A Community After the Flood
Investigate the impact of a recent natural event (like a hurricane, wildfire, or flood) on a specific community. Include personal stories of resilience and recovery, scientific explanations of the event, and discussions on how such disasters could be mitigated in the future.
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.
- State your main point in one sentence before you start.
- Include a counterargument and answer it fairly.
- Cut every sentence that only repeats the one before it.
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 Nature prompts
- A Butterfly's TransformationCreate a detailed non-fiction narrative about the life cycle of a butterfly, but intertwine it with thematic elements of transformation and growth in…
- A Meeting in the WildDescribe your most memorable encounter with wildlife, focusing on sensory details and the feelings it evoked in you.
- A Day That Changed EverythingWrite a personal narrative about a day you spent in a natural setting that profoundly changed your perspective on life. Include descriptions of the…
- Awe Beneath the TreesWrite a personal essay reflecting on a time when you experienced awe in nature. Describe the scene, your feelings, and how this encounter has…
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