creative writing ideas about regret

28 Creative Writing Prompts about Regret

Regret is a powerful and universal emotion that often lingers in the corners of our minds, reminding us of the choices we wish we could change . It is a profound feeling that arises from moments where we reflect on what could have been, or should have been, but wasn’t. 

As a writer, exploring the theme of regret can open up a myriad of storytelling possibilities, delving into the complexities of human nature and the consequences of our actions. 

In this collection of writing exercises, we bring to you some amazingly creative writing prompts about regret that will help you delve deep into the untold tales of remorse, redemption, and the eternal search for solace. 

Whether you wish to pen a poignant short story , a heartfelt poem , or a reflective essay , these prompts will inspire you to craft compelling narratives that resonate with the human experience of grappling with regret. 

So, take a deep breath, embrace the vulnerability, and let your creativity flow as you embark on a captivating writing adventure .

Writing Prompts about Regret

• The Untaken Journey: Your protagonist was once presented with the opportunity to travel around the world, but chose not to because of responsibilities or fear . Now they regret not seizing this once-in-a-lifetime adventure. Develop a story where your protagonist finally decides to embark on this grand journey, proving it’s never too late to live one ’s dreams .
• An Apology Too Late: Your character has lived their life keeping a hurtful secret from someone close to them, a secret that could potentially shatter their bond. Now, on their deathbed, the character feels an overwhelming sense of regret and decides to reveal the truth. Write a heartfelt letter of confession and apology from the character to the person they wronged, expressing their deep regret and the reasons for their past actions.
• Unfulfilled Aspirations: Imagine a character who always had a burning passion for something – music , painting, acting , writing – but due to circumstances, societal pressures, or fear of failure , they never pursued it. Now, in their old age, they are filled with regret for not following their heart when they had the chance. Develop a narrative where this character, despite their age, decides to chase their dream, showing it’s never too late to rectify a regret.
• The Forgotten Friend : Your protagonist had a childhood best friend . As they grew older, however, life took them on different paths and they gradually lost touch. Years later, your protagonist learns about the tragic demise of their friend, and is filled with regret for not keeping the friendship alive. Construct a story where your protagonist finds a unique way to honour their lost friend, dealing with their regret and finding closure.
• Ignored Advice: Your main character was given a piece of life-altering advice when they were young, but they dismissed it as trivial and continued down their chosen path. Over time, they realize the wisdom in those words and regret not heeding the advice. Write a story in which your character, with this newfound insight, attempts to amend their life according to the once-ignored advice.
• The Unsaid Words: Imagine a scenario where your character and their significant other parted ways after an intense argument . They always thought there would be a chance to reconcile, to say all the things left unsaid, but that chance never came. Create a narrative where your character navigates their regret and learns how to move forward while carrying this weight.
• Missed Goodbye : Your character’s loved one passed away suddenly, without giving them a chance to say goodbye or express their love one last time. The regret of not making the most of their final moments together haunts your character. Develop a story wherein your character finds solace and manages to say their belated goodbyes, albeit in a non- traditional way.
• Forgone Forgiveness: The main character had a falling out with a family member and held onto their resentment for years. Now, that family member has passed away, leaving the character in a sea of regret for not forgiving them when they had the chance. Write a narrative where your character grapples with their regret and seeks a path towards forgiveness and self-healing.
• The Love Not Chosen: Picture a character who once had to choose between two people they deeply loved. They made a choice but as time goes by, they start to question whether they chose correctly as they can’t help but feel regret for the love not chosen. Craft a story that follows this character’s journey as they come to terms with their choice and grapple with their lingering feelings.
• A Career Over Family: Your character chose a demanding career over starting a family. While they achieved immense professional success, they find themselves feeling increasingly empty and regretful, longing for the family life they missed out on. Create a narrative that explores your character’s struggle with regret and their attempt to fill this void in their life.
• The Neglected Passion: Imagine a character who, in their youth, had a passionate hobby. As they grew older, career and responsibilities took over, leaving no time for their passion. Now, they’re filled with regret for letting it go. Develop a story where this character rediscovers their passion, reminding readers that it’s never too late to reconnect with the things we love.
• The Taken-for-granted Friend: Your character had a dependable friend who was always there for them. But they took this friend for granted, and over time, the friend walked away. Now, the character realizes their mistake and feels profound regret. Create a story that depicts your character’s attempts to mend this broken friendship and make amends.
• Abandoned Homeland: Your protagonist left their homeland at a young age in pursuit of a ‘better life’. Over the years, as they fail to find a sense of belonging elsewhere, they regret leaving their roots. Your task is to write a story of your protagonist’s journey back to their homeland, seeking the connection they’ve longed for and addressing their regret.
• The Unforgotten Betrayal : Your main character betrayed someone close to them in a moment of selfishness. Years later, this act of betrayal haunts them, filling them with guilt and regret. Write a narrative where your character seeks redemption and tries to right their past wrongs.
• A Parent’s Regret: Your character was not always present for their children while they were growing up, prioritizing other aspects of life. As the children grow older and distance themselves, the character realizes their mistake and feels deep regret. Develop a story in which your character tries to rebuild these strained relationships and make up for lost time.
• Neglected Health : The protagonist of your story neglected their health for years, prioritizing work, social life, and other aspects over their well-being. After a significant health scare, they are filled with regret. Create a story that follows your character’s journey towards a healthier lifestyle, aiming to inspire readers to prioritize their health before it’s too late.
• The Unfinished Book : Imagine a character who started writing a book in their early 20s, full of passion and ideas. As time passed, their priorities shifted and the book was left unfinished. Now in their later years, they regret never completing it. Craft a narrative where your character decides to complete their long-abandoned book, showing it’s never too late to fulfill a dream.
• The Lost Mentor: Your character had a mentor who always believed in them, but due to pride and misunderstanding, they parted ways on bad terms. Years later, they regret not mending things when they had the chance. Develop a story where your character attempts to reconcile with the past and pay tribute to their lost mentor.
• An Unkept Promise: The protagonist once made a promise to a loved one but failed to keep it. This unkept promise haunts them with regret. Your task is to write a story that explores how the character finally finds a way to fulfill the long overdue promise, or comes to terms with their inability to do so.
• The High School Dropout: Your main character dropped out of high school and led a life full of struggles. Now in their adulthood, they regret their decision and long for a different life. Create a story that follows your character’s journey back to education , demonstrating the power of perseverance and the courage to confront regrets.
• The Estranged Sibling : Your protagonist had a falling out with their sibling over a trivial matter, and they haven’t spoken in years. After hearing news of their sibling’s achievements, they are filled with regret for the lost relationship. Develop a narrative where your protagonist reaches out to their estranged sibling, seeking reconciliation and healing.
• The Missed Opportunity to Help: The main character had the chance to help someone in need but chose not to, for some reason. Later, they learn the person fell into greater hardship, and they regret not lending a helping hand when they had the chance. Write a story in which the character grapples with their regret and seeks a way to make amends.
• The Ignored Intuition: Your character once had a strong gut feeling about a decision but ignored it, leading to an outcome they now regret. Craft a narrative that explores your character’s journey to trust their intuition again, learning from their past mistakes.
• The Hasty Marriage : Your protagonist married in haste, under societal or familial pressure. As years pass, they realize they are not truly happy and regret not taking the time to understand their partner better before committing. Develop a story where your protagonist confronts their regret, either by trying to mend their relationship or seeking happiness elsewhere.
• The Last Place Home : Imagine a character who, desperate to break free, leaves their small town at a young age. Over the years, they have grown to miss the simplicity and sense of community they once had. They now regret their haste to leave. Craft a narrative in which your character decides to revisit their hometown, facing their past, and understanding their true feelings about ‘home’.
• The Given Away Heirloom: Your protagonist inherited a precious heirloom from their grandparent . However, in their youth and ignorance, they sold it. Now older and wiser, they regret their decision and miss the connection to their roots. Develop a story in which the character embarks on a journey to reclaim the lost heirloom, reconnecting with their past along the way.
• The Regret of Dishonesty: Your main character lied to their partner about something significant, thinking it would save their relationship. However, the guilt of this lie eventually drove them apart. Now, the character deeply regrets their dishonesty. Write a narrative in which your character tries to win back their partner’s trust, demonstrating the importance of honesty in relationships.
• The Lost Art of Letter Writing: In the age of technology , your character regrets losing touch with the old-fashioned art of letter writing. They miss the personal touch and the deeper emotional connection that handwritten letters provide. Create a narrative where your character decides to bring back this lost art in their life and inspires others around them to do the same.

Founder and Chief Content Curator @ Digital Phrases

I'm a writer, words are my superpower, and storytelling is my kryptonite.

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33 Writing Prompts about Regret

We all regret things in our lives. While regret is not a great feeling, it is an important one.

You may experience regret because of a mistake you made, or from not following through on something that you wish you did.

The upside to regret is that your inner thoughts are signaling to you to learn and make a better choice in the future, should a similar situation happen again.

We hope these writing prompts will help expand your mind and understand regret a little more. We know that you won’t regret reading them!

How to use these prompts:

Writing should be creative and fun, and that’s exactly why we provide these prompts!

You can make your own writing challenge by choosing one prompt per day or set a timer and write as much as you can for a prompt of your choice.

There is no right or wrong way to use these prompts, all you have to do is pick one and start writing.

The writing prompts:

• Have you ever regretted trying a new food?
• What is one thing you regret? Why?
• Some people say they have “no regrets.” Do you agree or disagree with this idea?
• Why do you think regret is important to acknowledge?
• What are some positive ways to deal with regrets?
• What is one thing you don’t regret? Why?
• If regret was a person, what would they be like?
• Invent a character and write about something they regret.
• Have you ever regretted something you said? What could you have said differently?
• When you regret something, how does it make you feel?
• What music do you think of when you think of the feeling of regret?
• Have you ever regretted not doing something?
• Where do you think the word regret comes from?
• Is it okay to have regrets?
• Write yourself a letter forgiving yourself for something you regret.
• How can you learn from your regrets?
• Write a story about a person that regrets everything they do.
• How long do you typically feel regret? Is it ongoing or does it last a few days?
• If you don’t acknowledge a regret, does it get better or worse?
• Have you ever talked to someone else about their regrets? Write about it. If not, imagine you are having a conversation with a family member or friend and write about that.
• Imagine there is a day when you cannot experience regret. What would it be like? What about the next day, when things go back to normal?
• Can you regret too much?
• Write a story about a person that never experiences regret and how they live their life.
• What kinds of things do people regret? What do they have in common? How are they different?
• What advice would you give to someone who is dealing with regret?
• Would you prefer to live with no regrets? Why or why not?
• Is regret always negative? Why or why not?
• Have you ever regretted going somewhere? Why or why not?
• Is regret the same thing as feeling sorry? Why or why not?
• What do you do after you regret something?
• How can you turn regret into something positive, like gratitude?
• If regret was an animal, what animal do you think it would be? Why?
• Have you ever regretted writing something down?

Looking for more?

We provide writing prompts on a variety of subjects for our writers and readers of all ages. You might also like to try our prompts about fear , love , or art …

Our free resources are for teachers, students, and everyone in between!

If you have any suggestions or ideas for us, or would like to leave a comment or ask a question, please reach out to us. We would love to hear from you!

135+ Sad Writing Prompts to Stir Deep Emotions in Readers

By: Author Hiuyan Lam

Posted on Last updated: October 20, 2023

Categories Writing Prompts

The benefits of using sad writing prompts

Unlocking creative depths.

Enhancing writing skills

Exploring emotions and improving mental health

Sad writing prompts to unleash creative depths

Exploring health challenges and personal struggles.

Tackling social challenges and environmental crises

Delving into personal relationships and trust issues

Artistic expressions of emotions

Sad writing prompts to develop students’ writing skills

Addressing academic pressure and anxiety.

Understanding family dynamics and common issues

Confronting bullying and peer pressure

Navigating friendship and unexpected setbacks

Sad writing prompts to facilitate emotional expressions and personal growth

Facing anxiety and fear.

Examining loneliness and isolation

Reflecting on regrets and mistakes

Dealing with loss and heartbreak

Unraveling betrayal, conflict, and misunderstandings

Do sad writing prompts have to be with a sad or tragic ending?

Conclusion: Gateways to emotional depth, imagination, and transformation

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Free Creative Writing Prompts #61: Regrets

Many of us have regrets of things we wish we'd done in the past. These free  creative writing prompts  about your regrets may bring back some bad memories but they may also help you to create some important writing for yourself and others. As much as you may feel alone when you have a regret in your life, it's more likely that many people before you (and after you) have experienced a similar situation. In writing about what you've done wrong you can help the people after you avoid similar mistakes. Also, you may be able to rid yourself of the guilt associated with these regretful feelings. Who knew you could get all that from a few simple writing prompts :)? Enjoy!  Free Creative Writing Prompts: Regrets

1. Talk about the biggest regret you've had in your entire life. What led up to this occurring and what was the aftermath? What have you learned from this situation and how have you applied it to what you do now?

2. Do a character study on a person who uses his regrets to guide most of the decisions he makes in his life. What would happen to this person if he was able to move on free of these past transgressions?

3. What is one way that you have dealt with the regrets in your life? Do you just let them go easily or does it take a lot of talking and time? Have you needed to get professional help? Discuss the entire process for working regret out of your system.

4. What would you do if you could reverse one major regret from your past? How do you think your life would change if this was erased and how would it affect you as a person? Was it really all that much of an impact?

5. Go back in your mind to a conversation that you wish had not gotten so emotional and change it into a logical discussion on your part. Word for word, alter what was said and turn it into an empathic and emotional discourse. How does it change and what is the end result?

6. You have been given one last day with the "one that got away." What do you do with this time, what do you say, and what do you do? You only have this one last chance, so make it count.

7. Imagine that you have had a negative conversation with a person who passed away before you were able to make up. Write about the situation and your attempts to communicate with this person beyond the grave.

8. Write down a plan for your future financial situations based on the poor decisions that you have made in the past. Instead of regretting these past problems, try to look at them as opportunities to move forward with this new knowledge.

9. Craft a story about a kid who made a mistake in elementary school that cost him his popularity through middle and high school. Then give him an opportunity to go back and change that mistake. He can then choose between these two paths for the rest of his life. What path does he choose and why?

10. Have you ever caused extreme harm to someone without knowing it and then found out years later about what was said or done? If so, write about that experience, if not, create a story in which someone from your past comes up to confront you about said past issue.  While there are many things that I could regret in my life, it's hard to when I take into account how much I learned from those situations. Many things that I regret from high school involve me being socially awkward. As a result of those experiences, however, I learned to be a lot more socially adept and at this point I feel like I can communicate with people from most walks of life. Hopefully, these free creative writing prompts about your regrets can make you feel a similar way. If you're feeling brave, feel free to use the space below to provide your writing response to one of these prompts. Happy writing!  Bonus Prompt  - Create a giant chart of all the major regrets of your life and write a story in which you rectify all of these wrongs. It's sort of like the show "My Name is Earl." Go into detail and try to fix everything from childhood through adulthood. 

Related Articles to Free Creative Writing Prompts about Regrets Free Creative Writing Prompts from the Heart, Part 1 Free Creative Writing Prompts #2: Love Creative Writing Exercises #2: Relaxation

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How to Describe Regret in a Story

By Isobel Coughlan

In this post, we provide advice on how to describe regret in a story through the use of 10 descriptive words. Scroll down to learn more and get some ideas on how you can write a character experiencing regret.

Something that’s difficult or hard to understand.

“Her past regrets were complex , and she never explained them to others. If she couldn’t wrap her head around them, no one else would.”

“He was weighed down by a set of complex regrets, and every day he awoke with a new wrinkle on his face.”

How it Adds Description

Regret takes a different shape and form for every person, and sometimes people struggle with regrets more than others. In these cases, the regrets are usually more “complex,” meaning they concern lots of instances or are very confusing. Characters that suffer from “complex” regrets might seem tortured or at the mercy of their thoughts. This can make them difficult to connect with, as they won’t explain their past to others.

2. Shameful

An attitude or actions that are so bad that a person should be ashamed .

“Her shameful regrets kept her from re-entering society. She locked herself away from the masses for her own sanity.”

“The man wrestled with his shameful regrets every day. If he could, he’d wipe his slate clean and rewrite the past.”

“Shameful” shows that the character’s regrets have negative connotations, which cause them to feel embarrassed or ashamed. This could lead to characters being ostracized by others due to their past actions or inactions, especially in judgmental societies.

Something that’s small in amount or number .

“Though her regrets were sparse, she often considered the past and what she could have done differently.”

“My regrets are sparse and none of your business!”

If you want to show that a character’s regrets are few, “sparse” is a good adjective to use. This signifies that the character doesn’t suffer under the weight of their past decisions, and this could make them more carefree or sure of themselves. Characters with “sparse” regrets could also be more focused on the future, as they don’t need to rectify the past.

