Category Archives: A Pen In Each Hand

Writing Exercises.

March 2018
Daily Writing Prompts

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A Pen In Each Hand

  1. Write about a sudden change in the weather.
  2. Use the following phrase: this is something special
  3. “There’s absolutely no question.”
  4. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: despair, lodge, cutting, long, fiction.
    2. Write about someone not finding what they’re looking for.
    3. Use the phrase “Could use a facelift.”
  5. Write about a lap cat “helping”
  6. Your protagonist is named Virgil Beck.
  7. Write about family interfering with work.
  8. Use these 5 words: befitting, last, program, haircut, birthday.
  9. “If you think about it inside out…”
  10. Write about being good enough.
  11. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: side, rung, smart, margin, liability.
    2. Write about dreading a move.
    3. Fill in the blank: “If you should happen to ______.”
  12. Use these 5 words: shipwreck, biofuel, ripple, dahlia, fern.
  13. Write about a life-changing decision
  14. Start with this line of dialogue: “_____ has died.”
  15. Write about something coming due on the Ides of March
  16. Use these 5 words: short, spinster, nauseate, fail, prelude.
  17. Write about the first attempt to sail a new boat.
  18. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: clique, rational, leak, nightmare, tactic.
    2. Write about a knock at the door, with “Five minutes” spoken aloud.
    3. Fill in the blank: “Do you really want to ______?”
  19. “How do you propose to do that?”
  20. Start with this line of dialogue: “Ok, we’re in the home stretch!”
  21. Write about waiting for spring
  22. Your antagonist is named Nova Epstein.
  23. Write about an abandoned building.
  24. Use these 5 words: bear, joyous, cemetery, awesome, melted.
  25. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
  26. Write about being mortified.
  27. Breakfast on the morning after.
  28. Write about mixed feelings.
  29. Write about going home early, only to find…
  30. Use these 5 words: vulgarity, doily, spirit, withdraw, inherit.
  31. Losing your sense of the passage of time

February 2018
Daily Writing Prompts

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A Pen In Each Hand

  1. Write about a loss of confidence
  2. Start with this line of dialogue: “My new obsession is…”
  3. Use the phrase, “It’s different for me.”
  4. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: goggles, blubber, citizen, category, crackpot.
    2. Write about a strange hairstyle.
    3. Use the phrase “You are amazing.”
  5. Write about mindless activities before breakfast.
  6. Write about a false belief.
  7. Write about unintended consequences.
  8. Write about finding envelopes filled with money.
  9. Use the phrase “What year is it again?”
  10. Use these 5 words: drawing board, wraparound, piquant, cornmeal, swathe.
  11. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: misshapen, highway, committee, beak, grainy.
    2. Write about being in someone’s way.
    3. Use the phrase “Don’t try this at home, kids.”
  12. Write about family.
  13. Write about a great party.
  14. Use these 5 words: penalize, vacate, witch, insidious, lookup.
  15. Write about the morning after the party
  16. Write about a path to redemption.
  17. Write about finishing a dreaded task.
  18. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: designer, instill, empirical, angel, incident.
    2. Write about a slip in the schedule.
    3. Use the phrase “Forty-five, at last count.”
  19. Write about a street pothole.
  20. Start with this line of dialogue: “It looks like you covered this up.”
  21. “How are we going to pay for that?”
  22. Write about a routine.
  23. Invent a legend for a past hero
  24. Use these 5 words: soprano, trash talk, polymath, femme fatale, server.
  25. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: missile, cotton, catalogue. craft, nest.
    2. Write about waiting for a reply.
    3. Use the phrase “How would you like to pay?”
  26. Your protagonist is named Hyun-Shik Chai.
  27. Use the phrase “Papers, please.”
  28. Use these 5 words: synopsis, boldfaced, variation, pedestal, upstart.

