First line prompt

Choose one of these first line prompts. Set a ten-minute timer and write. Don’t overthink. Don’t try to force a scene. Just write the first line and see what comes up.

• She wore a filmy top over leggings

• I cornered him in the bedroom, packing a suitcase

• She conjures a crow, then a phoenix

• He pretended he was Laurence Olivier

• “I fear I’ve overindulged in your wines.”

• He was invited to most political events as a matter of courtesy

If this prompt generates something interesting for you, keep going! If not, choose another line, reset your timer and start again.

Note: I pulled these lines from random pages of the books stacked around my office. You can create your own prompts the same way!