4. Tormenting

Extreme suffering , usually of the mental or psychological kind.

“He tried to make his tormenting regrets disappear, but nothing would silence his past.”

“I feel bad for the boy. Obviously, his regrets are tormenting , and you can see the struggle on his face.”

“Tormenting” can be used to show the extreme suffering caused by past regrets. This can indicate that the character’s thoughts are consumed by the past, thus debilitating their mental health and overall wellness. Characters with these problems might be unable to form healthy relationships with others due to their suffering.

Something that’s great in intensity, degree, or amount .

“I hope this doesn’t leave me with heavy regrets. Oh well.”

“She tussled with her heavy regrets, but the fight never got any easier.”

The adjective “heavy” can be used to show the extent of the regrets or to emphasize their effect on the character. This could lead to them feeling glum or sad often, even if they’ve been living with the “heavy” regrets for years.

6. Insignificant

Something unimportant or very small.

“Regrets were insignificant to her. Why worry about the past when you have the future ahead of you?”

“Don’t bother me with your insignificant regrets. I don’t have time for the past!”

Some regrets are smaller or less important than others, and “insignificant” can show this. Characters with “insignificant” regrets might not understand why other characters spend so much time thinking about the past. This might make them seem flippant, but it allows them to reduce mental anguish or suffering.

7. Unshakeable

Something so strong or firm it can’t be altered or destroyed.

“I am burdened by these unshakeable regrets. Help me free myself!”

“No amount of journaling or therapy could free her from the shackles of her unshakeable regrets.”

The adjective “unshakeable” shows no matter how hard the character tries, they can’t get rid of their past regrets. This shows they’ve been actively trying to get rid of them, but it’s not working. Characters with “unshakeable” regrets might hit a breaking point and become desperate to rid themselves of their worries.

Something that feels embarrassing or difficult to talk about.

“I can’t explain myself. My past regrets are too awkward for anyone else to hear!”

“She dismissed her awkward regrets and stepped into the room. One way or another, she’d make up for her past.”

If you want to show that your character feels uncomfortable with their regrets, “awkward” can help imply this point. This can show the regrets are of a sensitive nature or very personal to the character. Characters with “awkward” regrets are usually unlikely to divulge their secrets to others, and this means the character often suffers in silence.

9. Haunting

Something that’s persistent, poignant , and hard to forget.

“He watched her face drop. The haunting regrets were taking control of her mind again.”

“A day didn’t go by without her descending into her mental pit of haunting regrets.”

“Haunting” can be used to show how frequently the character’s regrets cause them pain. This implies they’re rarely without these worries, and this could slowly debilitate them over time. “Haunting” also implies that the regrets are of a sad or upsetting nature due to the word’s negative connotations.

10. Harrowing

Something that’s disturbing or extremely upsetting.

“He sat in a dark room and let the harrowing regrets take over.”

“No amount of money, therapy, or love could remove the harrowing regrets from her mind.”

If caused by a traumatic event, regrets can become extreme or “harrowing.” This shows they’re exceptionally painful for the character, and this could cause them to fall into a deep depression or to suffer flashbacks from the past. Other characters might try to help them overcome their past, but very “harrowing” regrets may plague the character forever.

DraftSparks ✨

225+ ‘Regret’ Writing Prompts

Unexpected redemption.

Write about a centuries-old vampire seeking redemption for their past wrongs.

Explore This Prompt Further →

Goldilocks Revisited

What if Goldilocks returned to the three bears’ house to apologize?

Make It or Break It

Write a letter from the perspective of an injured athlete to their younger self, warning about the injury and giving advice on how to avoid it.

Streams of Memories

Write a monologue where an elderly character is reminiscing about their past, recalling both painful and joyous moments.

The Unspoken Apology

Compose a monologue in which your character expresses regret and seeks forgiveness for a past action, something they can’t rectify.

Spirit from the Sidelines

Write a story from the perspective of a ghost observing a day in the life of a busy family member.

Ghostly Evocations

Pen a dialogue between a ghost and a human where the specter reveals pivotal moments from its past.

Internal Anger Storm

Write about a moment where you felt a tempest of anger brewing inside you.

The Final Transmission

Write about a character’s last moments in a spacecraft before a critical malfunction.

Text Messages in a Bottle

Imagine you could send five text messages to a past or current important person in your life. What would you say?

Tragic Tyrant

Pen down a story of a villain who was once a hero, or had the potential to be one, but was led astray.

Write about a vampire who desires to experience the sun one last time before their eternal slumber.

Sorrow of the Undead

Write about a vampire who begins to experience regret for the things he can never have – a normal life, a family, growing old.

Lost Love Rediscovery

Re-encounter an old love and describe how you both have changed since your relationship.

The Lost Love Letter

Write a story about a love letter from many years ago that suddenly resurfaces on Valentine’s day.

Voices From The Beyond

Craft a tale wherein a young medium tries to help spirits convey their unfinished businesses to their loved ones but one particular spirit refuses to move on.

Haunting Regrets

Write about a significant regret or unfulfilled dream from your past that haunts you like a ghost.

Unearthed Love Letters

An ancient, haunted love letter is found on Valentine’s Day, stirring the ghost of a heartbroken lover.

One Last Letter

Craft a final letter that a passenger on Titanic pens to a loved one, knowing they won’t survive.

Love Letters Unsent

Imagine finding an unsent love letter that you wrote in the past. Describe the person it was intended for and why you never sent it.

Phantom of the Past

Write about a ghost that travels back in time to prevent its living past self from making a disastrous decision.

Temporal Healing

Write about a protagonist who travels back in time to fix a regretful moment in their past.

Time-Travel Paradigm

If you could travel back in time and change one event from your past, what would it be and why?

Echoes of the Past

Place yourself in the rotting shoes of a former leader figure, now a zombie, surveying the rubble of the city that was once under your care.

Survivor’s Guilt

Detail a survivor’s experience who left his famine-stricken village for a better life abroad.

Choosing a Normal Life

Your superhero chooses to retire from their superhero life to live normally – write about their struggles and triumphs.

Saving Self

Write a story revolving around a retired superhero battling personal demons in silent retirement.

Releasing Regrets

Write about one regret you have from the past year, and then draft a plan for letting it go.

Caught in a Snowstorm

Write about a character who gets stranded in a deadly snowstorm.

The Forest of Forgotten Dreams

Create an allegorical drama story set in a forest, which symbolizes forgotten dreams and aspirations.

Forgotten Correspondences

Imagine an abandoned house where letters never sent were kept stored away. Your main character accidentally stumbles upon them.

Redemption Song

Detail the path of redemption Darth Vader takes towards the end of his life and how it changes the perception of his character.

Lone Victory

Write a story in which the protagonist achieves their goal but loses something essential in the process.

The Superhero’s Lost Love

Write about an aging superhero and a romantic relationship from their past that had to be sacrificed for the sake of humanity.

The Letter Never Sent

Detail a letter you would write to someone you had feelings for but have lost contact.

Last Wish Retribution

Create a narrative around a dying woman’s curse that brings forth a vengeful spirit, terrorizing those who didn’t fulfill her last wish.

Asserting Your Boundaries

Write about a situation where you regret not setting proper boundaries and how you can set those now.

Echoes from the Past

A cold case related to the detective resurfaces with renewed danger but a chance at redemption. How will they handle it?

Lone Wolf Syndrome

The protagonist chose a solitary survival path, to avoid the pain of loss, only to find themselves wracked with guilt over those they could have helped.

Late Bloomers

Craft a narrative about an individual who discovers their superhuman abilities late in life.

Perspectives of the Conspirators

Pen a series of letters from the conspirators involved in Caesar’s assassination, written in the days leading up to and following the Ides of March.

Shadow Player’s Endgame

Write a story about an aging spy who discovers a plot against their life and must outwit their own agency.

Missed Opportunities

Reflect on a time when there was an opportunity to help someone during the Christmas season, but you didn’t take it. How would things change if you had chosen differently?

Bargaining with Sorrow

Describe what you wish you could change or do differently in the past.

The Queen’s Redemption

Imagine a storyline where the evil queen seeks redemption after attempting to kill Snow White.

Unfinished Love Letters

Imagine finding old, un-sent love letters to a past hook up.

Dialogue at the Cross

Write a dialogue between two criminals crucified alongside Jesus.

Flower Stand Monologues

Imagine that you run a small flower stand and create a monologue to your flowers at the end of the day.

Missed Love Letters

Write about a series of love letters that never reached the beloved and how it changed their lives.

Thawing Heart

Craft a story where the Snow Queen shows a hint of kindness or compassion.

Second Chances

Write about a moment in your life that you wish you could revise, and how you imagine things would be different now.

Ghostly Guilt

Write about a mistake you made that still lingers in your consciousness, and how you have grown since then.

The Apology Letter

Write about a character who writes a heartfelt apology to their former love interest.

A Modern Marley’s Warning

Write a 21st-century version of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol”, focusing on the haunting visits Marley and the Christmas spirits pay to Scrooge.

Letters To The Lost

Write a letter to the person you have lost, expressing all the things you wish you had said.

Resolution Timeline

Describe a past regret or resolution that you had, how you worked through it, and where you stand today.

Purgatorial Memories

Write a tale about a ghost who is stuck in purgatory, forced to relive its most traumatic human experiences.

The Time Traveler

If you could go back and talk to your younger self or future self, what would you say?

Decoding Emotions

Write about the different emotions you have been feeling since the heartbreak.

Tree of Forgiveness

Write about planting a ‘tree of forgiveness’ where each leaf represents a specific regret you have.

Future Wisdom

Imagine meeting a future version of yourself. What advice would they give you about your regret?

Map of Regrets

Draw a map of regrets you’ve had over your life, marking milestones of regret and ways you have overcome them.

Courageous Conversations

Imagine having a conversation with someone or something involved in your regret and express your feelings, unanswered questions, and expectations.

Write a letter to yourself about a single regret you have, forgiving yourself for the mistake and exploring what you learned.

The Disappointing Report Card

Describe a child’s reactions and actions after receiving a poor report card.

Accidental Meeting

Write a story where the protagonist runs into an old classmate in an unexpected location.

Echoes of Goodbye

Craft a ballad about a parting that was filled with regret.

Last Love Lament

Craft a narrative about a vampire who is eternally mourning his mortal lover.

A forgotten love letter is found years later, rekindling old feelings and presenting an opportunity for a second chance at love.

The Redemption Arch

Create a character starting from the depths of despair or wrongdoing, that slowly works their way towards redemption.

Long Lost Letters

Discover a trove of letters from your younger self. What do they say, and how do they make you feel?

Retrospective Apology

Write a monologue of a character apologizing to someone they can no longer reach.

Room of Regret

Write about a lone room in the haunted mansion that has remained untouched and furnished.

Tamed Eternity

Craft a story about a vampire who falls in love with a human, but refuses to turn them due to past regretful experiences.

Evolution of Fear

Write about a main character who starts off disregarding the zombie threat, but soon comes to face the gruesome reality.

Rewriting the Past Year

Imagine you have a time machine and you could rewrite any event of the past year, what would it be and how would it lead to a different present?

Atoning for Misdeeds

Create a narrative about a character who’s seeking ways to make amends for a past action that caused emotional pain to someone they care for.

Confronting Consumption

Write about a time you overlooked an eco-friendly option due to convenience or cost.

The Turncoat’s Testimony

Write a monologue from the perspective of a person who caused heartbreak by ending a relationship, expressing their guilt and wavering doubt about their decision.

Estranged Lover’s Lament

Craft a soliloquy where a character express their longing and regret towards an estranged lover.

Echoes of Past Apps

Imagine a world where technology is advanced enough to capture and recreate ghost-like images of people’s past selves.

Healing through Words

Write a letter to your past self right before your heart was broken.

The Apology That’s Due

Pen a letter of apology to someone you may have wronged in the past.

Skiff’s End

Narrate the account of Jabba’s final moments during the Sarlacc pit incident, from his own perspective.

Once Upon a Time Warp

Write a 100-word flash fiction about a person meeting their past self.

Tragic Prologue

Pen a story that kicks off with the introduction of the villain, detailing their backstory or motive rather than starting with the protagonist.

Final Redemption

Develop a story based on a protagonist striving to unravel a series of mysterious events, aiming to redeem their tragic past.

Lost In A Moment

Write a story where the protagonist is trapped in a suspenseful situation because of a personal tragedy.

House of Whispers

The family home becomes haunted with the ghosts of all its previous inhabitants.

Narrate the internal monologue of a Jedi in their final battle, facing their destiny with courage and acceptance.

Crooning with Cupid

Imagine a song sung by Cupid, the god of love, about his adventures and misadventures on Valentine’s Day.

Beyond the Lake

Envision a story where an uncharted lake serves as the portal to the afterlife, where the spirits of the deceased communicate with the living.

Redemption Road

Create a villain who goes through significant character development and ends up seeking redemption.

Echoes of the Lost Ship

Write about a famous shipwreck from history, with its crew said to still haunt the wreck site.

Acceptance and Forgiveness

Write a letter to your broken heart, acknowledging its hurt and voicing forgiveness.

The Hidden Kingdom Beneath the Gallows

Create a story revolving around an underground kingdom beneath the notorious gallows, inhabited by ghosts of the condemned men.

A Ghost in the Lighthouse

Write a story about a ghost that warns sailors about an impending disaster from an abandoned lighthouse.

Ghostly Repentance

A ghost haunts a place or person as a form of penance for a crime they committed in their primary life.

The Unsent Valentine

Write a story where a character is desperate to confess their love but never sends their Valentine.

A Letter Never Sent

Craft a story revolving around a heartfelt letter written in the throes of passion, but never delivered to the intended recipient.

75 Journal Prompts to Cope With Guilt, Regret, and Difficult Emotions

• Felix Prasetyo
• Updated April 16, 2022
• April 16, 2022
• Category    Journal Prompts

Table of Contents

How often do you feel guilty or regretful about something you did? 

If you answered yes, then you might want to consider journal prompts. 

Journaling has been proven to be beneficial for both mental and physical health.

Journaling helps us to reflect on our lives and gain insight into ourselves. 

The act of writing down thoughts and feelings can also help us to release negative emotions .

Journal prompts can be very helpful in helping you to deal with guilt and regret. They can help you to identify areas where you need to improve.

Don’t have time to read the whole guide right now?

No worries. Let me send you a copy so you can read it when it’s convenient for you. Just let me know where to send it (takes 5 seconds):

Writing prompts to process guilt, regret, and negative feelings.

