Category Archives: WP 2018

Archive of Daily Writing Prompts
from TC’s Calendar

December 2018
Daily Writing Prompts

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A Pen In Each Hand

  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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A Pen In Each Hand

  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.

October 2018
Daily Writing Prompts

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  1. A Pen In Each Hand“The weather’s never like this.”
  2. Use these 5 words: nondescript, polo shirt, webmaster, yonder, agonize.
  3. Write about improvising a recipe
  4. Use the following phrase: refugees are at risk
  5. Write about making a video backwards
  6. Use these 5 words: faithful, cluttered, brush, measure, poke.
  7. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: powder, accountant, record, spirit, guest.
    2. Use the phrase: “Not that, either.”
    3. Write about weeds.
  8. Use the following phrase: a May wedding
  9. Looking up scores long after the game.
  10. Use the following phrase: named after prominent locals
  11. One culture’s hero is another culture’s villain
  12. Use these 5 words: disinterest, excessive, lucid, husbandry, station.
  13. Going on a trip without underwear
  14. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: history, syndrome, movie, rough, fog.
    2. Describe the room or surroundings in detail.
    3. Fill in the blank: “I’ve never seen a ________ like that.”
  15. Use the phrase, “No, do this first.”
  16. Write about encountering a doppelganger.
  17. Write about strangely colored leaves.
  18. Use the following phrase: has lost its soul
  19. “Your crabgrass has crabgrass.”
  20. Use these 5 words: brick, wheel, heat, lush, animated.
  21. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
  22. Use these 5 words: acoustics, zonked, discreet, hungry, quince.
  23. You disagree with your main character about something important.
  24. Your antagonist is named Paramesh Pandya.
  25. Write about what the robot rover does while out of touch.
  26. Use these 5 words: bathrobe, issue, paramedic, harebrained, prose.
  27. Use the phrase, “It’s getting late.”
  28. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: excess, astonishing, memory, thumb, measure.
    2. Write about telling someone how to do something.
    3. Fill in the blank: ” ________ runs in the family.”
  29. An argument about power bills for decorations
  30. Use these 5 words: ultimate, badass, saffron, attempt, pyrotechnic.
  31. “It got here early.”

September 2018
Daily Writing Prompts

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A Pen In Each Hand

  1. Write about an unfortunate bruise.
  2. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: bell, greeting, fastidious, mild, tongue.
    2. Use the phrase: “Lunchtime, tomorrow.”
    3. Write about unwittingly doing something the same every time.
  3. Write about faint remnants of something that was erased.
  4. Use these 5 words: nice, support, shop, bleach, quirky.
  5. Narrator contemplates their reflection in a shiny ball.
  6. Your antagonist is named Lianna Acosta.
  7. Use the phrase “You’re safe here with me.”
  8. Your antagonist is a funeral director.
  9. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: drawing, win, posture, half, resource.
    2. Use the phrase: “That looks ominous.”
    3. Write about someone who hasn’t been seen in a long time.
  10. Use these 5 words: squirrel, quill, earthquake, space, question.
  11. Write about doing something with the other hand.
  12. Write about not receiving an apology.
  13. Answer a question with another question.
  14. Use these 5 words: hunting, brainstorm, secondary, vetted, calamity.
  15. Write about being barefoot in the office.
  16. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: dragon, research, diplomat, carrot, strap.
    2. Use the phrase: “Good luck with the dog [or other animal].”
    3. Write about an unnecessary goodbye.
  17. Write about counting down to the last time something happens.
  18. Start with this line of dialogue: “Remember how I hugged you?”
  19. Write about finishing up chores to make time for…
  20. Write about why you love yourself.
  21. Write about a blank book.
  22. Write about a stolen victory.
  23. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: housing, bench, publicity, recover, clay.
    2. Use the phrase: “It’s remarkably quiet.”
    3. Write about getting confused by some numbers.
  24. Use these 5 words: novel, creativity, venture, pannier, excavate.
  25. Write about accidental harassment.
  26. Your protagonist is a cinematographer.
  27. Use the phrase “Blue envy.”
  28. Start with this line of dialogue: “Smell the water.”
  29. Use the phrase, “Didn’t I just do that?”
  30. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: wisecrack, occasion, turn, snow, border.
    2. Use the phrase: “The end of the month.”
    3. Write about discarding old things.

