It’s an almost universal experience for writers—amateur or professional—to sit down in front of a blank page and have absolutely no idea what to write. Sometimes, it comes to us within minutes, and sometimes it doesn’t. If you’re feeling writer’s block or just want to experiment with new forms, themes, or ideas, we hope you’ll take a look at our prompts and consider them for your next creative writing project!

1. Write a piece using objects on your desk. One approach is to try to integrate at least three of the items into a poem—for example, consider how you could use a cup, a book, and a candle. What might they symbolize? How might they interact with each other? Likewise, with a fiction or creative nonfiction piece, think about what the objects you choose might reveal (or hide) about the narrator (or yourself). You could also try writing from the perspective of one of the objects!

2. Use the phrase “self portrait” in a title—look inward and consider yourself (or a speaker) as something unexpected. Take a look at Genevieve Watson’s “Self-Portrait as 16 Personalities: Free Personality Test” from our inaugural issue for inspiration.

3. What’s a news headline covering a current issue that stood out to you recently? Explore what’s happening in our world right now creatively. How can you shed light on unheard voices or perspectives that might get drowned out in times of chaos? Alternatively, how can you use your work to remind us of the small joys in life even in moments of uncertainty? Take a look at our Spring Contest page afterward and consider submitting your piece for a chance to win $50!

4. Write a poem as if it were a movie script—or as if it were a news broadcast, or a grocery list, or even a crossword puzzle. Or anything else that isn’t traditionally considered a poem. Experiment with form and break away from meter, rhyme, and even conventional free-verse poetry.

5. If you’d rather try writing in a more structured form, have a go at writing an abecedarian—a form of poetry where each line begins with the next letter of the alphabet. Jisu Yee’s “Abecedarian, Spiraling” from our first issue is a fantastic example of this. 

6. Write about a particular place that holds significance for you or your family—what memories do you have there? Are there any smells, tastes, or sounds that take you back? What people do you associate the place with? Consider childhood homes or neighborhoods, nature (perhaps a forest or beach you’ve spent a lot of time at), or even bigger-picture places like states or countries.

7. Think of a song you’ve been listening to lately and respond to it in a poem without mentioning the title or any of the lyrics. Consider the emotional or thematic core of the song and create your own piece that builds upon it using your own lived experience. 

8. Begin a short prose piece or a poem with an image of food. And since we’re Marmalade Lit, we’d love to see something that deftly weaves in your favorite fruit! Use the food as a jumping-off point for exploring either your own or a character’s history with it—maybe it’s a comforting childhood snack or a meal that recalls tension.

9. Take a look at how Kate Woyicki uses sensory details in her piece “Je suis qui?” How can you work to integrate all five senses into a piece? Allow the setting—or whatever you choose to highlight—to come alive. To do this, you try to steer away from cliché visual imagery (for example, calling out an array of colors in the scene) and focus on what makes your scene unique.

10. Write a poem that takes advantage of anaphora. Start each line with the same word or phrase (for example, “if” or “I forget”) and use this framework to launch into a series of formative memories.

Feeling inspired? If you’re a writer aged 12-22, we encourage you to revise and proofread your work before submitting it to Marmalade Lit!