{"id":161,"date":"2020-03-20T19:18:22","date_gmt":"2020-03-20T23:18:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.butler.edu\/writing4wellness\/?page_id=161"},"modified":"2020-07-06T14:27:13","modified_gmt":"2020-07-06T18:27:13","slug":"writing-prompts-and-exercises","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/blogs.butler.edu\/writing4wellness\/writing-prompts-and-exercises\/","title":{"rendered":"Prompts & Exercises"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Writing for Wellness program uses several engaging prompts that are not only fun for participants but encourage them to dig deep within themselves and use their unique, personal experiences to create expressive writing. Here are examples of prompts that will work in a variety of Writing for Wellness community classes.<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

1) Home-Grown Poem<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The participants read the original Home-Grown poem and fill in the blanks to create their own origin poem.<\/p>\n

Original Poem:<\/p>\n

I was born on a Saturday
\nIn mid-December,
\nThe same year that “Flower Drum Song” opened
\nOn Broadway, and two years after
\nMy sister had been born.
\nIn those days, my father smoked a pipe.
\nMy mother dyed her hair blonde.
\nWe lived in Bensonhurst, in a five-room apartment
\nThe landlord never gave us enough heat.
\nMy grandmother lived across the hall.
\nShe took the train to work every morning at 8 am.
\nPeople said my hair stood straight-up.<\/p>\n

Your Poem:<\/p>\n

I was born on a __________
\nIn________________________
\nThe same year___________
\nIn those days, my father__
\nAnd my mother___________
\nWe lived in________________
\nWhere there were__________
\nAnd my (uncle, aunt, cousin, friend)
\nEveryone said______________<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

2) A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words . . .<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The facilitator needs to bring in a picture. It should be something candid with real people. Maybe it\u2019s a girl holding a stuffed teddy bear and she doesn\u2019t look very happy. Or a young man leaning up against a car laughing. Photographs work best for this. Have participants make up a story that goes with the picture and the people in the picture.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

3) The Story Behind [An Object]<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

The leader should bring in a few objects, each different and with varying qualities, for example, a teacup, a locket, a key, etc. Have the participants make up a story behind each object. Maybe the teacup is a family heirloom and traveled across the ocean when the family first came to America from Germany. Maybe the locket was a gift a husband gave to his wife just before he left to fight in World War II. Form a complete narrative for each of these objects.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

4) The Package<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Inspired by Harry Potter\u2013a mysterious package appears on your doorstep with a message that says, \u201cIt was time this was returned to you. Use it well.\u201d What\u2019s in the package? Who left it there? Why? Is it a key to a mansion that has been locked for the past twelve years? Or is it a pair of shoes that magically change according to the feet of the wearer and gives that person one super power they always wish they had?<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

5) The Vessel<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

A vessel appears in your driveway with a specific purpose. Describe what the vessel is (a car, plane, space ship etc.), why is it here, and where is it going? Why? Is it a spaceship going to outer space to fight intergalactic aliens and you are the only one who can lead them to victory? Or perhaps it is more realistic\u2013a car sitting in the driveway that a young woman is going to use to drive home and reunite with the family she hasn\u2019t seen in three years because of a falling out?<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

6) If I Were a . . .<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

This seems like a simple fill in the blank, but it allows participants to think metaphorically. Participants can choose one from below and once they have filled in the blank, have them explain why they are like the structure, place, or type of weather.<\/p>\n

1.) If I were a place, I\u2019d be . . .<\/p>\n

Examples: Mountains, prairies, rivers, streams, woods, forest, desert, plains, swamps, beach, plains, etc.<\/p>\n

2.) If I were weather, I\u2019d be . . .<\/p>\n

Examples: Sun, clouds, rain, fog, hurricane, tornado, humidity, snow, blizzard, rain, thunderstorm, etc.<\/p>\n

3.) If I were a structure, I\u2019d be . . .<\/p>\n

Examples: Palace, shack, teepee, adobe hut, tent, yurt, apartment building, skyscraper, subdivision home, hospital, church, school, etc . . .<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

