SOCC Writing Center

Prompts by M. Detwiler

1. Success means different things to different people. Some people regard wealth and material possessions as marks of success. Others think that it is indicated by influence and power. Still others measure it by the quality of their relationships with family members and friends. What does success mean to you?
2. There are many factors that contribute to job satisfaction: challenge, schedule, location, pay, benefits, opportunity, atmosphere, and others. Describe the factors that are most important to you, and explain why.
3. Credit cards have changed spending habits in the United States . Their use has benefited some and caused problems for others. Explain how their use can be beneficial, problematic, or both.
4. Think of a controversial television show, and explain why you think that it should be taken off the air or not.
5. What would you do if you won $10 million in a lottery?
6. Describe and discuss a school policy that you would like to see adopted or one that you think should be abolished.
7. In an essay of about four pages, explain why you think that you life will or will not be like your parents’ lives. Be sure that you explain your reasons clearly and that you give examples to support your reasons.
8. Tell how you feel about writing and why.
9. Tell about beginning a new job.
10. Discuss one or all of the candidates for the Presidency of the USA .
11. Adults are often careless of the way that they treat children. Think of a time in your life when an adult in authority treated you unfairly. How did you react? Is there some point that you would like to make about the experience?
12. We all like to blame our problems on somebody else, often when that person is not at fault. This blame can be directed at either an individual like a parent or spouse, or an ethnic or gender group, or on “society.” Can you identify one such area where you blame others? Take a stance either to support such a blame or to show that it is unfounded, and make a point.
13. Describe the things and qualities your dream room would have.
14. A place you would like to visit and why.
15. Something that you are afraid of and why.
16. Something that you hate or love and why.
17. Describe a couple of things that you’d like to have done when you die.
18. Describe a fantasy that you have. (Keep it clean!)
19. Describe some aspect of yourself that you would like to improve.
20. Describe a significant memory (positive or negative) from your childhood. How does it affect you today?
21. Describe something you are proud of.
22. Describe something that you have learned from marriage, divorce, parenthood, leaving home.
23. Describe a goal that you have and the steps you need to take to realize it.
24. Describe a thing, place, or person that you enjoy.
25. Describe the type of person that you clash with most often. What do they have in common? What buttons do they push?
26. Describe a resentment that you hold. What could be done about it?
27. Describe the qualities that attracted you to your partner.
28. Describe the qualities most important to you in a relationship.
29. Describe the factors in a relationship that would make you break off a relationship.
30. Describe one or two qualities that you appreciate in a child.
31. Describe a positive or negative aspect of one of your parents.
32. How do you think you would react if you suddenly became famous?
33. How to prepare for a hunting trip.
34. How to be a bore/have fun at a party.
35. How not to behave in an interview.
36. How to stop smoking.
37. Compare/contrast old and new value systems.
38. your positive and negative traits.
39. people with/without children.
40. wisdom/knowledge.
41. two families.
42. your reality/TV reality.
43. watching sports at home/on TV
44. being single/married.