I am very grateful that I have had few medical problems in my lifetime. Aside from a bumpy knee and some allergies, I've been quite fortunate with my health. Not all are so lucky. You'll look at a friend (or a character in a book) and you might assume that they are perfectly healthy. Of course, they could have epilepsy, chronic back pain, or a metabolic disorder that you wouldn't have even considered for these seemingly fit individuals. These free creative writing prompts on health help to deconstruct our own experiences so that we can look more deeply into how health has affected the characters that we create on a day to day basis in our writing. If you have had problems with your health throughout your lifetime, this is a great area to draw from as there are many readers who will be able to relate.
Free Creative Writing Prompts: Health
1. Write a story about a time that you were injured, whether it was a small injury or a more serious one. How did you deal with the problem and what kind of medical attention did you receive? If it was a long time ago and you don't quite remember, fill in some made-up details.
2. What is the most sick you have ever been? What caused it and what did you have to do to recover? Go into the deep and gross detail, as you may get some effective new ways to describe things from such an exercise.
3. Talk about a time in which you avoided Western medicine and found a cure with alternative methods. Some of these methods might include herbal remedies, acupuncture, Qi Gong, etc. If you have never done anything like that, do a bit of research and craft a story involving such practices.
4. Write about your favorite and least favorite doctors throughout your lifetime. What made them so memorable as the best and the worst that you have had treat you. Create a conversation between the three of you all at the same time, where you try to get the bad doctors to understand a better way of doing things.
5. Detail a story that draws from an experience in which you had to care for someone who was ill or injured. How did you help him or her to feel better and what did you learn in the process?
6. Have you ever feared for your life during an injury or illness? Talk about those feelings and if you haven't, create a story in which you felt close to death. What happened and how did you make a complete recovery?
7. There are so many reports of deaths, injuries, and illnesses on the news, it sometimes feels like we're desensitized to everything. What was one news story that truly affected you and made you think differently about your own life? If none has, pick a headline and run with it.
8. Put yourself as a character into any television, movie, or book medical drama. What do you add to the hospital or private practice and what kind of medical knowledge have you instilled your character with? Have fun with this one.
9. Create a character (or draw from your own experiences) with a chronic pain or illness that requires daily maintenance. How does it change his life and how does he keep a positive attitude throughout it all? Is a cure possible?
10. Talk about a time in which Cancer affected your life or the lives of those around you. How would you deal with it if you were diagnosed yourself? I know this is a heavy one, but you can really get some good emotional material from such a prompt.
As a person who moonlighted as an herbalist for a few months this year, I can tell you that there are rich traditions of medicine that can help various disorders if you are finding Western medicine lacking. Keep in mind that a positive attitude and the thousands of years of herbal experience of the East can be beneficial to any conditions you are experiencing. These free creative writing prompts about health, at the least, can help you to deal with your memories and feelings about illness, which can be a great source of inspiration. Happy healing and happy writing!
Bonus Prompt - You have been given a magical healing ability to heal various wounds and illnesses. How do you go about implementing your power throughout your family and community?
Related Articles to Free Creative Writing Prompts about Health
Free Creative Writing Prompts from the Heart, Part 1
Free Creative Writing Prompts #2: Love
Creative Writing Exercises #2: Relaxation
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Use the above prompts or article as inspiration to write a story or other short piece.