7) Horse Blinders<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

What are you blind to? While you\u2019re so busy concentrating on the negative things in your life, it can become difficult to see the positive. Think for a bit and find a kernel of positivity that you don\u2019t always pay any mind.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

8) Memory Box<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Take in a hinged box into class. Open it up and show everyone that it is empty. Then ask patients to think about their favorite memory. This is the memory that we want them to share, but it is not mandatory. When they are done (about 15 minutes), have patients place their memory into the box and close it. Tell the patients that we have taken their incredibly happy moment and they can only have it back if they trade. Now ask them to clear their minds and, when they are ready, write down their worst memory. Ask them to really dig into every aspect that they are willing to divulge and reiterate that they will NOT share this memory. Have students work for, at most, 30 minutes. When time is up, tell the students that they have the choice to trade for their great moment; however, if they commit to the trade, they will be unable to have their bad memory, and it will forever belong to the facilitator who cannot look at them but can only destroy the bad memories. This is what they must do in order to retrieve the good day from the box.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

9) Joyful Memory<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Everyone shares the most joyful memory that comes to mind.\u00a0 Each person directs the scene, casting group members in the various roles, including him or herself.\u00a0 Participant watches the scene and comments on the feelings and memories that come up.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

10) Holistic Health<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

What is a healthy mind? A healthy heart? A healthy body?\u00a0 A healthy spirit?<\/p>\n

Divide your paper diagonally into four triangles.\u00a0 Fill each triangle with color, words, and images that represent what a healthy mind, heart, body, and spirit is for you.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

God (or I or whomever), Grant Me the Serenity<\/p>\n

Discuss the quote, God grant me the serenity to accept the things I can\u2019t change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.\u00a0 Make two lists, \u201cThe things I can change\u201d and \u201cThe things I can\u2019t change.\u201d\u00a0 On each side, list the things you can and can\u2019t change in your life.\u00a0 On another sheet of paper, draw how your life would look after you successfully changed the things on your list, \u201cThe things I can change.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

11) My Perfect Healing Hospital<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

What are some treatments for physical illnesses, such as a wound, a cold, or a disease?\u00a0 (i.e. rest, bandages, surgery, etc.)\u00a0 How are these symbolic of the same treatments we use for emotional or mental problems? (i.e. talking to friends and family, talking to a therapist, hiding or protecting our hurt places, changing destructive patterns, etc.)\u00a0 Design your perfect healing hospital or retreat center that would help you to heal your heart and mind whenever you are having problems.\u00a0 Include animals, food, recreation, support, mediation, and anything you think would be helpful.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

12) Inspired Poem<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Think of a quote that is meaningful to you and write it at the top of a piece of paper. Add your own lines below it that expand on the quote in the way you understand it \u2013 continue for the rest of the page.\u00a0 Find someone in the group to read your poem for you as you use movement or gesture to express the meaning of your poem.<\/p>\n

Quotes:<\/p>\n

\u201cIt takes a lot of courage to grow up and turn out to be who you really are.\u201d e.e. cummings<\/p>\n

\u201cYour life does not get better by chance, it gets better by chance.\u201d Jim Rohn<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

13) Three Animals<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

On a sheet of paper, write the name of your favorite animal and three qualities you like about that animal; i.e. cheetah: sad, caring, and shy.\u00a0 Next, write the name of your second favorite animals with three qualities, and finally, your third favorite and its three qualities.\u00a0 Consider the possibility that the first animal represents how you want others to see you, the second animal represents how people actually see you, and the third animal represents who you really are.\u00a0 (Reading them aloud with their meanings with the group can be quite humorous.)\u00a0 Next, draw, color, or paint a mixed breed animal with the three animals you chose, such as a creature with a cheetah head, a mouse body, and a fish tail.\u00a0 Add a habitat, food, family and friends for this animal.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

14) Purpose in Life<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

(This is adapted from an activity used in the Awakening the Dreamer Symposium.)<\/p>\n

