31 Writing Prompts For January 2026

Writers Write shares writing prompts and writing resources. Use these 31 writing prompts for January 2026 to get you writing.

January – Getting Unstuck

Month 1: Starting is the hardest part

Hello Writer

We have a whole new year ahead of us, and that means another 365 writing prompts. In the coming months, I want to focus on the most common challenges we face as writers.

Every month, along with a prompt for every day, I’d like to share an exercise that helps us deal with challenges like writer’s block, perfectionism, procrastination, and imposter syndrome.

Getting started

This month I want to start at, well, the start. This is often the hardest part, just starting. The blank page, the blinking cursor. Sometimes it feels insurmountable, so the idea for this month is just to start.

Exercise:

Set a timer for five minutes and write: Try to write a little bit every day. Sit at your desk. Set your timer for five minutes and write. That is all. Use the prompts. Don’t use the prompts. Write a description of your garden. Write a character bio. Write a grocery list, if you must. Just start building a small habit every day. That is the goal, not the finished product. Not yet. Just get the words on the page.

Why does this work?

When you start with small tasks that you do regularly, you take away the pressure. You focus on building the habit and not writing a brilliant story. That comes later. It happens when you don’t even realise it, but the first stop is just showing up to the page.

Next month, we will discuss perfectionism.

Good luck, writer.