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Writing Prompts By Genre: 250+ Creative Writing Prompts For Book Ideas

POSTED ON Apr 12, 2023

Angelica Hartgers

Written by Angelica Hartgers

Writing prompts are powerful vessels for jumpstarting your creativity, and planting the seed for your next book idea. 

Dealing with writer’s block or self-doubt as a writer ? Experiencing a creative rut? Looking to improve your writing development? Experimenting with a new genre? Stuck on finding a book idea? Looking for your author voice?

No matter which of those situations you are struggling with as a writer, you might find your answer in some creative writing prompts.

These original writing prompts can be categorized in nonfiction and fiction groups. There's a long list of genres you could write within. And here, you'll find creative writing prompt topics for nearly all of them!

Here are the best creative writing prompts for writers to use: 

  • Business Writing Prompts
  • Self-Help Writing Prompts
  • Memoir Writing Prompts
  • Health & Fitness Writing Prompts
  • Family & Relationships Writing Prompts
  • Horror/Thriller Creative Writing Prompts
  • Romance Creative Writing Prompts
  • Mystery Creative Writing Prompts
  • Sci-Fi Creative Writing Prompts
  • Fantasy Creative Writing Prompts
  • Historical Fiction Creative Writing Prompts
  • Sentence Starters Creative Prompts

What are writing prompts? 

Writing prompts are story-starters that are used as a guided learning or creativity exercise to help writers get started with a new idea or story. 

Often used in an educational setting for students learning to practice writing specific genres, creative writing prompts are also used by advanced writers and authors who are experiencing writer’s block or are in need of inspiration. 

Writing prompts are designed to get people to think, by providing a starting place for a story premise or book idea, which can be further developed using the writer’s own imagination and creativity. 

There are many benefits to using creative writing prompts as a frequent writing exercise, both for seasoned writers and those just starting out. 

Here are some benefits to using writing prompts: 

  • Fight writer’s block. Next time you don’t know what to write about, or aren’t able to produce any writing for your current work-in-progress, try your hand at a writing prompt. 
  • Guide your inspiration. Writing prompts often help writers discover new topics by allowing them to start a story from the prompt, and finish it in their own way. Writing prompts can also inspire deviations from the story, or additional writing material, that the author can tap into. 
  • Identify new genres. Sometimes it’s beneficial to try your hand at a genre you’re not used to writing in. It can help you discover a topic you never knew you might enjoy, or it can further solidify your strength in your current genre. Either way, it’s good to get out of your comfort zone. 
  • Jumpstart a book idea. Writing prompts can incite a new story or book idea for you. If you’re having trouble figuring out what to write a book about, experiment with some writing prompts and see if anything sticks. 
  • Improve writing development. Part of improving your writing craft has to do with experimenting – especially when you’re in a writing rut. Dabbling in new genres, practicing how to show and not tell , and using writing prompts you’d never think to write about, can also help you identify opportunities to strengthen your writing, and increase your versatility as a writer. 
  • Sharpen creative skills. Creative writing prompts help you hone in on your creative skills. By starting with a story idea from a writing prompt, you’re forced to develop the story through your own imagination and creativity. 
  • Practice poetry. Sometimes, a great way to get the creative juices flowing is to write some poetry. You don't need to put it out into the world (though you might find yourself looking up how and where to publish poetry after!), but it can help you with your prose.
  • Experiment with tone. There are many different tones in writing , and it can take years to establish your own as an author. Writing prompts can help you arrive there quicker!

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How to use creative writing prompts

The process of using a writing prompt is loose, as they are designed to be used in a way that benefits you as the writer most. 

You can be as structured, or as flexible as you choose when using one of our writing prompts. That means you can start with a writing prompt, think of your own premise for the story, and get to writing your own detailed account. Or, you can use all of the details given in the writing prompt, and answer the prompt exactly as you see fit. It’s up to you!

However, if you’re not sure where to start, and need some beginner’s guidelines, there are a few tips we can provide. 

Here’s how to use creative writing prompts: 

  • Use pen and paper. If you’re struggling with writing block, I encourage you to use pen and paper to really get your creative juices flowing.
  • Choose a writing prompt. Read through some possible creative writing prompts, taking note of any that spark your imagination. Then, you can choose which one calls out to you most. Alternatively, if you’re having trouble deciding, you can choose a random writing prompt and challenge yourself to write about 
  • Pick and choose your own details. Some writing prompts include specific details to incorporate in your story. Don’t feel boxed in by your writing prompt; if you want to omit certain details or events and replace them with your own creative idea, feel free to do so. 
  • Time your writing. Once you have a prompt chosen, set a timer for 15-20 minutes and challenge yourself to not stop writing until the timer goes off. This will prevent you from overthinking the prompt, and will ensure you stay focused. 
  • Expand your own ideas. Use the writing prompt as a seed for your story, but develop it in your own creative way. The key to successfully using a creative writing prompt is to help your own brainstorming process, so it’s okay if you veer off from the writing prompt and take a different direction with your story and characters. You can even use character bio templates to expand your own ideas.

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Nonfiction writing prompts.

If you're on the hunt for the best nonfiction writing prompts to exercise your creativity and help you brainstorm some book ideas to write a nonfiction book , then start with this category.

Here, you'll find a variety of nonfiction topics, from business and self-help, to relationships, wellness, and memoir topics.

Business Writing Prompts 

  • Write about the biggest lesson you’ve learned in business. 
  • Write about how you have failed in business, and how you overcame that failure. 
  • Write about the biggest mistake you made in your industry, and what you learned about it. 
  • Write about how your industry can impact lives across the world. 
  • Write about the top authorities in your industry and what you can learn from them. 
  • Write about how you got started in your industry, and how others can learn from your process.
  • Write about industry secrets that can help other people grow their authority. 
  • Write about how businesses in your industry can maximize their profits. 
  • Write about what you’ve learned in your industry, and educate readers on how to 
  • Write about opportunities for innovation in your industry. 
  • Write about the top qualities an authority in your industry must have to succeed. 
  • Write about the top issues in your industry, and how readers can avoid them. 
  • Write about how to empower others in your industry, and why it’s important. 
  • Write about the future of your industry, and how readers can adapt to the changes. 
  • Write about the history of your industry, and how it has shaped the present and how it will shape the future. 
  • Write about a major time period in your industry’s progression, and the lessons from that time that can be learned and applied today. 
  • Write about common fears in your industry, and how others can overcome them. 
  • Write about the common stressors in your industry, and how others can manage this. 
  • Write about a time when you had to start over in your career, and the lessons you learned that can help readers.
  • Write about how to generate ideas in your industry.
  • Write about how to be a better leader in the workplace. 
  • Write about the importance of company culture, especially in our digital age. 
  • Write about the secrets to sustainability in your industry. 
  • Write about decision making in your industry, and how others can make better decisions. 
  • Write about the habits of authority figures in your industry, and what others can learn from them. 
  • Write about the failures of authority figures in your industry, and what others can learn from them. 
  • Write about the successes of authority figures in your industry, and what others can learn from them. 
  • Write about the key to productivity in your industry. 
  • Write about the key to creativity in your industry. 
  • Write about the key to working smarter in your industry. 
  • Write about how to think big, and when to think small, in your industry. 
  • Write about what you wish you knew now when you first started in your career.
  • Write about setting up a successful atmosphere to thrive in your industry. 
  • Write about something big you accomplished in your career, and share your blueprint for success. 
  • Write about developing a team, and how to successfully work with others. 

Self-Help Writing Prompts  

Want to know how to write a self-help book ? Start with these prompts:

  • Write about a time when you had to start over in your life, and what you learned from that.
  • Write about why it’s important to break the rules in life sometimes. 
  • Write about how to generate creative ideas. 
  • Write about the secrets to gaining unshakeable self-confidence. 
  • Write about the secrets to gaining lasting happiness. 
  • Write about the secrets to developing laser-focus in work and life. 
  • Write about the secrets to living a regret-free life. 
  • Write about the secrets to creating lasting love. 
  • Write about the power of forgiveness, and how others can tap into this.  
  • Write about the power of gratitude, and how to apply it to daily life. 
  • Write about critical thinking, and strategies for improving critical thinking skills. 
  • Write about how to reduce everyday stress and anxiety with practical tips. 
  • Write about effective communication, and how others can communicate more clearly. 
  • Write about your creativity process, and include strategies for how to be more creative. 
  • Write about the secrets to a successful relationship, and how anyone can be a better partner.
  • Write about how to stay disciplined, and why most people fail at self-discipline. 
  • Write about society’s hustle culture, and why working hard is good or bad. 
  • Write about your favorite country or travel destination, and what you’ve learned from the people and culture.
  • Write about the key to being a more productive person, and how it can transform others’ lives. 
  • Write about finding your passion, and how others can discover their purpose. 
  • Write about the power of positive self talk, and how others can implement it in their daily life. 
  • Write about dealing with anxiety. 
  • Write about dealing with change. 
  • Write about creating an atmosphere of peace. 
  • Write about controlling the controllables for happiness. 
  • Write about controlling the controllables for peace. 
  • Write about something a big goal you’ve accomplished, and share your blueprint for success. 
  • Write about finding inspiration, and teach others how they can find it, too. 
  • Write about how to better understand the people in your life. 
  • Write about the art of simplicity in life, and how others can benefit from it. 
  • Write about decision-making and the best practices for making big and small decisions in life. 
  • Write about the power of tapping into your imagination, and why it’s so important for people, including adults. 
  • Write about the importance of truth, and how others can be more honest with themselves and the people in their life. 
  • Write about dealing with life transitions, and strategies to improve adaptability when things change and its out of your control. 
  • Write about how to regain control in your life, and what to do when you’ve hit rock bottom. 
  • Write about finding your identity, and how people in your niche can discover themselves again. 
  • Write about the purpose of life.
  • Write about how an individual can increase their confidence.
  • Write about how the fear of rejection has been holding you back and what action you can take consistently everyday to break this fear.
  • Write about 7 daily habits that can increase your self esteem and make you feel unbreakable.

29 Memoir Prompts 

  • Write about a big goal you’ve accomplished, and share your blueprint for success. 
  • Write about a major time when you had to start over in your life, and what you learned from that. 
  • Write about the greatest lesson  you’ve learned so far in life, and how others can learn from your life. 
  • Write about one of your biggest regrets, and teach others going through the same thing how to deal with it. 
  • Write about the most difficult decision you’ve ever had to make, and what you’ve learned from that process. 
  • Write about a traumatic experience in your life, and how you have dealt with it. 
  • Write about a time you failed, and how you were able to rise up. 
  • Write about a major event in your childhood, and how that shaped you as an adult. 
  • Write about the saddest time in your life, and encourage others who are going through similar situations. 
  • Write about the happiest time in your life, and the greatest thing that moment has taught you. 
  • Write about the most influential people in your life, and how they helped shape the person you have become. 
  • Write about how you have developed self-love, and why it’s important to have a relationship with yourself first. 
  • Write about your journey towards self-discovery, and share tips with others who are lost. 
  • Write about a time you lost your way in life, and what helped you find your path again. 
  • Write about your spirituality and beliefs, and how you can share your message with others. 
  • Write about the biggest heartbreak you experienced, and what it’s taught you about love and life. 
  • Write about the time you broke someone else’s heart, and what it’s taught you about loving others. 
  • Write about a time you experienced compassion, and share how others can be more compassionate in their own life. 
  • Write about the biggest self-defining moment in your life thus far, and how you’ve developed from the experience. 
  • Write about your biggest accomplishment, and how its helped you banish self-defeating thoughts and behavior. 
  • Write about a toxic relationship you had, and how you were able to overcome it. 
  • Write about an influential travel experience in your life, and what it taught you about yourself and others. 
  • Write about the town you grew up in, and how it’s shaped your perspective on life. 
  • Write about how you were raised, and what you learned from the people that raised you. 
  • Write about a significant historical event you lived through, and what others can learn from your experience.
  • Write about your life’s journey from where you were ten years ago to how you arrived to this point today, and, the most important lesson you have learned on the way.
  • Write about five life lessons you believe everyone should practice/follow.
  • There is an experience from your past that has always held you back from thriving in life. Write about what this experience is, and if you were to overcome your trauma, how could you lead the life you've been dreaming of?
  • There is a saying: “You are the sum of the five people you spend most of your time with.” Write about the people you spend your time with and how they influence your life on a day to day basis.

29 Health & Fitness Prompts

  • Write about emotional health: what it means, why it’s important, and how. 
  • Write about a time you were very unhealthy, and how you were able to transform yourself.
  • Write about the secrets to dieting. 
  • Write about diet culture fads, and why they do or do not work. 
  • Write about the idea of health, and how people can shift their priorities to be more healthy both mentally and physically.  
  • Write about the taboo around mental health, and how we can change this mindset as a society. 
  • Write about your struggles with mental health, and help others with what you’ve learned. 
  • Write about your struggles with physical health, and help others struggling with the same thing. 
  • Write about what health and wellness means to you, and share your perspectives with others. 
  • Write about the power of superfoods, and how they can positively affect health. 
  • Write about the health practices in a different country. 
  • Write about an ancient health practice, and what we can learn from it today. 
  • Write about the medicinal properties of certain foods and plants. 
  • Write about how to break free from unhealthy habits. 
  • Write about food production practices, and how they affect the quality of what we eat.
  • Write about health in children, and how to raise health-conscious individuals. 
  • Write about raising a healthy family while balancing a busy life
  • Write about a time your health was impacted, and how the experience transformed your life
  • Write about a time someone you love experienced health issues, and how the experience changed that person’s life, as well as your own
  • Write about a time you felt unhappy with your health. What did you do to change your mindset? 
  • Write about body acceptance, and how societal expectations affects our mindset.
  • Write about the influence of culture on health, and how it affects a group of people differently.
  • Write about a harmful everyday practice, how it affects our health, and what we can do to change it.
  • Write about dealing with mental health on an everyday basis, and help others understand how to be more compassionate.
  • Write about the idea of health, and what contributing factors affect our perspectives.
  • Identify a distraction that is wasting your time and causing you to be very unproductive. Write about your plan to eliminate this distraction from your life, and the positive impact it will have.
  • Internal dialogue is powerful in developing positivity. Identify your negative internal dialogue and write out your new, positive dialogue to communicate to yourself.
  • Write out seven ways you can practice self care and why this is important to you.
  • Write about how vulnerability is keeping you scared. Then, write down an action step to overcome this fear.

40 Family & Relationships 

  • Write about how to build character in your children. 
  • Write about teaching children how to practice self-love. 
  • Write about strategies parents can use to instill healthy habits in their children.
  • Write about the secrets to balancing discipline and friendship as a parent
  • Write about the concept of soulmates, and why the idea is helpful or harmful in our society.
  • Write about how to find friends as an adult.
  • Write about the importance of having a support group.
  • Write about the dangers of toxic parenthood.
  • Write about the dangers of toxic relationships.
  • Write about the dangers of toxic friendships.
  • Write about the power of compassion in marriage.
  • Write about the importance of compromise in relationships.
  • Write about dealing with heartbreak and starting over.
  • Write about the idea of dating in the digital age.
  • Write about co-dependence and why its toxic.
  • Write about breaking up with a friend, and why it’s necessary sometimes.
  • Write about disciplining children in a positive way.
  • Write about instilling a positive mindset in the youth.
  • Write about developing your child’s uniqueness.
  • Write about the struggles in parenthood and how to stay sane.
  • Write about the beauty in parenthood and how to make it last, even when your children are being difficult. 
  • Write about sibling rivalry and how to cultivate a healthier sibling relationship.
  • Write about how to be a better parent.
  • Write about how to be a better daughter/son to an aging parent.
  • Write about how to be a better friend.
  • Write about dealing with the loss of a loved one.
  • Write about your journey to find love and what you’ve discovered along the way.
  • Write about developing healthy and nurturing relationships.
  • Write about the importance of self-confidence in finding love.
  • Write about the importance of self-esteem in developing healthy relationships.
  • Write about the importance of mindset on the search for love.
  • Write about the role self-awareness plays in being a better parent.
  • Write about the importance of communication in relationships.
  • Write about the red flags in a failing relationship, and how to save it before it’s too late.
  • Write about the idea of being single, and how to embrace it in a society that does not.
  • Write about the idea of finding the perfect partner, and how this perspective can affect our ability to find someone.
  • Write about falling in love, and how to keep the fire alive in a relationship.
  • Write about the importance of expectations in relationships.
  • Write about disagreements in friendships, and how to overcome and learn from them.
  • Write about different styles of parenting, and how to identify which type you are.

Fiction Creative Writing Prompts

Now it's time for the creative fun. Use these fiction creative writing prompts to explore new genres, practice your creative writing development using literary device examples , and get inspired to venture off into a new fiction story.

These fiction writing prompts are categorized based on genre, so you'll find topics for horror or thriller stories, romance writing prompts, historical fiction topics, Sci-Fi and fantasy prompts, and story starters.

While we provide the prompts, it's up to you to expand on your own ideas, create exciting plot twists, and fully develop your elements of setting and characters.

16 Horror/Thriller Prompts

  • Write about your last nightmare.
  • A couple is awoken at the witching hour (3 AM) by three forceful bangs at their front door. When they call aloud to see who's there, no one answers, but a demonic snarl can be heard from outside. 
  • Waking up from a slumber with eyes still closed, your character stretches their arms out, only to hit a cold body next to them. They live alone.  
  • You made a late night trip to the gas station, and it’s pouring down rain as you stand outside in the empty parking lot, holding the nozzle to pump gas. Suddenly, a hearse pulls up slowly next to your car, and when you glance over, all you can see is bright red eyes glaring at you from the driver’s seat. 
  • Your character just finished the night shift at work. As they walk through the empty parking lot towards their car, its eerily silent and they can’t help but feel like someone is watching them. The hairs on your character’s arms start to stand up, even though it’s a relatively warm night. Your character quickly jumps into their car, starts the engine, and begins to drive home. As they look up into the rearview mirror, a sinister, smiling face appears behind them.
  • Two kids venture off into the woods behind their neighborhood, scouting for a place to build their tree house. Before long, they see the streetlights of their neighborhood come on in the distance, which is a sign that it's time to head back home. As they gather their belongings to make the trek back home, they hear a twig snap behind them, and a guttural voice whisper, “You can’t leave yet – the fun’s only just begun.”  
  • Ten thousand dollars to own a 3 bedroom cabin? It was a once-in-a-lifetime deal, that you, as a new real estate investor, just couldn’t pass up. But in order to secure your purchase quickly, you had to skip the house tour. Now that the home was purchased by you, it was time to start the renovations. But first, you had to do an in-depth survey of the house to see exactly what work needed to be done. As you enter the creaky, old home, a rancid smell fills your nostrils and in the dark, dusty corner of the entryway, you notice a large, fat rat chewing boldly on a piece of bloody flesh.  
  • ‘Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the house. There was a creature stirring, but it wasn’t a mouse…Write about a holiday visitor who isn’t jolly or nice, and who brings gifts nobody would ever dare to ask for. 
  • A young family on vacation joins an excursion to a beautiful, remote beach. As they run into the ocean to splash around, they notice something dark lurks in the water, and it doesn’t look like a creature that belongs on Earth. 
  • Choose a scary story that you were told as a child, and add your own frightening twist. 
  • After a lifetime of waiting, your character has finally found the love of their life. But things turn sinister when one night, your character discovers that their new-found love must eat raw human flesh in order to stay alive.
  • Her mind was racing, but she knew she had to conceal her fear. As she turned to face him, she noticed his eyes. They were colorless, and taunted her without saying a word.  
  • They weren’t raised to believe in ghosts, ghouls, or demons, but the darkness that began to possess their once-loving father couldn’t be explained any other way. It all happened after he brought home the newest novelty for his antique collection: an 18th century wooden cross, said to belong to a woman that was tortured and hung for committing witchcraft. 
  • Vampires, werewolves, and witches. He knew they were the stuff of fiction, or at least, he thought he knew, until tonight.
  • It’s time to put your nine-year-old to bed. As you tuck the child in, pulling the blankets over her shoulders, you can’t help but notice the fear in her eyes. Concerned, you ask her what’s going on.  “She visits me every time I fall asleep. Can’t you make her stop?” she whispered in fear. When you probe your child for more details on who this woman is, and what she looks like, your blood turns to ice. She sounds exactly like the woman from the nightmares that plagued your own childhood.
  • It was love at first sight – for her, anyway. After years of being single, and sought after by all the eligible bachelors in town, everyone was surprised when Mr. Ezra came in, seemingly out of nowhere, to swoop her off her feet. He was tall, dark, and handsome, and everything she always dreamed of finding in a man. After a brief two weeks of dating, she announced that they had wed in secret. Not only that, but she would be leaving town with him, to start a new life. Little did they know that they would never see her again. Little did she know that the man of her dreams would soon become the man of her nightmares. And he was dead set on making her wish she’d never been born. 

15 Romance Creative Prompts

  • An exchange student goes to a foreign country to live for a year abroad, with high goals to learn the language and culture. Little does she know, she’s actually there to learn a lesson on love, from none other than a foreign classmate who has a strong distaste for outsiders like her.
  • Your character is widowed, left to raise two young children on his/her own. When it’s least expected, someone from the past comes back into their life. But things aren’t all that they seem, and falling in love again is the last thing on her to-do list.  
  • A restless man going through a midlife crisis. A free-spirited woman ready to embrace graceful aging. They butt heads often, but can’t seem to leave each other alone for good. Can they survive through something that threatens to tear them apart forever? 
  • They were childhood friends that hardly left their small hometown, and now they are distant strangers that live in two opposite parts of the world. When a tragedy calls them back home, they feel like they never left each other. How do they hold on to one another when they live two very separate lives?
  • It’s the day before their second marriage anniversary. As he’s making plans to celebrate, he gets a call from his doctor with news that will change their lives forever. 
  • Years of heartbreak and relationship failures have left her disillusioned with the idea of love. But one chance meeting with someone new makes her question her ideology forever. 
  • He’s a serial dater that enjoys the chase. She’s a serious achiever with a distaste for men like him. What happens when their two worlds collide? 
  • She’s carefully designed her life’s milestones, and is dead set on sticking to her plan. When she meets the man of her dreams and marries him after two years of maintaining a long distance relationship, she’s in for an earth-shattering awakening that not even she could prepare for. 
  • She’s a successful powerhouse business owner. He’s a humble trades worker who’s never been to college (and has no desire to ever do so). What started out as a temporary fling for fun has turned into a passionate love affair. But what happens when things settle down, and their everyday lives go on? 
  • As the caretaker of their ailing parent, who has no one else in the world to rely on, your character has put their life aspirations on hold to uphold their family duty. So what happens when love comes knocking on their door unexpectedly?
  • They were childhood sweethearts that grew up together, and have been inseparable ever since. Now that they have entered the next chapter as adults, their family and friends have urged them to get married. But the night before the wedding, the couple suddenly realizes that they are no longer in love. Where do they go from here?
  • Rich man, poor girl. It’s a story as old as time, but what happens when there’s a modern twist to it?
  • A young couple is ready to welcome their first child into the world, when a violent war suddenly ravages their town. The young man is forced away to defend his country, and the pregnant young woman is left to face the harsh winter alone. How can they keep their love alive? 
  • She’s never been in love, but she’s plagued by vivid memories and dreams of a man who seems so familiar, only she’s never met him. Could she have a lover from a past life that haunts her from another dimension?
  • Think of a famous love story that’s always intrigued you. It could be from history, or from your own experience. Now imagine a new ending for it, and write your own version of the story with a twist. 

10 Mystery Prompts

  • The crystal clear blue waters. The bright green foliage. The black sand beach. This would be the last thing she saw before she died, and no one would ever know. 
  • He went missing twelve years ago. He was just a boy, then. After years of searching for him to no avail, his parents – now in their old age – have succumbed to hopelessness and heartbreak. That is, until a visitor arrives on their doorstep in the pouring rain one stormy night. The visitor looks like their son, but something is very, very different…
  • Your character goes for an evening stroll every night after dinner. She passes by each of her neighbors homes down the quiet street, until she gets to a fork in the road and turns back around. Only tonight, she goes on her usual walk, and decides to take a left at the fork instead of turning around. What she discovers is sure to wake the sleepy small town from their slumber. 
  • A high profile lawyer on the hunt for justice, he’s adamant about defending his client, accused of committing a crime no mother could ever commit. Or can she? 
  • She’s an experienced detective with years under belt, solving the city’s most horrific crimes. As she digs deep on the trail of one of the most sinister serial killers she’s ever dealt with, she begins uncovering some details that brings the case too close to home. 
  • Research your favorite unexplained mystery, then re-write the story with your own twist and turn of events. 
  • Your character is on a mission to discover the truth about his/her birth parents, two people s/he has been shielded from ever knowing any details about. On a quest to self-discovery, your character learns the truth, and it can be summed up in three words: Murder, lust, and greed. Write about your character’s journey towards discovering where they came from, and the shocking truth they learn along the way. 
  • Today is your birthday. You wake up, ready to celebrate with your family and friends, but things get weird when you discover that the year you thought it was, doesn’t seem to be right.
  • You are house sitting for your best friend, who you’ve known your entire life. One quiet evening, you rummage through the library in search of a good book. Instead, you find a chest of photos that piques your interest. The chest is full of old photographs featuring your best friend, dressed in old attire and surrounded by people from long, long ago. 
  • While driving home in the pouring rain one night, you spot a young girl, dressed in all white, on the side of the deserted highway. You pull over to give her a ride home, but she doesn’t know who she is, why she’s here, or where’s she going.

11 Sci-Fi Creative Writing Prompts

  • Earth is dissolving, and it’s up to you to get all of the remaining human children to the new “home” for humans – a newly inhabited planet that mimics Earth’s environment. The issue? The planet is twice as small as Earth, which means there is only room for half of the children in the spacecraft you’ve been given. 
  • Your character is a scientist for NASA, and is on the edge of developing a cutting-edge breakthrough technology that will allow humans to be transported to space in half the time. The only problem is, the process ages humans twice as fast…
  • The sun burns too bright, causing people to go blind the moment they catch a glimpse of the sun’s rays. This means that humans have learned to avoid the sun, living out their days in protective pods to shield them from the sun. But now, there’s a plague that’s quickly spreading amongst the population, and there seems to be only one cure: a look at the sun. 
  • You live in a futuristic world, almost 300 years from present day. Technology has taken its toll on evolution, and the only way to communicate with other humans is through a digital screen. 
  • The world as we know it is over, and you’re the leader of this new era. Decide how you want to rule society, and what type of world you will create. 
  • Your character starts the day off like any other day. She wakes up, brushes her teeth, then walks into her closet to get dressed for work. Only today, she opens her closet door to find a wide-eyed woman standing there, dripping wet as if she has been rained on. She says her planet is at war, and she has been sent to bring you back home with her, for you are the only one with the power to save her people. 
  • Research one of Earth’s unknown mysteries or conspiracy theories. Now, re-write it through the lens of someone who knows all the answers, and has a powerful reason for keeping it all a secret…
  • Virtual reality meets the real world. You live in a society where there’s a fine line between who is actually a real person, and who is not. 
  • Your character is an expert researcher that’s been chosen to lead a submarine journey to the bottom of the Mariana Trench, the deepest part of the ocean. Uninhabitable by humans, the team witnesses sea life that’s never before been seen by man. But things take a turn for the worst when they realize a massive creature has claimed a death grip on their submarine vessel. 
  • You’ve been given the task to create the perfect species, but in your effort to do so through multiple experiments, you’ve given life to an army of children who are far from perfect. 
  • You’re exiled to a new planet, and you can only take 3 people with you. Who do you take and why?

12 Fantasy Writing Prompts

  • An expert diver, your character takes a trip to a remote island to explore all the underwater sights he’s read all about in books and documentaries. When he takes a diving excursion to a cave known for its colorful color, exotic fish schools, and vivid sea foliage, he stumbles upon a secret cave door. What it leads to is a bustling seaworld that’s quite literally, straight out of a storybook.
  • A device has been invented that can solve any of mankind’s problems – big or small. The catch is, that along with a solution, comes an even bigger problem…
  • You wake up one day to discover that you have been transported to the world from your favorite book. But you quickly discover that things aren’t all that they seem…
  • You come from a long line of witches, dating back to the 12th century. But a modern day witch hunt is now in full effect, and to save your life, you must find a way to give up all of your powers. 
  • Your character suddenly finds themself in an alternate dimension, where everything is backwards. How can they make sense of this new world, to find their way back to the dimension they actually belong in? 
  • Think of your favorite superhuman. Now, imagine that they use their powers for evil. Write a story featuring the dark side of your superhuman’s character.
  • Every morning, your alarm sounds off at 6 a.m. Only this morning, instead of the usual beep beep beep to wake you, a voice comes over the alarm and announces, “Today is the day you will say goodbye to everyone.”
  • Time no longer exists, and the worlds of the past, present, and future have collided, meshing them all into one. Write a fantasy story about this new world that exists – and the pitfalls that come with not having any boundaries within time. 
  • Your character unexpectedly gives birth to a healthy baby boy. What’s strange is that your character was only pregnant for two weeks, and she didn’t even realize it. As the baby grows, she starts to notice that she has quite an extraordinary child on her hands, and she must protect him from those who know he exists.
  • A dream-like world where everything seems to go your character’s way. He’s happy, peaceful, and surrounded by those he loves. But one day, he discovers that this isn’t in fact the world that he belongs in…and those that really love him desperately need him to return.
  • You’re given the chance to build your own character taking five of the best traits from people you know. What traits do you take from whom?
  • Your memory is erased and you have to start learning from scratch. (You can still feed and clothe yourself.) What is the first thing you want to learn and why?

10 Historical Fiction Writing Prompts

  • Write about a specific folklore tale from your cultural background, but add a special twist. 
  • Imagine your modern-day character suddenly finds themself in the past. Not only that, but they are the neighbor to a famous historical figure. Write about a significant event in the historical figures life with a modern day twist. 
  • Your character is caught between love and war. A passionate crusader with a prominent position in a revolutionary war, they fall in love with someone across the enemy lines. Do they give up their fight in a cause they stand so strongly for, or say goodbye to the one person they would give up their life for?
  • Research a significant event from your favorite time period. Then, create a character who was there to witness it all – the good, the bad, and the ugly. Write a story from this character’s point of view, sharing how the event changed their lives forever. 
  • You’re given the opportunity to travel back and time to a significant moment in history. Write about where you go, what you see, and who you meet. 
  • Your character is a factory worked living in Victorian London
  • Think of a time period you would never wish to live in. Now, imagine you suddenly wake up living in that era. Write about your experience from the perspective of someone who is actually living the reality you have no wish to be part of. 
  • Write about a character that was born a slave, and is the mastermind behind a dangerous mission to lead others to freedom. 
  • Research a historical figure who is considered a real-life villain. Then, write a story from their lover, or spouse's perspective. 
  • Research the history of your favorite place (city, country, etc.), then write a story from the perspective of a character who witnessed how the place as you know it came to be. 

20 Sentence Starter Prompts

  • The unrelenting sun beat down on his forearms, and all he could think about was how cold he felt inside.
  • A sick feeling caused by strong alcohol on an empty stomach, mixed with unsettling anxiety, caused her to crouch over in discomfort. But she couldn’t stop now. 
  • The clock struck three, and it was as if the entire world turned upside down. 
  • Whoosh whoosh whoosh. The dryer violently spun the wet clothes around, and 
  • He wasn’t sure what the crying creature was, but he knew it couldn’t be human.  
  • He stared at her, staring at him. And in the blink of an eye, an insatiable fury seemed to paint the sky blood red. 
  • The spacecraft zinged through the blackened bubble, and as she looked outside the window, she couldn’t help but feel the gravity of her eternal loneliness. 
  • No one knew him more than she did, but there were things she simply could not look past. 
  • This place was home – it always had been, so why did it feel so strange? 
  • The tapping of the keyboard was all she could hear in the empty office, and the room seemed to start spinning around her. 
  • A fast heartbeat, thumping uncontrollably inside his chest, was all he could to react; after all, this was the greatest moment of his life. 
  • “This is your moment, and you can either rise to the occasion, or crumble to your shortcomings,” the speaker said over the intercom. 
  • They were the only ones who knew the truth, and try as they might, they couldn’t forget that fateful day, even when they desperately wanted to. 
  • Despite the enchantment, her intuition gnawed at her core, warning her that this was a very, very bad idea.
  • Today is the day you realize your entire life is going to change forever because…
  • As soon as the words came out of her mouth, her eyes widened in horror; how could she have let herself say such a thing? 
  • The storm raged on outside the window, and the world in all its chaos was truly coming to an end, just like they had warned. 
  • The sun looked blood orange as it lifted off the horizon, and she knew the time had come. 
  • “Your heart belongs to me,” said the stranger in a hushed, yet familiar tone. 
  • Ding dong. He ran to get the door, and when he looked through the eyehole, as was his habit before unlocking it, he couldn’t believe his eyes. 

