Monday was wild—but aren’t they always?
Issue 189 of our weekly newsletter is packed with literary goodness:
📚 New books
📰 Fresh lit mag issues
🏪 Indie bookstores to support
📝 Book reviews
📣 49 Submission opportunities
…and of course, a brand-new inspiration prompt to get your creative gears turning.
This week’s chaos got us reminiscing about the delightfully disastrous Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket (aka Daniel Handler), and just like that—poof!—this week’s NewPages writing prompt was born.
✍️ Inspiration Prompt: A Series of Unfortunate Events
Because sometimes, the chaos writes itself.
Ever had one of those days where everything goes sideways? You’re not alone. This week’s NewPages writing prompt was inspired by a real-life comedy of errors involving a birthday mix-up, endless back-and-forths, and a traffic jam that felt like the universe pressing pause.
We’re calling it: “A Series of Unfortunate Events.”
Whether you’re a nonfiction writer, poet, fiction lover, or visual artist, this prompt invites you to explore the beauty, absurdity, and unexpected clarity that can emerge from life’s messiest moments.
Here’s a taste of what you can do with it:
- Nonfiction: Chronicle a day that spiraled out of control. What went wrong? What did you learn?
- Fiction: Create a character whose plans unravel in spectacular fashion.
- Poetry: Use rhythm and imagery to capture the chaos.
- Visual Art: Illustrate a moment of beautiful frustration.
- Hybrid/Experimental: Collage, blackout poetry, comics—anything goes.
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Because even when life gets weird, there’s always something worth writing about.
