them at our Etsy shop !

Chelle Stein wrote her first embarrassingly bad novel at the age of 14 and hasn't stopped writing since. As the founder of ThinkWritten, she enjoys encouraging writers and creatives of all types.

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191 comments.

I have been on a reading binge since being on vacation from school. By rereading Little House, Anne of Green Gables, and Little Women among others, one wonders about writing a book. I stumbled across this while looking up unit supplements for my kiddos, and thought, hey, write a page a day and see what happens! Thank you for this collection of prompts! I’ve linked back to this page several times so others can try their hand at writing. Thank you again!

The Flicker, The Teeth, and A Warehouse in the Dark (the warehouse prompt)

I am in a large abandoned warehouse with a flickering light The only light in the whole room. It flickered leaving me in temporal darkness It flickered again and as it was dark I swore I saw something glowing It looked like glowing teeth The lights return and I see nothing Flickers on Flickers off I see the teeth closer Flickers on I see nothing Flickers off The teeth so close Flickers on An empty warehouse Flickers off The glowing teeth are inchings away bright red blood drips from their tips Flickers on Panic rises in my chest but nothing is there Turns off The mouth of bloody teeth is before my eyes I wait for the light to flicker back on I wait in complete darkness I wait And wait And wait The teeth open wide I try to scream by the darkness swallows it A hear the crunch of my bones I see my blood pore down my chest But I wait in darkness for the pain I wait And wait And wait The mouth of teeth devours my lower half I wait for pain and death I wait And wait And wait The light flickers on I see no monster Only my morphed body And blood And blood And blood And so much blood The light flickers off The monster eats my arm Flickers on I wait for pain Flickers off I watch as the creature eats my limbs Flickers on I wait for death Flickers off Slowly the teeth eat my head All I see is dark I wait for it to flicker on Where is the warehouse light? Where is the only light in the room? Where is the flicker? Where am I? Where are the bloody teeth? I wait for the light to come back And wait And wait And wait And wait And wait And wait And wait in eternal darkness

WOW. Thank you!

This is such a helpful tool! I’ve learned a lot about my self through picking a random prompt and writing the first thing that comes to mind. I’d love to see a follow up list of possible! Definitely a recomended sight!

I agree. Very helpful.

I am new at the blogging game. You have provided some wonderful ideas for blog posts. Great ideas just to get used to writing every day. Thanks

This list is really impressive and useful for those of us who are looking for good topics to blog about. Thanks!

Thank you! That somes in handy

Very nice list. Thanks for compiling and posting it. It’s not only good for bloggers, but poets, as well.

yess im using it for my new years resolution, which is to write a poem daily!

Wow, thanks so much for all these wonderful prompts! They are lots of fun and very helpful. I love how you’ve provided 365 of them–A prompt for every day of the year! 🙂

Not if it’s a leap year…

Haha. Yea. This is great though all the same.. ;-;

Lol actually there’s 364 days in a year and 365 in a leap year so……yeah

are you fucking stupid

There are actually 366 days in a leap year so… yeah

I use this for my homeschooling-I love it! Thank you so much!! This is a wonderful list. So creative! 🙂 🙂

Thanks! I’m preparing for writing every day next year and this will come in really handy. It’s just 364 writing prompts though. 164 is missing. 😉

MiMschi is wrong 164 is there i looked

I think they meant that as a joke, 164 is called left out…

Good it is useful

no its not you nonce

You Don’t Love Me, Damn You

things left unsaid

and then some

anger strangles the baby

in its crib,

flowers wilt,

rivers dry up

harsh words clatter upon the day,

echo unfortunately

till silence smothers

in its embrace

you wish you could take it back

what’s done is done

never to be undone

though things move on

part of you remains

locked in the middle of protesting

one last thing,

mouth open,

no words emerging

why must you be misunderstood?

why must everything you say

no way of straightening things out

gestures halted mid-air

an accusatory finger

shoulders locked

in sardonic shrug

dishes smash on the floor

spray of fragments

frozen mid-air

slam the door

it doesn’t open

but in spite of yourself

you turn and look

one last time…..

(Greg Cameron, Poem, Surrey, B.C., Canada)

Love these. Thank you!

This is really amazingly deep. I love it so much. You have so much talent!!

Thanks SOOO much for the prompts but I have another suggestion!

A Recipe for disaster- write a recipe for a disastrous camping trip…

that one sounds awesome.

Haha. Reminds me of the old twin’s show.. what was it.. where the two girls switch places when they meet at camp?

Pretty sure I know what you’re talking about. The Parent Trap, right? Never seen the whole movie, but it seems funny.

and also #309, everyone should have thought of a hamster “write” away XD!

May I have permission to use this list at my next Ozarks Chapter of the American Christian Writers meeting. Thank you for consideration.

Hi Leah, please send some more info here: https://thinkwritten.com/contact

i am using it for my homeschooling and i love it

i am using it for my homeschooling

where is prompt 165?

sorry I meant 164, my mistake.

well kay, there is a 164 AND 165. So your head is clearly ????????????

What I like most about these is how you can combine them and get really weird ideas. For example, empathy from the rooftops: what if you shouted something positive in public every day – or if everyone did so? It might be fun to try, and then write a diary about it. Online time travel: if people could live virtually in incredibly well=constructed versions of different time periods, what would the effects be on today’s society? Could it change our language or customs?

It would be cool if we could have goggles that showed places during a certain time period. Like Seattle 1989. And you could buy special plugins, like specific people you want to hang out with, famous or non.

That one about online time travel is crazy brilliant!!! And highly thought-provoking.

It is amazing what creative writing could do to you. Daily prompts have proven to be very inspiring and overtime writers develop their own style of writing depending on how passionate they are about it. I would love to write about all 3, online, space, and time travel. cheers! and Don’t stop writing!

I belong to a writing club. We seem to have a lot of prompts to use. I love stories having to do with rain. Would you join me. I am jim

Wow! Inspiration right here.

May I use this list for a speech at my Ozarks Chapter of the American Christian Writers?

Love the inspiration

THANK YOU. THAT IS ALL I HAVE TO SAY IS THANK YOU.

What about a leap year? You’re missing one topic.

Wonderful! I love writing and these prompts are very helpful. Thank you very much! ♥

It’s been really useful in getting me to write again! Thank you very much!

I really love the list of writing ideas you have compiled here. I will be using it and others to get myself back into writing every single day if I can be away with it. Also, I have noticed a few problems with this list. One is a repeat topic. Those are numbers 76 and 162. And you skipped a number. And have only 364 days of writing. Still through! All these ideas are absolutely amazing and awesome ideas! I commend you for putting it all together in an easy to read format too. Thank you so very much.

I think we have the list all fixed now, but thanks for catching a couple of early mistakes!

