One Sentence a Day

One Sentence a Day is a participatory activity that creates a daily space for connection, reflection, and collective creativity. Each participant contributes one sentence (a short phrase) per day over a set period of time, on an agreed-upon topic or freely chosen, in order to collaboratively build a text, mural, archive, manifesto, or shared log. This practice encourages writing, listening, and shared thinking, promoting sustained commitment and collective creation.

Preparation

1. Define the purpose:
   • Encourage shared reflection and collective construction through daily writing.
   • Establish a daily expression habit among group members.
   • Build a group work or memory based on brief, consistent contributions.
2. Prepare the materials:
   • Large notebook or mural (for in-person sessions).
   • Cards, sticky notes, or individual pieces of paper.
   • Markers, pens, or pencils.
   • Device or app for digital records (for virtual sessions).
3. Set up the space:
   • If in person, create a visible area where sentences can be added each day (a corner, wall, bulletin board, or window).
   • If digital, choose a platform where each participant can write their daily sentence.
4. To facilitate virtually:
   • Use collaborative platforms or digital forms where participants can submit their daily sentence.

Step-by-step instructions

1. Introduce the activity
   • Explain the dynamic and its duration (e.g., 5 days, one week, one month).
   • Decide whether there will be daily prompts or if sentences will be free-form.
2. Start the daily writing
   • Each day, each participant writes a sentence related to the daily topic or something they want to share.
   • The sentence should be brief, clear, and reflect the day or an experienced emotion.
3. Build the collective archive
   • Sentences are grouped by day and added to a shared format (mural, notebook, whiteboard, or digital file).
4. Closing the experience
   • Read all gathered sentences aloud or turn them into a collective artwork (collage, video, poster, group poem).
   • Reflect on the shared learnings, emotions, and discoveries.

Purpose

The purpose of One Sentence a Day is to encourage daily expression, strengthen the connection among participants, and collectively build a symbolic memory through brief phrases. It promotes listening, consistency, creativity, and collective commitment, creating an intimate and sustained space for participation

Required materials

• Notebook mural or flip chart
• Individual papers or post-its
• Markers or pencils
• Digital platforms for collaborative writing (for virtual settings)

Platforms

• Questiory
• Padlet
• Canva
• Google Docs

Practical recommendations

• Choose a fixed time to record the daily sentence.
• Encourage participation with examples at the beginning.
• Remind everyone that there are no right or wrong sentences.
• Celebrate consistency rather than perfection.
• Invite participants to reread the whole collection at the end to appreciate the diversity of voices.

Inspiration

Possible Thematic Approaches:

• A sentence that expresses gratitude.
• A sentence that begins with “Today I learned…”
• A sentence inspired by an image or word of the day.
• A sentence about the context I live in.
• A sentence for the future.

Creative Variations for the Activity:

• Turn the sentences into verses of a collective poem.
• Combine each sentence with an image or drawing.
• Highlight one sentence per day to spark group conversation.
• Create a “sky of sentences” by hanging them on strings.
• Use a daily sentence as a prompt for artistic activities or discussions.