Do you struggle to write every day?
Do you wish your writing practice looked different?
If you’re nodding your head and thinking, That's me!, then I have some great news for you.
After almost 10 years of leading workshops and creating countless prompts for writers, I kept getting asked the same thing. “Will you make us more prompts?!”
Well, now I have.
HOW GENERATIVE WRITING HELPS
We all need a writing habit that helps us practice trusting ourselves. Trusting our ideas. Trusting our projects. Trusting that our writing matters. Trusting that art can help repair the world.
Generative writing is the key to that kind of trust. It’s about keeping your pen moving across the page (or your fingers typing on the keyboard). It’s about welcoming first thoughts, without judgment, without hesitation.
Imagine that your ideas hang out in a room somewhere in your body. They send out scouts to see what it’s like out here. “Let’s see how she treats this one,” I imagine them saying. “Will she bludgeon it? Tell it how stupid it is? Insist no one wants to read it?”
Your ideas are watching you to see how you treat their friends. Do you welcome them? Put them on the page without fear? Let them show you what they need? Let them teach you?
Every time you put an idea on the page, you’re sending a signal to other ideas – in your mind, in your body, in the stars – that you are safe to visit. The more we treat our ideas with kindness, the more ideas will show up.
Generative writing is the key to this. It works for any genre, any stage of a project, any level of writer.
WHY PROMPTS?
I have been leading generative writing workshops for six years, and I've witnessed again and again the way prompts support writers & artists:
- Prompts inspire and surprise
- Prompts quiet the sabotaging part of your mind so you can write freely
- Prompts make room and open doors, so your ideas can walk right onto the page
And my prompts aren't your average prompts. This isn't about "remembering a scene from your childhood" or "writing about a time your character forgot something." These prompts are magic. They help shake you out of writing ruts. They let your brilliance shine.
These prompts work for all genres, all stages of projects, and all levels of writer, from beginner to author of a dozen books.
See how Prompts & Circumstance helped Kate write 20,000 words!
Testimonial
“Sarah’s workshops are my writing church, the sanctuary I return to when I need to refuel and recharge so I can go it alone again. It’s not merely writing to a prompt, but writing from inside a prompt, exploring ideas and memories that would otherwise remain uncreated and unremembered. Her workshops are a cross between a workout for your writing muscles and a meditation for your mind.”
-- Louise Allan
How P&C Will Support Your Writing
Create a Consistent Practice
We all need support for our art. We were never meant to do this work alone. In P&C, you'll have access to a library of writing prompts to inspire you, to keep you engaged, and to keep you writing.
Stay Limber
Writing is like exercising. When we're in shape, we can run for miles. When we're out of shape, well, just walking out the door feels hard. Prompts are like stretches. They keep us flexible, so we can write what we need to write.
Overcome Writer's Block
Writer's block might not even be a thing. It's often just fear of our own brilliance and magic or fear of failure. But whatever it is, P&C offers fresh ideas, helping you break through barriers to get your words flowing.
Better Craft & More Pages
Every prompt is a chance to experiment, play, and improve. You'll break through whatever limits you'd set for what your language can do. And just think how many pages you'll write with this kind of support.
Get Started & Keep Going
P&C will ensure you never sit down to the blank page alone. The blank page activates writer’s amnesia: Who am I? What am I working on? Why did I think this was a good idea? Who do you think you are? Those sabotaging voices are intense. And draining. And distracting. And wrong. The antidote? Prompts, a timer, and generative writing.
Claim Your Birthright
The poet Naomi Shihab Nye talks about the power of believing you deserve your writing practice. It's not a luxury. It's an essential act for your being. Creativity is our birthright. P&C will help you claim it.
ABOUT PROMPTS & CIRCUMSTANCE
WHAT: Prompts & Circumstance is a library of generative writing prompts.
WHEN: The entire library is available to you, as long as your subscription is active. If you cancel your subscription, you'll have access through the end of your billing cycle. You can always rescubscribe.
WHY: A regular writing practice can unlock creativity and foster growth. These prompts are designed to spark inspiration, unlock your imagination, and encourage exploration and experimentation.
WHO: Whether you're a seasoned writer looking to shake up your routine or a beginner seeking guidance and motivation, P&C provides the structure and support you need to cultivate a thriving writing practice.
Testimonial
"Sarah offers these lifelines to writers all over the world within the sometimes-isolation of our quiet rooms and an empty page; the best kind of holding space and a vital kind of love as well."
-- Ashley Hay
Sneak Peek at the Curriculum
Click "Preview" to take a look at a prompt!
FAQ
Q: What is Prompts & Circumstance?
A: Prompts & Circumstance is a subscription-based service that provides writers with access to a library of prompts to support their creative practice.
Q: Who is Prompts & Circumstance for?
A: Prompts & Circumstance is for writers of all levels and all genres, who are seeking inspiration, motivation, and structure for their writing practice. Whether you're a seasoned writer looking to shake up your routine or a beginner seeking guidance and support, P&C is for you.
Q: Can I use the prompts for any type of writing?
A: Absolutely! The prompts are designed to be flexible and adaptable for all genres and stages of projects. Feel free to interpret the prompts in a way that suits your creative vision.
Q: Are the prompts suitable for beginners?
A: Yes, definitely!
Q: Can I cancel my subscription at any time?
A: Yes, you can cancel your subscription at any time with no questions asked.
Q: How can I get support if I have questions or issues with my subscription?
A: Simply reach out to me, and I'll be happy to help you.
Q: How long are the prompts available to me?
A: As long as your subscription is active you'll have access to all the prompts! If you stop your subscription you'll have access through the end of your billing cycle.
Q: How does the subscription billing work?
A: The billing is automatic. It works just like Netflix. If you sign up for the monthly subscription, you will be billed on the same date every month until you cancel. If you sign up for the annual subscription, you will be billed on that same date once a year.
Q: Can I come back if I cancel my subscription?
A: Of course! You can always sign back up when you're ready.
Meet Sarah Sentilles
Sarah Sentilles is a writer, teacher, critical theorist, scholar of religion, and author of many books, including Stranger Care: A Memoir of Loving What Isn't Ours, a New York Times Editor's Choice and Idaho Book of the Year. Her book Draw Your Weapons won the 2018 PEN-America Award for Creative Nonfiction. Her writing has appeared in The New York Times, The New Yorker, Oprah Magazine, The Atlantic, and the Los Angeles Review of Books, among other publications. She earned a bachelor's degree at Yale and master's and doctoral degrees at Harvard. She is the co-founder of The Alliance of Idaho, which protects the human rights of immigrants.
