You’ve primed your mindset, got your pen, and lit the first flame of your shadow furnace. Now it’s time to cannonball into this pool of 22 ready-to-roll prompts designed for beginners. Each of these quick-start exercises has four automatic writing prompts, so prepare for a marathon.
If you dedicate 10 minutes to each prompt, working through the practice exercises will take about 15 hours. At that pace, working through the entire curriculum would take over 36 hours of writing to complete, plus the time it takes to do the practices and planning. As you work through your shadow, you’ll receive the added value of honing your writing skills.
How to Use These Prompts
- Pick an exercise from the list below. Each exercise has four writing prompts. We recommend doing the entire list in order, like an online course. Or you can jump around at will.
- Follow the automatic-writing flow: set a timer, write uncensored, and pause to reflect afterward.
- Rinse and repeat. Work at your own pace, but aim to tackle at least one prompt per day for the powerful boost of momentum.
Quick-Start Writing Prompts
Next Steps: Once you’ve completed these foundational exercises, you’ll be ready to tackle the Core Curriculum and the deeper, mind-altering main exercises.
