Creative inspiration is a topic that I love to write about each month. In the past, I used to do a weekly creativity prompt, but since I stopped doing a Friday post, I haven’t done any in a few months. But I think creativity prompts are useful, fun and (of course) inspiring. In the past, I’ve written whole posts on just a quote or picture. I’ve also written some terrible crap based on creativity prompts, but at least I was writing. Did you say more creativity prompts? I hope you did because you’ll find scenarios, pictures, and quotes to choose from.
If you think creativity/writing prompts are a waste of time then stop that thinking. Prompts get the creative juices flowing. Sometimes you’re able to create a whole story or blog post or painting from one prompt. Or maybe you flesh out a small part of a larger piece of work with a creativity prompt. And maybe all you did was create something that you won’t use now or even ever. And that’s ok. If all they’ve done is get you unstuck or remind you that art can be fun or thoughtful or deep or personal or…then a creativity prompt has done its job.
I like to call them creativity prompts because I don’t believe that only writers benefit from them. Any type of artist can be inspired by a quote or a phrase. It’s not just for writers. To that end, here are a bunch of creativity prompts. Some are quotes, some are situations or thoughts, some ask some deep questions and some are pictures. Pick and choose what you like or take the time to do one a day.
The first couple of prompts might be considered journal prompts but they can also get at the heart of why you’re procrastinating or remind you why you started in the first place.
Write about what you’re putting off and why. What’s that project that you know you should be working on but you either can’t seem to get it started or can’t finish it. Write about the block, the procrastination. What’s stopping you?
Write a letter to an artist who inspired you. It could be a writer, painter, photographer, basket weaver, etc. Who inspired you to become an artist? Tell them what drew you to their work and why it made you want to be like them. Try to cite a specific piece that spoke to you.
I also love to use pictures as prompts. And I love taking unusual pictures or pictures make me think of other worlds.
Doors to other worlds. Here are two different kinds of doors. One is truly my imagination and the other is from a cemetery. Where does your imagination take you with these doors?
I use quotes a lot. If you’ve been reading my blog for a while you might remember my Wednesday Whoa posts which were all created based on a prompt that matched the theme for the week. Whole posts were developed just from one quote and it’s one of my favorite ways to start a blog post when I’m not sure what to write about.
These next few prompts are from the man who inspires me the most. I discovered his paintings when I was a young teenager. They drew me in with their explosion of color and movement. But only recently did I discover his words in the form of letters to his brother Theo. The book Vincent Van Gogh: Creative Inspiration juxtaposes snippets of his letters against his work. Not his full-fledged paintings but the sketches and drawings he created and practiced.
What I think is the best life, oh without even the slightest shadow of a doubt, is a life made up of long years of being in touch with nature out of doors — and with the something on high — unfathomable, “awfully Unnameable” because one can’t find a name for it — above that nature.
Vincent Van Gogh
I‘d rather paint people’s eyes than cathedrals, for there’s something in the eyes that isn’t in the cathedral — although it’s solemn and although it’s impressive — to my mind the soul of a person…is more interesting.
Vincent Van Gogh
And now just a couple of more to close it out.
What were you just daydreaming about? I know you were, there’s a lot in this post to get your imagination going. So exactly what were you dreaming about? Write it down.
What was your favorite childhood toy? Write a story in which you find that toy 50 years later. What are your thoughts? What do you do?
I hope you enjoyed going through these creativity prompts. And I truly hope you found something that inspired you. Please link it up if you post something that you’ve created.
I agree Jennifer, creativity prompts really do make us think outside the box! I really enjoy them and use them regularly. I also love quotes and Van Gogh 🙂 Thanks so much for the reminders. Pinned 🙂
Jennifer, I pretty much have to agree with what Deb wrote. Funnily enough, when we had to stop travelling due to the Squires health, I thought I would never have enough to write about!! How wrong I was, though eventually, I will definitely be using creative prompts to extend my writing capability.
I have lots of creativity prompt on this blog. Some are light-hearted and fun and some are not. Hopefully, you’ll be able to find something that suits your mood when you need it. I was sorry to read about the Squire’s health, how is he?
Hi Jennifer, I’ve spent years thinking I wasn’t creative and it doesn’t come easily to me. These prompts are a great idea so thank you and keep writing about them! Have a great week. Hope to see you share this over at Midlife Share the Love Party.
Thanks for stopping by, Sue. I love learning and writing about creative inspiration and will continue to share creativity prompts as well. I’ll definitely share on MLSTL.
Hi Jennifer, I’ve spent years thinking I wasn’t creative and it doesn’t come easily to me. These prompts are a great idea so thank you and keep writing about them! Have a great week. Hope to see you share this over at Midlife Share the Love Party.
I see you have shared with us, I just hadn’t had time to look until today. Have a great week. xx
What a great and thought/dream provoking post. I may have daydreamed about doors in Paris 😉 Pinned
I’m so glad you enjoyed the post, Jan. Both those doors make me dream of other worlds. That mine is a fairy world and yours is Paris means we’re both imagining something magical and mystical!
I think creativity prompts are a great idea to get the creative mind going! That photo of the tree with a door for instance immediately conjured up childhood memories of adventure books I used to read, and Enid Blyton – gosh I loved her books. 🙂
That tree immediately had fairies dancing around in my head although I don’t know the Enid Blyton books. Something to investigate. That door was inside one of those big old southern trees with moss hanging down. Which makes it even more magical and mysterious.
Thanks for sharing these creativity prompts, Jennifer. You’ve inspired me to try them. I see myself as an artist, being a blogger and a sculpture. You’ve inspired me to be more creative in my work through the use of prompts.
Words, pictures, quotes…I think so many different things can inspire creativity. Please link up any art that you might create from my creativity prompts, whether blog post or sculpture. I would love to see it!
I found the secret that keeps me creative is to not feel like I am a “writer” – but to just write about whatever finds me in the moment. There’s so much less pressure!
When I am”prompted” I will often open a document, jot down a few notes to keep the idea/memory tangible and then come back to it when I have the time or the inclination or the solitude to delve deeper into my prompt.
Now, of course, I need to check deeper into your website!!
Quotes inspire me a lot in my blogging Jennifer. They often put a whole lot of what I’m thinking into one or two pithy sentences. I think that’s why I usually have at least one in every post I write!
Thanks for linking up with us at MLSTL and I’ve shared on my SM ?
I LOVE to use photos as writing prompts. There is always a story behind the picture. Quotes and song lyrics often inspire me to write. In fact, I am working on a journal prompt book now … not so much to foster creativity but to mine the mind for memoir. I’m pinning to my #mlstl board for future reference 🙂
I love the Van Gogh quote “I‘d rather paint people’s eyes than cathedrals, for there’s something in the eyes that isn’t in the cathedral — ….” Thank you for an inspiring post Jennifer! I’m going to share on FB and Twitter for #MLSTL.
Van Gogh had so many quotes that are inspirational. Thanks for stopping by, Mary Lou.