25 August Writing Prompts

by Sue Weems | 0 comments

We've nearly reached the mid-point of summer here in the United States. Whether you or family members are headed back to school or enjoying a few more weeks of summer weather before the onset of fall, here are some writing prompts to keep you busy this month.

If you've taken the summer off from writing and you're starting back up again, take a look at our daily writing prompts below or some inspiration to keep you writing all month long.

Reflective Prompts: Looking Back on Summer

1. What was your favorite activity this summer and why? Describe it in detail.

2. When you think of summer, what favorite summer foods come to mind?

3. What summer adventures would you still like to have (if you had the time and resources to do it)?

4. What is your favorite song this summer? Write out your favorite line and describe what makes it especially memorable this year.

5. If you had to take a class over the summer, what would you choose and why?

Creative Character Creation Prompts

6. Take an existing character and give them a new adventure.

7. Create a character who is afraid of something at the beach or other vacation destination, but has to go stay there for a week.

8. Think of a favorite character and tell their story from a different point of view, or give them a new sidekick.

9. Create a character who is starting their first day at your dream job, but it isn't going very well.

10. Take your favorite character and write a scene from one of their favorite school memories.

Prompts for Poetry and Short Stories

11. Describe a late summer storm using sensory language arranged into lines.

12. Write a story about a character who is trying to escape summer.

13. Write a poem about your favorite summer sweet treat.

14. Create a scene that takes place at your favorite summer destination.

15. Write a poem about swimming (or water in general).

Journaling Ideas

If you like to keep a journal, try one of these daily prompts that you can use over and over if needed.

16. What is one thing that I can do today to take a small step toward my goals?

17. What am I proud of today?

18. What is one topic or skill I'd like to know more about and why?

19. What have I noticed in the world today?

20. What's one promise I've made to myself that I'd like to keep? What help or steps do I need to take to complete it?

Try Something New

21. Open the first page of a book. It can be a favorite book, or something new you haven't read before. Write out the first sentence and then set it aside and continue a scene from there.

22. Choose a favorite fairy tale and change the genre. For example, make Cinderella a murder mystery or Little Red Riding Hood a romance.

23. Choose a food from the pantry or fridge and write a scene where that food item is critical to the plot and character transformation.

24. List writing: make a list of things. Might be your favorite book genres, your favorite childhood books, your least favorite foods, your most memorable albums or concerts.

25. Think of a dream you've had and change a character or setting to create a new scene.

Write with us!

As you head into August, I hope you'll make some time to write and explore your creative side. If you aren't already part of a writing community that encourages you, consider joining us here at The Write Practice. We're all writers who practice weekly together to get better. You can too!

Want more prompts? Try our huge list of summer writing prompts or our top 150 short story ideas for more!

What do you think of when you think of August? Share in the comments.

PRACTICE

Choose one of the prompts above. Set a timer for fifteen minutes. When time is up, share your practice in the Pro Practice Workshop.

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Sue Weems is a writer, teacher, and traveler with an advanced degree in (mostly fictional) revenge. When she’s not rationalizing her love for parentheses (and dramatic asides), she follows a sailor around the globe with their four children, two dogs, and an impossibly tall stack of books to read. You can read more of her writing tips on her website.

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Award-winning instructor and writer of 20+ years, book coach, and editor. Sue Weems specializes in working with Children's, Memoir, Middle Grade, Mystery, Nonfiction, Romance, and Thriller books. Sound like a good fit for you?

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