10 Writing Prompts & Exemplars

Noun-Verb Poem

Intended Outcome:
- To write a poem using words that can be both nouns and verbs
- To challenge and expand students’ perception of word forms and how they are influenced by grammar

Constraints:
- Use 27 words and organize them into 3 stanzas, 3 lines each, with 3 words for each line
- All 27 words must function both as a noun and a verb
- Can add -s, -ed, -ing if desired and adds to the artistic flair of the poem

Exemplar:
Forced to Choose
Rule Voice: Side
Vote + Judge = Answer
Dislike, Riot, Attack!

Fool Feel Fear
Insult Hit Hope
Mind Miss Light

Kiss: Fucked Dream
Love: Harmed Value
Lead Trained Aches

SPAM Cut-Up

Intended Outcome:
- To create a poem/narrative using a spam email cut out given by the instructor; the final product must be written through a process of deleting and adapting the original text
- To understand how something seemingly so trivial and useless as a Spam Email can be transformed and regenerated in a creative manner via students’ imagination

Constraints:
- The “black out” process of deleting words needs to be in sequential order. The poem/narrative must be written using the words that are left over.
- Alteration in word form, punctuation, and grammar are permitted

Exemplar:
Mad Onna, My Madonna
Never feels down or tired
Perhaps so
But never allows us to see

A woman of September
On the borderline of two seasons
Two extreme ends of the spectrum

Yet they simply call you, ashley
An undermining attachment to a tired identity
But don’t you wanna seem powerful and prickly?

For some men,
She exercises the influence of a peculiar wine floor
Exacting obedience, demurely waiting to be drunk

Objection derived from push
An undesired grope, here… and… there
But of course, *scoff*

Civilization & Unions
Are obnoxious but tragically, not Poor
Such Princes split her slummy streets

Into tears
And thus, a conclusion to a mad onna’s madness

Longest Word Possible

Intended Outcome:
- To reflect on the use of prefixes and suffixes, and how they influence the meaning of the root word (noun)
- To use a noun as a root word and add as many prefixes and suffixes as possible

Constraints:
- Only nouns may be used for the original root word.
- Include a definition, an example sentence, and a pronunciation guide

Exemplar:
Antisuperoverpsychologicalsuperfluousconditionism

Pronunciation:
ˈan-ˌtī ˈsü-pər ˈō-vər sī-kə-ˈlä-ji-kəl su̇-ˈpər-flü-əs kən-ˈdi-shən ˈi-zəm

Definition:
noun. a theory which explains the mindset when one strongly opposes and loathes another’s excessive degrees of hyper-awareness and boastfulness of high social status

Sentence:
e.g. Brenna’s strong belief in antisuperoverpsychologicalsuperfluousconditionism functioned as a way to defend the reasons behind her derisive hatred towards her affluent uncle, who would flaunt their posh mink scarves, designer handbags, and shallow perception of reality during family gatherings.

Renga Remix

Intended Outcome:
- To implement various use of collocations and grammatical elements from the CFLAT document to write a collaborative poetic piece with your group members
- To understand how various linguistic forms may be used in sentences within an artistic, poetic context

Constraints:
- Final product must be written in a Japanese Renga format
- Every line needs to be written in a certain linguistic style defined in the CFLAT document
- When rotating the paper among the group, the previous line written by the last group member should be the only line visible.
- Editing and reorganization of lines are allowed depending on the students’ artistic choice

Exemplar:

Twistin’ Generation

• If I were a boy, I think I could understand.
• How it feels to love someone, I swear I’d be a better person.
• Eventually, it may fall to me outside of love to learn and grow into someone better than I, but for now, my immediate instinct is to recoil from constraint and declare, “Never!”
• I was not going to put up with that gray feeling in my heart.
• It was causing my sanity to twist and turn until I felt brain dead.
• My super religious and hypocritical aunt pities me. ME, of all people!
• This is why Baby Boomers irritate me more days than not…
• I said glumly, “Those Boomers have been shitting on us like we were fruit flies in their house. Furthermore, they’re the equivalents of spoiled fruit with nothing left to offer.
• As a result, I reject monogamous “romantic” relationships imposed on me by the Boomers as I boomerang their ass.

