Today's Writing Prompt: Recovery

Write about a time you recovered from something...or recovered something.

One-Minute Writing of the Day:
Writer: Jeff D'Antonio

You've heard my recovery story before. Too much to write in One Minute, but for anyone who's interested:

20 Years

Jeff, you're right, it's longer than a minute--but it's so worth reading. Thanks for sharing it again.

Today's Writing Prompt: Math

Come up with a mathematical formula to express something you know/believe.

Example: Long Saturday run + Frappuccino = Happiness.

One-Minute Writing of the Day:
Writer: Janet

My kids insist that...
pizza>vegetables

Congratulations on another win, Janet! This made me smile. And of course, my kids usually agree.

Today's Writing Prompt: Happy

Complete this simile:

As happy as...

One-Minute Writing of the Day:]
Writer: Hank

...a snowman who wakes to a cloud covered day.

Congratulations on another win, Hank! I love this thought...very appropriate for winter.

One-Minute Writing of the Week: Mary from the Prairie

I choose one of the daily winning response from each week and feature it as the One-Minute Writing of the Week. This is for the week of 10/24-10/30.

One-Minute Writing of the Week:
Writer: Mary from the Prairie (Saturday's winner)

Prompt: Wall. Write about something hanging on your wall that is special to you.

Something hanging on my wall that is special to me? My teenage son. I keep him there when he gets particularly on my nerves. He's been hanging there for about six years now. Maybe around, oh, 2013 I'll let him off the hook.

Congratulations, Mary from the Prairie! You're welcome to put a One-Minute Writing of the Week Winner button on your blog. Click here if you'd like to snag it.

Today's Writing Prompt: Alarm

Complete this thought:

I wish an alarm would notify me whenever...

One-Minute Writing of the Day:
Writer: Nofretiri

I don't like alarms and I'm always on time. So, maybe: I wish an alarm would notify me whenever I should be more relaxed or more spontaneously or more easy going.

Congratulations on another win, Nofretiri! I like this idea...a reminder to relax.

Friday Fiction: Turkey

Write a brief bit of fiction using the prompt "Turkey."

Friday Fiction is your opportunity to write a short (short, short, short) story. Many participants use more than one minute for Friday Fiction prompts, and I open up the One-Minute Writing of the Day contest to entries of various lengths.

Click on the "Friday Fiction" tag beneath the post to see more examples of Friday Fiction writings.

One-Minute Writing of the Day:
Writer: Sarah

Freddie sighed. Every year the man would come and shoot one of his brothers or sisters. Why? It just wasn't fair. Then he heard a gun. Uncle Glen was gone.

Congratulations on the win, Sarah! Poor Uncle Glen.... Feel free to put a One-Minute Writer WINNER! button on your blog.

Today's Writing Prompt: Thanksgiving

Write a brief poem of thankfulness.

One-Minute Writing of the Day:
Writer: Nofretiri

T ... for the time given to me.
H ... for the heart beating passionately.
A ... for the art I experience.
N ... for the novel I'm writing.
K ... for the kindness I receive.
S ... for sharing everything with me.

Congratulations on another win, Nofretiri! I enjoyed your acrostic poem.

Today's Writing Prompt: Search

What is the last thing (or one of the last things) you searched for on the Internet?

One-Minute Writing of the Day:
Writer: Mike Trippiedi

Being over the age of fifty I find myself searching for my past. I've recently began searching for the cast of the 1980 New York City production of Marat/Sade which I was in. Yesterday I found one.

Congratulations on another win, Mike! I love the way the Internet can reunite old friends.

Today's Writing Prompt: Hope

Complete this thought:

Today I hope...

One-Minute Writing of the Day:
Writer: KelseyNT

I hope I never stop hoping.

Congratulations on the win, KelseyNT! I hope I never stop hoping either. Feel free to put a One-Minute Writer WINNER! button on your blog.

