Playbook: 52 weekly prompts

One writing prompt for every week of the year. Each one asks for your own story or opinion.

Your home page shows this week's prompt with a Write about this button. Here's the full year.

Your plan for the year (list): Share three things you want to get better at this year and one thing you will stop doing.
A mistake you'd warn others about (story): Describe a mistake you made early in your career, what it cost you, and what you do differently now.
The tool you can't work without (how-to): Pick one tool, habit or template you use every week. Explain how you use it, step by step.
A belief you changed (opinion): Write about something you believed about your work two years ago that you no longer believe. What changed your mind?
Your first customer or first job (story): Tell the story of your first customer, first client or first job. What did they teach you that still matters?
A question you get asked a lot (how-to): Answer the question people ask you most often about your work, as if you were replying to a friend.
Behind the scenes (story): Show what a normal working day really looks like for you, including the boring parts.
An unpopular opinion (opinion): Share an opinion about your industry that most people around you disagree with, and give your reason.
What a customer said (story): Share something a customer or colleague said recently that stayed with you, and why.
Three lessons from a project (list): Pick a project you finished this year. Write three lessons from it, one line each, with a short example.
Advice to your younger self (list): Write the advice you'd give yourself on your first day at work. Keep it to five short points.
A small win (story): Write about a small win from the last month that nobody else noticed but that mattered to you.
How you make decisions (how-to): Explain the questions you ask yourself before saying yes to a new project, client or idea.
A myth in your field (opinion): Name a common myth in your field. Explain why it's wrong and what is true instead.
Someone who helped you (story): Thank someone who helped you (a manager, teacher or customer) and say exactly what they did.
Before and after (case study): Describe how something worked before you changed it and how it works now. What made the difference?
A hard conversation (story): Write about a difficult conversation at work, how you prepared for it and how it went.
Your process in five steps (how-to): Break one thing you do well into five steps someone else could copy tomorrow.
What you'd do with ₹1 lakh or $1,000 (opinion): If you had a small budget to grow your business or career this quarter, where would you spend it and why?
A failure you're proud of (story): Share something that didn't work but that you're still glad you tried.
Signs you're doing well (list): List the signals that tell you your work is going well, other than money or followers.
Your industry in 5 years (opinion): Predict one change in your industry over the next five years and what people should do now to prepare.
A book, talk or podcast (story): Pick one book, talk or podcast that changed how you work. Share the one idea you still use.
Mid-year check (list): Look back at your goals from January. What's on track, what isn't, and what you're changing.
Saying no (story): Write about a time you said no to an opportunity, and how it turned out.
A beginner's checklist (list): Write a checklist for someone starting out in your field: what to learn first and what to ignore.
Where you work from (story): Describe your workplace, city or team setup and one thing it taught you about working well.
A number that matters (case study): Pick one number you track at work. Explain why it matters more than the numbers others track.
What clients get wrong (opinion): Kindly explain one thing clients or customers often misunderstand about your work, and how to avoid it.
The best feedback you got (story): Share the most useful feedback you've ever received and what you did with it.
Your favourite shortcut (how-to): Share one shortcut, script or trick that saves you time every week. Explain how to set it up.
Why you started (story): Tell the story of why you started your business or chose your career. What moment decided it?
Things I wish I knew about hiring (list): Share what you learned from hiring someone or being hired: what mattered more than the CV?
A trend you're ignoring (opinion): Name a popular trend in your field you're choosing not to follow, and explain why.
One week, one experiment (case study): Describe a small experiment you ran at work, what you expected and what actually happened.
Questions to ask before you buy (list): List the questions someone should ask before buying the kind of product or service you offer.
Language and culture at work (story): Write about how language, region or culture shaped a moment in your work life.
Your weekly routine (how-to): Share how you plan your week: what you do on Monday morning, Friday evening and in between.
Celebrate your team (story): Write about something your team or a colleague did recently that deserves credit.
Cheap vs good (opinion): When is the cheap option the right choice in your work, and when does it cost more later?
A comeback story (story): Share a time you or your business recovered from a setback. What was the first step back?
Explain it simply (how-to): Explain one complicated idea from your field so simply that a school student would get it.
Festive season lessons (story): Share what a busy season, festival or holiday period teaches you about your work or customers.
Five things I'd automate (list): List five tasks in your work you'd love to automate and one you never would.
Your biggest risk (story): Write about the biggest professional risk you've taken and what you'd tell someone facing a similar choice.
What good looks like (how-to): Describe what excellent work looks like in your role, with one concrete example.
Thank a customer (story): Write a public thank-you to a type of customer or client (no names needed) and what they've taught you.
The question nobody asks (opinion): What important question does nobody in your industry ask? Ask it, and give your answer.
Year in three numbers (list): Sum up your year in three numbers you know to be true, and the story behind each.
Best and worst decisions (list): Share your best and worst decisions of the year and what each one taught you.
Who you want to meet (opinion): Describe the kind of people you'd like to meet or work with next year, and what you can offer them.
Next year's one goal (story): If you could achieve only one thing next year, what would it be and why that one?