31 Days of Writing Prompts for August 2022

August can be very hectic. For many, it is the end of summer holidays, while for others, it is the start of a new school year. And through it all are lots of holidays and historical events.

Just like last month’s writing prompt list, which you can read here, I’ve put together a list of 31 writing prompts inspired by holidays and historical events. Once again, these are crafted with fiction writing in mind, but they can be easily changed to suit your personal journal or nonfiction topics as well.

Let me know in the comments down below if there are any prompts that really inspire your imagination!

Let’s get writing!

In honor of a harvest festival, such as Lammas Day, have your character attempt to bake bread.
If your character was to invent something and file a patent, what would the invention be and why would your character make it?
What crime worthy of either jail or exile would you character be willing to commit? Why and in what circumstances might that happen?
Have your character encounter and interact with a single working woman (Single Working Woman’s Day)
Your character finds the first copy ever printed of a historically and religiously important book. What does your character do with the book?
Your character overhears some juicy gossip.
In honor of Sisters’ Day, write an interaction between sisters.
Your character wears a piece of their mother’s jewelry (or mother figure’s). What is the piece, why does your character wear it, and what event are they wearing it to?
In honor of International Day of the World’s Indigenous People, have your character interact with an Indigenous Person.
Have your character either be involved in or witness to a romantic celebration such as a proposal or wedding. (In honor of Tu B’Av, which is on the 11^th)
The full moon in August, which is called the Sturgeon Moon, is the last supermoon of 2022. What crazy events happen to your character on a full supermoon night?
Show a character behaving like a typical middle child. (Middle Child Day)
Have your character use their left hand for something they normally would not. (Cheers to all the Left-Handers in the world!)
Your character must decode a secret message in honor of National Navajo Code Talkers Day.
Have your character establish a new town. What would they name the town, what is the geography/topography of the area, what is the main industry for the region, and what are the necessary buildings, shops, talents, etc. needed for the town’s successful opening? (This is in honor of major cities in Paraguay and Peru being established on August 15^th in 1537 and 1540.)
Have your character tell a Joke. If you wanted things to escalate, you could turn this into a prank. (Tell A Joke Day)
In honor of Black Cat Appreciation Day, have your character see the same black cat multiple times in a day. (If your story setting does not allow black cats, have your character interact with your world’s equivalent of a black cat.)
In honor of Serendipity Day, have something serendipitous happen to your character.
What is one Humanitarian effort or cause your character would support and why? (World Humanitarian Day)
Your character gets an invitation to join a secret society. What is the secret society, and is your character tempted to join them? (Inspired by the forming of a secret society union formed by Sun Yat-sen in China in 1905)
What kind of vehicle or ride does your character have and why? (In 1897, the Oldsmobile was first manufactured.)
What is your character’s opinion about tooth fairies and why do they hold that opinion? Are tooth fairies real in your story? Does your character have an opinion about telling children about the tooth fairy? (Tooth Fairy Day)
Your character witnesses or survives a natural disaster. What kind of disaster, and how does your character react? (In honor of the eruption of Mount Vesuvius and the destruction of Pompeii)
In honor of International Strange Music Day, have your character go to a place where strange music is playing. Alternatively, create a playlist of strange music your character might listen to.
Your character has an argument with someone important to them. What is the argument about and how do they kiss and make up? (In honor of Kiss and Make Up Day)
What is your character’s favorite fairy tale or folk tale, and what is it they like about that story? (In honor of Charles Perrault’ poems that were later transformed into the Tales of Mother Goose)
Your character plays Rock Paper Scissors with a friend in order to avoid doing a task. What is the task, why do they not want to do it, and who winds up losing? (World Rock Paper Scissors Day)
Your character spots something interesting in a magazine or publication. What is it, and why is it interesting to your character? (In honor of Scientific American Magazine’s first publication)
Your character attends a summer sporting event. What kind of sport is it, and is your character a member of the audience or a participant? (In honor of many summer competitions, including Tennis, Golf, Rugby, Boxing, etc.)
In honor of Frankenstein Day, what would your character think about Dr. Frankenstein and his monster?
Your character goes to see a movie. What kind of movie are they going to see, are they seeing it with someone, and do they get snacks? (In honor of Tomas Edison’s patent of the Kinetoscope, a camera which produced moving pictures)

4 Bonus or Optional Writing Prompts!

Your character encounters someone in a position of power in authority who is FAR too young to know what they are doing. How does your character interact with them? (In honor of Henry VI becoming King of England at 9 months old)
Is your character interested in True Crime and Serial Killers? Why or why not? (In 1888, Jack the Ripper’s first victim was found)
In honor of Bad Poetry Day (August 18^th), have your character either write or read bad poetry.
In honor of International Homeless Animals Day, what kind of pet would your character pick up and take in?

Thanks for visiting The Dawdling Writer, and let me know in the comments if any one of these prompts really inspired your imagination!

July Prompts