Start a story or poem with a character finding a note that totally surprises them. What does the note say? Keep the story going when the note is read and put down. [Photo Credit: Emma Parizo] 
If you could relive one day of your life over and over – a la "Groundhog Day," the Bill Murray classic – which one would it be? What made the hours so special to you, or what situation from your past would you try to improve upon? [Photo credit: "Afternoon Sledding," by Vicarious, YWP]
What makes you happy? Take a photo of it, write a poem, paint or sketch it. This challenge was inspired by the photo above and the poem, “Happy,” by Inkpaw. [Photo credit: Inkpaw, YWP]
Choose a visual subject; the choice is yours. Before you pick up your camera, consider the person, place, or thing from every angle. Use these observations to brainstorm 3-5 differing focuses, moods, or messages you’d like to convey, then photograph your subject accordingly through a variety of perspectives. If you prefer, just post your favorite photo from this experiment. Check out JhermayneU's Quokka photo series here as an...
Write yourself a letter about the things you've missed and what you've noticed or observed during the pandemic. Return to the letter a year after the pandemic has ended, and expect to feel a rush of gratitude for even the smallest, seemingly insignificant things. [Challenge inspired by A 12-Year-Old’s Letter to Her Post-Pandemic Self, New York Times, Dec. 30, 2020]
By chance, you stumble across the doorway to another world. You’re incredibly curious, but you don’t know if what’s on the other side is good or bad. It’s up to you to decide – right now! – whether to open the door or run the other way. What happens? [Photo credit: Alexandra Gamanus, Unsplash]
Write the first line of a story you haven't written yet. Fingers crossed, it will catch on and others will click SPROUT at the bottom of your post and add a second line, a third and on and on! Watch for other writers' first lines and SPROUT from them too. If you need inspiration, go here for some famous first lines!
Say Happy Father's Day in words, photos or art – a memory, an observation, a story. [Photo by Brittani Burns on Unsplash]
With abecedarian poetry, each line or stanza begins with the first letter of the alphabet and is followed by the next letter, from A-Z. A form of acrostic poetry, the abecedarian poem's first letter of each line spells out the entire alphabet. Try it! If you're short on inspiration, listen to Episode 3 of Line Break, where eyesofIris interviews LadyMidnight about her abecedarian poem, Lost and Found. Other examples of abecedarian poetry from...
One might define serendipity as the phenomenon of something just-perfect “falling into your lap” while not being deliberately sought after. Unlike luck or a more general good fortune that could apply to anyone, serendipity is specific enough to you that it might even feel fated. Write about such an instance in your life or make it fiction! [Photo credit: Cloudkitty, YWP]
Every ending is just a new beginning. Try creating a new piece of art to reflect that! Start with the last line of your last poem, favorite poem, or something that you think holds creative potential and use that as your first line. See where it takes you! [Challenge by queenlalaladaisy] [Photo by Jan Tinneberg, Unsplash]
We all have scars, both physical and figurative. Tell the story behind a scar, either your own or your character’s. Include the aftermath if you like. Were there lessons learned, an epiphany, a transformation? [Photo credit: YWP Media Library, art by Eloise Silver Van Meter]
What is the most “useless” talent you can imagine someone having? For example, double-jointed thumbs, speedy knot disentanglement, or exotic cat breed identification. Write a short story about a character who finds the chance to use their special ability to solve a problem or even save the day. [Photo credit: Aaron Thomas, Unsplash]
The concept of a “life remote” has been explored in movies, TV shows, and books over the years. If you could, what would you do with a device that allowed you to pause, fast-forward, rewind, or otherwise experiment with reality as it corresponds to a button? [Photo credit: Erik Mclean, Unsplash]
Haiku is a short form of poetry adapted from Japanese tradition, usually based on observations of the natural world and written in the present tense about a present moment. A haiku has three lines of 5-7-5 syllables. Try it! Focus on a tiny detail – a color, a texture, a movement. Create a haiku by describing, literally or figuratively, that detail in just 17 syllables. [Photo credit: Melittophily by emiliaw._]
It’s said that the veil between the living and the dead is thin at Halloween. Tell a story that revolves around the thin veil. Try to make it descriptive and suspenseful, ghostly but not gory. [Photo credit: YWP Media Library, art by jwu1]
Where has civility gone? Write about Civility as a fictional character. Civility might just disappear one day and never return, or they might gather enough courage to vanquish incivility. Use your imagination to tell the story. [Photo credits: Andre Hunter, Randalyn Hill, Unsplash]
Sometimes photos or poems will make you guess what the big picture is really about. Write or take a photo about something that will make the reader think more about what they're looking at! [Challenge created by EverlastingWaves] [Photo by Wolfgang Hasselmann, Unsplash]
The English language relies heavily on phonetics and sounds. In the distant past, when people were without dictionaries, they made up word spellings according to the sounds they heard; somehow our brains were able to understand them. Write a poem, prose poem, verse, or riddle using word spellings that read a little wacky or silly but do not alter their meening. [Challenge created by Treblemaker; photo credit: Nick Fewings, Unsplash]...