Thank you for helping me edit Lora! I don’t always have a second pair of eyes + appreciated this to fix + update the post! I always say my readers are my best editors. 🙂

these days get brighter, mine gets darker, why does it has to be me , why not life.

Mirror, Mirror: What if you mirror started talking to you?

u r awesome man

Wonderful compilation of ideas! I will send your blog along to my many Creative Writing students. I’m enjoying reading your posts.

wow!! great tips! but how long did it take you to write that? its a lot of words!! lol great stuff though..

This is so cool! I love these prompts and will definitely recommend some to my teacher!!

The promise “I made a promise with my best friend, I said i’d never break, Our personalities really did blend, But then I lied awake, The people disappearing, Her gaze was always leering. I never thought she was serious, I always took it as a joke, But it really made me curious, When she was digging around that oak, My best friend is a serial killer, And i knew the truth, My life turned into a thriller, And eating at me took away my youth, I couldn’t take it any long living with this weight, To the police I went to tell my tale, Looking at me with eyes of hate, she smiled and said, without her I would fail. Now i sit in the prison cell, Waiting for my call My friend across the room smiling, my eyes begin to swell, My neck snapping on the, from my sides my hands fall

Although my writing style is dark, that’s the way I enjoy writing, and thank you for this list, even though I didn’t do one per day, scrolling through I was able to see keywords that formed ideas in my mind

I love this <3 It's amazing :))

These are really nice I absolutely love them.

This is very helpful and I’ve been finding a way to help improve my creative writing!!! Thank you very much!

You are such a life developer, who can virtually transform a life busy with unnecessary activities humans are posted to through internet. And who can restore the appetite of people to purchase pen and paper which have considered the last commodity in the market at the expense of that great vampire ‘social media’ that left both old and young paralyzed. Thanks to the proponent of this great idea.

These are great. The Closed door one gives me a great idea for a new story! Thank you so much!

man what the fuck is this shit! i was looking for short story writing prompts and I get stuck with shit like “write about the weather outside”. Damn this shit is disappointing.

Hi John, the weather might seem boring, but there are a lot of ways you can springboard from that – maybe you write a story about a character who despises the sunshine or melts if they get rained on or they live in a underground tunnel and the house gets flooded…You can also use it as an exercise in developing more descriptive writing that shows, not tells for the scenes in your story. Writing about the weather seems “easy and boring” but seriously challenge yourself to write about it in a way that makes it interesting – it is not so easy to avoid the cliches as you might think!

I LOVE IT SO MUCH i do not know why but my kids, they will just like come on this website every time it is time to have a little bit of video games! XD

The weather outside that day was dark.

It was a perfectly reasonable sort of darkness. The kind of darkness you might get if you wake up an hour before sunrise. But it was late in the morning.

He had to make sure of that. He checked his alarm clock, his microwave oven clock, and his cell phone.

The sun was supposed to be out. But the moonlit sky was starlit and clear.

And as he looked outside again, he saw that people were out, going about their business, as if none of this really mattered at all.

What was he missing here?

(There. Now you have a short story writing prompt..)

You know what “John” i think this website is great so fuck you.

yeah you tell him john

It depends on how you view it. That one topic for instance has given me a beautiful story telling. I am currently about to round up with it and trust me the feedback has been amazing.

That is great! I’m glad it helped inspire you!

Dude kids go on here so stop swearing “John”

Maybe you need to work on improving the quality of your writing. Your use of expletives is totally uncalled for. I see nothing wrong with “writing about the weather outside”. In fact, this is a great topic and can lead to awesome discussions.

Very useful indeed. Thank u

i think this is a good prompted

I think it’s awesome, I looked for inspiration, I found inspiration, thank you

well! i fall in love with all these ideas! i loved this page! thanks for sharing these amazing ideas!

Great stuff mat Keep up the good work

I LOVE THIS SO MUCH IT IS VERY HELPFUL BUT FOR A SUGGESTION YOU COULD DO DIARY STUFF MAYBE

When I read your comment, I thought you said “DAIRY,” not “DIARY.”

So… why not both? Write something based on a dairy farmer’s diary. Or… a dairy COW’S diary. Tell their stories, their private dreams. Or hidden shame…

That’s the way to think + use this list 🙂

Great idea!

Awesome list! Thank you!

Thanks so much! I’ve always been told I’m a great writer and should publish. I haven’t done a lot of leisure writing because I’m afraid I might realize I’m NOT a good writer. My therapist wants me to write more and these prompts are perfect!

This is fun i will keep doing this no matter what every year. I can’t stop writing either. Thanks for making this, it is very fun.

This helps so much! love these ideas

Can this website give me a write on the following topic. –

Imagine that the scientists could replace the human brains with computers or invent the computers with human feelings. What do you think would happen?Would the world become a better place to live in???

I’ve been looking for prompts to work through my creative art/collage journal for 2017…and love the ones you offer here….LOVE THEM! I like that they are more than just one word and give me something to think about before I start creating each day as a warm up to what is ahead.

I hope don’t mind, but I shared them on both Instagram and my FaceBook page in hopes to get my artist/creative friends to follow along with me in creating each day. I would like to include a link to your page in a near future blog post about my creative journal.

Thank you for posting and sharing you prompts…I’m excited to get started!

I’m on number 43 and I’ve already discovered a whole bunch about myself! These prompts are amazing and I can’t wait for the next 322 of them. I’ve recommended this to several of my friends. Totally worth several notebooks chock full of prompts and a years worth of writing 🙂

Very inspiring….

Hello! Is it alright if I add some of these to a little book I’m making for my Grandmother? She hasn’t opened a computer in her life but I know these prompts would do her a world of good. I believe in the importance of asking permission to use the creative property of another person 🙂 Cheers!

Hi Maxx, of course you may share with your grandmother – the only thing we would worry about is if you were to publish them for monetary gain. Enjoy! 🙂

This is really helpful. I’m glad I saw it first. ♥

OMG!! I’ve never been in this website before!!

Thank u so much this was so helpful. Idk how u came up with all thoughts prompts. It was very helpful. Thank u again.

