This first collection of writing prompts on Inked Yarn Media is here! With a mix of story sparks, poetic moments, character snapshots, and speculative twists, these writing prompts are rooted in May’s seasonal rhythms, while others wander far from the garden gate.
If you’re trying to write more consistently, May is an open door to creative growth.
But hey, there’s no pressure to write every single day. I know I struggle to find the motivation for this!
So, pick a writing prompt when inspiration hits. Revisit ones that resonate with you or try mashing a few together if the mood calls for it. There are no rules here! Just your curiosity, and see where your words take you.
May Writing Prompts For Each Day
May 1
“The calendar flipped and everything changed overnight.”
Write about a small shift that feels like a turning point, something mundane that signals a deep internal change.
May 2
A garden that only grows what you’re afraid to face.
Describe its plants, colors, scents. Who tends it? What happens when something blooms?
May 3
Write a letter to your creativity as if it were a person.
Thank it, confront it, or ask it to come back.
May 4
“You’ll find the truth between the 4th and 5th pages.”
A character receives a cryptic note in a returned library book.
May 5
Write a story where the smell of rain changes the direction of someone’s life.
Focus on sensory detail and unexpected consequences.
May 6
An old tree offers you one secret in exchange for something you’ve forgotten.
What’s the trade, and what are the stakes?
May 7
Write a poem or flash piece using only images of yellow.
Sunlight, lemons, warning signs, wildflowers. Use color as emotion.
May 8
A storm is coming. You’re the only one who can hear it.
Write the buildup. What does the storm mean, and what will it wash away?
May 9
“This wasn’t the road I meant to take.”
Whether literal or metaphorical, what happens when the wrong road leads to the right place?
May 10
Write a monologue from someone who’s been waiting in line for centuries.
Why are they there? What happens when it’s finally their turn?
May 11
A bouquet of apology notes.
Each flower contains a short message. Who’s it from? Who receives it?
May 12
Describe the contents of a suitcase left in the attic for 40 years.
Whose was it, and what story do the objects tell?
May 13
“It started with a list. It ended with a map.”
A character keeps a journal of things they miss, and stumbles on something much bigger.
May 14
Write a dialogue-only scene between two characters who have never met but dream about each other every night.
May 15
You inherit a bookstore with a locked room no one has ever entered.
What’s behind the door? And what happens when you open it?
May 16
A May fair arrives in your small town overnight. But it wasn’t scheduled.
Describe the strange attractions, the odd vendors, the eerily specific prizes.
May 17
Write about a ritual of letting go that only happens once a year.
What do people release? How? What are the consequences if someone refuses?
May 18
Your character discovers a single photograph from the future—of themselves.
Where are they, who are they with, and what will they do with the knowledge?
May 19
Tell a story in reverse.
Start with the ending and unravel back to the beginning. Bonus points if the reader only understands what happened at the very end.
May 20
Write a scene where two characters fall in love, but do this without using the word “love.”
Show, don’t tell. Let small moments do the heavy lifting.
May 21
“I’ve kept every letter you never sent.”
A character has secretly collected unsent letters written by someone they used to know. What do they do with them?
May 22
Describe a town where no one can speak during daylight hours.
What’s the reason behind the rule? What’s communicated in silence?
May 23
Write about the moment before a major decision.
The coffee is going cold. The door is still shut. The phone is about to ring. Stretch the tension.
May 24
A fictional character wakes up in your world.
They’ve read your writing, seen your bookshelves, and they have questions.
May 25
“The first time I saw them, they were surrounded by moths.”
Who is this character? What’s their connection to light, or transformation?
May 26
Write a scene that takes place entirely during golden hour.
Focus on the light. Show what it reveals or obscures, or how it romanticizes the moment.
May 27
You find an unfinished story written by your future self.
It ends mid-sentence. What happens next?
May 28
Every year on this day, the clocks run backwards.
What’s tradition, what’s taboo, and what happens if someone breaks the rhythm?
May 29
Write a story where the setting is the main character.
Maybe it’s a lonely train station, a curious bookstore, a room that remembers. Let place drive the plot.
May 30
Create a dialogue between two inanimate objects.
What does your favorite pen say to your notebook? What secrets does your window keep from the mirror?
May 31
“May always leaves me…”
Finish this sentence as a journal entry, a letter, a final paragraph, or the beginning of a brand-new story.
BONUS IDEAS!
- Use a prompt as a poem title instead of a story starter.
- Combine two prompts to create something surreal or layered.
- Write each piece in a different form (epistolary, second person, screenplay format, etc.).
- Use the prompts on Tumblr for microfiction or reblogs and encourage others to tag their versions.
If one of these prompts took you somewhere unexpected, or helped you spark something new, I’d love to hear about it. Drop a comment, share your favorite piece, or tag @inkedyarnmedia on Instagram or Tumblr if you decide to post your work.
Looking for more inspiration? A fresh collection of writing prompts will drop at the end of each month.
Until then, happy writing, and may your May be full of stories worth telling.
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