Category Archives: WP 2016

Archive of Daily Writing Prompts
from TC’s Calendar

December 2016
Daily Writing Prompts

Posted on December 31, 2016 by TC Editors

1. And so it begins…
2. Use these 5 words: emptiness, train, artfully, exposure, stone.
3. Streetlights on in the daytime
4. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
5. Note-to-self doesn’t match memory
6. Start with: “Who is _____ going to kill?”
7. People on the other side are happy about this.
8. Include a Supreme Court case in your story.
9. Holding a contradiction
10. Use these 5 words: cheats, jealous, riches, stalking, pied-a-terre.
11. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
12. Start with: “It’s good to see you here.”
13. “Am I going to regret this?”
14. Include a meteor shower in your story.
15. “I used to be able to do this without thinking.”
16. Use these 5 words: workout, yurt, cliche, veneer, slower.
17. Rituals for someone else’s holiday
18. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
19. “I am not your metaphor.”
20. Start with: “Our diversity is our strength.”
21. Things to do on the longest night of the year
22. Write about a chimpanzee smoking a cigarette.
23. A creatively named pub or bar
24. Use these 5 words: jellyfish, never, inventive, curated, illustration.
25. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
26. Start with: “I’m not expecting to ever be recognized.”
27. “Two days retired, and you’re bored.”
28. Write about a boot camp.
29. “I can’t read the label on the bottle.”
30. Write a story inspired by the first photo you see after reading this prompt.
31. Merriment makes a character sadder

November 2016
Daily Writing Prompts

Posted on November 30, 2016 by TC Editors

1. Write about a departed friend or relation
2. Use these 5 words: fingernail, seamlessly, mistakes, tapestry, twists.
3. “I still have to live with you tomorrow.”
4. Start with: “Who says it doesn’t snow in _____?”
5. Being banned from the bathroom
6. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
   1. Use the following five words: round, against, chair, treacherous, juicy.
   2. Use the phrase, “That’s past my bedtime.”
   3. Write about doubting one’s own sanity.
7. A complete makeover
8. Write about an annual festival.
9. Living with someone who works the opposite shift
10. Use these 5 words: gift, lessons, sensitive, understanding, magic.
11. The 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month
12. Start with: “I do not believe in _____!”
13. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: remorseful, toadstools, song, librarian, screams.
    2. Use the phrase, “that’s so tight.”
    3. Write about postage stamps.
14. Include an Olympic hopeful in your story.
15. “I really won’t have time for this next week.”
16. Use these 5 words: radar, signs, alarming, chart, handwriting.
17. Keep going by force of habit
18. Start with: “I used to love telling the story of how we met.”
19. A reflex you didn’t know you had.
20. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: waterski, against, incantations, funeral, beyond.
    2. Use the phrase, “Look at the hustle.”
    3. Write about a reflex you didn’t know you had.
21. No sense of the passage of time
22. Include an impersonator in your story.
23. Missing an important part of the instructions
24. Use these 5 words: teacup, log cabin, soup, magnet, hanging.
25. Write about temporary illiteracy
26. Start with: “You should definitely try it.”
27. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: overhead, relations, beach, dress, towards.
    2. Fill in the blank, “I wonder what _____ is doing, right now.”
    3. Write about an inconvenient sunbeam or shadow.
28. Write about a daring look.
29. The weirdest Tuesday on record
30. Make a list of 10 favorite books based on a theme.

October 2016
Daily Writing Prompts

Posted on October 31, 2016 by TC Editors

1. Write about a hidden regret.
2. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
   1. Use the following five words: jealousy, means, harbor, misused, crossing.
   2. Write about the end of an era.
   3. Misquote an advertising slogan.
3. Hurry up and wait
4. Use these 5 words: urban, royal, waffles, pumpkin spice, humblebrag.
5. Write about an accidental Spoonerism
6. “This song is so perfect.”
7. Write about an extended deadline.
8. A list of things that will never make sense.
9. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
   1. Use the following five words: stone, wheel, ocean, mine, excerpt.
   2. Write about a donation.
   3. Use the phrase, “… the balance allows…”
10. Use these 5 words: lineup, people, story, charismatic, struggling.
11. Write about a deadline that was shortened.
12. Start with: “Never thought I’d see the day that…”
13. Write about a craving for an odd food item
14. A girl detective.
15. Write about someone who’s nocturnal.
16. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: hand, done, twelve, light, memory.
    2. Write about insurance.
    3. Use the phrase, “ten straight.”
17. Filing a report before the work is done
18. Use these 5 words: calligrapher, work, drawings, elective, mentorship.
19. Last glimpse of summer.
20. “Close your mouth when you eat.”
21. “I can’t believe it’s Friday already.”
22. A police incident.
23. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
24. Use these 5 words: corpse, defomity, brain chip, haunting, wounded.
25. “I’ve never heard ______ used as a swear word.”
26. “How much sleep did you get last night?”
27. Write about giving up something permanently.
28. Imagine your worst fears.
29. “Can we make this bigger?”
30. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
31. A character hates holidays.

