I think everyone should travel to a foreign country where people don’t speak your language. If nothing else, it gives you a lot of empathy when working with people who are learning your language, but it can be a great learning experience as well. However, it is undeniably a stressful situation with lots of opportunities for conflict.

Story Prompt: April 13, 2026

Write a story where the characters cannot communicate through language

The most obvious way this happens is when the characters can’t speak the same language, but it is also true if at least one of the characters cannot speak (e.g. they are mute, a baby, an animal, etc.). Of course characters can communicate through other ways, such as nonverbal communication or through technology or something more exotic. Sometimes the conflict of the story is finding how to communicate.

If you write a story for this prompt, send me a link to your story on your own site, either in the comments or at info@greenwalledtreehouse.com. You can also submit your story here for a chance to have it published on the site next week.

Have a blessed week!