Category Archives: A Pen In Each Hand

Writing Exercises.

August 2019
Daily Writing Prompts

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A Pen In Each Hand

  1. Write about very hot weather.
  2. Start with this line of dialogue: “You know it’s bad when…”
  3. Write about lingering over dinner.
  4. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: bedroom, adopt, quaint, school, reproduction.
    2. Write about a power (or other infrastructure) failure.
    3. Use the phrase, “This is the answer to everything.”
  5. Second time a show is watched, it’s a rerun of the same episode.
  6. Your setting is: dawn, heatwave for days, a film set, dream-like atmosphere.
  7. Write about a delayed dentist appointment.
  8. Write about: a journey.
  9. Write about being unable to talk to the very attractive person.
  10. Start with this line of dialogue: “I wanted it to be real so bad.”
  11. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
  12. Use these 5 words: smoky, malfunctioned, smells, directions, headquarters.
  13. Setting: A comic book store.
  14. Use these 5 words: fundraising, gallery, culture, significant, dialogue.
  15. Use the phrase, “Tell me more lies.”
  16. Write about a character who is: optimistic, depressed & arrogant.
  17. Write about a last dinner together.
  18. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
  19. Use the phrase, “What year is it again?
  20. Start with this line of dialogue: “You lose them how you get them.”
  21. Use the phrase, “Did I hit the hyperspace button by mistake?”
  22. Write about: holiday traditions.
  23. Write about a secret transformation.
  24. Use these 5 words: magicians, kittens, embarrassed, coerced, face.
  25. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
  26. Use these 5 words: recipe, garnish, note, rabbit, rain.
  27. Setting: A funky cheese shop.
  28. Write about: a farm to table menu.
  29. Write about someone getting something stuck in their hair.
  30. Your setting is: dawn, bright sunshine, desert island, restless atmosphere.
  31. Use the phrase, “They’re serving brunch.”

July 2019
Daily Writing Prompts

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A Pen In Each Hand

  1. Write about a sudden rain shower
  2. Use these 5 words: saint, fearless, courage, beaming, listen.
  3. Use the phrase “I meant to do that.”
  4. Your setting is: noon, light cloud, national park, friendly atmosphere.
  5. Start with “There’s more wine.”
  6. Write about: an avalanche.
  7. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: course, commitment, stretch, dressing, wrist.
    2. Write about help coming from an unexpected direction.
    3. Use the phrase, “There’s more where that came from.”
  8. Start with this line of dialogue: “Show the evidence.”
  9. “On this date in history…”
  10. Write about a character who is: secretive, unkind & cheerful.
  11. Use the phrase, “We’re stuck with each other.”
  12. Write about: a no-confidence vote.
  13. Write about forming new habits.
  14. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: behavior, profit, cat, underline, tongue.
    2. Write about needing more of something before starting.
    3. Fill in the blank, “Let’s try that out before _____.”
  15. Use the phrase, “How is that possible?”
  16. Start with this line of dialogue: “I have the best job.”
  17. Use the phrase “It’s all downhill from here.”
  18. Use these 5 words: pancakes, books, soulful, inspiration, music.
  19. One character is obsessed with numbers.
  20. Use these 5 words: wildfires, hurry, sprinting, monster, entangled.
  21. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: carbon, tiptoe, teenager, stitch, clock
    2. Write about not wanting to talk to anybody at all.
    3. Use the phrase, “It needs a refill.”
  22. Start with this line of dialogue: “I’m going to call her now.”
  23. Write about the new neighbors who don’t fit in.
  24. Use these 5 words: matrilineal, Martian, refugees, flu, spacecrafts.
  25. Write about going to do something you forgot you already did.
  26. Start with this line of dialogue: “He was going to propose.”
  27. Use the phrase, “Why did I come into the kitchen?”
  28. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: skeleton, calorie, modernize, grind, rob.
    2. Write about a minor annoyance that can’t be ignored.
    3. Use the phrase, “The end result is…”
  29. Use the phrase, “Don’t make me come back there.”
  30. Use these 5 words: orchestrated, revoke, pathos, exciting, challenge.
  31. Write about training the computer to expect something new.

