We all hit rough patches when we write. A character just won't do what we want him to do. The dialogue is stilted. The prose are crap. Write long enough, and it's inevitable.

One way to combat those rough patches is the ever-popular flash fiction writing prompt. Set your main work in progress aside for an hour or a day (or even a week in some cases) and write an assortment of very short stories (fewer than 1,000 words) inspired by random first lines. It loosens the brain muscles and gets your creative juices flowing.

While you can find about a billion prompts online, I've also included a few below.

There's something magical and elusive about a wonderful first line.  It's in those first few words that you draw a reader in or else inspire them to put the book down and get something to eat instead.  The first line is the first impression, and it's true what they say; you don't get a second chance for a first impression.