Today's Writing Prompt: Paycheck

What do you love doing that you wish you could get paid for?

One-Minute Writing of the Day:
Writer: Raejean

I would love to get paid to read or eat. Better yet, I could get paid to eat while I read!

Congratulations on another win, Raejean! If you find that job...please recommend me for a position too!

Today's Writing Prompt: Frugal

Write about an area in which you don't want to be frugal.

One-Minute Writing of the Day:
Writer: Geeta

I know it's just a habit; a ritual of sorts. I know there's plenty "just as good" or even better, yet... I've added up how much it costs, keeping it alive... but still I just can't give it up, this Starbucks obsession of mine.

Congratulations on another win, Geeta! I definitely contribute to their business as well!

Today's Writing Prompt: Klondike

What would you do for a Klondike bar?

Disclosure: This post is not sponsored. Unless Klondike wants to send me a lifetime supply. Yeah...I'd blog for a Klondike bar.

One-Minute Writing of the Day:
Writer: Mathilda-Anne

If you ask my husband who has been overseas for a year and just got back tonight, he would tell you I already did it. Yeah, I'm a good wife. I had his truck waxed and detailed, the fridge stocked with Bud Light (still no sponsorship), his favorite stew in the crockpot, and a cigar waiting in my jacket pocket. Yeah, I think I earned my Klondike bar. Though he may tell you I made the bed a little too neat for his liking. (Trying to stay clean here!)

Congratulations on the win, Mathilda-Anne! And welcome home to your husband! Feel free to put a One-Minute Writer WINNER! button on your blog.

Friday Fiction: Glove

Write a brief bit of fiction using the prompt "Glove."

Friday Fiction is your opportunity to write a short (short, short, short) story. Many participants use more than one minute for Friday Fiction prompts, and I open up the One-Minute Writing of the Day contest to entries of various lengths.

Click on the "Friday Fiction" tag beneath the post to see more examples of Friday Fiction writings.

One-Minute Writing of the Day:
Writer: Heather

Swathed in velvet and jewels, Cinderella pulled on a white satin glove. The lace band squeezed her flabby arm. "Maid," she called, a thin note of disdain in her voice, "I believe this pair, too, has shrunk from carelessness. Please bring me a pair that you haven't taken to be laundered and find out who's mistake this was."

"Yes Your Highness," came the young girl's response. Quickly the girl picked the dropped glove from the floor and put it in the pile with the other discarded gloves. She handed the Queen a new pair of gloves, which she assumed would also prove to be too small.

Congratulations on another win, Heather! I love this continuation of Cinderella's story!

Today's Writing Prompt: Leaf

What is the dead leaf thinking as it falls to the ground?

I looked back at the old "Prompt" prompt, and June Calender's suggestion to do a nature-inspired prompt inspired me. Thanks, June!

One-Minute Writing of the Day:
Writer: June Calender

The falling leave thinks: I'm tired of this red dress and dancing to the wild rhythms of the wind. It's time to rest and join my family in our next incarnation as mulch.

Congratulations on another win, June! The imagery here is lovely!

Today's Writing Prompt: Selfish

In what way are you selfish?

One-Minute Writing of the Day:
Writer: Shark Bait

I'm not a shellfish, I'm a clown fish.

Congratulations on another win, Shark Bait! As always...I'm a sucker for a pun!

Today's Writing Prompt: Broken

Write about a time you broke something.

One-Minute Writing of the Day:
Writer: For blue skies.

Mom&Dad: "We only have one rule over this vacation, Just tell us if you break anything"
First night in rented beach house- the duck statue's beak mysteriously breaks off after a traumatic fall from the bunk bed...

Third night at the beach house- "Lets see what would sink to the bottom of the hot tub first, the glass cup or the bowl..." We spent the rest of the night picking shards of glass out of our feet and the floor of the hot tub to make sure no one would find out.

They still don't know.