January 2018
Daily Writing Prompts

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A Pen In Each Hand

  1. Write out a set of writing goals for 2018
  2. Use the following phrase: secret door-locking button
  3. Write about a confusing user interface
  4. Start with this line of dialogue: “_____ has been fired.”
  5. Write about going through the checkbook, writing “2018” in the date blanks.
  6. Your protagonist is a historian.
  7. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
  8. Use these 5 words: synonymous, force, acidic, heat, joke.
  9. Use the phrase, “It’s twice as hot as it was!”
  10. Use these 5 words: furry, awake, lumber, vagabond, nappy.
  11. Write about unfamiliar aches and pains.
  12. Write about asking for a pardon.
  13. “Friday the 13th is a Saturday.”
  14. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: cast, twelve, bauble, bomber, absurdly.
    2. Write about working on a holiday.
    3. Write about mirthless laughter.
  15. Write about an extra day in solitude.
  16. Write about what you’re grateful for.
  17. “If I talk about that, everyone will think…”
  18. Use these 5 words: Ursa Major, arbitrary, snag, knock out, wizardry.
  19. Use the phrase, “Hurry, it’s cold outside.”
  20. Include a character named Bao-Yu Liu.
  21. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: enter, cosmetic, gigantic, collectible, condo.
    2. Write about fixing things around the house.
    3. Use the phrase “OK, we went to the pub.”
  22. Start with this line of dialogue: “Millions could die.”
  23. Write about losing your glasses.
  24. Use the following phrase: found not guilty of murder
  25. Use the phrase, “Only 31 shopping days since Christmas!”
  26. Use the following phrase: a North Pole postmark
  27. Write about watching someone settle down for sleep.
  28. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: beat, suntan, verdict, swell, fish.
    2. Write about something misfiled or miscategorized.
    3. Use the phrase “So say we all.”
  29. “Was there a deadline I missed?”
  30. Write about robots.
  31. Use the phrase, “We have another lamp.”

December 2017
Daily Writing Prompts

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A Pen In Each Hand

  1. Write about saying “Rabbit, Rabbit” first thing on the first of the month.
  2. Use these 5 words: dashing, announce, punishment, kick, charge.
  3. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: flaming, hat, republic, believing, finite.
    2. Write about unintended consequences.
    3. Use the phrase, “Honey, I’m home.”
  4. Use this line of dialogue: “The future is hopeless.”
  5. Write about someone being braver than they thought possible.
  6. Include a character who spends an impressive amount of time asleep.
  7. Exchanging loving glances with an animal.
  8. Use these 5 words: redundant, stiff, smoggy, mark, complete.
  9. Waiting for the first storm of the season to begin
  10. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: Fog, hands, crossing, every, corner.
    2. Write about expecting something that’s late.
    3. Use the phrase, “I feel much better now.”
  11. Use the phrase “Over my dead body.”
  12. Use this line of dialogue: “Just a pain in the ass, basically.”
  13. Write about re-examining the most basic assumptions.
  14. Scenario: a famous kidnapping.
  15. Waking up after a medical procedure
  16. Use these 5 words: airport, hard-to-find, fireman, gorgeous, dead.
  17. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: comrade, mighty, morsel, crawling, expansion.
    2. Write about making an introduction.
    3. Use the phrase, “preaching to the choir.”
  18. Use this line of dialogue: “Try getting more sleep.”
  19. Use the phrase “This is not what it looks like.”
  20. Include a character drowning in alcohol, snack food, and regret.
  21. How to spend the longest night of the year.
  22. Use these 5 words: racial, seal, labored, frame, selective.
  23. Write about beginning a long retreat in solitude.
  24. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
  25. Write about something awesomely wonderful.
  26. Use this line: “You have to be grown up & responsible. You have to.”
  27. “On the third day of Christmas, my true love gave to me…”
  28. Include a character who is desperately trying.
  29. Waiting for breakfast to be served.
  30. Use this line: “A donation has been made in your name to the Human Fund.”
  31. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.

