Embrace the creativity of summer and join in our August Harry Styles themed creative writing challenge to kick-start your career.
Harry is an inspiration to us all, so why not use that inspiration and get started on your own writing project. This challenge isn’t form specific, so you can write whatever you like: poetry…short stories… diary entries… letters…songs…the list is endless! You might like to try different forms over the month or try something new like poetry if you usually read or write stories.
All you need to do is put aside twenty minutes a day, set a timer, and let yourself write! If you get stuck, try starting with a list of word associations, or write a bubble of nouns, then a bubble of adjectives related to that day’s prompt. You could also try switching from writing on your phone, tablet or laptop to pen and paper or the other way around. Sometimes writing in a new space can also help to unlock your creative energies!
Here are 31 prompts, one for each day of August, for you to get stuck into and to kick-start your creative career:
If you see a music note next to the prompt below, these prompts are pretty easy. You can either put the song on repeat while you write, (try to find an instrumental version if you can’t write whilst listening to lyrics) OR check out the lyrics and pick a word that sparks your imagination as the title of your writing.
Some of the prompts need a little more explanation so read the guidance below for more info!
1. Favourite Harry Outfit
Start with your favourite Harry outfit. Are there any colours, patterns, or textures that inspire you? Where is he, or where is he going? Use any of these details to get started. For example, write a poem of yellow things to celebrate Harry’s Fine Line Live at the Electric Ballroom suit.
2. Meet Me in the Hallway ♪
3. Golden ♪
4. Sign of the Times ♪
5. Dunkirk
Make a quick list of any historical events that you might be interested in writing about. Either start your research, or work with what you know to include a historical event in your work. You could also watch Dunkirk and write in response to that.
6. Watermelon Sugar ♪
7. Carolina ♪
8. Two Ghosts ♪
9. Self-Titled album artwork
Harry’s self-titled album gave us some lovely pink album artwork. Look back through these photos for some details you might’ve missed, like a shopping trolley and include those details in your work.
10. Sweet Creature ♪
11. Only Angel ♪
12. Adore You ♪
13. Gucci Campaigns
Harry has been the star of several Gucci campaigns now. Maybe your writing today will be set in a Fish and Chips shop or around a bonfire. Choose a setting from one of his Gucci campaigns to kickstart your work.
14. Kiwi ♪
15. Lights Up ♪
16. Ever Since New York ♪
17. The Met Gala
As the youngest ever person to host the Met Gala, this was a big responsibility for Harry. Maybe you are a guest there, maybe you are working the cloakroom. Imagine a very glam event and get stuck into the story of it.
18. Woman ♪
19. From the Dining Table ♪
20. Cherry ♪
21. In his own words
Read back through some of your favourite Harry interviews, and pick out any unusual or memorable words or phrases he uses. These can be your title for today.
22. Falling ♪
23. To Be So Lonely ♪
24. She ♪
25. Fine Line Album artwork
The fish-eye photos for Fine Line are quite different to self-titled with lots more colours and textures. What new detail have you noticed that you haven’t before? The whole shoot is quite abstract so maybe your writing is a bit wild today!
26. Sunflower, Vol. 6 ♪
27. Canyon Moon ♪
28. Treat People With Kindness ♪
29. Acting Role Rumours
Harry has been rumoured to star as Prince Eric, Boy Geroge and Elvis Presley. Pick one of these characters as a starting point. Where are they? What are they doing and where are they going?
30. Fine Line ♪
31. Your Favourite Harry Memory
We each have a special memory of Harry, maybe it was the first time you saw him live, where you were when he tweeted ‘Do’ or a particularly emotional performance such as Falling at the Brits. Use this memory to capture the sense of emotion and finish up your month of writing prompts.
This challenge is meant to be fun! Don’t get too worked up if one prompt isn’t working out for you. Try again the next day, or continue with a prompt you really liked. Once you’ve been writing for a whole month, you’ll have a huge body of work to start editing and redrafting, and that’s when the hard work starts!