Beat writer’s block by using writing prompts. In November, it’s NaNoWriMo month, a time when writers who are participating aim for 50,000 words written down. It’s about getting those words on paper and not worrying about a polished piece of work. You can polish it later.

I advocate warming up those writing juices by writing by hand for a set length of time, like 10 minutes. There’s some kind of connection from heart to hand, and I’ve noticed writers create little pearls of wisdom this way that can blossom into something else.

Here are your daily November writing prompts. Don’t think too much; just write.

1. Use these five words in one writing session: pumpkin; sleep; pine tree; jump; slight.
2. Write about a person navigating in the dark with no access to a light source.
3. If you’re in the United States, November is the month of gratitude, so let’s do the standard three things you are grateful for and why.
4. Write who you would be if you were the opposite gender: name, physical characteristics, likes and dislikes, etc.
5. Write about a hot air balloon trip over a mountain range. If you’ve never been in one, use your imagination! What is the temperature? How’s the view? Is it noisy? Who are you with? What color is the hot air balloon?
6. Describe your first true love experience. Use all your senses in your description: touch, sight, hearing, smell and taste.
7. What is your least favorite food and why? How could you be persuaded to eat it?
8. Write about something you lost and never did find.
9. Which do you prefer and why: puppies or kitties?
10. A 100% perfect day in my life would be ____________.
11. What would it be like to live in the ocean?
12. Crayons vs. markers.
13. If you could re-live a year in your life, what year would that be and why?
14. Describe your talents. Have you chosen to nurture any of them?
15. What would you tell your 16-year-old self if you could?
16. Consider the month just past: October. What stands out to you?
17. When you think about the winter season, what comes to mind? Expand on that.
18. My bucket list vacation is ____________. Write at least 5 paragraphs.
19. Black licorice: yes or no, and why.
20. Write a letter of appreciation to someone in your current life.
21. Write a letter of appreciation for someone who is no longer in your life, whether that means they have died or are simply not present.
22. What types of self care do you practice? Is this an area you can improve or change?
23. This is always a fun one: what historical person would you want to have dinner with and why?
24. Mornings are, without a doubt, _____________.
25. Here’s a fun one we see on social media now and then: pick up the book nearest to you, whatever it is, navigate to page 33, find the tenth sentence on the page and make that your writing prompt. (It might be a cookbook, a textbook, or a dictionary – anything!)
26. The most recent book I read was _____________ and I loved/didn’t love it because ____________.
27. Scan your body. Are there any areas of pain? What has caused this? How do you comfort this pain? Does it have meaning to you beyond the physical pain?
28. Would you rather be able to fly or have incredible strength?
29. Write about a movie that strongly impacted you.
30. Scan ahead. What are your plans or desires for the month of December?

Happy writing and thanks for visiting!

Melody Jones