Helpful Story Prompts

Questions to Help You Write Your ‘I HOPE YOU FORGIVE ME’ Story

What was your state of mind beforehand? Or what transpired before that may have led to or triggered the situation? (Example: a fight with a sibling, a bad grade, bullied, humiliated by someone else, troubles at home, issues with friends)

Where were you when this story started?
What were you doing at that moment?
Why were you there?
What time of day/night was it?
Who else was with you? (If using names, please use pseudonyms) How would you describe them?
Describe the scene. (Examples: snow on the ground, posters on the wall, leaves falling, cracked concrete, desert hot, empty classroom, abandoned house)
What did you smell, see, taste, touch, hear?

How did it start?
Why did it start?
Was a dare involved? Why did you do it?
What was said?
What was done?
Why were those things said or done?
Did anyone encourage it? Or cheer you on? Why?
Describe what happened.
How did it end? Why did it end?
What were you feeling while it was going on? Why?
How did you feel afterward? Why?
What was the reaction of the other person when it started? During? After? Why?

Where did you go when the situation ended? Why?
What did you do afterward? Why?
Did you tell anyone? Who and why? (If using names, please use pseudonyms) What did they say or do? Why did they react that way?
Did you lie? Why?
How did you feel a week later? Month? Year?
What are you most ashamed about and why?
Did you see that person after? What happened? Why? How did that person react?
If other people were involved, how did they react afterward?
Where there consequences? If so, what were they? (Like losing a friend? Changing classrooms, sitting at a different lunch table?)
Did you get into trouble? Were you punished? If so, how? Why?
Why didn’t you say, “I’m sorry”? Or ask for forgiveness?
If you did say, “I’m sorry,” how did the person react? Did they forgive you? Why? Why not?

Questions for: What Did I Learn?

If you could go back and change anything, what would you do differently? Why?
If someone found himself/herself in a similar situation, what advice would give?
What wisdom did you gain from this experience?
Why did you want to share your story?
Who do you hope will benefit from reading your story? Why?