• 1. Write about a time when you felt guilty. What was it that made you feel bad? Why did you feel guilty ? Did you do anything about your feeling guilty? Were there any consequences as a result of the guilt?
• 2. Remember a time when you had an opportunity to do something but didn’t take advantage of it because you thought you would get caught. Write about what happened after you decided not to go through with the plan. What were the consequences?
• 3. Write about a time you regretted doing something. What actions led up to the point when you realized you had done the wrong thing? Did you feel bad about yourself because of it?
• 4. Imagine a situation where you could have avoided getting hurt. Think about all of the options available to you at that moment. Was one option better than another to prevent harm from occurring?
• 5. Try imagining that you will never see someone again. For example, if you wrote last year’s high school reunion, you can imagine seeing those classmates for the first time since graduation.
• 6. There is always a way out. Think back over the past week and try to remember a situation where you didn’t make use of it as a chance to change things that weren’t going well for you.
• 7. When you think of times you’ve behaved poorly, ask yourself “What should I have done instead?”
• 8. Some people believe that regret only comes from mistakes they have made themselves. But regrets can come from other situations. Would you still be happy without these things?
• 9. Do you sometimes wish you could restart life? A new beginning? A fresh start ? Sometimes we forget that life doesn’t stop just because we don’t like the direction that it is taking. We have the power to choose how we live our lives.
• 10. In some cases, regret stems from failure to be honest during important moments. Write about a time that you failed to be truthful with someone . Describe why you chose to lie.
• 11. Have you ever wished that you could undo something you’ve already done? This may sound like something only a criminal would wish, but most of us have wished at some point that events could have taken a different turn.
• 12. It is difficult to move forward in life when we are filled with anger. Anger makes us defensive. Defensiveness causes us to take action based on fear. Which path will you choose: staying angry or letting go?
• 13. Do you ever hold onto grudges against others? The problem with holding grudges is that we begin to identify with our bitterness. So many times, we allow our frustrations and emotional pain to infect our relationships , making us ill-tempered and uncaring.
• 14. Many people feel guilty when they are successful . They wonder whether their success was fair. How do you react when you succeed?
• 15. Does the world seem unfair sometimes? What happened to you recently that gives you reason to question this belief?
• 16. Are there times when you don’t feel responsible for what happens around you? Do not worry about whether you were supposed to act differently; worrying won’t change anything.
• 17. Do you feel guilty about being unable to solve every problem ? Even when you know you’re doing all the right things, sometimes things won’t work out the way you hope. Try not to feel ashamed when this occurs.
• 18. Is it possible to forgive oneself for past wrongs? Can you fully accept responsibility for choices you’ve made? If so, then try forgiving yourself for those mistakes.
• 19. Have you ever had the thought: “If I knew then what I know now, then…”? For example, “If I knew then that my mother died when she did, I wouldn’t…” Use these words to write down any regrets. Then ask yourself: Would you still want to say what you’re thinking? Why or why not?
• 20. Think about the decisions you’ve made in the last year or two. Were they good ones? Did you regret them at the time? Now that you’ve put them into writing, do they look better or worse than they did at the moment?
• 21. Write down an experience where something wonderful happened to you, yet you also didn’t expect it to happen. Describe the experience you have been given in the present perfect tense. After reading this description, think about the positive impact of this new experience in the future.
• 22. Sometimes, we get caught up in the past. We dwell on old hurts and resentments and refuse to let go . Yet, we have the power to change the events in our lives. Take some time today to write down five positive memories from each month of the past year.
• 23. What would you like to have done right when you were growing up? Where do you believe you went wrong in the past?
• 24. When you consider the past, which people have contributed most to your feeling of well-being and contentment?
• 25. Which people are likely to contribute positively to your feelings of well-being and satisfaction in the future? Who are the potential threats?
• 26. Have you ever experienced guilt over something that really wasn’t your fault? Explain the circumstances that led to this guilt.
• 27. Have you ever felt truly sorry for making someone unhappy? Has anyone else made you feel this way ? Why do you think he/she became upset? Consider ways of helping him/her understand that you really meant no harm by your actions.
• 28. People often feel remorseful after hurting someone intentionally. However, what makes us feel guilty after unintentionally causing pain is different. The difference lies in whether we are willing to admit fault. Describe a situation where you hurt another person without meaning to do so.
• 29. In your own words, describe the greatest mistake you have ever made. From this error, try to learn a lesson.
• 30. Have you ever regretted trying something for fear of embarrassment? Perhaps you attempted to accomplish something simply because someone told you to? Write down three situations like this one and explain why you did not proceed with the action in question.
• 31. If you had the chance to live again, would you make any changes in your life? How might these changes affect other people? Would you be happy with the course of your life ?
• 32. Write down all the things that you want to say before you die. Include all the things that have left you frustrated or disappointed.
• 33. Are there times when you need to forgive someone who has offended you? Explain the reasons behind your decision. Write out specific examples that demonstrate why forgiving this person would help more than punishing her would hurt.
• 34. Most of us spend far too many days thinking about our weaknesses rather than our strengths. Spend at least ten minutes remembering who you are, what you’re good at, and what things you’ve accomplished since you were a teenager.
• 35. How do you handle failure? Do you look for excuses (“It’s always been like this…”)? Or do you take responsibility for whatever occurred? Explain how you act when you experience failure.
• 36. Make up a story about the last time you were involved in an argument. Describe every detail, including the emotions of each party. Did you end up feeling guilty afterward? Describe how you handled the situation.
• 37. Were you raised to value achievement more than human relationships ? List five individuals whose presence made you feel better than you otherwise might have. Explain how they impacted your life. Note the impact they still have on your life.
• 38. When faced with a choice between doing right and being popular, which does it seem easier to follow? Is it possible to do both? If yes, then why is popularity so important?
• 39. Identify some area of your life where you are struggling to get ahead. Think back over the past few months and weeks . Which activities helped you move forward? Which ones dragged you backward?
• 40. Why do you think people lie? Whom do you believe more? Can lying ever be justified?
• 41. What’s the purpose of anger? Why do you use anger to express disappointment in others? To control them? To teach them a lesson?
• 42. Some people react to stress by becoming withdrawn, while others prefer to “fight” their feelings through anger or aggression. Explain how this affects the quality of your relationship with your family and friends .
• 43. What kinds of things are you willing to give up if you could only change one thing about yourself? What would you sacrifice?
• 44. In what ways can you be kinder? More considerate? Less selfish? Could you become a better listener? A more helpful friend ? A better parent?
• 45. Have you ever felt ashamed of something someone else did? Explain why you reacted as you did. Was your behavior inappropriate? Or was it perfectly reasonable given other circumstances?
• 46. Which aspects of yourself do you most admire? Draw three pictures that represent these qualities. Then draw several additional pictures that show you at work, play, or interacting with other people.
• 47. Choose a place where you often go and make a drawing of it. Describe everything about the scene—your mood, the weather, etc.—and explain what you notice about it. Compare your picture to another similar picture you have drawn.
• 48. Do you tend to fall into any particular patterns when you’re feeling guilty? Are there certain situations where guilt seems appropriate? Where should a person with guilt turn for help? How do you cope with guilt?
• 49. When was the last time you experienced guilt so intense that you couldn’t talk about it until you’d gotten home? How did you deal with those emotions?
• 50. How much guilt do you experience every day: none, sometimes, or all the time?
• 51. In what ways can guilt affect our ability to learn new skills? Does learning require taking action? Or can we learn simply by observing?
• 52. Write down all of the different ways you’ve tried to escape from guilt. Now write down your best solution.
• 53. Sometimes I worry that I’m not really happy because I don’t understand joy . Do you agree? Why or why not?
• 54. What’s the difference between happiness and contentment? Happiness doesn’t necessarily mean being thrilled. Contentment means satisfaction with life even though it may include a great deal of sadness in your present .
• 55. Is it possible to truly forgive someone who has hurt you? Why or why not.
• 56. Think about a memory that still hurts you deeply. How do you want to remember it? What might happen to free you from the pain of this memory?
• 57. Try describing your first romantic love to a friend. Were you surprised by her reaction? Explain your reasons for being attracted to each other. Did you act on these feelings? If so, how? How did it feel?
• 58. Do you find that relationships with family members and close friends can be difficult because they remind you of a conflict within yourself? How does thinking about unresolved issues hurt you? How does facing them help?
• 59. Who is the greatest influence in your life? Explain why.
• 60. Imagine that you have just been granted one wish. Would you like to change the past? The future? Your current circumstances? All of them?
• 61. Can you think of a positive thing you learned from the death of a loved one? Tell me about it.
• 62. As you reflect back over your life, are you able to identify some recurring themes, topics, experiences, or events that always seem to recur? Why do they keep coming back?
• 63. Make a list of all of the people you have been angry with. Now try to recall an instance when each person responded well to your anger. Can you imagine doing anything differently?
• 64. When did you first begin to believe you were unworthy of respect? Was it related to anything specific? Explain.
• 65. When does guilt take control of your mind and body?
• 66. Have you ever felt like giving up? Tell me about a time when you needed something so badly that you had no choice but to give in. Explain why you chose to give in.
• 67. Consider a time when you gave in to your own needs rather than to someone else’s. How did the experience compare to having given in under pressure?
• 68. Which parts of you would you most like to let go of if you could choose? Why do you suppose you have become attached to them?
• 69. Do you have any sense of regret about things you said or did as a child? If so, explain your thoughts on whether the past should be changed.
• 70. Describe a situation where you wished you’d done nothing more than sit quietly while someone was trying to kill himself. How did the outcome turn out?
• 71. Many people suffer from feelings of guilt because others expect too much from them. How can you live a less-guilty life ?
• 72. Are there times when you don’t know what to say? Can you think of situations in which silence didn’t work ? Why?
• 73. Think about a time when you made the wrong decision. Would you care to make amends for the error?
• 74. In a relationship with someone important to you: Does he or she tend to take advantage of your kindness? Tell me about a recent example. How did you react?
• 75. How have you dealt with problems with authority figures when you thought their decisions were unfair?

  Conclusion

I hope that these creative writing prompts have helped you to cope with any difficult feelings that you may have in your daily life.

Best of luck!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Felix Prasetyo is the founder and publisher at Lifengoal, covering relationships, social skills, and personal growth. Felix holds a degree in Computer Science from the University of British Columbia, and has also contributed to other media publications such as Addicted2Success.com and YogiApproved.

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7 Prompts for Writing About Guilt 5

Guilt isn’t always a rational thing,  Clio realized.  Guilt is a weight that will crush you whether you deserve it or not. ~  Maureen Johnson,  Girl at Sea

The problem with guilt is that it isn’t always deserved. Wrongs can be imagined. You might experience survivor’s guilt, or feel guilty because you think that you’re not doing enough for your children or spouse. You might feel guilty when you eat or when you take much-needed time for yourself. Unhealthy guilt occurs when you feel responsible for something outside your control or when you’ve not actually done something wrong, and it serves no rational purpose.

Some of us are guilt prone — taking on responsibility and blame that is not actually ours to own. Excessive guilt and the resulting feelings of failure can be distracting, hamper your ability to enjoy constructive relationships, decrease focus and productivity, and lead to depression.

If you are prone to feeling guilty, or wonder if your guilt is the healthy kind, the following journaling prompts will help you analyze, process, and find a constructive or positive way to deal with it.

• Do you feel guilty for actual wrongdoing or f0r something outside your control? Would you categorize your guilt as healthy or excessive, and why? –
• Imagine that the situation is reversed and you’ve switched roles with the other person. Would you feel hurt or angry if the other person acted as you have? If not, write about the reasons why you feel that your behavior is wrong, yet theirs would not be wrong. –
• Is your guilt generated from within you, does it come from an external source or person, or does it stem from a past experience? –
• In what ways might your guilt have a positive influence on you, or how could you use it constructively? –
• Is there a way to make amends for what you’ve done? How? –
• What’s holding you back from moving on? –
• What can you learn from this situation?

I’d like to hear from you. What is your experience with guilt and how do you usually deal with it?

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5 thoughts on “ 7 Prompts for Writing About Guilt ”

Whenever I feel guilt rearing its head into my life, I’m reminded of what one of my college professors said years ago about guilt. In short, he said that guilt is a form of self-inflicted suffering. And why do we humans seem almost compelled to want to suffer? Of course, he was addressing the unhealthy aspects of guilt.

Your questions will help us deal with even those minor instances of guilt. The important thing for me to remember is that guilt is not real…it is something I create and maintain because I perceive that feeling guilty serves me somehow. Life and age has taught me to let go of guilt. Just sharing!

Sara, indeed, why do we feel compelled to suffer? I agree with what you say about guilt (and perhaps many of our motivating emotions) being created in order to serve us in some way. Understanding how our emotions, attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors serve (or don’t serve) us is an important part of growing in self-knowledge. Thank you for sharing 🙂

I got divorced a few months ago, and feel extreme guilt to my actions that let to it happening. Though going thru a divorce is not a happy experience, and I guess most people worry about having to start all over again etc, that is not something that makes me so bad. What really makes me feel sad and guilty is that I failed to make and keep happy someone who was of primary importance to me and started giving priority to other factors like job etc. I was out of a job for about 6 months and had started entering into a panic zone, at which time I get a job in another town, and relocated alone. I was staying away for 2 years after which I finally managed to get transferred back to my earlier city, but I guess it was already too late. After few months, my wife moved out, and we had to complete the formalities after that. Though I used to come back as often as possible, it was probably not enough and lost control of the situation. I know when I moved due to the job, my wife saw me as abandoning her, because she would ask me why I couldnt have waited a bit and tried longer in the same place. I used to keep telling her I would get a transfer or another job back, but I guess she did not believe me, The thoughts of having let her down and abandoned her haunt me everyday and I think that was the reason why she left ultimately. There are times when I can still imagine her crying, but I know its too late and nothing I can do about it.

Siddharth, guilt like what you describe can be devastating. But we are all human and make mistakes. It may help to explore these feelings using prompts #4, #6, and #7 above. Your guilt may never go away, at least not entirely, but it can be used as a catalyst for positive change in your life.

Hello, I’m 23 and I’m dealing with a lot of unhealthy guilt issues, and I’m trying to make a mental health journal to work on these issues, I’d love if you could point me in the right direction to really diving into these feelings of guilt and sadness, these prompts are helpful, but I feel like there’s still some things not tapped into in my brain (I hope that makes sense) thank you in advance! -Ashley

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Definition:, physical signals and behaviors:, internal sensations:, mental responses:, cues of acute or long term regret:, may escalate to:, cues of suppressed regret:, may de-escalate to:, associated power verbs:.

50 creative writing prompts to enrich your craft

Creative writing prompts provide a useful way to jog inspiration. Try these creative writing exercises focused on individual elements of storytelling:

• Post author By Jordan
• 13 Comments on 50 creative writing prompts to enrich your craft

Creative writing prompts – find inspiration to:

Create compelling dialogue, craft vivid setting descriptions, create interesting characters, create strong story openings, master tense, craft more effective sentences and phrases, find story ideas.

• Create eventful plots

Craft satisfying story endings

1. a relocation.

Prompt: A character is moving to another city. She visits her favourite public place and sees something that makes her want to stay. Describe this in 500 words, using third person POV (he/she). Then rewrite in first person, using ‘I’.

Why: Rewriting third person scenes (especially emotional ones) in first person helps you find your character’s voice. You’re telling the reader what your character thinks as your character, not an observer. When you rewrite in third person (if you prefer this POV), some of this immediacy will carry over.

Prompt: A character is being chased by a villain or villainous group through an abandoned warehouse. Describe their fear and lucky escape in 500 words or less. Rewrite the piece from the viewpoint of the villain(s).

Why: Rewriting a protagonist’s scenes from the antagonist’s perspective can help you create a more realistic sense of threat, since you will be able to picture the protagonist as well as antagonist’s movements and psychological state clearer.

3. A late arrival

Prompt:  A character arrives late to a party, not knowing that an old significant other is attending too. The relationship didn’t end well. The host introduces them to each other, unaware of their history.

In 500 words or less, write the scene and rewrite it twice, once from each character’s perspective: The late arriver, the ex and the host.

Why: Sometimes a story scene can be effective written from a secondary character’s point of view. Writing as a neutral observer might help you notice details worth including in the scene (such as the main characters’ actions and body language); actions that you wouldn’t think about as much if you were writing from a different viewpoint.

GET YOUR FREE GUIDE TO SCENE STRUCTURE

Read a guide to writing scenes with purpose that move your story forward.

4. A long affair

Prompt: A POV writing exercise courtesy of Writer’s Digest:

A teenage couple is sitting at a restaurant, playfully making up a fake Cosmo love test for each other. What questions do they ask each other? Now, write the same scene, but this time the couple is in their thirties. How would the questions differ? Write the same scene again, but this time the couple has been married for fifteen years. How would their questions be different than the other two tests?

Why: Character development makes your characters feel real. Rewriting scenes from the POV of younger and older versions of your characters will give you a sense of how your characters’ voices and concerns could change over the course of your novel realistically.

5. A change of view

Prompt:  A detective is called to a small hotel to investigate the disappearance of a guest. Describe him searching the guest’s room in 500 words or less. Use first person POV. Then rewrite the scene in the second person (using ‘you’ to describe his actions, as though the reader were the detective).

Why: Although the second person is very uncommon as a point of view, writing a series of actions in second person can help you get into descriptive mode – you’re putting the reader immediately in the viewpoint character’s shoes, making them see and do exactly what your character sees and does.

6. An argument

Prompt:  Two lovers are having an argument in a bar. Character one hates public displays and is trying to calm the situation. Character two doesn’t care at all what other patrons think. Write their exchange in 500 words or less.

Why: Conflict in dialogue makes it lively and the raised stakes draw readers in. The point of this creative writing prompt is to remind you to include individual characters’ differing psychologies and likes and dislikes so that each character’s voice is distinct.A new tag

7. Remove dialogue tags

Prompt 7:  Take several lines of dialogue (either your own or another writer’s work) that use dialogue tags (‘he said’, ‘she said’).

Rewrite the exchange without any dialogue tags, describing each character’s body language (e.g. crossing arms, pacing back and forth, sitting down, standing up) between their spoken lines instead. (E.g. “You said the same thing yesterday.” She crosses her arms, leaning back.)

Why: Dialogue tags can be distracting and repetitive. Body language can show how your characters are speaking and feeling without telling the reader outright, and this brings characters to life.

8. A public figure

Prompt:  A public figure (a celebrity or politician) is giving a long speech when they are interrupted by a member of the audience and heckled. The speaker loses their calm and responds to the heckler in far more informal speech.

Why: We use different ways of talking depending on whom we address. Creating sudden shifts in how a character talks in scenarios such as this helps us remember to vary a character’s expression according to their circumstances.

9. An elevator pitch

Prompt:  Two characters have been stuck in a lift for an hour. They were strangers but they begin opening up, telling each other about their lives while they wait for assistance. Their conversation is awkward at first but by the end it’s as though they’re old friends. Use 500 words or less.

Why: Creating a sense of progression in dialogue shows change and this change and sense of development is a large part of what makes a story interesting.

