Here are seven brand-new, realistic writing prompts for Thanksgiving week, each one tied to gratitude, family dynamics, memory, and the quiet emotional turns this holiday tends to bring out.
Monday’s Prompt – The Empty Chair
At the Thanksgiving table, there’s an empty chair this year — someone moved away, passed away, or simply isn’t speaking to the family right now.
Write the moment your character realizes how different the holiday feels because of that empty space.
Tuesday’s Prompt – The Recipe Card
Your character finds an old recipe card in a loved one’s handwriting.
Maybe it’s stained, torn, or tucked inside a cookbook.
Write the scene where they decide whether to make the recipe — and what memories it brings back.
Wednesday’s Prompt – The Long Drive Home
Your character is stuck in traffic on the drive home for Thanksgiving.
Use the quiet, cramped space of the car to reveal what they’re worried about, hoping for, or rehearsing before they walk through the front door.
Thursday’s Prompt – The Unspoken Tension
Thanksgiving dinner starts off perfectly…until one small comment shifts the mood at the table.
Write the moment your character decides whether to keep the peace or finally speak up.
Friday’s Prompt – The Walk After Dinner
After the meal, two characters take a slow walk together — maybe siblings, old friends, or a parent and adult child.
Let the conversation feel honest, simple, and overdue.
Saturday’s Prompt – The Person Who Didn’t Show Up
Someone promised they’d be there for Thanksgiving but never arrived.
Write what your character assumes happened — and what they eventually learn was the real reason behind the absence.
Sunday’s Prompt – The Leftovers
Your character is alone in the kitchen the next morning, picking through leftovers.
Something small — a sound, a smell, a memory — hits them harder than expected.
Capture that moment of quiet clarity.
Now, before you go, if you haven’t subscribed to The Morning Nudge, be sure to do that now, so you get our Law of Attraction Checklist for Writers and free access to our Private Resource Library for Writers, as well as a short email every weekday morning to help you manifest your writing dreams!
Just go to www.morningnudge.com and put your name and email in the opt-in boxes.