Fold paper into three sections.\u00a0 In the first section, list your gifts, strengths, talents, including abilities and personal qualities.\u00a0 In the third section, list problems in the world that are concerning to you, such as child abuse, animal abuse, unemployment, etc.\u00a0 In the middle section, use creativity to devise at least three ways to use your gifts in the first section to solve problems in the third section.\u00a0 Draw and color an image of one of these ideas as if it has already happened and succeeded in solving the problem.<\/p>\n

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15) Hot Mess<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Write a story or poem about spectacular chaos. Faux pas and flamboyant fails. Calamitous confusion. Wearing two different shoes to work, butt dialing your ex, tanking an interview. Disheveled dramas and situations so tangled there is no hope of straightening things out.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

16) Strange Press Conference<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Pick a fictional character, historical figure, or celebrity, anyone will do as long as they\u2019re recognizable and you know a little bit about their personality. He\/she has just done something worthy of holding a press conference\u2026but it\u2019s something strange, or something you would not normally expect from this character. Maybe Kendrick Lamar has decided to make an opera, Zeus is running for political office, or Rachel Ray has just won the Nathan\u2019s Hot Dog eating contest\u2026get weird with it. Think of what that character\u2019s demeanor might be like, would they be sad, shy or elated? Would they give long winded answers or would they answer in one word? Also, think about what kinds of questions they would receive. Would the reporters try to take advantage of their emotional state, would they ask about how they achieved their accomplishment, or would they ask things that aren\u2019t even relevant?<\/p>\n

Try writing it in a Q&A:<\/p>\n

Q: Mr. Zeus, what do you have to say about about the Leda\u2019s sexual assault allegations?<\/p>\n

A: Come on now, I turned into a swan? Get out of here, I would never turn into such a girly creature. When I\u2019m President of Olympus it will be illegal to make such ludicrous accusations. Zeus 2016, Let\u2019s make Mount Olympus great again!<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Other Examples:<\/p>\n

Mike Tyson after a professional golf outing<\/p>\n

Justin Bieber was caught touching the exhibits at an art museum<\/p>\n

President Obama decides quits presidency to become a chef<\/p>\n

Superman is going to rehab<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

17) Money<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Tell of cheapskates and big spenders, misers or millionaires. Pawn shops, spending sprees, eBay deals, and piggy bank funds. A poem of the rich and famous, a tale of two cities, greedy politicians, a bank heist, a homeless person asking for spare change, Harriet Tubman fighting Andrew Jackson for the $20. A sonnet about a rapper & his bling. If you have a few coins or bills in your pocket, examine them and write something you\u2019ve never noticed before.<\/p>\n

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18) Rapper\u2019s Delight<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Concoct your own funky and wild rap song about an unusual topic. What is it that Dre, Em, Kendrick, Yeezy and Weezy all forgot to rap about? Maybe you\u2019ve got some ill bars about eating ice cream, or some fiery lines about playing in the school\u2019s marching band. Radio rap has told us all about being a gangsta, why don\u2019t you tell us what it\u2019s like to be a high school student or a big brother?<\/p>\n

Remember that rap is all about rhythm and sound. When you\u2019re writing yours, use end rhyme:<\/p>\n

\u201cMy Adidas walk through concert doors<\/p>\n

And roam all over coliseum floors.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

and internal rhymes:<\/p>\n

\u201cYou hate it before you played it. I already forgave ya.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

also, pay attention to the beginnings of words and create alliteration:<\/p>\n

\u201cand since birth I\u2019ve been cursed with this curse to just curse<\/p>\n

and just blurt this berserk and bizarre \u2014\u2014\u2014 that works\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

In rap the more explosive the sound and rhyme is, the better. If you\u2019re having trouble getting started, listen to your favorite song (with headphones), steal their rhyme scheme & then turn on a quiet beat you can focus to. See what you can do.<\/p>\n

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19) Elements of Poetry: Free Verse<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Create compound words with the following: leaf, peach, ache, flick, blue, drum, lantern, father, rock, face, log, glass, slug, cactus, black, static, lip, dank, street,<\/p>\n

