A year of writing prompts: 1 July

How to use these prompts

What does this picture suggest to you?
Someone struggling with depression/drugs?
An actual tiny person stuck in a bottle?

Prompts

1. It's National Postal Worker Day. Write a story featuring a postman/woman.
2. Diana, Princess of Wales was born on this date in 1961. Write a story about a tragic princess.
3. "One has to do something new in order to see something new." Georg Christoph Lichtenberg
4. It's Canada Day. Write a story set in Canada.
5. On the birthday of the fictional character Indiana Jones, write a story about him, or your own Indiana Jones style character.

Character Names

Aaron, Annamaria, Theobald, Julius, Dean, Deanna, Diana, Diane, Marian, Oliver, Miriam

Character Traits

• Honest and hard working, reliable and steady.
• Full of vitality, both mental and physical.
• Generous.
• Have a good deal of power and intelligence.
• Likely to be well off in their later years.
• May suffer from a congenital illness.
• Value home and people more than a career.
• Compassionate and intuitive.
• Not well adapted to urban living.
• Have a feel for form and colour.
• Deep knowledge of eternal truths.
• Cautious, practical and thrifty. Will plan for the future and make sacrifices if need be.
• Passions run deep although they are not obviously romantic.
• They may become teachers, technicians or work in the field of international affairs for the collective good.
• Have a tendency to leave important jobs unfinished.

Possible Themes

Hidden Potential.

Working through doubts.

Looking at all facets of a problem.

Inner beauty.

Will power.

Intelligence.

Self development.

Objects

A large diamond; a straw basket; a painter's easel; a hail storm; an engagement ring.

A year of writing prompts: 30 June

How to use these prompts

A market stall selling masks.
Where might it be located?
Who is buying?

Prompts

1. Superman made his first appearance in a comic on this date in 1928. So time for a superhero story. If you're stuck for inspiration, try turning a friend or relative into a superhero. What kind of powers would they have? Do they have a secret identity? Who or what do they fight against? What is their weakness? You could also try turning someone you don't like into a supervillain.
2. Today is the day when meteorites are most likely to fall to Earth. In 1908 one fell in Siberia and flattened millions of trees. Write a story in which a meteorite falls. Whether it causes a mega explosion and huge disaster or is simply a curiosity for a bunch of kids to find is up to you.
3. It's Social Media day. Write a story featuring social media. Does it bring people together, or is it killing real life relationships? Perhaps your character has a serious addiction to it.
4. "Men were born to lie, and women to believe them." John Gay
5. It's halfway through the year. Write about the halfway point of something.

Character Names

Marek, Emilia, Lucina, Adele, Mindy, Melanie, Melinda, Grady, Melania, Leif

Character Traits

• Likely to achieve success but not massive fame. The will be content with what they have, even if it is less than they deserve.
• Humble and reserved.
• May take a while to decide on their life path but when they do will finish what they start.
• May go into law or politics or become a police officer or detective.
• Will have many interests and hobbies.
• Naturally shy, but if they can overcome this can become very eloquent and make excellent public speakers.
• Enjoy talking and sharing ideas.
  
• Good sense of justice.
• May be unconventional or eccentric.
• Energetic and resourceful.
• May experience many changes in life.
• Dominant in romance.
• Danger of accidents involving weapons or tools.
• May suffer accidents involving the feet and may suffer paralysis.
• May be involved with sexual taboos involving young people.

Possible Themes

Children and the young; childhood games; innocent curiosity.

New beginnings.

Monotony and routine.

Destiny.

Objects

A pond; goldfish; a spindle; wool; a loom; a spider; flies; an acrobat; a skeleton playing a flute.

A year of writing prompts: 29 June

How to use these prompts

What is happening here?
An alien invasion?
A dystopian future where giant robots rule the world?

Prompts

1. It's the feast day of St Peter, the saint with the keys to heaven. St. Peter is doing his job. It's been a quiet day so far, not too many deaths. Then he hears a knock on the pearly gates. Who is there?
2. It's Camera Day. Write a story featuring photographs and/or a photographer.
3. "Love does not consist of gazing at each other, but in looking together in the same direction." Antoine de Saint-Exupery
4. It's Remote Control Day. Write a story entitled The Day the Remote Control Went Missing.
5. In 2000, a first edition print of the US Declaration was sold for £5 million after being found inside a picture frame bought at a flea market for £3. Your character buys something at a flea market or car boot sale and when they open it, take it apart, find something amazing inside.