Congratulations on another win, For blue skies.! This story is both compelling and horrifying!

One-Minute Writing of the Week: Manisha

I choose one of the daily winning response from each week and feature it as the One-Minute Writing of the Week. This is for the week of 10/17-10/23.

One-Minute Writing of the Week:
Writer: Manisha (Tuesday's winner)

Prompt: Ghostwriter. If you could be a ghostwriter (writing someone else's autobiography for them), for whom would you ghostwrite?

Many famous names cross my mind, but then I think of the postman. He must have delivered lot of happiness and dreams to people's homes...seems like things of the past, snail mail being almost out of picture now. Yet, I would like to write about this guy...and also, about other such people who make our lives smooth...like a sweeper, a traffic policeman, medical workers etc.

Congratulations, Manisha! You're welcome to put a One-Minute Writing of the Week Winner button on your blog. Click here if you'd like to snag it.

Today's Writing Prompt: Cake

Write for a minute using this prompt: piece of cake.

One-Minute Writing of the Day:
Writer: Cathaber

Writing for a minute - that's a piece of cake! A sweet one.

Aww, Cathaber, thanks...and congrats on another win!

Today's Writing Prompt: Books

How do you treat the books that you read?

One-Minute Writing of the Day:
Writer: the mrs.

If the book I am reading is delicious, I eat it. Quickly. Late into the night, I'll be exhausted the next day, read until my eyes won't stay open anymore gulps.

If I start in and don't like it. I read a few bites and then it sits like leftovers on my dresser gathering dust.

Congratulations on another win, the mrs.! I love the metaphor you used!

Today's Writing Prompt: Six Word Saturday

Describe your life in six words.

Six Word Saturdays is a weekly series over at Call Me Cate's funny blog, Show My Face. We do Six Word Saturdays monthly(ish) at The One-Minute Writer, but feel free to participate on your own every week--click the button below for more info! Have fun!

One-Minute Writing of the Day:
Writer: Graciegreen

Slipping surely into winter slush...

Congratulations on another win, Graciegreen! The alliteration in your six words is just perfect!

Friday Fiction: Jar

Write a brief bit of fiction using the prompt "Jar."

Friday Fiction is your opportunity to write a short (short, short, short) story. Many participants use more than one minute for Friday Fiction prompts, and I open up the One-Minute Writing of the Day contest to entries of various lengths.

Click on the "Friday Fiction" tag beneath the post to see more examples of Friday Fiction writings.

One-Minute Writing of the Day:
Writer: kvsmm

There was no money that year. All she could think was how much she loved her child, and what she would give him if she could. The jar was born.

Every day, she wrote a little tag -
Today I wish you joy.
Today I wish you chocolate candy.
Today I wish you dreams that come true.

And so it went. Every day, a wish, stuffed into the little jar. Every Christmas, he took the jar, looked inside, and she wondered if it ment anything to him.

Years passed. He became a wealthy man, married to a lovely young women. Babies came, and each year under the tree, their daddy set a jar for each of them.

Today I wish you love.
Today I wish you happiness.
Today I wish you pink ribbons.

As for me? I remember the happiness and unexpected blessings of a little jar, and now I fill it with gratitude.

Congratulations on another win, kvsmm! What a sweet Christmas story!

Today's Writing Prompt: Never

Complete this thought:

I would never...

One-Minute Writing of the Day:
Writer: June Calendar

I would never eat cat, dog, monkey or snake. This was my answer to a guide who asked me about food no-nos when on a trip to exotic parts of southeast Asia.

Congratulations on another win, June Calender! I'd have a hard time with the first three...but I have eaten rattlesnake!

Today's Writing Prompt: Fear

What do you do when you're afraid?

One-Minute Writing of the Day:
Writer: Pamela

I'm always afraid every time I'm on a plane. When the plane starts shaking, I would take out my liquid eyeliner and force myself to apply the most perfect cat's eye line on my lids. After that I would swipe on a red lipstick, back and forth, back and forth until the shaking stops. The whole process distracts me from my fear. When I get off the plane, though, I look like a clown.