For the first time in a long time it finally felt like I knew was going to happen next. I was gazing into her eyes and she was gazing back. I remember it like it was just yesterday, when she was still the one for me but never forgave me. I miss the sweet sound of her laughter and now all i hear are friends. I have tried to go back and apologize to her just to see if the answer will change but even I know that it will never change because I will never be enough for her. But if she ever decides that she wants me back she can have me because a life without love is one not worth living.

gooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooood

can u give me one using the prompt “normal”

Thanks for this!!!!! Will definitely help me in learning to tap into my creative writing genius 🙂

Thanks, this helped me a lot!

u have a typo!!!! 364

Thanks for pointing out, got it fixed 🙂 Sometimes my brain goes faster than the computer. 🙂

I wrote this, tell me what you think; prompt #4-dancing You see her tapping her toes, always listening to music. Although she doesn’t like the music, what she doesn’t know yet is it will be stuck in her head for the next year. She’s as graceful as a butterfly yet as strong as a fighter. Many only see a pretty face yet those close enough to the fire know the passion burning deep inside of her. At home she’s quiet, always in her room yet making loud noises through the floorboards. Her parents know what she’s up to but her little brothers don’t quite understand yet. All they know is that when she goes up there she’s listening to music and soon she will play it for the whole neighborhood to hear. They don’t know that she’s practicing, practicing for the most important day of the year. The one she’s been waiting for since she’s been a little girl. Tapping her toes at the table only stops when her parents beg her to rest. Even in her dreams she on stage, dancing like a swan. Yet deep down she’s scared of the failure that she will feel if this one day goes a bit to south. Tapping her toes to the beat of her music gives her a bit of pip in her pep when she walks down the halls. No one quite understands the stress she’s going through. Through her smile she’s worries, scared that one misstep might end it all for her. But she won’t let anyone see that she’s nervous. She’s used to getting bruises, she falls on the ground but always gets back up. Because she’s a dancer, the show must go on.

Brilliant. Loved it.

Amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I’m working on a site in Danish about writing and I would love to translate these awesome prompts into Danish and use it on the site. Would that be OK? I’ll credit with links of course!

Hi Camilla, you cannot copy + post these on your site, but feel free to link to the article – our site is compatible with Google translate 🙂

Hi Camilla, this list cannot be republished, even if translated into another language. However, if you would like to link to our website that would be great, your readers are able to translate it into any language if they use a web browser such as Google Chrome.

My goal is to write all of these prompts before 2018

This is amazing! I am writing for fun and this is a list of amazing prompts!

Ha, Ha . I see what you did , #164 was missing and now it say write about being left out .

Thanks a ton !!!

This link has been really helpful for my blog, loved the ideas.

Thanks for not publishing my email address

You are welcome! We never publish email addresses. If you’d like to learn more about how we collect and use information you may provide us with on this website, you can read more on our privacy policy page. Hope that helps! https://thinkwritten.com/privacy/

I have another suggestion, What about “The Secret Journey to the Unknown”. I reckon it’s awesome!

I was wondering if you could please send new ideas to me, much appreciated thanks.

I love all of these so much and i try to write referring to these at least once everyday thank you so much for these!

Trust, It is a beautiful thing. You give it to others, For them to protect. They can keep it forever, Or they can destroy it.

Wow what a treasure! Am glad I have found the right place to begging my writing journey.Thanks guys

Super awesome! Thanks so much for this collection of writing prompts!!

Today is the last day of the year 2017. I’m proud to say that I was able to complete this challenge. Thank you for the inspiring prompts! 🙂

That is awesome! We might just have to think of some new ones!!

how about one with sports like the NBA

I thought my life was over when I couldn’t access this for a couple weeks. These prompts are excellent. I write two page short stories on one every day. I hope you guys never take down this site but I’m printing these for insurance because it truly was devastating. I’m very emotionally attached to this list. Thank you so much for sharing.

Yes, we did have a small glitch in our hosting services for a few days! Fortunately, it was only temporary and unexpected! {Though I’m sure it did feel like 2 weeks!} Good to hear you are using the prompts!

Very nice article. Very useful one for improving writing skills

Thank you Sid! Glad it is useful for you!

Oh my god.. This is something a different, thought provoking and a yardstick to those who cultivated passion on writing, like me, beginners. Wishes for this website. I really wanted to try this 365 days of writing. Thanks in tons.

Glad you find it helpful! I hope it keeps you inspired to keep growing as a writer!

i love writing too! i am writing a book and this website inspired me too!

i have been writing lots of things and am getting A + on writing

thxs for your time with the web

i am making a epic book. it is because of this website. you really help. i will share a link of my book once i am done with it to your awesome cool really helpful website! thank you for your time

That is great to hear Christopher! Would love to see some of your work when you are ready to share! 🙂

WOOOOOOOOW BEST SITE!

I’m going to write few marvelous essays based on ideas in your impressive list. Thanks!

Just to tell some people that 165 or 164 is not missing because some people probably can’t see but just to let u know that 164 is a prompt called “Left Out”

Dang. The second idea about writing about what it feels like to love someone who doesn’t love you back, I wrote something like that BEFORE I found this website.

You can always try writing it again, maybe from the other person’s perspective this time? That is the beauty of the open-ended writing prompts – you can always interpret them in a way to push and challenge you as a writer!

Thank you for these prompts! I enjoyed looking through them and writing them! They gave me great ideas and inspired me so much.

This is my favorite website to find inspiration to write. I had run out of ideas and i had a huge writers block but this made it all go away. Here’s something i wrote:

He is a mess She is beautiful He has tears streaming down his face She glides across the room as if it were her kingdom And she’s The reigning queen He’s curled up in a ball In the corner of the room He looks at me I wonder what he thinks I can’t take my eyes off her The way she subtly smiles when she realizes Someone is looking She seems to be happy all the time But I can see through the smile It’s my first time noticing It’s not complete That was the first time I wanted to say hi But I thought Why would he look at me? The nerd with all the answers in her head All the books in her hands And Her sleeves full of hearts She looked at me From the corner of her eye She saw me looking The boy with the tear stains She saw me His tears were no longer streaming He had finally stood up Tall and handsome As he is Eyes Bluer than the blue jay that sat outside my bedroom window She had opened a book and started reading She hadn’t changed pages for a while Safe to assume She was distracted She looked up and Without knowing I was in front of her “Hi” Her brown eyes Stared in to my soul Erased the memory of why the tears Were streaming in the first place “Hi”

I love it Cynthia, thank you for sharing and glad that it inspired you to keep writing! 🙂

Thank you for so many amazing ideas! I love the sound of mirror, mirror!

Glad you found it inspiring Ar!

read the whole thing and didn’t find anything I’d enjoy writing 🙁

What kinds of things do you like to write? We have a whole collection of additional writing prompts lists here. Sometimes challenging yourself to write something you don’t like all in its own can be a good exercise for writing. Hope that helps!

These are ingenious!

I love these prompts! They’re inspiring! I’ve chosen to challenge myself by using one of these prompts every day of this 2019 year. I posted my writings for the first prompt on my Tumblr and Facebook pages with the prompt and a link back to this article- I hope that’s alright. If not, I can take it down, or I would love to discuss a way I could continue to do this. I hope more people can see and use these prompts because I have already found joy in using the first one.

Hi Elizabeth! Glad you are enjoying the prompts! You can definitely post what you write with these prompts as long as you do not copy the entire list or claim them as your own. Linking back to our website or this post will help others find the prompts so they too can use them for writing! If you have any questions feel free to contact us anytime using our contact form. Thanks!