10. A group project

Prompt: . Four college students have been put in a group to compile a report. Each has a very different work approach. One student loves to research first, another likes to organize people and delegate tasks, one is a lazy slacker and one just agrees with everyone else to avoid conflict. Write their argument about how to complete the project.

Why: It’s important when writing multi-character scenes to give each character a voice that corresponds to their immediate goals as well as personalities. This exercise will help you create multi-character scenes that are complex and rich with dramatic potential.

[Try extra character writing exercises here for further practice.]

11. A lone hiker

Prompt: Imagine your character has gone hiking in a forest on a mountainside. There is nobody else around. Describe what they hear as they pass through different parts – a densely wooded area, a stream, and a high ravine.

Why: Often when we write setting we rely on visual description almost exclusively. Creative writing prompts that help you invoke the other senses will help you create fuller mental imagery for readers.

12. A city changes

Prompt:  Describe the general goings-on in a city over the past 100 years. In the course of your description, describe at least one major landmark that’s changed as well as one memorable event that residents won’t soon forget.

Why: Writing setting well, especially in historical fiction, requires showing place as dynamic rather than static. The process of time changes a place and showing these changes occasionally makes your novel’s locations feel real.

13. A sailor’s impressions

Prompt: Describe a seaside city from the viewpoint of a traveler who is visiting for the first time. Describe the same place again from the viewpoint of a local. Think about the different places in the city each would find interesting, and have each character list three things they love and three things they hate about the city.

Why: Characters’ relations to places affect what they notice about them and where they go, and the same place in your novel can have multiple qualities depending on whose POV is being used. A visiting character might end up eating at awful tourist-bait diners, for example, while a local is more likely to avoid these.

14. A house changes

Prompt: Describe a big, rambling house in the daytime and make it seem comfortable and homely. Rewrite the piece, keeping everything except the adjectives the same. Change the describing words you use so the house feels sinister, eerie or outright terrifying.

Why:  In setting, time of day and place work together to establish mood and atmosphere. This exercise will help you show how places take on different characters according to the conditions under which we experience them.

15. A character’s refuge

Prompt:  Imagine your character has a favourite place they escape to whenever they feel stressed or need quality alone time. It could be somewhere in nature or else an inner city café, music hall or public library. Describe this setting in 500 words including at least three of senses: smell, touch, sound, sight or taste.

Why: Involving the reader’s senses in your settings makes your fictional world easier to imagine. We form memories of places not just through vision but the other senses too. Do this exercise regularly to create memorable locations for your story.

16. A Mary Sue

Prompt: Describe a character who is loved by everyone (if you’ve seen the cult classic show  Twin Peaks , Laura Palmer is a good example). Describe the character and what is so lovely about her in 500 words or less, but end with a secret or flaw that not everyone sees.

Why: Story characters who are perfect are boring. Great characters are light and shade. ‘Good characters’ can have flaws and ‘bad’ characters can have pasts that show the reader a human side. The villain Lord Voldemort in J.K. Rowling’s  Harry Potter  series was once an ordinary boy.

17. A police line-up

Prompt: Imagine a character who witnessed a crime has to identify the perpetrator in a police line-up. Each of the suspects is quite similar looking but there is one vivid aspect of the guilty party that stands out. Describe your character noticing this stand-out feature and realizing who the guilty suspect is in 500 words or less.

Why:  When we describe characters, we often reach for the most obvious physical features such as hairstyle and eye colour. But these are seldom particularly identifying and can read as clichéd. When readers could spot your characters in a police line-up, you’ll know they are vivid. [Someone on Tumblr used forensics software to put together sketches of famous literary characters based on their descriptions: See more here ].

18.A formative experience

Prompt: Imagine a character who has a single, over-arching goal in his or her life (it could be the quest for money or love, status or acceptance, for example). Now describe a single event from your character’s life that strongly influenced their adopting this goal. Describe the event from the character’s viewpoint as a memory, in 500 words  or less.

Why:  Even if you don’t explicitly mention a character’s entire backstory in your novel, knowing details about  why  your character wants and strive for specific things will help you create a three-dimensional cast for your novel.

19. An intriguing voice

Prompt: Go to YouTube. Click on a random video and quickly minimize the window before you see anything. Describe the voice of the first person you hear speaking, in detail. Is there any defining characteristic? Is it low, high, raspy, clear? Do they have a stutter or an odd way of starting, pausing, or ending sentences? Begin with ‘Her/his voice is/was like…’

Why:  Thinking about the differences in how people sound and express themselves will help you write characters whose voices are unique and interesting.

20. A metamorphosis

Prompt:   It’s fun to ask yourself questions such as ‘if my character were an animal/song/building/food item, what would they be?’ Imagine a character in her mid 40’s who’s a schoolteacher. Her class loves her because she’s a bit odd and quirky. Now answer these questions:

If my character were an animal what would she be and why?

If my character were a song, what would it be and why?

Why:  Creative writing prompts that involve asking questions about imaginary people help to create a more concrete idea of them in your mind’s eye. Even if your reader doesn’t know every little thing about your character, you should have a very deep understanding of them yourself so that, if they’re faced with a specific situation, you will already have some intuition as to how they will react.

21. A dramatic incident

Prompt:  Begin an opening sentence with a character having died. For example, Faulkner begins his acclaimed story ‘A Rose for Emily’ thus:

When Miss Emily Grierson died, our whole town went to her funeral: the men through a sort of respectful affection for a fallen monument, the women mostly out of curiosity to see the inside of her house, which no one save an old man-servant–a combined gardener and cook–had seen in at least ten years. William Faulkner, ‘A Rose for Emily’. Available online here .

Why:  Dramatic story openings that leave things unanswered pull the reader in. How exactly was Miss Emily a monument? Why is she so intriguing to the town and why had nobody seen the inside of her house? How did she die? Faulkner leaves many questions to answer in the course of the story.

22. A narrator’s regret

Prompt: Begin a story with the words ‘If I’d known then what I know now, I never would have…’ Continue the opening for up to 500 words.

Why:  Conditionals (if, would, could, etc.) create a question in the reader: ‘Then what?’ Beginning a story with a character talking about having grown or acquired new knowledge in some way makes it clear to the reader that there has been momentous change of some kind, and change is what creates story.

23. An uncommon birth

Prompt:  Begin a story ‘I was born…’ Many classic novels that are  bildungsromans  (stories about coming of age) follow this format (e.g.  David Copperfield  by Charles Dickens and  Midnight’s Children  by Salman Rushdie).

Why:  Great characters have history and can remember (and are driven to some extent by) important life events. You don’t have to give your character’s life history from the day they were born. But write a list for each character in your novel about important events in their life, even if we only meet them when they are in their thirties.

24. A strange action

Prompt: Begin a story with a surprising or unusual action. For example, ‘I rushed around the house in terror, turning every tap on full’.

Why:  The mundane and everyday can happen in the course of your novel. But keep the most mundane parts of your book for any part but the beginning. An unusual or inexplicable action as an opening creates curiosity.

25. An encompassing idea

Prompt: Write a first line that encompasses the whole of a story idea. For example, the first line of The Lord of the Rings   written this way could be ‘I had been to Mount Doom and back, and everything in the Shire had changed.’ This great exercise was suggested by Joe Bunting of The Write Practice in his post on writing great first lines .

Why:  Being able to condense your story into a single line is a good skill to have. It’s often best to write the first line of your novel once you have finished your first draft, too, and once you have all the details of plot you’ll be especially able to find an opening that encompasses the central ideas your book covers.

26. A marriage day

Prompt: Imagine a character describing her wedding day. Describe how she and her future spouse walk down the aisle and how she feels about the occasion, all in the present tense and first person plural (‘we’). Then rewrite the passage in the future tense (‘We will’).

Why: Different tenses and moods have interesting effects (e.g. the subjunctive mood is used to describe hypothetical situations – ‘if I had been president, I would have…’). Rewriting an important event in the future tense can show a character’s longing or the castles in the sky they are building. Writing the above scenario this way can be very effective if you will later show how the event did not go to plan at all. It will let you create a contrast between expectation and reality and this element of surprise is a satisfying component of storytelling.

27. A revelation

Prompt:  Your character is a high school student who has just sat his exams.

Describe the exams he has completed in the recent past tense (e.g. ‘Yesterday, I wrote history and my pen ran out of ink in the middle of the French Revolution’).

Now rewrite the piece in the past perfect (past perfect tense shows actions that are complete, e.g. ‘I had walked to the exam venue at 8:00 am.’) End the rewrite with a revelation that came on the last day (for example, the entire class had to re-sit the exam because there was a mix-up with question papers).

Why:  Past perfect tense is useful for creating anticipation, because it shows something happened before something else . The reader says to herself ‘I see that all these actions have been completed, so what are they leading to?’ Mastering past perfect will help you create a more complex sense of time and chronology in your novel.

28. An interview

Prompt: Describe a character waiting nervously outside a venue for a job interview. Describe what they are worried they will be asked and in what ways they feel prepared. Write in recent past tense, ending with ‘the door opened’. After this, rewrite the same scene in the present progressive tense (beginning ‘I am sitting outside….’ and ending ‘the door opens…’)

Why:  It is important to be consistent with tense in a single section of your book or scene, unless transitions between tenses are logical and easy to follow (for example, a character shifting from sharing a memory to describing a present action). Mastering ‘present progressive tense’ (the tense using present participles that shows immediate, current action) will help you create active scenes that unfold in front of the reader.

29. A five-year plan

Prompt: Describe a character making plans for where they will be in life when they reach 30. Make several uses of the future perfect tense that indicates an action that will be complete in the future (e.g. ‘I will have finished studying’).

Why:  Characters, like real people, project themselves into the future, imagining when certain tasks or undertakings will be finished and what their achievements will look like. Future perfect tense shows that the narrator’s current situation has a definite end-point, making it clear that your character is in a state of transition. This helps to create a sense of both shorter time and longer time scales in your novel.

30. An unexpected visitor

Prompt: Begin a story about an unexpected visit with the words ‘I had not been expecting anyone, but…’ Use the past perfect progressive tense (‘I had been [working/walking/thinking/waiting/missing]’) at least two more times in the exercise.

Why:  The past perfect progressive tense is used to describe a continuous action that was completed in the past. It’s useful for writing about interruptions because there is an implied ‘but’ or ‘when something else happened’. For example ‘I had been reclining by the pool with my eyes closed when I heard an unfamiliar voice.’

31. An imperfect copy

Prompt: Open a favorite book to a random page and pick a paragraph. Copy out the paragraph but change every adjective to a synonym. Compare the two versions and note any differences in connotations. For example ‘green’ describes the color, but ‘verdant’ describes the green of lush vegetation or grasslands specifically.

Why:  When you rewrite, finding more descriptive alternatives for words that perhaps aren’t carrying enough weight will make your writing more vivid.

32. A marathon

Prompt:  Write a scene where your main character is running a competitive marathon. Describe her progress and feelings as she nears the finish line. The first time around, use adverbs (e.g. ‘I ran quickly around the bend in the road’), then rewrite using descriptive verbs instead of verb-plus-adverb (e.g. ‘I hurtled/sprinted’, instead of ‘I ran quickly’).

Why:  Adverbs tell the reader how an action is performed, while active verbs show that specific quality of action more imaginatively.

33. A synonymous exchange

Prompt: Write a scene between two characters who are out on a date at a restaurant. They mirror each other’s gestures from time to time in a subconscious display of affinity. For the first pass, use the same words for these gestures (e.g. ‘She smiled at me as she returned from the restroom and I smiled back.’) The second time around, take all the double words (e.g. ‘smiled’ and ‘smiled’) and replace one with a synonym so there is less repetition.

Why:  Sometimes it is hard not repeating the same word in short succession or you do so intentionally for effect. Yet using the same describing words within a short space of time for different objects or actions can feel amateurish and repetitive to readers. Use this exercise to practice creating variation and to expand your repertoire of useful synonyms.

34. A precocious child

Prompt: Write a scene in which your main character is talking with a precocious child who uses big words a lot (such as ‘precocious’, meaning showing certain abilities or interests at a younger age than the norm). Then go through the scene and find the shortest possible alternative for every longer word. An alternative to ‘precocious’ could be ‘clever’.

Why:  Learning to simplify your writing and strip it down to its most basic meanings is important for becoming a good editor. Before you can write great ornate prose, you need to have a good sense of how to write simply and sparingly.

35. A letter

Prompt: Write a scene in the passive voice, where a character receives bad news in a letter and describes being given the letter and reading it. For example, ‘The letter was given to me yesterday.’ Then rewrite the whole scene in the active voice, where the character is in the subject position: ‘I received a letter yesterday.’

Why:  A lot has been written about using active voice rather than passive voice. Passive voice can be used intentionally to create the impression that a character is fairly passive in their life and pushed and pulled by others. Generally, though, active characters are interesting to read about because we have a sense of their actions being purposeful and driven by some or other immediate goal, and that creates stakes that arouse interest.

36. A newsworthy hook

Prompt: Go to Google search and click on ‘news’, then type in a single word. It can be the name of a place, a colour, a job description. Then use the first line of the top result to begin a story and continue for 500 words. For example, for ‘purple’ the current result is ‘Jimi Hendrix would have been perfectly comfortable with the purple haze of uncertainty that surrounds many of the Liberal government’s most pressing agenda items.’ Granted, it would be an odd story, but you could write speculative fiction about Jimi Hendrix returning from the dead to be a guitar-playing political commentator.

Why:  News articles are a great source of story ideas, from the ordinary to the bizarre.

37. A chance find

Prompt:  Open a favourite novel to a random page. Use the first 5-7 words of the first complete sentence to begin writing a story. For example, from Haruki Murakami’s  The Wind-up Bird Chronicle:  ‘I was going to beat him…’

Why:  Other writers’ books are filled with great turns of phrase. A single image or action can spark your imagination and start off an interesting story.

38. An autocomplete

Prompt: Go to Google search and start typing in a phrase beginning ‘What if’. Look in the auto-complete suggestions that pop up (for ‘what if everyone was’ a suggestion is ‘what if everyone was vegan’). Write a story opening up to 500 words long that explores this idea in greater detail.

Why:  Many great stories and novels branch out from a simple premise. For example, C.S. Lewis’ great fantasy novel  The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe  starts from the question ‘what if there were another world where animals could talk and we could reach it through secret portals?’

39. A blind stroke of luck

Prompt: Open a dictionary to a random page five times, close your eyes and land your finger on a random word. Write each of the five down and try to combine them into a story idea. For example, for ‘alternative’, ‘full’, ‘discovery’, ‘critic’ and ‘original’, you could come up with ‘A critic obsessed with Kafka makes a discovery – a drawer full of alternative original drafts of stories that seem to give a cryptic message.’

Why:  Using random techniques can jog your creativity and help you find curious combinations of subject matter you’d never normally dream of writing about.

40. A song to start it all

Prompt: Take a playlist on a music streaming service or your own device and select shuffle.

Press play and use the words of the title as either the opening of a story or to create the main idea. For example, the words ‘Love Will Tear Us Apart’ (the title of a song by the band Joy Division) could be words a character thinks in a story about an unhappy love affair.

Why:  Songs are great sources of writing inspiration because they are often ambiguous and allow us to fill in the gaps using our own imaginations.

Create eventful plots

41. a great win.

Prompt: Write a scene in which a person wins the lottery. Describe their excitement and the lead-up to claiming their ticket, and the moment that they find out that they got the date of the draw wrong and didn’t win anything after all.

Why:  The ‘reversal of fortune’ is a common ingredient of tragedy and drama. Practice writing about reversals of fortune to improve at creating the rising and falling action of dramatic moments in your stories’ plots.

42. A prophecy

Prompt: Write a scene in which a prophet comes to a village and shares a premonition that throws the townspeople into turmoil. Describe how a main character decides to set about resolving the situation.

Why:  The catalyst for your story, the inciting event that sets it in motion, needs to create tension (whether between characters or within one character) that begs resolution. This exercise will help you practice creating action-centered story beginnings.

43. A betrayal

Prompt:  Write a scene in which two old friends have a fight that threatens to dissolve their friendship for good. It could be a fight over a clash of values or a personal betrayal. Towards the end, show that there is a glimmer of hope that they will reconcile.

Why:  Conflict (whether internal or between characters) is the lifeblood of great plots. If everything is easy and straightforward for your characters, the stakes are low and the reader invests less emotionally.

44. An adoption

Prompt: A woman has been searching for her birth mother for years because there are important questions she needs to ask her. She’s finally found the right address and has made contact, and the woman has invited her over. Start with ‘She rings the bell’ and describe their interaction for about 500 words.

Why:  Climactic plot moments are opportunities to create suspense and resolution. Isolating and practicing writing moments of plot revelation will help you handle moments of truth creatively and assuredly.