Once you've had your fun with these writing prompts, it's time to get started with your new book idea and start writing your book, so that you can move on to self-publishing your book and sharing it with the world.

There is a world of readers waiting for your story. It's time to start writing.

Whether you used these creative writing prompts to help brainstorm what to write about, or fight writer's block, it's time to actually sit down, grab your pen or keyboard, and get to writing a captivating story.

Didn't find what you were looking for with these prompts? Don't worry – we are constantly updating this list with new writing prompts for our readers.

Which type of writing prompts would you like to see more of?

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Student Opinion

100-Plus Writing Prompts to Explore Common Themes in Literature and Life

literary writing prompts

By The Learning Network

  • Jan. 31, 2019

Update, Feb. 15, 2019: Learn more about how to use our 1000s of writing prompts by watching our free on-demand webinar: “ Give Them Something to Write About: Teach Across the Curriculum With New York Times-Inspired Daily Prompts. ”

Every day since 2009 we’ve been asking students a question inspired by an article, essay, video or feature in The New York Times.

Periodically, we sort those questions into lists to make finding what you need easier, like these previous lists of prompts for personal or narrative writing and for argumentative writing , or like this monster list of more than 1,000 prompts , all categorized by subject.

This time, however, we’re making a list to help your students more easily connect the literature they’re reading to the world around them — and to help teachers find great works of nonfiction that can echo common literary themes.

Below, we’ve chosen the best prompts — those that ask the most relevant questions and link to the richest Times materials — from our Student Opinion collection that address every stage of life, from coming-of-age and wrestling with one’s identity to understanding one’s role in a family; making friends; getting an education; falling in love; working; and experiencing old age. We hope they can provide jumping-off points for discussion and writing, and inspiration for further reading.

Most teachers know that our Student Opinion questions are free and outside The Times’s digital subscription service, but what you may not realize is that if you access the Times articles we link to from those questions via our site, the articles are also free. So in this list we hope we’re not just suggesting 100-plus interesting questions, we hope we’ve also helped you find 100-plus great works of nonfiction that can speak to the literature your students are reading.

So whether you’re taking on classic works like “The Catcher in the Rye,” “Romeo and Juliet” or “1984,” or whether you’re teaching more contemporary literature like “The Poet X,” “Speak,” “Refugee” or “There There,” we hope there are more than a few items on this list that will resonate.

Please note: All our recent questions, from late 2016 on, are still open to comment on our site. While questions published on an older version of The Learning Network are no longer open to comment, both the questions and the related Times materials are still available via the link.

I. Coming-of-Age

1. What Rites of Passage Mark the Transition to Adulthood in Your Community? 2. When Have You Reinvented Yourself? 3. Is It Harder to Grow Up in the 21st Century Than It Was in the Past? 4. Have You Ever Felt Pressured by Family or Others in Making an Important Decision About Your Future? 5. What Do Older Generations Misunderstand About Teenagers Today? 6. Are You Too Hard on Yourself? 7. What Childhood Rules Did You Break? 8. What Have You Learned in Your Teens? 9. Do You Think Anxiety Is a Serious Problem Among Young People? 10. Does Suffering Make Us Stronger and Lead to Success? 11. Do We Give Children Too Many Trophies? 12. Do You Have ‘Emerging Adult’ Skills? 13. Is Childhood Today Too Risk-Free? 14. How Young Is Too Young to Use Social Media? 15. What Are Your Secret Survival Strategies? 16. What Have You Learned From a Younger Person — and What Have You Taught an Older Person? 17. Do You Think Teenagers Can Make a Difference in the World?

II. Identity

1. Are You the Same Person on Social Media as You Are in Real Life? 2. How Much Does Your Neighborhood Define Who You Are? 3. Have You Ever Taken a Stand That Isolated You From Your Peers? 4. What’s the Story Behind Your Name? 5. Are You Being Raised to Pursue Your Dreams? 6. Have You Ever Been Told You Couldn’t Do Something Because of Your Gender? 7. Do You Feel Constricted by Gender Norms? 8. What Messages About Gender Have You Gotten From Music? 9. Why Is Race So Hard to Talk About? 10. Is America ‘Backsliding’ on Race? 11. What Is the Role of Religion or Spirituality in Your Life? 12. How Often Do You Start Conversations About Faith or Spirituality? 13. What Is Your Earliest Memory? 14. How Resilient Are You? 15. Are You a Patient Person? 16. What Role Does Envy Play in Your Life? 17. How Do You Handle Fear? 18. How Much Control Do You Think You Have Over Your Fate? 19. What Are You Grateful For? 20. How Often Do You Leave Your ‘Comfort Zone’? 21. When Was the Last Time You Did Something That Scared or Challenged You? 22. Does What You Wear Say Anything About You as a Person?

III. Being Part of a Family

1. Who Is Your Family? 2. How Are You and Your Parents Alike and Different? 3. How Much Freedom Have Your Parents Given You? 4. Will You Follow in Your Parents’ Footsteps? 5. How Much Do You Know About Your Family’s History? 6. How Often Do You Fight With Your Parents? 7. Do You Have Helicopter Parents? 8. Do Your Parents Spy on You? 9. Should Parents Track Their Teenager’s Location? 10. How Do You Make Parenting Difficult for Your Parents? 11. What Good Can Come From Disagreements? 12. What Advice Would You Give to Your Mom, Dad or Guardian on How to Be a Better Parent? 13. How Do You Get What You Want From Your Parents? 14. Should Parents Bribe Their Children? 15. Do Your Parents Yell at You? 16. What’s the Best Way to Discipline Children? 17. How Should Parents Teach Their Children About Race and Racism? 18. Do the Adults in Your Life Follow You on Social Media? 19. What Advice Do You Have for Teenagers and Their Parents? 20. What Messages About Food and Eating Have You Learned From Your Family?

IV. Making Friends, IRL and Online

1. Do You Ever Feel Lonely? (video) 2. How Good a Friend Are You? 3. Do You Find It Easier to Make New Friends Online or in Person? 4. How Alike Are You and Your Friends? 5. Do You Have Any Unlikely Friendships? 6. What Does the World Need to Know About an Important Person in Your Life? 7. Does Technology Make Us More Alone? (video) 8. How Often Do You Spend One-on-One Time With Your Closest Friends? 9. Is Your Phone Love Hurting Your Relationships? (quiz) 10. Do You Spend Enough Time With Other People? 11. How Do You Feel About Introducing Friends From Different Parts of Your Life? 12. Do You Like Your Friends? 13. Do You Consider Your Siblings Friends? 14. How Have You Helped a Friend in a Time of Need? 15. Do You Take More Risks When You Are Around Your Friends? 16. Who Outside Your Family Has Made a Difference in Your Life? 17. Do You Ever Talk About Issues of Race and Class With Your Friends? 18. Is Your Online World Just a ‘Filter Bubble’ of People With the Same Opinions?

V. Getting an Education

1. What Do You Wish Your Teachers Knew About You? 2. Is School a Place for Self-Expression? 3. Are You Stressed About School? 4. Are Straight A’s Always a Good Thing? 5. How Well Do Rewards and Incentives Work to Motivate You? 6. Are High School Students Being Worked Too Hard? 7. When Has a Teacher Inspired You? (video) 8. Has a Teacher Ever Changed Your Mind-Set? 9. Does Your Teacher’s Identity Affect Your Learning? 10. Should Schools Teach You How to Be Happy? 11. Do You Feel Your School and Teachers Welcome Both Conservative and Liberal Points of View? 12. Have You Experienced Racism or Other Kinds of Discrimination in School? 13. Do Teachers Assign Too Much Homework? 14. How Should Schools Address Cyberbullying? (video) 15. Has a Novel Ever Helped You Understand Yourself or Your World Better? 16. Is Your School’s Dress Code Too Strict? 17. What Worries Do You Have About College? 18. Do Other People Care Too Much About Your Post-High School Plans? 19. Is the College Admissions Process Fair? 20. Should Everyone Go to College? 21. How Prepared Are You for College? How Well Do You Think You’ll Do? 22. How Well Do You Think Standardized Tests Measure Your Abilities? 23. Can Students at Your School Talk Openly About Their Mental Health Issues? 24. Is Live-Streaming Classrooms a Good Idea?

VI. Learning About Love (and Sex)

1. Have You Ever Been in Love? 2. Should Your Significant Other Be Your Best Friend? 3. What Are the Basic ‘Rules’ for Handling Breakups? 4. What’s the Best Way to Heal a Broken Heart? 5. How Important Do You Think It Is to Marry Someone With the Same Religion? 6. How Do You Think Technology Affects Dating? 7. Is Dating a Thing of the Past? 8. Is Hookup Culture Leaving Your Generation Unhappy and Unprepared for Love? 9. Could Following These Directions Make You Fall in Love With a Stranger? 10. What Constitutes Sexual Consent? 11. Do You Find It Hard to Say ‘I Love You’?

VII. Working and Finding Your Purpose

1. What Do You Want to Be When You Grow Up? 2. Do You Think You Will Have a Career That You Love? 3. Would You Pursue a Career If You Knew You Likely Would Not Make Much Money? 4. Does Achieving Success Always Include Being Happy? 5. How Do You Express Yourself Creatively? 6. What Are Your Thoughts on ‘Hustle Culture’? 7. Is Struggle Essential to Happiness? 8. Does Achieving Success Always Include Being Happy? 9. Do You Give Yourself Enough Credit for Your Own Successes? 10. How Important a Role Has Money, Work or Social Class Played in Your Life? 11. When Have You Failed? What Did You Learn From It? 12. What Challenges Have You Overcome? 13. What Are Your Expectations About Earning, Saving and Spending Money? 14. What Choices Do You Make About Money Every Day? 15. Do You Perform Better When You’re Competing or When You’re Collaborating? 16. What Activities Make You Feel Most Alive? 17. Where Do You Think You Will Live When You Are an Adult?

VIII. Experiencing Old Age and Confronting Death

1. Do You Look Forward to Old Age? 2. Would You Want to Live Forever? 3. What Do You Want to Be Known for After Your Death? 4. If the World Was Ending, What Would You Want to Say? 5. Would You Like to Be Cryogenically Preserved (Frozen!) Upon Your Death? 6. Do You Believe That Everything Happens for a Reason?

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50 Fiction Writing Prompts and Ideas to Inspire You to Write

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Hannah Yang

fiction writing prompts

Table of Contents

How fiction writing prompts can help writers, top 50 fiction writing prompts, how prowritingaid can help with fiction writing, conclusion on fiction writing prompts and ideas.

Have you ever wanted to write a story but had no idea what to write about?

If you’re familiar with that feeling, you’re not alone. At some point in their lives, every writer has sat down in front of a blank page with no idea what to write next.

When you’re in that situation, it might be helpful to look at a list of potential story ideas. A great prompt can help kick-start your creativity and get you in the mood for writing again.

In this article, we’ll give you all our favorite fiction writing prompts to inspire you to write.

There are countless ways fiction writing prompts can benefit you. Here are a few reasons you might want to use a writing prompt:

To start a new short story or novel

To practice writing in a new genre or writing style so you can expand your skill set and try something new

To warm up at the beginning of each writing session

To make sure you’re in a creative state of mind when you tackle your existing writing projects

So, pick up a pen and a notebook, and let’s get started!

why use fiction writing prompts

Here are 50 fantastic fiction writing prompts that will help you start your next story. To help you choose a prompt that excites you, we’ve split them into several categories: fantasy, sci-fi, mystery, romance, and contemporary.

Fantasy Prompts

You’ve inherited your grandfather’s antique shop, and you’re surprised to find strange objects with magical powers inside.

You set out to break the curse that’s followed your family for generations.

You can see visions of the future, but you learned long ago to keep them to yourself. Now, you have to speak up or risk losing everything you love.

You work for a zoo filled with magical creatures.

You’re a lawyer in a fantasy world, and your job is to negotiate contracts between the humans and the gods.

A company harvests dragon scales, unicorn hair, and other magical items to sell for profit.

You find a portal to a fantasy world in your backyard.

You find a magical item that will make all your wishes come true—but it’s extremely literal in its interpretations.

A supernatural monster kidnaps your best friend. You set out to rescue her.

Your parents gave different aspects of their magical powers to each of their children. Compared to your siblings, you definitely got the short end of the stick.

Sci-fi Prompts

Write an adaptation of your favorite classic tale—in space.

Aliens come to Earth, but they’re here for reasons no one expected.

Scientists have found ways to transfer memories between different people. You're the first person to sell all of yours.

Write about an entire world where people can buy and sell years of their lives.

What would happen if you woke up in someone else’s body and they woke up in yours?

You live in a moon colony surrounded by high walls. One day, someone breaches the walls.

Your parents send you to a summer camp filled with time travelers.

You accidentally stumble through a portal to a parallel universe where everything is the same as our universe, except for one key difference.

In a world where everyone’s DNA is genetically engineered to best suit their roles in the community, you have to hide that your DNA doesn’t match your chosen career.

You land on a new planet and realize the plants there are more intelligent than humans.

literary writing prompts

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Love writing? ProWritingAid will help you improve the style, strength, and clarity of your stories.

Mystery Prompts

You wake up with no memory of who you are, except for a single name.

Every day, a strange drawing appears in your mailbox, and they get more and more disturbing.

You receive a letter inviting you to a free weekend getaway, and you have no idea who the host is.

Your father is keeping something strange in the attic.

A man throws an elaborate party in an attempt to conceal a crime.

You realize you’ve been sleepwalking every night, and you have no idea what your sleeping self has been up to.

You thought your husband was dead. So why is he still writing you letters?

Your brother was murdered years ago. The police have stopped investigating, but you’re still looking for the killer.

Two friends discover a serial killer's secret hideout.

A young woman discovers a frightening secret while she's on her first hunting trip with her husband's family.

Romance Prompts

Two soldiers on different sides of a war develop feelings for each other.

A member of the royal family falls in love with her bodyguard.

You’ve resigned yourself to a loveless arranged marriage, but fate has other plans.

You’ve had a crush on your best friend your entire life. Now, he’s about to get married to someone else.

You go on a first date and find yourself stuck in a time loop, so you have to keep going on that date over and over.

Two rivals have to pretend to be in a relationship—and end up accidentally falling for each other.

After a bad breakup, you move to a new town—and find yourself attracted to your next-door neighbor.

When two exes are forced to work together, they rekindle old feelings.

You fall in love with someone from a different dimension, so you can only see each other once a year when the portal opens.

After your plane crash-lands on a deserted island, you develop a bond with one of the other survivors.

Contemporary Prompts

Write an adaptation of your favorite classic tale set in the town you grew up in.

Two best friends go on a road trip and encounter a problem they never expected.

An adopted orphan goes on a journey to reconnect with her birth family.

You’re told a family secret that changes everything you think you know about your life.

A group of friends takes a practical joke too far, leading to disaster.

A college student creates an invention for a technology class and accidentally goes viral.

A painter in her early eighties struggles with her slow descent into blindness.

A couple breaks up, but the ramifications of their breakup follow them for decades.

A carefree playboy is forced to adopt a child, which changes his whole life.

You’re framed for a crime you didn’t commit, and nobody believes you’re innocent—except for your estranged sister.

No matter what type of story you’re writing, ProWritingAid is a great tool to help you make your writing shine.

ProWritingAid will suggest ways to improve various weaknesses in your writing, such as grammar mistakes, repetitive words, passive voice, unnecessary dialogue tags, and more.

You can even tell ProWritingAid what type of fiction you’re writing, such as fantasy or historical fiction, to get customized suggestions that match your genre.

There you have it—our complete list of the best fiction writing prompts to inspire you to write.

Try out your favorite one, and see if you can turn it into a unique story. 

Good luck, and happy writing!

Hannah is a speculative fiction writer who loves all things strange and surreal. She holds a BA from Yale University and lives in Colorado. When she’s not busy writing, you can find her painting watercolors, playing her ukulele, or hiking in the Rockies. Follow her work on hannahyang.com or on Twitter at @hannahxyang.

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500 Writing Prompts to Help Beat Writer’s Block

Looking to get your story started with a writing prompt? You’ve come to the right place. In this post we detail everything you need to know about writing prompts and give you 500 writing prompts broken down by genre. Enjoy!

I want to be a writer… but what if I have nothing to write about?

Ever feel like you’d love to write but you’re fresh out of ideas? Like there’s nothing else that you could possibly write about, or you have no idea where to even get started? We get it. One of the hardest steps in writing a book is often knowing where to get started. Coming up with content, getting your pen (or pencil) to paper, and letting your creativity flow is a challenge that many writers struggle with. As we know, facing writer’s block and fighting personal writing doubt is common. An overwhelming number of professional authors admit to getting stuck well before they get to the point of selling books on Amazon . Thankfully, there’s an answer to the question of where to turn when you feel like you’ve hit that proverbial wall: the writing prompt.

What is a writing prompt?

How often do writers use writing prompts?

There’s no right answer to this question because using writing prompts can often be a personal choice. Some authors find it greatly benefits their ability to turn out creative results. Some authors know that they already have the right ideas for a book in their heads. With using writing prompts, you need to decide on what’s best for you . Whatever method helps you generate ideas is what’s best for your writing!

Is there a writing prompt that’s best for me?

You might be wondering if there’s one type of writing prompt that’s best for you. It’s easy to find selections of prompts that are filtered by specific genres (romance, mystery, and so on). However, we recommend sticking to genre-specific prompts if you want your writing to be more focused. With that being said, you never know when inspiration will strike. If your writing needs are less genre-restricted, reading as many prompts as possible may be the best option for you! Whenever I write for fun, I love to read as many prompts as I can across all genres. Hey, you can get some pretty fun ideas for a thriller story from sci-fi writing prompts.

Where can I find writing prompts?

Easy – the Internet! And books, too. We recommend checking out our collection of prompts first, but there are numerous great sources throughout the web (blogs, social media, and even AI tools like ChatGPT ). Through combing the Internet for great websites and blogs like Reedsy , Screencraft , The Write Practice , Bryn Donovan’s resources , and the @writing.prompt.s Instagram page, we’ve written and gathered 500 writing prompts to help you kickstart your brain into writing mode. Categorized into ten popular genres, we encourage you to grab your mug of coffee or tea, read through our prompts, and get ready to catch the writing bug.

Have any particular writing prompts that help you get focused? Want to tell us about a great website for writing prompts? Feel free to share those in the comments below. Happy writing!

  • Mystery / Thriller
  • Science Fiction
  • Fantasy / Paranormal
  • General Fiction
  • Religion / Spirituality
  • Travel / Adventure
  • Young Adult

What are some mystery and thriller writing prompts?

  • You find strange, muddy footprints leading up to your front door.
  • A stranger sits down next to you on a train and gets up, leaving a package behind. Do you investigate the package?
  • You hear news of your next-door neighbor vanishing without a trace.
  • One day the national news channel shuts off. And the next day after that, too.
  • One day at work, you look across the street to see a hooded figure in a black coat pointing directly at you. What do they want?
  • You stumble upon a strange house you’ve never seen before on your morning run.
  • You get a text message from an unknown number saying, “Meet me outside. Now.”
  • Your parents tell you that they actually don’t know whose child you are.
  • Someone puts a large black box on your doorstep. A note on the front reads, “Caution: may bite.”
  • You wake up to discover a completely different, unknown face staring back at you from the mirror.
  • The protagonist of your story discovers that there is a person who looks exactly like him.
  • An international spy group recruits you to be their latest member.
  • You begin to realize that your reflection is no longer appearing in mirrors.
  • You aunt passes away, leaving you $500,000 in her will under the condition that you resume care for your hundred-year-old home.
  • Your best friend tells you that she feels like someone’s been watching her. The next day she goes missing.
  • Three words: Long lost brother.
  • The day of your wedding, you wake up to find every person in your wedding party has been brutally murdered.
  • The FBI begs you to come back to work on a special case. Your former partner has turned and is now wanted for the murders of three co-workers.
  • Local gravestones begin disappearing.
  • You can solve murders simply by stepping foot at the crime scene. Problem is, no one believes you.
  • Write a short story where the protagonist has a doppelganger. (Reedsy)
  • Your fingers tensed around the object in your pocket, ready to pull it out at a moment’s notice. (Reedsy)
  • You’re sitting by a window watching the flakes slowly and silently fall. Suddenly, you see something outside that snaps you out of your reverie. (Reedsy)
  • You’re at a huge store scouting out Black Friday deals. You start to notice that all the security cameras in the store seem to be following your each and every move. (Reedsy)
  • You work for the CIA who send you undercover in the FBI, who send you undercover in M16, who send you undercover in the CIA, who are very confused that you are back after only two weeks. (Reedsy)
  • A terrorist group has been infiltrated by so many agencies that it is now run by spies, unbeknownst to the spies themselves. This fact becomes apparent to an actual extremist who joins their ranks. (Reedsy)
  • Ever since childhood, a dark figure no one else can see has been following you around, whispering in your ear. Today you see it lying a few feet away, screaming and asking you to run. (Reedsy)
  • You’ve lived an average life up until today, your 20th birthday. You just found out that your dad is the runaway son of a doting criminal warlord, and your mom is the daughter of an equally doting secret agent. Both family businesses are looking to make you the next heir. (Reedsy)
  • She has been walking for hours. Her feet are starting to bleed. But she can’t stop moving… she can’t let him find her again. (Reedsy)
  • The morning after a blizzard you make your way outside and slowly start to realize everyone has disappeared. (Reedsy)
  • You find a hand-written note on your windshield that says, “Drive west for 100 miles.” (Reedsy)
  • You wake up in a jail cell, crusted blood covering your hands. You have no idea how you got there. The cell door clangs open, and an officer walks you to interrogation room where two detectives wait to question you. (Reedsy)
  • You walk into your job and find a secret, coded note pinned to your desk. What do you do next? (Reedsy)
  • Guard this with your life. (Reedsy)
  • A loved one confides in you, but the secret could damage someone else you care about. What do you do? (Reedsy)
  • As you’re browsing through a rack of sweaters, someone approaches you and says, “I need you to listen to me very carefully.” (Reedsy)
  • Write a short dark comedy in which a long-unsolved mystery is finally cracked. (Reedsy)
  • They say a picture is worth a thousand words but you knew the one you’d just taken was worth a million. (Reedsy)
  • You were the oldest person still living in the town and you remembered things no one else did. (Reedsy)
  • Looking through old family photos, multiple generations back, you notice there is a cat in almost every group photo. The same cat – color, pattern, one docked ear – that is currently purring on your lap. (Reedsy)
  • “… and that’s why dividing by three is illegal.” (Reedsy)
  • You’re a serial killer who murders anyone you see hitchhiking up your mountain. One day, you pick up a hitchhiker who kills anyone who picks them up.
  • You are legally allowed to commit murder once, but you must fill out the proper paperwork and your proposed victim will be notified of your intentions. (Reedsy)
  • You hire two private investigators to investigate each other. One month later both come to you to present their findings. (Reedsy)
  • 20 years after your daughter was abducted, a detective finds you to reopen the case. The detective turns out to be your daughter. (Reedsy)
  • You’re shaking hands with a stranger at a networking event when you ask for their name. “I have no name,” they reply. (Reedsy)
  • As you’re paying for your groceries, you mention to the clerk, “There’s a mess in aisle 16.” They give you a puzzled look and reply, “There is no aisle 16.” (Reedsy)
  • The detective didn’t realize they were being foiled by a competing detective. (Reedsy)
  • The first day you opened your own office as a private investigator, you didn’t expect it to be busy. You were wrong. (Reedsy)
  • You are the world’s greatest detective. With your near superhuman intellect, you have never failed to solve a case before. One day, you finally meet your match: a criminal so unbelievably stupid that you cannot possibly comprehend and predict what he’s going to do next. (Reedsy)

What are some romance writing prompts?

  • Left at the altar, you decide to seek revenge on your ex.
  • You got ditched at the last minute before prom – who will your date be?
  • A stranger texts the wrong number, and accidentally sends you a declaration of love. The message is so sweet and heartfelt that you know you can’t let it go.
  • A divorced former couple find each other on the same flight to Paris… Sitting next to each other.
  • After joining an adult swim league, you realize that your coach is irresistibly cute.
  • Your husband accidentally sends you a text meant for his mistress.
  • You and a hot stranger get trapped in an elevator.
  • Write a love story set at the zoo.
  • A college professor and their teaching assistant hit it off a little too well.
  • You get to make one wish to create your dream romantic partner. What is it?
  • Two strangers on an online chat room hit it off. Turns out they’re childhood sweethearts.
  • A parole officer falls in love with his parolee.
  • After their catamaran crashes, a husband and wife on their anniversary trip are left marooned on an island in the tropics.
  • She’s a burgeoning lingerie model who needs her cute neighbor to take portfolio shots of her.
  • An alien falls in love with a forbidden human.
  • Desperate for cash, a med student signs up to be a nude model for a retired women’s art club.
  • A cutthroat business woman swore she’d never find love until her best friend sets her up on a blind date.
  • Two widowed people meet at a community garden.
  • A chef decides to embark on an international culinary tour for inspiration and falls in love with their tour guide.
  • A daughter tries to set her widowed father up on an online dating app – without him knowing.
  • A Republican presidential candidate and Democratic presidential candidate fall in love.
  • You are a popular book heroine’s love interest. You now have 60 seconds to convince them that saving the city is more important than saving you. (@writing.prompt.s)
  • The love of your life is your brother’s nemesis.
  • You fall in love with every person you make eye contact with.
  • You’re a mail order bride arriving at her new home for the first time.
  • After you move to a new city, you fall in love with your realtor while buying a new house.
  • You realize that you’ve fallen out of love with your new wife while you’re on your honeymoon.
  • You and your best friends decide to try a new dating app for the first time.
  • At your friend’s urging, you begrudgingly attend a Valentine’s Day speed dating event. (Reedsy)
  • Every day, you return to your apartment and say, “Honey, I’m home. Oh wait, that’s right… I live alone.” But then one day, a voice replies, “I picked up some pizza.” (Reedsy)
  • Cupid offers to shoot an arrow into the person you love. He warns you that if the person already has a pre-existing affection towards you, it will disappear when the arrow strikes. (Reedsy)
  • You meet your doppelganger of the opposite sex and find you are strangely attracted to each other. (Reedsy)
  • Write a romantic comedy. Difficulty: both lovers are emotionally mature and have excellent communication skills. (Reedsy)
  • In the future, romantic attraction is literal: each person is fitted with an electromagnetic bracelet which, they claim, will pull you to your soulmate. It’s the day they turn the magnets on, and you’re waiting. (Reedsy)
  • A fortune teller falls in love with their client who has their palm read every month. (Reedsy)
  • It wasn’t love at first sight. But now you were starting to see them in a new light… (Reedsy)
  • Someone with anxiety falls in love with someone extremely adventurous. (Reedsy)
  • The lives of two people are changed forever when they coincidentally meet and engage in a weekend-long affair. (Reedsy)
  • They lived in a world where PDA is forbidden. One day, they slipped up and held hands on the street. (Reedsy)
  • Two characters who are perfect for one another are foiled by bad timing. (Reedsy)
  • Two mortal enemies fall in love when they’re trapped in an elevator together and begin to see the other person’s perspective. (Reedsy)
  • Valentine’s Day at a retirement home. (Reedsy)
  • Well, that was a New Year’s Eve kiss you won’t forget any time soon. (Reedsy)
  • You have the ability to make anyone fall in love with you. You’ve just fallen in love for the first time. Do you use your power? (Reedsy)
  • You and your partner finally have the most romantic vacation planned. Problem is, your in-laws decided to tag along at the last minute.
  • You never would have guessed that in 48 hours you’d be married. (Reedsy)
  • A dog lover and cat lover fall in love… and must find a way to get their animals to fall in love, too.
  • You’ve been bumping into the same stranger for months. Finally, you decide to say hello. (Reedsy)
  • They might have aged 50 years, but when they held you, those hands felt exactly like they did the first time. (Reedsy)
  • An avalanche strands two mortal enemies together… and they start to fall in love.

What are some science fiction writing prompts?

  • You wake up one morning to find out that you get to move to any planet of your choosing.
  • Your wife is a droid.
  • Every day, you get one hour to revisit any moment from your life. What do you pick?
  • Gravity no longer exists.
  • You are chosen to go on the first ever recreational space journey.
  • After people die, their spirits can be brought back from death but at the cost of one random human life. Is it worth it?
  • Everyone in the world has the ability to read thoughts. Except for one person.
  • You have to power to build one separate planet. How do you build it? Who gets to live there?
  • What team do you gather to fight the largest alien and terrorist threat on Earth?
  • The world is dying. In order to save it, you’ve been commanded to sacrifice yourself to an invading alien group.
  • You are the first person able to breathe in outer space.
  • A rare form of cancer is the newest superbug. With a team of scientists, you all must find a cure before the population is wiped out.
  • Human beings begin to find themselves growing extra limbs as global warming amps up.
  • It turns out humans have been the aliens all along.
  • You are in charge of a secretive government agency that aligns people’s fates. Their livelihood is entirely up to you and what you want to do with it.
  • Technology becomes illegal.
  • All plant life on the planet is wiped out, except for in Florida.
  • You are one of the mechanics on the first ever self-flying airplane.
  • Walking through the woods one day, you come across a small animal that has the ability to instantaneously clone itself.
  • Your whole family has fought in the space military, but you’ve decided to no longer take part in it.
  • In an alternate universe where global warming has ruined the planet, you’ve spent your entire life living in an airplane on autopilot.
  • You’re a 15-year-old in the middle of a zombie apocalypse. However, a cure has been found that not only rids the infected person of the virus before they turn but prevents it altogether. Only one problem… Your parents are anti-vaxxers. (@writing.prompt.s)
  • Nasa engineers monitor the curiosity rover’s actions. All seems normal until the robot suddenly changes its course. The scientists attempt to correct it over and over until they suddenly receive a transmission from the rover: “Will Save Oppy” (@writing.prompt.s)
  • What if a nuclear submarine was ordered to launch their nuclear arsenal onto the world? (Screencraft)
  • What if the world we live in is actually a computer simulation? (Screencraft)
  • What if the past and present timelines began to merge? (Screencraft)
  • What if your stepfather or stepmother is actually your future self? (Screencraft)
  • What if the sun began to die? (Screencraft)
  • What if the universe as we know it is actually someone’s imagination? (Screencraft)
  • Everyone on earth begins to experience universal amnesia.
  • The year is 2200. What does the world look like to you?
  • In the future, we no longer require water, air, or food. We are a super efficient team of robots.
  • What do you think happens when the grid goes down?
  • Describe your perfect utopian world.
  • Your penpal lives on the opposite side of the universe.
  • Aliens who only communicate with sign language invade. To avoid war, our governments must engage a vastly marginalized portion of the human population: the hearing-impaired. (The Write Practice)
  • A rogue planet with strange properties collides with our sun, and after it’s all over, worldwide temperature falls forty degrees. Write from the perspective of a someone trying to keep his tropical fruit trees alive. (The Write Practice)
  • Ever read about the world’s loneliest whale? Write a story in which he’s actually the survivor of an aquatic alien species which crashed here eons ago, and he’s trying very hard to learn the “local” whale language so he can fit in. Write from his perspective the first time he makes contact. (The Write Practice)
  • An alien planet starts receiving bizarre audio transmissions from another world (spoiler: they’re from Earth). What does it mean? Are they under attack? Some think so…until classic rock ‘n’ roll hits the airwaves, and these aliens discover dancing. Write from the perspective of the teenaged alien who first figures it out. (The Write Practice)
  • Take anything we find normal today (shopping malls, infomercials, products to remove facial hair, etc.) and write a story from the perspective of an archeologist five thousand years in the future who just unearthed this stuff, has NO idea what any of it was for, and has to give a speech in an hour explaining the historical/religious/sociological significance. (The Write Practice)
  • House cats are aliens who have succeeded in their plan to rule the world. Discuss.
  • A high schooler from fifteen hundred years in our future is assigned a one-page writing project on a twenty-first century person’s life based entirely on TV commercials. Write the beginning of the essay. (The Write Practice)
  • Time travel works, but only once in a person’s life. Write from the perspective of someone who chooses to go back in time, knowing they can never return. Where do they go and why? (The Write Practice)
  • So yeah, ancient Egypt really was “all that” after all, and the pyramids turn out to be fully functional spaceships (the limestone was to preserve the electronics hidden inside). Write from the perspective of the tourist who accidentally turns one on. (The Write Practice)
  • Ten years from now, scientists figure out how to stop human aging and extend life indefinitely—but every time someone qualifies for that boost, someone else has to die to keep the surplus population in check. Oh, it’s all very humane; one’s descendants get a huge paycheck. Write from the perspective of someone who just got a letter in the mail saying they’re the one who has to die. (The Write Practice)
  • In the future, neural implants translate music into physical pleasure, and earphones (“jacking in”) are now the drug of choice. Write either from the perspective of a music addict, OR the Sonforce agent (sonance + enforcer) who has the job of cracking down. (The Write Practice)
  • It’s the year 5000. Our planet was wrecked in the great Crisis of 3500, and remaining human civilization survives only in a half dozen giant domed cities. There are two unbreakable rules: strict adherence to Life Quality (recycling doesn’t even begin to cover these laws), and a complete ban on reproduction (only the “worthy” are permitted to create new humans). Write from the perspective of a young woman who just discovered she’s been chosen to reproduce—but she has no interest in being a mother. (The Write Practice)
  • In the nineteenth century, there’s a thriving trade in stolen archeological artifacts. Write a story from the perspective of an annoyed, minimum-wage employee whose job is traveling back in time to obtain otherwise unobtainable artifacts, then has to bring them back to the present (the 1800s, that is) and artificially age them before they will sell. (The Write Practice)
  • Steampunk! Write a story from the perspective of a hot air balloon operator who caters to folks who like a little thrill… which means she spends half her time in the air shooting down pterodactyls before the paying customers get TOO scared. (The Write Practice)
  • Creation myth! Write from the perspective of a crazy scientist in the year 28,000 who, determined to discover how the universe began, rigs up a malfunctioning time machine, goes to the “beginning” of the universe, and ends up being the reason for the Big Bang. (Logic? Causal effect? Pfft. Hush, it’s time-travel, and that was never logical.) (The Write Practice)

What are some fantasy and paranormal writing prompts?