Character Names

Peter, Pavel, Petra, Paul, Benita, Pablo, Paolo, Paula, Paulette, Pauline, Pedro, Pierce, Pierre, Judith

Character Traits

• Self-indulgent and lazy.
• Marriages may not last as they are given to illicit romances.
• Fond of gossip and likely to spread it, in speaking or writing. They may make a career out of trashy journalism. There is a danger of libel or slander in extreme cases.
• Likely to write anonymous letters rather than speaking up to someone's face.
• If caught out they will deny everything.
• Refined taste in art, fashion and décor.
• Like pleasant surroundings.
• Conservative and neat.
• Fond of children and nature.
• Given to flights of fancy and will promise more than they can deliver.
• Horse sense and a mind able to cope with the rough and tumble of life, but are inwardly shy and emotionally vulnerable.
• Sometimes religious.
• Mistrustful of other people.
• May use their home or family as a shield.
  
• Lacking in courage and irresponsible.
• May be sociopaths.
• Danger of paralysis.

Possible Themes

Non human beings posing as human.

Parades, popularity contests, appearances, identity parades.

Uniforms and costumes.

Objects

Rabbits in human clothes; a temple of love; a rope attached to a bell; an editor's desk; An alchemical text written on parchment.

A year of writing prompts: 28 June

How to use these prompts

Three people having a day out.
Or maybe four - someone is behind the camera!
What might happen to these people during their trip?

Prompts

1. The first Gay Pride Day was observed in 1987. Write a story in which the protagonist is gay.
2. In 1919 the Treaty of Versailles was signed, ending the first world war. Write about two people, or two countries, or two groups of any description, who finally make peace with each other after years of hostility.
3. Long Letter Day is a day to write a long letter to an old friend. So write a long letter - either to an actual old friend, or from your character to an old friend.
4. "If presidents can't do it to their wives, they do it to their country." Mel Brooks
5. On the Festival of Terrible Poetry, try your hand at writing some terrible poems.

Character Names

Leo, Muriel, Clay, Clayton, Leon, Leopold

Character Traits

• Concerned with fashion and outward appearances.
• Enjoy luxury and social functions.
• Tendency to be wasteful.
• Rugged, strong, fearless, self-reliant and decisive.
• Tend to assume they are the natural leaders and boss everyone around.
• Can be selfish, overbearing and quarrelsome.
• Tend to be indifferent to the suffering of others.
• Likely to be of humble birth but will reach the top by their own efforts and initiative.
• Can be critical, cutting and cruel.
• Intelligent and analytical.
• Appreciate diplomacy in others even though they are not always diplomatic themselves.
• Physically fearless but emotionally vulnerable.
• May be disciplined, or may have bad habits.
• Attractive to the opposite sex, but there is a danger they will make a bad choice of partner.
• Fond of sports.
• May have a disability of some kind, or a partner, dependent or position which is a burden to them.
• Tendency towards escapism, but this may be channelled into a career as a writer.

Possible Themes

Discipline.

Potential of nature.

Moonlight; full moon celebrations.

Reconnecting with the feminine.

Dreams, fantasies, astral realms.

Dancing.

Objects

Nature spirits; a flowery pergola; Thor's hammer; a ripe apple hanging from a tree; jewels; beggars.

A year of writing prompts: 27 June

How to use these prompts

Who are these two guys?
Why do they appear to be squaring up for a fight?
If they do fight, who wins?

Prompts

1. In 1939, the famous closing scene of Gone With the Wind was filmed. Write a story about a character who frankly doesn't give a damn.
2. It's sunglasses day. Write a story featuring sunglasses.
3. It's festival season - write a story set at a pop festival, such as Glastonbury.
4. Jo Frost, the Supernanny, was born on this date in 1971. Write a story about an exceptional or unusual nanny. Perhaps she has superpowers. Perhaps she gets through to a child nobody else ever has. Perhaps this nanny is a man, or not even human.
5. "If I can't dance, I don't want to be part of your revolution." Emma Goldman

Character Names

Elvira, Laszlo, Malva, Alex, Alexa, Alexis, Maria, Ladislaw, Lance, Lancelot, Selma