List perfect rhymes with the word: cat<\/p>\n

List slant rhymes with the word: bridge<\/p>\n

List assonance with the word: inside<\/p>\n

List consonance with the word: time<\/p>\n

List alliteration with the word: rabbit<\/p>\n

Continue the anaphora of the word: where\u2026<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

20) Word Music<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Share a story\/poem about a musical interlude in your life. From band practice to the song that saved the day, the mood music that did the trick, the tune that is your personal anthem. Give us the mix tape of you. You may even simply borrow a song title and write an adventure story, or maybe a found poem \u2014 taking snippets of language from many songs and creating something that is music to the ears.<\/p>\n

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21) Thankful<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

In honor of Thanksgiving, you can write a letter if you wish to someone or something you are thankful for & why. Or maybe a litany (a list) of blessings with the repeated refrain \u201cToday I am thankful for\u2026\u201d An example:<\/p>\n

Today I am thankful for the cricket outside the window,<\/p>\n

the lavender cloud, this cup of coffee, this poem.<\/p>\n

Today I am thankful for my feet, this drum<\/p>\n

of a heartbeat, this walk down the street.<\/p>\n

Or maybe write a Twitter post as a Thanksgiving turkey. Can you save yourself from being part of the meal in 140 characters?<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

22) Heat<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Prepare a tale about: jalapeno peppers, the sunburn you got before the wrestling match, heat waves, the pizza that gave you third degree burns on the roof of your mouth, hot rollers, hot chocolate, hot tub time machines, a scratchy sweater, the Miami Heat, a blood boiling encounter, fire and why playing with matches is a BAD idea, or anytime you felt the pressure. Scorch us with tales of your hotness \u2014 or notness.<\/p>\n

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23) Gatherings<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Write something about the collections of people. Reunions, meet-ups, rallies and glee clubs. From a seance to spelling bees, bible camp to barbershops. Parties, parades, holidays, Sunday dinners. Remember to pay close attention to setting the scene and providing plenty of sensory details of your weird Uncle Steve.<\/p>\n

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24) Sugar, Spice & Everything Nice<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Write a poem using language from a cookbook to tell a story. Include sensory ingredients, measurements, instructions and tips to guide the reader. It can be a recipe for disaster, hope, trust \u2014 think abstract! \u2014 a magic potion, a person, a memory, a hybrid creature. The ingredients can range between typical foods like: nutmeg or flour, & strange ones like: funny bones or feathers or sunsets. Think about how you can use cooking tools in inventive ways: whisk, spatula, rolling pin, wok. Use verbs found in recipes like: combine, stir, sprinkle, garnish. Maybe to create tension your poem uses temperature: boil, deep-fry, roast. Get weird with it.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Take ____________________________________________________(ingredients)<\/p>\n

Put _____________________________________________________(combine)<\/p>\n

In_______________________________________________________(container)<\/p>\n

Mix (stir, chop, blend) ___________________With (utensil or machine)_______________<\/p>\n

Until______________(how you can tell it\u2019s ready) Pour (throw, drop)________________<\/p>\n

Cook (broil, bake) ________________ At (temperature) __________ Until __________<\/p>\n

You can tell it\u2019s done when ___________________ Let stand (cool etc.) until __________<\/p>\n

Add (a dash, sprinkle) _____________ Cut (slice, chop etc.) _____________________<\/p>\n

Serve with _________________________ Taste (result) _____________________<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

25) The Nom Nom Nom Prompt<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Calling all foodies! Prepare a story or poem about your favorite food. Vittles, grub, cuisine, groceries, homemade or take-out. From frozen dinners to nuts and berries, bring us stories of nourishment. From gluttony to gluten intolerance, tales of your daily bread, an obnoxious dinner guest, the perspective of a chicken nugget, food fights, family recipes, a sad story about a pig feeling like he has a bad reputation, a vegan working as a butcher. Try to engage the reader in the sights, smells & tastes \u2014 turning the page into a full plate of deliciousness. Go ahead, play with your food.<\/p>\n