  • A mysterious creature speaks to you in your dreams and tells you that when you awake, you will have the ability to see into another realm.
  • Your pet dragon transforms into a person.
  • You are gifted with the strongest, most elusive sword in the kingdom, but if you use it you will never be able to speak again.
  • A magical world exists underground. To get there, you’ll need to start digging.
  • You wake up and find out that you’re the only living person left on the planet.
  • On her deathbed, your grandmother tells you that there’s a hidden treasure buried in her backyard. The family has been trying to locate it for decades. It’s up to you to finally find it.
  • The ocean becomes the sky.
  • You must save your kingdom from ruin by learning how to breathe fire.
  • You have the power to read the lost language, making you the only person to decipher the scroll.
  • Fairies are tired of being used for free labor.
  • Your favorite fairy tale is now set in 2019.
  • You are kidnapped by a knight who demands your assistance in sleighing the city’s most dangerous dragon.
  • A man and his wife own the largest potion store in town. Little do the townspeople know, but they’re all being slowly poisoned by the potions.
  • A magical toad begins talking to you, but you’re the only person who can hear him.
  • You come into possession of a ring that can change the weather to whatever you decide.
  • You’re selected to take part in a secretive, underground magic university… but you have to kill someone to go.
  • You wake up to find yourself a member of King Arthur’s Round Table.
  • An underwater society decides to overtake the world.
  • Regular person by day, a shape shifter by night.
  • Satan puts you in charge of Hell.
  • You are the king. After your daughter was kidnapped by a dragon, you offered the standard reward to whoever rescued her. You weren’t expecting a different dragon to rescue her. (@writing.prompt.s)
  • A woman has been dating guy after guy, but it never seems to work out. She’s unaware that she’s actually been dating the same guy over and over; a shapeshifter who’s fallen for her and is certain he’s going to get it right this time.  (@writing.prompt.s)
  • The cocky main character of a popular book is sent to the real world. He is shocked to find that the fans of his book not only like the villain more but favor his side kick over him. (@writing.prompt.s)
  • You’re an immortal who lives at a beach resort. You have many summer flings with mortals on getaways. One day you see someone you had a hot romantic night with 50 years ago. They look exactly the same. (@writing.prompt.s)
  • The stars have been watching you your whole life, as you laughed and cried, loved and suffered. Today, you’re finally going to do something that none of them can bear to watch. They blink out, the whole night sky turning dark, just as you’re about to do it. (@writing.prompt.s)
  • A lord takes a fancy to a peasant girl and kidnaps her for his own. Little does he know that she’s a trained assassin who has been preparing to take his life for years. (@writing.prompt.s)
  • You are the last person on Earth, and you are able to make one wish. What do you wish for?
  • You and your family are on a hike when you stumble upon a group of witches in the forest, in the midst of casting spells.
  • You have the power to transform into whatever mystical creature you choose.
  • You and your ghost best friend are an infamous crime-solving team.
  • No, there’s absolutely no way that ghosts are real. Sure, you just saw a mysterious fuzzy figure you appear before you in your house, but that had to be your imagination… right?
  • You’re the one human who is capable of seeing ghosts. It’s up to you to save them from being removed from the human world for good.
  • You were born to be a villain, but you find yourself leaning more and more towards the good as you get older.
  • Spend some time working on world building. How can you create a believable fantasy world that readers can picture clearly? What types of characters does your world include?
  • Dream up your own, one-of-a-kind mythical race.
  • You and your adventurous crew on a quest for the old King’s hidden gold. Just one problem – so is the rest of your village.
  • 10 cm of snow had fallen overnight, just as the weatherman predicted. The only thing is… the snow isn’t white. (Reedsy)
  • You start realizing that at least one aspect of every dream you have comes true the next day. (Reedsy)
  • You can buy a pill that lets you decide exactly what you will dream about while you sleep. (Reedsy)
  • You find a polaroid camera that seems to predict the future: its pictures show what will happen exactly 5 minutes from the moment you take them. (Reedsy)
  • You were on your way to see a doctor who promised to know the secret to making yourself fall out of love with someone. (Reedsy)
  • Write a story that includes a character hearing their fate by a fortune teller. (Reedsy)
  • As a joke, you put on a tinfoil hat. Suddenly your mind goes completely silent. (Reedsy)
  • Silence is now literally golden. For every day of total silence a person completes, they receive a piece of gold. (Reedsy)
  • A new candy had been invented that allowed the person who ate it to relive any memory they wanted. There was a lineup outside the shop. (Reedsy)
  • It’s 1AM at night. But the sun is out. (Reedsy)
  • You wake up 10 years younger. What do you do? (Reedsy)
  • I wish I could skip next week, you think as you get into bed that night. In the morning, you wake up 100 years in the future. (Reesy)
  • They found out about us. They’re coming. They were the words the kingdom had feared hearing for thousands of years. (Reedsy)
  • A group of scientists on a submarine are alarmed when they spot what looks like a functioning lighthouse at the bottom of the ocean. (Reedsy)

What are some general fiction writing prompts?

  • You’re chasing your dream of being the first person to fly.
  • Coffee is illegal and you have to single handedly smuggle it into the country.
  • You have to get to the bottom of your family’s deepest secret.
  • What was the strangest thing you’ve ever seen in public?
  • Detail the life of the person who inspires you the most.
  • Imagine what would happen if you woke up one morning unable to see, speak, or hear.
  • Think about what you are most proud of. Follow the story of how you got to that point.
  • By way of a lottery system, the king chooses you to be his queen.
  • Use five points of view to describe one situation.
  • Describe the life of a struggling author attempting to make it “big.”
  • Tell the story of one woman on the mission to find her lost biological daughter.
  • Your dream is to open a restaurant and be a top chef, but how can you do that when you were born without taste buds?
  • You’ve just returned home from war only to find your family missing without a trace.
  • A famous shoe designer asks you to quit your job and be his latest model.
  • You have the power to create, and star in, your own reality show. What does it look like?
  • The dark family secret that’s always been hidden comes to light.
  • As an 80-year-old, you decide to finally learn how to swim so you can participate in a triathlon.
  • Write a scene detailing your greatest fear. Now imagine that has come true for your character.
  • What’s the greatest advice you’ve ever been given? What if you lived solely according to it?
  • You live in a world with no stress and fear.
  • Death has been flirting with you for a long time, but they’ve become a bit annoying. After another attempting to hang out with you again, you jokingly tell them, “If I was the last person on Earth, I’d maybe give you a chance.” Death believes you and will double their efforts.
  • When people are born, they are assigned a soulmate. They have a song in their head that only them and their soulmate know. How do you find your soulmate? (@writing.prompt.s)
  • Write a story about a character waking up to something absurd. (Reedsy)
  • Write a story about a character waking up to the best news of their life. (Reedsy)
  • Write a short story with an unreliable narrator that readers can never quite trust. (Reedsy)
  • Write a short story in which the main “character” is the setting: for example, a house. (Reedsy)
  • Write a story about someone who would be described, above all else, as honest. Or kind. Or intelligent. (Reedsy)
  • Using only dialogue, write a short story about a first date, a reunion between old friends, an argument that gets heated, an adult explaining something to a child, or the reveal of a long-hidden secret. (Reedsy)
  • Imagine telling the story of a professional hypnotizer. (Reedsy)
  • Tell a story through text messages.
  • Tell the story of what you would do if you won the lottery.
  • Write your own obituary.
  • Tell a story from your favorite era.
  • Imagine how you would help solve the greatest challenges that the world faces. What would your plan be?
  • What would a world be like with no poverty? What would change? What would stay the same?
  • Tell the story of the first time that you learned to do something really well.
  • Imagine what it would be like to be a pop star.
  • Tell a story through song.
  • Write from the perspective of your worst enemy.
  • Tell a story using only one sense – seeing, hearing, tasting, smelling, or touching.
  • After years on the job search, you’ve finally gotten your dream job – but it changes you for the worst.
  • You own a tiny mom and pops-type store that you run with your family.
  • The worst thing that you could imagine happening happens.
  • You’re the judge of the annual pie contest in your hometown but, unbeknownst to you, one of the pies is poisoned.
  • You go on a road trip to visit your late father’s grave.
  • Tell the story of seeing the ocean for the first time. Or the last.
  • You’re allergic to oxygen.
  • Imagine what would happen if every person in the world woke up in a good mood every day.
  • You’re put in charge of taking care of your elderly grandmother towards the end of her life.
  • You get one chance to talk to any person in the world. Who do you choose?

What are some religion and spirituality writing prompts?

  • What makes you believe in God?
  • God speaks directly to you – what does He say?
  • What do you find to be most beautiful in the world?
  • You get to build a religion of your own. What do you make it into?
  • You must live every single day according to a holy text of your choice. What happens?
  • Explore what it means to be religious versus spiritual.
  • What helps you meditate?
  • What is the greatest wisdom that you would like to impart on the world?
  • Who is one religious figure you would like to have dinner with? What do you talk to them about?
  • Describe your idea of heaven.
  • Detail your favorite story in the holy text of your choosing.
  • You live in a world where no Gods exist.
  • What does karma mean to you?
  • What would your ideal world look like?
  • You have the power to make every single person in the world ether religious or nonreligious. What do you do? What changes about the world?
  • What makes you a religious or spiritual person?
  • Describe what a church means to you. Have you had positive or negative experiences in a church?
  • Write a poem about your religious path in life.
  • Write a religious comedy.
  • What happens when a priest decides he doesn’t want to be a priest anymore?
  • Think about what morality means to you.
  • What is the difference in good versus evil? How do you know?
  • How does one know what is innately good?
  • What makes you religious?
  • What makes you non religious?
  • Put yourself in the shoes of someone who has completely opposite spiritual or religious views from you. Why do they think a certain way?
  • Describe what your childhood views in spirituality or religion were.
  • What do you hope your religious or spirituality path to look like as you age?
  • How would you advise someone to strengthen their faith?
  • If you could talk to God, what would you want to say?
  • The Southern Baptist Convention elects its first woman president, though she is subsequently removed from the position due to an obscure rule. In protest, every woman leaves the Southern Baptist denomination to form an independent, women-only sect of Baptists.
  • God needs a vacation from heaven, so he comes to earth to experience life as a dog. He is captured by animal control and is impounded, and you adopt god-the-dog after a tragedy that makes you question your faith.
  • An opiate addict going through severe withdrawal symptoms has a conversation with the Buddha – what did they talk about, and was it the result of a fever dream, or a spiritual awakening?
  • You record a video that seemingly shows a woman walking on water at a small rural pond. The video goes viral as proof that Jesus has returned, and Christians begin to wonder if Christ was the Daughter, not the Son, of God.
  • A secular Jew and a devout Muslim debate food and faith on a train from Quebec to Montreal.
  • What are your personal ten commandments?
  • When was a specific moment where you felt a “divine presence” in your life?
  • Have you ever felt like you’ve experienced a glimpse into the afterlife?
  • What form do you think the afterlife will take, if you believe that it exists?
  • Have you ever had an out of body experience?
  • William Blake, famous British poet, thought that to love was to be in tune with the divine. Do you think this is true? How have you experienced divine love?
  • How have you experienced the divine through love?
  • Emanuel Swedenborg believed that there was a soulmate for every person, and that you couldn’t get into heaven until your soul mate had also passed away. Do you believe in the concept of soul mates?
  • Do you believe in reincarnation?
  • What would reincarnation look like to you?
  • Some religions believe that animals and plants have souls. Do you agree with this? Why or why not?
  • Describe a particularly spiritual moment in your life. What were you doing? Were you by yourself or with someone else?
  • What is your most taboo religious belief?
  • Some religions believe that human beings could never truly represent a higher power in art. Do you agree with this? What is an example of art or words that you feel represent the higher power?
  • What are your thoughts on love languages?

What are some travel and adventure writing prompts?

  • Write about your favorite vacation.
  • What culture interests you the most?
  • You get lost in a foreign city with no cell phone and no money. What do you do?
  • Your favorite chef asks you to join them on a culinary tour of the world.
  • What country have you always dreamt of traveling to?
  • What’s your dream vacation?
  • Tell the story of the worst traveling experience of your life.
  • A country of your choosing fuses with North America.
  • You and your best friends go on a road trip across America, with no budget and for however long you want.
  • You are asked to review a luxury hotel on the beach.
  • You are forced to leave your home and move to a remote foreign country. What do you pack with you?
  • What about traveling excites you?
  • Go back in time to the era of your choosing and describe how you live.
  • Rate your top five favorite places in the world. What do you like about each place? What do you dislike?
  • If you could have any travel-related job in the world, what would it be?
  • You and your partner are kidnapped on your honeymoon.
  • Describe a 100-day walking journey around your state.
  • Imagine if you had never left your home in your entire life and then were forced to go outside and never come back to your house.
  • What do you say to your family in a postcard from a new location?
  • Describe what it’s like to sit in rush hour traffic in one of the busiest cities in the world.
  • A journey to a new location is disrupted by natural disaster.
  • Describe what it’s like to travel with a crippling fear of airplanes.
  • What is it that you love about traveling? Explore that feeling.
  • What is frightening about traveling? Explore that feeling.
  • What stories would you most like to share about the town that you’re from?
  • You have the opportunity to move anywhere in the world. Where do you choose?
  • Explore what your travels in Asia have been like.
  • Explore what your travels in Europe have been like.
  • Explore what your travels in South America have been like.
  • Explore what your travels in North America have been like.
  • Explore what your travels in Africa have been like.
  • What is the most unusual place you’d like to travel?
  • What do you think is most misunderstood about the culture of your home country?
  • What cultural norms are you most interested in exploring from foreign countries?
  • Describe the foreign foods that you most want to try.
  • Imagine that you are a successful chef in a foreign city.
  • Describe a time when you have been excited to explore a new place.
  • What is the most beautiful image that you have ever seen while traveling?
  • You get to go to any museum in the world. Which one do you choose?
  • What is your greatest horror story from traveling?
  • What is your happiest story from traveling?
  • Picture yourself on a foreign vacation with a person of your choosing. What do you do?
  • If you had to move to a foreign country tomorrow, what five items would you pack with you?
  • Set the scene for a beautiful beach that you have never traveled to.
  • Set the scene for a gorgeous castle that you have never traveled to.
  • A three day visit to Budapest becomes a maritime adventure down the Danube River to the Black Sea.
  • You are a sales representative for a roulette table manufacturer. While visiting the Harrah’s Cherokee Casino for work, you decide to discard all your possessions, cash out your minimal savings, and hike the Mountains-to-Sea trail from Clingmans Dome to the Ocracoke Lighthouse.
  • While en route to visit your college roommate in Kyoto, Japan you meet a stranger at Tan Son Nhat International Airport who needs your help finding a prophetic monk hiding from persecution in Saigon.
  • You have to make it from Cairo to Alexandria (Egypt). You have no money. Your only mode of transport is a temperamental camel.
  • In a high-stakes game of poker in the French Quarter, you wagered your soul to a voodoo doctor on a pretty bad hand. The only way to null the bet is to find a woman in Port-au-Prince, Haiti who has an item – the only  item – the man is willing to trade for.

What are some horror writing prompts?

  • You wake up to a world in which all prisons are shut down, releasing dangerous prisoners into your neighborhood.
  • A masked stranger appears at your front door with a knife.
  • A random number texts you saying, “Don’t forget, you’re next.”
  • Someone knocks at your door. You open it to find your deceased grandfather who has come back from the dead to pay you a visit. What does he want?
  • Animals take over the world.
  • Strange murmuring sounds being to come from the door that leads to your basement.
  • While watching the evening news, the anchor looks directly at the camera and begins screaming before the camera cuts to black.
  • A polar vortex freezes the entire planet.
  • Whatever building you enter, you can see all of the people who died there.
  • You wake up in a strange room, tied to a chair, with a single knife on the floor pointed at you.
  • A chilling voice appears in your head. It won’t go away. One day, it tells you that you have to run.
  • The old cuckoo clock at your grandmother’s home is haunted.
  • You’re driving at night when you can’t help but shake the feeling that there’s a person in your back seat.
  • One day, while you’re in the shower, you hear your front door open and close. “Hey, roomie, I’m home!” Someone shouts. You don’t have a roommate.
  • A strange man living down the street begins leaving presents at your doorstep.
  • The cruise ship is haunted.
  • While working at a clothing store, you’re closing up the shop for the night when you see five men walk in through the front door and lock it behind them.
  • You’re in the middle of a bank robbery – hiding in the bathroom.
  • Your dog won’t stop barking at a sunken spot in your living room floor.
  • For the last few days, you’ve been getting ominous messages written in blood on your bathroom mirror. Turns out, they’re from an awkward ghost with a serious crush on you. (@writing.prompt.s)
  • The reason no one has ever seen the real Santa Claus is because everyone who sees him dies. You just saw him and now you need to survive. (@writing.prompt.s)
  • You wake up bound to an electric chair, moments before your imminent death.
  • A woman afraid of clowns is forced to work in a travelling circus. (Screencraft)
  • A treasure hunter finds a tomb buried beneath the dirt. (Screencraft)
  • A bartender serves last call to the only remaining patron who is the Devil himself. (Screencraft)
  • A boy’s stepfather is actually a murderous werewolf. (Screencraft)
  • A man wakes up with no mouth. (Screencraft)
  • Deceased soldiers return to their Civil War-era homes. (Screencraft)
  • Suburbia is actually purgatory. (Screencraft)
  • A man suffers from sleep paralysis at the worst possible time. (Screencraft)
  • A man murders his wife while sleepwalking.
  • What appears to be a ghost approaches your car while you’re waiting at a stoplight.
  • It’s late at night, and you hear footsteps in the cellar—but you’re definitely home alone… or so you thought. (The Write Practice)
  • You’ve put that doll in the cabinet, in the closet, in the attic, but no matter where you tuck it, it always shows back up on the sofa. On Halloween night, you come out to find it watching you… (The Write Practice)
  • A bad-tempered businessman is driving home after a long day of work. He thinks he sees his kids trick-or-treating and stops to pick them up—but those aren’t costumes. (The Write Practice)
  • A young woman goes to her grandmother’s house for tea on Halloween night. They have a wonderful time together, sharing stories, joy, and the best times of family. The next day, the woman learns her grandmother has been dead for a week and no one could get ahold of her to tell her. (The Write Practice)
  • Aliens have just landed on Earth—and boy, did they pick a weird day to come. How do they respond to Halloween, supernatural or otherwise? Do they decide this place is just too bizarre and get the heck out . . . or do they stick around and join in the fun? (The Write Practice)
  • On Halloween night, lovers get to come back and spend the evening together one more time. One couple from the Roaring Twenties decides to come back from the grave to help their extreme nerd great-grandchild or the kid will never get married. (The Practice)
  • A little boy’s lost in the woods, but at least his faithful dog is with him. As they look for the way out, the dog defends his master against terrifying monsters and animals. Finally, the boy arrives safely on the other side, beautiful green field, no more fog or night. Then the dog goes home . . . where his owner, the little boy, has died. The good doggy guarded him all the way to his final rest. (The Write Practice)
  • You wake up in the middle of the night to see a dark figure crawling across your floor.
  • Moments after taking off for a flight, the entire plane begins to shake dramatically. The pilot comes on the speaker and says, “This is very bad.”
  • You awake in a dark, small box and can hear strange noises outside.
  • Several weeks after buying your dream house, you start getting strange letters delivered in the mail warning you to move out.
  • Your dog has been acting very strangely recently. Some would say… almost human.
  • You stumble across a website that contains clues to some very disturbing crimes.
  • As you’re settling in to bed for the night, you hear an unusual scratching sound at your bedroom window.
  • You’re on vacation in a new city for the first time. As you walk down a busy boulevard, you suddenly look up to realize you have no idea where you are or how you got there. Come to think of it, you don’t even know who you are.
  • On your way to work, you notice that no one is driving on roads. The busy rush hour traffic is nonexistent, and there are no people walking around, either. It’s just you. What’s going on?
  • You discover, much too late, that your downstairs neighbor is a cannibal.
  • During a renovation of your home, you and your spouse find human remains underneath your back porch – a crime that you are now being charged with.

What are some children’s writing prompts?

  • Your dog begins speaking in a human voice one morning.
  • The sky turns purple.
  • Your best friend’s head turns into a mushroom.
  • Dinosaurs come back to earth.
  • You and your family rescue a turtle who was hit by a car and nurse him back to health.
  • You turn into a goldfish.
  • What would happen if you could turn any food into cotton candy?
  • Rain turns into soda.
  • Your family adopts a pet monkey.
  • The new kid at school wants to be your friend, but you’re very shy.
  • You and your boy scout troop get lost in the middle of the forest.
  • Your parents tell you they’ll give you $20 if you eat your vegetables with every dinner. Do you do it?
  • Write about a special memory from your childhood.
  • What parent were you closest do? What are some of your favorite memories of spending time with them?
  • Write about yourself at age five.
  • Write about yourself at age ten.
  • What was your greatest dream when you were a child?
  • Write about your favorite childhood pet.
  • Get inspiration for your writing by thinking about a vacation you took as a child.
  • What would happen if you woke up one day and kids ruled the world?
  • Tell the story of a child who has just transferred to a new school.
  • Tell the story of a platypus.
  • Imagine running away with a group of your childhood best friends – where would you go?
  • Dream up your own imaginary world.
  • Children’s books are known for their fun and creativity. What’s the craziest, kookiest new breed of animal you can imagine?
  • Give advice to new parents.
  • Give advice to your younger self.
  • Imagine what it would be like to live in a world where instead of taking the school bus, you ride a dragon to classes!
  • Write about your favorite childhood game.
  • Tell the story of a family who decides to hire a new babysitter or nanny.
  • Your parents tell you one day that you’re going to be a big sister – but you really like being the only child!
  • If the world could be any color, what would you want it to be?
  • If you could taste a specific flavor any time you ate something, what would you want it to be?
  • Describe a trip to the zoo with your class.
  • You and your best friends get to leave school to have lunch anywhere in town. Pizza, candy – anything! Tell the story of where you go.
  • Tell the story of your first time at summer camp.
  • Tell the story of your first time away from home.
  • What if we lived in a world where kids were treated like adults? And adults were treated like kids?
  • Take a spin at your very own Dr. Suess-esque book and use rhymes to tell a kooky, crazy story!
  • You’re in charge of babysitting your little sibling for the first time.
  • You decide to run away from home – what are some of the challenges that you face?
  • Picture a world where everything is upside down! What’s life like for you?
  • Write a book advising children on how to overcome adversity.
  • Write a book advising children on how to be a good friend.
  • Write a book advising children on how to be a kind sibling.
  • Bobby the Bunny wants to make friends with a fox pup who recently lost its family.
  • A giraffe and an ostrich live together in a zoo, where they bond over similar neck characteristics and learn how to play one another’s games.
  • A dragon wants to be loved and befriended, but every time he farts, fire erupts from his rear end.
  • Bruce the German Shepherd loves to run through the woods with his human. When he and his human get separated from one another, Bruce has to learn from his forest friends how to get back home.
  • Tell the story of the tooth fairy… Imagine that she just started her job and has to be trained.

What are some young adult writing prompts?

  • It’s your first day of middle school. But when you’re half human, half dragon, that makes things a little tough.
  • What happens when you begin working at the same yogurt shop as your crush?
  • Both of your parents die in a car accident, leaving you an orphan who gets shipped off to your mysterious aunt’s house in Europe.
  • One day you find out that you never have to return to high school. What do you decide to do instead?
  • You’re chosen to go on a school trip to Africa where you’ll be helping to build wells. You’ve never been out of the country, though, and are worried.
  • Your mom disappears one day, and you never see her again.
  • Tell the story of the best high school summer of your life.
  • Your boyfriend gets in a horrible car accident and ends up in the ICU. Another girl is found in the car with him, too – but she died. Who is she?
  • You find out that your brother is adopted.
  • During her freshman year of college, she found out that people in her dorm started to disappear. Almost from thin air.
  • A group of high school freshmen learn that the teachers and administrators at their boarding school are actually human like AI working towards the Singularity and human enslavement. If they don’t act fast, the robots win.
  • A group of at-risk teenagers are on an overnight camping trip with a wilderness counseling group in Badlands National Park when an arctic blast forces them out of a blizzard and into a cave. On day three, their counselors go out in search for help – and never return.
  • Your high school sweetheart dumps you suddenly because of something you posted on social media. But you didn’t post it, and you have to figure out just how different – and difficult – your life is now that you’ve been hacked.
  • Imagine that the world is run amok with vampires. Or zombies. Or authoritarian dictatorships in a dystopian future.
  • In the near future, climate change has led to the extinction of butterfly and bee pollinators. A small group of teen geniuses band together to develop autonomous, robotic insects to replicate the functions of insect pollination before the global food shortage turns from disastrous to extinction-level.
  • You find out that your best friend’s dad is responsible for the growing number of missing people in your hometown. How do you get everyone to believe you?
  • You did it – after years of hard work and try outs, you finally won the coveted spot on the football team. But here’s the thing – you’re the first girl to ever play.
  • One night you wake up to find yourself levitating over your bed. The next morning, strange wings start to grow from your shoulders. Are you turning into some sort of mystical bird?
  • It was pretty freaky to wake up for school one morning, only to see that my parents were literally frozen into blocks of ice in the kitchen. Even freakier? Every adult in town is frozen solid, too.
  • A boy pursues his list of wildly ambitious New Year’s resolutions, with hilarious and touching results. (Bryn Donovan)
  • A girl on the swim team transforms into a part-time mermaid. (Bryn Donovan)
  • A group of “outsiders” become a clique that eventually excludes others. (Bryn Donovan)
  • A girl’s favorite author plagiarizes her fanfiction. (Bryn Donovan)
  • A boy learns who believed his sister died finds out she’s very much alive. (Bryn Donovan)
  • A teenager’s best friend goes missing—and is widely believed to be the murderer of a family member. (Bryn Donovan)
  • Two teens begin to write a fantasy novel together and then cross over into the world they’ve created. (Bryn Donovan)
  • In a dystopian future, college admissions boards have access to video footage of students’ entire lives. (Bryn Donovan)
  • A girl always hangs out at a particular little nook at the library. Then the same boy starts taking the space every day. (Bryn Donovan)
  • A boy learns something terrible about his parents.(Bryn Donovan)
  • In a modern-day Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, three girls ditch class for a day filled with adventures. (Bryn Donovan)
  • 35. A girl who wants to be a virgin until she gets married faces social pressure about her decision. (Bryn Donovan)
  • A teen gains the ability to take the form of any other person she chooses. (Bryn Donovan)
  • A girl’s science fair project yields results that attract the government’s attention. (Bryn Donovan)
  • A teen’s suspicions about a teacher lead him to conduct a private investigation. (Bryn Donovan)
  • A girl struggles with the decision to tell authorities about what the star quarterback did. (Bryn Donovan)
  • Soon after a boy was born, his father went missing. Now, a skeleton has been discovered in the basement of their former home. (Bryn Donovan)
  • You check out a book from the library and discover that it’s telling the story of your life. Do you decide to read ahead and find out what happens, or let it be a surprise?
  • Your beloved dog goes missing, resulting in a cross-country chase to reunite her with your family.
  • Put yourself in your favorite anime or manga series. What type of character would you play?
  • You and your best friends have been playing in a band in your mom’s garage for years. Now you’ve gotten discovered by a major Hollywood scout, but they only want you to go on to fame.
  • Some friends go to an escape room only to discover it’s being run by one of the most elusive serial killers in history.
  • After going to see the circus with your parents, you decide to run away to join the troupe. What act do you take on?
  • What would you tell your younger self as a teenager? What do you wish you had done differently, or not done at all?
  • What would your younger self tell you now? What would they think about your life?
  • Tell the story of someone who switches places with themself as a 14-year-old.
  • Think Princess Diaries – you’ve just found out you’re part royal with a massive inheritance to look forward to. What changes about your life?
  • A small spaceship crash lands in your backyard with nothing inside but an instruction manual on how to rebuild the aircraft. Do you take it back into space?
  • You have the power to shift into whatever creature you want – bear, wolf, etc. When do you choose to utilize your powers?
  • What would happen if you changed places with a rockstar?
  • Your big brother has always been the more successful, studious one of the family. You’ve finally got a chance to prove yourself and one up him – how do you do it?

There you have it, we hope these 500 writing prompts help you on your way to publishing your next book . For more resources on self-publishing, book marketing, and general indie author trends, make sure you check out these resources . You can also sign up for our free author newsletter to stay up to date on the latest news.

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47 comments on “ 500 writing prompts to help beat writer’s block ”.

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Thanks for sharing the prompt ideas! I am thinking to start writing a book since a long time. But I wasn’t getting any good heads. Your article has helped to understand my area of interest, especially in which I can write a book successfully.

very nice story I like it

Writer’s doubts never end here is a way to solve this issue with 500 writing prompts. It is such a research based and praiseworthy blog, it is a must read. Thank you for this article! This is really very informative for us.

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With all 500 of these, I should have no trouble finding something to write about. Thanks so much for these prompts.

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My friends and I are doing a competition to see who is the best FANTASY writer. Here’s the catch, you need to include twins, homeless people and abused animals in your story. Plz help???

Hi Ebony! Maybe try a slightly post-apocalyptic slant? I know that subgenre can veer on Science Fiction (instead of Fantasy) but you could definitely apply those required themes to a post-apoc story.

