Story Prompts

The intelligence of donkeys allows them to be one of the few animals that can survive in Death Valley, where temperatures top 120 degrees in the summer. Write the diary of a Death Valley park ranger who begins to record the everyday life of a most unusual donkey.

Inspired by the 17th century French fairy tale and 1970s cult film "Donkey Skin", imagine (and write) the tales of taboo love encountered by a young middle-class woman who happens to own a jacket made of donkey fur.

Craft a timely and political parable about a desperate family that must choose between two remaining animals – a forgetful donkey or a dishonest elephant – in order to save the farm.

In the Bible, narrative turning points were often marked by the presence of donkeys. Imagine (and write) the conversations, moments, and possible relationship between Jesus and his donkey riding alone over the course of a single trip.

Paint a surreal and poetic portrait of Mexico City that flows from the perspective of a new resident, involves a wounded donkey, and begins in a cafe.