The Stranger on the Train
Describe an encounter where interacting with a stranger led to an unexpected breakthrough in your personal life or thought process. What was the context of this meeting and what insights did you gain about human connection and empathy from this experience?
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.
- Include a counterargument and answer it fairly.
- Cut every sentence that only repeats the one before it.
- Find one surprising fact and build around it.
Writing self-help books
Your life, a little better, by the last page.
Self-help promises change: better habits, relationships, money or confidence. Readers want a clear method they can try today, from someone they trust to know the way.
What readers expect
- One clear transformation
- Steps the reader can act on
- Stories and evidence that it works
- An author with credibility
A tip before you start
Promise one transformation and deliver it step by step. Readers want to know exactly what to do on Monday morning.
More Self-Help and Relationships prompts
- The Turning Point in My GrowthWrite a memoir-style narrative about a turning point in your personal development journey. Focus on a specific event or period in your life that…
- Setting BoundariesDevelop a guide on establishing and maintaining boundaries in personal and professional relationships. Include personal anecdotes, steps for…
- Helping Without Losing YourselfThink about a time when you helped someone else overcome a personal issue or crisis. Detail the situation, your involvement, and how it affected your…
- Setting Relationship BoundariesImagine you are giving a seminar on the importance of setting boundaries in personal and professional relationships. Create an outline of your talk…
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.