Icebreakers: Writing Prompts

(To listen to the audio of this blog post, use the purple play button.)

 

·  Writing Prompts  ·

Today I have some “icebreakers” to share with you.

You might find them valuable and fun as a tool in “breaking the ice” in a group of people who need a reason or excuse to start talking to one another.

Or, they can be used as writing prompts for your students in a writing class.

Each index card has a different question laminated on each side. I pass them out, one card per person, and have individuals “partner up.” It always works!

These questions are self-starters for a conversation. People have a lot to talk about and share with one another. The participants also get a chance to practice listening. Each person answers the same question. They trade-off on talking first.

I’ve got hundreds of these engaging questions that I’ve collected and created over the years. They were invaluable at our summer Kids Camp.

But they’re also ideal topics to be used as writing prompts for students or adults. I’ve used them at writing workshops.

If you’re in a writers group, consider using any of these ideas. They’re designed for brief encounters, but I can imagine myself writing an essay on nearly every one.

With the imagination of a writer, I’ll bet you can turn any one of these inquiries into a fifteen-minute writing exercise. Or, use a question to warm up your brain and your fingers for further writing.

Here’s one story-starter: “When you were little, who was your favorite superhero and why?”

When I was a kid, my favorite superhero was Superman! I imagined myself flying.

When the fierce winds would rise up off Lake Michigan, I grabbed a towel as a cape, stood on our front porch, and pretended: “Faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive, able to leap tall buildings in a single bound.”

In my response to the question, I’d explain that with superpowers I knew how I would help planet Earth become a more peaceful place. As a child I limited my thinking towards fighting crime, but today–as an adult–I’d take on greater world-wide challenges.

Here are a few more prompts: “A future goal I have is . . .”     “Have you ever been in a parade or watched one in person? Describe your experience.”     “What is the most creative thing that you’ve ever done?”     “What traits do you admire in a friend?”     If you were an animal, what would you be and why?”     What is one thing you’re really good at?”     If you were to write a book, what would you choose as a topic?”

If you’d like to share a brief response to one of these writer prompts, write back. I’m curious!

Happy writing and reading!