Doughnuts or Donuts, Which One Is “Write”?

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Though doughnuts is the correct spelling for the wonderful ring or ball-shaped cakes many of us enjoy, donuts is the popular American spelling. Click here to find out why. So, I’m going with donuts throughout, since it is shorter. 😊

When I was around 10 or 11, on a Saturday in the summer, my older brother and I decided to make donuts for breakfast, never having made them before. But Mom had a recipe book, so how hard could it be? And my brother was around 12 or 13—the wise elder. Obviously we could handle this task. Though I have to say, his sage advice had led me to leaping out of windows with a towel wrapped around my neck like a superhero. This same brother also liked to bring home the odd snake he’d found in the grass somewhere. As you can imagine, the emergency room was acquainted with our family.

Anyway, we had all of the ingredients to make the donuts, which involved a lot of frying. We made a plain cake donut. Taste wise, they were okay. And the sizes varied, which was a little disappointing. After all, this was our first attempt.

I can still remember the way the kitchen looked after we finished our donut project—like a bomb had gone off in it. Dirty bowls, pots, measuring cups, and spoons lay everywhere. The stove top was totally covered in grease. Rest assured, we didn’t expect Mom to clean up after us (as she made us aware would not happen). We had to do that ourselves.

Of course there are many who wouldn’t touch a donut. But for those of you who do, you probably enjoy these varieties of donuts:

• Cake
• Glazed
• Cream-filled
• Boston cream (below)


• Cruller
• Apple fritter
• Old-fashioned
• Beavertail
• Jelly
• Cider
• Potato (below)


• Long John
• Dutchie
• Cinnamon roll
• Donut holes
• Malasada (below)


• Beignet

And many more! Do you have a favorite?

A coffee roll from Dunkin Donuts—one of my favorite donuts

As you can see from this list, donuts come in a variety of shapes—with or without holes. If you love donuts, you’ll undoubtedly try as many as you can. (Okay, maybe I’m totally speaking of myself.)

Pondering the list of donuts makes me think of writing and all of its varieties:

• Fiction (science fiction, fantasy, romance, contemporary realistic, literary, flash, fanfiction, short stories, etc.)
• Nonfiction (narrative, persuasive, expository, memoirs, personal essays, short stories, etc.)
• Poetry
• Screenplays
• Song lyrics
• Musical composition
• Curriculum
• Picture books
• Early readers
• Articles
• Video game stories
• Graphic novels
• Advertising
• Blogging
• Podcast scripts

The list goes on and on. Looking at this list, there are two items that I haven’t tried. I’ll leave you to guess which two.

Which items on the list have you gravitated toward? What other forms of writing would you try if you haven’t already?

Tia and Henry thought it only fair that they each should receive one and a half donuts, rather than give the third to someone else.

Malasada from Wikipedia. Boston cream donut from seriouseats.com. Glazed donut from YouTube.com. Potato donut from kingarthurflour.com. Baking utensils from Walmart. Other photos by L. Marie.

51 thoughts on “Doughnuts or Donuts, Which One Is “Write”?”

  2. My guess for you would be music composition and podcast scripts? Blogging is definitely my choice, but it would be fun to try writing song lyrics even though I’m a horrible singer. 🙂

  3. I’ve really only tried fiction. Bounced around a few genres, but I tend to stick to my comfort zone. I think I’m becoming more of a creature of habit as I age. Usually order the same things whenever I eat out, which is the big one. Might be an attempt to lock in some stability. Most people need some sense of structure to help them through life.

  4. I’ve tried and succeeded to varying degrees to write:
    flash fiction
    nonfiction
    poetry
    articles
    advertising
    blogging.

    I’d like to try to write:
    song lyrics
    video game stories [whatever they are].

    Also, I’ve eaten and enjoyed the following donuts:
    cake
    glazed
    cream-filled
    cruller
    apple fritter
    jelly
    donut holes.

    Any more questions before I wander off to find a donut for breakfast? 😊

  5. My doughnut/donut vote is Boston cream. Why? Because I like chocolate!
    It’s 7:08, and now you’ve made me hungry for breakfast . . . not a donut in sight.

    I’m stuck on nonfiction, memoir, these days. But I may try a story book, text from an old blog post, illustrated by my resident artist. Interesting linkage, L. Marie! 🙂

    • Great idea, Marian! I know you and your husband will do a fine job! 😊
      I could use a donut too. None are here unfortunately.

  6. I love donuts (American–yes, I’m outted). I’ve tried making them but really, Dunkin’ Donuts makes them much better. I really need to go buy a box (calories be d****).

    • I’m going to have to get a donut somehow, Jacqui. The one I pictured was yesterday’s donut. I thought I could resist today, but what’s the point? 😊

  7. I seem to have written in a lot of categories and genres that aren’t on your list: Historical Fiction, Verse Novels (mashup of fiction and poetry), Radio Plays (I suppose Podcast Scripts is the current incarnation), and old-fashioned Stage Plays. And for the ones on the list: Contemporary Realistic Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Song Lyrics, Curriculum, Picture Books, Early Readers, Articles, and Blogging. Lots of blogging. Lots of donuts too. I love donuts.