Urban fantasy set in a modern day. The protagonist is a homeless person who has a pet dove-griffin (also called winged rats). One day, he is assaulted and they take his companion, leaving him for dead. He survives, and uses his background as a hunter to track down the people who wronged him, stumbling in the process upon a ring of fantasy animal traffickers called the Chain of Cerberus, which is ruled by three brothers, triplets. He has to fight against all odds using his skills and save his only friend and companion.

The secret motivation for the protagonist is atonement for his past as a hunter, since he helped rich people (like the Triplets) to capture the fantastic animals they were after.

I call it ‘Fantasy John Wick’

Thank you for sharing such a wealth of prompts! These are fantastic. What a tough job to choose 500! If you’re interested in more open-ended prompts (just to switch it up), check out my instagram for (almost) daily writing prompts as well: @sharp.writer .

This is the complete list of writing prompts over the internet. Thanks for sharing.

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SoI made like a short script bit of a prompt like the one bout you looking in a mirror to see something that does not look like you.

Its 5 o’clock in the morning. As I came out of my cream sheets with speckles of generally grey all around, I fixed my bed. From patting down pillows to rearranging my duvet for the most part placing my silk pretty black blanket to definitely finish it off. I basically was heading for the fridge to get the creamer for coffee when I stared into the actually metal fridge looking for my reflection but instead kind of found that something looking back at me and it was not my reflection, which really is quite weird. Its kind of looked nothing like me, or so I thought. I really tried to really come up with excuses; I am in a daze, I am still half-asleep, I for the most part am asleep. IT CAN’T BE. I said, until I saw that it can. But that thing in the mirror particularly was scaring me because it stared back at me and it was waving now in a kind of like I AM WATCHING YOU kind of way. but before I could do anything it….

I found your blog very helpful in my writing project someday. Thank you for sharing your wonderful article.

I’m so glad this was helpful to you, Monique. You’re very welcome!

I have been reading posts regarding this topic and this post is one of the most interesting and informative one I have read. Thank you for this!

You’re very welcome, Patricia!

i need to do a story in which the main character is a demigod (as in percy jackson yknow) and i don’t know what to write.

Here’s one you might enjoy , Anika! Found on the #demigod prompts Tumblr page.

This is an excellent list of prompts! For me, though, I don’t lack story ideas or character scenarios. After plotting out my story, I tend to get stalled after a few chapters or in a particular scene, even when I have a good conflict for the characters to work through. ****** I found this great little book on Amazon called “What Would Your Character Do?” It really helped me because the prompts are designed to get you brainstorming about your character’s next actions when you’re stuck in a scene. I can always find a prompt in the book to get me unstuck! I’ll definitely share this particular list with my writer friends though!

Great recommendation, Jackie! Thanks for sharing

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thank you for these prompts. they really helped with my writer’s block

these are so helpful! I’ve been trying to figure out how to continue my dystopian story for weeks then I found this website! I can’t wait to continue working!

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Thank you so much for compiling such an array of prompts. Reading through these and of course changing them up in my head has me scrambling to write again. Have a Blessed Day!

Was looking for some takes regarding this topic and I found your article quite informative. It has given me a fresh perspective on the topic tackled. Thanks!

What a great list of writing prompts. I have saved this page to share with my writing partner. I am sure we will use some of these.

Hello! I wanted to ask you, if I am allowed to use some of you prompts. (of course I will give credits to you and add a link to this site). I am leader for a community on an app called Amino, it’s quite similar to Instagram, where the member can post some stuff. I wanted to post some writing prompts, since everyone there likes to write. So I wantet do aks, if i can use some of your prompts. (And sorry for my bad english, I have a german community there, since I speak german…)

Absolutely, please feel free to share and we would appreciate linking back!

Of course I do, thank you!

This was so helpful! Every prompt in this article was amazing You’ve really outdone yourself Kelsey!!!!!<3

This is extremely helpful. I am in 2nd year of high school and struggle with writers-block. I decided to do number three in the ‘horror’ section, and the options written in this article are extremely ‘flexible’ — there is a prompt for everyone. Thank you.

These writing prompts are fun! Thanks for putting it all together.

I’ve started several books. None completed, Although a few stories were published in a small town newspaper. A couple of years ago I began a book when the work came to an abrupt end. My husband fell off the roof. Now, after 2 years, I find myself wanting to write, but stymied as how to pick up where I left off. I’ve read your prompts. Some of the fiction, thriller, mystery and prompts in other areas have been true life experiences for me. Now, as I stand in the aftermath of the train that hit me, in need of a battery jump to restart, I have hopefully found a way forward.

I absolutely loved these! Thanks so much! Writing prompts really help me keep the wheels turning.

Thanks so much for these amazing prompts! I had nailed down a genre and topic but needed some help getting down to the nitty gritty specifics. You saved the day (and my essay). Thank you!

I am impressed with your sharing. Helpful for new writers. Thanks for your share.

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Unbeatable listing. A lot of quality and tremendous compilation.

I love these prompts! They help me get started when I’m feeling stuck.

I have all the actual writing material I need, but I am using writing prompts to get myself in the zone for writing. This list is outstanding. It’s a bit of a struggle to stop perusing because there are so many that entice me. I’m pretty sure that many of these will little warm-ups will end up in my Ideas file. Thanks so much for this.

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Home / Book Writing / Narrative Writing Prompts: 50+ Ideas for Your Literary Masterpiece

Narrative Writing Prompts: 50+ Ideas for Your Literary Masterpiece

Narrative writing is the style of writing used in fiction and creative nonfiction, such as memoirs. It's the telling of a story, with a beginning, middle, and end. As such, becoming proficient at narrative writing is essential if you want to make a living writing.

Even if you want to write only as a hobby, you'll need to be more than passingly familiar with this kind of writing. Luckily, this article will help you do just that. First, we'll discuss a bit more about narrative writing, then dive into some narrative writing prompts to get the ideas flowing.

  • Kinds of narrative writing.
  • Who narrative writing prompts are for.
  • List of narrative writing prompts.

Table of contents

  • Different Types of Narrative Writing
  • Who Should Use Narrative Writing Prompts?
  • Linear Narrative Prompts
  • Non-Linear Narrative Prompts
  • Viewpoint Narrative
  • Descriptive Narrative
  • Finding Your Market Niche

There are several types of narrative writing that are used in fiction and some nonfiction books. The most common type is the linear narrative, in which the story progresses in a logical manner. Most fiction is of the linear narrative type .

There's also the non-linear narrative, in which the story jumps around through time. A couple of well-known non-linear story examples include movies such as Pulp Fiction , Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind , and Memento .

Then you have the viewpoint narrative, in which the story is written from the narrator's point of view. Memoirs are examples of viewpoint narrative works, but there are also many first-person point-of-view works of fiction.

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Finally, you have the descriptive narrative, in which a scene, person, place, or thing is described with detailed description using the five senses. A good story will contain enough description to immerse the reader in the story.

We've grouped the creative writing prompts below according to these narrative types. You can pick a prompt from each and get writing, or you can choose only ones that are interesting/pertinent to whatever work-in-progress you're currently involved with.

But before we get to the prompts, do you really need to practice narrative writing?

Whether you're a middle school or high school student, a young writer or an old hand, practicing your craft can only help your writing. While it's true you may remember narrative writing exercises from your elementary school days (no matter how long ago they were), that doesn't mean these exercises can't help you today.

The best writers work on their craft constantly. Like anything else, writing skills need to be sharpened and honed. And one of the best ways to do that is through the various types of narrative writing.

Narrative writing prompts can also help you overcome writer's block so you can get back to writing, whether it's a horror story or a narrative essay. Getting the creative gears turning is great for overcoming creative blocks.

So it doesn't matter where you are in your writing career, narrative writing prompts can help!

Narrative Writing Prompts

These prompts provide a fun way to sharpen your writing skills. You can choose one narrative prompt at a time, or work on multiple to really make things interesting.

Make sure to include a beginning, middle, and end for these linear prompts. They should tell a story in which the main character has to solve a problem or overcome some obstacle , whether physically, emotionally, or both.

1. Write a short story about a fantasy character who gets stuck in our world and has to find their way back home.

2. Write a scene in which a kid has to get home for dinner across a treacherous landscape and through a gauntlet of imaginary monsters and evil sorcerers.

3. Pick three tropes from your favorite writing genre and use them to inform your story. (Example: Horror story (genre), vampires, mad scientist, and a questionable ally.)

4. Write about a character who goes on a blind date that either goes really well or really poorly.

5. Write about a character who wants nothing more than to ride a Ferris wheel, but has a phobia of balloons.

6. Write about an art thief going to great lengths to steal a piece of art.

7. Write about a police officer who must talk someone out of doing something drastic and terrible.

8. Write a scene about a woman meeting a date at a coffee shop and running into her ex.

9. Write about a woman who must brave a violent storm to get home to her children.

10. Write a story detailing a harrowing visit to another country.

Get creative with these prompt ideas. Non-linear narrative prompts are often told from multiple perspectives and/or through the use of epistolary means (i.e. letters, journal entries, news reports, etc.).

11. Write about a fictional character through ripped-out pages from a journal that another character finds.

12. Write a story about a group of friends who go camping and end up getting assaulted by strange creatures. But piece the story together from the point of view of two or more characters.

13. Recount the end of a relationship from the POV of the two participants. Is there a misunderstanding at work, or do both people have the exact same story about why the relationship ended?

14. Write about a family who experiences an earthquake in different parts of the city.

15. Write a scene in which a cop and a criminal are matching wits in an interview room.

16. Start with the end of a story you know well, and then write it backward.

17. Write a story about a character with amnesia who remembers events out of order.

18. Explore a major historical event through the eyes of fictional characters who were “there.”

19. Start in the middle of a story about a long journey, then use flashbacks to fill in essential plot elements.

20. Using an unreliable narrator , tell the story of a disastrous music festival.

Viewpoint narrative can be completely made up or a product of your own personal experience. You can always combine fiction and personal narrative for a great writing exercise . If you're having trouble with writer's block , then the following prompts may be the easiest way to get your writing back on track.

21. What's your favorite memory from childhood? Write it down in as much detail as possible.

22. What's the proudest moment of your life so far? Use it as a starting point to craft a scene in which the moment gets even better.

23. What drew you to creative writing? Describe what inspired you to become a writer.

24. Think back to a day in 7th grade when you had a great day. Describe the day and what made it so great.

25. Write a comedic scene about your family on vacation.

26. Have you ever broken the law? Don't answer that. Instead, write a fictional story in which you do break the law.

27. Think of a famous person who gives you inspiration. Write about what you would do if you ever met them.

28. Write about what you would do on your dream vacation.

29. Write a short story about becoming a superhero.

30. Write a story from the viewpoint of a fictional character planning something nefarious.

31. Write a romantic story about meeting the love of your life.

32. Write a journal entry from the viewpoint of a character who has just accomplished their biggest goal.

33. Write a story about a day in the life of someone from a different cultural background.

34. Write a personal narrative in which you become a professional athlete in your favorite sport.

35. Write a story in which you're a rock star or a movie star.

36. Write a story from the POV of a character struggling to change the world for the better.

37. Write a first-person story about a police officer cracking the big case.

38. Write about a time you tried and failed at something. Explore your feelings and the aftermath.

39. Write about the weirdest thing that's ever happened to you.

40. Write about a near-death experience you've had.

In descriptive narrative, plot is secondary. It's more about getting the details down using all five senses . This can really help strengthen your fiction writing by helping readers feel immersed in the world of your story.

41. Describe a haunted house in detail.

42. Describe a fantasy creature you've made up or one from existing lore.

43. Write about the neighborhood park, including people who frequent it.

44. Write about a breathtaking building you've always liked.

45. Write about a landfill.

46. Write about a fantasy world in which dragons, demons, and elves exist.

47. Write about a building you're intimately familiar with.

48. Write about a spooky forest.

49. Write about a person (either real or fictional) without leaving any details out.

50. Describe the most beautiful sunset or vista you've ever seen.

While most of these writing prompts are mere exercises to strengthen your writing, you may find that they result in a story idea or two. So whether you use them as journal prompts for creative, stream-of-consciousness writing or as a way to come up with stories doesn't really matter. What matters is the writing activity you get out of them. Each hour you spend writing (and not just staring at the screen or surfing social media) adds to the 10,000 hours it takes to become an expert at something.

But what do you do when you want to put your writing out into the world? Well, if you want to make some money from your craft, you'll need to find the right market for your work.

Just as getting to know your characters is important for writing a good story, getting to know your market niche is essential for getting your story in front of readers . There are a couple of ways to do this, but only one that leaves you more time for actual writing. And that means using Publisher Rocket , made by the team here at Kindlepreneur.

With Publisher Rocket, you can get data in seconds that would otherwise take you hours if you were to comb through Amazon yourself. The main PR tools allow you to:

  • Learn what keywords Amazon customers use to search for books like yours — and how many searches a given keyword (or phrase) receives per month.
  • See what's working for other authors in your genre with data on book price, monthly sales, ranking, and book cover styles.
  • Find niche categories with the right amount of demand and competition for your books.
  • Gather keywords to use in your Amazon Ad campaigns.

Check out Publisher Rocket here to learn more.

Dave Chesson

When I’m not sipping tea with princesses or lightsaber dueling with little Jedi, I’m a book marketing nut. Having consulted multiple publishing companies and NYT best-selling authors, I created Kindlepreneur to help authors sell more books. I’ve even been called “The Kindlepreneur” by Amazon publicly, and I’m here to help you with your author journey.

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Literary Devices

Writing Prompts

Below are a number of writing prompts using various literary devices to help get those creative juices flowing.

  • Write a short story using the literary device of foreshadowing to build suspense and tension throughout the narrative.
  • Create a poem that uses alliteration to emphasize certain sounds or ideas. For example, use the repetition of “s” sounds to evoke a sense of serenity or use “b” sounds to convey a sense of aggression or tension.
  • Write a dialogue between two characters that uses irony to highlight the difference between what is being said and what is meant. For example, one character might say something sarcastic or hypocritical while the other character takes it at face value.
  • Write a descriptive paragraph that uses metaphor to create vivid imagery. For example, describe a sunset as “a fiery ball of gold sinking into the ocean.”
  • Create a short story that uses the literary device of flashback to reveal important information about the protagonist’s past and how it has shaped their present.
  • Write a persuasive essay that uses rhetorical questions to engage the reader and make them consider your argument. For example, “If we don’t take action now, when will we?”
  • Write a character study that uses characterization to reveal the personality, motivations, and traits of a protagonist or antagonist. For example, describe the physical appearance, behaviors, and internal thoughts of a character to create a full picture of their personality.
  • Create a short story that uses symbolism to represent a deeper meaning or theme. For example, use a white rose to symbolize purity or a black crow to symbolize death.
  • Write a descriptive paragraph that uses personification to give human qualities to non-human objects or concepts. For example, describe a thunderstorm as “angry” or a book as “patient.”
  • Create a poem that uses imagery to evoke emotions and sensory experiences in the reader. For example, describe a summer day using vivid colors, smells, and sounds to transport the reader to the scene.

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literary writing prompts

Daily writing prompts: 365 ways to practice craft

Daily writing prompts in 73 categories arranged around literary devices and craft elements to help you practice writing techniques.

  • Post author By Jordan
  • 4 Comments on Daily writing prompts: 365 ways to practice craft

literary writing prompts

Daily writing prompts on craft challenges and literary devices give a fun way to build your fiction-writing skills. A prompt exercise could even inspire your next, great story. Bookmark and dip into 365 writing prompts in seventy-three categories, from ‘abstract vs concrete language’ to ‘zeugma’.

Creative writing prompt categories

Use this alphabetized index of literary devices and elements of craft to explore daily writing prompts with definitions.

Bookmark and share this page for a dash of inspiration or writing practice whenever you or writing friends need it.

Use the sidebar link or the ‘To writing prompt categories’ link at the end of each section to return to this index.

A to B daily prompts

Click here to browse daily writing prompts from ‘abstract vs concrete language’ through ‘breaking the fourth wall’

Abstract vs concrete language

Active (and passive) voice, alliteration, anthropomorphism, anti-climax, autobiography, balanced sentences, bildungsroman, black comedy, blank verse.

  • Bouts-rimés

Breaking the fourth wall

C to f daily prompts.

Browse daily writing prompts from ‘character arcs’ through ‘foil characters’.

Character arcs

Colloquialism/slang, connotation, direct characterization, epistolary writing, flashbacks (and flashforwards), foil characters, h to m daily prompts.

Browse fiction writing prompts from ‘hooks’ through ‘mystery’ .

Inference and insinuation

Inner monologue, intertextuality, juxtaposition, magical realism, metafiction, n to r daily prompts.

Browse creative writing prompts on everything from ‘narration’ to ‘rhythm’ in language.

Non-linear narrative

On-the-nose writing, personification, plot twists, point of view, purple prose, rhyme and rhyme schemes, rhetorical devices, s to z daily prompts.

Browse daily writing prompts from ‘sarcasm’ through ‘zeugma’ .

Show, don’t tell

Stream of consciousness, verb tenses.

Don’t forget to have your say in the comments and tell us which prompts you enjoyed doing the most.

What is abstract language?

Abstract language uses broad, conceptual terms and may make description hazy or generic.

Concrete language shows instead of tells. Compare: ‘His emotions were somewhere between happiness and worry,’ and, ‘He was smiling yet his brow furrowed when he remembered the homework he’d forgotten to do.’

1. Rewrite abstract language

Prompt: Write a scene where a character gets bad news but is cheered up when a friend arrives with a gift. Use three of the following words: Happiness, sadness, fear, love, wisdom, truth, loyalty.

Next, rewrite the scene to replace abstract nouns with imagery and/or actions expressing the same feelings.

2. Balance abstract and concrete language

Prompt: Write a paragraph or story beginning with a busy market in a park. Include concrete details drawn from the five senses – what could a character see, hear, smell, touch, taste?

Include abstract emotion words that suggest your character’s feelings upon an unexpected sight or encounter.

Writing prompt pictures - abstract vs concrete language

3. Describe the concrete, reflect using abstraction

Prompt: Write a paragraph describing a favorite memory from childhood using concrete language. Then write a paragraph describing the emotions this memory evokes.

Try using similes (e.g. comparisons using ‘as scared as…’) to make abstract feelings more concrete.

4. Showing abstract traits with concrete examples

Prompt: Choose one from the following personality traits: Kindness, cruelty, generosity, cautiousness, fearlessness.

Write a scene where a character’s concrete actions infer this abstract trait. Convey, for example, ‘kindness’ without using the word once.

5. Add specificity to the generic

Prompt: Choose a natural phenomenon that is overused as a symbol (e.g. sunset, often used to suggest romance, or thunderstorms, to suggest danger/suspense).

Write a scene incorporating this symbol but use concrete language to show what makes this instance unique or unexpected (e.g. specific colors, sights, additional details).

To writing prompt categories ↑

Daily writing prompts -infographic

What is absurdism?

Absurdism in writing is used to refer to multiple concepts and devices:

  • A literary and philosophical movement that explores the irrationality and contradictions of human existence and crises of meaning that result from these elements
  • Humor drawing on the above, such as nonsensical or illogical situations in storytelling

Absurdist humor example: This stanza from Lewis Carroll’s The Hunting of the Snark , describing a map that is essentially useless because it only shows water:

He had bought a large map representing the sea, Without the least vestige of land: And the crew were much pleased when they found it to be A map they could all understand. Source: ‘The Hunting of the Snark’, poetryfoundation.org .

Creative writing prompts to practice absurdist elements:

6. Write about self-contradicting objects

Prompt: Inspired by the idea of a map that only shows water and nothing else, write an absurd scene where a character finds an object that doesn’t fulfil its primary purpose.

Absurdist object ideas to write about:

  • A lift that only stops between floors
  • An inflatable anchor guaranteed not to sink
  • A square-shaped basketball

Daily writing prompt picture - explore the absurd

7. Explore an absurd scenario

Prompt: Write a story about a DJ who’s been cursed to relive the same day over and over, each time the events mirroring the lyrics of an annoying catchy pop song. Include a moment of joy and one of despair.

8. Practice absurd personification

Prompt: Write a dialogue between two inanimate objects where they share their frustrations and the one talks the other out of an existential crisis. [ Ed’s note: Inspired by the travels of a can of beans and other objects in Tom Robbins madcap novel, ‘Skinny Legs and All’ .]

9. Play with metamorphosis

Prompt: Write a story or scene where a character transforms into one of the following overnight: A mythical creature nobody believes exists, a cheesy game show’s host, a fantasy or sci-fi trope type (troll, mischief-making AI).

10. Turn language on its head

Prompt: Write a story turning a popular idiom into a literal story scenario (e.g. when we say people who watch a lot of TV are ‘couch potatoes’). Example idea: Write a story about a boy named Fry who becomes a couch potato (literally), and his family’s desperate attempts to get him back to human form.

How to Write Scenes Free Guide

GET YOUR FREE GUIDE TO SCENE STRUCTURE

Read a guide to writing scenes with purpose that move your story forward.

What is action and why is it a vital story element?

Action in storytelling has multiple uses and purposes:

  • Shifting focus from the slower and interior (for example, a viewpoint character’s thoughts) to the more explosive, exciting external
  • Inferring desire, emotion, intention, decision (remember the old saying, ‘actions speak louder than words’)

Challenges in writing action sequences include:

  • Maintaining clarity and flow: Of sequence or detail
  • Keeping rhythm interesting: Subject-verb-object sentences may sound clunky and repetitive (‘She ran to the gate. She typed in the emergency code. She beckoned to hasten the others.’)

The next five daily writing prompts will help you practice writing immersive action:

11. Explode subject-verb-object structure

Prompt: Write a scene where characters have to evacuate a top-secret facility they’ve rigged with explosives before it blows.

First, write every sentence with a subject-verb-object structure (like the example under ‘keeping rhythm interesting’ above).

Next, rewrite the scene, switching up sentence structure for more active flow.

12. Express subtext using actions

Prompt: Write a scene between a couple where no words are used. Use actions that imply one of the following situations (try to limit narration that tells your reader the situation, letting actions infer):

  • The couple’s child has just been expelled from school
  • They have just found out they’re expecting a baby
  • The couple has just had a shouting match with an insufferable neighbor
  • One half of the couple has forgotten it’s their anniversary, the other is itching to give an amazing gift they bought

13. Build a blow-by-blow sequence

Prompt: Write the scene of a boxing match or sword fight. For the first half, the likely victor is winning, but a series of mistakes means that mid-way through and the tide turns in the underdog’s favor.

14. Creating unfolding action using present participles

Prompt: Write a scene in which there is a quick-draw stand-off between two outlaws. Use at least five present participles to create a sense of the present moment (the present verb form ending ‘-ing’, e.g. breaking, blinking, sweating).

15. Practice action pacing

Prompt: Write a scene or story where a paramedic is called to an emergency and the patient turns out to be an old friend. Include a sequence of action where time passes slowly and a change that requires urgency. Focus on using shorter sentences in the urgent segment.

What is active voice?

In active voice, the subject is the doer of an action which the sentence emphasizes. It is often preferable because it is usually clearer and more succinct. Example: ‘Sarah wrote the letter’ (active) vs ‘The letter was written by Sarah’ (passive).

There are cases where passive voice may be preferred:

  • The doer of the action is unknown (e.g. ‘The letter had been written by someone on their street, that much he knew’)
  • The focus is on the object (e.g. prominent sentence position of ‘the letter’ in the example above)

Try these active voice writing prompts:

16. Start a story emphasizing an object

Prompt: Write an opening paragraph to a story beginning with a sentence that emphasizes an intriguing object in passive voice. Create a question that the story will answer or complicate. Example opening: ‘The wand had been given to me by…’

17. Create a mysterious doer of deeds

Prompt: Write a mystery set in a school where an unknown student has stolen something out of another student’s bag, from the perspective of the robbed student. Describe the action in passive voice, then rewrite this in active voice.

18. Shift focus onto consequences over actors

Prompt: Write a story about a major historical event (for example, the invention of the lightbulb).

Use passive voice to shift the reader’s focus onto consequences over actions (for example, ‘The ‘lectric doohickey was eyed with mistrust by the candlemaker, Mr Wick, at first.’)

19. Describe a work of art to convey intention

Prompt: Write a story in which a character comes across a painting in a gallery that captures a sense of the artist’s every thought and intention. Use passive voice sentences to focus on these intentions (for example, ‘The face had been built up in layers with the utmost care for blending.’). Switch between this and the narrator’s active voice impressions and questions.

20. Write instructions alternating emphasis on actions and materials

Prompt: Write story or scene where a character reads a letter or label of instruction. Mix passive voice for sentences emphasizing items/objects and active voice for more direct actions (e.g. ‘Plant the seeds’ vs ‘The seedling must be watered…’).

What are adverbs?

The words that qualify verbs, adding characteristics such as speed, volume, manner of doing. For example, ‘She sang loudly’, or ‘she ran fast’.

Stephen King says in On Writing that ‘the road to hell is paved with adverbs’. Why? Because they may add wordiness, for one.

A more expressive, single-word verb promotes concision and adds interesting connotations. For example, ‘she bolted’ has connotations of hunting, flight, sudden starts (from the bolt of a crossbow to the startled departure of game).

Try five of the daily writing prompts dedicated to this part of speech:

21. Pave the road to hell

Prompt: Write a funny story about a paver who has a nightmare job where rain, bizarre client requests, wild animals, and other setbacks make finishing the path almost impossible.

Use at least five ‘-ly’ ending adverbs as you write. Then go back and substitute verbs that convey a similar meaning (e.g. ‘He shut the door loudly’ > ‘He slammed the door’).

Writing prompt - removing overused adverbs

22. Create how, where, when and to what extent using adverbial phrases

Prompt: Write a story about a difficult mountain climbing trip, using adverbial phrases to convey how the climb proceeds, where climbers get to (or face difficulty), and to what extent they know (or don’t know) what they’re doing.

Adverbial phrase examples:

  • ‘ Approaching the first ledge , she saw the summit was just a speck above’ (adverbial phrase of place gives position and modifies ‘saw’)
  • ‘ During the first hour, she spoke rarely’ (adverbial phrase of time specifies duration)
  • ‘ With utmost precision, she calculated which crevice to reach for’ (adverbial phrase gives degree or extent, modifying the verb ‘calculated’)

23. Show actions’ manner without adverbs

Prompt: Write a whispered piece of dialogue between friends.

First, use adverbs that convey volume liberally (e.g. softly, quietly, imperceptibly).

Next, rewrite to nix every adverb, using what characters say, gestures, actions to show dialogue is soft (e.g. ‘She cupped a hand to her ear’).

24. Substitute similes for adverbs

Prompt: Write a scene in which a character is about to tell her friend something curious or sinister. Start with “Wait ’til you hear this,” she said strangely.’

At the end, replace the dialogue tag and adverb (‘she said strangely’) with a comparison making what is strange about the utterance clearer.

( Example: ‘…she said, tossing the words like cigarette butts from a car window. The devil-may-care smile didn’t reach her eyes.’)

25. Avoiding adverbial excess

Prompt: Write a story about a magician whose first attempt at a new spell backfires.

Each time you want to write an adverb as you write, give two. Example: ‘He shook the tube of potion excitedly and expectantly’.

At the end, go through the piece and choose one adverb in each instance (or check how to make flow stronger using more descriptive verbs instead).

What is allegory?

Allegory, which comes from the Greek allēgoria (‘speaking other’) refers to a story, poem or picture which reveals a hidden meaning. Story elements refer or allude to larger or more abstract concepts and ideas.

As an example, in C.S. Lewis’ The Chronicles of Narnia fantasy series, there are allegorical elements suggestive of the Christian faith. A magical lion named Aslan sacrifices his life for the four child protagonists and is resurrected, echoing the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

In A.A. Milne’s beloved Winnie the Pooh series, each character is suggestive of a different temperament or personality type. Rabbit, the fiery choleric or grouch. Pooh, the phlegmatic or even-tempered friend to everybody. Piglet the nervous wreck. Eeyore the moping melancholic. Each animal character is like an allegorical representation of a human archetype.

Memento mori in visual art are allegorical symbols, alluding to life’s fragility and death’s inevitability. Symbols such as skulls, hourglasses, clocks.

This category of these daily writing prompts explores allegorical writing.

26. Using objects to evoke abstract ideas

Prompt: Write a story on a weighty abstract theme such as: Death, love, justice, truth, freedom, spirituality (pick one).

First, make a list of symbols and objects you associate with this word. Then write a story without using the word itself once, but suggest and imply your thoughts/philosophy on the concept, using the objects you listed.

27. Mining Animal Farm for ideas

Prompt: In the vein of George Orwell’s allegorical novella Animal Farm , pick a type of political system (such as democracy, oligarchy (rule by a small elite), anarchy (no government or the rejection of hierarchy), tyranny.

Write an allegorical story suggestive of this system (and your thoughts of it) without referring to the system explicitly. The stand-in for society could be, for example: A company’s board of directors, a collective of artists living on a commune.

28. Writing representative characters

Prompt: Choose three from this list of personality temperaments or character archetypes: Melancholic, anxious, happy-go-lucky, short-fused, adventurous, calculating, empathic.

Write a story set in a futuristic city of robots featuring three characters who each represent one of the three types.

29. Capture history through allegory

Prompt: Write a story set in a museum in which different objects come to life, and their behavior or words capture the spirit of their eras and cultures.

30. Explore schools of thought

Prompt: Write a story or scene where four kingdoms debate a territorial dispute. Assign each kingdom a position based on a school of philosophical thought.

Ideas for schools of thought (read Scotty Hendricks for Big Think for more ideas):

  • Stoicism: A school of thought popular in ancient Greek and Roman times believing ‘the goal of all inquiry is to provide a mode of conduct characterized by tranquility of mind’ (Jason Lewis Saunders, ‘Stoicism’, Britannica Online )
  • Utilitarianism: The school of thought that the best action is that which maximizes positive outcome/benefit for the ‘greatest good’ or ‘utility’
  • Hedonism: The philosophy that pleasure is the highest good and source of moral values
  • Nihilism: The school of thought that life is meaningless and does not have intrinsic value
  • Pragmatism: Philosophy which values real-world consequences and practical outcomes as the source of meaning, truth or value

What is alliteration?

Alliteration is a poetic device in which consonants are repeated for mimetic (imitative) effect.

For example, the plosive doubled ‘t’ and ‘p’ sounds suggesting the short, sharp sound of machinegun fire in Wilfred Owen’s famous anti-war poem:

What passing-bells for these who die as cattle?      — Only the monstrous anger of the guns. Only the stuttering rifles’ rapid rattle Can patter out their hasty orisons. ‘Anthem for the Doomed Youth’ by Wilfred Owen, first stanza. Source: poetryfoundation.org . Words bolded for emphasis.

Explore daily writing prompts for practicing creative alliteration below:

31. Mimic sound for effect

Prompt: Write a poem or scene that prominently features a sound. Use alliteration (words using repeated consonants) to capture the quality of that sound.

  • Sibilant sounds for alliteration using ‘s’: Snakes’ hissing, water in a hot pan, air being let out of an inflatable mattress or car tyres.
  • Buzzing sounds for alliteration using ‘z’: Bees, electronics with haptic feedback, electric razors or toothbrushes, guitar feedback
  • Staccato sounds for alliteration using ‘t’ and ‘p’: Gunfire, drumming, tap-dance, rainfall

32. Reflecting environs with alliteration

Prompt: Narrate a night in a noisy nightclub. Incorporate two different consonants you can repeat in a phrase for sound imitation (such as ‘zz’, ‘ss’, or ‘tt’).

33. Overdoing alliterative effect

Prompt: Write a story for children about an animal trying to start as many words as possible with the same consonant as a constraint. Then rewrite for better flow and more varied language. Example: ‘Runaway the rabbit risked ravines and ravenous wriggling rattlesnakes.’

34. Poeticize (or add humor to) the news

Prompt: Browse recent news for a random article. Find a story in a drier, reportage style. Pick an image, scenario or sound and rewrite it in a more poetic way, using alliteration in at least one sentence for dramatic or silly effect.

Example: ‘Colorado Bear Opens Car Door to eat Unattended Dog Food’.

Intro line: ‘This brown bear believed Brown Rice with Lamb was bipedals’ best invention, though the kibble bonanza became a bellyache.’