Amazing original prompts Thank you so much!

Good list, but you’re not supposed to mistake it’s for its. Not on a website for writers, of all places!

I appreciate your comment, especially because after triple checking the article AND having a few grammar-police personality type friends do the same we could not find any typos. All of the instances of its and it’s are the correct usage.

However, one thing we did remember is that it is very easy for the person reading to accidentally misunderstand and not interpret it the way as the writer intended.

To clarify when we should use it’s vs. its:

We use it’s when we intend the meaning as the contraction. This is a shortened way of writing it is . We use its without an apostrophe when we use it as a possessive noun. Any instances you may note here are correct for their intended meaning.

Some examples:

Prompt #141 It’s a Sign : In this case we intend it to be interpreted as IT IS a Sign , where the usage is a contraction.

Prompt #7 The Rocket Ship : In this case we intend it to be interpreted as the possessive form.

I hope that helps clear up any possible confusion for you!

Thank you soooo much! That helped me a lot!

You’re welcome Keira! Glad you enjoyed our list of writing ideas!

It is so rich in bright and thought-provoking ideas. Thank you so much. Get inspired to have more, please

Thanks for this. I love to write things like this. Some of these though, weren’t as interesting as I wanted it to be, not saying that they aren’t interesting. I like the help you’ve added in, such as being led into a dark room with only a flashlight to help so it gets us started. Great job!

Thanks Maya, I’m glad you like the prompts. Sometimes the prompts that seem boring are the best ones to help you practice your skills as a writer to make them interesting topics. Some of the best writers can make the most mundane topics fun!

Nice….I don’t think I’ll ever lack something to write on … I so appreciate your ideas ..,they are great

Thank you, glad you enjoyed them!

Thank you for providing these writing prompts! They are great!

Thank You so much, these are amazing to start of with to get the creative juices flowing

Thank you very much

Sweet! Thank you so much! I plan to use some of these for some creative writing on CourageousChristianFather.com

I’m glad they inspired you Steve! I always love seeing what everyone writes with these prompts – I really enjoyed your post about the cookie ad jingle! 🙂

Thanks so much for this list. I needed something to kickstart my writing. This is exactly what I’ve been looking for! I just wrote #1. WooHoo!!

Thank you for your list. This is great!

I write feature articles for our church library’s monthly newsletter. Perusing this list has helped me come up with a couple dozen ideas to consider for future issues! Thanks much for putting this together – it is being used beyond the scope of what you intended, I think!

That’s wonderful Debbie! There are so many ways to apply these prompts to any sort of project – thank you for sharing how you are using them!

Thanks for your prompts, an idea I have for a prompt is write a story based on your favorite story for example I’m writing a fantasy book based on the game dungeons and dragons…

i guss its ok

cgv hbvkd vjvhsvhivhcickbcjh

Just needed to ask: I’d like to think these prompts are for free writing with no pauses? But, does one edit and polish the piece after that? I keep reading about writing every day…like brain dumping. But, there is never a mention of what one does with the piece after that??

This article has been written with sheer intelligence. Such 365 creative writing prompts has been written here. This article is worth marking as Good. I like how you have researched and presented these exact points so clearly.

Thank you for this list! You’ve inspired me to take up the challenge, though I haven’t written anything in years!

I have even created a blog to post my ideas, and keep myself accountable. I hope this is okay, I will credit, and provide a link back to this page on each post. https://thefishhavegotitright.blogspot.com/

I love it Ariadne, I’ll definitely come check out your site! Keep at it!

This is really Helpful thanks I love it😊

I never knew how much I had to write about. This should definitely keep me busy! Thank you so much for the list.

Hi! I saw a note saying this had been updated for 2020. I was curious if there are plans to update it for 2021. If so, when would the 2021-updated list become available?

Hi Gabrielle, I am not sure when we will next update this list, but feel free to check out some of our other writing prompts lists if you’ve exhausted this one! Writing Prompts for Kids {which is for grown-ups too!} and Poetry Writing Prompts are two great ones to check out. Hope that helps!

Loved this a lot! I would like to ask permission for using these prompts for my poetry and stories page on Instagram. Kindly let me know if I can use these and let my followers write on them too.

Hi, Piyusha, I’m just a user of the site like you, so I’m not “official”. But if you hit CTRL + F in your browser, that should open the “Find” dialog. Search on “Camilla”, and that will take you to a post and response concerning your request. Have a great and productive writing day. K. B. Tidwell

very informative thank you

I have always had problems finding something to write about. My problem is solved🥰 Thank you

I love this

Oh great. Good for everyone who enjoys picking the pen and writing something readable

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Journal of Creative Writing Studies

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Creative Writing

• Finding Books
• Resources by Genre

Finding literary journals and magazines

A selection of literary magazines and journals.

• Organizations and events
• Getting Published
• Citing Sources This link opens in a new window

Below is a selection of the NYU Libraries' holdings of literary journals and magazines that publish new fiction, poetry, and other writing. To see whether the library subscribes to a given journal, you can use the advanced search options in the NYU Libraries' catalog , to search for a title and limit the material type to "Journal."