June 2019
Daily Writing Prompts

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A Pen In Each Hand

  1. Write about new beginnings
  2. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: color, index, dependence, herd, rocket. Bonus word: earthwax.
    2. Write about a new way of thinking about the same old things.
    3. Fill in the blank: “It’s different for _______.”
  3. Let the setting be as important as a character.
  4. Your setting is: mid-morning, misty, rough neighborhood, joyful atmosphere.
  5. Write about not asking important questions.
  6. Write about: living through loss.
  7. A character who thinks they are alone, but is not.
  8. Use these 5 words: icon, idiosyncrasies, ensemble, heels, altered.
  9. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: lace, inspector, growth, mood, fee.
    2. Write about developing a blister.
    3. Fill in the blank: “That is so _______ that I have to scream now.”
  10. Write about a character who is: fearless, inspirational & judgmental.
  11. Here’s how you find out about that…
  12. Use these 5 words: isolating, sailing, fish, beaches, simplicity.
  13. Write about a child who is sick.
  14. Use these 5 words: sand, lobster, oceans, message, dolphin.
  15. Write about trying to understand a cat.
  16. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: penetrate, lump, object, destruction, flourish.
    2. Write about a forgotten holiday.
    3. Fill in the blank: “I hope you have a nice _______.”
  17. Write about a significant birthday.
  18. Write about: a welcome guest.
  19. Weave a story around an improvised recipe.
  20. Write about a character who is: generous, mysterious & industrious.
  21. Write about admiring nice weather through a window.
  22. Start with this line of dialogue: “Crews are responding.”
  23. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: mist, traction, exploration, diet, whole.
    2. Write about going out just after the rain ends.
    3. Fill in the blank: “I never would have thought you were _______.”
  24. Write about a character who is: rude, aggressive & selfish.
  25. Write about visiting an abandoned building.
  26. Write about: having everything you want.
  27. Write about exploring a new website.
  28. Write about a character who is: dependable, unkind & timid.
  29. Start with “You may ask yourself…”
  30. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: reach, strange, impact, priority, wrap.
    2. Write about finding a way to do something better.
    3. Use the phrase, “This is the interesting part.”

May 2019
Daily Writing Prompts

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  1. “Mayday, mayday!”
  2. Write about: an unwelcome conversation.
  3. Write about the birthday of a departed loved one.
  4. Write about: comparing notes.
  5. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
  6. Start with this line of dialogue: “Thank goodness for plastic surgery!”
  7. Answer a question with “Did you mean…?”
  8. Write about: a marriage of convenience.
  9. Write about dumping information on a new person.
  10. Start with this line of dialogue: “This song is actually a cover.”
  11. Write about obsessively staring at a phone screen.
  12. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
  13. Write about seeking out other native speakers of your language.
  14. Write about: an act of ecoterrorism.
  15. Having a hard time explaining something.
  16. Your setting is: mid-morning, heavy rain, city park, hostile atmosphere.
  17. Use the phrase, “Tell me that you love me.”
  18. Write about: an offensive nickname.
  19. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
  20. Use these 5 words: flabbergasted, murders, cookies, dolls, psyche.
  21. Write about a new box of crayons.
  22. Your setting is: mid-morning, thick fog, on a train, gloomy atmosphere.
  23. Fill in: “On this date in ______ (year)”
  24. Use these 5 words: cabaret, hipster, synthetic, smolder, condescending.
  25. “There are only 210 shopping days til Christmas!”
  26. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
  27. Write about the 13th ad for the same product.
  28. Start with this line of dialogue: “I’m sad to see _____ go.”
  29. Write about new beginnings.
  30. Write about: a resignation letter.
  31. Write about very strange weather.