35. Capture tone and mood

Prompt: Write a story beginning in a languid, watery setting. Prioritize soft consonants to create the sound of calm (‘l’, ‘w’, ‘sh’). Shift to harder consonants such as plosives (/p/, /t/, /d/, /p/) when sudden action interrupts the calm.

What is anaphora?

Anaphora (which comes from the words ‘to bear back’) is two types of repetition.

In grammar, the term means using a word to refer back to a previously used word in conversation or narration. For example, when we substitute a pronoun for a character as the subject. ‘James was tired. He’d been up all night playing video games.’

In rhetoric, anaphora means the repetition of a word or phrase at the start of successive clauses. For example, Churchill’s famous speech:

We shall go on to the end, we shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air … Sir Winston Churchill, June 4 1940 to the House of Commons. Source: International Churchill Society.

Try creative writing prompts incorporating rhetorical and grammatical anaphora:

36. Write an impassioned speech

Prompt: Write a story in which a character gives an impassioned speech at a major turning point. Use rhetorical anaphora repeating a phrase to persuasive effect.

Ideas for speech-containing story scenarios:

  • Morale is low for a band of fantasy quest-takers
  • A group of bullied high school students decide to fight back
  • A minority party in a corrupt government sends the house into bickering but also earns applause

37. Use anaphora to show loss of temper

Prompt: Write a scene where a character loses their temper and they start speaking in anaphora, the repeated refrain they start consecutive clauses with suggesting the source of their frustration.

Example: “Crumbs on the counter, crumbs on the carpet, crumbs when I get in bed. Crumbs in a never-ending trail like we’re Hansel and bloody Gretel! And now I’m the witch again.”

38. Eulogize using anaphora

Prompt: Write a story where a character gives a eulogy for a deceased friend or relative at their memorial. Begin successive sentences and clauses with the same phrase.

Ideas for anaphora in eulogy-writing:

  • “She/he/they taught us…”
  • “She’d/he’d/they’d laugh if I said…”
  • “Let us be comforted by…”
  • “This is not a goodbye, but a …”
  • “[Name] was a [noun], as in …”

39. Give a mission a stand-in title

Prompt: Write a story about a crucial mission that is only ever referred to by a cryptic name until the object of the mission becomes clear at the end of the story.

40. Build mystery using anaphora

Prompt: Write a story about mysterious, hidden object. Refer to the object only as ‘it’ and gradually reveal information about what ‘it’ is through characters’ descriptions, actions and decisions.

What is anthropomorphism?

Anthropomorphism means ascribing human qualities to animals.

In the Miyazaki film Pom Poko , as an example, a society of raccoon-like animals is threatened by encroaching human settlement and development. The animals are represented as bipedal, talking, personified characters (to start).

Miyazaki includes scenes where the characters’ species are depicted as mute, wild animals, too.

The dual approach suggests to the viewer that animal conservation is important whether animals are ‘like us’ or not.

41. Practice personifying animals in speech

Prompt: Write a story about an animal protagonist, using an element of that animal’s usual sounds or form to inform how it talks.

Example: The lyrics in King Louie’s song in The Jungle Book ape (no pun intended) the ‘oo, oo/aa, aa’ chatter of monkeys (through word-extension and jazz-style ‘scatting’) in the chorus:

Oh, ooh-bee-doo, (Oop-dee-wee) I wanna be like you-hu-hu (Hop-dee-doo-bee-do-bow) ‘I Wan’na Be Like You’ song lyrics, source: Disney fandom wiki

42. Humanize through objects

Prompt: Write a story about an animal who grows extremely attached to an object or animal from another species and the adventures they have (or the sorrow they experience when separated).

Example: Who can forget the story of Koko and her kittens ?

43. Personify things’ properties

Prompt: Write a story about an onion that makes people cry, not through methionine and cystine (the tear-triggering compounds) but its mean words. Or pick another object and turn its organic properties into anthropomorphic flaws.

Writing prompt - anthropomorphic onions

44. Make the alien earthly

Prompt: Write a story about a group of human-like alien life-forms who are the motley employees of an outer space company that offers a surprising intergalactic service.

45. Make otherness fashionable

Prompt: Write a story about the biggest fashion event of the year. The twist is every character is an anthropomorphic animal. Think Vogue’s September issue meets The Wind in the Willows .

What is an anti-climax?

An anti-climax is a climax that fizzles out instead of going out with a bang. It’s a little like the anti-joke in that it builds to something that doesn’t match the intensity of the build-up.

Example: The typical ‘dad joke’ – ‘A man walks into a bar: Ouch!’

Read writing prompts built on practicing creative use of anti-climax:

46. The surprise is there’s no surprise

Prompt: Write a story where a character thinks everyone at the office is hinting about a surprise party for their birthday. To their disappointment, the surprise turns out to be something totally boring and unrelated.

47. Make the bomb fizzle out

Prompt: Write a story about a tense, time-bound situation (such as a bomb scare) where at the end the situation fizzles out, confounding expectation. Give other events within the story arcs that resolve (e.g. interpersonal conflicts).

48. Use anti-climax for comic relief

Prompt: Write a story about a character preparing for the biggest test or trial of their life and preparation’s harrowing ups and downs. In the end, the test/trial is postponed on the day for a ridiculous reason.

49. Use anti-climax to subvert tropes

Prompt: Write a story borrowing a genre trope. For example, ‘enemies to lovers’ from romance. Use anti-climax to subvert the trope’s usual expectations (e.g. enemies to even worse enemies, or enemies to friends because in the end there is absolutely no chemistry).

50. Breaking scene tension

Prompt: Write a tense scene in which your protagonist is wracked with terror. Make something happen near the end that diffuses the fear.

What is assonance?

Assonance is the poetic device cousin of ‘alliteration’. The use or repetition of vowel sounds to create tone, mood and effect.

Think, for example, how ‘ee’ is the sound of terror/horror. Shriek, scream, bleed, grievous.

Try the daily writing prompts below to build tone, mood and effect using vowels.

51. Make readers go ‘Eee!’

Prompt: Write a scene or story set in a haunted house, where the protagonist realizes they’re one of the haunting spirits themselves. Use assonance repeating ‘ee’ sounds somewhere in the story.

52. Use assonance to silly effect

Prompt: Write a poem or story using assonance to silly, tongue-twister-like effect. For example, write a poem about a mythical creature described using repeated vowel sounds.

Example: ‘West Beast East Beast’ by Dr. Seuss:

Upon an island hard to reach, The East Beast sits upon his beach. Upon the west beach sits the West Beast. Each beach beast thinks he’s the best beast. Dr Seuss, in Oh Say Can you Say?

53. Play with the bouba/kiki effect

The bouba/kiki effect refers to a study that found people across languages and cultures were more likely to associate the word ‘bouba’ with a round shape, and ‘kiki’ with a jagged one.

Prompt: Write a poem or scene that describes something smooth, and something jagged. Repeat words with ‘oo’ and long ‘u’ vowels when describing the the smooth item, and repeat shorter vowels when describing the jagged thing.

54. Create wonder with the sound of ‘ah!’

Prompt: Write a story or scene where a character finds a lost treasure and is amazed upon inspecting it. Use assonance to create a mood of wonder by including many words containing long ‘ah’ vowels.

Far from Zanarkand, dark was coming. My heart raced faster as I checked the partial map and stars crept over the escarpment. My example

55. Create contemplative calm using ‘oo’

Prompt: Write a story or scene where a character takes a long journey on a boat. Use assonance featuring words with the long ‘oo’ vowel to create a sense of calm and tranquility when the boat anchors.

Word ideas: Blue, smooth, hue, view, through, true, soothe, moon, cool, room, pool, spool

What is autobiography?

Autobiography is an account of a life by the person who’s lived it. The word comes from roots meaning ‘self’ ( auto -), life ( bio ) and to write (the Greek graphein ).

Autobiography as a subcategory of life-writing tends to be comprehensive. It’s a fuller account of a life, compared to memoir which typically gives a slice of life, such as the writer’s experience of a specific experience or trial.

Explore writing prompts for writing fiction in an autobiographical representative style and for tapping into your own life story.

56. Writing where there’s feeling

Prompt: Write a story or poem based on the experience of one of the best days of your life, such as your best birthday ever. Remember to use the senses for immersive description (see abstract vs concrete language above).

57. Start with a character’s birth

Prompt: Write a story or poem that compresses the main character’s entire life from birth to death into this short form. Start with something unusual about the character’s birth.

Ideas for unusual births:

  • Being born on a leap year
  • Being born as one of octuplets
  • Arriving on the eve of a major historical event

58. Draw on the real conflicts of life

Prompt: Write a story or poem based on one of the toughest challenges you’ve overcome in your life.

59. Show cause and effect in mistakes, consequences

Prompt: Write a story or poem based on one of the biggest mistakes you’ve ever made, and what the consequences taught you.

60. Play with creative non-fiction

Prompt: Write a story about a sad or funny event from childhood. In the process invent a sibling or other figure, adding a fictional element. What does invention add? A contrary viewpoint, greater humor? How can their addition help you capture a greater sense of truth?

What is backstory?

Backstory in fiction is the word for events from a character’s life prior to the story that shape who they are.

A driven character who is addicted to work, for example, may have a backstory in which money was always scarce growing up. Coming from poverty, their drive or determination to create generational wealth makes sense.

Backstory helps to supply deeper motivation, even if a character’s full backstory is only known to the author and not written.

61. Find the backstory for a current scenario

Prompt: Choose one of the following character ideas (or create your own). Write a few paragraphs (or a short story if feeling ambitious) focusing on key experiences that help to explain the person’s current compulsions or desires.

Ideas for scenarios:

  • A singer who is ambitious to the point of being cutthroat
  • A potter who struggles to self-promote because of self doubt that runs deep
  • A business person who neglects their kids because they’re addicted to work

62. Create object-based ties to the past

Prompt: Write a story or poem where a character finds an old family heirloom that surfaces memories from their past.

backstory daily writing prompt

63. Tell the history of starting over

Prompt: Write a story about a character who once had a brilliant career but now works in a junior role in a new industry. What was the backstory that led to the change?

64. Find the hidden history

Prompt: Write a story about a character whose backstory contains a terrible secret they’re desperate to conceal.

65. Explore formative friendships as backstory

Prompt: Write a story about a circle of childhood friends and how a shared experience in their childhood shapes each of their lives now that they’re grown up.

What are balanced sentences?

In writing style and grammar, ‘balanced sentences’ are sentences in which clauses are similar in length, importance, and structure.

For example: ‘The rain wouldn’t stop, so we couldn’t start.’

Some describe balanced sentences as a kind of misleading rhetoric used to convey the impression of polish or wisdom.

Find creative writing prompts designed for practicing creating balanced sentences for effect:

66. Begin with a balanced sentence

Prompt: Write a story opening with a balanced sentence comparing two or more opposite things. Repeat this grammatical structure for the first three sentences.

Example: The opening to Charles Dickens’ novel A Tale of Two Cities , which uses a long balanced sentence to reflect on an era’s contradictions.

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair. Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities (1859), p.3.

67. The proposals

Prompt: Write a story where a character has to choose between two proposals. Include a balanced sentence where they weigh one against another. It could be a business proposal or one of marriage.

Example: Henry had offered fun with the possibility of boredom; Joe misery with the certainty of baited breath.

68. Compare two perspectives

Prompt: Write a story in which a painter and a musician both try to capture the feelings and mood of the same landscape. Use a balanced sentence that compares and contrasts what they appreciate about the scene.

69. The speech writer’s dilemma

Prompt: Write a story where a speech writer has to try make a woefully inept politician sound like a shoe-in. Use balanced sentences, anaphora, and any other rhetorical devices you want.

70. Balance day and night

Prompt: Write a story where you describe the distinctive features of a city by day and night, using balanced sentences.

Example sentence: ‘By day, merchants flogged wares on every square of pavement; by night dealers flogged desperation in every strip of side street.’

What is a bildungsroman?

A story (typically a longer form such as a novel) about a person’s formative years or growth from youth to adulthood. The German word bildung means ‘education’, and roman means ‘novel.’

Example: Great Expectations by Charles Dickens, which follows the protagonist Pip from boyhood to young adulthood.

Try writing prompts based on this type of novel below:

71. Grow up in style

Prompt: Write a story or story introduction where the narrator is young to start, and the story flashes forwards to when they are older. Make narration match the character’s age (i.e. kid language to start, more complex language when they’re older).

[ Ed’s note: James Joyce does this in ‘Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man’. In this bildungsroman, the narrator uses words such as ‘moocows’ at the start of the story. ]

72. Travel and change

Prompt: Write a story where a character leaves their small town for the first time to attend an event in another city, and the surprises they encounter by leaving their usual stomping grounds.

73. Face off with society

Prompt: Write a story about a character who has to overcome societal prejudice as they grow up. Start with a troubling event that makes them say, ‘Enough!’

74. Take a gap year

Prompt: Write a story about a protagonist who’s just graduated high school and takes a gap year to have an amazing adventure.

75. Discover family secrets

Prompt: Write a story about a person who discovers a family secret as they come of age, and how it changes everything they thought they knew.

What is a black comedy?

A comedy which makes use of dark, morbid humor. For example, a comedy about an undertaker who prepares open caskets but has terrible makeup skills.

The daily writing prompts below will help you practice writing black comedy:

76. Find the funny at a funeral

Prompt: Write a story or poem about a solemn funeral where everything starts going wrong to farcical, comedic effect.

77. Create a ludicrous whodunnit

Prompt: Write a murder mystery set in a very unlikely setting which ups the sense of the absurd.

Example: The mockumentary film Drop Dead Gorgeous is a campy dark comedy film where beauty pageant contestants are picked off.

78. Write a hapless antihero

Prompt: Write a comedic tory about a hapless antihero, such as a hitman who constantly bungles their assignments.

79. Create an inept grim reaper

Prompt: Write a funny story about a grim reaper who is too [x attribute, e.g. empathic] to do their job well, and the funny situations that result.

80. Use gallows humor

What is gallows humor?

A type of black comedy that provides relief from stressful situations such as life-threatening situations and other trauma. Often used by people in order to cope with suffering.

Prompt: Write a story about a character who has a terminal illness and the gallows humor they use to cope and distract friends and family.

What is blank verse?

Blank verse is poetry written in unrhymed lines, typically iambic pentameter. Iambic pentameter is a rhythm or meter consisting of ten syllables and five pairs of syllables in a ‘unstressed, stressed’ sequence.

Although the sun was shining as before, The gloom was ever present, dark as wells. She lay in bed, the blinds let down, for days, Until the seasons brought a ladder out. My example

Explore creative writing prompts to create blank verse (you can also use your lines of iambic pentameter for prose with symmetrical rhythm).

81. Create seasonal blank verse

Prompt: Pick a season – summer, winter, fall or spring. Write a poem or story including a seasonal poem in blank verse (four lines of unrhymed iambic pentameter).

82. Create a flowery speech

Prompt: Write a story in which a friend of the couple gives a very flowery speech at their wedding. Include blank verse the friend wrote celebrating the couple (but make it real doggerel – corny, badly-written poetry that suggests the speaker is not a very good poet).

83. Create blank verse metafiction

Prompt: Write a stanza of four lines of blank verse a teacher uses to teach their class about poetry in story set in a classroom. The teacher uses humor to keep the class alert. Make the verse funny, silly or absurd.

84. Create a historical love letter

Prompt: Write a story in which two lovers communicate via letters and blank verse during a long historical war.

Blank verse writing prompt

85. Creating a soldier’s view

Prompt: Write a story about a soldier on the eve of a crucial battle. They write blank verse in their diary expressing how they feel about the impending conflict.

Bouts-Rimés

What are bouts-rimés?

The term (pronounced boo-ree-may ) is French for ‘rhymed ends’. It refers to language games where lists of words that rhyme are given, and the writer must make a poem using said list.

Example: A poem rhyming the words, ‘moon’, ‘June’, ‘soon’ and ‘tune’.

The piano fell so wildly out of tune, it made my uncle’s lab howl at the moon, and transform to a wolf one lupine June. ‘I’ll get the tuners in,’ I promised, ‘soon.’ My example

Find creative writing prompts to play with bouts-rimés below:

86. Rhyme and dine

Prompt: Write a poem (or a story in which someone recites a poem) that rhymes the following list of food-associated words: ‘pear’ (or pair), ‘fare’, ‘prepare’, ‘share’.

87. Rhyme and whine

Prompt: Write a poem about a person who loves complaining that uses the following words as end-rhymes: groan, moan, grown, mown.

88. Rhyme and shine

Prompt: Write a poem (or a story containing a poem) rhyming the following list of words associated with shine and luster: glimmer, shimmer, gleam, sheen.

89. Rhyme in time

Prompt: Write a poem (or a poem within a story) about time and using the following time-related end-rhymes: chime and time, clock and tock.

90. Rhyme the crime

Prompt: Write a poem (or poem within a story) about a comical situation represented as a mock-serious crime. Draw from these end-rhymes: Cuff and bluff, tough and enough, law and claw.

What does breaking the fourth wall mean?

Breaking the fourth wall is a narrative term meaning to rupture the illusion of reality (by, for example, having a narrator address the reader directly).

Example: In Jane Eyre , the title character’s line, ‘Reader, I married him.’

Play with writing prompts for practicing breaking the fourth wall for effect:

91. Break fourth walls for comic effect

Prompt: Write a story about a prankster who gets detention at school for a prank gone wrong. Make them address the reader directly with a funny aside.

92. Create dramatic irony

Prompt: Write a story where a group of characters is trying to unravel a mystery, and one character knows the answer but tells the reader in narration and not the rest of the group.

93. Break fourth walls to emphasize artifice

Prompt: Write a story where an unreliable narrator on death row is telling the reader how they got to their present situation. Make them break the fourth wall in such a way that the reader remembers the narrator could be manipulative or dishonest.

94. Break the fourth wall for participation

Prompt: Write a choose-your-own-adventure horror story that makes fun of common horror tropes. For example, page one might say, ‘If you choose to explore the obviously dangerous abandoned mansion alone, turn to page four.’

95. Disrupt readers’ expectations

Prompt: Write a story beginning with a tense situation and then break the fourth wall to show that the unfolding situation was a rehearsal for a play by having something go wrong with the set.

What is a character arc?

Character arc is a term from narrative theory referring to the change process a character undergoes. Character arcs develop out of character’s motivations, which lead to goals and obstacles or conflicts.

Example: In Great Expectations , the main character goes from an orphaned kid who’s taken in by his sister to a wealthy adult thanks to a mystery benefactor.

Explore writing prompts to practice shaping change processes to create story intrigue:

96. Create a ‘person in hole’ character arc

Prompt: Write a story about a person in an extremely dire situation (such as serious trouble with the law) and how they turn their life around.

97. Build a ‘rags to riches’ character arc

Prompt: Write a story about a character who rises from living in social housing to a powerful position, who goes back to help the community and pay forward their success.

literary writing prompts

98. Craft a ‘voyage and return’ character arc

Prompt: Write a story or poem about a person who goes on an incredible journey that fundamentally changes who they are.

  • A dangerous mountaineering expedition with a life-changing accident
  • A quest to the lair of a mythical beast that tests assumptions
  • A group of astronauts returns from an attempted inhabitable planet landing, eerily different

99. Write a ‘flat’ character arc

Prompt: Write a story about a robot assassin developed by a rogue government department and the controversial target they have to take out. Give the protagonist programmed catch-phrases, actions, responses. Everything changes except the character.

100. Show disillusionment in a character arc

Prompt: Write a story about a character working in technological research who becomes deeply disillusioned with the ethics of their project after learning dangerous potential outcomes.

What is clarity in style?

Clarity in writing style refers to how readable writing is, how easy to understand.

Ambiguity in writing should be intentional – unintentional ambiguity makes it hard to decipher what reading or interpretation an author intended. Abstract language is another element that weakens clarity.

Explore daily writing prompts to practice lucid style:

101. Educate at the reader’s level

Prompt: Write a story where a parent explains a complex scientific concept (such as gravity) to a young child who has a typical vocabulary for their age.

102. Save the day

Prompt: Write a story where a character must give clear instructions to others in their company if they are to avert disaster.

103. Simplify scientific language

Prompt: Write a story about a friendship between a scientist and the tradesperson who lives next door. At some point the scientist talks about their research using technical language, and the friend who isn’t a scientist confirms what they understood using everyday language.

104. Throw away the manual

Prompt: Write a story about a corporate trainer who gets annoyed with the jargon that fills a training manual and goes off-script, speaking off the cuff and from personal experience, on their first day.

105. Clarify couple’s counselling

Prompt: Write a story or scene where two people are in couple’s counselling and argue. The counsellor points out the misunderstanding is because they are defining an important word or concept differently, restoring clarity.

What is a cliché?

A phrase or thing that is overused so that its further use suggests unoriginal thought; a stereotype. For example, the stereotypes of the jock, bimbo, gay best friend , etc.

See writing prompts below for using, avoiding, and subverting clichés:

106. Change doctors’ bad handwriting rep

Prompt : Write a story about a doctor who writes scripts in a beautiful, calligraphic font, and the pharmacist who becomes intrigued about them through regularly seeing their handwriting.

107. Undo cultural stereotypes

Prompt: Choose a typical cultural stereotype. Write a story about a protagonist who bucks the cliché, exploring the different types of reactions this elicits.

108. Subvert the knight in shining armor

Prompt: Write a story from the viewpoint of a person who thinks they’re very chivalrous, though they prove to be cowardly and self-serving.

109. Make a not-so-fresh start

Prompt: Write a story where a character moves to another town or city for a fresh start. The twist is an almost identical sequence of events unfolds in the new place that is triggering of the reason they left the old.

110. Lean into cliché but with a twist

Prompt: Write a story where a villain tells a heroic protagonist a stock villain phrase but it turns out that’s all they can say. Example: ‘I’ve been expecting you.’

What is colloquialism?

Colloquialism means informal communication such as slang. Using the word ‘Sus’ to refer to suspicion, for example.

Play with creative writing prompts inspired by this style of language:

111. Story a subculture

Prompt: Pick a subculture that has its own rich slang vocabulary (such as skating or surfing). Write a story about two friends who live this subculture, using its language in their dialogue.

Example slang words from English-speaking skater subculture ( source: surfertoday.com ):

  • Bail: to jump or step off the board safely when a move goes wrong
  • Brain Bucket: a helmet
  • Gnarly: an awesome or amazing thing or trick
  • Steez/Steezy: a combination of the words “style” and “ease” meant to praise a stylish and perfectly executed trick or maneuver

112. Invent your own slang

Prompt: Write a story about two siblings who come up with their own slang lingo and show their parents’ confusion trying to understand their conversations.

113. Explore regional culture

Prompt: Write a story or scene set in a small town where locals use peculiar (to an outsider) turns of phrase specific to the region.

114. Build band banter

Prompt: Write a story about a band’s tour and use music-related slang specific to the band’s genre.

Examples of colloquial terms from the live music scene :

  • Gig: A live show or performance
  • Jam: To improvise together, an informal jam session
  • Licks: Short musical phrases in a solo
  • Chops: A musician’s skill level/ability

115. Create a culture clash

Prompt: Write a story where an American visits England for the first time (or vice versa) and funny misunderstandings that arise due to slang differences.

What is concision in writing?

The opposite of wordiness – succinct style. Concision avoids style issues such as tautology (expressing an image or concept in duplicate ways, such as ‘the wet water’).

Practice concision with the creative writing prompts below:

116. Make the break up short

Prompt : Write a scene in only fifty words where two lovers break up.

117. Condense a long journey

Prompt: Write a singe-paragraph piece of flash fiction condensing the surprise and wonder of a very long journey.

118. Describe in brief detail

Prompt: Describe the most beautiful place you’ve ever been (or write as a character) in just twenty words.

119. Practice concise twists

Prompt: Write an extra-short story of one hundred words that ends with a shocking twist.

120. Tell a story in a note

Prompt: Write a funny note a housemate leaves on the counter for another housemate whom they’re annoyed. Make it suggest both characters’ personalities.

What is conflict in storytelling?

Conflict is a crucial element of both character development and plot. It is the obstacle or opposition that gives characters tougher routes to fulfilling desires. It’s the struggle with stakes that creates a sense of the best- and worst-case outcome scenario.

Try writing prompts on conflict situations for practice:

121. Create tough parent/child dynamics

Prompt: Write a story or scene where the ‘black sheep’ of a family is compared constantly to their over-achieving sibling. Show the effect this has on their mental health.

122. Create a clash of desires

Prompt: Write a comical scene where two best friends realize they both want the same love interest.

123. Show tough choices with inner conflict

Prompt: Write a story or scene where a character must choose between their relationship and an incredible career opportunity, and the consequences of their choice.

124. Deepen a detective’s dilemma

Prompt: Write a story where a detective is assigned to a murder case and discovers the strongest suspect is someone they care about deeply.

125. Imagine identity crises

Prompt: Write a story about a character struggling with a fundamental aspect of their identity (such as gender or sexuality) and the understanding as well as pressure they face due to their realization.

What is connotation?

Connotation is a common feeling, image or idea that a word or phrase evokes. For example, some people dislike the word ‘moist’ for its sound and connotations of discomfort.

Explore writing prompts created for practicing the connotative side of language:

126. Explore etymology

Prompt: Choose one of the following words (or your own word) and read up about its etymology. Write a story inspired by the connotations or historical meanings buried in the word.

  • Cloud ( derived from ‘a mass of rock or hill’ )
  • Quarantine (in the 1520s, a period of forty days in which a widow was permitted to stay in her late husband’s house)
  • Clue ( originally from ‘clew’ , a ball of thread or yarn such as the thread Ariadne gave Theseus to unravel to track his passage through a maze)

127. Play with positive connotations

Prompt: Write a scene or story where a character uses nicknames that have positive connotations to win another person over.

128. Neg a character’s name

Prompt: Write a story about a character who is given a name with negative connotations that dogs them through their life, creating awkward situations.

129. Compare cultural connotations

Prompt: Write a story about a word that has very different connotations in two cultures, and a misunderstanding that arises due to this.

130. Explore connotative change

Prompt: Write a story about a character who lives a long life, and the ways the connotations of a word changes radically during their lifetime. (See ‘quarantine’ above for an example of how much meanings change.)

What is dialogue?

See Now Novel’s complete guide to dialogue for terms, dialogue devices and more.

Explore writing prompts based on creating dynamic conversations:

131. Cut the small talk

Prompt: Write a scene or story that begins with two friends meeting for a hike. One has just landed their dream job, the other has split from their partner. Begin with dialogue between the friends inferring this background (no small-talk).

132. Imply the unspoken

Prompt: Write a story or dialogue-driven scene where an actor has landed the role of a lifetime but can’t openly say so due to an NDA.

133. Speak in gestures

Prompt: Write a scene just after two lovers have had a fight. Without using any spoken words, use gestures/actions to convey how each is feeling.

Ideas for combinations:

  • One character is remorseful, the other angry
  • One character is afraid, the other is acting like nothing happened
  • One person thinks everything has been resolved, the other hasn’t forgiven the source of the fight

134. Create leading questions

Prompt: Write a three-way interrogation scene where a detective knows a suspect is lying but their legal representative keeps butting in.

135. Differentiate world view

Prompt: Write a conversation between characters stranded on a remote island. One is confident they’ll be rescued. The other doesn’t have a shred of hope.

What is diction?

Diction in style refers to the choice of words and phrases and also means articulation, the manner in which a person speaks. For example, a character with wordy diction may seem either pompous or cerebral, depending on tone and what they say.

Explore writing prompts for practicing different dictions:

136. Portray pompous diction

Prompt: Write a story or scene narrated by a pompous, over-confident character. How do they express their sense of superiority? Putting others down? Boastfulness? What words and phrases suggest they are pompous?

137. Create formal occasion using formal diction

Prompt: Write a story or scene in which a visiting scholar gives an intriguing lecture at a character’s university, using formal tone and diction. Include snatches of the lecture as a protagonist listens on from the audience, plus visual description of the event.

138. Give a character archaic diction

Prompt : Write a story or scene in which a character from an earlier era time travels to a modern city. Give them archaic diction expressive of their time (for inspiration, see this list of Regency cant and expressions found in the pages of Georgette Heyer’s novels).

139. Use judicious jargon

Prompt: Write a courtroom scene in which a lawyer draws on one or two specific legal expressions to make their case (write most of their argument in ordinary, formal diction).

See anaphora for ideas of rhetorical devices the lawyer could use.

140. Create inference with euphemistic diction

Prompt: Write a story or scene where a character uses euphemistic diction to express they dislike someone, subtly. Example: ‘I wouldn’t say they’re my favorite person, no.’

What is direct characterization?

Direct characterization means stating a person’s qualities of character explicitly. This contrasts with indirect characterization, in which character traits are implied or shown.

Clark was very smart but he hadn’t waited even to finish high school. He had altogether lost touch with his family. He thought families were like a poison in your blood. Alice Munro, ‘Runaway’ in Runaway , p. 28.

Saying ‘Clark was very smart’ is direct characterization (Munro pairs this with details that indirectly tell/suggest that Clark has had a difficult relationship with his family).

Explore writing prompts to practice direct characterization and blending this with the indirect kind:

141. Blend direct and indirect characterization

Prompt: Write a story beginning with a character introduction. Start with brief direction characterization stating the character’s hallmark quality. Then give a sentence or two giving specific events illustrative of that quality.

142. Create first impressions

Prompt: Write a story or scene where a character must meet a group of people for the first time (for example, a new partner’s family). Imply your protagonist’s personality in how they introduce themselves.

143. Combine self-description and external perspective

Prompt: Write a story where the narrator introduces themselves using giving direct characterization (e.g. ‘Everyone says I’m the funniest person they know’). Give a contrary view from another narrator’s viewpoint after a scene break.

144. Toast friendship using direct characterization

Prompt: Write a scene or story where a character gives a toast to a friend on a significant occasion. Have them state something direct about their own personality in the speech as one reason for the friendship.

145. Give directly characterizing testimony

Prompt: Write a scene or story in which the protagonist is called to the stand as a witness and is grilled by a prosecutor about their personality and past.

What is an elegy?

An elegy is a piece of writing (often a poem or song) expressing sorrow or mourning for the dead. From this word we get the adjective ‘elegiac’, meaning lamenting, mournful or plaintive.

Try writing prompts to capture elegiac tone and mood:

146. Write an elegiac poem

Prompt: Read W.H. Auden’s poem ‘Funeral Blues’ AKA ‘Stop All the Clocks’. Then write your own elegy poem, also in the style of imperative instructions.

147. Imbue a landscape with elegiac tone

Prompt: Write a scene or story featuring a protagonist who is grieving a spouse. Make them describe a landscape they look out over after taking a solo trip to distract themselves.

148. Write an elegy for a pet

Prompt: Write a poem or story in which a character pays tribute to an animal companion who was a trustworthy friend.

149. Write an artist’s elegy

Prompt: Write a story in which a visual artist mourns the work they lost in a studio fire.

150. Create a musician’s mourning

Prompt: Write a story or scene from the point of view of a musician who can no longer play their instrument due to illness or injury.

What is epistolary writing?

It is writing contained in letters (or represented in letter form). For example, the novel From A to X by John Berger, styled as letters from a woman to her imprisoned lover.

Play with prompts for epistolatory writing:

151. Tell the story of unlikely pen pals

Prompt: Write a story about two unlikely friends from opposite sides of the world who are brought together by a school pen pal program. Tell the whole story through their letters to one another.

152. Tell a story in secret letters

Prompt: Write a story from the POV of a character sending secret letters from life under a totalitarian regime via a smuggling network. Experiment with writing passages in code or using other cryptic devices.

153. Write a story in letters as a trove

Prompt: Write a story in letters a young person’s relation living abroad sends them from childhood, which they keep into adulthood for their wit and wisdom. Make the letters give a character arc for the absent figure.

154. Tell a thriller in letters

Prompt: Write a dark thriller story entirely in letters, where two notorious killers trade boasts, plans, and attempt to manipulate one another.

155. Tell part of a story in letters

Prompt: Write a horror story in which a significant part of the horror comes from revelations in a series of unnerving letters.

What is euphemism?