45. A new piece of evidence

Prompt: A detective has been on the hunt for a notorious killer for years. He’s finally tracked him down to a hideout and the detective manages to cuff and arrest him. But while combing through the killer’s hideout, the detective makes a shocking discovery that opens a whole new chapter. Write an ending for this story that also suggests the beginning of a new plot line.

Why:  Writing a book series is challenging, and knowing how to create new arcs even as you resolve major ones helps to keep readers invested in seeing what your protagonist will face next.

46. A late pardon

Prompt: A man imprisoned wrongly for a crime is released after 20 years. He’s lost touch with his family. Describe his surprise homecoming in 500 words or less.

Why:  Dramatic stories that carry a lot of emotional weight need to be resolved satisfyingly. If your protagonist has suffered immensely, the ultimate deliverance should read as comparatively immense. This exercise will help you find dramatic story endings for dramatic beginnings.

47. A better ending

Prompt: Take a novel that had an ending you found unsatisfying. Rewrite the ending and change elements so that you’re happy with the outcome.

Why:  Sometimes writers make choices that upset us. We finish thinking ‘there was so much promise, and then they went and did  that ‘. So practice writing endings that satisfy your expectations of a book so that you are best equipped to satisfy your readers’ own.

48. An educated guess

Prompt: Read the first paragraph of a short story or novel, then close the book and write a final paragraph.

Why:  Many story openings give a clear sense of what the general themes and preoccupations of the book are. It’s important that the opening and closing of your book resonate with each other, so practice writing these two parts together as an exercise.

49. A top-rated finale

Prompt: Take a favorite television series or movie. Make up your own ending based on what you can remember of the plot line and characters.

Why:  Using TV shows and movies as inspiration is effective because screenwriters are especially well-versed in strong beginnings and openings. Practicing an exercise like this will help you think like a screenwriter in how you craft compelling story endings.

50. A blank slate

Prompt: Create your own prompt for writing a story ending and post it in the comments below

Why:  Coming up with prompts is a valuable creative exercise in itself.

Find daily writing prompts with exercises to practice literary devices and craft.

Try easy, step-by-step prompts that will help you outline your novel and support to see you through the challenging first draft.

Related Posts:

• Daily writing prompts: 365 ways to practice craft
• Character archetypes: How to enrich your novel's cast
• Creating your own budget MFA in Creative Writing
• Tags writing exercises , writing inspiration , writing prompts

Jordan is a writer, editor, community manager and product developer. He received his BA Honours in English Literature and his undergraduate in English Literature and Music from the University of Cape Town.

13 replies on “50 creative writing prompts to enrich your craft”

This is an amazing list! I love the fact that you listed a “why” after each exercise, it really helps to focus the mind. I’ve included a link to this post in my latest blog post on https://elisabethannewritesthings.wordpress.com/ I hope you don’t mind! If you do, let me know and I will take it down, but I thought it would be great to share it with other people.

Thanks, Elisabeth. Not at all, I’m glad you liked it and grateful for the mention. B.

[…] you are struggling to come up with ideas to write about daily, these great writing prompts will inspire you and maybe take your writing in a new […]

Writing prompts has a great significance. It helps the readers come to know the goal of writing the article.A single word, a single line even a picture can be the writing prompts.So, we should be more creative to write a writing prompts.It must be clear, concise and focused.Nowadays, many paper writing service, online writing schools help us to learn writing prompts. Here you have shared fifty real life example of writing prompts. These examples must help us to write a great prompt. Thank you for sharing.

Hi Cody, it’s a pleasure. Thank you for reading!

I wrote a short story based on the first one, and I didn’t follow it exactly but I am really happy with it. I plan on having my friends edit it. I love the why it helps me understand what the point of it is besides just typing words. Thankyou

It’s a pleasure, Emilie. I’m glad you found it inspiring. Good luck with your story!

There are some amazing ideas here! So glad I found this list, you’ve really got me thinking! Thank you 🙂

I loved the prompts as well as the structure of your post! It certainly gave me some food for thought…I was wondering if there’s some way to get feedback on what I write using these prompts, though…is that possible?

Thank you Ananya, I’m glad you enjoyed this article!

You can share pieces for feedback from peers in our members-only writing groups. You can sign up here: https://www.nownovel.com/users/sign_up

Fantastic. Thank you.

It’s a pleasure, Tinka, thank you for reading!

[…] Look no further than http://www.nownovel.com/blog/50-creative-writing-prompts/ […]

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19,890 quotes, descriptions and writing prompts, 4,964 themes

regret - quotes and descriptions to inspire creative writing

• holy regret
• quotes of sadness
• remorse code

Regret is a learning tool. We let it educate us so that we can move on into a better future.

In the moment, that flash of anger protected me from the pain. Were I to relive it, I would try to summon more strength. I failed myself, and you too. I never understood before why love must be free; I do now. It must be free or the need will warp your own nature and change the love into something it should never be. Love isn't possession, but the wind beneath the wings of the one you love. So I have something new to work on, to watch for that flash of darkness and strive to be better. The problem was never you, but me. To be better, my love, I must be able to walk alone. Then I can be who I need to be, who you need me to be. Just know that I love you, that my anger was just that, a flash of fire to cover my own weakness.

There are times my brain fries up. It's no excuse I know; I own my behaviour. I try to help, try to be good, and then a trigger is flicked. My emotions turn - cold, fearful, anxious... I back away, flee or strike out at someone who loves me. In these moments I am least proud of who I am, for I fail to be the warrior I was born to be, the strong woman with the softness of a mother. Instead I show the frightened child within, damaged and afraid, the one still hiding in the dark under the train table, awaiting the next beating. I know these are things for me to work on, not for others to mitigate, I am an adult after all. Yet I ask for consideration, that my fear triggers are left alone until my body stops living in a state of flight or fight, until I find a way back to being calm and steady. I have been stable many years, caring for others, pouring out love without measure, yet never knowing how to ask for it. It is the only medicine that can heal this fractured soul. So like a stupid child I hold out for love, wide eyes and shaking limbs, still looking for that dark place all over again, but praying for the light.

Once regret has done its job, my love, move on and put those lessons to good use.

Regret is there to invite us to view past events through different perspectives than the ones we had at the time, in the action of the moment. It is this creative perspective taking that grows our emotional intelligence and gives us greater maturity.

Regret is a snowglobe - shake it up, look at it from every angle, and then let it settle on a self to gather dust.

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WEEKLY WRITING PROMPTS

Join (probably?) the world's largest writing contest. Flex those creative muscles with weekly writing prompts.

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Begin or end your story with a character taking a selfie..

LIVE – Fluff

Write about a character who sees a photo they shouldn’t have seen.

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Write a story about a character who risks their life to take a photo.

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Start your story with a character staring at a picture they don’t remember taking.

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Center your story around a photo that goes viral.

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Write a story where time functions differently to our world.

Write a story about a character who wakes up in space., write a story from the point of view of a non-human character., write a story with a strong sense of place. how is the setting of your world the same as, but different to, our own, write a story imagining 'what if' one historic invention had never happened. how would our world be different now, subscribe to our prompts newsletter.

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Start or end your story with a character who gets trapped inside a museum overnight.

Write about two characters who meet and/or fall in love in a museum., write about an art thief who is struggling to commit the perfect heist., write about someone who accidentally destroys a museum’s most valuable artifact., write about a gallery whose paintings come alive at night., write about a backstabbing (literal or metaphorical) gone wrong., start your story with an unexpected betrayal., set your story at a tense event where everyone is unsure whose side they’re on., write about someone who is stuck between two opposing sides and can’t decide which one to choose., write about someone who is convinced they’re going to be betrayed., win $250 in our short story competition 🏆.

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Creative Writing Prompts

When the idea to start a weekly newsletter with writing inspiration first came to us, we decided that we wanted to do more than provide people with topics to write about. We wanted to try and help authors form a regular writing habit and also give them a place to proudly display their work. So we started the weekly Creative Writing Prompts newsletter. Since then, Prompts has grown to a community of more than 450,000 authors, complete with its own literary magazine, Prompted .  

Here's how our contest works: every Friday, we send out a newsletter containing five creative writing prompts. Each week, the story ideas center around a different theme. Authors then have one week — until the following Friday — to submit a short story based on one of our prompts. A winner is picked each week to win $250 and is highlighted on our Reedsy Prompts page.

Interested in participating in our short story contest? Sign up here for more information! Or you can check out our full Terms of Use and our FAQ page .

Why we love creative writing prompts

If you've ever sat in front of a computer or notebook and felt the urge to start creating worlds, characters, and storylines — all the while finding yourself unable to do so — then you've met the author's age-old foe: writer's block. There's nothing more frustrating than finding the time but not the words to be creative. Enter our directory! If you're ready to kick writer's block to the curb and finally get started on your short story or novel, these unique story ideas might just be your ticket.

This list of 1800+ creative writing prompts has been created by the Reedsy team to help you develop a rock-solid writing routine. As all aspiring authors know, this is the #1 challenge — and solution! — for reaching your literary goals. Feel free to filter through different genres, which include...

Dramatic — If you want to make people laugh and cry within the same story, this might be your genre.

Funny — Whether satire or slapstick, this is an opportunity to write with your funny bone.

Romance — One of the most popular commercial genres out there. Check out these story ideas out if you love writing about love.

Fantasy — The beauty of this genre is that the possibilities are as endless as your imagination.

Dystopian – Explore the shadowy side of human nature and contemporary technology in dark speculative fiction.

Mystery — From whodunnits to cozy mysteries, it's time to bring out your inner detective.

Thriller and Suspense — There's nothing like a page-turner that elicits a gasp of surprise at the end.

High School — Encourage teens to let their imaginations run free.

Want to submit your own story ideas to help inspire fellow writers? Send them to us here.

After you find the perfect story idea

Finding inspiration is just one piece of the puzzle. Next, you need to refine your craft skills — and then display them to the world. We've worked hard to create resources that help you do just that! Check them out:

• How to Write a Short Story That Gets Published — a free, ten-day course by Laura Mae Isaacman, a full-time editor who runs a book editing company in Brooklyn.
• Best Literary Magazines of 2023 — a directory of 100+ reputable magazines that accept unsolicited submissions.
• Writing Contests in 2023 — the finest contests of 2021 for fiction and non-fiction authors of short stories, poetry, essays, and more.

Beyond creative writing prompts: how to build a writing routine

While writing prompts are a great tactic to spark your creative sessions, a writer generally needs a couple more tools in their toolbelt when it comes to developing a rock-solid writing routine . To that end, here are a few more additional tips for incorporating your craft into your everyday life.

• NNWT. Or, as book coach Kevin Johns calls it , “Non-Negotiable Writing Time.” This time should be scheduled into your routine, whether that’s once a day or once a week. Treat it as a serious commitment, and don’t schedule anything else during your NNWT unless it’s absolutely necessary.
• Set word count goals. And make them realistic! Don’t start out with lofty goals you’re unlikely to achieve. Give some thought to how many words you think you can write a week, and start there. If you find you’re hitting your weekly or daily goals easily, keep upping the stakes as your craft time becomes more ingrained in your routine.
• Talk to friends and family about the project you’re working on. Doing so means that those close to you are likely to check in about the status of your piece — which in turn keeps you more accountable.

Arm yourself against writer’s block. Writer’s block will inevitably come, no matter how much story ideas initially inspire you. So it’s best to be prepared with tips and tricks you can use to keep yourself on track before the block hits. You can find 20 solid tips here — including how to establish a relationship with your inner critic and apps that can help you defeat procrastination or lack of motivation.

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Forgiveness Journal Prompts

💾 Print or download a free PDF copy of this page:

Explore our powerful forgiveness journal prompts designed to promote healing and inner peace. Engage in self-reflection and reconciliation through meaningful writing exercises, foster emotional growth with our DIY suggestions.

Cultivating a heart of forgiveness is a journey of introspection that can uplift your spirit and calm your mind. Through journaling, you can process emotions, clear grudges, and create a pathway to healing and peace.

In this article, we’ll provide a number of forgiveness journal prompts to help fuel your writing voyage. Whether you’re seeking reconciliation, personal growth, or simply a deeper understanding of your own feelings, these prompts will guide your exploration.

So, grab your journal, find a serene sanctuary, and let’s embark together on this meaningful journey. 🕊️

Understanding Self-forgiveness

Understanding Self-Forgiveness through journaling prompts aids in letting ourselves off the hook, ensuring peace and mental balance. Here are 20 prompts to assist you in harnessing self-forgiveness:

• Describe a time when you found it challenging to forgive yourself. What was the situation?
• Write about an instance in which you were able to forgive yourself, and explain how it changed you.
• Imagine a conversation with your younger self. What forgiveness would you ask for?
• Reflect on a mistake for which you have not yet forgiven yourself. What steps can you take to forgive yourself?
• Jot down three positive affirmations to help you with self-forgiveness.
• Recall a situation where you hurt someone unintentionally. Write a letter forgiving yourself for this.
• Identify one aspect of your character you've struggled to accept. Ponder how forgiving yourself for this trait can improve your self-acceptance.
• List five acts of kindness you can do for yourself as a form of self-forgiveness.
• Narrate a time when you held a grudge against yourself. How did it affect you?
• Scribe about how your life would change if you forgave yourself more frequently.
• Describe how does the weight of not forgiving yourself feels like. How would you wish for it to be?
• Think of a regret you have. Write about how forgiving yourself for it could change your perspective.
• Assess three ways in which not forgiving yourself in the past has held you back.
• Envision a future where you are completely forgiving of yourself. What does it look like?
• Write an apology letter to yourself for the times when you didn't exercise self-forgiveness.
• Chronicle a time when you felt guilty for something out of your control. How can self-forgiveness help in such situations?
• List three things you learned about yourself when you practiced self-forgiveness.
• Ponder over a mistake that aided your personal growth. Write about it from a self-forgiving perspective.
• Write a letter of forgiveness to yourself for an old memory that still causes you distress.
• Contemplate on five things you would tell someone who is struggling with self-forgiveness.

Healing From Past Mistakes

Healing from past mistakes through forgiveness journaling is an empowering process where we acknowledge, accept and forgive our past wrongdoings, making room for growth and self-improvement. Here are 20 engaging writing prompts to aid you on your journey to healing:

• Detail a past mistake you're struggling to forgive yourself for.
• Write about the emotions you felt immediately after making the mistake.
• Describe how this mistake has affected your life.
• List down the lessons you’ve learned from this mistake.
• Imagine your life if the mistake never occurred. Write about the differences and similarities.
• Write a letter of apology to your past self for the mistake you've made.
• Discuss what you would do differently if you could go back to the moment before your past mistake.
• Write about a person who was affected by your mistake and how you felt about it.
• Analyze how this mistake has contributed to your personal growth.
• Visualize forgiveness for your mistake and describe how it may feel.
• Write about the steps you've taken to rectify this mistake.
• Describe an instance where you successfully avoided making the same mistake again.
• Write a letter of forgiveness to yourself for this mistake.
• Elaborate on how you'll ensure not to repeat this mistake in the future.
• Reflect on how forgiving yourself has improved your emotional well-being.
• Compare your current feelings towards the mistake with your feelings at the time it occurred.
• Write an entry as if you're mentoring someone who just made a similar mistake. What advice would you give?
• Detail what forgiving yourself for past mistakes means to you.
• Discuss any fears or apprehensions you have about repeating the same mistake.
• Finally, write a positive affirmation asserting your capability to make better choices.

Forgiving Others And Letting Go

Forgiveness towards others and letting go through journaling allows us to release negative emotions and harbor feelings of peace, promoting emotional well-being. Here are 20 journal prompts to guide you through the journey of forgiveness and letting go:

• Write about a time you forgave someone. How did it make you feel afterward?
• Detail a memory where you struggled to forgive someone. What emotions are still attached to this memory?
• Outline an incident where someone forgave you. How did their forgiveness impact you?
• List three ways you can practice forgiveness in your daily life.
• Write a letter to someone you want to forgive but haven't yet. What would you like to say to them?
• Describe what forgiveness means to you.
• Draft a forgiveness affirmation to recite during your daily routine.
• Recall a moment where you forgave someone easily. Why do you think it was easier in this case?
• How would your life change if you forgave every resentment you currently hold?
• Write about a moment you found it difficult to let go of a personal grievance. How can you approach this differently now?
• Detail a situation where you felt someone didn't deserve your forgiveness. What are your feelings towards this situation now?
• List some positive results of letting go and moving on from difficult situations.
• Visualize someone who wronged you. Write a dialogue where you forgive them.
• Recall a time when you let go of a grudge or resentment. How has this decision improved your life?
• Imagine forgiving all your resentments. How would your life look?
• Write a letter of forgiveness to yourself for a time you disappointed yourself.
• Pen down your feelings about a past wrong done to you. Do you see this situation any differently now?
• Reflect on how harboring resentment hinders your personal growth.
• Consider a person you're holding a grudge against. Why has it been difficult to let go?
• Write about a time you found inner peace through forgiveness and letting go.