November 2017
Daily Writing Prompts

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  1. A Pen In Each HandTrying not to notice the ex’s birthday
  2. Use these 5 words: drain, smelly, girl, road, onerous.
  3. Use the phrase “Tell me some lies”
  4. Use this line of dialogue: “Try to lose the idea that you are cursed.”
  5. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: derelict, complete, empathic, barnburner, flytrap.
    2. Fill in the blanks: “_______ without ______ is like a day without sunshine.”
    3. Use the phrase, “Sorry I hung up on you.”
  6. Include a character who has a very hard time making decisions.
  7. Write about the one that got away.
  8. Use these 5 words: invention, train, fearless, note, cherries.
  9. Bus passenger wearing pajamas.
  10. Use this line: “This is probably so pretentious & self-indulgent…”
  11. The 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month
  12. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: disrupt, loser, horses, loyal, belongings.
    2. Write about waiting for the clock to strike.
    3. Use the phrase, “obviously it’s left-handed.”
  13. Doing improper things in public.
  14. Scenario: someone yells profanities at your MC and runs away.
  15. Character gets a vanity license plate for their car.
  16. Use these 5 words: mitten, existence, fair, yielding, absorbed.
  17. Use the phrase “Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain.”
  18. Use this line: “I have a fairly thin grip on reality to begin with.”
  19. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: honorary, ash, coincidence, collapsing, gutter.
    2. Write about a windy day.
    3. Use the phrase, “It was fun, I guess.”
  20. Include a character who writes as badly as she dresses.
  21. Invent some teenage slang for your dialog
  22. Use these 5 words: side, apparel, railway, visit, dynamic.
  23. “Everybody knows that. It’s not true.”
  24. Use this line of dialogue: “It’s hard to know what babies think.”
  25. Contemplating dropping out, running away
  26. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: drill, riot, expose, swarm, blinding.
    2. Write about humor based on someone’s name.
    3. Use the phrase, “I never would have thought of that.”
  27. Waking up to a strange noise
  28. Include a character who dreams of becoming a horse.
  29. Write about a crowded airport waiting room.
  30. Use this line of dialogue: “I shared too much. I want all my secrets back.”

October 2017
Daily Writing Prompts

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A Pen In Each Hand

  1. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: unrequited, knees, battle, roads, grunts.
    2. Write about a dreaded and frustrating task.
    3. Write about a question that cannot be answered truthfully.
  2. Use these 5 words: bubble, seat, walk, innate, ambiguous.
  3. What happens in October, stays in October.
  4. Use this line of dialogue: “Honey, you’ll handle it.”
  5. Write about an unhappy dog.
  6. Scenario: a planet of teenage girls, and they’re the only people there.
  7. Use the phrase “How swiftly we forget.”
  8. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: meanness, start, scribbling, stairs, shame.
    2. Write about a clerk remembering your character’s name.
    3. Use the phrase, “Tell me some lies.”
  9. A typo gives a profound insight
  10. Use these 5 words: comfortable, afford, inject, common, gun.
  11. A holiday happens unexpectedly
  12. Use this line of dialogue: “People are worried about me.”
  13. Include a character who’s lucky on Friday the 13th.
  14. Include a character whose friends are all stupid.
  15. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: floors, boxes, confession, corner, twisted.
    2. Write about finding something extra or unintended.
    3. Fill in the blank, “Coming soon, to a _______ near you.”
  16. Use these 5 words: grin, trees, cloudy, arrive, sister.
  17. Doing that one little thing before lunch.
  18. Use this line of dialogue: “Look, there are cows!”
  19. Feeling the sleep coming for you.
  20. Scenario: a short time is left, and there’s still so much to do.
  21. Write about mud.
  22. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: marry, gaunt, rest, really, private.
    2. Write about missing a holiday celebration.
    3. Fill in the blank, “Do you really want to _______?”
  23. Showing up at the wrong time for a meeting.
  24. Use these 5 words: flat, concerned, elastic, downtown, materialistic.
  25. A group experience without timepieces.
  26. Use this line of dialogue: “It doesn’t go away.”
  27. Hearing snow shovels in the summer
  28. It’s not strangers who are scary; it’s the people you think you know.
  29. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: object, crazy, wealthy, bait, grim.
    2. Fill in the blank: “_______ o’clock and all’s well.”
    3. Use the phrase, “Tell me a story.”
  30. Use this line of dialogue: “Breathe. You’re going to be ok.”
  31. Disagreement over holiday activities