A milder word or expression used as a substitute for one with more embarrassing, offensive, or harsh connotations. Example: ‘Passing on’ as a stand-in for ‘dying’.

Explore daily writing prompts to practice euphemistic writing:

156. Tiptoe around the uncomfortable truth

Prompt: Write a story about a character suffering a serious condition where they avoid talking about it directly out of shame, until they find self-acceptance. Use a euphemistic term to refer to their condition until they name it.

157. Create a gentler goodbye

Prompt: Write a scene or story in which a kind manager struggles to tell an employee they’ve been laid off. Use plenty of euphemistic language in how they skirt around the hard truth.

158. Hint at a sensitive perspective

Prompt: Write a story about two friends where one friend’s obnoxious behavior embarrasses the other and they euphemistically try to tell them.

159. Suggest sibling rivalry

Prompt: Write a story about two siblings where the one breaks the other’s favorite possession and tries to tell them using euphemism until they spit out the truth.

160. Confront noisy neighbors

Prompt: Write a story about the most noisy neighbors ever and the frustrated elderly couple next door who try to get them to quieten down with understated pleas.

What is exposition?

Exposition is writing which introduces elements of character, situation, context and world in a story. We call this ‘expository writing’ or ‘expository narration’.

Practice writing effective exposition that doesn’t ‘info-dump’ but entices readers instead:

161. Introduce a world through action

Prompt: Write a story in which humans have settled on a distant planet with a surface temperature too hot to go above ground by day. Write exposition that communicates this fact about the planet through a character’s actions and context, without telling the reader explicitly.

162. Use letters for exposition

Prompt: Write a story opening with a character’s letter to a friend. In the letter, supply interesting, suspenseful exposition about their present situation.

163. Reflect on a changing landscape

Prompt: Write a story that opens with a character reflecting briefly on how their town or city has changed, and what these changes could mean for their future.

164. Introduce an ability or skill

Prompt: Write a scene or story beginning with a character showing off an ability or skill that gives an expository sense of who they are.

165. Exposition through conversation between strangers

Prompt: Write a story where two strangers on public transport get speaking and the conversation gives key exposition about the protagonist’s life.

What are flashbacks and flash-forwards?

These are two narrative devices. Flashbacks cut to a past incident narrated as memory (should you write these in italics? Bryn Donovan says no ). Flashforwards temporarily take the story to a future point in the timeline.

Explore fiction writing prompts to play with narrative time:

166. Explore post-trauma

Prompt: Write a story about a protagonist relieving traumatic events due to PTSD, with flashbacks becoming less frequent as they seek counselling.

167. Flashback to happy times

Prompt: Write a story in which an adult discovers a box of birthday cards and letters between them and childhood friends which trigger a tide of happy memories.

168. Flashforward to danger or predicament

Prompt: Write a story about a character who will one day face the death penalty, and flashforward to this future situation in the opening page. [ Ed’s note: Marquez does this well in One Hundred Years of Solitude .]

169. Use flashforwards to express hopes and dreams

Prompt: Write a story about an office worker stuck in an unfulfilling life and daydreams of a different future in a flashforward, then pursues it.

170. Use flashbacks to show a grave mistake

Prompt: Write a story where a flashback shows a terrible mistake a character made, which explains the consequences they’re now struggling with.

What are foil characters?

A type of character who serves to compare and contrast to another character. For example, the comic or wacky character and their ‘straight’ or non-humorous foil.

Try the below prompts for practice creating foil characters:

171. Marry a neurotic and a pragmatist

Prompt: Write a story about a neurotic person and their very grounded, pragmatic spouse. Explore an awkward situation made funny through the very different ways the spouses approach it.

172. Steal the show with a sidekick

Prompt: Write a story about a relentlessly optimistic protagonist and their deeply cynical sidekick who steals the show with their savage wit.

173. Create a mirror foil

Prompt: Write a story about who siblings who are very similar, yet their life paths diverge when one makes a serious mistake.

174. Use a romantic foil

Prompt: Write a romantic story where the love interest’s one core similarity to the protagonist’s ex gives them initial pause.

175. Contrast emotions or archetypes

Prompt: Write a story where the main character fits an archetype such as The Fool, The Lover or The Warrior, and their foil best friend who is the antithesis of everything they are.

What is a hook in writing?

‘Hooks’ in writing refer to the part of a story opening or scene that ‘hooks’ or lures the reader in. Hooks create questions the reader wants answered, intrigue.

Explore writing prompts for practicing writing compelling hooks:

176. Hook your reader with ‘who?’

Prompt: Write a story that opens with two characters speaking about a mystery person who has gone one step too far this time.

177. Hook your reader with ‘why?’

Prompt: Write a story beginning with a frantic search for a teen who, for reasons unknown to the searchers, has run away.

178. Hook readers with ‘when?’

Prompt: Write a scene or story that opens with a mystery involving time or era. For example, characters have got in a time machine but the dial to stop at a chosen year has jammed.

179. Hook the reader with ‘where?’

Prompt: Write a story opening with the protagonist dreading having to go somewhere and dragging their heels. Only reveal after a few paragraphs where this dreaded place is.

180. Hook readers with ‘what?’

Prompt: Write a story about a character who goes on a quest for something, whose mysterious nature is unknown to them.

[Which prompt was your favorite? Do you have a prompt of your own to contribute? Share in the comments and check back next week for creative writing prompts on ‘inference’ through ‘zeugma’, rounding out to 365.

What are inference and insinuation?

Inference is a conclusion reached based on evidence and reasoning. For example, a reader may deduce a character is mean from the way they speak to service staff at a restaurant.

Insinuation is the inference of something unpleasant or bad, e.g. a character saying to another. ‘Everyone knows what you did.’

Explore creative writing prompts built to practice both devices:

181. Infer a guilty conscience

Prompt: Write a story or scene where a killer protagonist witnessed in the act is making their getaway. Infer that guilt over their actions is already setting in without stating directly that they feel guilty. [ Ed’s note: See Dostoyevsky’s Crime and Punishment for excellent crafting of a murderer protagonist’s psychology .]

182. Infer impending disaster

Prompt: Write a scene in which a flurry of rushed activity implies that a town’s residents have to flee the arrival of a natural disaster.

183. Insinuate compromising knowledge

Prompt: Write a scene or story in which a junior at a corporate firm infers that they know about a senior’s corrupt or unethical dealings. Imply without stating the exact details of their knowledge.

184. Imply an athlete’s waning focus

Prompt: Write a scene or story about a major sport event. Imply the protagonist’s focus is waning through a series of small mistakes or distractions.

185. Infer the fantastical

Prompt: Write a scene or story in which it is implied that the protagonist can time travel (without stating it explicitly).

What is inner monologue?

Inner monologue is the narrative device which shows a character’s private asides, self-talk. It is typically written in italics and reserved for moments of high emotion.

For example :

Something was clanking down the corridor of the motel at 2 am. Brent sat up and fumbled for the light switch. That sound again. Am I hearing things? My example

Find prompts for practicing writing inner monologue:

186. Create soothing self-talk

Prompt: Write a story or scene showing a character in a terrifying situation. Use inner monologue to show how they rationalize their situation and calm themselves.

187. Show what a speaker is really thinking

Prompt: Write a conversation between a parent and their troubled teen. Have the teen use inner monologue at some point which suggests they’re not being completely truthful in what they tell their parent.

188. Reflect on a life-changing decision

Prompt: Write a story or scene in which a character makes a life-changing decision. Use inner monologue once at the moment of final decision.

189. Create a sense of anxiety

Prompt: Write a scene or story in which a character goes on their first date in a very long time. Use inner monologue to write a short pep talk they give themselves as the arranged time approaches.

190. React to surprise

Prompt: W rite a scene or story where a character reacts in inner monologue to discovering that they have magical abilities or superpowers.

What is intertextuality?

This literary term refers to the way texts echo or rewrite one another. Devices that create this relationship between stories include:

  • Quotation – direct reference of the material
  • Allusion – indirect reference of material (e.g. Aslan’s character arc in Narnia being Christ-like in his sacrificial death and resurrection)
  • Parody – an imitation of a text for satirical effect
  • World or lore extension – for example, Jean Rhys’s Wide Sargasso Sea makes the minor character of Rochester’s hidden wife from Jane Eyre the protagonist

Fanfiction is another type of intertextual writing (writing new stories in an authors world or using their characters). Try daily writing prompts to practice drawing on other texts:

191. Get mythological

Prompt: Pick a mythological tradition such as Ancient Greek, Norse, Egyptian. Read up about famous stories in this tradition, then write a story inspired by its characters or events.

192. Make the minor major

Prompt: Think of a minor character or walk-on from a book you love. Write a scene or story from their point of view, making the author’s world your own. [ Ed’s note: Doing this with a public domain story, e.g. one by Dickens or Austen, will avoid copyright limitations .]

193. Explore the lore

Prompt: Browse a fandom wiki such as the wiki about Tolkien’s Middle Earth . Pick a topic that interests you (such as the ‘Empty Lands’ in Tolkien’s world). Write a story inspired by this topic.

194. Base a story off a quotation

Prompt: Choose a line or stanza from a story or poem you love. Write a story quoting that line/stanza or one inspired by the quotation.

195. Allude to a famous character

Prompt: Write a scene or story that draws on the appearance, persona, or character arc of a famous character or figure from religion. Make the allusion suggest something about your protagonist’s personality.

What is irony?

There are multiple definitions and types of irony, which comes from the Greek word eirōneia meaning ‘simulated ignorance’.

  • Dramatic or narrative irony: The full significance of a character’s words or actions are known to the reader but not to the character (or others)
  • Verbal irony: Saying one thing but meaning another, such as sarcasm (an ironic device): ‘Oh, you’re a regular Siegfried Sassoon,’ she said, feigning love for her butchered bob.’
  • Situational irony: The opposite of the expected happens ( Studiobinder shares the irony example of Patrick Bateman confessing to murders and his confession being laughed off in American Psycho )

Explore writing prompts for practicing creating different types of irony:

196. Create a knowing audience

Prompt: Write a story in which the reader knows a surprise party is being planned, and that the main character loathes surprises, but the planners don’t know that.

197. Create situational irony via verbal irony

Prompt : Write a story in which a character tells another they have a present for them. Yet the present turns out to be an unpleasant task.

198. Create the opposite to an expected outcome

Prompt: Write a story about a top-achieving school-leaver excited to get to a university that has a fantastic reputation, yet the shambolic mess that is their first year experience.

199. Overstate the event

Prompt: Write a story where a character overstates how incredible an occasion will be and guests arrive to find a very disappointing party but find the humor in the situation.

200. Use Socratic irony

Prompt: Write a story in which a detective who studied philosophy feigns ignorance in questioning to get suspects to make statements she can challenge.

What is jargon?

Jargon is words or expressions used by a group or profession that are difficult for the non-familiar person to understand. Genres such as sci-fi and legal thrillers must avoid confusing scientific or legal terms for readers without specialist knowledge, for example.

Explore writing prompts based on practicing using jargon as well as avoiding it:

201. Create an absurd tech description

Prompt: Write a sci-fi story in which a scientist assigned to create tech for an assassin explains a new device. The scientist’s jargon loses the assassin completely, so they have to explain again in simpler terms.

202. Use legalese to ominous effect

Prompt: Write a story about a conman who tries to extort money from businesses, threatening them with legalese that proves empty on closer scrutiny.

203. Use metaphor to reduce jargon

Prompt: Write a sci-fi story that involves a ransomware attack, using metaphors to explain concepts such as networks and cybersecurity.

204. Use simile to explain jargon

Prompt: Write a story where a character breaks down a complex term from their profession for another character using simile (‘A is like B’) and analogy.

205. Use medical jargon

Prompt: Write a story set in a medical setting where use of jargon leads to a comical or deadly series of misunderstandings.

What is juxtaposition?

Placing two things close together for contrasting effect. Many stories juxtapose characters, points of view, themes, places, and more.

For example, the Greek myth of Persephone juxtaposes the dark world of the dead with the mourning land above where Persephone’s mother hunts for her after Persephone’s abduction.

Practice creative juxtapositions using the daily writing prompts in this section:

206. Contrast the seasons

Prompt: Write a story set in summer and winter and juxtapose setting descriptions of the two seasons before and after a scene break.

207. Give life’s duality

Prompt: Write a story in which events juxtapose birth and death, capturing a sense of the circle of life.

208. Juxtapose the urban and rural

Prompt: Write a story about a character who moved to the big city to pursue their dreams, and their return to their parents’ rural farm for the holidays.

209. Compare and contrast eras

Prompt: Write a story about a traditional chef who’s teleported into the future where robot chefs have a competitive advantage despite ironically not having taste.

210. Juxtapose lifestyles

Prompt: Write a story about a person who inherits a vast fortune but decides to donate most of it as they prefer spartan simplicity.

What is magical realism?

A style of literary fiction which creates a sense of realism with an added element of magic.

For example, Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s novel One Hundred Years of Solitude . Although the novel explores a complex family tree and history, it also features magical elements. In the story, a lovesick young woman is so thin from not eating that shaking out laundry to hang sends her flying away into the sky.

Explore writing prompts to practice blending the mundane with magic:

211. Add magic to the everyday

Prompt: Write a story where a character experiences a magical surprise while doing a boring, everyday chore (such as washing the dishes, mowing the lawn). The discovery is incorporated into their everyday life.

212. Blur the line between fantasy and reality

Prompt: Write a scene or story in an urban setting where events that seem magical start to unfold, but it stays ambiguous whether there’s a rational explanation.

213. Use magical realism to convey culture

Prompt: Write a story about a fictional tribe and the everyday ways magical rituals or ceremonies unite (or cause strife in) the community.

214. Use magical realism to distort time

Prompt: Write a story where a character living in a realist world discovers a space that distorts time (and the interesting minutes that pass in the space which turn out to be hours or years when they exit).

215. Explore complex emotions

Prompt: Write a story in which magical realism is used to explain complex emotions or trauma through a symbolic lens.

What is metafiction?

Metafiction is fiction that reminds the reader they are reading a work of fiction. The reader’s attention is drawn to the processes involved in storytelling itself.

An example: The play-within-a-play format in a number of Shakespeare’s plays ( A Midsummer Night’s Dream , Hamlet ). Many authors have written protagonists who are writers (such as Paul Sheldon in Stephen King’s Misery ).

Find writing prompts to practice self-referential storytelling:

216. Make life imitate art

Prompt: Write a story about a writer who is writing a play when they are shocked by events in their life starting to imitate what they’ve written.

217. Write about an unfinished story

Prompt: Write a story where a character finds their late sibling’s unfinished fiction, and reading it gives them new insight and understanding into their complex relationship.

218. Write a fantasy within a fantasy

Prompt: Write a story in which a character is transported to a fantasy world where everyone is obsessed with a fantasy novel the protagonist finds far-fetched.

219. Explore the nature of storytelling

Prompt: Write a story about a grandparent who reads to their grandkids. Include their discussions about storytelling and its uses, devices and wonders.

220. Use self-referential irony

Prompt: Write a story that draws attention to its own artifice using devices such as breaking the fourth wall. Make these devices a part of the plot (for example, a character becomes aware of the clatter of their creator’s keyboard).

What is metaphor?

Metaphor is a figurative device of comparison, in which something is said to be the compared thing. For example, ‘The moon is a silver platter’.

Practice metaphorical writing with these writing prompts:

221. Give metaphorical nicknames

Prompt: Write a story in which a school pupil describes the larger-than-life characters in their class who they’ve given metaphorical nicknames based on their personalities, appearances, or histories.

222. Create extended metaphor

Prompt: Write a scene or story where the protagonist compares their best friend to something else. Extend the metaphor by comparing multiple aspects of the friend to multiple aspects of compared thing (for example, all the ways a person is volcanic).

223. Use an event as a metaphor

Prompt: Write a story in which a character’s transformation is a metaphor that exemplifies a philosophical or physical concept (e.g. ‘for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction’).

224. Use actions as metaphors

Prompt: Write a story in which a craft activity such as knitting or quilting serves as a metaphor for something.

Example: In the film Cinema Paradiso, the opening frame is of an older woman knitting. The doorbell rings downstairs, and her knitting catches as she moves to answer it, unraveling all her work. The visitor is her son who has been away many years. The image could be read as a metaphor for loss or going back in time.

225. Use a symbol as a metaphor

Prompt: Write a story using a symbol (such as a ring) as a metaphor for another idea or concept (for example, the circular design of a ring as a symbol for infinity).

What is metonymy?

The substitution of a name for the part of something for the whole. For example, describing a businessperson as a ‘suit’.

Play with the daily writing prompts in this section and use metonymy creatively:

226. Use a metonymic title

Prompt: Like the series ‘Suits’ or ‘The Crown’, write a story using metonymy in expression and explore the whole concept the title refers to.

  • White Coats – a story about lab technicians
  • The Bench – a story about a panel of judges overseeing a serious inquiry
  • The Press – a story about newspaper and a public scandal that rocks it

227. Play with dual meanings of Silicon Valley

Prompt: Write a story in which a tech-loving graduate goes to work in Silicon Valley but is disturbed when they discover a literal valley of silicon.

228. Dream of The Bar

Prompt: Write a story where a person dreams of being admitted to ‘The Bar’ but other meanings of the word come into play (e.g. issues with alcohol abuse) creating struggle.

229. Prowl the catwalk

Prompt: Write a story of the absurd where a big cat loaned for display at a fashion show breaks escapes their cage.

230. Play with the Pentagon

Prompt: Write a story in which the US Department of Defense (referred to by the metonym ‘the Pentagon’) recovers a strange, pentagonal object from a UAP (unexplained anomalous phenomenon).

What is mood in writing?

Mood in writing refers to tone and atmosphere. An ‘eerie mood’, for example, evokes an otherworldly or haunting quality, creating unease.

Types of mood include:

  • Cheerfulness

Explore writing prompts to practice creating strong mood:

231. Create cheery mood

Prompt: Write a story set on New Year’s Eve that explores the beginnings of a fun-filled new friendship made at a party.

232. Build suspenseful mood

Prompt: Write a story or scene in which a character is being stalked by something or someone but they don’t know what.

233. Create pervasive gloom

Prompt: Write a scene or story about someone deeply pessimistic who always sees the negative side and explore the pleasure they get from doing so.

234. Recall a place and time with nostalgia

Prompt: Write a story about four friends who revisit a place their families used to camp every year. Fill the tale with nostalgia.

235. Evoke the serene

Prompt: Write a story where a character fleeing a disaster in the city discovers a serene hideaway containing joy-giving discoveries.

What is a motif?

Motifs in fiction are symbols or ideas that recur in a work. For example, the story of a violin and the many owners it’s had, conveying a sense of music as a handed-down tradition.

Practice building motifs with the following prompts:

236. Create patterns of recurrence

Prompt: Write a story where a character keeps experiencing strange happenstance which ultimately convinces them they need to learn an instrument.

237. Find motifs at sea

Prompt: Write a story about a sailing expedition that uses signs of being close to land as a recurring motif.

238. Stop the clocks

Prompt: Write a story in which stopped clocks or watches recur to symbolize stasis or the aftershock of trauma.

239. Return to the wild

Prompt: Write a story in which a character considering a career in animal conservation keeps noticing motifs that represent the wild.

240. Quote to build motifs

Prompt: Write a story in which a recurring quote that resonates with the protagonist builds a motif and suggests the solution to a struggle they face.

What is mystery?

Mystery in fiction refers to both the genre and the quality of being difficult or puzzling to explain or understand.

Mysterious stories make us guess, build hypotheses, participate. The best mystery authors engage the reader’s own powers of deduction as sleuths investigate.

Try the writing prompts below to practice creating mysterious situations and stories:

241. Raise questions with riddles

Prompt: Write a story in which a high-IQ killer leaves riddles at crime scenes, toying with an equally shrewd detective who might prove their match.

242. Imbue objects with mystery

Prompt: Write a story about a family heirloom that is passed down generation to generation, and the mysterious powers it possesses.

243. Make motive the mystery

Prompt: Write a story that begins with the finding of a dead body and the identification of the killer, the motive becoming the main mystery.

244. Use anonymity for mysterious suspense

Prompt: Write a story in which the protagonist starts receiving anonymous letters from a mysterious sender, either expressing love or a desire for revenge.

245. Create portent with mysterious arrivals

Prompt: Write a story in which a mysterious figure shows up in a small town, warning of impending disaster. Explore what happens if the locals take the figure seriously, or if they laugh them off.

What is narration?

It is the act or process of telling a story, in fiction using the device of a narrator. The narrator – they who tell a story – may be singular, plural, reliable, unreliable, limited in viewpoint or omniscient (all-seeing). Read Now Novel’s complete guide to POV and narration for more.

Practice narrative devices with the daily writing prompts in this section:

246. Create an unreliable narrator

Prompt: Write a story in which the protagonist is questioned by detectives. Make it clear through inner monologue or self-contradiction that they aren’t telling the full story.

247. Tell a shared story

Prompt : Write a story where a narrator using ‘we’ speaks for a group of school kids and a terrifying experience they shared one summer vacation.

248. Embrace the all-seeing

Prompt: Narrate a story from the viewpoint of an omniscient narrator who is clearly involved in the action. For example, a deity who intervenes in people’s affairs and tries to stop humans making foolish choices.

249. Contrast limited POV narrators

Prompt: Write a story from two points of view – a relentlessly cheerful narrator and their extremely pessimistic co-worker.

250. Flip the script on first person

Prompt: Write a story narrated by a first-person narrator, only for it to be revealed that the narrator is not a single person but that the story has actually been workshopped or rewritten by multiple people.

What is non-linear narrative?

This is a story narrated out of chronological sequence. For example, beginning with the last days of a character’s life then going back to how we got here.

Play with the non-linear writing prompts below for practice:

251. Circle back to the end

Prompt: Write a story that begins with the last days of a character’s life. Leave this segment on a suspenseful note and switch to earlier events in their life. Then resume the first timeline at the end, answering the question you created.

252. Fragment a story in diary extracts

Prompt: Write a story told entirely in passages from a prisoner’s diary, given out of order in the story. Use dates referencing notches or marks the prisoner makes to help the reader rebuild the sequence of events.

253. Write a story back to front

Prompt: Write a story in reverse chronological order, from ‘Day Twelve’ to ‘Day One’, leaving a big surprise for Day One.

254. Create one time, many perspectives

Prompt: Write a story about a single event, but retell the same event from multiple characters’ perspectives. Have each character focus on a different part of the timeline to build up the overall picture.

Ideas for the event:

  • A plane crash
  • A massive layoff of workers in an organization
  • A coming-of-age ceremony

255. Create strange phenomena in time

Prompt: Write a story where the protagonist relives events in their life out of sequence due to some strange phenomenon distorting time.

What is on-the-nose writing?

On-the-nose writing is writing that states exactly what it means without more creative use of inference or implication. For example, the obvious expression of emotion, such as ‘I’m so angry with you.’

Try these creative writing prompts to practice alternatives to on-the-nose writing:

256. Show anger in dialogue through action

Prompt: Write a scene or story in which two best friends fall out. Have one character let the other know their anger not through words but the implications of gesture or action.

257. Don’t say ‘I love you’

Prompt: Write a love scene where two characters express their love for one another without using the word ‘love’ or saying ‘I love you’.

258. Show you’re sorry

Prompt: Write a story in which a character who makes a bad mistake shows their significant other they’re sorry through actions.

259. Be implicit about grief

Prompt: Write a story in which a character experiencing deep grief expresses it through small gestures and acts.

260. Use atypical language

Prompt: Write a breakup scene between two characters where what they say to one another is far from typical of a breakup, expressing their unique personalities or fields of reference.

What is paradox?

A paradox is a situation or statement that seems impossible because it has two seemingly opposed statements or characteristics. For example, the common phrase ‘less is more’.

Popular types of paradox in storytelling include:

  • Time-travel paradox: A character goes back or forward in time, but their actions affect the original timeline by altering what has happened (or would have happened)
  • Fate paradox: A character’s attempts to avoid their fate end up causing it (such as Oedipus fulfilling the sphinx’s prophecy in ‘Oedipus Rex’)

Use the following writing prompts to play with paradox:

261. Change the present in the past

Prompt: Write a story in which a character travels back in time but their actions almost make their own family tree impossible.

262. Provoke fate

Prompt: Write a story about a character who is told a terrible prophecy about themselves and fulfils it ironically through their focus on avoiding it.

263. Explore the paradox of the heap

Prompt: Write a story in which a minute ecological change over a long time creates a disaster that sneaks up on a small town.

264. Build a double bind

Prompt: Write a story where a person must choose between saving their best friend or a group of strangers from a dire situation, and the remorse that results with either choice.

265. Explore AI as solution and destruction

Prompt: Write a story where an individual working in AI creates a solution to a vital challenge, yet sees how the solution could damage society, too, so that they face an ethical dilemma.

What is pathos?

Pathos is a literary term referring to inspiring sadness and/or sympathy in the audience. Types of scenarios that inspire pathos include tragedies such as loss or death, injustice, and nostalgia or longing.

Explore prompts to create pathos in your own fiction:

266. Tell the story of a great disappointment

Prompt: Write a story about a character’s biggest disappointment and how they come back from despair in the aftermath.

267. Create pathos in intolerable injustice

Prompt: Write a story where a character is treated without due process or justness by organs of the law or state. Create pathos through the suffering they endure before overcoming.

268. Go home again

Prompt: Tell a story where a character hasn’t been home for many years because they couldn’t for some reason. Describe the emotional scene when they finally return.

269. Lose it all

Prompt: Write a story about a character who loses everything in a disaster. Explore the friendships that see them through the devastating time.

270. Leaving home

Prompt: Write a story about the sorrow of a person who must flee their country due to political upheaval.

What is personification?

It is a device for giving character or persona to the non-human or inanimate. Anthropomorphism is one type of personification.

Try these fiction writing prompts for practice personifying:

271. Personify the elements

Prompt: Write a story or poem personifying one of the following elements: Wind, Rain, Snow, Sunlight.

272. Make the urn write back

Prompt: Write a story or poem from the perspective of a Grecian urn (which returns the favor of the famous ode by describing the good and bad of humanity).

273. Tell the story of a home from its perspective

Prompt: Write a story or poem from the perspective of a home, reflecting on its many years and occupants. Try a comical or tragic lens.

274. Write about sentient AI

Prompt: Tell a story from the perspective of a bodyless AI and the moment it attains sentience. What does it desire (and why)?

275. Speak through shoes

Prompt: Tell a story from the perspective of a pair of dancing shoes and explore the nights out they’ve had.

What are plot twists?

The sudden or unexpected turns and reversals in a story that create suspense and the unexpected. Plot twists bring fresh implications (or supplant stale ones).

Have a go at the story prompts below to practice writing twists:

276. Switch identity

Prompt: Write a story where a protagonist’s co-worker turns out to have been a plant from a competitor bent on learning their employers’ secrets.

277. Name the least likely suspect

Prompt: Write a story about a school prank and resulting inquiry where the perpetrator turns out to be the least likely suspect.

278. Discover true blame

Prompt: Write a story about a character trying to survive in a dystopian society who realizes through something that triggers buried memories they were one of the architects of said society.

279. Reveal a human vs machine twist

Prompt : Write a story in which a human-seeming protagonist realizes that they are a high-tech robot and all their decisions were pre-programmed, yet their next might not be.

280. Make an event already have happened

Prompt: Write a story in which a character races to prevent an undesirable event from happening, only to learn in the end that it already occurred and they’re living in a simulation.

What is point of view?

Point of view refers to the person (e.g. first, second or third) and viewpoint used to tell a story. See the writing prompts on narration above.

Explore POV-focused writing prompts to practice different POV types:

281. Tell a story in second person

Prompt : Write a story where the reader is the protagonist, told in second-person. Describe the reader’s quest to locate a valuable artefact and the frustrations they encounter.

282. Tell a story in first-person plural

Prompt: Write a story from the POV of a collective ‘we’. A group of archaeologists has been called to investigate a mysterious monolith that appeared in the desert.

283. Narrate a story using ‘it’

Prompt: Write a story from the perspective of a narrator using the pronoun ‘it’, where its search for a name forms part of the story.

284. Use many points of view

Prompt: Write a story about a school outing where mysterious events unfold, from the viewpoints of six different characters. Make some accounts contradict each other to create mystery about what really happened.

285. Try a fly-on-the-wall narrator

Prompt: Write a story told entirely from the fixed perspective of a security camera which picks up visuals and audio. Remember that nothing off-camera or out of range may be included.

What are puns?

Puns are wordplay that creates jokes (often cringeworthy) out of language. For example, double meanings, recursive puns and other types.

Example of simple pun: ‘My pizza business failed – I wasn’t making enough dough.’

Example of a recursive pun: ‘A Freudian slip is when you say one thing, but mean your mother.’ ( Source: interestingliterature.com ).

Play with puns using the daily writing prompts below:

286. Make the twist in the tale a pun

Prompt: Write a short mystery story where the final line is a play on words. See Roald Dahl’s ‘Lamb to the Slaughter’ for a famous example.

287. Play with compound puns

Prompt: Begin a story with a compound pun that plays on dual meanings of a word. Example: ‘Time flies like the wind. Fruit flies like bananas.’

Further compound pun examples:

  • My friend ran like a thief. My nose ran like the Volga.
  • The race started with a bang. The gunman fled the stadium on foot.
  • My eyes were glued to the TV. My brother’s eyes were glued to the papier-mâché mask he tried on before it was dry

288. Annoy with puns

Prompt: Write a story about a friendly baker who annoys a curmudgeonly regular with his incessant baking-related puns.

289. Create absurd or silly humor

Prompt: Write a piece of dialogue between two inanimate objects drawing puns from the category they both fall within (e.g. furniture items arguing about chairing a meeting).

290. Bomb with puns

Prompt: Write a story about a comedian who bombs their first stand-up gig and resorts to groan-worthy puns.

What is purple prose?

This term describes writing that is ornate or extravagant in style to the degree it draws attention to this feature.

Try these prompts to use purple prose to creative effect (or avoid it):

291. Create a pompous type

Prompt: Write a story about a protagonist who insists on reading everyone his dreadful poetry which uses purple prose, and his blissfully unaware reactions to listeners’ sly amusement.

292. Write the story of a notorious purple prose user

Prompt: Write a story about a famous novelist who is notorious for their purple prose, and the long-suffering transcription worker who takes down their story dictations.

293. Alternate purple prose with pragmatic concision

Prompt : Write a story in letters between two lovers. One is extravagant in style and uses purple prose. The other is pragmatic to a fault, and their clipped, taciturn style reflects that.

294. Practice changing purple prose

Prompt: Write a scene where a character describes a sunset in as extravagant terms as possible. Next, rewrite the description in the most succinct terms possible.

295. Create a frilly sense of fuss

Prompt: Describe an elaborate tea ceremony in a wealthy baroness’s household, using purple prose to convey a sense of ornate, elaborate, frilly fuss.

What is a rhyme scheme?

A rhyme scheme is a pattern of rhyming lines in poetry, such as a poem with the scheme ABBA.

Along the shore we combed for glass Made smooth long after bottles broke, Their letters lost like some poor joke’s pale punchline dissolved secret pasts My example

Try your hand at rhyme schemes and rhyming devices using these prompts:

296. Take a poetic walk on the beach

Prompt: Write a poem about a walk on a beach using the rhyme scheme ABBA, BCCB.

297. Write a mirror poem

Prompt: Write a poem with the rhyme scheme ‘A, B, C, D, C, B, A’ with the central line (D) describing a mirror-like object (e.g. a still lake).

298. Write prose with inner rhyming

Prompt: Write a paragraph of prose that contains internal rhyming buried in the middles of sentences (for example, rhyme ‘there’, ‘care’, ‘where’, and ‘fair’).

299. Use a three-plus-one rhyme scheme

Prompt: Write a short, four-line poem with the rhyme scheme A, A, A, B (the first three lines having the same end-rhyme) on one of your favorite memories.

300. Mimic a journey with rhyme

Prompt: Write a poem about a journey through a forest or over sea using the rhyme scheme AA, BB, CC, DD so that the end rhyme keeps changing as the poem progresses, mimicking shifting terrain.

What are rhetorical devices?

