How it works

Who's got the time to journal daily? You do.

1. Read the daily writing prompt.
2. Push "Play" on the timer on the right side of the screen.
3. Spend 60 seconds or less writing a response to the daily prompt.

You may respond in the "Comments" section of each post, if your response is family-friendly. Or you can write in your own journal or blog. If you respond in a public blog post, post the link in the comments and share it with us. Also feel free to use the "Comments" section for informal discussion about the responses that are posted.

Today, take a minute to write!

Questions? Check out this link for The One-Minute Writer Q&A, including comment guidelines and copyright information.

Friday, May 24, 2013

FFF: What Happened?

Welcome to the latest installment of Friday Flash Fiction. Enter your short work of fiction (under 1,000 words) based on this prompt by midnight Saturday to be eligible to win! The best entry will be published on the site, along with a short author bio; bringing you fame, fortune and bragging rights. Winners also receive a small prize. Entries may be posted in the comments or emailed to theoneminutewriter@gmail.com. If you post in the comments, please be sure to leave us a way to contact you in case you are our winner. Good Luck!

Fill in the blank to start your story.

"Seven days ago, _____________. Now, no one will talk to me."

Thursday, May 23, 2013

Today's Writing Prompt: The End of Our World

What do you think will be the downfall of our civilization?

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Today's Writing Prompt: Unusual Favorites

What is something you love that everyone else hates?

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Today's Writing Prompt: Dreams

Do you think dreams can solve problems?

Monday, May 20, 2013

Today's Writing Prompt: Hospitals

What kinds of experiences have you had in hospitals, either good or bad?

Sunday, May 19, 2013

Today's Writing Prompt: How I Spent My Summer

It's a beautiful summer day, and you are twelve years old.

How do you spend the day?

Saturday, May 18, 2013

Today's Writing Prompt: Grandparents

Tell me about your grandparents.

Friday, May 17, 2013

FFF: Comedy

Welcome to the latest installment of Friday Flash Fiction. Enter your short work of fiction (under 1,000 words) based on this prompt by midnight Saturday to be eligible to win! The best entry will be published on the site, along with a short author bio; bringing you fame, fortune and bragging rights. Winners also receive a small prize. Entries may be posted in the comments or emailed to theoneminutewriter@gmail.com. If you post in the comments, please be sure to leave us a way to contact you in case you are our winner. Good Luck!

Today I would like you to write a Comedy.

Here are some ideas to jump start, but please don't feel limited to these!
~ Scatterbrained
~ Mismatched clothes
~ A dog with a pink spot
~ The boy with the pet rock
~ Mom's dinner gone bad
~ My cousin's karaoke

I can't wait to see what you all come up with!

Thursday, May 16, 2013

Today's Writing Prompt: Knots

I have just learned this week that there are SO many kinds of knots! Who knew?! Write about a knot.

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Today's Writing Prompt: Stereotypes

Write about something that you stereotype. Maybe you don't mean to, but we all do it in one way or another.

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Today's Writing Prompt: Gem

Gem: a precious stone.

Monday, May 13, 2013

FFF Winner: Kelly Miller!

The winner of this week's FFF is Kelly Miller!

Kelly says about herself: I'm a single mom living in Houston and I love writing! It's the one thing that keeps me sane sometimes. I wrote a lot in high school but stopped until I got into writing Twilight fanfic. You can read more on her website at: http://m.fanfiction.net/u/3179278/justwanttologin.


Her story was so unexpectedly sweet, it absolutely swept me off my feet. I loved the first person POV and the way she really captured the struggles and interactions of kids that age. Way to go, Kelly!

Here's her entry:

When I was in first grade I moved from my big city school to a small town school half a country away. My mom had just died and I now lived with my dad.

I was scared and I felt so alone, before a couple of months ago I only saw my dad a few times a year and now we were trying to learn about each other at the same time I was a sad, grieving and confused little girl.

I had only been there for a few days but I was already not doing so well in the friend making department. The kids there had literally all known each other since there were in diapers. Even in first grade, it’s hard to break into a group like that.

On my 3rd day there I asked my teacher to use the bathroom and she said sure, go right on ahead. I stared at her for a minute waiting for her to come with me. At my old school you couldn’t just walk out of the room by yourself. She told me again to go ahead and go so I walked out.

A sense of direction is something I don’t have and so I just wandered around before I found the bathroom. Finally I walk in and when I see a boy peeing and I burst into tears.

Startled the boy hurries up and then asks me why I’m in here. I tell him through my hysterical sobbing that I’m lost and I really need to go to the bathroom.

“What’s your name?” He asks and I tell him Anna. He tells me his name is Nathan and then takes my hand and leads me to the girl’s restroom and tells me he will wait outside for me and walk me back to my classroom.

After that I would see him a couple of times a day and he even asked me to eat lunch with him. He told me he was in 4th grade and for a long time that confused me because in my old school you never saw other grades during the day and lunch was with your class. Nathan and I became friends, him being my only friend and his friends often making fun of him for not only hanging out with a girl but a girl in first grade. Nathan never cared.

As the school year came closer and closer I worried I wouldn’t see him anymore, still not really understanding the whole small town concept. In my old school you only saw your friends at school but Nathan assured me he would see me during the summer.

And he did… every day. He convinced his mom to convince my dad to let me stay at with her while he was working. It wasn’t hard; Nathan’s mom is a well trusted teacher so when she offered my dad jumped at the chance to know I was taken care of without having to put me in the local daycare.

Nathan’s mom, Kari, is still like a mother to me today. She taught me how to bake and cook and sew and all kinds of other things when Nathan and I weren’t running around town on our bikes or swimming at the lake or watching movies at the movie theatre. I wasn’t even allowed to go outside by myself in the city so this felt like pure freedom.

Nathan still hung out with his friends as they eventually figured out if it came to a choice it would always be me. I even became friends with a few of their little sisters and we would all do things as a big group.

I finally fit in.

When the school year came again I wasn’t the same scared, confused, sad and lost little girl as I was a year ago but Nathan still went out of his way to see me when he could and I started going to his house most afternoons.

This is how it went for years until I was about 13. Suddenly it felt weird to lay in bed with him and watch a movie. It felt weird for him to hold my hand when we jumped off the rocks at the lake. It felt weird to spend the night at his house when my dad picked up an extra shift.

I told one of my girlfriends about it and we decided I must be falling in love.

I was back to being scared, lost and confused without a mother to talk to about all this. If it had been another boy I would have talked to Kari.

Nathan started dating and I hated every single one of them even though they never lasted more than a couple of dates.

I started hanging out with him less and less and I think he was hurt and confused but I didn’t know what else to do. For two years we drifted apart.

Then it was time for his senior prom and he was refusing to go.

One day Kari told me to ask him why he wasn’t going so even though we barely spoke anymore I asked him.

He told me the only girl he wanted to go with barely spoke to him.

“Ask her anyway, the worst she can say is no right?”

“Anna, will you go to my prom with me?” He asked me and after the shock I said of course and he kissed me.

Prom was 6 years ago and as I watch him snuggle our newborn daughter I can’t help but be thankful for walking into the boy’s bathroom all those years ago.  

Today's Writing Prompt: Obey

If you really had to define this in terms of action what would you say?

Sunday, May 12, 2013

Saturday, May 11, 2013

Today's Writing Prompt: weather

The weather is weird all over the country right now. What's it like in your neighborhood?