In Part 2 we built the basic blocks of your pledges using some simple exercises to get your creative juices flowing. We finished by sorting them into piles of ideas. Those thoughts and feelings are the resources your brain uses to bring everything together in your head.
In this section, we use a similar method to develop entire paragraphs. Download the Writing Prompts Workbook, and continue with this new thought experiment.
Paragraph Prompt Exercises
While the exercises in Part 2 are simmering in the back of your brain, you can play with these writing prompts. That practice will have prepared you to let your responses flow onto the page. Nevertheless, it might be a bit of a challenge at first.
One set of prompts include a selection from each of the Past, Present, and Future sections. For each writing prompt answer with three to five sentences. Allow10 minutes for each prompt or thirty minutes per page.
If you’d like to create your own prompt pages, divide a blank sheet of paper into thirds. Then choose one prompt from each list below and print it in one of the thirds.
Once again, the idea is to throw words at the paper rather than writing the perfect paragraph. If you find that ten minutes allows time to go back and fiddle with the text, set a shorter timer for future exercises. Quantity, versus quality – we will pick your best ideas and edit the text later.
When you complete the page, you will be tempted to read and critique what you wrote. This could be counter-productive to the process of turning your brain on. Instead, flip it upside down and go on with the rest of your day. Later, put it in a stack of finished prompts and ignore it.
Come back and do another set of three prompts later in the day. You may notice that the writing is a little easier this time. That’s because your subconscious is focusing on the challenge.
The Prompts
Here are lists of writing prompts, if you wish to create your own worksheets.
Past
- How did you meet them?
- What was your first thought?
- What did you think the first time you saw or talked to them?
- When did you first realize you had fallen in love?
- Did a specific event trigger the revelation?
- How did you react?
- What made you know you wanted to spend the rest of your life with this person?
Present
- How have you changed because of your relationship?
- What have you learned about life, love, or yourself from your partner?
- What new experiences have you gone through thanks to your mate?
- How have they changed your worldview?
- What parts of your partner’s personality bring you the most comfort, joy, encouragement, or security?
- What do you most love about your mate?
- What moment in your relationship caused you to see your mate in a new and surprising way?
- What made you realize they are The One?
- Why do you want to marry them?
- What are the things you hope they will never change about themselves?
- In what ways do they inspire or encourage you to be a better person?
- What do you miss most about them when they aren’t around?
Future
- What is your vision for your future together?
- Where will you be in 10 years?
- Where do you think you’ll be in 20 years?
- Where do you think you’ll be in 40 years?
- What unique promises can you make to them?
- How will you help your mate become a better person?
- How will they help you become a better person?
- What will be better about you two together as a married couple?
- What unique things will they bring to the marriage?
- How will you contribute to strengthening and protecting your marriage?
- What will you do to make your marriage more robust in the future?
- What excites you most about married life?
- What are you looking forward to in your married life?
- What are your expectations of marriage?
Extra Credit
Feeling like you’re ready to tackle something more? Perhaps you’ve practiced the limbering exercises and the paragraph prompts a few times, and you want one more game before you write “for real.” This section is for you!
These are more challenging prompts. Allow yourself 20-minutes and answer with up to three paragraphs. I suggest tackling these after you’ve finished the prompt exercise a couple of times. Aside from preparing for your vows, your answers are almost certainly going to fall into the “love letter” category.
Remember, you aren’t trying for finished-quality writing. Throw words onto the paper, and edit later.
Extra Credit Prompts
- How will you show your love, devotion, and faithfulness to your partner throughout your marriage?
- What movie quote, song lyric, or book excerpt sums up how you feel about your partner?
- What moments have most impressed you with their character, outlook, or response?
- Have any painful or harrowing experiences strengthened your bond?
- What aims or principles does your partner