Journaling For Recovery

Journaling for Recovery emphasizes the therapeutic power of writing to process feelings, emotions, and self-wounds, particularly in the journey towards forgiveness. Here are 20 prompts to help guide you in your recovery journaling journey:

• Describe a moment where you felt hurt. What emotions does this memory spark?
• Write a letter to your past self, acknowledging the wrongs and forgiving yourself.
• Reflect on a situation where you feel you wronged someone else. How can you seek their forgiveness?
• List three things you would like to forgive yourself for.
• Visualize a future where you have found self-forgiveness. What does it look like?
• Acknowledge a time you felt deeply misunderstood. Write about your feelings and thoughts during this time.
• Outline ways in which you can demonstrate forgiveness towards others.
• Write a forgiveness affirmation for yourself, and explain why it resonates with you.
• Reflect on a time when you showed forgiveness to someone who hurt you. How did it impact you?
• List the barriers you feel are preventing you from forgiving yourself or others.
• Write about an experience where you were unable to forgive. What would you do differently now?
• Describe a place or situation where you feel most at peace. How can you incorporate more of this into your life?
• Explore the link between forgiveness and healing in your own journey.
• Write about a person you have forgiven. How has your relationship with them changed?
• Describe a situation where you forgave someone prematurely. How did it affect you?
• Dismantle a past negative experience by writing about it from a perspective of growth and learning.
• Consider an instance where self-forgiveness was challenging. How did you eventually move towards it?
• Write a heartfelt apology to someone you feel you've wronged, even if you don't send it.
• Reflect on a situation where forgiving someone brought you peace.
• Provide advice to someone who is struggling with forgiveness. What lessons from your journey can you share?

Rebuilding Trust After Betrayal

Rebuilding trust after a betrayal is a crucial part of the forgiveness process, and journal prompts can help guide reflections and actions towards this important goal. Here are 20 prompts to help foster trust rebuilding:

• Describe a moment of betrayal you experienced. How did it change your perspective on trust?
• Think of a specific action the person who betrayed you could take to begin rebuilding trust.
• How have you handled feelings of anger or resentment towards the person who betrayed you?
• Write a letter to the person who betrayed you expressing your feelings, whether or not you plan to send it.
• Describe how your relationship with the person who betrayed you could look after the trust has been rebuilt.
• What would need to occur for you to feel secure in the relationship again?
• Visualize a time in the future when trust has been restored. What does that look like?
• How would you act differently in the relationship if trust were to be restored?
• What steps can you take to rebuild your self-esteem after being betrayed?
• Describe a kind gesture that the person who betrayed you could do that would help mend the relationship.
• What are some ways you can redevelop trust in your own judgment following a betrayal?
• Write down three affirmations that might help you through the journey of rebuilding trust.
• How would you explain the betrayal to a third party who wasn't involved?
• What would it mean for you to forgive the person who betrayed you?
• List any lingering questions you have for the person who betrayed you.
• What is the most difficult part of rebuilding trust for you?
• How would you know if you have let go of the past betrayal?
• Think of any obstacles that could prevent trust rebuilding. How could you overcome them?
• Describe a situation where someone else regained your trust after a betrayal. What made that possible?
• Reflect on what you have learned about yourself from the experience of betrayal and the process of rebuilding trust.

Learning Empathy Through Forgiveness

Learning Empathy through Forgiveness encourages us to step into another person's shoes, accepting and understanding their actions, which opens the door to forgiveness. Below are 20 prompts to help build empathy and forgive others through journaling:

• Write about a time when you forgave someone. How did it change your relationship with them?
• Describe an instance where you found it hard to forgive someone. What emotions did you feel?
• Think about a person whom you need to forgive. Write about their perspective to understand their actions.
• List three ways showing forgiveness has brought you peace.
• Journal about a time when someone forgave you. How did their forgiveness make you feel?
• Describe three situations where not forgiving someone negatively affected your life.
• Write a letter to someone you are struggling to forgive. Imagine how they felt in the moment, to help build empathy.
• Reflect on a quote or piece of advice about forgiveness that has resonated with you. Why did it strike a chord?
• Recall a story, movie, or song about forgiveness that touched you. Write about the emotions it evoked.
• Portray a time when you forgave yourself. How did empathy play a crucial role in this process?
• Identify a societal or global issue you find hard to forgive. Now, write about the circumstances that could have led to it.
• Imagine forgiving a person who hurt you deeply. How would this act affect your emotional wellbeing?
• Write about the role empathy plays in the act of forgiveness.
• List three benefits of practicing empathy and forgiveness towards people around you.
• Narrate a situation where you forgave someone even without receiving an apology. Did empathy help facilitate this forgiveness?
• Think of a childhood incident where forgiveness played a key role. Write about the lessons it taught you.
• Describe a situation where you practiced empathy to forgive a stranger. How did this experience feel?
• Reflect on a conflict you had with a loved one. Write a forgiveness plan detailing how empathy could resolve the issue.
• Write an apology letter to your past self for any mistakes you need to forgive yourself for. Explain the understanding you now have of the situation.
• List five ways you can remind yourself to be more forgiving and empathetic every day.

Moving On From Negative Experiences

Moving on from negative experiences via journaling with a focus on forgiveness is a powerful way to heal from past hurts and trauma. Here are 20 writing prompts to guide you on this journey of self-forgiveness and resilience:

• Write down a negative experience that you're ready to forgive and let go. Why is it difficult?
• Pour your emotions regarding this negative incident on the paper. What feelings arise as you write?
• Describe the impact this negativity has had on your life. How has it shaped you, whether positively or negatively?
• Write a letter to yourself at the time of the negative experience, offering comfort and understanding.
• List five lessons you learned from this negative experience and how they have made you a better person.
• Describe what forgiveness means to you in the context of this experience.
• Write about your guilt and regrets related to this incident. Reflect on the reasons you hold onto guilt and how it affects your capacity to forgive.
• Visualize a future without this negative experience hanging over you. What does that future look like?
• Reflect on your fears related to releasing this negative experience. What do you fear might happen if you forgave?
• Write a letter from your future self, thanking you for having forgiven and moved on.
• Describe the person or situation you're struggling to forgive. Write about why forgiveness may bring you peace.
• Imagine a conversation with the person who hurt you. What do you wish you could say to them?
• Write about forgiveness as a journey, not a destination. What steps have you taken so far, and what's next?
• Pen down some affirmations or quotes about forgiveness that resonate with you.
• Write about how holding onto a grudge has impacted your health and daily life.
• Reflect on the positive aspects of your life that you may have overlooked due to this negative experience. What are they?
• Identify three self-care activities that could facilitate your forgiveness process.
• Write a letter to the person who hurt you, expressing your decision to forgive. (This letter isn't meant to be sent)
• Think about what closure looks like for you. What would you need for your healing process to feel complete?
• Finally, forgive yourself for the time it has taken to forgive. Understand that forgiveness is a personal journey that happens on its own timeline.

Exploring Regret And Reconciliation

Exploring regret and reconciliation through journaling fosters self-awareness, enabling a deeper understanding and acceptance of past mistakes, and paving the way for inner peace and healing. Here are 20 prompts to guide you in this introspective journey:

• Recount an instance where you felt intense regret. What can you learn from it?
• Describe a time when you hurt someone, knowingly or unknowingly. If given a chance, what would you do differently?
• Write an apology letter to someone whom you've wronged in the past but never offered an apology.
• Record a time when you forgave someone who hurt you. How did it change your relationship with that person?
• List three instances when someone apologized to you. How did it make you feel?
• Envision a conversation with someone you hurt but can't reconcile with. What would you say?
• Write about a regret that still haunts you. What steps can you take to forgive yourself?
• Describe a situation where you were unable to apologize. What stopped you then and what can you do now to rectify the situation?
• Think about an unresolved conflict. Draft a plan on how you can initiate reconciliation.
• Reflect on any personal barriers hindering your ability to reconcile. How can you conquer them?
• Write about one instance where forgiving someone brought you peace of mind.
• Record a moment of self-forgiveness and its effect on your mental health.
• Describe a mature act of reconciliation that had a profound impact on you. Why was it impactful?
• Write about a negative experience that you need to let go. How can you move towards forgiveness?
• Reflect on the potential growth that regret and reconciliation can offer.
• Write about the benefits you have experienced from making amends.
• List three actions you can take to mend a fractured relationship.
• Write about something you regret not doing. How do you forgive yourself?
• Explore in writing the feeling of freedom that accompanies forgiveness and reconciliation.
• Reflect on your journey of exploring regret and reconciliation so far. What are your key takeaways?

Gaining Perspective On Painful Situations

Gaining Perspective on Painful Situations through forgiveness journal prompts aids in understanding and making sense of past hurts, ultimately leading to healing and closure. Here are 20 writing prompts designed to help you navigate through this process:

• Describe a hurtful event in your life. How does it still affect you today?
• What emotions arise when you think of this painful situation? Write them down and explore each one.
• Have you acknowledged your pain and allowed yourself to grieve? Write about this process.
• What does forgiveness mean to you in the context of this situation?
• How might forgiving the person who hurt you change your current emotional state?
• Write a letter to the person who caused you pain. You don't need to send it, just express your feelings.
• List three positive things that happened in your life as a result of this hurtful event.
• Write about the lessons you have learned from this painful experience.
• How might your life be different had this event not occurred?
• Reflect on how this painful situation has shaped your character and personal growth.
• If you could go back in time, what would you tell your past self before the painful incident happened?
• Write about the person who hurt you from a neutral—or even sympathetic—point of view.
• List five steps you can take towards forgiving and healing.
• Write about what life would look like if you were free from this pain.
• Imagine a future event where you might cross paths with the person who hurt you. How would you behave?
• Are there any perspectives or beliefs that prevent you from forgiving? Explore them in detail.
• Do you see any recurring patterns in situations that cause you pain? If yes, how can you break them?
• Write about what true forgiveness feels like to you.
• Are there any unresolved feelings about this situation? Write them down with no judgement.
• Write a letter to yourself, extending the kindness, understanding, and forgiveness you need.

Building Relationships Through Forgiveness

Journaling about forgiveness allows us to let go of grudges, regain peace, and foster healthier relationships with those around us. Below are 20 writing prompts that can guide you in developing relationships through forgiveness.

• Write about a time when you forgave someone. How did it influence your relationship with them?
• Reflect on an instance where you struggled to forgive someone. What was holding you back?
• Write a letter of forgiveness to a person you struggle with but don’t send it.
• List three reasons why forgiveness is beneficial for your relationships.
• Think of a person you’ve not yet forgiven. What steps would you need to take to forgive them?
• Ponder on an occasion where you were forgiven. How did it affect your relationship with the person involved?
• Describe a relationship which improved after someone extended forgiveness to you.
• Imagine a conversation with someone you’ve forgiven. What would you discuss?
• Draft a letter to your future self about the importance of fostering relationships through forgiveness.
• Name a situation where you regret not forgiving someone. How would things be different if you had?
• Write about how you can practice forgiveness in your daily interactions with people.
• Reflect on someone you admire for their ability to forgive. What are their qualities that you would like to emulate?
• Consider a grudge you’re holding. Write about how you would feel if you let go.
• Imagine forgiving someone who hasn’t asked for it. How does it feel?
• Draft a forgiveness affirmation you can say to yourself daily.
• Reflect on the hardest forgiveness obstacle you’ve faced. How did you surpass it?
• List all the emotional barriers preventing you from forgiving someone.
• Write about the benefits you’ve experienced personally after forgiving someone.
• Consider a relationship you'd like to repair. How could forgiveness help achieve this?
• Write about how the act of ongoing forgiveness can strengthen your relationships.

Unpacking Guilt And Shame

Writing about guilt and shame in your forgiveness journal allows you to dissect these feelings and foster a deeper understanding, helping to propel you towards forgiveness. Here are 20 suggestions to guide you:

• Write about a time when you felt overwhelming guilt. What triggered it?
• Describe an occasion when you felt shame. How does it impact your self-perception?
• Reflect on what guilt has taught you about yourself.
• Recall an instance where shame might have guided your actions.
• List three behaviors you engage in when you feel guilty.
• Note down the physical sensations you experience when you feel shame.
• Record a conversation you would have with guilt if it was a person.
• Write a letter to shame, expressing your feelings towards it.
• Recall a time when feeling guilty led to positive change. What happened?
• Describe an instance when suppressing guilt only made the feelings stronger.
• Analyze a long-term pattern of shame in your life. How has it influenced you?
• Write about a time when you forgave yourself for something you felt guilty about.
• Record three things you can do to cope with feelings of shame.
• Reflect on how guilt has affected your relationships with others.
• Meditate on an incident that fills you with shame. Write about it from an objective viewpoint.
• Note down guilt's purpose in your life. Is it serving you or hindering your growth?
• Record the emotional response you feel when you free yourself from a guilty feeling.
• Write about an incident that triggers feelings of shame each time you recall it.
• Think about a burden of guilt you're ready to release. Describe it and how you plan to let it go.
• Dedicate a page to forgiving yourself, focusing particularly on significant instances of guilt or shame.

Prompts On The Power Of Forgiveness

Exploring the power of forgiveness through carefully curated journal prompts can provide new insights and perspectives, fostering personal growth and healing. Here are 20 prompts that will guide you in your journey towards forgiveness:

• Recall an event when you found it extremely difficult to forgive someone. What made it so difficult?
• Write about an experience where you forgave someone easily. What made it different from other times?
• Think of a time you forgave yourself for a mistake. How did it impact your self-esteem and wellbeing?
• Name three actions you can take today to promote a forgiving spirit in your relationships.
• Imagine forgiving a person you've held a grudge against. How would that change your feelings towards them?
• Write a letter to someone you need to forgive. You don't have to send it – just express your feelings.
• Reflect on the physical and emotional effects holding onto anger and resentment have had on you.
• Write about an instance when someone forgave you. How did it impact your relationship with that person?
• Identify a personal situation where you struggle with forgiveness. What steps can you take towards healing?
• Compose a forgiveness mantra or affirmation that resonates with you.
• Inquire within yourself – is there something you have yet to forgive yourself for? Write about it.
• How has your understanding of forgiveness changed over your lifetime?
• Jot down how your life would look if forgiveness was a guiding principle.
• Think about a famous figure who embodies forgiveness for you. How do they inspire you?
• Write a forgiveness plan – a step by step guide for your journey towards forgiveness.
• Detail the ways in which forgiveness is a form of self-care and love.
• Write about the connection between forgiveness and freedom.
• Think of a fictional character that exemplifies forgiveness well and explain why.
• List the ways forgiveness could improve your personal relationships.
• Envision the person you would become if you mastered the art of forgiveness.

Writing To Accept Apologies

Writing to Accept Apologies using forgiveness journal prompts assists in processing and acknowledging apologies, paving the way towards healing and emotional growth. Here are 20 prompts to aid in this process:

• Describe a time when you find it hard to accept an apology, what emotions did you encounter?
• State an apology you recently received, how did it make you feel?
• Write a letter embracing an apology you had a hard time accepting.
• Think of an instance where you accepted an apology but still hold resentment. Why do you think that is so?
• How would you define a sincere apology?
• Describe a time when accepting an apology made a positive change in your life.
• Write about an apology you're still waiting for. How will it help you move forward?
• Jot down three qualities of an apology that matter the most to you.
• Write about an incident where you struggled to accept an apology initially but managed to do it eventually.
• Narrate a situation where you accepted an apology but the other person did not change their behavior.
• Describe a situation where an apology was not verbal. How did you interpret it?
• How would you handle a situation if the other person never apologizes?
• Write a letter to yourself forgiving someone else, even though they haven't apologized.
• Describe how you felt after accepting an apology, did it bring peace?
• Write about an unforgivable incident, what makes it hard to accept an apology for this?
• Discuss a situation where accepting an apology helped you understand the other person better.
• List down three things you would say to prepare someone for accepting your apology.
• Write a letter to someone apologizing for not accepting their apology earlier.
• Reflect on how accepting apologies has helped with your personal growth.
• List down five reasons why it is important to accept apologies.