If you could speed up the process of evolution, what physical characteristic(s) would you gift mankind? In what ways would it benefit you in your own environment, or further the entire human race? Describe the new trait in detail when you identify it. [Photo credit: YWP Media Library, illustration by cedar]
Someone wants to tell you something “because you’re the only one who will understand.” Tell us the story. Are you simply known as a great listener? Do they seek your advice in solving a delicate problem? Include the outcome of the interaction by the story’s end. [Photo credit: Emiliano Vittoriosi, Unsplash]
What is one thing you wish people would stop assuming about you, and why? How would you change their minds, if you were pressed to, or how have you learned to shake off their misguided judgments? [Challenge created by Treblemaker, YWP; Photo: Kevin Huang, YWP Media Library]
Write a description of a place, person or event in 3-5 paragraphs without using any adjectives. Finding the right noun – instead of piles of adjectives – will improve your writing, allowing you "to show, not tell." For this exercise, you can either jump in and try writing adjective-free or you can take two steps: write the description with adjectives, then strip them out, and revise by choosing stronger nouns that describe on their own. You'll see the importance of word choice,...
The Earth has run out of resources, and you have one last day on the planet before the world’s population is to be relocated to a space colony. How do you spend your last day on Earth? [Challenge created by fire girl; photo credit: Dominic Brügger, Unsplash]
Write for someone you know. Keep that person in mind as you tell them a story or write a poem specifically for them. By making your writing accessible to that person – their character, feelings, experiences – you might find yourself being more true to yourself, more engaged, a better writer. [Photo by Paul Garaizar, Unsplash]
People create podcasts about just about anything, based on their own niche interests – think bug-collecting, paranormal mysteries, and local eats. What subject fascinates you enough to narrate your own podcast? Need inspiration? Listen to Line Break, YWP’s podcast on writing by eyesofIris! Upload your podcast on your YWP blog! Or contact eyesofIris and propose and Episode of Line Break with her!...
You're in a hurry so you take a shortcut down an alley you’ve passed by many times. Halfway along, you see someone or something unexpected – not something dangerous or frightening, but surprising and intriguing … What happens? [Photo credit: Jorge Gardner, Unsplash]
Phew, you made it! Describe the full-body, all-encompassing sensation of relief. No need to explain the backstory, take us into the immediate moment. [Photo by Ryan Moreno, Unsplash]
Begin or end a new piece with this line: “For the first time, I was beginning to understand what life is all about.” [Photo credit: Kevin Huang, YWP Photo Library]
Write an ode to something, not someone. Challenge inspired by "Ode to a Pepper Plant" by Ice Blink.