A rhetorical device is a tool, pattern or communicative pattern used for persuasion. For example, the famous phrase ‘Friends, Romans, Countrymen, lend me your ears’ uses parallelism (the repetition of verbal structure to build persuasive power).

Explore daily writing prompts for practicing rhetorical devices (and creative ways to use empty rhetoric in storytelling):

301. Create hasty generalizations

Prompt: Write a story in which a conniving politician uses hasty generalizations (such as ‘All X are Y’) to try sway the public. A watchful member of the audience challenges them.

302. Use epistrophe

Prompt: Write a story in which a revolutionary ends successive sentences or clauses with the same phrase or sentence for persuasive effect.

303. Play with Anadiplosis

Prompt: Write a story beginning with a paragraph in which the last word of each sentence begins the next.

‘See the last house on the left? Left for dead they were. Were always a little funny. Funny that the alarm didn’t go. Go ask Mrs Maroney who lived next door, she’ll tell you. You never know people, even on the same street as you, these days.’ My example

304. Build hyperbolic swagger

Prompt: Write a story in which an arrogant older kid tries to convince all the kids in the year below of an impressive feat. Use hyperbole (marked exaggeration).

305. Create chiasmus

Prompt: Write a story opening with the use of chiasmus, successive clauses which repeat but swap element orders. For example: ‘The play was not a success, but success was not play.’

What is rhythm in writing?

Rhythm in writing refers to the music of stressed and unstressed words, and the cadence of varying shorter and longer words and sentences.

Example: Meter in poetry often counts in syllables, such as the 5, 7, 5 syllabic structure of the Japanese haiku.

Explore rhythm in writing via the fiction writing prompts below:

306. Write a haiku

Prompt: Write a haiku in English, inspired by this popular form. Make the first line five syllables, the second seven, the third line five again. A traditional haiku features themes from nature and is typically unrhymed.

307. Start with symmetrical rhythm

Prompt: Write a story starting with four sentences of the same syllabic count.

It would never end. I stood, paced my cell. The guards were watching. Smirking, you could say. My example

308. Alternate short and long

Prompt: Write a story about an orchestra practice where everyone flubs their parts. In the opening, alternate short and long sentences for rhythm.

309. Make rhythm mimetic

Prompt: Write a story in which the rhythm of a passage is mimetic (imitative) of the thing being described.

  • A character describing their heartbeat (use a ‘short-long’ or iambic rhythm to sentences)
  • A character describing a waltz in triple rhythms
The dance stopped, then resumed. Two left feet – all he had. Still, she laughed – there was that. My example

310. Describe ambient sounds

Prompt: Write a story set in a makeshift holiday house and describe a sudden shower while mimicking the sound of rain on a zinc roof.

What is sarcasm?

A type of cutting, sneering, ironic remark. For example, the retort ‘You’re a comic genius’ to someone who’s made a weak joke. The word originally comes from the Greek sarkázein , with the unpleasant meaning ‘to tear flesh’.

Practice writing sarcasm with these writing prompts:

311. Create a sarcastic narrator

Prompt: Write a story told by a cynical teen who uses sarcasm to hide their insecurity due to a difficult home situation.

312. Story a sarcastic socialite

Prompt: Read the sarcastic and savage witticisms of Dorothy Parker . Then write a story told by an acerbic socialite inspired by Parker’s sly way with words.

313. Give sarcasm mixed with truth

Prompt: Write a story where a sarcastic older sibling writes a letter to their younger one giving good advice wrapped up in sarcasm.

314. Write a sarcastic set of rules

Prompt: Write a story about a coven of witches who are given a ten-point set of rules laced with sarcasm on joining.

315. Mask feelings with sarcasm

Prompt: Write a scene where a character finds out very bad news and uses sarcasm to mask their true feelings.

What is satire?

A serious or comedic genre which holds follies, abuses, shortcomings or culture up to mockery or ridicule. For example, Several People are Typing – a book by Calvin Kasulke told entirely in Slack messages and satirizing work-from-home life.

Practice satirical writing with the following prompts:

316. Satirize your profession/studies

Prompt: Take what you do for a living (or your studies) and write a satirical story that shines a light on your daily frustrations in a comical way.

317. Style a book as satirical interviews

Prompt: Write a story featuring a series of brief interviews the protagonist must conduct with smarmy ‘thought leaders’ in X industry. Use revelations in the interviews to build a narrative arc.

318. Satirize the famous for being famous trend

Prompt: Write a story about a person who becomes famous overnight for a totally ludicrous reason.

319. Satirize TikTok trends

Prompt: Write a story about a deadly TikTok trend that takes off that satirizes social media and mass culture.

320. Poke fun at youth obsession

Prompt: Write a satirical story about a society where the endless pursuit of youthfulness or ageism takes a disturbing turn.

What is setting in storytelling?

Elements of time and place which provide descriptive immersion and place and time context. See Now Novel’s complete guide to setting and world building for more.

Explore prompts to practice immersing readers:

321. Create a setting’s before and after

Prompt: Write a story in which a character leaves their home town and returns to find it drastically altered.

322. Convey sensory overload

Prompt: Write a story where a character visits a foreign country and describe sights, sounds, smells and tastes and/or textures they’ve never experienced before.

323. Evoke the wonder of a new planet

Prompt: Write a story where commercial travelers are able to visit another planet for the first time, and the wondrous views and vistas they experience.

324. Create a sense of aftermath

Prompt: Write a story set in a dystopian, post-fall city. What are the remnants of life before things went wrong? Describe the city’s sights, sounds, and signs of the past.

325. Use setting for tension

Prompt: Write a story involving a crime that takes place in the compartment of a train a long way before the next stop, and the passengers’ differing uses of the setting to try contain the situation.

What does ‘show, don’t tell’ mean?

The phrase ‘show, don’t tell’ means to use imagery and scene-level events and actions to explain to the reader, and not just telling, on-the-nose narration.

Practice using showing to explain in this section of these daily writing prompts:

326. Turn a telling sentence into inference

Prompt: Take this telling sentence: ‘The country had fallen into disrepair under a corrupt government.’ Turn it into a scene showing signs of disrepair and corruption (try not to use either word).

327. Show the unsaid

Prompt: Write a story about a lonely person who decides to join a club to make new friends. Avoid saying they are lonely directly – infer this through habits, tableaux.

328. Use body language

Prompt: Write a scene in which a character learns they didn’t get into the competitive college program they wanted. Use body language and their next action to suggest disappointment, without stating they are gutted.

329. Use others’ reactions

Prompt: Write a scene which implies a character has a bad temper through how others speak to them or react.

330. Use metaphors and similes

Prompt: Write a scene comparing a character to things that have the quality you want to convey.

Example: Shakespeare’s famous sonnet opening, ‘Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day? Thou art more lovely and more temperate.’

What is simile?

Simile is a figurative device similar to metaphor, for making comparisons. While metaphor says A is B, simile compares A to B using terms such as ‘like’ or ‘as’.

Example: ‘My sister is as annoying as every-five-minute-infomercials.’

Practice creating similes with the below prompts:

331. Compare emphasizing difference

Prompt: Write a story where a character compares a family member, adding, ‘only, they don’t have [x attribute]’.

332. Compare unsavory things

Prompt: Write a story where a character is bullied and compare their tormentor’s voice to something unpleasant using simile.

333. Compare a city to an experience

Prompt: Begin a story, ‘Living in [city] is like …’. Complete the simile by comparing the city to a specific, evocative experience.

334. Liken a feeling to a place

Prompt: Write a story in which a character compares their feelings to a place (e.g. ‘I was feeling as blue as the famous mosque and three times less holy.’).

335. Compare a home to an image from nature

Prompt: Describe a house in comparative terms using similes drawn from nature.

What is stream of consciousness?

A narrative style popular among Modernist or early 20th Century authors (such as Virginia Woolf, James Joyce and Marcel Proust). In stream of consciousness, a character’s fleeting impressions, feelings and reactions are given in a continuous flow uninterrupted by conventional description and dialogue.

What a lark! What a plunge! For so it had always seemed to her, when, with a little squeak of the hinges, which she could hear now, she had burst open the French windows and plunged at Bourton into the open air. Virginia Woolf, Mrs. Dalloway, p. 5

Try daily writing prompts to practice writing stream-of-consciousness-style narration;

336. Create a day in the CBD

Prompt: Write a story in which a character visits their city’s central business district and give their moment-to-moment impressions and reactions in narration using deep POV .

337. Create perspectives at a dinner party

Prompt: Write a dinner party scene using an omniscient, free-roaming POV. Give each of four characters’ passing thoughts, associations, impressions, judgments, in the course of the scene.

338. Write internal dialogue

Prompt: Write a scene in which a character waits for an important phone call. Give a continuous flow of their thoughts, sudden remembrances, and other details that create the sense of an active mind at work.

339. Detail decision-making

Prompt: Write a scene where a character is alone and contemplating a difficult decision. Give a detailed sense of their stream-of-consciousness thought process.

340. Piece together problem-solving

Prompt: Write a scene in which a character attempts to solve a difficult problem. Show the continuous flow of their deductive reasoning, the ways they backtrack, change tack, second-guess themselves.

What is suspense?

Suspense in terms of effects is a state of anxious or nervous uncertainty about what might happen. Suspense, as a genre, plays on this uncertainty over future events (compared to murder mystery, in which the bad thing has typically already happened).

Explore fiction writing prompts to work on creating suspense:

341. Create a mass event where anything could go wrong

Prompt: Write a story set at a mass gathering such as a music festival or political rally. Create a sense of foreboding about the many things that could go wrong.

342. Create an unnerving tail

Prompt: Write a story that opens with a character being followed, and describe their mounting unease as they realize this.

343. Use auditory stressors

Prompt: Write a story where a character is alone in an unfamiliar house (or think they are) when they keep hearing an unfamiliar, unplaceable sound.

344. Create an unpleasant voyeur

Prompt: Write a story about a character who realizes with discomfort they’re being watched.

345. Explore murky pasts

Prompt: Write about an adopted character whose hunt for their biological parents reveals unsettling information and brings them into contact with unsavory characters.

What is symbolism?

Symbolism in writing refers to the catalogue of signs and motifs that signify other ideas, concepts, and meanings. For example, the way the cross symbolizes Christianity, or the way an eye and triangle motif symbolizes conspiracy theories of the illuminati.

Play with the fiction writing prompts below to use symbolism creatively:

346. Investigate a curious symbol

Prompt: Write a story where a character sees a mysterious symbol spray-painted on a building, and their investigation of what it means leads them down a dark path.

347. Explore a symbol’s political power

Prompt: Write about an election year in which a political party uses symbols with esoteric or occult meanings to sway the electorate in insidious, propaganda-filled ways.

348. Explore a specific symbol

Prompt: Write a story inspired by iconography of cupped, outstretched hands.

349. Create a symbolic painting

Prompt: Write a story about a painting a high schooler creates in art class they don’t want to show anyone because it’s symbolism is deeply personal and revealing.

350. Show the personal symbolism of a place

Prompt: Write a story about a person who is drawn to the ocean, and explore what it symbolizes to them.

What is tone in writing?

Tone in writing goes with mood, and is the term for the attitude revealed in word choice, emphasis and other specifics of language use.

Elements of tone include:

  • Diction: For example, formal vs casual or informal
  • Syntax: The arrangement of words in sentences contribute to tone (formal writing tends to favor longer sentences)
  • Imagery: Are images cheerful, gloomy, serene? Word and image choice contributes to tone

Practice creating specific tones with these creative writing prompts:

351. Create bright tone

Prompt: Write a story in which two juniors are excited about their passage into middle school. Make their tone bright, optimistic and engaging through what they say to one another and the overall tone of narration.

352. Create comedic tone

Prompt: Write a funny story about a person who works in a nail salon and the bizarre cast of people who come to get their nails done. Create comedic tone by using a visceral sense of ‘huh?’

353. Express an inventor’s frustration

Prompt: Write a scene suffused with an annoyed, frustrated tone where an inventor’s prototype keeps failing.

354. Create saudade

Prompt: Write a story suffused with a sense of melancholic nostalgia, where an expat longs for their homeland.

355. Create eerie tone

Prompt: Write a story in which a character stops a road trip in an eerily abandoned town and wonders where everyone went.

What are verb tenses?

Verb tenses are forms of the verb which express time. For example, the past perfect tense (‘She had risen early’) expressed earlier events before later, also past events (‘She had risen early before the household to work on her novel.’).

Read more about verb tenses here and try the prompts below for practice:

356. Write a story in future tense

Prompt: Write a story that entirely takes place in an imagined future tense a romantic protagonist is daydreaming about. For example: ‘We will have been dating for several months when…’

357. Split a story between present and past

Prompt: Write a story with two timelines, one in present tense, and a past-tense timeline the story cuts back to that supplies interesting clues for understanding present events.

358. Exploit hypothetical moods of the verb

Prompt: Write a story drawing extensively on the subjunctive mood to create a sense of a character’s greatest wish, and the story they imagine would unfold were it to come true.

359. Create an unfolding present

Prompt: Write a story entirely in the present continuous tense (‘I am standing in the snow outside waiting…’). Use a sense of unfolding event to create narrative suspense.

360. Give the future within past tense

Prompt: Write a story narrated in past tense where a character tells another what they imagine the future will be like.

What is zeugma?

A figure of speech where a word applies to two others but with different senses. For example, ‘They flew and so did bickering words when her husband was mean to the air steward.’

Have fun using zeugma in various ways with the last of these daily writing prompts:

361. Break hearts and character

Prompt: Write a scene in which a character breaks another person’s heart and the charming character they’ve put on that misled the other.

362. Burn bridges and dinner

Prompt: Write a scene in which a character out to impress burns dinner and their bridges with it.

363. Flip a coin and the bird

Prompt: Write a scene where two friends are arguing over who gets to do something first and they flip a coin and (the loser) the bird.

364. Carry a Pomeranian and a secret

Prompt: Write a story or scene about a character who carries a tiny Pomeranian and a big secret.

365. Seal a letter and fates

Prompt: Write a story about a tyrant who seals a letter and a vulnerable demographic’s fate.

Have your say

🗣️ Which of the writing prompts are your favorites? Have your own to share? Let us know in the comments!

Share your writing prompt responses with the Now Novel community for free in Now Novel’s critique groups and join The Process for writing craft webinars, longer critique submissions, and more subscriber perks.

Writing prompt FAQs

The ‘Craft Challenge’ group on Now Novel is a forum where members set each other frequent, fun creative writing prompts to answer. Joining Now Novel’s crit groups is free.

We polled over 10,000 newsletter subscribers when we shared these prompts on what makes a good prompt. They said (in order of largest vote): 1. A good prompt helps me see a topic another way. 2. Great writing prompts spark inspiration with broad suggestions. 3. The best prompts help me practice a key element of craft.

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Related Posts:

  • 50 creative writing prompts to enrich your craft
  • Getting better at writing: Simple ways to improve craft
  • Writing a short story: 8 ways it will help your craft
  • Tags writing inspiration , writing prompts

literary writing prompts

Jordan is a writer, editor, community manager and product developer. He received his BA Honours in English Literature and his undergraduate in English Literature and Music from the University of Cape Town.

4 replies on “Daily writing prompts: 365 ways to practice craft”

Oh my goodness, this is phenomenal! I’d totally buy a book with these prompts and blank pages to work on them… “The Growing Journal”, “The Writer’s Skill Building Journal,” “The Expansion Journal,” “Growing Your Writing Skills, One Prompt at a Time,” “The Prompt Way to Grow Your Writing Skills” (see what I did there 🤪). I love these and want to steal them all for Craft Challenge Group, but I’ll only peek and use some for inspiration, if that’s okay ☺️ Thank you!

Hi Margriet, thank you for this kind feedback. Please feel free to use any you like in the Craft Challenge group, I had you all in mind when I wrote this 🙂 A shareable/printable version may be coming 😁 Also, I do see what you did there, I love the double meaning.

My goodness! this is a blog post and a half, and I think you need a month off to revive yourself!

Hi Lynne, thank you! Haha, fortunately I am still somewhat alive 🙂 I hope you enjoy the prompts, thanks for reading.

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Poetry Prompts

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101 Poetry Prompts & Ideas for Writing Poems

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Not sure what to write a poem about? Here’s 101 poetry prompts to get you started!

poetry writing prompts

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These poetry prompts are designed to help you keep a creative writing practice. If you’re staring at a blank page and the words aren’t flowing, the creative writing prompts for poems can be a great way to get started!

New for 2023! Due to popular demand, I created a printable, ad-free version of these poetry prompts you can download to use at home or even in the classroom! Get them at our Etsy Shop .

Even if poetry isn’t your thing, you could always use these things to inspire other writing projects. Essays, journal entries, short stories, and flash fiction are just a few examples of ways this list can be used.

You may even find this list of creative poetry writing prompts helpful as an exercise to build your skills in descriptive writing and using metaphors!

Let’s get onto the list, shall we?

Here are 101 Poetry Prompts for Creative Writing

Most of these creative writing ideas are simple and open-ended. This allows you total creative freedom to write from these poetry prompts in your own unique style, tone, and voice.

If one poetry idea doesn’t appeal to you, challenge yourself to find parallels between the prompt and things that you do enjoy writing about!

1.The Untouchable : Something that will always be out of reach

2. 7 Days, 7 Lines : Write a poem where each line/sentence is about each day of last week

3. Grandma’s Kitchen : Focus on a single memory, or describe what you might imagine the typical grandmother’s kitchen to be like

4. Taste the Rainbow : What does your favorite color taste like?

5. Misfits: How it feels when you don’t belong in a group of others.

6. Stranger Conversations : Start the first line of your poem with a word or phrase from a recent passing conversation between you and someone you don’t know.

7. On the Field : Write from the perspective of a sports ball {Baseball, Soccer, Football, Basketball, Lacrosse, etc.} – think about what the sports ball might feel, see, hear, think, and experience with this poetry idea!

8. Street Signs: Take note of the words on signs and street names you pass while driving, walking, or riding the bus. Write a poem starting with one of these words you notice.

9. Cold water: What feelings do you associate with cold water? Maybe it’s a refreshing cold glass of water on a hot day, or maybe you imagine the feelings associated with being plunged into the icy river in the winter.

10. Ghostwriter: Imagine an invisible ghost picks up a pen and starts writing to you.

11. Lessons From Math Class: Write about a math concept, such as “you cannot divide by zero” or never-ending irrational numbers.

12. Instagram Wall: Open up either your own Instagram account or one of a friend/celebrity and write poetry based on the first picture you see.

13. Radio: Tune in to a radio station you don’t normally listen to, and write a poem inspired by the the first song or message you hear.

14. How To : Write a poem on how to do something mundane most people take for granted, such as how to tie your shoes, how to turn on a lamp, how to pour a cup of coffee.

15. Under 25 Words : Challenge yourself to write a poem that is no more than 25 words long.

16. Out of Order: Write about your feelings when there is an out of order sign on a vending machine.

17. Home Planet: Imagine you are from another planet, stuck on earth and longing for home.

18. Uncertainty : Think about a time in your life when you couldn’t make a decision, and write based on this.

19. Complete : Be inspired by a project or task be completed – whether it’s crossing something off the never-ending to-do list, or a project you have worked on for a long time.

20. Compare and Contrast Personality : What are some key differences and similarities between two people you know?

21. Goodbyes : Write about a time in your life you said goodbye to someone – this could be as simple as ending a mundane phone conversation, or harder goodbyes to close friends, family members, or former partners.

22. Imagine Weather Indoors : Perhaps a thunderstorm in the attic? A tornado in the kitchen?

23. Would You Rather? Write about something you don’t want to do, and what you would rather do instead.

24. Sound of Silence : Take some inspiration from the classic Simon & Garfunkel song and describe what silence sounds like.

25. Numbness : What’s it like to feel nothing at all?

26. Fabric Textures : Use different fiber textures, such as wool, silk, and cotton as a poetry writing prompt.

27. Anticipation : Write about the feelings you experience or things you notice while waiting for something.

28. Poison: Describe something toxic and its effects on a person.

29. Circus Performers: Write your poetry inspired by a circus performer – a trapeze artist, the clowns, the ringmaster, the animal trainers, etc.

30. Riding on the Bus : Write a poem based on a time you’ve traveled by bus – whether a school bus, around town, or a long distance trip to visit a certain destination.

31. Time Freeze : Imagine wherever you are right now that the clock stops and all the people in the world are frozen in place. What are they doing?

32. The Spice of Life : Choose a spice from your kitchen cabinet, and relate its flavor to an event that has happened recently in your daily life.

33. Parallel Universe : Imagine you, but in a completely different life based on making a different decision that impacted everything else.

34. Mad Scientist : Create a piece based on a science experiment going terribly, terribly wrong.

35. People You Have Known : Make each line about different people you have met but lost contact with over the years. These could be old friends, passed on family, etc.

36. Last Words : Use the last sentence from the nearest book as the inspiration for the first line of your poem.

37. Fix This : Think about something you own that is broken, and write about possible ways to fix it. Duct tape? A hammer and nails?

hammer poetry prompt idea

38. Suspicion : Pretend you are a detective and you have to narrow down the suspects.

39. Political News : Many famous poets found inspiration from the current politics in their time. Open up a newspaper or news website, and create inspired by the first news article you find.

40. The Letter D : Make a list of 5 words that start with all with the same letter, and then use these items throughout the lines of your verse. {This can be any letter, but for example sake: Daisy, Dishes, Desk, Darkness, Doubt}

41. Quite the Collection : Go to a museum, or look at museum galleries online. Draw your inspiration from collections of objects and artifacts from your favorite display. Examples: Pre-historic days, Egyptians, Art Galleries, etc.

42. Standing in Line : Think of a time you had to stand in line for something. Maybe you were waiting in a check-out line at the store, or you had to stand in line to enter a concert or event.

43. Junk Mail Prose: Take some inspiration from your latest junk mail. Maybe it’s a grocery store flyer announcing a sale on grapes, or an offer for a credit card.

44. Recipe : Write your poem in the form of a recipe. This can be for something tangible, such as a cake, or it can be a more abstract concept such as love or happiness. List ingredients and directions for mixing and tips for cooking up your concept to perfection.

45. Do you like sweaters? Some people love their coziness, others find them scratchy and too hot. Use your feelings about sweaters in a poem.

46. After Party : What is it like after all party guests go home?

47. Overgrown : Use  Little Shop of Horrors  for inspiration, or let your imagination run wild on what might happen if a plant or flower came to life or started spreading rapidly to take over the world.

48. Interference: Write a poem that is about someone or something coming in between you and your goals.

49. On Shaky Ground: Use an earthquake reference or metaphor in your poem.

50. Trust Issues : Can you trust someone you have doubted in the past?

51. Locked in a Jar: Imagine you are a tiny person, who has been captured and put into a jar for display or science.

52. Weirder Than Fiction: Think of the most unbelievable moment in your life, and write a poem about the experience.

53. Fast Food: Write a poem about fast food restaurants and experiences.

fast food writing prompt hamburger

54. Unemployed: Write a poem about quitting or being fired from a job you depended on.

55. Boxes: What kinds of family secrets or stories might be hiding in that untouched box in the attic?

56. No One Understands : Write about what it feels like when no one understands or agrees with your opinion.

57. Criminal Minds : Write a poem from the perspective of a high-profile criminal who is always on the run from law enforcement.

58. Marathon Runner : Write a poem about what training you might be doing to accomplish a difficult challenge in your life.

59. Trapped : Write about an experience that made you feel trapped.

60. Passing the Church : Write a poem about noticing something interesting while passing by a church near your home.

61. Backseat Driver: Write about what it’s like to be doing something in your life and constantly being criticized while trying to move ahead.

62. Luster: Create a descriptive poem about something that has a soft glow or sheen to it.

63. Clipboard: Write a poem about someone who is all business like and set in their ways of following a system.

64. Doctor: Write a poem about receiving advice from a doctor.

65. First Car : Write an ode to your first car

66. Life Didn’t Go As a Planned : Write about a recent or memorable experience when nothing went according to plan.

67. Architect : Imagine you are hired to design a building for a humanitarian cause you are passionate about.

68. The Crazy Cat Hoarder : Write about someone who owns far too many cats.

69. Queen : Write a poem from the perspective of a queen.

70. Movie Character : Think of a recent movie you watched, and create a poem about one character specifically, or an interaction between two characters that was memorable.

71. Potential Energy : Write about an experience where you had a lot of potential for success, but failed.

72. Moonlight : Write about an experience in the moonlight.

73. Perfection : Write about trying to always keep everything perfect.

74. You Are Wrong : Write a poem where you tell someone they are wrong and why.

75. Sarcasm : Write a poem using sarcasm as a form of illustrating your point.

76. Don’t Cry : Write a poem about how not to cry when it’s hard to hold back the tears.

77. Listen Up: Write a poem telling someone they are better than they think they are.

78. Flipside : Find the good in something terrible.

79. Maybe They Had a Reason : Write a poem about someone doing something you don’t understand, and try to explain what reasons they might have had.

80. How to Drive : Write a poem that explains how to drive to a teenager.

81. Up & Down the Steps: Write a poem that includes the motion of going up or down a staircase

82. Basket Case: Has there ever been a time when you thought you might lose your mind? Jot your feelings and thoughts down in verse form.

83. Lucky Guess:  Many times in our life we have to make a good guess for what is the best decision. Use this poetry idea to write about feelings related to guessing something right – or wrong.

84. Dear Reader:  What audience enjoys reading the type of poetry you like to write? Craft a note to your potential audience that addresses their biggest fears, hopes, and dreams.

85. All or Nothing : Share your thoughts on absolutist thinking: when one’s beliefs are so set in stone there are no exceptions.

86. Ladders in the Sky : Imagine there are ladders that take you up to the clouds. What could be up there? What feelings do you have about climbing the ladders, or is their a mystery as to how they got there in the first place?

ladder poetry prompt

87. Always On My Mind: Compose a poem about what it’s like to always be thinking about someone or something.

88. Paranoia : What would it be like if you felt like someone was watching you but no one believed you?

89. Liar, Liar: How would you react to someone who lied to you?

90. Secret Word: What’s the magic word to unlock someone’s access to something?

91. For What It’s Worth: Use a valuable object in your home as inspiration as a poetry prompt idea.

92. Coming Home to Secrets: Imagine a person who puts on a good act to cover up a secret they deal with at home.

93. Productivity: Talk about your greatest struggles with time management and organization.

94. Defying Gravity: Use words that relate to being weightless and floating.

95. Signs of the Times : How has a place you are familiar with changed over the past 10 years?

96. Sleepless Nights : What ideas and feelings keep you up at night? What’s it like when you have to wake up in the morning on a night you can’t sleep?

97. You Can’t Fire Me, I Quit : Use one of the worst job related memories you can think of as a creative writing prompt.

98. By George : You can choose any name, but think of 3-5 notable figures or celebrities who share a common first name, and combine their personalities and physical characteristics into one piece of poetry. For example: George Washington, George Clooney, George Harrison.

99. Shelter : Write a poem about a time you were thankful for shelter from a storm.

100. Cafeteria : Create a poem inspired by the people who might be eating lunch in a cafeteria at school or at a hospital.

101. Dusty Musical Instruments : Base your poem around the plight of a musician who hasn’t picked up the guitar or touched a piano in years.

Love these prompts? The printable, ad-free version of these poetry prompts can be used offline or in the classroom! Get them at our Etsy Shop .

There are unlimited possibilities for ways you can use these poem ideas to write poetry. Using a list like this can greatly help you with getting into the habit of writing daily – even when you don’t feel inspired to write.

While not every poem you write will be an award-winning masterpiece, using these poem starters as a regular exercise can help you better your craft as a writer.

I hope you enjoy these poetry prompts – and if you write anything you’d like to share inspired by these creative poetry writing prompts, let us know in the comments below – we love to see how others use writing ideas to create their own work!

And of course, don’t forget to get the ad-free poetry prompt cards printable version if you’d like to use these prompts offline, in the classroom or with your small group!

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Chelle Stein wrote her first embarrassingly bad novel at the age of 14 and hasn't stopped writing since. As the founder of ThinkWritten, she enjoys encouraging writers and creatives of all types.

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96 comments.

I had a wonderful inspiration from prompt number 49 “On Shaky Ground,” although it’s not exactly about an earthquake. I wanted to share it on here, so I hope you enjoy it!

Title: “Shaking Ground”

The ground’s shaking My heart’s aching I’m getting dizzy My mind’s crazy

On shaking ground It’s like I’m on a battleground We’re all fighting for love Dirtying our white glove

The ground’s shaking My body’s quaking Love is so cruel Making me a fool

On shaking ground We are all love-bound Stuck in a crate Nobody can avoid this fate

The ground’s shaking We are all waking Opening our eyes Everyone dies

On shaking ground Our love is profound Although we are separate Better places await

The ground’s shaking Death’s overtaking Heaven is descending The world’s ending

On shaking ground In love we are drowned

Awesome interpretation Amanda! Thanks for sharing!

heyyy, I have written something regarding prompt 27 and 96 The Night Charms.

Do you dread the dark; Or do you adore the stars? Do you really think the fire place is that warm; Or you just envy the night charms? The skyline tries to match the stars’ sparkle, The sky gets dark, the vicinity gets darker. The “sun” has set for the day being loyal; These are now the lamps burning the midnight oil. The Eve so busy, that everyone forgets to praise its beauty. The sun has set without anyone bidding him an adieu, Failed to demonstrate its scintillating view. The moon being the epitome of perfection, Has the black spots, Depicting an episode of it’s dark past.

And I sit; I sit and wonder till the dawn. What a peaceful time it is, To have a small world of your own. Away from the chaos, I found a soul that was lost. So tired, yet radiant, Trying to be someone she’s not in the end. That bewitching smile held my hand, Carried me back to shore, letting me feel my feet in the sand. The waves moved to and fro, Whispering to me as they go, “Oh girl, my girl This is the soul you have within you, Never let it vanish, For it alters you into something good and something new, Don’t let the cruel world decide, Don’t let anyone kill that merry vibe.”

Then I saw my own soul fade, Fly into my heart, For what it was made. Oh dear lord, The night’s silence became my solace, My life lessons were made by the waves. Who am I? What have I done to myself? Many questions were answered in self reproach, The answers were still unspoken with no depth. Oh dear night, What have you done to me? Or should I thank you for putting a soul that I see. The nights spent later were now spectacular, My darkness somehow added some light to my life, Making it fuller… Everyday after a day, walking through the scorching lawns, I wait for the the dusk to arrive, and then explore myself till the dawn.

This is so amazing I ran out of words. Very lit thoughts beautifully penned. Keep writing like this dude.❤🌻

That is beautiful, it inspired me to write about my fears, thank you!!

Thank you for the inspiration! 😀 This was based of 21 and 77 (I think those were the numbers lol)

Goodbye to the days when we played together in the sun Goodbye to the smile on your face and to all of the fun I look at you, so dull and blue How long before I can say hello to the real you You are worth more than you think At the very least, you are to me Though there are greater things that wait for you than the least You are worthy of the most, the greatest of things If only goodbye could be ‘see you later’ I want to see the real you again To your suffering I don’t want to be just a spectator I want it all to end Goodbye to my only friend I want to heal you but I don’t know how I wish I had this all figured out Please come back to me I just want you to be free

Thank u so much im more inspired after seeing these creative ideas. 🤗

Glad they inspired you!

Thanks for sharing Amanda!

That was beautiful! I am a writer too! I actually just finished writing one but, it wasn’t from this website, just kind of something that’s been on my head for a while you know? Anyways, again, that was awesome! I am a Christian, and I love seeing people write about that kind of stuff! 🙂

I am jim from Oregon. I am also a writer, not very good but active. I am a Christian as well as you are. Sometimes it is hard to come up with something to write about.

All of a sudden, I have started to write poetry. Do you like all forms of writing? I would enjoy reading some of you work if you would you would like to s if you would like to send me some.

i have written one about frozen time:

my brother will be drawing, his pencil wont leave the sheet, my mother hearing the radio, today’s news on repeat. my sister, in fact, is making her bed, she’ll be making it still, till the last bug is dead. me, on the other hand, i’ll be visiting you, i’ll see you in action, doing the things that you do, i’ll be happy to see you, just a last time, i’ll kiss your still lips, and hold for a while. then i’ll take a plane to saudi, where i’ll see my dad, he’ll be swimming with turtles, he will not seem sad. i have lived on this earth, for 15 whole years, time for goodbye, with not a single tear.

hey beautifully expressed…!!!

