Journal Prompt

Describe an experience you’ve had with a clown.

Story Starter

The man next door is a clown. Sometimes, at night, crazy laughter can be heard from inside his house. Today, he left in a hurry, and after he pulled off, the door opened. You couldn’t resist going over to see what the inside of a clown’s house looks like, but once there, you were in for the surprise of your life…

Write the story.

Journal Prompt

If you were stranded on an island, what five things would you need to feel as though you could last until rescue came? Describe the items and why they are important to you.

Story Starter

Write a story in which your main characters have been stranded on a deserted island for five years…only to find out that their island has never been deserted.

Journal Prompt

These days, there are hundreds of movies “based on a true story.” Most of the time, though, the stories aren’t that spectacular or different from the real life heroes we know whose stories never make it to the big screen. In fact, there’s usually at least one event in our lifetimes that, if told right would sound like it was made for the movies. Tell YOUR made for TV movie.

Story Starter

Reality TV is full of over the top characters and unrealistic situations. Write a story in which your main character is a reality TV star aching for some actual reality.

Journal Prompt – Write the soundtrack to your life.

Story Starter – The year is 2274. Music has been outlawed because it has been determined that the wrong kind of music creates psychopaths. Write the story of what happens when music is suddenly played inside a small high school.

Journal Prompt – What do you do to relax? How do you relieve stress?

Story Starter – You jog through the woods everyday. There’s never anything along your path, and phone service in nonexistent. Today, however, as you jog, you see a park bench in front of a pathway that hadn’t been there before. You can’t resist going over for a closer look. Write the story.

Journal Prompt – Write a guide for surviving the zombie apocalypse.

Story Starter – The zombie apocalypse started ten years ago. Surprisingly, you’ve made it this whole time. Write the story of what happens when the apocalypse is coming to an end.

Journal Prompt – Are you doing the work you love? If you woke up tomorrow and had enough money to live comfortably for the rest of your life, is your job a place that brings you enough joy that you would go if you didn’t have to go? If so, write a journal entry in which you advise others on how to get to that place in their live. If not, what would you rather be doing? What moves are you making to ensure you get there?

Story Starter – Your boss has been yelling and storming through the office for hours. Your coworkers keep shifting their to-do tasks to you and calling it teamwork. Every time the phone rings, it’s someone who wants you to do something else. And guess what? Everybody needs you to work on their work RIGHT NOW. When you hear your boss coming your way five minutes before the end of the day, you already know he has a project that will require you to stay for another late night in a month full of late night work emergencies. You close your eyes and wish to the old gods and the new (#GOT) that everybody would just go the $#%! away. And then there was silence. When you open your eyes… Write the story.

Journal Prompt: Growing up, a rule at my house was to be on the front porch by the time the street lights came on. At the time, it seemed so arbitrary. Why then? Why not when the sun went down, or at a specific time? As an adult, it totally makes sense. The street lights come on when it’s getting dark out. And while creeps will get you at any time, after dark, there are many more dangers in our world than in the bright light of day. What rules did you have as a child that didn’t make sense then but make a ton of sense to you now?

Story Starter: During the summer storms three years ago, the neighborhood children disappeared. All at once, without a trace. People searched, posted flyers, and did national interviews to no avail. Every child between the ages of 5 and 10 just vanished, almost as though they never existed. Eventually, people gave up the search. Marriages ended, people moved, and the remaining youth were kept close to home. There hadn’t been storms like that again, until this year. Last night, as you watched the storm clouds gathering just after sunset, you looked down the street and saw one of the missing. Write the story.

Journal Prompt: Think about the metaphorical bridges you’ve crossed or planned to cross. Where are your bridges taking you? What are they bringing you? Is this what you want for your life?

Story Starter: You thought it was an ordinary day, but as you turned down the street that should have led to your house, instead of seeing your regular street, you see this bridge. Write the story.