Congratulations, Pamela! I don' usually name someone as winner two days in a row, but your response was too funny to pass up!

A new way to display winners

Hi, One-Minute Writers! I hope you're all enjoying your week.

There's a new way for you to track who's winning the daily and weekly contests. If you look at the bottom of posts for which I've named a winner, you'll see the winner's name as a label. Click on it, and it will lead to all the posts that writer has won (starting June 1, 2010.)

Also, on the right hand sidebar, you'll see all the labels listed. Click on any of them to read that winner's writings.

I'm still working on catching up on naming winners.... I'm getting there! Feel free to check out the October winners I've named by clicking here.

And remember, you can keep up on winner announcements and be reminded about the prompts by following The One-Minute Writer on Twitter or Liking The One-Minute Writer on Facebook!

Thank you for taking a minute of your day to share your writings here!

One-Minute Writing of the Week:June Calender

I choose one of the daily winning response from each week and feature it as the One-Minute Writing of the Week. This is for the week of 10/10-10/16.

One-Minute Writing of the Week:
Writer: June Calender (Monday's winner)

Prompt: Discovery. Write about a good discovery you've made (big or small!)

The discovery that discoveries never need to cease, especially the small ones that make life sparkle and fill in the unrecognized pockets of ignorance. I live in an ecology that is new to me; I constantly discover new things, especially about the sea. But the most wonderful discovery is that "you can't teach an old dog new tricks" is a hot of hooey -- I learn new thing on many levels constantly.

Congratulations, June Calender! You're welcome to put a One-Minute Writing of the Week Winner button on your blog. Click here if you'd like to snag it.

Today's Writing Prompt: Worth it

Write about something in your life that's worth it.

One-Minute Writing of the Day:
Writer: Pamela

Falling in love for the wrong man was worth it. The strength and confidence I have now, I owe them to that experience.

Congratulations on the win, Pamela! This is such a great way to look at what could be considered a "mistake." Feel free to put a One-Minute Writer WINNER! button on your blog.

Today's Writing Prompt: Who

Who are you?

One-Minute Writing of the Day:
Writer: For blue skies.

I am a person who is lost. I have no clue what I'm doing, and I just want to be free. Sounds simple doesn't it? It's not.

Congratulations on another win, For blue skies. This response is so achingly honest. Thank you for sharing it. I hope you find your freedom.

Today's Writing Prompt: Talk show

You're starting your own radio or TV talk show. What will it be called, and what will the theme/topics be?

One-Minute Writing of the Week:
Writer: Nofretiri

I don't like to watch talk shows, so why for heaven's sake should I like to host one? IF I should really think of any type of TV show, it would be something like "Art Attack", but for adults. A creative show for scrap bookers, art journalers or any other artists. There is nothing like that on German TV horizon.

Congratulations on another win, Nofretiri! It's funny that you say you don't like talk shows...because I think that sounds like a good idea for one!

Today's Writing Prompt: School

Describe a particular room or area of a school that you attended.

One-Minute Writing of the Day:
Writer: Hank

My high school was an ancient four story building. Well worn grooves in the stairs spoke of the innumerable footfalls over the decades. My favorite place was across the street where I could smoke with the other cool kids. I was sixteen. I knew everything. I wondered why I was wasting my time there and impatiently waited for the day I was old enough to strike out on my own.

Boy, did I have a rude awakening.

Congratulations, Hank! Your description of the stairs is great--it puts such a clear picture in my head.

Friday Fiction: Link

Write a brief bit of fiction using the prompt "Link."

Friday Fiction is your opportunity to write a short (short, short, short) story. Many participants use more than one minute for Friday Fiction prompts, and I open up the One-Minute Writing of the Day contest to entries of various lengths.