Character Traits

• Extravagant and wasteful. Although they are lucky with money, speculation and gambling, their gains often slip through their fingers.
• Have a sense of entitlement to any fortune that comes their way.
• Interest in collecting coins or medals.
• Enjoy fashion and jewellery, which can make them appear gaudy and vain.
• Good at heart and likeable but don't always consider the feelings of others.
• Tend to be secretive.
• Sensitive and emotional.
• Good with people but sometimes shy.
• Will not hesitate to sacrifice everything to get what they want.
• May be overly concerned with everyday security.
• Fields involving travel or communications make good careers. They could become pawnbrokers.
• Sometimes make bad choices of friends.
• Can be reckless.
• Vulnerable to change.
• May be, or be affected by, nosy neighbours.

Possible Themes

Power and protection.

Sacrifice.

Prosperity, comfort, establishing a home.

Nationalism.

Endangered habitats.

Objects

Game birds; a gauntlet; a sabre; a tree stump; a goat; a cauldron; a fence; a clown; stuffed toys.

A year of writing prompts: 26 June

How to use these prompts

What is this stone?
Does it have magical properties?
Who does it belong to?

Prompts

1. It's Beauticians Day. Your character goes to a spa for a beauty treatment.
2. "There is, of course, a difference between what one seizes and what one really possesses." Pearl Buck
3. According to legend, every year on this date at noon, the shadow of Mount Scartaris in Iceland points at the entrance to "Centre Earth". This mythical land is populated by giants and prehistoric monsters. Tell the story of a party of explorers who go on an expedition to Centre Earth.
4. As I Walked Out One Midsummer Morning.
5. It's Rose Day, which celebrates Queen Alexandra declaring that a day in summer should be set aside for collecting money for charities. Write about someone who is either setting up a charity, or is raising money for one.

Character Names

Adriana, Serena, Kelvin, Jan, Paul, Jim

Character Traits

• Travel and trade bring good fortune.
• Often disappointed in love. They are loving and passionate, but too trusting and put too much faith in human nature.
• Have a passion for justice and will speak up loudly if they notice an injustice. They have an uncanny talent for this. They may not, however, think these actions through and could end up making things worse.
• Friendly and sociable, taking an interest in everyone.
• Can be touchy and miserly.
• Enjoy tinkering with things.
• Easily misled by others and may act on what they are told without further investigation.
• Restless and impatient.
• Vocations to do with homes, real estate, economics, medicine or mechanics.
• Danger from water.
• May suffer from mood swings.
• Tendency to work too hard and neglect self care.

Possible Themes

Individuality vs collective forces.

Getting lost and being found.

Quick decisions.

Timing and scheduling involving large numbers of people.

Cars and trains.

Crossroads.

Objects

A level crossing; a wrecked car; a shrub; scales; a pick and shovel; a newspaper; a trap door under a rug.

A year of writing prompts: 25 June

How to use these prompts

Write a story set on this space station.

Prompts

1. "Serious sport has nothing to do with fair play. It is bound up with hatred, jealousy, boastfulness, disregard of all rules and sadistic pleasure in witnessing violence. In other words, it's war minus the shooting." George Orwell
2. George Orwell wrote 1984. Describe a future society in which an oppressive government tries to control its citizens.
3. Today is the day in the calendar which is furthest from Christmas. However, marketers will probably be working on their Christmas offers! So write a Christmas story, ready for the Christmas market.
4. It's Gay Wiccan Pride Day. Write a story in which the protagonist is a gay or lesbian witch or wizard.
5. In 1921, the word "robot" first appeared in the title of a play by Karel Capek. Write a story featuring a robot, or robots.

Character Names

Ivan, Sean, Shawna, Sinead, Shane, Gianna, Giovanni, Jane, Janet, Janice, Lucia, Wilhelm, Olivia, Jan, Johan

Character Traits

• Eccentric, even to the point of being thought mad. They are not usually mad but simply not concerned with the things other people are concerned with, and don't care what they think.
• Often misunderstood.
• Attracted to danger.
• May not meet their true love until late in life.
• Likely to give in to passionate impulses and commit adultery. This may affect their careers as well as their marriages.
• May be interested in the occult, black magic, sexual rituals, Satanism. May have strong feelings against God and rail against the nature of things.
• Serious and self-reliant.
• Prefer the company of older people.
• Extravagant and reckless.
• Materialistic.
• May have a talent for music and make it their career.
• Danger of addiction to sex or drugs.
• May be proud, overconfident and shameless.
• Health issues may include psychological imbalances and nervous problems.

