Jumpstart January: unlock your creativity

A month of daily writing prompts + exercises to unlock your creativity

Jumpstart January has started, but it’s not too late to sign up! You’ll have access to the full set of exercises and prompts. Email [email protected] for details.

Date: 1 to 31 January, 2026
Time: 6.00 am (AST)
Venue: Online; sent via email
Tickets: TT$250

A new year means a new start. Are you feeling stuck with an in-progress writing project? Always wanted to explore creative writing but don’t know where to begin? Bocas Academy’s Jumpstart January programme gives you three essentials: motivation, community, and solid writing advice.

Sign up for a month of writing prompts and exercises, and challenge yourself to write every day in January! Each weekday morning, you’ll receive a prompt via email, with themes relevant to writers of prose fiction and nonfiction. Once a week, a different prizewinning Caribbean author will share a special writing exercise to stretch your creative muscles. Plus, writers who sign up for BA’s Jumpstart January will have the option to join the BA Writers Room — a shared virtual space that helps you set aside dedicated writing time to develop a consistent writing habit and become more productive in your craft.

We’ll meet via Zoom on Wednesday nights (7.00-9.00 pm AST) to write (in response to the prompts or on our individual projects) — a fun way to maintain accountability and build a supportive community.

Please see the FAQ below.

Frequently Asked Questions

Am I too much of a beginner or too advanced to benefit from Jumpstart January?

The writing prompts and exercises are designed to be relevant and helpful to writers at all levels. If you’ve never tried your hand at creative writing, you’ll find ways to experiment with different techniques and approaches, as you build confidence. If you’re an experienced writer — even already published — you’ll get ideas for fresh approaches, motivation to help you through writer’s block, and a nudge or two to learn from other creative forms, from music to visual art.

What if I decide to join halfway through January — will I miss out?

You won’t! Participants who sign up partway through the month — or even on the last day of January — will still have access to the full set of exercises and prompts. You can go back and do them on your own schedule.

Do I HAVE to write every day?

That’s the goal! But we understand that everyone’s life is different and some participants may have to skip a day or two, for whatever reason. That’s fine. Jumpstart January is about building discipline and finding a writing community to help keep you on track — i.e. it’s about motivation, not judgement.

It says this programme is for writers of prose — but I’m a poet! What about me?

Although the Jumpstart January prompts and exercises are tailored primarily to prose writers, many of them will be equally inspiring or motivational for poets. And the BA Writers Room is open to all.

So tell me again — what am I really signing up for?

Each weekday morning in the month of January 2026, starting on 1 January, you’ll receive an email with a writing prompt or exercise. On Mondays we’ll focus on motivation and tips for overcoming writer’s block. Tuesdays will cover specific writing techniques, to build your literary toolkit. Wednesday is for wildcards — fun, unexpected prompts to help you explore your creativity in ways you’ve never considered. Thursdays will offer writing exercises inspired by classic Caribbean authors of the past, and each Friday you’ll get an exercise devised just for you by a celebrated, award-winning contemporary Caribbean author. Plus, on Wednesday nights via Zoom, you can join our new BA Writers Room. Having a set time to show up for our writing helps us develop a writing habit and this shared virtual space with a community of fellow writers will keep us motivated and excited about writing. As a Jumpstart January participant, you’ll get access to the full archive of exercises and prompts, so if you sign up midway through the month, or something prevents you from completing the programme, you can return to the material any time after — for a refresher or to work at your own pace.

Date : January 1, 2026 - January 31, 2026
Time : 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm (America/Port_of_Spain)
Venue : Email