• American Poetry Review The American Poetry Review is dedicated to reaching a worldwide audience with a diverse array of the best contemporary poetry and literary prose. APR also aims to expand the audience interested in poetry and literature, and to provide authors, especially poets, with a far-reaching forum in which to present their work.
• Antioch Review The Antioch Review, a small independent literary magazine founded in 1941 by the faculty of Antioch College in a small town in the cornfields of Ohio, is one of the oldest literary magazines in America. Publishing nonfiction essays, fiction, and poetry from promising and prominent authors, the Antioch Review has an international readership and reputation of publishing the “best words in the best order” for nearly 85 years.
• Ecotone: Reimagining Place Ecotone is based at the University of North Carolina Wilmington and comes out twice a year. Each issue contains new fiction, poetry, essays, and artwork. The magazine bridges the gap between science and culture, bringing together the literary and the scientific, the urban and the rural, the personal and the biological.
• Gettysburg Review The Gettysburg Review, published by Gettysburg College, is recognized as one of the country’s premier literary journals. Since its debut in 1988, work by such luminaries as E. L. Doctorow, Rita Dove, James Tate, Joyce Carol Oates, Richard Wilbur, and Donald Hall has appeared alongside that of emerging artists such as JM Holmes, Lydia Conklin, Jessica Hollander, Emily Nemens, Charles Yu, and Ashley Wurzbacher, who was recently named a National Book Foundation 5 Under 35 honoree.
• Granta Granta magazine was founded in 1889 by students at Cambridge University as The Granta, a periodical of student politics, badinage and literary enterprise. In 1979, Bill Buford and Pete de Bolla transformed Granta from a student publication to the literary quarterly it remains today. Each themed issue of Granta turns the attention of the world’s best writers on to one aspect of the way we live now.
• Kenyon Review One of the most vibrant and innovative literary journals in the world, the Kenyon Review maintains an international reach and significance. Founded at Kenyon College in 1939 by poet and critic John Crowe Ransom, KR remains committed to discovering, publishing, and supporting new voices from the broadest and most diverse backgrounds, as well as featuring singularly distinguished authors of this generation.
• McSweeney's McSweeney’s Quarterly Concern began in 1998 as a literary journal that published only works rejected by other magazines. That rule was soon abandoned, and since then McSweeney’s has attracted some of the finest writers in the world, from George Saunders and Lydia Davis, to Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and David Foster Wallace.
• New England Review Over the past 30 years, New England Review has established itself as one of the nation's most distinguished literary journals, a publication that encourages lively artistic exchange and innovation. Presenting work in a wide variety of genres by writers both new and established, each 200-page issue ranges over an unusually comprehensive literary spectrum. You’ll find highly accomplished traditional narratives as well as challenging experiments in style and form, poetry and works of drama of the highest quality, translations of works from many languages and time periods, far-reaching essays on art and literature, and rediscoveries from our cultural past.
• New Yorker The New Yorker is a national weekly magazine that offers a signature mix of reporting and commentary on politics, foreign affairs, business, technology, popular culture and the arts, along with humor, fiction, poetry and cartoons. Founded in 1925, The New Yorker publishes the best writers of its time and has received more National Magazine Awards than any other magazine
• Paris Review The Paris Review is a quarterly English-language literary magazine established in Paris in 1953. It is known for known for presenting quality fiction and poetry by both established authors and new or relatively unknown writers.
• Ploughshares Ploughshares is an American literary journal established in 1971. Since 1989, Ploughshares has been based at Emerson College in Boston. Ploughshares publishes issues four times a year, two of which are guest-edited by a prominent writer who explores personal visions, aesthetics, and literary circles.
• Poetry Founded in Chicago by Harriet Monroe in 1912, Poetry is the oldest monthly devoted to verse in the English-speaking world. Monroe’s Open Door policy, set forth in volume 1 of the magazine, remains the most succinct statement of Poetry’s mission: to print the best contemporary poetry, of any style, genre, or approach. The magazine established its reputation early by publishing the first important poems of H.D., T.S. Eliot, Marianne Moore, Ezra Pound, Carl Sandburg, Wallace Stevens, William Carlos Williams, and other now-classic authors.
• Prairie Schooner Prairie Schooner, a national literary quarterly published with the support of the English Department at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and the University of Nebraska Press, is home to the best fiction, poetry, essays, and reviews being published today by beginning, mid-career, and established writers.
• Sewanee Review Founded in 1892, the Sewanee Review is America’s oldest continuously published literary quarterly. Many of the twentieth century’s great writers, including T. S. Eliot, William Faulkner, Eudora Welty, Wallace Stevens, Saul Bellow, Katherine Anne Porter, Marianne Moore, and Ezra Pound, have appeared in the magazine.
• Southern Review The Southern Review is one of the nation’s premiere literary journals. Hailed by Time as "superior to any other journal in the English language," we have made literary history since our founding in 1935. We publish a diverse array of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry by the country’s—and the world’s—most respected contemporary writers.
• Tin House The first issue of Tin House magazine arrived in the spring of 1999, the singular lovechild of an eclectic literary journal and a beautiful glossy magazine. During its 20-year print run, the magazine established Tin House as a vital and vibrant part of the American literary landscape, a showcase for not only established, prize-winning authors, but undiscovered writers as well.
• TriQuarterly TriQuarterly is the literary magazine of Northwestern University. It is edited by students in the Litowitz MFA+MA Graduate Creative Writing Program and the MFA in Prose and Poetry in the School of Professional Studies. Alumni of these programs and other readers also serve as editorial staff. Available around the world, TriQuarterly has remained "an international journal of writing, art, and cultural inquiry."
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• Last Updated: Apr 2, 2024 1:13 AM
• URL: https://guides.nyu.edu/creative-writing

Creative Writing: Journals

by Melissa Donovan | Mar 7, 2024 | Creative Writing | 4 comments

What do your creative writing journals look like?

Today’s post is an excerpt from  Ready, Set, Write: A Guide to Creative Writing , a book that provides tips and tools for writers while serving as a broad roadmap for anyone who wants to explore creative writing. This excerpt is from chapter seven: “Journals.” Enjoy!

Journals are often confused for diaries. Technically, a diary is a type of journal, but a journal is any written log. You could keep a gratitude journal, a dream journal, or a goals journal. Many writers keep idea journals where they store ideas for current and future writing projects. And many keep general-purpose journals, in which they write anything and everything. Journals can also be used beyond the realm of writing; for example, you could keep an art, collage, or mixed-medium journal.

Journaling is a good way to build writing habits, especially if you can commit to doing it every day. Many writers spend inordinate amounts of time focused on editing, publishing, or marketing their work, which leaves little time for writing. A journal provides a place to develop and maintain a writing practice.

Journals are particularly useful for new writers because they provide an ideal space for exploring the craft of writing. You can use your journal to experiment with any type of writing, whether to enhance your skills or to try new ideas and forms.

Some writers maintain multiple journals: a tiny one to carry in a pocket or a purse, and a larger one kept on a nightstand or a desk. Some writers keep one journal for poetry and another for story ideas. Others keep a single all-purpose journal. Some journals are written in notebooks, and these can be cheap spiral-bound notebooks or fancy hardbound notebooks, and other journals are kept digitally.

I highly recommend journaling for all writers, especially young or new writers who are discovering their writing. At the very least, it’s helpful to have a few notebooks or digital documents that you can use for journaling, even if you don’t do it daily. After all, one thing every writer needs is a place to write, whether it’s a text document on a computer or a composition book (aff link) and a pen.

Have you ever kept a journal? What kind of journal was (is) it? If you were going to start a journal, what kind of journal would it be? Would you rather keep multiple single-purpose journals or a single all-purpose journal?

I’m getting ready to publish a technology magazine. This article is good for timing. Thanks.

You’re welcome!

I think it will take several thousand years to reach the literary quality of the 20th century again.

I think it depends what you’re reading.

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Then, There: January 2020

Here, now: april 2022, there, there: spring, 2020, writing the everyday breaking body.

Jonathan Wyatt is professor of qualitative inquiry and a co-director of the Centre for Creative-Relational Inquiry at The University of Edinburgh.