Backwards Poem

Intended Outcome:
- To change our way of writing and find creativity & improvement in the process
- To understand the importance of the main idea (the purpose) of an argument when writing a paragraph

Constraints:
- Write a paragraph consisting of 4–6 lines; the paragraph must begin with the last sentence, the conclusion
- The “last” sentence mentioned in the previous point must be a statement.
- Write a poem based on the words used in the paragraph, after completing the paragraph

Exemplar:

Only One (at least)
Nations are dividing yet corporates are merging. For example, Amazon has enlarged in size drastically over the past decade. Amazon is famous for causing other small/mid-size businesses to run out of business. Also, prior to this year’s federal election, there have been multiple cases of digital warfare on the comment sections of various social media platforms between supporters of different parties. I heard someone voice out: “I hope there was no Conservative or the Peoples Party. They are unneeded.” No one challenged the problematic assumption or dangers of censorship behind that opinion.

Opinions censored challenge
No one…

Behind the problem,
no one voice

Social media platforms
no one differ

Federal election case
no one warfare

Multiple small/mid-size businesses
no one run

From Amazon’s famous cause
no one out

NATIONS & CORPORATES
no one

Writing with Unusual Media

Intended Outcome:
- To explore the notion of variance in apprehension of text and information depending on media and material of literature

Constraints:
- Writing content should be submitted through a photograph.
- Move away from pen, paper, keyboard, and screen.

Exemplar:

Trust & Consumption

Love/Hate Letter

Intended Outcome:
- To place emphasis on the importance of emotion/feelings when it comes to creative writing; using the medium of writing as an outlet for emotional catharsis

Constraints:
- The writing may contain emotions of love, hate, or both feelings.
- The receiving end of the letter must remain anonymous.
- The letter may be written in a poetic format instead of a narrative.
- If written in a poetic format, make sure to include a final couplet at the end that signifies a certain twist.
i.e. Take note of the following example, ‘My mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun’ (Sonnet 130) by William Shakespeare

Exemplar:
That Day on the Stairs
A thunder rumbled in my chest
So suddenly and unexpectedly
A system gone under a protest
My whole body screams rampantly

You make me sick
If I speak plainly
Yet that beautiful speck
In your eyes disallow me quite frankly

I don’t like you, but I love you
So just don’t toss me away
I may not be one of a few
But one among many

Yet, I cannot let that moment slip
That day on the stairs when I did slip

Magazine Blackout Poetry

Intended Outcome:
- To rewrite a commercial article on a certain product published in a magazine with one’s own agenda
- To recreate and reclaim language commercialized and geared towards a certain consumer group

Constraints:
- The writing must still be grounded within the original text, and it must be in relation to the product in the supplementary picture.

Exemplar:
Original:

Rewritten Work:

Privilege Few (Private Lube)

Writer: he

all-male members who escape wives that discuss worldly brandy and cigars, poo in London
where members exploded for a new era, catering to hungry millennials looking to elites
a few gentlemen cling to Heaven, Winnin’!
by contrast, the Dick and other luminaries farts sciences in step with the times to become a modern cult
ded guest with butler “service” for overnight stays
beyond all men, lube serves its original mission with exhibit expert guests

Rewriting a News Article

Intended Outcome:
- To find a news article of your interest that depict a contemporary global issue and rewrite it in a creative poetic format.
- To challenge the seemingly non-biased, neutral stance of factual journalism.

Constraints:
- Only use words that are already written in the news article.
- Reclaim the objective tone of the news article by rewriting it subjectively, meaning that it must include personal opinion and bias.

Exemplar:

Original News Link: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-49317695

Rewritten Work:

Hong Kong’s protests to China.
Hong Kong rule autonomy than the mainland with more rights.
Protesters demand full democracy and an inquiry into police actions.
Police have become increasingly violent, with police firing live bullets and attacking bombs.

Funeral Speech

Intended Outcome:
- To imagine what your loved ones will say about you during your funeral
- To try and perceive oneself from a third person’s point of view

Constraints:
- The speaker must be someone who is a family, friend, or partner of the deceased.
- The speech must not be longer than 3 minutes.

Exemplar:

Brenna’s friend, Diana:
Brenna was full of ambivalence. At times, she would laugh hysterically. And others, she would have the coldest exterior on her face. I have known her all my life ever since we met in freshman year at UBC, but still to this day, I don’t think I fully understand her. But she was worth observing - at least for me. She was worth all the effort, struggle, laughter, cries, and peaceful silences; all the moments we shared will be cherished. I am glad I got to love someone I cannot fully grasp. She was resistant to stay in one place for a long period of time. She welcomed change, whether positive or negative and tried to embrace that sentiment despite the fear that accumulated with age. Perhaps she tried to fight against her own mortality, more viciously than most people might conceive. However, I would like to think that a part of her lives with me, both the good and the bad. And she would be that person I would conjure up in my mind from time to time and think what she would have said in my funeral if she had outlived me.