October Creative Prompts

In honor of Inktober and seasonal creative resets, prompts that can be used for drawing or writing.

Hello friends,

Some of you may remember several years ago when I would make monthly lists of daily prompts. That whole endeavor had started even further back when I saw Maja Säfström make a list of drawing prompts for October. I did them along with my mom and a good friend of ours, and every day we would text a photo to each other of what we had come up with.

Back in 2009, illustrator Jake Parker created Inktober, as a way to work on his own ink and illustration skills. The rules were fairly simple: do a drawing in ink every single day in October.

These days, there are lots of other renditions. If you need more color in your life, then you might enjoy Case For Making’s Colortober. And while I’ve never done it because it feels like too much to take on, for the papercutting artists out there, you can do Cutober.

I do think that October is an excellent time for this kind of activity. It’s fall, we’re slowing down, we feel we have a little more time to sit with our creative practice.

I wasn’t sure I was going to make a list of prompts, or even take part in a daily practice in October. But after a September that felt a little different than usual, I personally need a bit of a creative reset. And what better way than a list of prompts to lead the way?

I’ve pulled a few favorite prompts from the past, and added a few new ones.

How do you do these prompts? However you want!

You can use them as drawing prompts or writing prompts. A classic warm-up practice of mine when I teach (and that I know many of you have probably done with me) is a short, continuous writing exercise. Set a timer for three minutes, take the prompt for the day, and writing continuously until the timer goes off. Basically like a condensed version of morning pages. In just three minutes you’ve done a creative exercise!

Or go classic and do these as drawings. Take them wherever you see fit.

Here is my only ask: do this with a friend. Find someone who wants to do these prompts along with you so that you can check in with each other every day (or every few days). Just forward them this newsletter and list and say “hey, wouldn’t it be nice to do this and check in with each other as we do it?”

Trust me, it’s way more fun that way!

Can’t wait to see what everyone comes up with.

-Anna

October Creative Fuel Prompts

1. Raven

2. Low tide

3. Morning routine

4. Tree bark

5. In the sea

6. Autumn sunrise

7. Rain

8. Stripes

9. The ideal sweater

10. Constellation

11. Wild mushrooms

12. Forest walk

13. With a book

14. Today’s view

15. Something blue

16. A place to sit

17. Full moon

18. Archipelago

19. Color of your mood

20. Yellow leaves

21. Rosehips

22. Stack of wood

23. Windy day

24. Writing letters

25. Cloudy sky

26. Root system

27. Rock collection

28. In a storm

29. By the fire

30. Shadows

31. Witches!

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