August 2018
Daily Writing Prompts

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A Pen In Each Hand

  1. Write about a civic holiday or commemoration.
  2. Include a character who is a model.
  3. An unorthodox way of doing calculations
  4. Write about an origin story.
  5. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: cheese, grace, qualification, peak, rider.
    2. Use the phrase: “long tail feathers.”
    3. Write about struggling to stay awake.
  6. Start with this line of dialogue: “It’s not perfect, but…”
  7. What to do when the internet is down.
  8. Use the following phrase: the largest in history
  9. “They’re all odd numbers.”
  10. Use these 5 words: conjunctivitis, metropolis, leviathan, gnash, slippery.
  11. “This doesn’t look very random to me.”
  12. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: irony, apathy, ceiling, sandwich, process.
    2. Use the phrase: “That’s not what we expected.”
    3. Write about very strange or extreme weather.
  13. “You need to learn to lie with sincerity.”
  14. Use the following phrase: according to multiple sources
  15. “Last question: Where shall we have lunch?”
  16. Your protagonist is an architect.
  17. Write about an afternoon nap.
  18. Write about denying the truth.
  19. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: candle, countryside, bring, copy, prize.
    2. Use the phrase: “That’s pretty strong.”
    3. Write about a stuffed animal.
  20. Use the following phrase: tricky questions
  21. Write about pulling the plug for the last time.
  22. Use the following phrase: police find arm at sea
  23. “What’s it like, driving a behemoth?”
  24. Use these 5 words: bump, warm, deliver, misty, probable.
  25. “Remind me why we’re doing this?”
  26. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: section, calendar, note, beautiful, exact.
    2. Use the phrase: “We’re not late, yet.”
    3. Write about watching someone sleep.
  27. Include a character who’s neither male nor female.
  28. Start with this line of dialogue: “What the f–k just happened?”
  29. Write about trying to understand someone on a noisy connection.
  30. Write about what scares you most.
  31. “How many days is it since he left?”

July 2018
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: inspire, sister, wall, relationship, breed.
    2. Use the phrase: “A riddle wrapped in a mystery.”
    3. Write about an idea with the potential to change everything.
  2. Start with this line of dialogue: “I don’t ask for much.”
  3. “We were not expecting that.”
  4. Use these 5 words: quotidian, percussive, Freudian slip, toque, outshine.
  5. Write about an unfortunate anniversary
  6. Use the following phrase: an undercover sting
  7. “I just did it. It’s not my turn.”
  8. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: crude, wife, dictate, training, attract.
    2. Use the phrase: “You have to unlock it.”
    3. Write about calling people names.
  9. Write about wondering what the instructions mean.
  10. Use these 5 words: side step, chocolatier, flibbertigibbet, tromp, brute.
  11. Discuss spelling of nonsense sounds.
  12. Use these 5 words: tub, scrawny, cough, room, disapprove.
  13. Write about Friday the 13th.
  14. Write about a quick decision.
  15. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: point, sketch, ignite, suffering, short circuit.
    2. Use the phrase: “It’s no trouble at all.”
    3. Write about sloshing liquid.
  16. Your protagonist is a general practitioner.
  17. Your character cusses creatively
  18. Include a character who is a bookmaker.
  19. Start with “Next year at this time…”
  20. Start with this line of dialogue: “I miss everyone already.”
  21. “You’d think we’d know how to do this by now.”
  22. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: train, dump, useful, sustain, total.
    2. Use the phrase: “All the towels are wet.”
    3. Write about waiting for somebody who’s late.
  23. “Even numbers, odd numbers, and the rest of them.”
  24. Use the following phrase: people camping in their backyard
  25. “I did the whole thing in one sitting.”
  26. Use the following phrase: standing room only
  27. Use the phrase, “Only one mistake.”
  28. Write about taking a chance.
  29. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: buffet, neck, overlook, aware, conscience.
    2. Use the phrase: “Crunching on the gravel.”
    3. Write about borrowing something from a neighbor or friend.
  30. Use the following phrase: thirty days of heart opening
  31. “There isn’t room for all the digits.”

June 2018
Daily Writing Prompts

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A Pen In Each Hand

  1. Begin with “Starting today…”
  2. Your protagonist is named Najla Mahmood.
  3. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: formulate, outfit, ensure, rear, rabbit.
    2. Fill in the blank: “It seems a little _______ for this time of year.”
    3. Write about two friends of your character who don’t get along.
  4. Use the following phrase: egg-free scrambled eggs
  5. Write about a friend in trouble.
  6. Use these 5 words: kiss, morning, live, zipper, material.
  7. “Is that a threat? Or a promise?”
  8. Your antagonist is named Channary Chanthavong.
  9. Use the phrase “They presumably know that.”
  10. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: press, false, yard, exposure, damage.
    2. Fill in the blank: “I learned a lot about being human from _______ .”
    3. Write about a rite of passage.
  11. Use the phrase “Tell me more lies.”
  12. Include a character who is a software engineer.
  13. Use the phrase “What was I thinking?”
  14. Your antagonist is a bus driver.
  15. “You’ve confused me with someone else.”
  16. Your antagonist is a janitor.
  17. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: jury, wash, worker, ambiguous, latest.
    2. Answer an either/or question with “yes” or “no.”
    3. Write about not celebrating a holiday.
  18. Start with this line of dialogue: “Look at these pies!”
  19. Use the phrase, “What are you talking about?”
  20. Use these 5 words: sunken, raspberry, ampersand, zombify, temerity.
  21. Write about changing seasons.
  22. Your protagonist is a psychologist.
  23. “This is like a maze… I’m lost.”
  24. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: outside, available, national, heel, contrast.
    2. Use the phrase: “culture seems foreign.”
    3. Write about a flower.
  25. “You’re up early…”
  26. Start with this line of dialogue: “I believe the allegations are true.”
  27. Write about a gathering storm.
  28. Start with this line of dialogue: “Look at this nice letter!”
  29. A long-deferred vacation
  30. Use the following phrase: a major advancement in technology