April 2019
Daily Writing Prompts

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  1. Write about an April Fools Day joke gone bad.
  2. Use these 5 words: musical, delightful, memorized, captioned, applause.
  3. Use the phrase, “What’s this thing for again?”
  4. Write about a character who is: optimistic, lonely & cruel.
  5. Write about trying to guess an acronym’s meaning
  6. Use these 5 words: wildland, dangerous, season, bear, pioneer.
  7. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: highway, terms, cultural, arena, circle.
    2. Write about borrowing something.
    3. Fill in the blank: “Can we talk about ______? Because we’re talking about it without using the word.”
  8. Your setting is: midnight, light snow falling, a desert, scary atmosphere.
  9. Write about that first birthday after a loss.
  10. Use these 5 words: scary, resort, monkey, lizard, naughty.
  11. Write about deflecting praise.
  12. Use these 5 words: poll, overseeing, representation, power, judges.
  13. Write about being distracted by conversation at the next table.
  14. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: graphic, receipt, contain, landscape, bring.
    2. Write about reversing roles.
    3. Use the phrase: “Does that ever work?”
  15. Write about anything except taxes.
  16. Use these 5 words: imagination, narrative, sparked, affected, transformed.
  17. Write about wearing the wrong thing to a gathering.
  18. Start with this line of dialogue: “You know where my head and heart are.”
  19. Write about aging ungracefully.
  20. Write about: the worst storm in a decade.
  21. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: sweet, restless, enlarge, ridge, strategic.
    2. Write about not wanting to talk about something.
    3. Fill in the blank: “But you told me _______.”
  22. Use these 5 words: grumpy, cats, fly, treats, curious.
  23. Write about arranging a complicated event.
  24. Use these 5 words: pool, poised, candid, daughter, duo.
  25. Write about getting the day of the week wrong.
  26. Write about a character who is: anxious, optimistic & conceited.
  27. Use the phrase, “What could go wrong?”
  28. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: traction, manager, reverse, creation, plan.
    2. Write about indecision.
    3. Fill in the blank: “I never thought I’d see the day when _______.”
  29. Write about going off shift at midnight.
  30. Start with this line of dialogue: “I’m scared.”

March 2019
Daily Writing Prompts

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  1. Use the phrase “Like a lion”
  2. Your setting is: twilight, hailstorm, countryside, romantic atmosphere.
  3. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: possibility, false, housing, glove, reduce.
    2. Write about mis-remembering something.
    3. Use the phrase, “Am I doing that just to get a reaction?”
  4. Write about: getting mixed signals.
  5. Write about a significant street address.
  6. Start with this line of dialogue: “Thousands remain without power.”
  7. Write a dialog in text messages
  8. Start with this line of dialogue: “Everything she said was a lie!”
  9. Use the phrase, “I really didn’t change anything!”
  10. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: grind, cylinder, predator, project, inspector.
    2. Write about trying to do two things at once.
    3. Use the phrase, “I hope she likes it.”
  11. Write about the after-disaster meeting.
  12. Start with this line of dialogue: “I beg to differ.”
  13. Start with “Is there coffee?”
  14. Write about a character who is: sensitive, sly & dependable.
  15. Use the phrase, “How can you drink this stuff?”
  16. Your setting is: twilight, storm brewing, airplane, electrifying atmosphere.
  17. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: hunter, jelly, association. revolutionary, paper.
    2. Write about an expected interruption.
    3. Use the phrase, “I am not a cat.”
  18. Write about a character who is: kindly, carefree & violent.
  19. Use the phrase, “I remember when…”
  20. Use these 5 words: panda, spirit, traditional, figures, skepticism.
  21. Write about a naive can-do attitude
  22. Use these 5 words: construction, challenge, logical, stunning, pitfalls.
  23. Drop everything and write a haiku.
  24. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: reptile, expand, rabbit, medium, fuel.
    2. Write about trying to wrap one’s head around a difficult concept.
    3. Use the phrase, “We could just do it the easy way.”
  25. Use the phrase, “It’s that time again…”
  26. Start with this line of dialogue: “What are you reading?”
  27. What would you do with an irony mark if English had one?
  28. Use these 5 words: expertise, blow, dueling, competition, Saturday.
  29. Use the phrase, “Just close the door and walk away.”
  30. Use these 5 words: burden, motive, briefing, freedom, proved.
  31. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: housing, revive, nest, miserable, enlarge.
    2. Write about a crowded situation.
    3. Use the phrase, “Holy smoke.”