Possible Themes

Sense of hearing and sight. Music.

The search for true love.

Hide and seek; cats and mice.

Waiting.

David and Goliath stories.

Suspending disbelief.

Objects

A cat; a mouse; violins; the dark side of the moon; weeping willows; a television.

A year of writing prompts: 24 June

How to use these prompts

What's the story with a giant chicken on wheels?

Prompts

1. "Space isn't remote at all. It's only an hour's drive away if your car could go straight upwards." Sir Fred Hoyle
2. A group of people decide to go skinny dipping at a local lake on Midsummer's Day.
3. It's the feast day of St John the Baptist. Write a story about a christening or baptism.
4. A Midsummer Night's Dream.
5. It's Flying Saucer/UFO Day. Write a story about a UFO sighting.

Character Names

Jan, Johannes, Ivan, Jonas, Hans, Ian, Johnson, Juan, Jean, John, Juanita

Character Traits

• Likely to be overly influenced by the opposite sex with fame or infamy resulting from their love affairs. Their affairs could cause downfall after success.
• Pleasant and well mannered.
• Generous to the point of being wasteful.
• Ambitious and likely to be successful.
• Have good memories leading to a tendency to live in the past.
• Will prefer a simple rural life to an urban one.
• Can be too trusting and risk being taken advantage of.
• May be co-dependent or fixated on their mothers and will have difficulty establishing a home of their own.
• Tend to take home life for granted.
• Good ear for music, which could be a career choice.
• Other career choices may be science, in particular geology or meteorology, statistics or cleric al work.
• Can become so involved in their career or a hobby that they neglect social interaction.
• Scholarly and dignified.
• Often believe themselves to be in control of a situation when they are not.
• Optimistic with a rugged spirit.
• Tendency to trust the wrong people to watch their financial affairs.

Possible Themes

Pioneering spirit. Venturing into the unknown.

Hardship.

Quest for truth.

Snow, ice, glaciers, icebergs.

The visual sense.

Objects

A reindeer; a bunch of withered flowers; a balloon; a deep shaft; a rustic summer house; surgical instruments; a star.

A year of writing prompts: 23 June

How to use these prompts

What might be happening here?
What is in the filing cabinet?
What happens next?

Prompts

1. "What the caterpillar calls the end of the world, the master calls a butterfly." Richard Bach
2. Midsummer Madness.
3. On Midsummer's Eve it was traditional for girls to cast various spells which would result in them getting dreams or visions of their future husbands. Your character casts one of these spells, and the vision which comes to her is of a man she intensely dislikes. What does she do?
4. It's typewriter day. Write a story featuring a typewriter.
5. In 1735 a phantom army was seen on a hill in Cumbria. It happened twice more, always on Midsummer Eve. Tell the story behind the phantom army.

Character Names

Adolf, Zoltan, Vanda, Jennell, Jeanette, Joan, Joanne, Joanna, Evan, Wanda, Zenon, Audrey, Adela, Sidonia

Character Traits

• Refined, subtle and artistic.
• Lovers of luxury and beauty, especially in nature.
• Pleasant personality.
• May be selfish, lazy and a freeloader. If they can take advantage of another's generosity, they will.
• May have a jealous nature.
• May be a spoiled brat.
• Males take life seriously, even when young.
• Women may be affected by rivalries.
• Have an awareness of humanity and its needs and may do important work.
• Career choices could include fashion, perfumes, florist, astrologer, artist.
• Find their way through life ingeniously and resourcefully.
• May have a phobia of air drafts.
• Tendency to lose touch with reality.
• Bugging devices may feature in their lives.
• Tendency to give important jobs to incompetent people.

Possible Themes

Female rivalry.

Confronting mystery.

Revising beliefs in light of new evidence.

Astral projection, out of body experiences, dreams.

Raising questions.

UFOs.

Objects

A magic carpet; A knick-knack in a glass case; a bunch of iron keys; a white tuxedo; a green house; a watering can.