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Jonathan Wyatt; Writing the Everyday Breaking Body. Journal of Autoethnography 1 April 2024; 5 (2): 233–240. doi: https://doi.org/10.1525/joae.2024.5.2.233

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As part of his working toward a new book, Writing, the Everyday, and Creative-Relational Inquiry , this article enquires into the everyday body, the body’s losses, joys, mess, beauty, and contradictions. It is an article about how a(n aging, White, male) body breaks, how it might (or might not) heal, what a body in its everyday movements remembers, knows, conveys, carries, mourns; what is lost but present. It begins to trouble and explore how we conceptualize “the body.” Bringing to the page the everyday poetics and prosaics of the struggling, soaring, body, and the legacies it holds, the article looks for creative-relational possibilities for writing the in/corporeal.

This writing enquires into and with the body: the everyday body. The everyday body in three senses: the everyday body as the each-day, all-day, ever-present body, the body we live with, the body we are, the body we can’t do without; the body’s ordinariness (we all have one); and, in particular, the body’s everydayness in a Deleuzian sense, as “a concurrent, reciprocating reality…a potential maelstrom of non-human becomings.” 1 A body like any other but also a body that is relational, processual, extraordinary, excessive, “as much outside itself as in itself—webbed in relations.” 2

This writing—this body of writing, this writing-body—moves through, in, across, inside, and outside particular places, particular times. There and then, here and now, there and now, here and then: the past, present, and future carried back and forth between each encounter, each event. 3

What follows concerns the body’s losses, joys, mess, beauty, pain, and contradictions. It is writing toward how a body breaks; how an aging, White, male body breaks (though I wonder why I choose those three categories amongst many; why I choose to categorize at all); how the body might (or might not) heal; what a body in its everyday movements and moments remembers, knows, conveys, carries, mourns; what is lost but present. It is writing about how difficult it is to write about the body, however much scholars make claims (as I do) for embodied scholarship. Bringing to the page the everyday poetics and prosaics of the struggling, soaring, body, and the legacies it holds, the writing looks for creative-relational possibilities for writing the in/corporeal.

I’m on a narrow sofa in my therapist’s consulting room, the front room of a first-floor Edinburgh flat. She sits in a chair opposite, the other side of the fireplace, the window onto the courtyards behind her right shoulder. I have my shoes off and my legs crossed. We’re half-way through the time we have together.

We’ve been talking about the pain I’m experiencing. This pain is persistent, present, a reminder each day, all day. This pain is localized, specific. It’s physical, topical. You could say, it’s “personal.” And this pain is affective, pervasive, charging each moment, each movement, touching everything, all of me and beyond me, my body’s gathering of “the impersonal forces that compose [it].” 4

I’m talking and gesticulating through tears. Despairing. “Like this,” I’m saying, “you see, like this…with my body being like this, I don’t know what the point of me is. I don’t know what my purpose is.” It’s an unexpected, even ridiculous, statement, even to me, catching me by surprise and despite or because of the tears, I laugh. My therapist doesn’t.

My body is quiet this morning. Sitting upright on the café’s dark wooden chair at a marble table by the glowing fire, I close my eyes, listening to the messages the body gives me. Except, at the table next to me, books between them alongside cups, saucers, and teapots, a man and a woman talk. I hear them, sense them. They seem close, familiar, intimate, an energy between them. Lovers, perhaps. She asks a question in French. They converse for a time—I gather their conversation is about the war in Ukraine, French politics, President Macron, something of his relationship with Vladimir Putin, but no more—then they speak in English, damning our Prime Minister for his ineptitude and follies. The conversation shifts into French again and I lose them. I am thankful for this. I return my attention to skin, muscle, breath, heartbeat—and to writing. How the body writes, eyes open at the page, head tilted to the right, pen held between the left hand’s thumb and middle finger and forefinger, right hand holding the notebook open, blue ink appearing in curls and lines, scratched onto the page. I forget to breathe—and then remember.

My body-in-process, I, walked this morning, as we often do, up the hill from home, onto the High Street, and across to the campus—if it can be called a campus: the city and its university buildings fold into and between each other. I felt cold air sharp against my cheeks. I wore a hat to cover my ears. I wore gloves over my hands and fingers. Two sets: cashmere mitts and ski gloves. My outbreaths appeared, like mist. A late spring burst of winter.

Once on campus I went to the gym. I do this three mornings a week.

                      * * *

Note I’m taking you toward a section, early in this article, where I speak about a body that can move, that can find its place in a gym. The text will tell of what this body can do alongside also what it can’t, today, but could perhaps in time: a body looking beyond its limits toward possibility. This is the body I bring you almost before anything else, although it’s true you have with you the shadow of the opening scene with my therapist. This body I will bring you now is one that functions, one that serves me. How smooth some movements feel; a body’s strength even as it falters. This, near the top of the article, is where I am avoiding, where I resist, except for that momentary opening glimpse, offering you a sense of a body breaking. What follows in a few lines below is not a body breaking, it would appear, not a body lost, not a life disrupted. I first choose to convey this body’s vitality, its energy, its strength.

I realize what I’m saying risks sounding arch, and I want you to see it for what it is. It’s a strategy for image management. I bring you in on this strategy so you can see it. I want you to see this avoidance coming. Which you would anyway. I know you will know; and now you know I know you will know. I know you will see through this, through me. You will see me. You will also understand, I sense, how I am doing this for me, not you. I am hoping the irony will make the strategy seem less artless, less defensive.

I want you to think of me as vital alongside knowing my body’s vulnerability. I want to think of myself as vital. I want to be vital.

However, this story about my early morning at the gym is also about relating, about encounter. Encounter with what’s possible. Encounter with what’s possible through and with another; with others, human, nonhuman, more-than-human others. Encounter with sound, touch, weight, breath. Encounter with teaching, learning, encouragement, hope, pleasure. Love, even. The permeable, porous “bodymind” 5 —movements and affect in continuous, looping relation—at work. The body itself as creative-relational inquiry, 6 “listening to unintelligible attempts to lure.” 7

So, to the gym early this morning.

The soundtrack in the gym changes but stays the same. There are, I would guess, no more than thirty songs that play through the loudspeakers, over and over, round and round, the same thirty songs throughout at least the past six months. One, as I warmed up, stretching my hips, back, and hamstrings by sitting low into my haunches, caught me. It always does. Therapist , by Mae Muller. The song is a complaint by the singer about how tiring she’s finding her lover’s neediness. She’s done with him; he doesn’t need a lover, she claims—he needs a therapist. He wants someone to look after him, and she’s not prepared to be that person. Off you go, she’s suggesting, go get help. 8

It is not a happy song, but it’s somehow heartening. There’s something about the strength in it. I admire her. The straight talking. The bluntness. The directness. This woman risks sounding cruel, almost, in telling in public the plain truth of this failing relationship, of this needy man, but there it is: she needs a lover, he needs a therapist. She’s getting out of there. It makes me smile.

