1-MINUTE PROMPT:
What’s that old saying . . . “Surgery happens”? Something like that. (Shrug.) Pen a tiny poem about one thing you remember about a surgery that took place. If you didn’t have an operation, maybe someone you know did—even if that someone was just a character on a favorite TV show.
5-MINUTE PROMPT:
Scalpels. Hospital beds. IV drips. Remember that time someone had an operation? Take a minute to jot down what you can remember about the situation, then use your notes to create the inner monologue of a character awaiting surgery.
10-MINUTE PROMPT:
It’s likely you or someone you love has been “under the knife,” if only for something undramatic like, say, a wisdom tooth extraction. See if you can recall how you or others felt about a surgery that took place. Whether it was relief, terror, resistance, or something else, write about the emotional aspects of the surgery from the point of view of those involved.
20-MINUTE PROMPT:
The prospect of surgery can be a scary one. But what if it was set to music and given some catchy lyrics? Imagine a surgery that you or someone you know had to undergo. Rewrite the story of that procedure as a musical number in a Broadway hit.