WRITING PROMPTS | PROMPTLY WRITTEN
Prompt Yourself: Weekly Prompts February 5–11
Prompts to tempt your muses
Welcome to the 58th week of Weekly Prompts here at PW!
Hmmm. It’s February. Do you smell the love in the air already? I know that a lot of you, if not all, celebrate Valentine’s. And I believe that Valentine’s isn’t just for lovers.
Love never fails, as they say, so for this week’s prompts, let’s talk about all forms and kinds of love. Family, relationships, friendship, love for pets. Everything about love.
Before we get started, here are a couple of quick reminders:
How This Works
- Use these prompts to write poetry, fiction, an essay, creative non-fiction, or an article. They are totally open to interpretation! Include a link to the prompt at the bottom of your post.
- If you use one of these prompts, you can submit the result here at PW, to any publication that accepts prompts from other publications, or self-publish. If you submit somewhere besides PW, make sure to include a link to the prompt and tag PW editors so that we do not miss reading your story!
- You don’t have to use PW’s prompts to submit work here. We are an open publication for established and new writers to submit their writing — usually based on writing prompts from here or elsewhere, but unprompted stories are also welcome!
- Please be sure to use the correct Reader Interest Tags when you submit your work to PW so it lands in the right place on the homepage. Please use ONE (not multiple) of the following tags: Poetry, Fiction, Essay, or Articles. Your other four tags can be whatever you wish them to be.
- Please ONLY submit drafts. To do this, once you have finished writing, instead of hitting the Publish button, click on the three dots (…), choose Add to Publication, click on Promptly Written, and then submit. This will put it into our queue, and we will publish it on our end.
- Each week, you will find prompts for Monday-Sunday. However, you do not have to use them in the order they are written. Browse them all and use only the ones that resonate with you. Submit your work any time during the week (or long after!).
- If you previously wrote for PW but haven’t in a while, you may need to go to the Submission Guidelines and ask to be a writer again. We went on hiatus a few months ago and stopped accepting submissions; if you were a writer with us before that time, you will need to sign up again.
- Have fun!
Are you ready? Great! Let’s get prompting!
Moody Monday
Write a ‘moody’ poem or story around any of the following:
1. A letter never sent
2. The last chocolate in the box
3. The ache of holding on to someone who’s letting go
4. A song that brings back memories
5. The bittersweet memory of a friend’s smile, now miles away
Tuesday Twosome
1. Conceptual Theme — Intergenerational Love
Twosome —Learning from Elders AND Passing Knowledge to Younger Generations
2. Conceptual Theme — Deep Conversations
Twosome —Initiating Meaningful Discussions AND Listening with Empathy
3. Conceptual Theme — Long-Distance Connections
Twosome —Maintaining Bonds Across Distance AND Creating Virtual Traditions
4. Conceptual Theme — Love for Nature
Twosome —Connecting Through Nature AND Protecting the Environment Together
5. Conceptual Theme — Love Without Boundaries
Twosome —Overcoming Obstacles for Love AND The Power of Unconditional Support
Wednesday’s Either/Or
1. Either “Writing Love Letters” or “Creating Digital Greetings”
2. Either “Family Game Night” or “Movie Marathon at Home”
3. Either “Road Trip Adventures” or “Staycation Surprises”
4. Either “Outdoor Camping” or “Backyard Camping”
5. Either “Karaoke Night” or “Dance Party at Home”
Thursday’s Thoughts
1. “Love is not just looking at each other, it’s looking in the same direction.” — Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
2. ”Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another, ‘What! You too? I thought I was the only one.’” — C.S. Lewis
3. “To love and be loved is to feel the sun from both sides.” — David Viscott
4. “Love doesn’t make the world go round. Love is what makes the ride worthwhile.” — Franklin P. Jones
5. “We are most alive when we’re in love.” — John Updike
Fiction Friday
Use any or all of the following concepts for a story:
1. A single parent finds love again through the eyes of their child’s new teacher
2. A teenager volunteers at an animal shelter and forms a special bond with a rescue dog
3. Siblings on a road trip mend their relationship and understand the depth of sibling love.
4. A story of two rival bakers who find common ground and love over a shared recipe, blending competition with affection
5. A traveler lost in a foreign country finds kindness and hospitality from strangers, discovering the universal language of love.
Random Words Saturday
With 2 or more of these words, share a story or moment when you felt a deep connection with someone or something that wasn’t romantic. Was it a moment of understanding with a friend, a feeling of belonging with your family, or perhaps a time of mutual respect with a colleague?😁❤❤ Could it be trust, empathy, support, or maybe joy? Use these words as a starting point to explore the different facets of love in your life.
- Trust
- Joy
- Support
- Empathy
- Friendship
- Care
- Love
- Understanding
- Respect
- Comfort
- Loyalty
- Connection
- Kindness
- Patience
- Generosity
- Courage
- Honesty
- Laughter
- Gratitude
- Belonging
- Selfless
Spiritual Sunday
1. Share a lesson learned from a failed relationship.
2. Discuss how love can drive personal transformation.
3. Explore the concept of love without attachment.
4. Reflect on the role of love in overcoming prejudice.
5. Explore the idea that love transcends physical boundaries.
Bonus Prompt — Write a poem, flash fiction story (500 words or less), or essay about finding love and friendship in the digital age.
There you have it. A week’s worth of prompts to tempt your muses. We look forward to reading your submissions. Don’t forget to mention me so I won’t miss reading your story.
Bella loves to write about life, psychology, and relationships. Click here to receive an email that guarantees you’ll get Bella’s newest stories delivered straight to your inbox.
Don’t forget, there are Writing Sparks available in the Monthly Theme by ADEOLA
And if you missed last week’s prompts by Dr. Casey, you can find them here.
Last prompt post, responder:
I go straight into the kitchen, tuning into the hum of my refrigerator as it kicks in, cooling the few groceries inside while I remove the gallon of water. You can tell a single girl lives here. The Quiet Hours After a Party by Darlene López
Becky looked up at Sandy. “You were right, I don’t want an app telling me my future.” App For The Future by Amanda Gravely
If you responded but didn’t see your post here, please let me know in a comment or via private note. Sometimes, we miss things. 😊