Granting Forgiveness To Yourself

Granting forgiveness to ourselves is an integral part of emotional well-being and personal growth. Here are 20 prompts to guide you in practicing self-forgiveness in your journaling journey:

• Reflect on a past mistake you've not yet forgiven yourself for. What feelings are still attached to it?
• Write a letter to yourself about this mistake, acknowledging your feelings and expressing understanding.
• Acknowledge three positive outcomes that resulted from a past mistake.
• Recall a situation where you treated yourself harshly. How could forgiveness make a difference?
• Describe three lessons you have learnt from a past mistake.
• Write a forgiveness statement to yourself for a time you were overly self-critical.
• Reflect on a time you didn't meet your own expectations. Write about how you can forgive yourself for that.
• Sketch out a situation where your actions may have hurt someone else, express how the event makes you feel today.
• Write about any guilt you're currently holding onto. What steps can you take to forgive yourself?
• Draft a letter to your younger self about an issue you have struggled to forgive yourself for.
• List three kind phrases you could use to comfort yourself when you feel guilty.
• Write about your understanding of self-forgiveness. What does it mean to you and why is it important?
• Recall a situation where you experienced self-forgiveness. What led you to forgiving yourself?
• Write an affirmation that helps reassure you of your worthiness of self-forgiveness.
• Reflect on a time when you felt self-compassion. How can you use this to guide self-forgiveness?
• Describe how forgiving yourself has or could improve your relationship with others.
• Think about any self-punishing behaviors you engage in. How can forgiveness change that?
• Detail a personal challenge and write about how you can forgive yourself for any perceived failures pertaining to it.
• Write a forgiving letter to yourself from the perspective of a loved one who sees your worth.
• Reflect on what you want to achieve from forgiving yourself. How will your life change with this act?

Coming To Terms With Unforgivable Acts

Coming to terms with unforgivable acts through journaling can act as a catalyst for healing and personal growth, fostering a deep sense of empathy and compassion within ourselves. Here are 20 prompts to guide your reflections on forgiveness:

• Write about an unforgivable act, from your perspective, without casting blame.
• Explore why you label this act as "unforgivable."
• Identify the emotions you felt when the act occurred and how they have evolved over time.
• Write down the impact the act had on your life and your perceptions.
• Express in detail your feelings towards the person who did the act now.
• Reflect on how carrying this lack of forgiveness impacts your daily life.
• What would your life look like if you could forgive this act?
• Explore what forgiving the perpetrator would mean for you personally.
• Visualize a scenario where you confront the perpetrator, expressing your feelings and thoughts without anger or resentment.
• Write a letter to yourself from the perspective of a compassionate friend, giving advice on how to cope with this act.
• Write down any fears or apprehensions you have about forgiving this act.
• Imagine a situation in which the person who committed this act asks for your forgiveness. How would you respond?
• Reflect on whether there's anything you can learn or gain from this experience.
• Explore how holding onto resentment might be serving you negatively.
• Document what steps you need to take to move forward and heal.
• Consider the idea that forgiveness is for you, not for them. How does this change your perspective?
• Write a letter of forgiveness to the person who did the act, even if you never send it.
• Document the steps you would have to take to forgive this act.
• Write down any misconceptions you've had about forgiveness and the truth you now know.
• Reflect on your progress toward forgiveness and describe how it feels.

Narrating Forgiveness Journeys

Exploring forgiveness journeys through journaling allows us to process past wrongs and hurts, leading us towards healing and growth. Here are 20 prompts that can help you in writing about your journey towards forgiveness:

• Write about a time where you truly forgave someone. What led you to this point?
• Describe a situation where you struggled to forgive. What was hindering your forgiveness?
• Reflect on an instance where someone asked for your forgiveness. How did their request make you feel?
• Identify three actions you can take to facilitate forgiveness towards someone in your life.
• Contemplate on someone you're finding hard to forgive. Write a letter expressing your feelings, without the intention of sending it.
• Journal about an incident where you needed to ask for someone's forgiveness. What pushed you to take this step?
• Think about a grudge you're holding onto. What steps can you take towards releasing that resentment?
• Write about an event where you didn't receive an apology but chose to forgive anyway. How did that affect you?
• Identify a negative action or event you would like to forgive yourself for.
• Journal a letter of self-forgiveness for the action or event identified previously.
• Write down a forgiveness mantra that resonates with you.
• Reflect on your journey of forgiveness so far – has it shifted your perspective in any way?
• Write about a time when an apology felt empty or insincere. How did you handle it?
• Imagine forgiving someone before you are ready to. What emotions arise with this thought?
• Journal about a situation where you've witnessed the power of forgiveness – either from media or in real life.
• Reflect on the role forgiveness plays in your life. How has it shaped who you are today?
• Write a letter to a younger version of yourself. What forgiveness lessons would you impart?
• Describe an instance where you've replaced anger or resentment with forgiveness.
• Picture forgiveness as a physical journey. Write about the steps, twists, and turns it takes to reach your destination.
• Reflect on the balance between forgiving others and prioritizing your mental well-being. In what situations can you establish boundaries while maintaining a forgiving nature?

Processing Anger And Resentment

Processing anger and resentment through journaling allows us to confront these intense emotions head-on, inviting understanding, self-awareness, and eventually leading to forgiveness. Here are 20 prompts to aid you navigate through these feelings:

• Write down an event that made you feel angry recently, and why.
• Describe a lingering resentment you have and why it has stayed with you.
• Draft a hypothetical conversation with the person who caused you anger or resentment.
• List down three emotions you feel apart from anger when you think about a specific resentment.
• Write about how your life might change if you let go of this anger.
• Describe a time when your anger or resentment might have been reasonable.
• Reflect on any feelings of shame or guilt associated with your anger or resentment.
• Write a letter to your anger; what would you like to say to it?
• Think about possible roots of your anger in your past.
• Write about a time you reacted positively despite feeling angry.
• Describe an incident where you might have misdirected your anger.
• Write about a step you could take to forgive the person causing your resentment.
• Detail how holding onto this resentment impacts your daily life.
• Describe the perfect apology from the person who upset you.
• Reflect on an angry moment you now view differently.
• Write a letter to yourself from the perspective of someone who genuinely understands and forgives you.
• Describe how you can use your experience of anger or resentment positively.
• Journal about a lesson you learned from a situation that made you angry.
• Imagine the person who caused your anger or resentment in a moment of vulnerability. How does this change your feelings?
• Reflect on the idea of letting go of this anger; what does it look like and how does it make you feel?

Inviting Closure Through Letters Of Forgiveness

Inviting closure through letters of forgiveness in a journal allows us to release pent-up emotions and encourages personal healing by addressing past grievances directly. Here are 20 writing prompts to guide you through this process:

• Write a letter of forgiveness to yourself for a time you feel you failed.
• Recall a time when someone hurt you deeply; write them a letter of forgiveness.
• Think about someone you've lost contact with due to a misunderstanding and write them a letter of reconciliation.
• Write a letter to your past self, forgiving them for their mistakes.
• Pen a letter forgiving a pet or an animal that caused you distress or harm.
• Write a note of forgiveness to a public figure or celebrity who disappointed you.
• Consistent a letter forgiving a former friend who betrayed your trust.
• Ink a note of forgiveness to your parents for any perceived shortcomings during your upraising.
• Construct a letter forgiving an ex-partner for any hurt they caused you.
• Reflect on a time you hurt someone unintentionally; write them a letter of forgiveness asking for their understanding.
• Develop a letter of forgiveness to a teacher or mentor who failed to support you when you needed their guidance.
• Write down a letter granting forgiveness to a financial institution or person that caused financial upheaval in your life.
• Create a letter forgiving a sibling who was often favored or treated differently.
• Write a note of forgiveness for a childhood bully.
• Compose a letter absolving a co-worker who made your work life difficult.
• Construct a forgiveness letter to your body for any health issues it has caused you.
• Write a note of forgiveness to yourself for a time you didn't stand up for yourself.
• Draft a letter forgiving a close friend who shared your secret with others.
• Develop a letter of forgiveness to society or culture for any stereotypes or biases that hurt you.
• Write a letter of forgiveness to a person who never apologized to you.

Releasing The Past To Embrace The Present

Releasing the past to embrace the present through forgiveness journaling offers a cathartic pathway to let go of old grievances and hurts, opening ourselves up to the peace and beauty of the present moment. To aid you through this journey, here are 20 journal prompts focusing on releasing the past:

• Think of a past altercation that still affects you today. How have you grown from this experience?
• Write a letter of forgiveness to a past version of yourself.
• Reflect on a past mistake you've made. How can you forgive yourself for it today?
• Narrate a situation when you found it hard to let go. What makes it difficult for you?
• Write about a time when someone forgave you. How did this make you feel?
• List three past grudges and visualize releasing them.
• Write about a past conflict you had. How would the present you handle it differently?
• Think of someone who hurt you in the past. Write a letter to that person, detailing the pain but ending with forgiveness.
• Write about a moment of self-doubt or self-criticism. How can you release this and affirm your self-worth today?
• Describe a moment when you were unable to forgive. What can change to make it possible for you now?
• Think about a decision from the past you regret. How could you reconcile with this?
• Write about a past heartbreak. How can you turn this pain into strength today?
• Identify a past experience that still brings you fear or anxiety and write how you can reduce its impact today.
• Reflect on a misunderstanding that led to severed ties. Write a reconciliation dialogue.
• Write about a grudge you've held onto for a long time. How might your life change when you release it?
• Pen down three affirmations that promote forgiveness and healing.
• Write about a time when you forgave someone. How did it affect your relationship with that person afterwards?
• Recall a past incident that you still hold regret over. How can you replace regret with acceptance?
• Define in writing how letting go of the past can improve your current relationships.
• Write a letter to your future self sharing how you've forgiven your past and embraced the present.

Reframing Hurtful Experiences

Reframing hurtful experiences through forgiveness journaling allows us to redefine personal narratives, turning painful memories into valuable life lessons, thereby fostering healing and personal growth. Below are 20 prompts to guide you in reshaping your thoughts about hurtful past experiences:

• Write about a painful event from your past and how it made you feel at that time.
• Explore ways in which the hurtful experience has made you stronger or more resilient.
• Describe any silver-linings that arose from the event.
• Formulate three lessons you learned from that experience.
• Reflect on how you can use those lessons for personal growth.
• Consider forgiving the person who hurt you. How would that make you feel?
• Write a letter to your past self comforting them about the experience.
• Fascinate a new ending to that hurtful event. How does it change your feelings about the incident?
• List three ways you could show compassion to the person who hurt you.
• Reframe the hurtful event from the perspective of the person who caused it. How does it change your understanding of the event?
• Write about the person who hurt you in a way that humanizes them, helps you understand their actions.
• Describe any personal strengths or positive qualities that emerged as a result of the event.
• Explore three things you wish the person who hurt you knew about your feelings.
• Write a letter forgiving the person who hurt you. However, don’t feel compelled to send it.
• Reflect on the coping strategies that helped you in handling the aftermath of the event.
• Write three positive affirmations you would tell yourself when the memory of that event resurfaces.
• Contemplate how letting go of the hurt from that event might improve your present.
• Envision a future where the outcome of that event no longer affects your feelings.
• Rewrite the narrative of the traumatic experience, emphasizing your survival and growth rather than your pain.
• Conclude with a statement of resilience, showcasing the strong person you have become as a result of the event.

Meditations On Forgiven Transgressions

Meditations on Forgiven Transgressions, by weaving it into your journaling practice, presents a powerful tool to heal, learn and grow. Here is a list of 20 journal prompts to help you meditate over your forgiven transgressions:

• Recall a recent situation where you have forgiven someone. How did it make you feel?
• Write about a time when you struggled to forgive a transgression, but eventually managed to do so.
• Reflect on the methods you used to forgive someone. Were they effective?
• Visualize a situation where you could not forgive at first. What changed that allowed you to forgive eventually?
• Journal about the most difficult thing you've ever forgiven someone for. How did this forgiveness impact your relationship with that person?
• Describe a situation where you had to forgive yourself for your own actions. What did you learn from it?
• Write about an instance where you felt wronged but chose to forgive without an apology.
• Reflect on the feelings of peace and release once you've truly forgiven someone.
• Note down a list of people you believe have forgiven you. What role have they played in your life?
• Jot down affirmations that inspire forgiveness in you.
• Write a letter to someone you have forgiven. What would you like them to understand about this process?
• Pick an event that led to a major shift in your life. Has forgiveness towards this event changed your future outlook?
• Reflect on the linkage between forgiveness and your personal growth. Have you noticed a pattern?
• Can you think about a time that you forgave someone, and later found out they hadn't asked for it? What emotions did it bring up?
• Record your reaction to a repeated transgression from the same person. Has forgiveness become easier or harder over time?
• Describe a time when you practised forgiveness even when it felt almost impossible. How has it influenced your present mind-set?
• Write about a person who taught you much about forgiveness. What was the most important lesson?
• Can you identify triggers or certain situations that make forgiveness more challenging for you?
• Recall a historical or public figure whose ability to forgive inspires you.
• Reflect on the role that forgiveness plays in your own self-improvement and personal growth.

Evolving Through Forgiveness Prompts

Evolving through forgiveness prompts allows us to grow personally by releasing resentment, cultivating empathy, and embracing emotional healing. These 20 prompts will guide you in this transformative journey:

• Reflect on a time you forgave someone. How did it influence your relationship with that person?
• Write about a situation where you are struggling to forgive someone. What is preventing you from forgiving?
• Describe a moment when someone asked for your forgiveness. How did their request make you feel?
• List three steps you can take to work towards forgiving someone who hurt you.
• Consider someone you have grudges against. Write down your feelings and thoughts about letting go of this resentment.
• Visualize a situation where you were forgiven. Write down how it transformed you.
• Write a letter to yourself, forgiving yourself for a past mistake.
• Describe how you might feel once you forgive someone you're currently in conflict with.
• Write about the benefits you expect to gain by forgiving someone.
• What habit can you adopt to make forgiveness a part of your daily life?
• Recall an instance where you struggled to ask for someone's forgiveness. Write about what held you back.
• Use the phrase "I forgive you" in a sentence addressed to someone who’s wronged you, and describe how it feels.
• Sketch out a future path with forgiveness as a journey. Where do you see yourself?
• Write a thank-you letter to someone who forgave you.
• Write down three things you appreciate about someone you're finding hard to forgive.
• In what way can forgiveness become a stepping stone towards personal evolution for you?
• Recall a situation where forgiving someone brought peace to your mind.
• Describe how holding onto resentment has shaped you. Now write how forgiveness can reshape you.
• Write a letter of forgiveness to someone you've distanced from, you don’t need to send it.
• Reflect on a time your forgiveness helped to mend a broken relationship, what did you learn from that experience?

Accepting Imperfections

Embracing our flaws can be key to forgiveness and healing, often enhancing personal growth and fostering self-acceptance. Consider these 20 journal prompts on accepting imperfections:

• Describe an imperfection of yours that you've grown to accept and love.
• Write about a time when your flaw unexpectedly became your strength.
• What are three ways you will practice self-acceptance this week?
• Detail a conversation with your younger self on understanding that nobody is perfect.
• Write a letter to someone forgiving them for their imperfections.
• How has a certain flaw of yours influenced your life, positively and negatively?
• List three positive traits you have developed through accepting your flaws.
• Write about a time when someone else's flaw taught you something about yourself.
• What is one imperfection that you're still trying to accept?
• Write a list of ten flaws you've observed in others and reflect on if you perceive this flaw in yourself as well.
• Reflect on your journey of embracing your imperfections so far.
• Write a forgiveness letter to yourself for the times when you have been too hard on yourself.
• How can you better embrace your imperfections in your day-to-day life?
• What was a moment when your imperfection made you feel unique?
• How has recognizing and accepting your flaws to lead a more authentic life?
• Reflect on how accepting your imperfections has affected your relationships.
• Write about an imperfection that you initially disliked but now wouldn’t change.
• Detail an admiration letter to yourself, highlighting the strengths hidden in your perceived flaws.
• Blessed are the cracked, they let the light in – discuss this quote by Leonard Cohen in relation to your journey towards self-acceptance.
• Brainstorm five ways you could use your flaws to your advantage, personally or professionally.

Revisiting Childhood Hurts

Reflecting on Childhood Hurts through forgiveness journaling can serve as a therapeutic pathway that illuminates the shadows of past pain and springs us forward into the light of healing. Here are 20 prompts to assist you in delving into this profound self-reflection:

• Write about a painful childhood experience. How did you cope at the time?
• Describe any emotions still tied to this childhood hurt.
• What are your feelings now toward the person or situation involved in the hurt?
• If possible, write a letter to your younger self reflecting on how you've grown from that experience.
• How could a change of perspective about this event help you feel better today?
• Recall a time when you showed resilience after a rough childhood experience.
• Identify three lessons you learned from this experience.
• If the person who hurt you asked for forgiveness today, how would you respond?
• Write about the experience from the other person's perspective. What could their motivations have been?
• Describe what closure looks like for you in dealing with this hurt.
• Identify and write about any recurring behaviors linked to these childhood hurts.
• How has this past experience shaped your relationships and interactions with others?
• Write a letter forgiving someone from your past.
• If you could meet the person involved in the hurt today, how might that conversation go?
• Explore how letting go of this hurt could benefit your present and future.
• Write about a positive aspect of your life that may not have occurred if not for this experience.
• In what ways can you use your past experiences to assist others dealing with similar situations?
• Make a list of five aspirations for your healing journey.
• Reflect on the strengths you've developed as a result of overcoming past hurts.
• Write a small gratitude note for any lessons, growth, or healing you've experienced as a result of tackling these painful memories.

