NOTE –>
An updated version of this, with over 30 resources, is available here. (New list — created November 2017 — removes those links/sites that are no longer available and adds new resources.) For a more comprehensive resource on writing prompts, including actual prompts, visit my main page on poetry prompts.
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some people HATE writing from prompts. others NEED to write from prompts. still others use writing exercises on the sly, never admitting that their work comes from such derided origins.
ok — so i made up that last group. though i suspect they exist, i have no evidence. but me? i use poetry prompts and writing exercises without apology. i seek them out; i make up my own. i even do it in public with friends, ha ha… and i’m constantly searching: “where did i find such-and-such?” and “what’s that website again with those things i wanted to try?”
so! i started a list for myself, which i’m publishing here now, not only to share it with you, but also to ask for your help: what should i add? what online resources do you use?
prompt sites/blogs
included here are not only sites specifically designed to provide prompts, but also sites with writing challenges (like poem-a-days) that provide and archive prompts specifically for their challenges:
- NEW! donna vorreyer’s tow truck archive (2011) & mix tape archive
- FPR (the found poetry review) poetry prompts
- kelli’s napowrimo prompts from 2010 (an older list i always go back to)
- napowrimo.net
- poetic asides’ 2012 november PAD chapbook challenge
- poetic asides’ poetry challenge 2013
- poetry prompts tumblr
- sunday scribblings
- the time is now from poets & writers (weekly prompts for poetry, fiction and creative non-fiction)
- three word wednesday
- WDBWP (we drink because we’re poets) poetry prompts (mondays)
- we write poems
- wednesday poetry prompts from poetic asides
in addition, i have a #poetryprompts board on pinterest and a visual poetry prompts tumblr (though fair warning: i update them sporadically and haphazardly and sometimes not at all).
so what should i add to these lists? i’ll update the post with your ideas as we go (and from facebook and twitter, too), and eventually i’m thinking about giving the content its own page here at my blog.
NOTE: even a 2013 list of poetry prompts would be remiss if it didn’t remind you about read write poem. remember RWP? it was a wonderful community, and many of its resources are still there for perusing, including napowrimo 2010 prompts, games poets play and mini-challenges. and prompts are still up at writer’s island, one of the now-inactive communities developed post-RWP.
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