There Is No Such Thing as Writer's Block
52 WRITING PROMPTS: THE BOOK
52 Writing Prompts: Inspiration for the Creative Writer is available for preorder here.
USE THE DISCOUNT CODE 6ROBERTS40 FOR 40 PERCENT OFF WHEN ORDERING FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA PRESS (offer good until October 1)
Drawing from more than thirty years of creative writing teaching experience, Suzanne Roberts offers down-to-earth, witty, and wise straight talk about writing and the writing life, accessible craft discussions, and thought-provoking twenty-minute genre-crossing writing prompts. This multi-genre approach is arranged by theme, including memory, family and friends, writing the body, love and lust, death and grief, nature and the environment, stories of shame, and magic and myth, along with discussions of revision and editing, building writing community, and publishing. The chapters offer a short discussion of each theme, friendly pep talks, accessible craft tips, a selection of 35 poems, stories, and essays from a diverse array of contemporary writers, and, of course, the writing prompts. Featured authors include Camille T. Dungy, Carolyn Forché, Gina Frangello, Linda LeGarde Grover, Lisa Lee Herrick, Major Jackson, Rebecca Makkai, Eva Saulitis, Patricia Smith, Stacey Waite, Lidia Yuknavitch, among many others, with writing advice of their own. 52 Writing Prompts will encourage and motivate both aspiring and established writers.
Advanced Praise for 52 Writing Prompts
“52 Writing Prompts contains much more than writing prompts. In engagingly written and occasionally confessional prose, Suzanne Roberts offers a comprehensive launch pad for writing in essay, fiction and poetic forms. There are examples from contemporary writers both familiar and new; quotations about writing from The Marquis de Sade to Rebecca Makkai; tips, pep talks, and, yes, prompts, cleanly based on the examples. These cover every aspect of life from childhood and memory to death and shame, not avoiding race, gender, lust, grief, injustice or AI, sometimes in blunt or colorful language. It would make a great look-up, dip-in, learn-from companion to Imaginative Writing, and I’ll be sure to use it myself.”
―Janet Burroway, author of Simone in Pieces and Imaginative Writing
“Packed with tips, exercises, and beautiful writing examples, this book feels like a crash course in creative writing that works for any genre. As a former student of the author, I could hear her voice throughout 52 Writing Prompts—a voice that is encouraging and funny but also insightful and demanding. She wants every writer to dig deep, to work hard at their craft, and to discover their best writer selves by looking both inward and outward. No matter where you are in your writing journey, this book can help you do just that: discover the best you can be at your craft.” ―Clare Frank, author of Burnt: A Memoir of Fighting Fire
“I’ve learned a lot from Suzanne Roberts’s work and real-world lessons over the years, and 52 Writing Prompts carries the same steady brilliance I’ve come to trust—direct, generous, and deeply practical. At that tender stage of drafting new work, when you're deciding what to include, what to leave out, and how to tell if the work has found its meaning—these prompts don’t just spark pages; they shape them. Each chapter braids craft guidance with examples, imitation exercises, and honest talk about revision and the writer’s life, including the parts nobody glamorizes: rejection and persistence. Whether you’re writing prose or poetry, developing a play, or sharpening your criticism, this book will move you toward the page—and keep you there. A must-have for any writer in progress!” ― Faylita Hicks, author of A Map of My Want
“Witty, emotionally insightful, and encouraging, Roberts disarmingly shares examples from her own challenges as a writer. Throughout these prompts she feels like a personal guide—a wise and trustworthy writing-buddy.” ―Elizabeth Dodd, nonfiction editor at Terrain.org, and author of Horizon’s Lens
“This book offers 52+ generous, brilliant writing prompts – a whole year’s worth! –Also, a wide range of authors share advice as well as essays, stories, and poems to propel you through your current writing project and beyond. The solitary nature of writing is tough. However, with all the inspiring voices in this book, you won’t be writing alone. This is an essential addition to any writer’s toolbox.”
―Sue William Silverman, author of Selected Misdemeanors: Essays at the Mercy of the Reader
“Suzanne Roberts has a rare talent for helping writers craft our stories, shape our messages, and discover our voices.”
―Bridey Thelen Heidel, author of Bright Eyes: A Memoir
52 WRITING PROMPTS: THE NEWSLETTER
For writing inspiration, themed prompts to get you going, and writerly advice, head over to my Substack newsletter and subscribe. Free subscriptions include one free writing prompt a month sent to your inbox. Paid subscribers receive two themed writing prompts a month, access to the entire archive of over 165 themed writing prompts, as well as one-hour virtual writing workshops throughout the year.
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PREVIOUS THEMES
2026
January's theme: Reframing
February's theme: Risk
March's theme: Setting Boundaries and Saying No
April's theme: The Creatures on your Mind
May's theme: Obsessions & Juxtapostions
June's theme: Creating Community
July's theme: Instinct
2025
January's theme: Firsts
February's theme: Friendship
March's theme: Power
April's theme: Beauty
May's theme: Grief
June's theme: Food
July's theme: Hauntings
August's theme: Fairy Tales
September's theme: Mysteries
October's theme: Where You're from
November's theme: The Fear of Missing Out
December's theme: Resilience
2024
January's theme: Dreaming
February's theme: Near Misses & Close Calls
March's theme: Family Matters
April's theme: Joy and Delight
May's theme: Danger & Peril
June's theme: Desire
July's theme: Aging & Mortality
August's theme: Writing Humor
September's theme: Writing the Arts
October's theme: Change
November's theme: Writing about Place
December's theme: Curiosity
2023
January's theme: New Beginnings
February's theme: Attachment and Letting Go
March's theme: A Call to Adventure
April's theme: Cruelty & Kindness
May's theme: Insiders & Outsiders
June's theme: Memory
July's theme: Serendipity
August's theme: The World of Work
September's theme: Play
October's theme: Animal Encounters
November's theme: The Return
December's theme: Getting Unstuck
2022
January's theme: Making Stories of our Shame
February's theme: Love and Loss
March's theme: Childhood
April's theme: Travel & Adventure
May's theme: Home
June's theme: Writing the Wider World
July's theme: The Greater than Human World
August's theme: The Body
September's theme: Transition and Change
October's theme: Fear and Spookiness
November's theme: Gifts and Gratitude
December's theme: Endings
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