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26) Socially Conscious Letter<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Being socially conscious means being aware of the problems that plague our society. If we identify a problem we can work toward solving it.<\/p>\n

In the form of a traditional letter or a poem entitled \u201cDear \u2014\u2014\u2014\u201d write about any issue of social consciousness which you feel is important or overlooked. You might want to write about politics, poverty, unnecessary violence, illegal drugs, sexism, or educational inequalities. This could be an open letter addressed to the general public or groups like Exxon, Fox News, or The NFL. It could also be a letter addressed to a specific person you support, or someone you disagree with, maybe you would write to Donald Trump, Colin Kaepernick, Amy Schumer, or Barack Obama. Who would you like to get behind? Who really ticks you off?<\/p>\n

Let your audience know who you are and why this issue is important to you. Personal experiences will make your argument stronger and more believable.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

27) Urban Planner<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

If you could build your own city, what would it look like? Would skyscrapers pierce clouds, or would tunnels worm their way underground? What kinds of colors would one see walking through it, a network of pulsating neon lights, or imposing gray slates of marble? Think about what rules would govern this city. Do freedom and love reign? Maybe you would build an entire city with all of your best friends favorite things and places? Maybe it is the city you would imprison your worst enemy in? Think about the specific images that this city would contain from the stoplights and roads to its houses and parks. The more detail the better, as your city will stand out more clearly in the reader\u2019s mind.<\/p>\n

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28) Ekphrastic<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

An Ekphrastic is a poem which describes or imaginatively renders a work of art. It is an opportunity to enter the world of a painting (or some other piece of art), and to envision what else might be going on inside of it.<\/p>\n

You might write an Ekphrastic by describing the work of art in great detail, creating metaphors that allow the reader to see the work in a new and refreshing light. Imagine a poem from the perspective of Mona Lisa\u2019s eyebrow(s), or a poem about the pink owls who live on your coffee mug.<\/p>\n

Try your own Ekphrastic. Begin by looking for an evocative work of art, something that stirs your curiosity and intellect, compelling you to explore it. Then, think about the perspective you would like to take, maybe you are a narrator describing the painting, or perhaps a person who has just walked into the world of the painting. Finally, choose an appropriate form. Think about how long the lines should be and where you should break them.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

29) Rewrite a Fairy Tale<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Take a fairy tale or a myth and retell it in a unique way. Have you ever wanted to retell Goldilocks as the story of some poor, unsuspecting wolf continually harassed by an annoying teenager? Or maybe a myth, perhaps Persephone begins to enjoy living in the underworld with Hades, and so winter goes on for quite a while? Try to recreate a tale as wild as possible, lending the strangest of twists to a well-known story. Put Cinderella at a Kanye West concert. Change the three blind mice to the three near-sighted orangutans. Have at it! Once upon a time\u2026.<\/p>\n

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30) Form: Elegy<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

In traditional English poetry, it is often a melancholy poem that laments its subject\u2019s death but ends in consolation. They usually use symbolic images that one would associate with the dead one. Try writing an Elegy, it can be a traditional Elegy of remembrance for any deceased person, character, celebrity, icon or even object. Or you might write your own elegy. How do you imagine people would remember you? You could write about things you think you will accomplish or you can write a funny self-elegy, perhaps, describing your humorous demise, or some silly exploits you imagine in your future. The contrast of funny images with a somber tone could make for a darkly comedic poem. The following poem is an example of an elegy:<\/p>\n

\u201cElegy for my husband\u201d <\/a>
\nToi Derricotte<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

31) Haunted<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Write a poem or story about a spooky fixation. Recurring nightmares, paralyzing anxiety, unshakable obsessions. Irrational fears! Apparitions! Regrets! Confronting your demons or taking your secrets to the grave. Dark worries and memories that colonize your psyche. Ghostly destinations & paranormal activity. Write the next Chucky, Frankenstein, Freddy Krueger or Leatherface. May it be full of house creaks, faucet drips & Bloody Marys \u2014 & most importantly Poe-esque.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

