365 days of writing prompt

Day 31 – Writing What You’re Drawn To

Welcome to Day 31. After weeks of structure, momentum, and story arcs, today’s focus is simple, but powerful.

When you write from the heart, the most important question isn’t What should I write; it’s What is pulling at me right now.

The heart is quiet but persistent. It tugs at images, memories, questions, and moments that don’t always make logical sense, yet they matter. Writing what you’re drawn to is the first step toward writing something true.

In this article, David Adams Cleveland shares how his early interests in art and Venice informed his writing in both non-fiction and fiction. He also shows how interests and their expression change with time.

Today’s prompts invite you to follow curiosity rather than control, and to follow instinct rather than an outline. There is no wrong direction, only listening.

Today’s Prompts

1. The Image That Won’t Leave You
   Describe an image that keeps returning to your mind. Is it a place, object, moment, or face? Don’t explain it. Just stay with it.
2. The Line You Keep Thinking About
   Start with a sentence you can’t stop replaying in your head. Let it lead you wherever it wants to go.
3. The Memory That Tugs
   Write about a memory that surfaces unexpectedly. Focus on what lingers, not what happened.
4. The Question Without an Answer
   Start with a question you don’t know how to answer. Let the writing explore it without resolving it.
5. The Small Moment That Feels Big
   Choose an ordinary moment that carries quiet weight. Why does it matter to you?
6. The Mood You’re In
   Write directly from your current emotional state, without naming the emotion. Let tone and detail do the work.
7. The Scene You’ve Been Avoiding
   Is there something you keep circling but haven’t written yet? Approach it gently, without obligation.
8. The Unexpected Pull
   Write about something that surprises you by how strongly it draws your attention. Trust the pull.
9. The First Thing That Comes to Mind
   Set a timer for five minutes and write whatever comes to mind. Do not edit and don’t stop until the timer rings.
10. The Thread to Follow
    Look back at what you wrote today. What feels alive? Write one more paragraph pursuing that thread.

You don’t have to know why something calls to you to write it. Often, understanding comes later. Writing from the heart begins with noticing what wants your attention and honoring it on the page. Trust yourself!

Leave a comment and tell me which prompt you liked best and helped you the most.