2025 Get Started Right Writing Challenge: Day 8
For the eighth day of this 10-day Get Started Right Writing Challenge, let’s return to writing. After all, what’s a writing challenge without some writing?
Once again, write for at least 15 minutes. You can write in any genre (fiction, poetry, nonfiction, etc.). And you don’t have to finish whatever you start or even be happy with what you write. Just write.
Not sure what to write? Then, here are a few prompts to jumpstart your writing:
- 100 Creative Writing Prompts.
- 25 Plot Twist Ideas.
- 30 Poetry Prompts.
- 6 Types of Creative Nonfiction Essays to Try.
So find a good starting place, set your timers, and get writing…and share what you write in the comments. Of course, you can always pick up where you left off on Day 5 as well.
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Here’s my 15-minute writing session:
“random Shock City scene,” Robert Lee Brewer
“Mister, mister.”
Jacob slowly started to open his eyes a bit. The world was awash in sunlight and his back hurt. Probably because he was leaning against some metal shelving. Also, his right leg felt a little numb from laying on the floor all night.
“Hey, mister,” the cashier said. “My shift’s over, and the sun’s out. So it’s safe for you to leave too.”
Jacob opened his mouth and stretched out his jaw a bit. “Safe to leave,” he repeated. “Yeah, OK.”
Jacob felt a little bit calmer after some sleep. Not like the previous evening when his car was taken by something in the night. No, he had a bit of a freak out after that and got to learn more about the cashier, who was named Carl and was born and raised in Shock City and had a girlfriend and a family and lots of normal stuff in a city where abnormal things appear to be the norm. At least, according to Carl, who could just be some kind of elaborate practical joker for all Jacob knew. Quickly, he turned his head to look out the window at where his car used to be.
“Still not there,” said Carl, who seemed to be reading his thoughts. “Doubt you’ll see it again, to tell you the truth.”
Carl was so matter-of-fact and level-headed about the whole thing that Jacob felt like he needed to be as well, but…
But that was crazy, right? Cars don’t just get consumed by the night, not anywhere on the planet, they don’t. Cars might get hit by other cars or planes or asteroids or rhinos or boulders, but they don’t just get swiped by creatures in the night. There aren’t even AI deep fake videos for that kind of thing.
“Anyway,” continued Carl. “It’s the end of my shift, and I think you ought to get out of here too. Do you need to call anybody?”
“No,” replied Jacob. “Is there a police station around here?”
“Oh yeah. It’s in the middle of town.”
“Can you give me directions?”
“Oh yeah,” answered Carl. “Why you want to go to the police station?”
Jacob couldn’t help but give a shocked little laugh. Why would I want to go to the police station, he thought and said, “So I can report my stolen car.”
“Oh yeah,” replied Carl, who started walking toward the door. “They probably won’t be able to do anything, but all you have to do is go down this road over here until you get to Main Street and turn right. It’ll be on your left. Can’t miss it.”
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(Note: I’ve noticed for myself that I’ve been able to write about 300 to 400 words during these 15-minute intervals. So if I do 15 minutes per day, it “should” work out to 2,000 to 3,000 words per week. Interesting to see how small moments can add up to large accomplishments.)