A flashbulb memory is one that persists vividly in your mind, often because it was emotional or consequential. Pick a flashbulb memory from your past, and write the story as if you are reliving it right now. Provide lots of details! (More on flashbulb memories here.) [Photo credit: Digital art by cedar, YWP]
What gives you so much joy that you cannot help but dance in response to it, even if only for a moment? If you prefer not to focus on yourself, write about a character who experiences something so unexpectedly wonderful that they find themselves twirling. Bonus points for describing the moves! [Photo credit: YWP Media Library, photo by Crescent_Moon]
Write about a character who switches bodies with someone else, much like the mother and daughter in the movie "Freaky Friday." What has made this possible? If it was a conscious decision, who did they switch with and why? How do the two characters come together, if at all? Are they switched back? [Photo credit: YWP Media Library, photo by Anna]
Begin with this phrase, "It all started when ..." Fiction or nonfiction, poetry or prose. [Photo by Matt Duncan, Unsplash]
Write about a character who has a secret, or about a secret you once held and later revealed. [Challenge created by Crescent_Moon; photo credit: Sai De Silva, Unsplash]
Imagine a scenario in which you or a character must make a tough decision between right and wrong. While the angel on one side of your shoulder is pushing you toward the obvious moral, humane action, the devil on the other side is countering every word and tempting you to put yourself first. Describe the story. [Photo credit: Vladislav Babienko, Unsplash]
What we said and did that day was unbelievable. Incorporate this phrase in a poem or story, at the beginning, middle, or end. [Challenge created by Pepperoni, YWP; Photo credit: Kevin Huang, YWP Media Library]
Place yourself in one of your favorite fictional tales. What kind of adventures or trials are you and your beloved characters facing today?
You are the country mouse who has never ventured beyond your own rural community, but out of necessity, you must travel to the city for the first time. Describe the experience – sights, sounds, smells, mishaps and misunderstandings, delights and fears. [Illustrations by cedar, YWP]
Read this article from The New York Times: "What I Saw in Yosemite Was Devastating." Is there a similar natural place in your life that has altered since you were younger due to climate change? Research it – read local newspaper articles, talk to your neighbors, etc., and write your own op-ed about the devastating effects of climate change on our so-called...
Take a photo of food – it could be your favorite food or just what is on the table today. Think of it artistically. You might arrange it professionally, as Cloudkitty does in this photo, Garden Board, or just the way you like to eat it – a messy PB and J sandwich or a sloppy bowl of spaghetti.
Imagine you are talking to the coronavirus (hypothetically, you know, if a disease could talk). What would you say to it? [Challenge created by NiñaEstrella; photo credit: United Nations COVID-19 Response, Unsplash]
End a poem or story with this inspiring quote from late author Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.: “If this isn’t nice, I don’t know what is.” [Photo credit: Kurt Vonnegut, Common Dreams]
When Nobel Laureate Toni Morrison won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1993, she was honored for the “visionary force and poetic import” of her novels through which she “gives life to an essential aspect of American reality.” In honor of Morrison's birthday this week (02/18/31), take some time to get to know – or read again – this iconic novelist of the Black experience with such award-winners as “Song of Solomon” and “Beloved.” If you're inspired, share your thoughts about Toni Morrison's...
The sky is blue, the temperature is just right, and the birds are singing above. You lay out a blanket by your favorite tree and look up to watch the clouds. This is your view. Where does your mind drift off to? [Photo credit: YWP Media Library, photo by Alessandra G.]