Sebby found me as I stretched. Meet Sebby: Sebby is my coach. My teacher. He is teaching me how to do Olympic lifting. I am one of his “junior” team, as he calls us; on his junior team there’s me and there’s Jim, also in his sixties, just a few years older. Jim and I meet in the changing room most mornings, greeting each other with tales of our latest lifting achievements, his retirement life, my university life, and our current injuries. Mostly our injuries.

Sebby is teaching me how to lift. He is my teacher. He speaks of me as one of his “students,” not one of his clients. The first lift is the “clean,” the second the “push press,” and then how to link these lifts together, to allow them to flow one into the other. It’s early days, but I am beginning to find myself in the fluidity of lifting. This morning, as Sebby watched me, he called: “Don’t overthink it. Focus on the speed, Jonathan. Focus on the jump.” I crouch, my hands shoulder-width apart on the bar, which rests on the floor. I look up, breathe in, hold. “Back tight, core tight, glutes tight,” he demands. Keeping the back tight is a challenge. To enable me to feel it, he has asked me what I like to drink, and to imagine holding that favorite drink between my shoulder blades. So I picture a bottle of double espresso gripped between my traps, and the back is as tight as it can get. The bar travels slow up my shins, then as it reaches just above the knees, it accelerates, bouncing off the tops of my thighs as I jump, elbows hooking, body dropping underneath the bar into a squat. The knees and hips extend to standing, the bar resting across my collar bone, my quads, glutes, and core still tight. Standing upright, the feet move closer; legs bend, then a spring, heels lifted, elbows snapped, bar between my hands above the head. Lock. The trajectory of the horizontal bar must be straight up, my head withdrawn to avoid injury. Sometimes the bar clips my chin, affecting my confidence and the bar’s path in subsequent lifts, my fear sending the bar looping out in front of me. Once, after this happened, Sebby approached close and said quietly, “Jonathan, you’re closing your eyes. Keep them open. You’re closing them as you spring. Closing your eyes is adorable but ill-advised.”

This morning was a good session, the body smooth, eyes open, the bar shooting up fast and direct. Sebby, after one successful lift sequence, leapt from the nearby bench, excited, shouting, “Yesssss, make some noise!” I let the bar go from above my head to land on the platform and bounce. I clenched my fists and roared. Sebby cheered. Later, when we finished, when it was time for me to work and for him to see another student, we pumped fists, shook hands, and hugged. I told him I loved him.

This is one story I can tell. It’s a story of recovering, of healing, of fun, of joy. A story that’s with me now, my body enjoying the legacy of movement and effort in the dark wooden chair at the marble table beside the bilingual lovers, who are now silent and on their phones. A story where the body feels settled as I listen and write. My heartbeat steady, muscles tired, content. My body feels no pain. A body found. A body being found.

But the breaking body, the body lost, the body being lost, is closer even than my nearby companions. Closer still than the marble table and the dark wooden chair. It was there with me in the gym even as the bar sped from thigh to collar bone to sky. The breaking body is not only memory: it haunts, evoking fear and also teaching me, teaching me how to live. 9 The body is always breaking, always dying, 10 its life always letting death in; and the body breaks in order to live; its muscles tear to grow.

This breaking body is here now in the movement of fingers on keys, in the stillness, in the body’s happy rhythms. It was in the lifting bar, in the sweat, in the roar; and now, here in the writing quiet, there remains the fragility and vulnerability of the weeks, the months, of despair, the moments where skin raged and protested; and when, like that, I no longer knew what the point of me was. This is the body not as fixed and discrete but as Deleuzian event, constituted in its relations with other bodies and affects, always in process. 11

I’ve been writing in fits and starts for weeks through the long period of what’s been called the “lockdown.” I write as I walk, dictating into my phone, during that precious time of being outside once a day.

I’m walking along my street, heading north. It’s early morning. There is occasional traffic, an eerie quiet, like it’s been for many weeks. My phone is in my left hand, closed, my headphones in my ears. I’m feeling what this is like, to talk/write while walking. Writing to the rhythm of footsteps. Writing at walking pace.

I needed to be outside to write this morning. I needed to not write at my laptop in the living room in the flat that has been my unfamiliar home since March. (Another story for another time. A life being unmade; a life being made.) I needed to feel the ground under my feet. I needed to hear birds, their songs so clear, so vivid, so strong, as if you could reach up and touch the notes that pierce the city’s quiet. I needed to fill my lungs with the warm-chill air.

A bin lorry approaches, disturbing all. It pulls up beside me, and two men jump off the platform at the back. I stop writing-talking, self-conscious, as they busy around me. I stop also out of respect, for what I no longer take for granted. These men in their high-viz jackets, negotiating safe distance between them, are working for me, for us, keeping everything going. Where would we be without them?

I complete the circuit, a rectangle, around my flat.

I read back what I’ve written over the weeks and realize I can’t offer it to an audience or a reader. The stories of doctors and inspections, of lights and surgical gloves, latterly of COVID-19 masks, and sympathetic medical staff whose care makes me cry. It’s too much: too much for others, I speculate, but mostly too much for me. Too much information. Too personal. Too exposing. Too shaming. There will be listeners, readers, witnesses, whom I know; and there will be others I don’t. I don’t know which of these is more difficult for me to bring this to.

I know, I say to myself: how about I make this theoretical? How about I distract myself, and distract my audience, with theory? Invoke Deleuze, Guattari, Manning, Braidotti, Cixous, and my favorite others, the new materialists, the posthumanists, the poststructuralists, and explore the indigenous scholarship those discourses neglect. How about I write with them, find company with them, look to them for ways of understanding how to make sense of this experience?

Except theory is not a distraction. I know this. We can’t move without theory. We can’t live without theory. It was theory bell hooks turned to when she was in pain. “[She] came to theory desperate, wanting to comprehend, to grasp what had happened around and with [her].” 12 Theory is in the body. We are bodies of theory. I often tell students (I think I tell them too often) how if we cut ourselves we bleed theory. Whatever I write here about the body, my body, these words are always already coursed through with theory, giving life to the words, giving life to the mortal body, giving life to my mortal body. Theory is traction, not distraction.

Or, I know: how about I tell a different story, not this one at all? Leave this one aside until it becomes a story of recovery, of restitution. 13 Wait ’til then, ignore it, pretend it’s not happening. How about instead I tell a story that casts me, casts my body, in a more powerful light, one that serves to offer a better impression? Not a body in pain, not skin that’s vulnerable, injured, smarting, not a fragile, aging body, but a (temporarily)abled, healthy body. A strong, unblemished body; a body that lifts and runs and stretches. How about I tell that story?

Except that story betrays itself in the telling. It shines a light on what it purports to obscure. It appears to offer the bounded organism of the humanist, medical body, whose “health” is judged by the stability of its internal self-governing systems. That body story is a cloak. As its words roll, it could not but tell how the body is always in flux, always disassembling and re-assembling in different ways, always being created in transient assemblages between the organic and inorganic. 14 A body that’s not interested in “being,” not interested in what it “is” (or should be) but one that’s pushing at what it can do , one that’s always “becoming,” however unwelcome and uneasy that is, however much pain ensues—and wherever that story may lead.