32) Lost & Found<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Prepare a story or poem about loss and redemption. From lost thoughts to found sounds. The cardboard box behind the desk, a leftover umbrella, a lonely shoe, a raggedy dog-eared sci-fi novel. Let the writers tell us their tales about leaving things, feelings, loved ones behind and about re-discovering hidden paths, buried emotions, a sense of self.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

33) Form: Found Poem<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Poems often come from the most unexpected of places. Words and phrases are all around, check out the wrapper on the water bottle next to your notebook, or look at that poster on the wall over there. Flip through that chemistry book. All language is fair game for poetry, and all language can become poetry if we arrange it in a poetic way.<\/p>\n

Ask participants to look through the books that have been brought to class and copy sentences or phrases they find pleasing, maybe they just sound nice together, or maybe they make an interesting image. After they\u2019ve collected a lot of language, let them organize it however they want and make a poem out of it.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t worry about being perfectly grammatical, but try to create a unique collage of language, pair together images that are unexpected and fun.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

34) Doubt<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Have participants write a story or poem about questioning. Pondering the space between yes and no, true and false. The existence of God, the tooth fairy, UFOs and soulmates. Wanting to believe or embracing the uncertainty, second guessing everything beyond a shadow of a doubt. Skeptical, suspicious, hesitant or just curious. Maybe a time when someone doubted them and instead of listening to their opinion, they used their words as fuel towards success.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

35) Voyage<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

A rolling stone gathers no moss. Ask writers to write a poem or story about travel. Speak of adventures in a different time zone (or at least a different zip code)! Tell us about language barriers and the hunger, fear, lust or delight that compelled them, exchange rates, exotic flavors, culture shock, phrase book essentials: \u201cThanks SO MUCH, but huge bummer, I\u2019m allergic to lizard meat,\u201d missing the comforts of home and reveling in the comforts of there, when in Rome\u2026realizing it wasn\u2019t built in a day. From xenophiles to xenophobes, hear stories of fresh perspectives. New Jersey to Nepal, anywhere but home. Tell us tales of the open road, hitchhikers, runaways, vegabonds. The planes, trains and automobiles. Make us see the landscape \u2014 hear the accents. Maybe a poem that reads like a brochure to the Philippines, the underworld, Neptune or the 1920s.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

36) What You Know (Mean)?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

A great way to produce gripping and colorful writing is to \u201cwrite what you know.\u201d When we have actually experienced something, it can be much easier to write about it in detail. Also, when there is something we do all of the time, some hobby or activity, we begin to learn a lot about it. Maybe somebody knows all of the different gear that a fisherman uses, and the mechanics of a perfect cast. Or perhaps, they\u2019re a quarterback on the football team and they know how to arc that perfect spiral to an open receiver when the game is on the line. Ask the participants to write about something they know well, something they have a unique knowledge of. Have them write about it in a way so that we can visualize the experience. In other words, don\u2019t tell, but show the reader.<\/p>\n

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37) Haiku Telephone<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Haiku, a Japanese poetic form, is very short consisting of only seventeen syllables \u2014 a first line of five, followed by a second of seven, and a third of five syllables again. Because they are so brief, Haikus should never waste a word. Participants should try writing a Haiku. It can be like the more traditional Japanese Haikus which were often concerned with nature and man\u2019s place in it, or they can also try a more modern haiku, possibly describing the city they live in or the school they go to. To the Japanese, Haikus were somewhat similar to aphorisms (short sayings of truth). Have them think about what they know best and what truths they have stored up over their lifetimes.<\/p>\n

Because this is Haiku Telephone \u2014 a haiku will be passed from person to person. One person will write a haiku, and the next person can write another haiku incorporating or communicating something from the poem before.<\/p>\n

Examples:<\/p>\n

A hypotenuse (5)\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Haikus are easy,<\/p>\n

Is on the opposite side (7)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 But sometimes they don\u2019t make sense.<\/p>\n

Of the right angle. (5)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Refrigerator.<\/p>\n