Think of someone you know, or someone you've seen. Write about ONE feature of that person. Perhaps it's a feature of their face or a unique way of walking or talking; perhaps it's something they wear often – a charm bracelet, muddy sneakers, paint-splattered jeans. What’s the story linked to that one feature? [Photo Credit: Alexander Krivitskiy, Unsplash]
You are weaving a beautiful fabric to make into a garment for yourself. Your loom can weave with any substance you wish: the sneeze of an ant, the roar of a river, the fog of London. What would you include in your fabric, and why? What strengths or symbolism would these materials hold for you? [Challenge created by Treblemaker; photo credit: YWP Media Library, photo by amaryllis]
Go to one of your most cherished places and show – through a photo or series of photos – why it is so special to you. Sketch, paint or write about this place if you prefer. [Photo credit: Crescent_Moon, YWP]
What sounds like music to you? Waves crashing on a beach? Rap? A mourning dove in the evening? A symphony? Is there a kind of music that fills you up and just makes you want to dance or makes you feel content? Write about the music that is special to you. [Challenge created by EverlastingWaves; Photo credit: Kevin Huang, YWP Media Library]
Revisit something you entertained yourself with as a kid, such as a movie, book, cartoon, or board game. How does it make you feel, now that you’re older? Whether it stirs up pleasant memories or leaves you feeling cold, write about the experience. [Photo credit: YWP Media Library, photo by Cloudkitty]
Write a poem, story, or essay related to the word “letter.” [Challenge created by Doctor Who; Photo credi: Andrew Buchanan, Unsplash]
What we're seeing is more than a heat wave (record-breaking 108+ degrees in Pacific Northwest). Let's talk about climate change and how to cope. Read Yellow Sweater's The Earth and the Sun and Washington Post Opinion by Charlie Warzel, June 29,2021...
Write a love story, real or imagined, told through poetry or short fiction. [Photo by Fabrizio Verrecchia, Unsplash]
Weather as a topic of small talk or awkward conversation is a well-known cliché. Incorporate weather into the dialogue of two or more characters in a way that signifies it as the supremely serious subject driving the interaction. Alternatively, write a poem about weather in a grave or reverent tone. [Photo credit: Vicarious, YWP]
There is music in words. And rhyming poetry helps us appreciate that. Try an end rhyme, rhyming the final syllables of each line in a pattern such as ABBA BCCB, or make up your own rhyme scheme. For inspiration, read Treblemaker’s poem, “Four AM,” and listen to her interview about rhyming poetry with eyesofIris on Line Break Episode 19. [Photo credit: Kevin Haung, YWP Media Library]...
While out with friends at a comedy club, one of them insists it’s your night to shine and pushes you up onto the stage. What’s your set? Choose a topic and unleash your inner funny! Remember to be respectful of others and use appropriate language. Or write about the experience of standing in front of a crowd that is waiting for you to perform. What do you do? [Photo credit: Frederick Tubiermont, Unsplash]
In poetry or prose, create a manual on “how to be a human being,” however you wish to interpret the concept. Do you focus on the general mechanics of life – how to survive – or, perhaps, the human potential for admirable qualities such as compassion and courage? Or something completely different ... [Photo credit: Karl Magnuson, Unsplash]
Watch the sunset at dusk and write a poem, take pictures, or create a piece of art inspired by it, rendering as much vivid description or detail as possible. [Challenge created by Cloudkitty; photo credit: YWP Media Library, photo by Vicarious]
Write a poem that includes the following five words somewhere within it: Watermelon, skip, frog, pretend, feather. [Photo credit: Sahand Babali, Unsplash]
Have you ever had the same dream twice – or repeatedly? Write about a dream that recurs time and again, either in your own life or in a character’s. Is there any special meaning to be derived from it? Interpret the dream through poetry or prose. [Photo credit: YWP Media Library, photo by laurenm]
Photograph or use any art form to depict something that makes you laugh. If it's not clear what's going on, write a caption explaining it. [Photo credit: Jude Beck, Unsplash]
What's in a name? Most people's names come from somewhere, whether it be an old family photo album, a favorite character, or a phonebook. Write about the origin of your name in a short story or poem. If you don't want to disclose your real name, write about the origin of your YWP username instead. [Challenge created by Crescent_Moon; photo credit: Jon Tyson, Unsplash]
A word without a definition is a word without meaning. But is there a word you think should be defined differently? Create a new (or simply more poetic) definition for a common word, like YWP's gaia_lenox does in her piece “Screw Merriam Webster." [Challenge created by Crescent_Moon; illustration by cedar]
Take a fleeting thought, or one you have dwelt on before from time to time, and wax philosophic about it. The question you ask yourself can be frivolous, solemn, or anything in between! Check out this list of popular philosophical topics to ponder if none readily come to you: https://philosophy.hku.hk/think/phil/101q.php [Photo credit: Giammarco Boscaro, Unsplash]
The crash and flash of thunderstorms can be frightening and dangerous, poetic and inspiring. Describe the experience using as many senses as you can. [Photo by Brandon Morgan, Unsplash]
[Photo credit: YWP Media Library]
Feeling adventurous, you and your family veer off your usual hiking trail one day to explore the surrounding woods. It’s not long before one of you spots something strange: a small wooden trunk peeking out of the mud. Finish the story.