February 2019
Daily Writing Prompts

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  1. Use the phrase, “You promised me cookies!”
  2. Use these 5 words: country, lake, caravan, historic, grave.
  3. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: assembly, comfort, serious, tough, series.
    2. Write about something that only other people seem to care about.
    3. Use the phrase, “What is all this stuff?”
  4. Write about: giving away the ending.
  5. Waiting while traveling
  6. Start with this line of dialogue: “This is not ok.”
  7. Coming home to an empty house.
  8. Use these 5 words: bashes, bodies, wins, bell, practice.
  9. Doing the same arithmetic and getting different answers.
  10. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: church, recruit, sip, joy, buy.
    2. Write about doing something because everybody assumes you always will.
    3. Fill in the blank, “These are not the ______ you’re looking for.”
  11. Frustrating delays.
  12. Write about: a landslide victory.
  13. Something trivial to one person hits another one hard.
  14. Start with this line of dialogue: “You remind me of…”
  15. Use the phrase “That wasn’t one of the options.”
  16. Write about: a canceled sailing.
  17. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: dominate, concede, mastermind, resource, job.
    2. Write about finding a letter from a long-ago loved one.
    3. Fill in the blank, ” ______ is down there, too.”
  18. Write about: things going too far.
  19. Mixing up the legends for several holidays.
  20. Start with this line of dialogue: “All I want is you.”
  21. Use the phrase “Am I the only one?”
  22. Write about: the earth shrinking.
  23. “This is not like the movies.”
  24. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: upset, astonishing, sand, agreement, gown.
    2. Write about filling an unexpectedly unscheduled time.
    3. Fill in the blank, ” ______ deserves applause.”
  25. Write about unwelcome corrections.
  26. Use these 5 words: cascades, mountain, provisions, beasts, epic.
  27. One thing ends without another beginning.
  28. Write about: a girls’ night out.

January 2019
Daily Writing Prompts

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  1. Waking up to the after-party cleanup
  2. Use these 5 words: stickers, graffiti, memories, suitcases, map.
  3. Describe the fading of a dream.
  4. Your setting is: evening, thunderstorm, in a forest, lonely atmosphere.
  5. That last look around before departing.
  6. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: march, tick, abolish, unrest, constant.
    2. Write about having too much stuff.
    3. Use the phrase, “Next in line.”
  7. Expectations that are partially fulfilled.
  8. Start with this line of dialogue: “Strange and warm.”
  9. Explaining something wrong to somebody who knows the answer.
  10. Write about: seeing through a new pair of eyes.
  11. A Big Round Number birthday
  12. Use these 5 words: kindness, doctors, deceased, kiss, night.
  13. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: summary, budge, judgment, leg, bang.
    2. Write about a seeming coincidence that isn’t.
    3. Use the phrase, “I don’t think that’s right.”
  14. Use these 5 words: interfering, credentials, stateless, violence, historic.
  15. Beware the Ides of… January?
  16. Use these 5 words: perfect, body, bondage, invisible, lost.
  17. Cheering while somebody does something amazing.
  18. Your setting is: mid-afternoon, heavy rain, a village, neglected atmosphere.
  19. Writing a letter that won’t be sent.
  20. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: glacier, burial, cabinet, realize, rib.
    2. Write about a failure of something that’s usually reliable.
    3. Use the phrase, “I really should learn that.”
  21. Words of comfort fall flat.
  22. Use these 5 words: collections, adventure, struggling, fake, enemy.
  23. Missing an important engagement.
  24. Write about a character who is: industrious, fun-loving & depressed.
  25. Transferring all contacts but that one to a new device.
  26. Start with this line of dialogue: “This is what he lives for.”
  27. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: window, crash, bulb, skin, repeat.
    2. Write a confusing set of instructions.
    3. Use the phrase, “That’s not what we expected.”
  28. Start with this line of dialogue: “It’s for science!”
  29. Moving on from a situation that once was wonderful.
  30. Start with this line of dialogue: “I don’t believe her for one second.”
  31. Coin a new word and use it.

