The Haircut

Everyday life generates story ideas if you keep your eyes open to notice them. One of the first writers' prompts I ever had published was about shopping for ideas. I especially do this when on a day trip or vacation. I walk into stores actually looking for story ideas. I keep these ideas in a file. Some are never used, but often when I need to come up with a story all I have to do is go to the idea folder.

With that in mind, I have to tell you the inspiration behind today's prompt. My son-in-law cuts his own hair. He wears it very short. Yesterday he stood in front of the bathroom mirror cutting his hair and grooming his beard while he talked with his wife. It's a process. He changed the attachment for his beard, noticed a spot he missed near his temple....talking...cutting...attachment changed...on...off. He slid the trimmer up the front side of his head to his temple. No attachment! Zip! Down to the skin. Right at the front of his head. Kind of like those horrible pictures of when kids cut their own hair.

My daughter saw coming, but it happened so fast all she could do was laugh once it happened. What else could she do? My son-in-law stared at his handiwork and joined her. What else could he do? My daughter came up with an idea to temporarily "fix" the oops. For now my son-in-law looks like a jar head. Luckily his hair grows very fast.

Anyhow, this slice of life experience made me think of other hair cut stories. Like the time my girlfriend's little girls cut each other's hair the day before they were supposed to be flower girls. Use one of the following prompts to write a short story (fictional or non-fiction) or at least a a couple of paragraphs to get you writing.

 

Today's Writing Prompt: The Haircut

First haircut

Cutting your own hair

Paying big money for a new hair style

Cutting your child's hair

Cutting your spouse's hair

Secretly cutting someone's hair

* * *

Buy Donna Sundblad's books:

The Inheritance (Christian Fantasy)

Dragonborn (Epic Fantasy with time travel)

Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award

I normally don't post writing markets here but save those for my Anthology News and Reviews Blog. But I know many of my readers have drafts of novels tucked away in a drawer and this is your chance to do something with them! Here's a message from Amazon:

Hello from Amazon.com,

We’re writing to tell you about a great opportunity from Amazon for your work.

The third annual Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award has begun! The Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award offers authors of unpublished or self-published English-language novels a chance to win one of two $15,000 publishing contracts with Penguin USA, and distribution of their novel on Amazon.com. For the first time, Amazon.com customers will vote for two grand prize winners: one for general fiction and one for the best young adult novel. The 2010 competition will now be open to novels that have been previously self-published. Submissions will be accepted from writers around the world through Feb. 7, 2010, or until 5,000 entries have been received in each category. The two grand prize winners will each receive a publishing contract with Penguin, which includes a $15,000 advance. Find out more at www.amazon.com/abna!

We hope you find this information beneficial. If you need help with Author Central, you can contact us any time at:

https://authorcentral.amazon.com/gp/help/contact-us

The Author Central Team

Story Starter: First Sentence Snow Writing Prompt

(Updated October 2026) 

Sometimes, writing inspiration falls right out of the sky! I often find ideas for writing prompts when I'm outdoors. Today's prompt came to me during a rare snowfall here in North Georgia.

The schools closed at 11:30 that morning, but not a single snowflake had fallen. Later that afternoon, I headed out for my usual walk. At first, tiny flurries drifted through the air. Before I'd walked two miles, those delicate flakes had turned into heavy, wet snow, falling lazily to blanket the ground.

The flakes melted as they hit the street, but the grass quickly acquired a soft, fluffy covering. For a little while, I felt as though I'd stepped inside a snow globe. It was magical. Even the sounds around me seemed different, softened by the falling snow.

 

Of course, unexpected snow in the South can also throw a wrench into everyday life. Roads become slippery, plans change, and ordinary errands suddenly become adventures—or even disasters!

That contrast between the beauty of falling snow and the trouble it can bring inspired today's writing prompt.

Pumping Your Muse Writing Prompt

Pumping Your Muse Writing Prompt

Your challenge: Write a scene or short story that begins with this sentence:

Heavy white snowflakes dropped to the ground like silent bombs trying to destroy my plans.

Where you take the story is up to you!

Perhaps your character has an important appointment, a long-awaited reunion, or a journey they can't afford to postpone. Maybe the snow brings an unexpected opportunity—or traps your character somewhere they'd rather not be.

You could write a humorous story about a ruined event, a suspenseful tale about someone stranded on a lonely road, or a heartwarming story in which an unexpected change of plans turns out to be a blessing.

Let the snow create a problem for your character. Then see what happens.

A few questions to get your imagination moving:

• What plans does the snowfall threaten to ruin?

• How does your character react? With frustration, excitement, dread, or unexpected delight?

• Does the snow create an obstacle, reveal a secret, or bring two people together?

• By the end of the scene, has the snowfall changed more than your character's plans?

Remember, you don't have to write an entire short story. A single scene is enough to get your imagination moving. You might even discover the beginning of a story you want to explore further.

Happy writing!

Photo credit: Michelle Cox (used with permission),  pexels

 

* * * 

Let’s connect! 

Whether you're a new writer or a seasoned storyteller, there's always room to grow. Pumping Your Muse Writing Prompts offers creative challenges to spark your imagination, strengthen your writing skills, and help you discover new ways to bring your stories to life.

If you'd like to learn more about me... 

📖 Visit my book review blog for you next read at Book HookUp 

⭐ Follow me on Goodreads for updates and reviews across all genres - Goodreads Books I've read
  📸 Join me on Instagram for quotes, bookish highlights, and behind-the-scenes posts My Instagram
  🐦 Follow me on X (Twitter) for quick book insights and discussion as well as news about my own books. Donna Sundblad
  👍 Visit my author website: donnasundblad.com

 

 

My Newsletter: Imagination in Ink

👉 Sign up now and step deeper into my world. Join my mailing list

As an author of fantasy and historical western romance. Once a month, I open the door to my writing world and share what I’ve been working on, what’s coming next, and a few things you might not find anywhere else. 

Pull up a chair, and let’s see where the imagination takes us this month. ✨ 

📬 One email. Once a month. No spam. Just story.

 

Photo Prompt

Today's prompt was inspired as I wrote the post for Pumping Your Muse Fantasy Writer blog about creating a fantasy setting.

Pumping Your Muse Prompt

Write a scene based on this photo. If you want more to think about, first, visit the fantasy blog.

Place a one character or more here and answer at least two of these questions:

1. Where are they going?
2. What do they feel?
3. What do they smell?
4. What do they hear?
5. What's different from the world in which we live?

* * *
Check out Donna Sundblad's interview at Authors Unleashed

Buy Donna Sundblad's books:
Windwalker
Beyond the Fifth Gate
Pumping Your Muse