Art in the Public Square
Choose a controversial piece of public art that sparked significant debate or backlash. Discuss the artwork in detail, including the artist's intent, public reception, and eventual outcome. Reflect on what this event says about society's relationship with art and public space.
Suggested length: An essay or article: 800 to 2,500 words
Start the clock
Pick a sprint, press start and keep going until it stops. Momentum beats polish on a first draft.
Make it yours
Three ways to take this prompt somewhere nobody else will.
- Cut every sentence that only repeats the one before it.
- Find one surprising fact and build around it.
- Use one example from your own life.
Writing essays
A mind at work, one subject at a time.
An essay collection gathers short nonfiction pieces: personal, critical, funny or all three. What ties them together is the writer's voice and way of seeing.
What readers expect
- A distinctive voice
- Personal stakes
- Surprising connections
- Pieces that stand alone
A tip before you start
Follow a question, not a thesis. The pleasure of an essay is watching someone think.
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- A Street Through the LensCompose a photographic essay on a day in the life of a street in your town or city. Accompany your photos with captions that capture not just actions…
- The Eiffel Tower RemembersWrite a narrative from the perspective of a building. Choose a well-known architectural structure, such as the Eiffel Tower or the Colosseum, and tell…
Fifteen minutes in? Keep going.
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