September 2017
Daily Writing Prompts

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A Pen In Each Hand

  1. Remembering the first day of school, years later.
  2. Use these 5 words: obedient, yummy, sweet, wild, spring.
  3. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: midnight, surface, which, glazed, destination.
    2. Write about commemorating an unhappy event.
    3. Use this phrase: “Is there more?”
  4. Use this line of dialogue: “People never really grow up.”
  5. A complicated checklist
  6. Include a character who hates to be around people or touch them.
  7. “I remember the look in her eyes.”
  8. Use these 5 words: look, sneeze, plastic, zesty, acceptable.
  9. An unexpected rain storm
  10. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: policemen, poetry, crossing, without, screams.
    2. Write about overdosing on news coverage.
    3. Use this phrase: “It could be entertaining.”
  11. Conversation blocks a doorway
  12. Use this line of dialogue: “Put on some pants.”
  13. Forgetting the reason for coming to the kitchen
  14. Scenario: a parrot that speaks Spanish.
  15. Bringing unusual food to an event
  16. Use these 5 words: guitar, mighty, abnormal, inquisitive, worried.
  17. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: midnight, friends, place, pledge, rest.
    2. Use some misunderstood song lyrics.
    3. Write about a sweaty job.
  18. Use this line of dialogue: “What do we have to gain from even trying?”
  19. Long overdue refrigerator cleaning
  20. Include a character who eats grilled cheese sandwiches for dinner each night
  21. Write about balancing eggs on the equinox
  22. Use these 5 words: soggy, smiling, fine, interest, frequent.
  23. Bonding with a stranger over witnessing an event
  24. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: eating, south, synthesis, poems, stained.
    2. Write about the smell of a new book.
    3. Use the phrase, “Don’t you have something more important to do?”
  25. Day’s work done before 10AM
  26. Use this line of dialogue: “First, you look ridiculous.”
  27. Putting something back together again.
  28. Don’t make plans; just write.
  29. “If you want something done, ask somebody who’s busy.”
  30. Say the truth you’re carrying in your heart like a hidden treasure.

August 2017
Daily Writing Prompts

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  1. A Pen In Each HandWrite about a store closing
  2. Use these 5 words: laborer, advice, continue, shallow, hair.
  3. The weather’s fine… here.
  4. Use this line of dialogue: “Shut up and move on.”
  5. The computer makes a rude noise
  6. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
  7. Calling someone who’s un-dude-like “Dude”
  8. Scenario: weird and horrible things keep happening.
  9. The backup disk is unreadable
  10. Use these 5 words: base, light, apathetic, observant, free.
  11. Seeking an alternate route
  12. Use this line of dialogue: “Better not to think too hard about this.”
  13. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: beyond, pianos, synthesis, killed, toadstools.
    2. Write about waking up at 3am to worry.
    3. Use this phrase: “You come by your competitive streak naturally.”
  14. Include a character who wears the same thing for eight weeks in a row.
  15. Is it Friday yet?
  16. Use these 5 words: rule, nosy, tearful, cumbersome, sun.
  17. A letter that’s never sent
  18. Use this line of dialogue: “One or both of our parents are crazy.”
  19. Waiting for the caffeine to take effect
  20. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
  21. Can’t find good help.
  22. Scenario: everyone is dressed and made up like cats.
  23. “How hard can it be?”
  24. Use these 5 words: pathetic, rambunctious, hope, spiritual, even.
  25. “Do you like what you’re seeing?”
  26. Use this line of dialogue: “Quesadillas are delicious.”
  27. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: crowd, crossing, husband, dismantle, earth.
    2. Write about answering without any words.
    3. Use this phrase: “But wait, there’s more!”
  28. You’re weird, but everyone is weird.
  29. “Could you scratch my back?”
  30. The happy ending is just moving on.
  31. It’s not taking as long as they said.

