The Family's Difficult Choice
Share a story about a time when your family had to make a tough decision together. Detail everyone's roles, the dialogue around the decision-making process, and how it ultimately affected your family dynamics.
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 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 Parenting and Family prompts
- Parenting Beyond My Own ParentsDescribe the moment you realized your parenting style differs significantly from that of your own parents. Reflect on the impacts of this realization…
- A Childhood Tradition Passed DownReflect on a tradition from your own childhood that you have passed on to your children. Describe the origins of this tradition, why it holds…
- How Upbringing Shapes ParentingInterview different family members from multiple generations and write an essay on how each person's upbringing influenced their parenting style and…
- Your Eighteenth BirthdayWrite a heartfelt letter to your child on the day they turn eighteen, reflecting on the moments that were pivotal in shaping your relationship and…
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.