This workshop explores "voice" in writing. Voice expresses the narrator's or author’s emotions, attitude, tone, and point of view -- and it directly contributes to the tone and mood of the piece. Listen to other writers' voices -- and develop your own.
“I love the light this time of day,” she said. Use this sentence in a poem or story; and/or – if you are able to capture it – take a photo of the slanting rays of the sun in the late afternoon. [Photo credit: Marina2020, YWP]
Some people can’t seem to stay out of trouble no matter how hard they try. And some days, trouble just seems to follow you everywhere you go. Write about trouble, however it appears, real or fictional. Remember Judith Viorst’s “Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day”?
Imagine yourself as an animal living in the wild, apart from humans, and write about your experience of everyday survival from this perspective. What are the biggest threats to your existence? What are the advantages and joys of seeing the world in this new way? If you’re stuck, try writing through a pet’s eyes. [Challenge created by Catbatgirl; Art: "Breakfast Doodles" by cedar, YWP]
Write a love story between a character and an abstract idea – falling in love with the stars, for example, or the idea of love, or loving a story so much you start to think it's real. [Photo by Mindaugas Vitkus on Unsplash]
Pick a song special to you and create a character inspired by it to write a poem or story. Do the lyrics create scenes in your mind? Who do you imagine is the narrator, or subject, of the tune? How could the music’s style be represented in your writing? [Challenge created by QueenofDawn; photo credit: YWP Media Library]
In photos and/or words, celebrate the color green. [Photo credit: YWP Media Library, lia.chien]
Closely observe an object in your surroundings or an aspect of the natural world. Using just three lines of 5, 7, 5 syllables, convey this small moment or detail in a Haiku poem. Example: Empty Glass by Inkpaw: "See-through and empty / you wait on the windowsill / to be filled once more." [Challenge by Inkpaw; photo by laurenm]
“In turbulent times, books are tools that help people navigate the world around them. Intellectual freedom and access to information uplift people in crisis and during more peaceful times,” says the Banned Books Week Coalition. Speak out about your right to read during Banned Books Week, September 27 – October 3, 2020! For more information, visit bannedbooksweek.org....
You are flying blissfully over the countryside, soaring effortlessly. Never mind how you got up here. How does it feel and what do you see? [Photo: James Lee, Unsplash]
Write about climate change from the perspective of an animal. [Challenge inspired by “The Curmudgeonly Frog,” by Yellow Sweater; Photo: Gary Tresize, Unsplash]
Lines and angles can make dynamic images. Intersecting lines can also add depth to your photos. Look around you and explore interesting angles – like these photos by YWP's laurenm. Post your favorites here! [Photo credit: YWP Media Library, laurenm]
“One person's trash is another person's treasure,” so the saying goes. What is something “junky” others might throw away, but that you hold onto. Why? How did you receive or come across this object(s)? [Photo credit: Rumman Amin, Unsplash]
"You're too fancy for me," she/he/they said ... Fill in the details of the before or after of this phrase. [Photo: Rodolfo Marques, Unsplash]
The classic detective story, a type of fiction in which a crime is introduced, investigated, and solved, is part of a distinct genre of its own within the broader category of “Mystery.” Write the introductory paragraphs to a detective story that is so good it prompts others to SPROUT and finish the tale. [Photo credit: Michelle Ding, Unsplash]
Marina2020's town, Chelsea, VT, is spreading sunshine. JoToy is sending neighbors little handmade cards. If you or your community are doing a project to lift people's spirits during the pandemic, share the story here -- in photos or words or both!