Click on the "Friday Fiction" tag beneath the post to see more examples of Friday Fiction writings.

One-Minute Writing of the Day:
Writer: Stretching My Imagination

First timer here! I also posted it on my blog, hope that's okay. This was a 3 minute response for Friday Fiction

She carefully cut the colored paper in strips, making neat piles of purples, greens, pinks, bright oranges, and a single random light blue. A piece of tape – sticky off the roll – was pulled off her fingers to hold together the green look she curled around her other hand. Stuck. Another strip, orange, but this time she hooked the strip through the green ring before taping it closed. Purple, pink…when to use the blue? The loops stretched across her lap and onto the floor. She stopped, fingered the loops linked together, and draped the entire thing around her neck. The paper rustled like a noisy feather boa as she trotted of to the bathroom mirror. On tiptoe now… pretty! Add one more link maybe? No. Just right. She wiggled, touched the chain again, and called out “Look what I did!”

Congratulations on the win, Stretching My Imagination! What a charming description of childhood! Feel free to put a One-Minute Writer WINNER! button on your blog.

One-Minute Writing of the Week: J Cosmo Newberry

I choose one of the daily winning response from each week and feature it as the One-Minute Writing of the Week. This is for the week of 10/2-10/8.

One-Minute Writing of the Week:
Writer: J Cosmo Newberry (Friday's winner)

Prompt: Friday Fiction: Secret. Write a brief bit of fiction using the prompt "Secret."

“Can I tell you a little secret?”
Oh, please don’t ask me that;
Am I expected to keep it a secret,
Safely beneath my hat?

A friend, let’s call her Maggie,
Relays secrets with great glee,
She says a secret stays a secret
If you tell no more than three.

She just loves to pass on secrets,
They’re a source of joy to her,
But she is far less understanding
If you spread some dirt on her.

Some people love the juicy gossip
Shared across a wall
But if you have some little secret
Please, don’t tell me at all.

Congratulations, J Cosmo Newberry! You're welcome to put a One-Minute Writing of the Week Winner button on your blog. Click here if you'd like to snag it.

Today's Writing Prompt: Cut

What would you like to cut?

One-Minute Writing of the Day:
Writer: Graciegreen

I would like to "cut" out paper dolls with my granddaughters! I have not thought about cutting out paper dolls in years! When I was a kid we could go to the dime store and buy for 10 cents a book of paper dolls. My sisters and I would cut and play for hours!

Congratulations, Graciegreen! Your response brought back my memories of cutting out paper dolls.

Today's Writing Prompt: Worry

What would you like to stop worrying about?

One-Minute Writing of the Day:
Writer: the mrs.

worry-
about
typos
writing
my kids
my spouse dying
time
weight
am I really following the directions
are there really directions
is there really worry
did i make it up?

Congratulations on the win, the mrs.! I enjoyed your poem. Feel free to put a One-Minute Writer WINNER! button on your blog.

Today's Writing Prompt: Street

Rename the street where you live.

One-Minute Writing of the Day:
Writer: Christy

Often I see a wave, a nod of the head, or a smile when driving down Carol Avenue, the street where I live. Very little conversation going on. We know each other by sight, not so much by sound. It's the waves, the nods and the smiles that connect us and I find comfort in that here on Friendly Strangers Street.

Congratulations on the win, Christy! I enjoyed your description of Friendly Strangers Street. Feel free to put a One-Minute Writer WINNER! button on your blog.

Today's Writing Prompt: Trick or Treat

A day late...

What was one of your favorite treats as a kid?

or

Write about a trick you played when you were a kid.

One-Minute Writing of the Day:
Writer: Cathaber

My Mum went to continental cookery classes and learnt to make a Viennese sacher torte. Very rich. My brother and I called it num-num chocolate cake and we always requested it on our birthdays. It was delicious!

Congratulations on another win, Cathaber! Your post has given me a chocolate craving!