September 2016
Daily Writing Prompts

Posted on September 30, 2016 by TC Editors

1. The cupboard is bare.
2. Sign on door: “Closed for _____.”
3. This place is not very old.
4. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
   1. Use the following five words: blond, walks, telephone, spaces, mourners.
   2. Use the phrase, “cough and splutter.”
   3. Fill in the blank: “With ________ comes complexity.”
5. The list just keeps getting longer.
6. One of your characters is awarded an honorary degree.
7. Each day must be better than the last.
8. Use these 5 words: curiosity, fossils, collaboration, passport, sketchy.
9. Looking back at a school paper from the beginning of the year.
10. A hurricane-related storm.
11. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: color, seducer, windy, tyranny, librarian.
    2. Use the phrase, “What about you?”
    3. Write about repeatedly asking, “Why?”
12. A character who denies everything when confronted.
13. “If there’s nothing there, I just _______”
14. Use these 5 words: reclusive, flagship, brace, southside, impersonating.
15. Everyone’s lease expires the same day
16. A new ad campaign.
17. Ambiguous directions send party goers astray
18. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: shakes, woman, walks, surface, found.
    2. Use the phrase, “see and be seen.”
    3. Write about working down to the wire.
19. “Tell me again why I used to like this?”
20. “I’m going to save you and there’s nothing you can do about it.”
21. Write about an extinct pest.
22. Use these 5 words: staycation, dominoes, tango, power outage, heat.
23. Emigrating to have two summers in a row
24. Challenging a myth.
25. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: against, sailor, telephone, depends, hearts.
    2. Use the phrase, “That’s going to be difficult.”
    3. Write about drowsily making a mistake.
26. A character who’s playing to the cameras.
27. “Oops, I missed one.”
28. Use these 5 words: violent, rodents, bowling, cafeteria, prank.
29. A sudden glut of reading material
30. “I used to be obsessed with _____. I have no regrets.”

August 2016
Daily Writing Prompts

Posted on August 31, 2016 by TC Editors

1. Write out writing goals for the month
2. Use these 5 words: stench, guts, savage, rabid, giant.
3. Much-needed rain, still inconvenient.
4. an unexpected apology.
5. Lap-critter with a foot on the keyboard.
6. Start with this line: “I must be an asshole.”
7. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
   1. Use the following five words: screams, bone, burst, pestilence, hesitates.
   2. Use the phrase, “You’re probably tired of this by now.”
   3. Fill in the blank: “You might think it would _________, but no.”
8. Use these 5 words: renews, prescription, depression, struggle, streets.
9. Old holiday becomes anniversary of something new.
10. a character with an annoying voice.
11. “Is there more coffee?”
12. Use this line: “We’re altering your own immune cells.”
13. A game becomes suddenly serious.
14. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: famine, pin, strength, gloves, young.
    2. Use the phrase, “It could have gone either way.”
    3. Fill in the blank: “the best _________ since sliced bread.”
15. Someone else’s wedding
16. Use these 5 words: parachute, glimpse, champagne, swallowtail, summer.
17. Talking at your phone/computer.
18. claiming someone else’s narrative.
19. Tentative first day out after being sick
20. Use this line: “I’m so uncomfortable.”
21. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: author, neglected, poem, hearts, public. Bonus: the popcorn of despair.
    2. Use the phrase, “force of nature.”
    3. Was it too much? Or too little?
22. Use these 5 words: solar panels, optimism, scorpions, messiah, revelations.
23. The meeting room after everyone has gone.
24. a costly battle.
25. “It’s easy with the right tool.”
26. Use this phrase: “bleak but beautiful.”
27. Last days before school starts.
28. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
29. “Who are you, really?”
30. a trending hashtag that includes your MC’s name.
31. Reprogramming the light timer creatively.

