Nonfiction Writing Prompts
What song lyrics describe you
and why?
Write a letter to a younger version of yourself, helping that version of you see things from a wiser perspective.
If you could go back in time and witness an event in history, what event would you choose and why? What do you think you would learn?
It's been said that teaching is really learning. Do you agree with this?
Are any of your favorite teachers curious learners?
Describe your dream vacation in vivid detail.
Paint a portrait of someone you admire using specific details of that person’s quirks, talents, and character traits. Describe why you look up to this person.
Describe three things you love
about your family.
Convince the reader that math is useful, that home cooking is best,
or that good things come in small packages.
We all have favorite activities that we enjoy. Convince the reader to try the activity that you enjoy most.
More Nonfiction Prompts
If you could compare your life to a movie, what movie would you choose? Describe the parallels between the movie plot, characters, or themes and your own life.
Invent a robot that could help humanity in the future. Explain its design and how it would work. How could this one robot really make an impact?
Describe a typical family dinner, shedding light on each of your family members.
If you could gain three magic powers, what would you choose? How would you spend your time if you had these powers and what would your life look like?
If you could go back in time and redo a moment from your past, what moment would you choose and how would you do things differently?
What is the meaning of life?
What’s so great about your best friend?
Describe a time when you were “out of your element,” perhaps trying something new or finding yourself in an uncomfortable situation. What did you learn from the experience?
Which season is your favorite? Describe why without using any clichés. Instead of telling the reader why your season is so great, try to show it by evoking the senses.
“Rivals are often allies in disguise.” Can you think of a time in your life where a “rival” turned out to be helpful to you in some way? What happened?
Choose a teacher from your past and guess what they might say to you today. What would they be most proud of? What advice do you think they might offer?