Category: Challenging Exercises

August 5, 2021

Making Your Own Writing Prompts

Writing prompts are excellent ways to practice different aspects of writing. But what if you can’t find one for the literary device or technique you want to practice? That’s when making your own writing prompts comes in handy. How to Create a Writing Exercise Writing a writing prompt is a writing exercise in and of itself. Teachers do it all...

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October 31, 2017

Horror or Humor? A Writing Prompt

Tis the season to be scary, so why are so many “horror” movies funny instead? What is the boundary? What makes a story horror or humor? Explore the answer with this hilariously scary writing prompt. Are You Writing Horror or Humor? Interestingly, what determines whether a story is funny or scary is less the topic and more how the topic...

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March 23, 2017

6 Word Short Story Writing Prompt Challenge

Can you express a story in 6 words? Or less? If you’ve practiced and mastered writing 50 word short stories like “They Call Him the Philosopher,” you might be ready for the 6 word short story writing prompt challenge. An Advanced Writing Prompt: The Challenge of the Six Word Short Story Pregaming the 6 Word Short Story *cough* I mean, “prepping...

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March 7, 2017

A One-track Mind Writing Prompt Challenge

Yes, the phrase “a one-track mind” often has connotations of X-rated content; however, all it really means is that person is fixated on a specific topic. It could be a video game that a person loves, a show someone watches all the time, a favorite author, a significant other, politics, world news, dieting, a pet – anything a person could...

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March 3, 2016

A Writing Challenge Worthy of Dr. Seuss

In a 2004 article for Dr. Seuss’ 100th birthday, BBC News published an article called “10 Facts about Dr. Seuss,” and my favorite fact was that Green Eggs and Ham was written because of a bet that Dr. Seuss could not write a book using only 50 words. I hope large quantities of money were involved in that bet because Dr. Seuss...

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January 24, 2016

A Real Rhyme Challenge of a Writing Prompt

Ok, here’s the deal. Pick a type of rhymed verse (one with a set meter and rhyme scheme), and set up all the words for the ends of the lines – all the rhymes in the order that they have to be used. Then, write the rest of the poem without changing any of those words. That’s right. You have to...

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September 11, 2015

A Writing Prompt: The Super Challenge

The hardest part of this writing prompt (the super challenge) is thinking of the super power. And, no, it’s not just any super power. The Super Power Writing Challenge Think of a super power that would not only be practically worthless in a battle with a super villain but is also super inconvenient in the hero’s normal life. Then, find...

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July 24, 2015

50 Word Stories: Another Way to Challenge Yourself

Whenever you restrict yourself to a specific form or word count, you’re going to have to work your brain and flex your writing muscles. One of the most famous examples in writing legend (true or not) is the story of Ernest Hemingway writing a short story in 6 words as a bet. The result? For sale: Baby shoes. Never worn....

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July 23, 2015

Writing Prompt Game

This is a story-telling game I used to play in college with friends. It’s been used in movies. I’ve seen songwriters use it as a challenge for each other. It even gets pulled up from time to time as an icebreaker. Yeah, I know, the last one isn’t helping my case. But give it a chance. This is both an...

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