Combining photos and paint can have a dramatic effect. Explore the fusion of photos and the paint of your choice: acrylic, oil, watercolor. The photo should be printed onto high quality photographic or art paper, semi-gloss or matte. [Challenge and art created by Erin Bundock, YWP alumna]
You sit beside the window, watching, waiting, wishing. If only you could leave to share in the experience of … what? Convey a sense of longing from the perspective of someone or something stuck indoors. If a certain pandemic comes to mind, write about that. Or choose something completely unrelated. [Photo credit: Haley Thon, YWP Media Library]
Write one line of poetry. For the rest of the poem, write slight variations of that one line.
Back by popular demand! Write original, inspiring challenges for YWP! We're looking for your own creations – from your imagination, not from the internet or other sources. [Photo: Edu Lauton, Unsplash]
Write about an injustice that you or your character witness or experience firsthand. What do you do? What do you learn from this incident? [Photo credit: Mike Erskine, Unsplash]
Your character receives a gift that – over time – will have a huge impact on their life. Describe the gift, the giving, and the consequences. [Photo credit: Tim Mossholder, Unsplash]
Look around and you will see lines and angles everywhere. Photograph what you see. Experiment with the light and perspective. Get in close or step back. [Challenge inspired by Outside by queenlalaladaisy and All Lining Up by gigikelly1005.]
In a period of extreme chaos, around you physically or perhaps just inside your head, your guardian angel appears for the first time. What was the cause of your distress, and how does the spirit guide you toward a peaceable solution? [Photo credit: YWP Media Library, photo by Alessandra G.]
Everyone has different personality traits that are specific to them. Pick one personality trait and personify it. What would courage act like? What would desperation say? Try to make these attributes come to life. [Challenge created by Geri K., YWP] [Photo by Oliver Cole, Unsplash]
Have you ever experienced something you’ve never been able to explain? If not, have you ever been told a strange tale by someone close to you, about a small happening that defied all logic? Use that moment as inspiration for a story or poem with a decidedly mysterious bent. [Photo credit: Paul Gilmore, Unsplash]
Create a photo that gives a sense of space, either wide, open space, such as in the oceanscape by YWP's Love to write, or close and tight, like the inside of a Thermos in the photo by lia.chien. [Photo credits: Love to write and lia.chien]
“That it will never come again is what makes life so sweet.” (Emily Dickinson) In honor of the poet's birthday this week (Dec. 10, 1830), think about her words, and write your own appreciation of life, and living in the here and now. [Photo credit: Emily Dickinson, The Morgan Library & Museum]
It’s not unusual to daydream about what life would be like if we “made it big.” But fame and fortune can have their downsides too. Write from the perspective of a fictional celebrity who struggles with their fame and whose only wish is to be an average, unknown person again. [Photo credit: YWP Media Library, Nathaniel Steele]
In 1961, American scientist Richard Feynman, joint-receiver of the 1965 Nobel Prize in Physics, posed the following paraphrased question: If the human race and its collective knowledge were destroyed, apart from one sentence rich in information yet brief in its wording, what sentence would you leave? [Challenge created by gaia_lenox, YWP; Photo credit: Feynman Diagram, Wikimedia Commons]
In words or art, describe the sensation of splashing into the water. [Challenge inspired by Neon Splash by laurenm]
Write about your experience with online learning during the pandemic. The good, the bad, and all the rest. This challenge was inspired by blue_potato's poem, Online: "Today I spent my day looking at my computer. Tomorrow I will do the same. It is hard to see the end, to see a day when my eyes don't ache and I see the sun..." Read on!
Write a single line of poetry to use as a springboard, then construct an entirely new poem around it using slight variations: words added, words removed, words rearranged. [Photo credit: Rishab Lamichhane]
Summer 2021 Writing and Visual Art Contest! Prizes, publication! Details here. Due July 23.