May 2018
Daily Writing Prompts

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A Pen In Each Hand

  1. “Mayday! Mayday!”
  2. Start with this line of dialogue: “Look no further!”
  3. “There will be a price to pay.”
  4. Write about sharing war stories.
  5. “Be quiet, both of you, and work together.”
  6. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: applied, orchestra, hang, recognize, penalty.
    2. Write about a picture of home.
    3. Use the phrase “any time now.”
  7. “It’s chilly in the cave.”
  8. Use the following phrase: thunderbolts and lightning
  9. Write about using the wind to advantage.
  10. Use the following phrase: already has my heart
  11. A new building, without windows.
  12. Your protagonist is named Prashansa Iyer.
  13. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: common, noble, threshold, glance, jelly.
    2. Write about doing something another person doesn’t approve of.
    3. Use the phrase, “Are you my mother?”
  14. Use the following phrase: a monarchy with racist baggage
  15. Write about a character who’s illiterate.
  16. Your protagonist is a criminal.
  17. Alone, after the memorial service.
  18. Use these 5 words: repent, colleague, siphon, weeping willow, wholesale.
  19. Use the phrase “Let me handle this.”
  20. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: discover, shift, snack, orthodox, magnitude.
    2. Fill in the blank: “I’m too _______ for this kind of thing.”
    3. Use the phrase, “Quickly. It’s starting to rain.”
  21. An unfortunate anniversary.
  22. Use these 5 words: keelhaul, vigorous, uncivilized, topnotch, avatar.
  23. “Stay tuned, you’ll see.”
  24. Your antagonist is a sailboat captain.
  25. Write about a poor translation.
  26. Use the following phrase: as far as Mars–and beyond
  27. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: provincial, load, market, gene, conclusion.
    2. Fill in the blank: “I like this so much I could just _______.”
    3. Write about making contact with a long-lost friend or family member.
  28. Use these 5 words: popcorn, voyage, dashing, mature, symptomatic.
  29. Write a ten-minute play.
  30. Start with this line of dialogue: “You may know her from…”
  31. “Last person out, please turn out the lights.”

April 2018
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: number, architecture, alarm, bounce, shrink.
    2. Write about bailing out of a planned activity.
    3. Use the phrase “No good deed goes unpunished.”
  2. Your antagonist is named Maxim Ibarra.
  3. Cat, asleep with all 4 feet in the air.
  4. Use these words: trailblazer, bunk bed, indiscreet, grassroots, underground.
  5. That one channel you wanted to watch won’t work.
  6. Use the following phrase: even weirdos need some kindness
  7. Watching weather reports very carefully
  8. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: convenience, piano, danger, asylum, axis.
    2. Write about feeling sad for no obvious reason.
    3. Use the phrase “Was that fun?”
  9. “I’m sorry I didn’t do that when you wanted.”
  10. Use the following phrase: all that rage is a mask
  11. Asking strange questions.
  12. Start with this dialogue: “We’ve become numb to this sort of behavior.”
  13. “No good deed goes unpunished.”
  14. Use the following phrase: throwing fuel on a dying fire
  15. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: Sunday, towards, street, grunts, dress.
    2. Write about turning something in late.
    3. Use the phrase “Do what you need to do.”
  16. Use the following phrase: a gaggle of geese
  17. Life in a close-knit secret organization
  18. Write about a public shaming.
  19. Moving on to the next task.
  20. Your antagonist is a travel agent.
  21. Do it all at once? Or break it into pieces?
  22. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: daughter, rice, ordinary, implicit, compete.
    2. Write about a tool you don’t know how to use.
    3. Use the phrase “And now it’s broken.
  23. Upgrading only to find favorites broken.
  24. Use the following phrase: fired for inappropriate behavior
  25. Conversation while washing dishes together.
  26. Use these 5 words: dock, ratty, coast, obtain, military.
  27. Entering the wrong year on a form
  28. Use the following phrase: behind closed doors
  29. Get today’s prompts on Twitter.
    1. Use the following five words: element, gate, expose, cheap, woman.
    2. Write about a security concern.
    3. Use the phrase “What I really want is a nap.”
  30. Include a character named Kedar Abbas.

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.
    1. Use the following five words: dribble, evening, bring, lemon, drift.
    2. Write about unwanted automation.
    3. Use the phrase “Use the phrase.”
  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