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Writing Prompts

Prompts for Writing Project Descriptions

2024, April 25

Writing Tapas Session for a Project Description aka Exposé | ~ 60 minutes

I’m currently applying for a scholarship with a book project and have designed this Writing Tapas session to ease into writing the exposé. This approach makes the writing process more inviting and delicious by cutting it into tiny, snackable bits. I’m sharing these Tapas with you to try out whenever you need to write a project description. It works for other projects too, not just books. Get in touch to share how this session worked for you!

Falling in Love with Your Project | 7 mins

  • When did the idea for this project first come to you?

  • What moment, thought, or spark made you fall in love with it?

  • If there were times you forgot about the idea or doubted it, what moments reignited your infatuation?

Driven by a Need | 5 mins

  • At what time in your life would you have needed a book like the one you're introducing in your exposé?

  • Why?

  • What difference would a book like this have made for you?

3 x 3 Aspects | 9 mins

Let's say the exposé has three parts:

  1. What will we read and experience in the finished book?

  2. Meta-thoughts on discourses, societal relevance, socio-political criticism, etc.

  3. Form, style, methodology, project status, timeline

Now, note 3 aspects for each part, so 9 aspects all in all.

3 x 3 Sentences | 15 mins

  • Write one full sentence for each of the 9 aspects.

  • Let this be inspired by everything from the previous tapas.

    (If you're not done after 15 minutes, that's fine. You can resume later.)

Ghostwriting Machine | 7 mins

  • Body switch time. Let's say you are no longer yourself, but your own ghostwriter. The author of this exposé is handing you all notes from today's tapas session. Your job today: Quickly draft one paragraph after another, combining the above sentences, adding new ones, etc.

  • For this tapas now, choose one aspect/sentence that sparks your excitement and draft a paragraph around it.

  • You are playful, bold, and carefree, as this book project is not your baby. After all, you are "just" the ghostwriter.

    (If you're not done after 7 minutes, that's fine. You can resume later.)

What Your Text Needs Next | 5 mins

  • Body switch back. You're back to being you. The ghostwriter has provided a paragraph (or parts of it). You've also got all the notes you took during today's session.

  • What does your text need next?

  • Define 1-3 next steps, each taking less than 25 minutes.

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