A Local Turning Point
Describe a moment in history when a political decision or event inspired a major change in your local community. Explore both the immediate impact and the long-term effects, including personal anecdotes from those who lived through it.
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.
- Use one example from your own life.
- Open with a specific story, then widen out to the big idea.
- Write for a curious friend, not an expert.
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.
More Politics and Political Science prompts
- A Political Life in ProfileWrite an in-depth profile of a lesser-known political figure who has had a significant impact on a pressing issue in contemporary politics. Explore…
- A Day with an ActivistChoose a lesser-known political activist and write a day in their life, exploring their motivations, challenges, and the impact they hope to achieve…
- The Event That Changed DiplomacyWrite a reflective essay about a political event in history that drastically changed how nations interact with each other. Analyze the before and…
- A Leader Faces TodayImagine interviewing a political leader from the past using current political issues as the topics of discussion. Frame the interview with questions…
Fifteen minutes in? Keep going.
Chapterly gives a draft somewhere to grow: chapters, daily word goals, and readers when you're ready.
Plans from $9.99 a month. Cancel any time. Your words are always yours.