July 2016
Daily Writing Prompts

Posted on July 31, 2016 by TC Editors

1. That nervous feeling in your stomach when…
2. Use these 5 words: roasting, hungry, tough, spatters, heat.
3. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
   1. Use the following five words: probe, gaunt, children, inside, ourselves.
   2. Write about being sick and the stuff you didn’t get to do.
   3. Use the phrase, “Major party foul.”
4. Use this phrase: “the need to explain the obvious”
5. New fireworks lighting up the smoke from old ones
6. calling someone by a sibling’s name
7. Working together to figure out what’s wrong
8. Use these 5 words: reconciliation, journey, expat, insularity, activist.
9. Many years later, on the same date…
10. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: silent, song, fatalistic, sailors, doves.
    2. Write about turning off the news.
    3. Use the phrase, “I wanted to strangle him/her.”
11. Substituting ingredients in a recipe
12. Start with a character saying: “I actually did a double-take.”
13. Obsolete technology saves the day
14. a publicity stunt
15. “What did we actually do, back then?”
16. Use these 5 words: magicians, roller coaster, inhalers, key, prison.
17. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: secret, lunar, ranklings, snarl, misused.
    2. Write about a street musician playing something beautiful.
    3. Fill in the blank: “The ______ made in hell.”
18. Use this line: “I’ve been observing the pattern…”
19. Late additions to the schedule
20. a deleted tweet
21. Repeat until you can’t remember how.
22. Use these 5 words: engulfs, crashed, emotional, cloud, overturned.
23. Wrong word comes out when flustered
24. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: crossing, windy, woman, waterski, twists.
    2. Use the phrase, “I broke for egg rolls.”
    3. Write about forgetting to do something important.
25. “I really didn’t change anything. Except…”
26. Start with a character saying: “That’s not fair!”
27. “I’ve been expecting you,” said to a stranger.
28. the field of shark research
29. People watching with an unlikely companion
30. blue is the new pink
31. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: strength, believe, those, shore, attempted.
    2. Use the phrase, “I don’t think anybody else knows that either.”
    3. Fill in the blank: “I was just brushing my teeth, when _________.”

June 2016
Daily Writing Prompts

Posted on June 30, 2016 by TC Editors

1. Forgetting to make coffee in the morning
2. Use these 5 words: hype, version, second-degree, engagement, deadly.
3. Raining on the parade
4. Start with this line: “I’ll drink to that!”
5. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
6. no free meals
7. Strange noises in a quiet house
8. Use these 5 words: congestion, extended, haywire, dicey, tools.
9. A departed loved one’s birthday
10. Start with this line: “Don’t go home without a plan.”
11. “Remember when these were rare?”
12. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: memory, arrogant, remorseful, grunts, sights.
    2. Write about getting away with something.
    3. Use the phrase, “Is that what really happened?”
13. Wanting to wear something forbidden
14. struggling for relevance
15. Forgetting how to ride a bicycle
16. Use these 5 words: mapping, rights, underdogs, gold, wisdom.
17. “Why are you so fussy today?”
18. Start with this line: “Wow! Where have I been?”
19. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
20. illegal sales of spot prawns
21. “Does it always take this long?”
22. Use these 5 words: hybrid, fork, diamond-encrusted, juices, makeover.
23. Doing something you know you shouldn’t.
24. Start with this line: “Some people are so gullible.”
25. Turning in a project to be reviewed
26. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: world, excerpt, persons, lunar, boxes.
    2. Write about turning the picture over to see if it makes more sense.
    3. Use a non-standard answer to, “How are you?”
27. A complicated story that’s not quite right
28. a baffling array of long words
29. For want of a nail, the kingdom was lost.
30. Midyear check-in! Review your 2016 writing goals and revise as necessary 🙂

