A Week of Writing Fearlessly: 7 Prompts from the Staff of The Novice

By the staff of The Novice, Silver Lake College's literary and visual arts journal

Crunchy fallen leaves in scarlet, orange, and gold are permeating the air on campus with that earthy-festive leaf smell.  Weekend trips to pumpkin patches and cafes with family and friends are flecked with cinnamon, swatches of Instagram-worthy gourds, and flannel. As writers, we're supposed to be inspired this time of year. We're supposed to be filling composition notebooks, scribbling away as if energized and moved by each sip of our harvest-themed beverages.

If the words aren't exactly flowing for you, here are a few prompts from the staff of The Novice to get you through the week. We challenge you to submit your favorite piece to thenovice.slc@gmail.com.  We’ll consider all submissions for publication in our spring issue of Silver Lake College's literary and arts journal. 

Happy writing!

1.       Write a break up letter to something that you can’t stand (pumpkin spice lattes, writer’s block, Mondays, mornings, etc.).

2.       Write about “the one that got away” (it can be a person, an opportunity, a lost object, etc.).

3.       Imagine that you walk into your room one day and a strange box/package/item is on your bed.

4.       Write a letter to a famous historical figure or celebrity you love.

5.       Write a letter to a famous historical figure or celebrity you can’t stand.

6.   Write about a night at a haunted house or an afternoon at a pumpkin patch. Let that night or afternoon be full of drama. 

7.   Write about a favorite/least favorite Halloween costume from childhood or adulthood. Who did you become? How did the costume transform you?