52 Substack Writing Prompts to Save You Time
And Brain Glucose
The next time you get writer’s block or miss your writing schedule, use this guide to get the juices flowing again.
There are 8 different categories: culture, profiles, history, science & tech, philosophy, practical guides, personal narratives & lessons, and favorites.
If you write on any of these topics, please tag me (@thetimekeeperslens) somewhere at the end of the article or comment below with a link to your piece and I’ll restack it.
1. Cultural Critique & Analysis
A contrarian take on a popular cultural narrative or news story
How culture has changed post-internet, post-iPhone, or post-Covid
Your take on a recent controversy or debate happening on social media
An explanation of how a common myth or misconception got started and why it persists
Why a certain weird phrase, word, or meme blew up and what it really means
An analysis of a 1980s TV show (psychological, writing, cultural, historical)
The role of nostalgia in shaping today’s cultural conversations
What industries are about to be replaced or are dying? What will replace them?
How mating and courtship behaviors have changed across generations
2. Profiles & Figures
An underrated book, podcast, or thinker no one is talking about and why it matters
An interview-based piece highlighting a niche expert’s unconventional views
A profile of a historical figure whose influence is still underrated today
A story of superhuman perseverance (like Lincoln, or someone you know)
A deep look at a group or organization making change from the margins
If someone asked you to write a biography who would you choose
Interview and record your favorite Substacker and post the transcript of the interview (you can do it two-ways like Interview magazine)
3. History & Long View
A fictional short story about time travelling to your favorite time period
The evolution of a social movement from past to present
An invention or idea that shaped today’s technology or culture
Your favorite historical movement or era
Interview your parents. Record or transcribe it and post it.
Write about a dinner party with people you want to meet: dead or alive
4. Science, Tech & Innovation
The unintended consequences of AI or robots
Ethical dilemmas raised by emerging technologies
How technology is changing the nature of work in your industry
Predictions for the next big tech trend and its societal impact
5. Philosophy & Ideas
A comparison of two competing philosophies, methods, or schools of thought
A manifesto for a new way of thinking or doing things in your field
Is there a difference between right and wrong or is it subjective?
The philosophical underpinnings of a cultural or social phenomenon
How your own thinking has evolved on a key topic over time
A study of a mind-bending substance (ayahuasca, LSD, psilocybin, MDMA, etc.)
6. Practical Guides & Skills
Something most people always get wrong about your field
New streams of knowledge you think everyone should learn
Is the knowledge system dying? And if so, what’s replacing it?
Tools or methods you use to improve your writing or research
Tips on (cooking, productivity, job market, etc.)
Advice for finding peace and mental clarity in an era of too much information
7. Personal Narrative & Lessons
An honest account of failure or setback and what it taught you about your field
A case study of a recent personal experiment, with lessons learned
How the most difficult experience of your life turned out to be the best
Your worst date, relationship, or most embarrassing moment
What mentorship or advice had the biggest impact on your career
How you balance your values and integrity with external pressures or expectations
If you had only one year to live, what would you spend your time doing personally & professionally
Describe in detail your last meal on earth. Why is this your last meal - what’s happening?
8. Favorites
Your favorite relative and what they taught you about life
Your favorite travel story and what it taught you
Your favorite childhood memory
Your favorite celebrity or artist and why they’re underrated
Your favorite ethnic food and its history, evolution
Your favorite part of your own country and what’s unique about it
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What a valuable resource. Thank You