Tales Of Transformation Through Forgiveness.

Experiencing transformation through forgiveness allows for personal growth and healing, offering a fresh perspective on past situations and individuals involved. Here are 20 prompts to facilitate your reflective writing on the power and process of forgiveness:

• Journal about an instance in which you forgave someone. How did it impact your relationship?
• Recall a time when you found it particularly hard to forgive. What made it difficult?
• Reflect on a situation where someone forgave you. How did their forgiveness affect you?
• Write about a regret you have. How could forgiveness, of yourself or someone else, help address this regret?
• Consider a person you struggle to forgive. Write a letter to them detailing your feelings but do not send it.
• Explore ways in which forgiveness can lead to personal transformation.
• Outline potential benefits of forgiveness to your emotional health.
• Consider what forgiveness means to you. How has this understanding evolved over time?
• Describe three specific actions or steps you can take towards forgiving someone.
• Remember a time you forgave someone quickly. Why did you find it easy to forgive them?
• Write about the relationship between forgiveness and closure. How does one influence the other?
• Reflect on a forgiveness journey you completed. How has it changed you?
• Consider the role of empathy in your forgiveness process. Write about how understanding another's viewpoint aids in granting forgiveness.
• Contemplate a situation where you forgave someone, but the relationship did not improve. How did you navigate this?
• Reflect on the interaction between self-forgiveness and self-acceptance. How does one impact the other in your life?
• Write down a list of individuals you've forgiven in the past. Describe how these instances of forgiveness have impacted your overall life journey.
• Think about a time you experienced forgiveness from an unexpected source. How did that affect your view of forgiveness?
• Recall an occasion where forgiveness helped you overcome resentment or anger. What did the process look like?
• Meditate on the role of forgiveness in personal growth and healing.
• Write about a situation where you need to forgive yourself. What steps do you plan on taking towards self-forgiveness?

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Ultimate Guide to Creative Writing Therapy (with Writing Therapy Prompts)

March 22, 2023

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Creative writing therapy, or therapeutic writing is a form of therapeutic intervention that uses writing as the tool to explore and express your thoughts, feelings and emotions. It’s also known as journal therapy – and it’s essentially the art of writing in a journal to heal yourself. 

Writing therapy can be a useful tool for people who struggle with mental health, have experienced trauma or grief, or are simply looking for a creative outlet to process their thoughts and feelings. Today we’re going to explore what creative writing therapy is, how it works, and the potential benefits of writing therapy. We’ll also share writing therapy prompts to help you get started and explore writing therapy today. 

Please keep in mind that there is no true substitute for seeing a licensed therapist, and if you feel like you could benefit from talking to someone and getting help with what you’re going through – you’re not alone! There are tons of incredible therapists out there to help you. Here at Made with Lemons we’re big advocates for therapy and if you’d like a more inside scoop to our own journey with therapy, join On Your Terms . It’s a wellness newsletter that shares a more inside look to our own wellness journey as well as tools to help you along yours. Learn more about On Your Terms here.

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What is Creative Writing Therapy?

Writing therapy, also known as therapeutic writing, is a form of creative and expressive therapy that involves writing about your personal experiences, thoughts and feelings. It can take many forms, including journaling, poetry, creative writing, letter writing, or memoirs. Writing therapy can be done individually or in a group setting. It can also be facilitated by a therapist, counselor or writing coach.

The purpose of creative writing therapy is to help you express and process your emotions in a safe and supportive environment. It’s helpful to be able to write out your thoughts and feelings that might be hard to articulate in other ways. 

You might also see therapeutic writing used to help explore issues that are difficult to discuss in traditionally talking therapy sessions. And when your therapist invites you to try writing therapy, it’s also used in conjunction with other forms of therapy, such as trauma-focused therapy, to enhance its effectiveness. 

An example of creative writing therapy could be writing a letter to a person who hurt you, and then shredding or burning the letter to release some of the hurt and anger. 

How Does Therapeutic Writing Work?

Writing therapy works by allowing individuals to express their thoughts and feelings in a way that is both private and creative. The act of writing can help you organize your thoughts and gain clarity on your emotions. Writing can also be a way to release pent-up emotions and relieve stress. 

For example, if you’re feeling stressed after a long day of work, taking a few moments to write down what’s stressing you out and allowing yourself to let it go, can help you have a calm and more relaxing evening. 

Writing therapy should be a truly non judgemental space. It’s a time to write without worrying about grammar, punctuation, or spelling. The goal here is to let words flow freely, without judgment or criticism. Creative writing therapy sessions can be structured or unstructured, and sometimes it’s helpful to use prompts or exercises to help you get started. (i.e. what in your life is bringing you the most anxiety, or writing a letter to your friend to express ___________ hurt you when they said that.)

Oftentimes we find it easier to write about our hurt, our pain and the experiences that caused that, as opposed to opening up to talk about those things. In this way, writing can be a way to explore and process complex emotions such as grief or anger in a safe and supportive environment, where no one can get hurt further by what’s being felt and expressed. 

Potential Benefits of Writing Therapy

Now let’s talk about some of the benefits of therapeutic writing. 

Improved mental health

Writing therapy can be a tool that helps you manage symptoms of depression, anxiety and other mental health conditions. You can use journaling therapy to express and process difficult emotions, which over time can lead to improved mental regulation and a better sense of control over your thoughts and feelings. 

Increased self-awareness

Creative writing therapy can help you gain a better insight into your thoughts and behaviors. By reflecting on your experiences through writing, you can start to identify patterns and gain an understanding of yourself. 

Stress relief

Therapeutic writing can be a way to relieve stress and reduce anxiety. Writing is often cathartic, allowing you to release pent-up emotions and start to feel relief from things that would otherwise feel overwhelming. 

Improved communication skills

Journal therapy can also help you improve your overall communication skills. When you practice expressing yourself through writing, you can develop more confidence to communicate more effectively in both your personal and professional relationships. In essence, writing your feelings can help you communicate them better when needed. 

Increased creativity

Lastly, creative writing therapy can also be a way to tap into your creativity and imagination. We talk a lot about your inner child around here, and journal therapy can be another helpful way you can interact with your inner child. Through writing you can explore new ideas and perspectives, leading to your own personal growth.

How to try Creative Writing Therapy Today

Now let’s talk about how you can try therapeutic writing for yourself today. These tips are going to help you get started with writing therapy from home, as a personal activity to help heal yourself. 

Set aside dedicated time for writing therapy

Like most self improvement and self care techniques, it helps to set aside a dedicated time to write regularly. We know this can be a challenging task, especially if you’re struggling with mental health issues or challenges in your life. A good place to start is to set aside a few minutes each evening to write and decompress from your day. It can be just 2 minutes before bed. Remember, therapeutic writing is a non judgemental activity, so the amount of time you dedicate isn’t important, it’s just important to show up for yourself. 

Find a quiet and comfortable space

Find a place that’s quiet and comfortable, and where you can write without interruptions. Some people find it helpful to create a writing ritual, such as lighting a candle or playing soft music to create a sense of calm and focus. Find what works for you, in a space where you can be alone for a few minutes. 

Choose a writing therapy prompt or topic

At the end of this guide we’re going to share writing therapy prompts to help you explore creative writing therapy and give you a starting point. You can also talk to your therapist to get prompts, or find some online. Prompts can be general, such as “write about what makes  you grateful or happy”, while others can be more specific, such as “write about a time that you felt overwhelmed.”

Write freely and without judgment

The most important thing about writing therapy is to write freely, without judging yourself. Allow yourself to write without worrying about grammar, punctuation or spelling. Don’t put a time limit on your writing, or feel like you have to write a certain number of words or pages. The goal here is to allow your thoughts and emotions to flow freely without any judgment at all. 

Write honestly and openly

Along with being judgment free, it’s also so important that you write honestly and openly. Writing therapy is a space for honesty and openness. This space is created for you to share your thoughts and emotions, even if they're difficult or uncomfortable to confront. Just be open to exploring them, and remember that you don’t have to share this with anyone, so it’s a space where you can be fully honest with yourself. 

Reflect on your writing

After writing, you can take a few moments to reflect on what you have written. It might even be helpful to come back to what you have written at another time, when you have a clear head or have left the emotions behind. This can help you consider the emotions and patterns that you have expressed. Doing this reflection can help you gain more insight into your thinking patterns and emotions for future sessions. 

Consider sharing your writing with a therapist or counselor

Lastly, consider sharing your writing with a therapist or counselor. They can help you process emotions and gain a deeper understanding of yourself. Sharing your writing can also help you feel less alone in your struggles and provide important validation for your experiences. 

20 Writing Therapy Prompts

• When do I feel the most like myself?
• How do I feel at this moment?
• What do I need more of in my life?
• What do I look forward to every day?
• What is a lesson that I had to learn recently?
• Based on my daily routine, where do I see myself in 5 years?
• What don’t I regret?
• What would make me happy right now?
• What has been the hardest thing to forgive myself for?
• What’s bothering me? And why?
• What do I love about myself?
• What are my priorities right now?
• What does my ideal day look like?
• What does my ideal morning look like? Evening?
• Make a list of 30 things that make you smile
• Make a gratitude list
• The words I’d like to live by are…
• I really wish others knew this about me…
• What always brings tears to my eyes?
• What do I need to get off my chest today?

Creative writing therapy can be a powerful tool for exploring and processing thoughts and emotions. When you set aside a dedicated time to write, and create a safe and supportive space for yourself, you can gain insight into your emotions and develop better tools to manage them. With practice and commitment, writing therapy can become a habit for your self care routine. 

If you’d like to build the habit of writing therapy in your own life, then we’d like to invite you to download our habit tracker. It’s super easy to use, beautifully designed and completely free. All you need is a google account to access it. Grab a copy of our habit tracker here.

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Black Fox Literary Magazine

Writing Prompts · October 11, 2023

5 Prompts to Use with Our Contest Theme: Rhapsody of Regret (Part 1)

We were so excited about our current writing contest theme, Rhapsody of Regret, that we decided to suggest a few prompts to get those writing wheels turning! Even if you don’t plan to submit to the Black Fox Prize, these prompts offer a great starting point for a short story, poem, or creative nonfiction piece! Stay tuned for part two! Happy writing!

1. Have your character write a letter to their younger self, advising them on how to avoid a major life regret. For nonfiction writers, write a letter to yourself.

2. Focus on a moment when a character (or speaker) realizes the full weight of a decision they made in the past. How does the decision lead to intense feelings of regret? Nonfiction writers can use their own past decisions for this exercise.

3. Explore the consequences of the choice to prioritize a career over personal life. How does this kind of decision affect a person and those around them?

4. What if you or your character had the chance to undo a major regret from the past?

5. Create a story, poem, or creative nonfiction piece about two people who are confronting a failed friendship. What kind of dialogue would these two people engage in? Is there a way to reconcile, or is it too late?

Don’t forget, we’re accepting fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry for the Black Fox Prize with the theme: Rhapsody of Regret! You can find more details here . The contest closes on November 30, 2023! We can’t wait to read your work!

You’ll Also Love

The Results for Our Secrets Unraveled Contest!

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• How to write a story
• How to write a novel
• How to write poetry
• How to write a script
• How to write a memoir
• How to write a mystery
• Creative journaling
• Publishing advice
• Story starters
• Poetry prompts
• For teachers

Story Ideas - Creative Writing Prompts

1) false appearances.

• The new secretary was not what she seemed.
• Their marriage was not what it seemed.
• The job offer was not what it seemed.
• The adoption agency was not what it seemed.
• The gray house on the corner was not what it seemed.
• Those lights in the sky were not what they seemed.
• The hotel was not what it seemed.
• If only I hadn't left her alone that night ...
• If only she had taken the rumors seriously...
• If only he hadn't dropped that lottery ticket...
• If only she hadn't stepped into that elevator with him...
• If only I had listened to my instincts...
• If only she hadn't picked up that locket...
• If only he had brought a weapon...
• If only she hadn't tried to kiss him...

More Inspiration

• Get 44 more creative writing ideas.
• Try these creative writing prompts about obsession.
• See more pages with story starters.
• See what's new on our blog.

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Writing Prompts

Make Writing A Habit

Write about a regret

Write about something you regret doing. Then write the incident as a scene, and have yourself do something different this time.

#amwriting #writingprompts

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April 8, 2020 at 5:45 am

The only regret I have is knowing a beautiful soul that I can’t have. After leaving a toxic relationship of 4 years, I figured that it’s for the best, if I take a chance to get to know someone new. It wasn’t that hard because I didn’t really do the searching, he just happened to be the person closest to me. He was a nice person, and I enjoyed having him around more than I feel towards anyone else. The only regret I have is giving him the wrong idea of love, of what could’ve been, of things that ruined the friendship. The only regret I have that I cannot take it back. I was a fool, because a person who sincerely wants to be your friend, cannot be forced to be your lover.

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Informal Creative Writing for Adults

Upcoming dates

• Monday, April 15, 2024, 4 - 5 PM
• Monday, April 22, 2024, 4 - 5 PM
• Monday, April 29, 2024, 4 - 5 PM

This is an informal  creative writing workshop for adults . Writing prompts will be provided at the beginning of the 1 hour program to help your ideas to flow. But you may start writing with your own prompt or own creative idea(s). This will be a space for all writing levels to come together to peacefully write and share ideas, ask for feedback, etc. Writing materials will be provided. Please be aware this is not an instructional program. Please view flyer for more information. Thank you.

• Audience: Adults, 50+

Craft the perfect creative writing prompt from Microsoft Designer's AI images

march 22, 2024

by Monica Jayasinghe

Hello, fellow educators! I recently discovered an exciting way to create engaging writing prompts for my students using AI and Microsoft Designer . The results were amazing, and I can't wait to share this fun and innovative approach with you!

Describing the Vision:

To get started, head over to Microsoft Designer . We'll use the power of AI to generate an image that will serve as the foundation for our writing prompt.

We'll use Image Creator , where you can describe the image you want to create. The goal is to generate an image that will capture your students' imagination and inspire them to write.

For this example, I entered the prompt, A spacecraft landing near a house, futuristic, mysterious.

Choose the image you want to work with

Once you select Generate , Microsoft Designer will provide you with a variety of AI-generated images. Since we're creating a writing prompt, look for an image that has space for adding instructions and is easy to read.

You'll be amazed by the number of options available! When you find an image you like, click on it and select Edit image .

Customize the image

After selecting your preferred image, it's time to customize it.

• Click on Resize in the top panel and adjust the dimensions to match a PowerPoint slide. This will ensure that the image fits perfectly when you're ready to present it to your students. You can also align the image anywhere on the page to create the perfect composition.
• In the box labeled AI tools , you'll see additional customization options. Consider playing with the filters to update the mood and color scheme of your image.

Add instructions and text

To make the writing prompt clear and easy to read, click on the existing text and customize it. To add a heading, click on Text in the left panel. The right panel will populate with even more ideas you can use.

In this example, I changed the color to white and added a story starter.

Engage your students

The possibilities for using AI-generated images as writing prompts are endless! Here are a few options:

Get inspired by the artwork

The most obvious way to use these images is as direct inspiration for student writing. Generate a bold, fantastical, emotional, or silly image and have students write a story about what's happening in the image.

Try this prompt: A whimsical classroom under the sea. The teacher is a wise old octopus. The classroom is decorated with shell desks and seaweed streamers .

Bring stories to life

Another great idea is to take an excerpt from a story you're reading in class and use the AI to generate an image that matches that specific part of the story. This will spark engaging discussions among your students and bring the story to life in a whole new way.

Bring units to life

Why stop at a story? You can also generate images that fit the theme of a unit you're working on, whether you're exploring weather patterns or reliving life on the Oregon Trail.

Consider setting aside some time each day or week for students to free write or journal. Kick off the writing session with an AI-generated image, then throw on some light classical music and let them write. Mix up the kind of images you show them, from lush landscapes to abstract pop art, and see what it inspires.

Try this prompt: An abstract painting in vivid colors

You can even include animated options. After you generate your image in Microsoft Designer, select the image and Create Design . In the right-hand panel that appears, you'll see several design options. Usually, one or more of these options will be animated. Select the animated option and add it to your PowerPoint!

Accessing your AI-generated images

One of the best features of Microsoft Designer is that all the images you create using AI are saved in the My Media section. This means you'll never lose your creations and can easily access them whenever you need them.

This feature enables educators to curate a collection of visuals for various writing themes, be it aliens, dragons, or any other imaginative scenario.

Wrapping up

Microsoft Designer is a game-changer for educators looking to inspire their students' creativity. The AI-generated images, customization options, and easy access to your creations make this a powerful tool for any classroom.

Head over to designer.microsoft.com today and start creating unforgettable writing prompts!

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