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38) A Household Romance<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Sometimes, when we are writing, it can be good to escape from our own head by attempting to explore a different perspective. For this prompt, have the participants write about a romance between two household objects from the perspective of one of those objects. They could write about a toaster\u2019s unrequited love for his neighbor, the blender; or, about a writing desk and a floor lamp who cannot stand each other after five long years of marriage. Could there be a love triangle amongst the cutlery? Could the television have her eye on the wireless router? Explore all kinds of possibilities by thinking about the different objects that one might encounter in somebody\u2019s house.<\/p>\n

They can pick any two objects they like and think about what might draw them together or rip them apart. Encourage them to imagine how they might interact with other objects in the room.<\/p>\n

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39) Great Expectations<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Sometimes we just can\u2019t help but to judge a book by its cover. An intriguing title will draw readers to the story or poem and give a hint as to what they might expect.<\/p>\n

One has to be very careful when choosing a title. If it gives too much away, the story might end up squandering its surprise. Then again, if the title doesn\u2019t say enough, the reader might have trouble understanding the purpose or inspiration of the author\u2019s writing.<\/p>\n

A fun way to find good titles is to look at those of other writers. Starting with the very same title, participants may find themselves in territory that is altogether new; places that the original writer would never have thought to go to.<\/p>\n

For this prompt, look through the books and titles of already published works, maybe even ones that have been used in an earlier session. Then, have the writers pick out some titles that stand out to them. Let them choose the one they think they have a story for and start writing it.<\/p>\n

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40) Back to School<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Taught by nuns or wolves, the streets, trial and error or Harvard professors \u2014 facilitators should encourage participants to break out those fresh pencils and share a short story or poem of school. It can be about lessons learned, mentored enlightenment, hard knock knowledge, bad hair days, the cliques, bad\/good first impressions, bad\/good teachers, being the new kid, end of summer vacation. It can be as bizarre as they see fit. Maybe, Bozo is having trouble tying balloons on his first day of clown school, or Mr. Brown is heading to teach biology after finding out that his wife wants a divorce?<\/p>\n

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41) Memory Exchange<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

The memory exchange is when people write down a positive memory in detail, so they\u2019re really feeling that moment. Then they fold it and give it to a facilitator with their name written on the outside. On another sheet of paper, they write down an unpleasant memory. Then they exchange their unpleasant memory for the positive one they gave to the facilitator, letting go of the unpleasant\/negative one.<\/p>\n

The facilitator can do what they want these negative memories, but it should be kept confidential. In the past, Butler Writing for Wellness facilitators have shredded them or taken them home and burned them without reading them.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

42) Unusual Noun\/Verb Pairing<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

First, have everyone in the group write down a noun on a strip of paper, fold it, and place it in a bowl. (Use random nouns, whatever comes to mind: cat, balloon, sneeze, tulip, lamp, spoon, etc.)<\/p>\n

Then, let everyone write a verb on a different strip of paper, fold it, and place it in a second bowl. (Again, keep it random: jump, twirl, sneeze, run, pummel, laugh, bake, etc.)<\/p>\n

Next, everyone comes up and draws a noun and a verb. For example, one person might draw the words \u201cspoon\u201d and \u201claugh\u201d \u2014 now that person has to be creative and write something based on this combination (for example, a spoon laughing). Can be a poem, or a story, or whatever they want.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

43) A Day in the Life of an Object<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Invite participants to close their eyes and imagine their bedrooms. In their mind\u2019s eye, look around the room and picture all the items they have on the dresser, their bed, the wall, in their closet. Have them pick one of those items.<\/p>\n

Use that item and write a story (or poem) from the object\u2019s perspective. What is a day in the life of this object like? What does this object see every day? What does this object observe about the person who lives in that room? The object can have thoughts, and it can even speak!<\/p>\n

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44) Personal Dialogue<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Everybody knows those conversations we\u2019ve had where we later think of lines we wished we\u2019d said? Encourage participants to think back to some of the more significant, important conversations they\u2019ve had in their lives. It can be about anything, for example:<\/p>\n