Gentle 30-Day Writing Challenge: Week 1 Check-In

Greetings, writers!

We’ve just wrapped up Week 1 of the Gentle 30-Day Micro-Writing Challenge, and I hope you’ve been enjoying the daily prompts.

This week’s focus was Beginning with Awareness—slowing down, noticing details, and letting small things speak through your writing.

Reflection on Week 1

From describing the light in your space to writing a memory in exactly five sentences, these prompts are designed to sharpen your senses and build a sustainable daily habit. Even a few lines a day can help you reconnect with your creativity.

For me, the “capture the smell of a place you love” prompt led to the beginnings of a new poem draft. I didn't finish the poem in ten minutes, but it showed me that even a few minutes can lead to something bigger.

Bonus prompt: Transforming smell into imagination

One of this week’s prompts asked you to capture the smell of a place you love.

For a bonus challenge, try transforming that smell into something else:

• What color would that scent be?

• If it were a piece of music, what would it sound like?

• If it were a character, how would they walk into a room?

This kind of transformation pushes you beyond description into metaphor, making your writing more surprising and layered.

Looking ahead in the 30-day writing challenge

Next week, we’ll move into Playing with Perspective, experimenting with point of view and voice.

Stay tuned for new prompts in my next check-in!

And remember: keep showing up for your creativity. Ten minutes a day is enough. That’s the heart of this 30-day writing challenge.

Happy writing!