May 2016
Daily Writing Prompts

Posted on May 31, 2016 by TC Editors

1. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
   1. Use the following five words: grunts, share, looking, clings, alter.
   2. Use the phrase “I’m not surprised it didn’t work.”
   3. Write about opposites both being true.
2. “Tell me again why that’s wrong?”
3. Use these 5 words: vibes, lyrics, flash, shame, tribute.
4. Learning from someone else’s misfortune
5. Include this line: “This song makes me want to dance!”
6. A long time between days off work
7. a deafening silence.
8. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
   1. Use the following five words: misused, comes, haunches, unrequited, memory.
   2. Use the phrase, “Don’t go without me.”
   3. Write about fixing something that wasn’t broken.
9. Use these 5 words: meeting, petty, hard, nominate, psychopath.
10. “I know where to look that up.”
11. Start with: After her release from prison…
12. Going home to more drama
13. what actually happens during a commercial break.
14. “I’m using that. Get your own.”
15. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: excerpt, moaning, public, preserve, south.
    2. Use the phrase, “Are you sure about that?”
    3. Write about a bad day at work.
16. There’s always one more of them to do.
17. Use these 5 words: disgusted, king, intimidate, truths, earful.
18. Becoming aware of someone else’s pain
19. Include this line: “This is the job I’ve dreamed of.”
20. Doing something domestic for a friend
21. a lawsuit over too much ice in iced coffee.
22. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: reaches, hand, agony, appear, these.
    2. Write about a sequence of numbers.
    3. Write about making something with one’s hands.
23. Use these 5 words: monster, rigging, victim, anger, exposed.
24. …and you need yet another password for that.
25. Include this line: “I fangirled over _____.”
26. Getting old is not for the faint of heart.
27. shenanigans at a picnic.
28. “Put the phone away and talk to me.”
29. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: killed, unrequited, barking, boxes, light.
    2. Write about doing something you’d never do.
    3. Use the phrase, “There’s no guarantee.”
30. Write something completely different today.
31. Your dog hates hugs.

April 2016
Daily Writing Prompts

Posted on April 30, 2016 by TC Editors

1. The feelings of the April Fool.
2. Write about someone who is young but old at heart.
3. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
   1. Use the following five words: fog, pestilence, through, toadstools, built.
   2. Use the phrase “Nobody was injured, but…”
   3. Write about complicated instructions.
4. Start with: “Tonight I’m auditioning for…”
5. “Well, that’s a proper train wreck.”
6. Use these 5 words: mission, waiting, events, echo, time.
7. Trying to stay awake after lunch
8. “Stop whining and eat your dinner. Children are starving.”
9. Everything I knew turns out to be wrong.
10. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: secret, their, yard, misused, pianos.
    2. Use the phrase “I’m holding it in my hand.”
    3. Write about a late-night snack.
11. Dividing up stuff after a breakup
12. Have a character pose topless.
13. There’s always one more thing you need.
14. Use these 5 words: anecdotes, suspends, delicious, absolutely, ready.
15. Unexpected last moment extension
16. “You’re under contract.”
17. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
18. Give your MC some form of punishment.
19. “I’d like to trade places with _____”
20. Use these 5 words: text, hopes, impossible, audience, nautical.
21. I could never get the hang of Thursdays
22. “Another naked selfie?!”
23. Maybe if it’s dark they won’t notice it.
24. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: nothing, muttered, memory, factory, opened.
    2. Use the phrase “What are you going to say?”
    3. Write about a headache.
25. Book ’em, Danno.
26. Write about a massive disappointment.
27. We’re oddly even.
28. Use these 5 words: coloring, prejudices, profane, trending, blame.
29. April showers bring May _______.
30. Write about ‘a state of unlimited freedom’

March 2016
Daily Writing Prompts

Posted on March 31, 2016 by TC Editors

1. beautifully executed
2. When all is said and done, much more is said than done.
3. the bad kind of mushrooms
4. Write about glare.
5. Use these 5 words: salvage, currencies, diversity, faith, killers.
6. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
   1. Use the following five words: morning, deeds, hand, curled, bookish.
   2. Fighting to stay awake and pay attention.
   3. Write about something unexpected and brightly colored.
7. a 90-foot-tall billboard
8. Variations on a recipe
9. 5% battery left
10. Make up a smartphone app for your characters.
11. Use these 5 words: design, copyright, monarch, economy, victories.
12. Spreading misinformation about the daylight time change
13. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: plum, border, women, which, world.
    2. Scooping up an armload of _______.
    3. Write about a gadget that doesn’t work.
14. Rescheduling a stressful appointment
15. Some good news!
16. look around to see if they’re looking at someone else
17. a bunch of middle school boys
18. A place where there are no landmarks.
19. Use these 5 words: sweetens, pollution, server, exchange, finger.
20. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: dismantle, public, dead, plum, excerpt.
    2. Write about hearing from a long-lost friend.
    3. Write about understanding misunderstanding.
21. a pair of tickets
22. An awkward position
23. “It’s taking too f—ing long.”
24. Perhaps I should have reminded her.
25. Use these 5 words: acclaimed, celebrate, gaffe, making, judgmental.
26. Passive aggression with a smile.
27. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
28. Obsessively playing a game.
29. one last photo from space
30. Going out like a [not-lamb].
31. there is definitely something fishy going on!