December 2018
Daily Writing Prompts

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  1. “Create a diversion!”
  2. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: relieve, attract, tire, occasion, feminine.
    2. Write about a nearly forgotten place.
    3. Use the phrase “tell me that you love me,” in an ironic way.
  3. “Ask yourself if you want the prize.”
  4. Use the following phrase: canceled due to weather conditions
  5. Write about unexpectedly nice weather.
  6. Use the following phrase: cleared of charges
  7. Write about a date that will live in infamy.
  8. Your protagonist is named Mayu Kawasaki.
  9. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: consolidate, pipe, tablet, sound, lion.
    2. Write about an odd way of saying something.
    3. Use the phrase “Is that real? Or did I make it up?”
  10. Your protagonist is named Terrell Holley.
  11. “Tell me again why we’re doing this?”
  12. Use the following phrase: a boys’ club
  13. Write about unintended consequences.
  14. Start w/ this line of dialogue: “A former student of mine emailed me today.”
  15. Characters playing the “What’s the next number in the sequence” game.
  16. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: chain, glance, mark, shine, consultation.
    2. Write about deciding not to care.
    3. Use the phrase, “Two generations ago.”
  17. Write about a birthday celebration gone wrong.
  18. Include a character who is a preschool teacher.
  19. Write about skipping a day of the week.
  20. Include a character named Ava Morrison.
  21. The universe holds its breath.
  22. Include a character named Naoto Kaeshiro.
  23. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: color-blind, know, commemorate, hunter, manage.
    2. Write about cooking.
    3. Fill in the blank: “Eat, drink, and be _________.”
  24. Start with this line of dialogue: “That was definitely an earthquake.”
  25. Write about someone who doesn’t celebrate holidays.
  26. Use the following phrase: we are survivors
  27. Sum up your year in writing.
  28. Include a character who is a veterinarian.
  29. Start with “They call it Boxing Day because…”
  30. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: consultation, convenience, loan, frog, lunch.
    2. Write about the second Thursday.
    3. Use the phrase, “That was a mistake.”
  31. Write about the First Annual _________.

November 2018
Daily Writing Prompts

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  1. Write about improvising when you haven’t done your homework.
  2. Use these 5 words: quality, recoil, cellular, marginal, electron.
  3. Use the phrase, “What is wrong with us?”
  4. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: string, bride, dictionary, happen, enlarge.
    2. Write about being surprised by one’s own feelings.
    3. Fill in the blank: “He/she is very ________, for one thing.”
  5. “Isn’t that usually out by now?”
  6. Start with this line of dialogue: “It’s not something we’ve seen before.”
  7. Watching a friend fall for the wrong person.
  8. Your antagonist is a fourth grade math teacher.
  9. Write about approaching burnout.
  10. Use the following phrase: little girls who want to grow up to be president
  11. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: mutter, post, accident, tropical, frame.
    2. Write about doing something fun in serious circumstances.
    3. Fill in the blank: “Didn’t I tell you about ________ ?”
  12. Write about what makes a marriage last.
  13. Write about an interrupted meditation.
  14. Start with this line of dialogue: “This is going to be great!”
  15. “Wait, what year is it again?”
  16. Use these 5 words: worried, grade, entertaining, spill, mend.
  17. Dreading tomorrow for no obvious reason.
  18. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: determine, chalk, negotiation, pump, old.
    2. Write about an interior monologue.
    3. Fill in the blank: “I was connected to a different ________.”
  19. Clumsy-fingered typing accidents
  20. Use these 5 words: trauma, take, stain, mouthwatering, unbeatable.
  21. Being called for supper at an awkward moment.
  22. Use these 5 words: mote, substantial, woozy, nomenclature, thrall.
  23. Write about someone who hates being photographed.
  24. Write about puppy therapy.
  25. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: left, accumulation, tool, proof, zero.
    2. Write about doing something, knowing it’ll be regretted.
    3. Fill in the blank: ” ________ so thick you can taste it.”
  26. Start with this line of dialogue: “The neighbor’s daughter ran over my cat.”
  27. “How many colors are there in this rainbow?”
  28. Write about a sanctuary.
  29. Fill in: “If life gives you ______, make _____”
  30. Include a character named Zaina Velasquez.