Students in a recent Literary Arts class, The First Fifty Page, taught by Radhika Sharma, compiled a collection of prompts for writers. With their permission, we are happy to share them with anyone looking to start a new piece of writing. You can download the file here or read it online below.
From Radhika’s introduction: “Whether you are taking your first steps on your creative journey or are an advanced practitioner of the craft, these writing prompts will be sure to spark creativity. The prompts in this notebook explore character development, dialogue reveal, plot movement, narrative urgency, and more. Each prompt a reminder of the endless possibilities of story and offering homage to the writer-artist’s willingness to shine bright as an instrument of the creative process.
Final-Prompt-Notebook-The-First-50-Pages-Group-Project-2025Your fictional character returns to a special location that harbors strong emotions and memories. Describe the location’s condition and its unique features, as well as the weather, scents, and sounds. How does the environment affect the character’s emotions and actions? – The Return
Give your character limited mind-reading abilities allowing them to read the minds of three specific people. Who would they pick and what do they hope to learn? – The Mind Reader