    • Lyn, I’m not surprised that you’ve done so much. I didn’t include all of the branches of fiction, because I just wanted to end the post. But yes verse novels and historical fiction and also medievalish fantasy and other types of fantasy are all part of the list.

      Any word on what’s happening with your novel? Is it out on sub?

      I want a donut now.

  8. I guessed the same two as Jill ~ podcast scripts and music composition.

    I have written and recorded (on cassette tapes) a bunch of songs (both music and lyrics). I sung one of them in a wedding. Another I wrote for a friend going through a messy divorce. Another I wrote for a friend who was the “Energizer Bunny” . . . she got a kick out of it. Like painting, I don’t do much song writing these days. I think I’m lazy or something. 😛

    At the moment, I am being Gluten Free (again) so donuts are off the list. But your post reminded me of the DELICIOUS cake donuts my mom used to make for us. Plain and cinnamon sugar. YUM!

    • Nancy, you keep bringing out talents you have. I think that’s awesome. I don’t think you’re lazy at all. I think you’ve done so much and just want to chill right now and enjoy life! 😉

  9. Ahemmm – I noticed that the final tray of donuts contains only 3 donuts of which it is noted they will be divided equally between Tia and Henry…BUT…
    The first tray had 4 doughnuts…where did that 4th doughnut go?
    Love the connections, L.Marie – and something for me ponder (different genres) while I consume an Apple Fritter with my best cuppa Joe!
    😉

    • I admit I helped myself to the tray of donuts. 😉
      I love apple fritters! I wish I had one right now, Laura! I love anything with apples.

  10. Hi L. Well, I’ve written memoir, fiction, faction (the mix of fiction and faction) and my WIP has a bit of magical realism, but very little. I’ve had ideas for fantasy, science fiction and children’s stories, but don’t really have the know-how to tackle those genres. One has to really know how to structure them.

    Thanks for making me hungry, btw. 😉 Hope you’re enjoying this nice weather.

    • Yay! Glad you’re back to blogging, Lori (as I learned when I went to your blog). I’m glad you’re trying so many different styles of writing! Go for it!

      Yes, I am enjoying the cooler weather. So perfect!😊

      • Oh, that blog post about my patio was a few weeks ago. I’m still struggling with getting to blog.

        BTW, I wrote it wrong in my comment here. 😜 I meant that faction is a mix if fiction and fact.

        I haven’t tried those genres of fantasy, etc. I’ve had ideas, but don’t know if I’d ever attempt.

  11. When I was a kid, my mom made donut holes in a deep fryer and rolled them with in powdered sugar. We thought they were a big treat. It’s always hard to choose a donut out of the case. I like anything with chocolate or maple on top. Cream-filled is nice. Also apple fritters. My daughter’s parish serves donuts after Mass. My 11-yr.-old grandson loves it.

    When I first glanced at your list of kinds of writing, my first thought was that I only write fiction, novels and short stories. Then I took a closer look. I have dabbled in a few of the others–poems, musical composition and lyrics, picture books, and curriculum. And of course, blogging.

    • Yum! How nice that your mom made donut holes, Nicki!
      I also like chocolate or maple. (I really want a donut right now.)

      I love that you realize how much writing you’ve done. That’s great! 😄

  15. Definitely doughnut! Also plough. And colour. My theory is that Americans have a grudge against the poor little letter “u”. 😉 My favourite (see?) is a sugar ring, but I don’t know what you call it – old-fashioned, maybe? Two countries divided by a common language, as a wise man once said! I think I’ve tried everything on the list except podcast scripts and video game stories, neither of which appeal. Otherwise my list of preferred types of reading is pretty long, as you know… 😀

    • Yes indeed, FF. So glad to see that you’ve tried so many types of writing. And I agree that the poor letter U is underused here. Whenever we can shorten a word, we certainly try! It’s what we do. 😄

  16. I love cider donuts!!! One of the joys of living up north in the fall was cider donuts and hot spiced cider. I’ve often thought about writing a screenplay. I like the idea of writing just dialogue. In fact I wrote a short story all in dialogue once from of the recommendation of a mentor. Long time ago, very fond memory.

    • I love cider donuts too, Marie. I look forward to them every autumn! 😊

      That dialogue short story sounds like a great story! 😊

  17. As always, you have captivated and challenged me (and made me hungry for a donut/doughnut). 🙂 I fall mostly in the blogging, articles, poetry, non-fiction realm, and would include speech writing.

    Methinks you haven’t done podcast scripts, nor musical composition???

    We have lived here in this little burb for some time now, yet, neither Tom nor I have managed to stop in a little hole-in-the-wall called Honey Fluff, which makes its own donuts on site and generously supplies donut holes to a church on Sundays). I lean toward glazed doughnuts and think it’s high time I tried one there.

    Years past, I made jelly filled holes with refrigerated biscuits and on occasion, a favorite, that I make when the family is all over – corn fritters!

    • You are right, Penny. I haven’t done either of those! (Though maybe one day . . .)

      Where is Honey Fluff? Sounds like a great place.
      I’m not surprised that you made jelly filled holes and other baked goods. I know you like to bake with your grandkids. 😄

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