Whether you’re a teacher looking to spark students’ creativity or a writer searching for inspiration, creative writing prompts offer a solution when ideas run dry. While writing daily remains solid advice, everyone faces moments when the words just won’t flow. For educators, these prompts provide alternatives to formulaic assignments, while for writers, they can serve as a playful and low-stakes writing practice.
To participate in a 30-day creative writing challenge, download our free PDF of prompts.
An end rhyme is when the final words or syllables of two or more lines of poetry rhyme with each other. This is the most common type of rhyme in English poetry. End rhymes create a sense of flow and emphasize the last word of every line even more.
End rhyme exampleThe woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.
—Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening by Robert Frost
You wake up, reach for your phone on the nightstand, and, still half-asleep, start scrolling through social media. Between your friend’s vacation photos and your cousin’s new puppy, a sleek ad catches your eye: “Skip the coffee shop line: Barista-worthy coffee at home.”
Intrigued, you tap the link, landing on a website promising ethically sourced beans with tasting notes of chocolate and blackberry. Just as you’re browsing their bestsellers, a pop-up appears: “Get 10% Off Your First Order! Enter your email to claim your discount.” Tempted by the promise of savings, you type in your address and, just like that, your next barista-worthy cup of coffee feels within reach.
Those words that pulled you from mindless scrolling, the descriptions that made you practically smell the coffee through your screen, the perfectly timed discount that pushed you from “just looking” to “customer,” that’s copywriting at work.
A stanza is a group of lines forming the basic unit of a poem. Like paragraphs in prose, stanzas separate ideas in a poem, and they are typically set apart by line breaks or indentation. A stanza can vary in length; it can be two lines or more. Below you can see the first two stanzas of “The Tyger” by William Blake.
Stanza example Tyger Tyger, burning bright,
In the forests of the night;
What immortal hand or eye,
Could frame thy fearful symmetry?
In what distant deeps or skies.
Burnt the fire of thine eyes?
On what wings dare he aspire?
What the hand, dare seize the fire?
Iambic pentameter is a term describing the rhythmic structure of a line in a poem or play. Each line written in iambic pentameter consists of ten syllables in a specific pattern of an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable.
Iambic pentameter example Solongasmencanbreathe, oreyescansee
Iambic pentameter is the most common rhythmic pattern in English literature. Many renowned writers, such as William Shakespeare, Alfred Lord Tennyson, and John Milton, have used its rhythm and flow to pace their poems and plays.
A rhyme scheme is the pattern of rhymes at the end of each line of a poem or song. This pattern is notated by labeling the lines that rhyme with each other with the same letter; for example, an ABBA rhyme scheme indicates that the first line rhymes with the fourth one, and the second line rhymes with the third.
Rhyme scheme exampleRoses are red (A)
Violets are blue, (B)
Sugar is sweet (C)
And so are you. (B)
This nursery rhyme follows an ABCB rhyme scheme, with “blue” and “you” rhyming.
Rhyme schemes help poets create rhythm, structure their thoughts, and make their work more memorable.
Catachresis is the misapplication of a word or phrase in a way that defies conventional use. It makes exaggerated, unusual, or forced comparisons between two ideas or objects that initially seem incorrect but reveal new meanings. We encounter catachresis in literature, poetry, songs, and everyday speech.
Catachresis exampleThe title of Leonard Cohen’s song “Dance Me to the End of Love” is an example of catachresis. Whereas “dance me to…” would logically require a physical location or destination, “…the end of love” introduces an abstract concept, creating a striking and unexpected turn of phrase.
Hyperbaton is the deliberate disruption of normal word order in a sentence, as in the phrase “This I must see.” It involves changing the customary position of words and phrases to add emphasis, create a distinct rhythm, or convey a particular tone. Hyperbaton can be found in literature, poetry, and speeches.
Hyperbaton example Some rise by sin, and some by virtue fall—William Shakespeare, Measure for Measure
Bright as the sun, her eyes the gazers strike—Alexander Pope, The Rape of the Lock
Pity this busy monster, manunkind, not—e.e. cummings
An ellipsis (plural ellipses) is the deliberate omission of one or more words from a sentence because their meaning is implied by context. It is also the name of the punctuation mark (“…”) used to indicate missing words, a pause, or an unfinished thought.
Ellipsis examples Should I call you, or you me? (ellipsis of “should call” because it is readily understood)
“I was thinking about … never mind.” (ellipsis to signal hesitation)
Ellipsis is a versatile linguistic tool allowing for brevity, ambiguity, and dramatic effect. We encounter it in literature, speech, and everyday communication.
An innuendo is an indirect remark that suggests something inappropriate, critical, or sexual, while appearing innocent on the surface. For example, saying, “That’s quite an interesting outfit,” might sound neutral but subtly hints at disapproval. We encounter innuendos in everyday conversations, literature, films, and even advertisements.
Innuendo examples“He’s very … creative with his expenses, if you catch my drift.”
“Oh, I’m sure they were just ‘working late’ at the office.”
“She did her best with the presentation … considering her experience level.”
“Oh, they live in that part of town? How … interesting.”
Innuendos are often used to discuss taboo topics, critique ideas, or add humor. However, it is important to be aware that innuendos can sometimes be misinterpreted or come across as inappropriate, depending on the context and audience.