July 2017
Daily Writing Prompts

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A Pen In Each Hand

  1. Every single day.
  2. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
  3. Write about the weather 6 months ago.
  4. Use these 5 words: sloppy, book, carpenter, macabre, tomatoes.
  5. Everything has to work at the same time.
  6. Use this line of dialogue: “Explain what the letters mean.”
  7. Write about a former friend’s birthday.
  8. Include a brainy and frazzled woman who is at the end of her wits.
  9. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
  10. Use these 5 words: collect, approval, narrow, brush, tasteful.
  11. “I don’t need to do that just yet.”
  12. Use this line of dialogue: “Well, no. I’m not doing that.”
  13. Accidentally helping the cat catch a bird.
  14. Scenario: a character almost gets hit by a cabbage.
  15. “Is it my turn again already?”
  16. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
  17. “You’re odder than odd.”
  18. Use these 5 words: tiger, fold, order, parched, wet.
  19. “If we try, we can finish by lunchtime.”
  20. Use this line of dialogue: “Oh, God, it’s Monday.”
  21. Use this: “All it takes is an hour and a 5-gallon bucket.”
  22. Include a character who wants to do good things & to feel loved.
  23. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
  24. Use these 5 words: ugliest, old, scientific, advise, energetic.
  25. Missing the most obvious questions on a test.
  26. Use this line of dialogue: “How have we come to such ruin?”
  27. A surprise party that isn’t surprising.
  28. Real isn’t always the same as interesting.
  29. Practicing while the group/team is on break.
  30. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
  31. “So hot the pets act like they’re melting.”

June 2017
Daily Writing Prompts

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A Pen In Each Hand

  1. “You’re still missing her, aren’t you?”
  2. Use these 5 words: disagreeable, kind, check, resonant, shut.
  3. An elaborate excuse
  4. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: windy, observe, synthesis, corner, floors.
    2. Write about an unsent letter.
    3. Use the phrase, “It seems like that’s a wise decision.”
  5. “I’ve done my part. It’s your turn now.”
  6. Use this line of dialogue: “It’s just hard to know what to do with her.”
  7. “This really is about me, isn’t it?”
  8. Scenario: three sons who tend to ruin family events.
  9. Last day of school, years ago now.
  10. Use these 5 words: modern, match, unbiased, stamp, willing.
  11. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
  12. Use this line of dialogue: “Now please leave.”
  13. Smother them in kindness.
  14. Include a character who chugs booze like water & weeps like a broken faucet.
  15. Don’t want to celebrate a birthday
  16. Use these 5 words: humdrum, plane, form, reminiscent, lame.
  17. What to cook, with what’s in the cupboard
  18. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: unrequited, attempted, all, fading, dismantle.
    2. Write about a chipped stone.
    3. Use the phrase, “I know I shouldn’t, but…”
  19. Long ago, on this date…
  20. Use this line of dialogue: “Let’s be nice to the old man.”
  21. An astronomical coincidence.
  22. Scenario: a blood-soaked patch of ground.
  23. I once knew how to do this.
  24. Use these 5 words: tax, books, coal, deserted, learned.
  25. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: open, gaunt, beats, sweep, public.
    2. Write about a party.
    3. Fill in the blank: “Counting down the seconds until _______.”
  26. Use this line: “Just because they’re dead doesn’t mean they’re not here.”
  27. “I understood this, before we traded places.”
  28. A CYOA where no matter which path your MC chooses someone always dies.
  29. It always ends in tears.
  30. Start with fear. Start with pain. Start with doubt.