I know, I say to myself: how about I make this funny? So others can laugh, so I can laugh. So together we can mock the body’s failings. My body’s failings. Its skin fraying at the edges; wearing thin; its joke wearing thin. I could tell the story about going to see Joseph.

Joseph is a natural therapist. After months of seeing medical professionals without improvement, I make an appointment with him. I give him chapter and verse. He’s attentive. He listens. He’s easy to talk to. He asks if he can have a look. I’m used to this now. I show him. I drop my trousers. He crouches. He draws up close, stays there, viewing from different angles. From where he is, stooped, he remarks,

“That’s not a very impressive specimen, is it?”

“Well, thanks. You’re not the first to say that,” I say.

He backtracks. “I mean the condition. The condition is not very impressive, not…” And he trails off. He tries again.

“It’s not, you know, bad. The condition, I mean. Your condition.”

I laugh. He laughs. “You just about rescued that,” I say.

He prescribes two teas, one to drink, the other to soak, and suggests I take care not to confuse the two. Or at least not to use one brew for both purposes.

Yes, how about I tell stories that make us laugh? I need to laugh, even at this most intimate, this most personal, of my body’s failings. How about I do that? Tell this and other such stories—there are many more—that render pain and loss, render failure, wry. That would make this easier.

Except the narrative of failure, Arthur Frank’s chaos narrative , 15 where there is no hope, is only one story to tell. Another is how the body is not failing, not breaking. Not at all. The body is doing what it needs to do. It’s on a quest . 16 It’s responding, feeling, speaking. Its skin is charged with meaning. It has a message, a tattoo, and it is not only mine, and not only, not even, about me. “Skin is the literal and metaphorical borderland between the materiality of the autobiographical ‘I’ and the contextual surround of the world,” writes Sidonie Smith. 17 Skin that breathes in, breathes out—alive, sensitive, making living possible. Skin that’s affecting and affected. Skin that’s holding it together, holding me together. Deep, deep, skin deep.

The national restrictions on our everyday movements ease. I walk again, headphones on and phone in hand. It’s trying to be warm again today, and I find an empty bench by the river, and lie against the arm, my feet up. I close my eyes to listen. There’s birdsong, a song I don’t recognize. I open my eyes and look up and around at the trees. The one by me I recognize as an elm. (There are many I don’t recognize.) Its branch hangs above me, giving me shade. I notice the bark on the branch is marked. The tree’s skin is torn. I wonder whether the tree feels this tear, what this tear does, what it means. I catch myself. The elm will continue to do what it does, what it’s meant to do. It will carry on doing elm.

It’s time to leave my café spot. I have been here at this table by the window. I need to be at my office in fifteen minutes to meet a student. We will walk outside for supervision, which has been our pattern over recent months. We choose to do this out of caution but also because we notice that walking beside each other around the Meadows, the park behind my office, engages us, opens us up. The movement frees thinking, catches different affective dynamics. I look forward to it.

The table beside me is now empty—another reason to leave. I miss my unwitting companions’ energy. I shift my weight onto my feet and, using my left hand on the heavy marble for balance, ease up to standing. I say, “ease,” but the process of standing is slow, a struggle. Sitting for an hour after strenuous movement was unwise. The body loosens as joints, muscles, ligaments, tendons, blood, and breath renew action. The body is finding its way, finding another moment. “[T]he body, too, is…a phase,” 18 writes Alecia Jackson, the body’s shaping as I approach the café door, hand raised to push it open, being, like Olympic lifting, like pain, “the passage of the passing moment.” 19

On the pavement, I turn right. I cross the road toward my office and the Meadows and my student, following Middle Meadow Walk and its avenue of elms.

David R. Cole, Traffic Jams: Analysing Everyday Life through the Immanent Materialism of Deleuze & Guattari (New York: Punctum, 2013), 2.

Greg. J. Seigworth and Melissa Gregg, “An Inventory of Shimmers” in The Affect Theory Reader, eds. Melissa Gregg and Greg J. Seigworth (Durham, NC: Duke University Press, 2010), 3.

Brian Massum, “The Supernormal Animal,” in The Nonhuman Turn , ed. Richard Grusin (Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2015), 1–17.

Melissa A. Orlie, “Impersonal Matter,” in New Materialisms: Ontology, Agency and Politics , eds. Diana Coole and Samantha Frost (Durham, NC: Duke, 2010), 120.

Simone Fullagar, Wendy O’Brien, and Adele Pavlidis, Feminism and a Vital Politics of Depression and Recover (Cham: Palgrave Macmillan, 2019).

Jonathan Wyatt, Therapy, Stand-up, and the Gesture of Writing: Toward Creative-Relational Inquiry (London: Routledge, 2019).

Fiona Murray, “The Emergencies of Creative-Relational Inquiry,” Departures in Critical Qualitative Research 9, no. 2 (2020): 26–39. https://doi.org/10.1525/dcqr.2020.9.2.26

Caroline Ailin, Mae Muller, and David Pramik, “Therapist,” Capitol, 2020.

Avery Gordon, Ghostly Matters: Haunting and the Sociological Imagination (London: University of Minnesota Press, 2008); bell hooks, Teaching to Transgress: Education as the Practice of Freedom (London: Routledge, 1994).

Ronald J. Pelias, “Always Dying: Living Between Da and Fort ,” Qualitative Inquiry 6, no. 2 (2000): 229–237. https://doi.org/10.1177/107780040000600204

Julia Coffey, “Bodies, Body Work and Gender: Exploring a Deleuzian Approach,” Journal of Gender Studies 22, no. 1 (2013): 3–16. https://doi.org/10.1080/09589236.2012.714076

hooks, Teaching to Transgress .

Arthur W. Frank, The Wounded Storyteller: Body, Illness, and Ethics (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1995).

Gilles Deleuze and Félix Guattari, A Thousand Plateaus: Capitalism and Schizophrenia (London: Continuum, 2004); Annie Potts, “Deleuze on Viagra (Or, What Can a ‘Viagra-body’ Do?),” Body and Society 10, no. 1, (2004): 17–36.

Frank, Wounded Storyteller.

Sidonie Smith, Subjectivity, Identity, and the Body (Bloomington: Indiana University Press 1993), 127–128.

Alecia Y. Jackson, “An Ontology of a Backflip,” Cultural Studies <=> Critical Methodologies 16, no. 2 (2016), 183–192. https://doi.org/10.1177/1532708616634735

Philippa Rothfield, “Dance and the Passing Moment: Deleuze’s Nietzsche” in Deleuze and the Body, eds. Laura Guillaume and Joe Hughes (Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 2011), 215.

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