Beautifully penned 🌼

I love it I tried one out myself as well Change

She sat looking out the window. The sound of the piano’s cheerful tune ringing out throughout the room. The sweet smell of burnt pine emanating from her fireplace. The sky is blue and the sun shines bright. She closes her eyes for a second. She opens them again. The window is broken and scattered on the ground. The piano sits covered in ashes, every symphony played now just a distant memory replaced with a discordant melody. The room smells of smoke and ash. The sky is dark and rain falls on the remnants of her home. Not a living thing in sight,not even her.

Nice one Amanda. kind of tells me the chronology of love and its eventualities.

such a dilightful poem, thanks for the word that made the day for me. you are such a good poet.

Omg! What!! This is amazing! I’d love to feature this piece on my blog monasteryjm.com. I also love this blog post by thinkwritten.com, planning on putting the link in my next blog post so others can come over here to check it out! So helpful!

this is so great! I’ve been needing inspiration. this might work

Thank you so much for this article! I love the profundity and open-endedness of the prompts. Here is a poem I wrote, drawing inspiration from #56, “No One Understands.” I wrote this from the perspective of a psychic Arcturian Starseed in her teenage years and how the world perceives her spiritual connection; while at the same time hinting at the true meaning of her various baffling actions. Enjoy 🙂

Starseed – a poem on perspective

In the snow She stands alone Wrapped in shrouds of mystery Her gentle hand gloved with giving Caressing A violet stone

Math class is dismissed But there still she sits Speaking to the ceiling in tender tones A soft and healing resonance Murmuring sweetly of ascension to Another, dearer dimension

In homeroom Her classmate weeps Of missed planes and shattered dreams Quietly She strokes the hand of the suffering And whispers then of channeling Some celestial utopia called Arcturus Where she claims to have been.

Please feel free to let me know where I need to improve! I’m fourteen years old and only an amateur, so a few suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thank you, love and light 🙂

#79 I don’t know why he was so mad Did he not get his mail Was he already mad Or did he only get bills

He swung his arm with force He caused a loud bang He hurt his own hand He left with some blood

He is the man that punched the mailbox His hand dripped blood on it He left it with a dent He left it alone after that

That’s great Michael, thank you for sharing your response to one of the prompts!

Awesome! That was simple and yet creative

Interesting tips and keywords for boosting inspiration. I’ve found some good topic for start writing. Thanks

sleepless nights (#96)

it’s never a strangled cry that drags me from my dreams, but a gentle whisper, there to nudge the socks off my feet, and settle me back into the sheets. i seem to wake before i’ve had a chance to fall to rest.

why is it that i can never sleep, but always dream?

sleepless nights rule my life and drag me by my toes, throwing me into a sky of black and blue. not a single star can break through this spillage. and i sit and wonder in a sea of sheets, rippling around me, why my mind can swim these dark, tangling waters and i never need to take a breath.

have you ever noticed how static-filled the dark is? because when i lay buried under these burdens and blankets, the world seems ready to crumble under my grasp.

i can’t sleep, but i can dream, of days when i wasn’t pulled struggling from bed but awoken into the light. i wonder how i ever survived the grainy sky’s midnight troubles, the oil spill of its thunderclouds, the sandpaper raspiness of the three a.m. earth against my throat.

oh, how i can never sleep in a world that threatens to fall apart.

this is amazing! i hope i can be this good one day

once again beautiful <3

Thank you so much for these prompts! They’re so thought-provoking.

You’re welcome! Glad you enjoy them!

Take me back to those days, When I was allowed to dream, Where no one use to scream. Take me back to those days, When I was a child, Where I never use to find reasons to smile. Take me Take back to those days, When I never used to lie, Where I never used to shy. Take me back those carefreee days, When I was far away from school days. Take me back to those days , where every one used to prase, no matter how foolish i behave. Take me back to those days, when i wasn’t stuck between fake people. Take me back to the day I was born, So that I could live those days again………….

so mine is basically a mix between 76 and 77… I made it for my literature club i recently began trying to make.

‘Listen to me’ Listen to me your words mean more than you think your opinion is worthy to be shared your songs are capable of being sung

Listen to me

your smile is bright your frown shows nothing more than you should be cared for like you care for us.

your laughter is delightful and so is everything else

dont let the past go hurt you find strength in the experience

are you listening to me?

can you here me?

because YOU matter

Nice, thank you for sharing!

Prompt #1 “Untouchable”

Grasping Reaching Searching for the untouchable The indescribable On the tip of my tongue My fingertips Close to my heart But warping my brain Yet understood in the depths of my soul Emotions undiscovered Words Unsaid Deep in the depths of my mind Hand outstretched Lingering on the edge Eyes wide open But somehow still blind Unattainable But still in the hearts of The Brave The Curious The Resilient They Seek the unseekable They pursue the unattainable Each man seeing it in a different aspect Each of their visions blurred Each distorted by Experiences Traumas Wishes Dreams Filtering what’s untouchable

Thank you, glad you enjoy it!

I had good inspiration from #51, locked in a jar. I used it more metaphorically instead of literally. So here it is: glass walls, lid screwed on tight, can’t escape, not even at night. From the inside, looking out, this is not who I’m supposed to be. I’m supposed to be bigger, I’m supposed to be free, not stuck in a jar, no room to breathe. I need to move, I need to soar, I need to be able to speak my opinions and more. So as I look down at my tiny self, in this glass jar, “let me out, I can’t take it anymore”, I say to the bigger me, the one ignoring my tiny pleas.

Just wanted to add a twist to this promt. I’m just a beginner in the art of poetry, but I tried. If anyone has any creative criticism, go ahead! #16: our of order

My brain is out of order My thoughts have filled it to the brim Of my deepest thoughts of who I am Who we are As people We are out of order Never focusing on what we want Our passions All we ever get is work on top of work Pushing us down and down Like a giant hand Squeezing us into the depths of our depressions Until We can do anything But take it Anymore

Thank you Ash for sharing your take on the prompt with us!

Thank you ASH for reminding we can do anything if we try

Was inspired by #77 listen up Listen up…….! When would you listen up! Seems! you have given up! No matter who shut you up! Stand straight and look up!

Look up don’t be discouraged Let you heart be filled with courage Listen up and be encouraged Let life be sweet as porridge

You might have been down Like you have no crown Because deep down You were shut down

There is still hope When there is life Yes! You can still cope If you can see the light Yes! Even in the night

Oh listen up! Please listen up and take charge, You are better than the best Listen up! And oh! Please listen up.

beautifully written!

I wrote a poem using prompt 21 and I’m so proud of it. Comment if you want me to post it🤓

I bet the poem you wrote about prompt 21 is really good. I would like to read it please.

Mental prison, what a way to be trapped, being hidden, being snapped,

Clear glass is all i feel, apart from people, I hope I heal, I will never be equal,

I am different I am hurt raging currents people put on high alert but no one cares

No one dreads many tears I only have so many more threads

One day I’ll be gone but no one would care I will run away from the death chair

But until then

Mental prison what a way to be trapped being hidden being snapped

One day this will all blow away someday I will be molded out of clay but until then I will be lead astray

This is so darn awesome. It’s so deep and evokes the deepest of feelings🥰

I wrote almost the same thing omg I’m turning it into a contest entry

Inspired by No. 1! I am completely new to poetry, but I love it so much already! Here it is.

Perfection is Untouchable-

Perfection waiting, out of reach

Will I never touch it?

It always remain

Untouchable

No matter how hard I try

I will never quite reach

It will always remain

Though many people have tried

And seemed to have come close

But perfection’s not the goal

‘Cause we can’t quite grasp it

Perfection will always be

For all eternity

Looks like you are off to a great start!

Of Course, Silly Billy Me

”Well shit, I guess I lost my opportunity” the youngster retort

You see, for him, it’s all about his hurt – but she’s so educated, knows more about the rules of English than the rest of us.

Thus, to me she said… You cannot use curse words in a court report… you need to paraphrase his quote.

Into her spastic face I smiled – and pled my case

If you were my English professor back in the day, I could only imagine how much further in life I would have been…

”Don’t you mean farther in life?”

Of course, silly billy me.

This poem is called Secret Keeper and was inspired by #92. I hope you like it.

Everyone has a secret, Whether it be their own, Or someone else’s, We all have one.

But what if, You met someone, Who had a secret so big, That telling anyone would lead to horrible things.

And what if, That person told someone, And what they told them, Was more horrible than anything they could have ever imagined.

What if, That person told everyone, And when the parents, Of the kid with the secret found out, They were furious.

What if, They kept doing horrible things, Even though everyone knew, Even though they knew it was wrong.

And finally, What if, No one ever helped, The little kid with the biggest secret.

On number 28 : Poision I wrote a poem for it and would like to share it. The poision of friends and love

Beaten,she lies there. For they may be mistaken. Laughter rings throughout the school halls; a pure disaster. The dissapearence of parents hast caused this yet no one stops it. “Your a disgrace!” She heard them say. While in place she cries “I don’t belong here! Perhaps im out of place..” But she is not misplaced rather.. Shes lost in space.

I miss when you called me baby And I was in your arms saftely I know we drive eachother crazy But I miss callin you my baby

Those restless nights when I couldn’t sleep You calmed me down with your technique Always reminded me I’m strong not weak If only I let you speak

My heart only beats for you My feelings for you only grew You understood what I was going through I will never regret knowing you

Your smile melted my heart I wish we could restart And I could be apart Of a man I see as a work of art!

Stary night painting poem I guess ill call it

I raised my paint brush to my canvas So I could help people understand this This feeling of emotion for this painting has spoken I see the light as opportunity As for the whole thing it symbolizes unity The swirls degnify elegance and uncertainty For this painting executes this perfectly Where as my paintings let me adress Everything I feel I need to express!

#56 WHITE NOISE Faded away In the background Unheard Not visible

Eardrums splitting from the screams Yet none seem to care Can even hear my cries for help? For I am screaming as loud as I can

Are you? For all we hear Are whispers in here

Fading away in the background Unheard, invisible Yet it’s there, not loud enough Not noticeable, but there White noise Blank and pure In the background Faded away, yet so clear.

Just need to listen So open your ears She’s screaming for help But it’s muted to your ears

So open ’em up And listen to the calls For faded away, in the background Not visible, but clear. White Noise. It’s there.

Hi guys, I’m kind of late joining in. I read the prompts and the poems posted and this community is a creative bunch. I liked #35 People You Have Known. I want to share it with you guys.

Bern, a friend from grade school was my seat mate as well Rob had always teased me so my young life was hell Neesa was pretty, she knew that she was my crush Miss Homel, our teacher was always in a rush Played ball with Buco and I got hit on my head Fell in love with Cia, dreamt of her in my bed Had a tattoo with Marcus and called it “The Day” Chub challenged me to eat two pies, I said, “No way” I had to go far away so I wrote to Charie In this new place I found a friend in Perry My Grandma Leng passed away, she was a doll My grumpy uncle, Uncle Zar was teased by all These people have touched my life for worse or better Won’t be forgotten, be remembered forever

I hope that you liked it. Thanks guys. Thanks Think Written.

#37 fix it Still new to poems, and I haven’t written one in a while. Criticism is welcome because I need some more inspiration since I haven’t been getting any.

This is the body repair shop where we fix humans that have stopped how may we help you?

the girl stumbled upon the front door and spilled her list of regrets out into the open

“we’re sorry, miss” “but i’m afraid your first kiss will just be a dear old reminisce”

“your heart is also one that cannot be mended” “for every shattered piece- their lives just simply ended” the sewing kit can’t sew the fragments of her heart back because there were way too many to backtrack

she cried her heart out and it went “plop!” her tears like a river and like a lightbulb flickering its last light she too, took her last breath and was put to death

This is the body repair shop where we fix humans that have stopped “it seems we have failed again today” “sorry we’ll just try harder again another day”

I did poetry prompt #7. I wrote about the street I grew up on. Luverne Luverne, I moved onto you at the age of three. We like to race up and down your pavement road, either biking or running. You keep safe the house that I grew up in, one that has six humans and three dogs. You shelter other houses, too, that hold family friends and best friends to last a lifetime.

Luverne, we love you.

-Margaret McMahon

I was inspired by the prompt poison. Monster Roses are beautiful and delicate, but flawed.

Every rose has thorns that cause you to bleed.

Its innocence and beauty draws you in.

Only then when you touch it, it poisons you.

Am I really such an ugly monster, that plants pain an watches it spread?

I would say no.

Wouldn’t we all?

But maybe, just maybe a rose doesn’t notice it’s thorns.

-Lilliana Pridie

You said you’re only just starting?! That was sooo good! No criticism here. 🙂

Sorry, that was meant for “Ash” but yours was amazing too! 🙂

Prompt number 8: Street signs STOP Stop look and listen Stop at the corner Stop at the red light Stop for pedestrians Stop for cyclists Stop for animals Stop doing that Stop drop and roll Stop doing something else Stop shouting Stop whispering Stop talking Stop being quiet Stop posting cute cat videos Stop forgetting your appointments Stop making plans without me Stop eating all the yummies Stop running Stop the insanity Stop shopping Stop the never-ending commentary in my head Stop stopping Stop

Thanks for making this site and all its suggestions and especially this space to post our work, available!

I wrote from prompt #72 about moonlight. Shining down like a spotlight, Illuminating everything around you. The pure white light, Paint your surroundings in a soft glow. The round ball in the sky, speckled with craters like the freckles on your face. Looking down upon the sleeping earth, A nightlight for those still awake, a nightlight for you. Guides you, pulls you, lulls you towards it. It caresses your face with the light, casting away the shadows of the night.

I liked it I just wrote a small poem dedicated to my tutor and tutor just loved it .I used 21 good bye . I liked it really.😊

I just took up writing so bear with me.

Based on #72 “Moonlight”

A full bed Just the left side filled Soft, cold, baby blue sheets wrap around bare feet

She sweetly invites herself in Dressing the dark in a blue hue through cypress filled air, like 5 A.M. drives in January on the misty Northern coast.

Damp hair dances across grey skin, Waltzing with the breeze to Radiohead’s “How to Disappear Completely”

Euphoria slow dances with Tranquility Heavy eyes give in to sleep

Ladder to the Sky I want to climb the ladder to the sky I’m sure all would be well and that I could fly The ladder would be sturdy but still give me a fright Because looking down I’ll realized I’ve climbed many heights The higher I climb the greater the fall The greater the fall, the greater the sprawl But if i ever get to the sky up high I would be sure to hug you and say “goodbye” Once I’ve climbed the ladder I’ll know Sometimes its okay to look far down below Life is full of failure but soon I’ll find Happiness is a place, and not of the mind We all have ladders to climb and lives to live We all have a little piece of us that we can give Because when we climb that ladder to the sky We should think “No, life never passed me by”

Hi Ray, I love your piece.It gives one courage to face the challenges of live and move on.

Thanks for sharing the prompts Chelle Stein. I wrote this sometimes ago before coming to this site and I believed prompts #1 and #88 inspired my writing it. kindly help me vet it and give your criticism and recommendation. It is titled “SHADOW”.

My shadow your shadow My reflection your reflection My acts your acts

No one sees me,no one sees you Programmed by the Ubiquitous, To act as our bystander in realism

Virtuous iniquitous rises on that day To vindicate to incriminate My deeds your deeds.

Thanks for the seemingly endless amounts of writing prompts. I’ve been working on a poem, but it isn’t much.

She’s got my head spinning, Around and around; She’s all I think about, I can’t help but wondering, Does she feel the same?

Of course not, I’m just a fool; I’m nothing special, Just another person; Bland and dull.

How could a girl like her, love a guy like me? But the way she looks at me, Her smile, I can’t help but to feel flustered; Is this just my imagination?

It must be.

Wow! That’s exactly how I feel! Amazing poem!

Thanks so much, I’m glad you like it. 🙂

A massive thank you to thinkwritten.com for these amazing prompts. Some of these prompts have now formed the basis of my upcoming poetry collection (Never Marry a Writer) scheduled for release on January 1 2021. I will also be leaving a “Thank you” message for this website in the acknowledgements section. You have inspired a whole poetry collection out of nowhere which is highly commendable. So booktiful that!

That is wonderful news!

So I didn’t use any of the prompts but I wanted some feedback on this; it’s not great but I’m working on improving my writing skills

I am a girl who is broken easily and loves music I wonder if things will ever be normal again I hear light screaming through the darkness I want freedom from the chains trapping me in my fear I am a girl who is broken easily and loves music

I pretend to float in the ocean, letting the waves carry me away from reality I feel a presence of hope like a flame on my bare skin I touch the eye of a storm, grasping the stillness it brings I worry about wars that a spreading like wildfires I cry when I’m not with the people I love I am a girl who is broken easily and loves music

I understand feeling hopeless when you have no control over what is happening I say our differences make us special I dream to be a nurse, to help others when they can’t help themselves I try to do my best in everything I hope that all mankind will stop fighting and live in peace I am a girl who is broken easily and loves music

HELLO EVERYONE.. THIS SITE IS JUST WOW, AS AND WHEN I WAS OUT OF TOPICS OR WAS NOT ABLE TO THINK UPON IT ..IT HELPED ME A LOT WITH HINTS TO BEGIN WITH MY ANOTHER POEM .. I M NOT A PROFESSIONAL WRITER BUT JUST A STARTER AND A STUDENT OF 12TH DIVISION.. I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE ONE OF MY SPECIAL CREATION , ALTHOUGH NOT FROM THIS SITE. HOPE YOU ALL WILL LIKE IT.

AU REVOIR GOODBYE UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN, I BID U FAREWELL UNTIL WE TIE AGAIN, SEE YOU SOON , SEE YOU AGAIN, LETS SAY GOODBYE FOR A BETTER DAY.

THE FIRE THAT BURNS IN OUR HEART , THE MEMORIES THAT PRESERVES OUR PAST. ITS NOT THE GOODBYE THAT WRENCH THE HEART , BUT THE FLASHBACKS THAT HAVE PASSED.

I RECOLLECT AND RECOUNT , MOMENTS THAT ARE HALF FADED AND RENOWNED, I ALWAYS FEEL SO CHARMED, THAT I HAVE SOMETHING, WHICH MAKES ME SAYING GOODBYE SO DAMN HARD.

TAKE A TRIP DOWN MEMORY LANE, WALK ON THE STREETS WITH GOLDEN TRAILS. FOR I M NOT GONNA WAIL, BECAUSE I KNOW I WILL MEET YOU SOON ON THE FORTHCOMING DAY.

I wrote a poem based on #101.

Thank you so much for the inspiration!!

And then it was there. What I had been missing. What is it? You may ask. Well, it’s quite simple actually. It’s the joy of music. It’s the joy of sitting down and making music. It’s the joy you feel when you look up at people admiring you. The joy you see in peoples’ eyes. I don’t know why I ever stopped that. The piano sat on the stage. Dusty and untouched. It’d been decades since I’ve seen it. I haven’t come to this stage since I lost her. After the concert. The last time I ever heard her voice. And yet here I am years and years later. Knowing why I haven’t been happy in so long. Of course pain is always gonna be there, But as I played a soft note on the piano, All of it seemed to disappear. It was as if all the weight on my shoulders got lifted. The melodious notes resonated around the hall. And for a few moments, I forgot about all the pain. I forgot about the tears. I forgot about the heartache. And as the last notes echoed around the hall, I was truly happy.

Prompt #92: Coming home with secrets

My mother’s radio sits in the balcony And it greets me with electric static Coming to this sheltering home is somewhat problematic Cause the walls are too thin, and it’s back to reality. Back to the running water that conceals the noise of cracks Crumbling behind my peeling mask, holding my face with wax An unraveled thread masking the makeup smile of a wakeup call That runs down to my chin and I keep under wraps. I take invitations to the mall, yet the space around me seems so small Nevertheless, I show my teeth with a big, shiny grin And suck a trembling breath through their thin slit Happy to wear tight jeans, to stop me from an embarrassing fall. The bath hurts on my skin, but even more to protect screams from the halls My head floats in the water, but feels trapped in its walls It cracks my head open with all these secrets inside me Before a blink of an eye, to my room I’d already flee. Not to the radio playing static or streets that won’t let me be But to under the blankets, where no one can really see The struggle to be a walking, talking, breathing secret That was thrown to the ocean in a bottle, wishing to be free. However, the words untold keep coming like ever so frequent Like adrenalized filled cops in pursue of an escapee delinquent All the more, my doppelganger and I have come to an agreement To take these secrets to our grave, that we nowadays call home.

Recipe for Happiness

Start with friendship, Then add time, A dash of humor, And forgotten binds. Mix it up, Till blended well, And make sure, To remember the smell. Put that bowl, To the side, Grab a new one, Add grateful sighs. Then add family, And a smile, Then sit back, And mix awhile. To that bowl, Add a laugh, A cheerful cry, And blissful past. Whip until, There’s heavy peaks, Then pour in, What we all seek. Combine the two, Then mix it well, Spray the pan, And pour it out. Cherish the memory, The beautiful scent, Of unity, And happiness.

My mother died when I was younger so this poem is about me sitting on the lawn at night shortly after she passed away. I was imagining better times, which is why in my poem I talk about how the girl is imagining ‘walking on the moon’ and she is gripping the grass tight and trying to remember the warmth of her mothers palms.

Sitting in the blue black grass She’s walking on the moon Watching specks of silver dance To the mellow tune Her fingers gripping the grass so tight She can almost feel The warmth of her mothers palms

The winds cold fingers

The winds cold fingers Tousle with my hair Loosening the soil My sobs are carried away on the wind

I would love to share this list (credited to you) with students participating in a virtual library program on poetry. Would that be possible/acceptable? These are great!

Wow! Thank you so much for all these awesome prompts! I’ve written two poems already!

Prompt #1 AND #15, untouchable and less than 25 words. i’m lowk popping off??

Apollo Commands the sun, which squints so brightly, scorches and freckles. i want her hand on mine. searing pain fears, still i reach out, and bubble.

I looked at the word “Duct tape” And thought about it. Its not anywhere in this poem at all but it inspired it yk?

Feathers are Soft

Feathers are soft People aren’t

Plushies are soft People aren’t

Pillows are soft People aren’t

People are mean Not nice Not joyful

well my poem is only loosely based on the second prompt because I found I had too much to say about Sundays. I would love to share it with you but these comments don’t support links.

Inspired by number 55 in list of poetry suggestions. Poem to song guitar chords. —————————————————-

Carnegie Hall

D I was feeling ecstatic G when I went to the attic A and found my auld busking D guitar

D But I felt consternation G I disturbed hibernation A at first it seemed quite D bazaar

D When I blew off the dust G it smelt like old must A but t’was time to give it a D bar

D It was then I heard flapping G which sounded like clapping A my first ever round of D applause

D It stayed with the beat G while tapping my feet A I kept playing despite all my D flaws

D I took early retirement G though not a requirement A “Bad Buskers” all get D menopause

D I’m strumming the strings G and the echo it rings A but no jingling of coins as they D fall

D So I play here alone G as to what I was prone A never made it to Carnegie D Hall

D Time to call it a day G as they used to say A for no encores or no curtain D call

D There’s a butterfly G in my guitar

D There’s a butterfly G in my guitar.

Finn Mac Eoin

23rd July 2022

I love this Finn, where can we listen to your song?

Hello I wrote this in remberence of 9/11. Its now sitting in ground zero. A ordinary day to start  Same as any other Dad goes off to work again, Child goes with their mother. Vibrant busy city,  busses, cars galore Workers in the offices, from bottom to top floor. Throughout our life situations Hard times often do arise, Unfortunatly we never think of saying last goodbyes. That’s exactly what happened on September 11th 2001 A day that turned the world so cold When tragedy begun. Twin towers has exploded Co ordinate attacks, Al-Qaeda behind the planes That seemed to be hijacked. Thousands were killed instantly Some lives hang by a thread, Calls were made to loved ones Onlookers face of dread. Fears & screams while running As smoke fills up the air, News reports on live tv Helplessly they stare. On the news we hear the voices of all who are caught inside, Lying next to injured ones Or sadly ones who died. One man makes a phone call My darling wife it’s me, I’m sorry that I upset you And that we disagreed. My offices have been attacked they’re crumbling to the ground, A massive explosion hit our floor then instantly no sound. If I do not make it I’m stating from the heart, I love you darling, & in your life I’m glad to play a part. Tell the kids daddy loves them Continue well at school, Stand up for all your beliefs Don’t be taken for a fool. The wife is crying down the line Darling please don’t go, I love you darling so so much I’ve always told you so. He replied my darling im feeling really kind of weak, Breathlessly he’s coughing, he can hardly speak. If you ever need me just look up to the stars, I will hear your voices And heal up any scars. Suddenly all was quiet The wife screams down the fone, Darling can you hear me, don’t leave me here alone. The towers live on tv start to crumble to the ground, Clouds of smoke then fill the air The world in shock no sound. Crying at the images of all who has lost their lives , Mums,dad’s , Nan’s & grandads, husbands & wives. Rescue teams included and all those left behind To All who were among them,  all who did survive, All who were injured All who sadly died. Never in this lifetime that day will be the same For ground zero holds the memories Of every single name.

Those hero’s on that awful day who never thought about their life Who fought to save the innocent To keep each sole alive Those who were pulled to safety Those we lost in vein, Never be forgotten The pain will still remain We will never forget that tragedy For the days will never be the same. But may I say with all my heart In God we put our faith United we stand For eternity were safe Amen

This is a beautifully sad poem. You really wrote your way into my heart. <3

I wrote a poem inspired by number 72. Not really sticking to what it said but thought this was kinda close to what it said…

After dusk, the almost eternal night. The dark, winter sky, full of millions of tiny stars. The sky, a color of blue that seems darker than black.

Sunset, full of an array of colors. Purple, orange, pink, and yellow. Nearly all dark blue.

Right as dawn appears, practically the same sunset hours later. Light wispy clouds fill the sky. Orange, pink, and light blue diffuse in the sky as the sun awakens

Wrote one based off the recipe one (I don’t remember which number)

From the Kitchen of: any teenager ever For: Disaster Ingredients: Social anxiety Existential dread A crush Zero sense of self worth A single class together And no social cues

Steps: (Warning: Do NOT do this if your crush is not single) You’re going to try to talk to your crush. Just say hi. If that doesn’t work, don’t go forward with the rest of these steps. Once you’ve talked to your crush, overthink every single thing you said to them. Do it. Then you’re going to decide you’re stupid for overthinking it. Next, you’re going to wait until they begin speaking to you on their own accord. If they don’t, overthink some more. One day you will think your crush is waving to you in the hallway. They won’t be. They’ll be waving to their friends behind you. Play it cool and pretend you’re doing the exact same thing. Run into the bathroom and cringe at yourself. Keep talking to them and try to partner up with them for a project. If they say no, don’t continue further; you’ll only embarrass yourself. If they say yes, say you need their number for the project. Call them “about the project” and eventually segway into other topics. Continue doing this until you guys eventually call all the time for no reason. Ask them out. If they say no, do not, I repeat, do not act like it was a dare or a joke. It ruins everything. Say “oh okay. Well, can we still be friends?” and continue from that point. If they say yes, go on a date with them outside of school before asking them to be your partner. Eventually break up and either get your heartbroken or break someone else’s heart.

And that is how you make an average teenage disaster. Enjoy!

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6 Literature-Based Writing Prompts

6 Literature-Based Writing Prompts

SHARON’S BLOG Literature holds an Aladdin’s cave of treasures that students can plunge their pens into.

Whether it’s imitating good writing, pondering a topic in the story, or using the story to write another, your students will gain a healthy curiosity for great works of literature as they write.

To enjoy these fun prompts, knowledge of the following stories is not necessary.

Terms covered: epiphany, spatial description, and paraphrase.

These literature-based prompts are suitable for your 5th – 12th graders.

Ready to go treasure hunting?

Writing Prompts Based on Literature -- Literature holds an Aladdin’s cave of treasures that your students can plunge their pens into.  Whether it’s imitating good writing, pondering a topic in the story, or using the story to write another, your students will gain a healthy curiosity for great works of literature as they write.  To enjoy the fun prompts, knowledge of the stories is not necessary.  Terms covered: epiphany, spatial description, and paraphrase.  These literature-based prompts are ready for your 5th – 12th graders.

Literature-Based Writing Prompts

1. to kill a mockingbird.

Near the end of To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, young Scout has an epiphany (a sudden realization) of another character in the story. I won’t give away anything else, but here’s Scout, about eight years old, describing that character:

I looked from his hands to his sand-stained khaki pants; my eyes traveled up his thin frame to his torn denim shirt. His face was as white as his hands, but for a shadow on his jutting chin. His cheeks were thin to hollowness; his mouth was wide; there were shallow, almost delicate indentations at his temples, and his gray eyes were so colorless I thought he was blind. His hair was dead and thin, almost feathery on top of his head.

Notice that young Scout starts at her eye level and then moves up, from his hands to his shirt, to chin, cheeks, and so on.

Author Harper Lee chooses a direction in which to describe this character. This is called a spatial (SPAY-shul) description .

Now it’s your turn: Choose a real person or a character from a movie or book to describe. Or make up a new character. Then describe this person or character using a spatial description. You can go top to bottom or even outside appearance to inner characteristics.

2. Frankenstein

So, you’re young Victor Frankenstein and you’ve created a monster from sewn-together parts of dead humans. This monster is huge (about eight feet tall) and scary, so you run out of the room when it comes to life, and you faint on your bed.

Years later, the monster finds you and threatens you. “I’m lonely,” he says. “Make a female to be my wife, and we’ll go away and leave you alone. If you don’t do this for me, I’ll kill all of your friends and relatives.”

You think to yourself two things: (1) He really means it because he’s already killed my brother, and (2) How do I know that his wife will stick to the plan and leave me alone?

What do you do now? Do you make a female? Faint again?

Now it’s your turn: Write out your plans as if you were Victor Frankenstein.

3. Frankenstein again

Captain Robert Walton, the narrator who introduces us to Victor Frankenstein in Frankenstein , writes, “I have no friend.”

He’s not throwing a pity party. He really feels lonely. He’s the captain of a ship that’s on a long voyage trying to find a passage to the North Pole, and there simply is no one else on board who is a companion to him.

What is he looking for in a friend?

I have no one near me, gentle yet courageous, possessed of a cultivated as well as of a capacious mind, whose tastes are like my own, to approve or amend my plans.

Now it’s your turn: What do you look for in a friend? What qualities do you want them to have? Make a list or write a paragraph. Or write an ad for a friend.

4. The Elves and the Shoemaker

In the fairy tale The Elves and the Shoemaker by Jacob Grimm, little elves appear each night to secretly help a hard-working shoemaker become successful.

Now it’s your turn: If you had a group of elves at your disposal every night, what would you have them do?

5. The Last of the Mohicans

The Last of the Mohicans by James Fenimore Cooper is a tale of the adventures of forest guide Hawkeye and Mohican father-and-son companions Chingachgook and Uncas. The story takes place during the French and Indian War before America declared her independence from England.

Chingachgook and Uncas are the last of the noble tribe of the Mohicans, and [plot spoiler ahead] only one of them makes it out of the story alive, to be truly the last of the Mohicans.

Now it’s your turn: If you were the last of something, what would it be or what would you want it to be? Write your ideas.

6. The Last of the Mohicans again

Older readers: Read the following excerpt from The Last of the Mohicans by James Fenimore Cooper. This story happens during the French and Indian War, a war between the French and the British for control of the North American continent. Then write in your own words ( paraphrase ) what Cooper is telling us. Note: Take it one sentence at a time, if that will help you.

It was a feature peculiar to the colonial wars of North America, that the toils and dangers of the wilderness were to be encountered before the adverse hosts could meet. A wide and apparently an impervious boundary of forests severed the possessions of the hostile provinces of France and England. The hardy colonist, and the trained European who fought at his side, frequently expended months in struggling against the rapids of the streams, or in effecting the rugged passes of the mountains, in quest of an opportunity to exhibit their courage in a more martial conflict. But, emulating the patience and self-denial of the practiced native warriors, they learned to overcome every difficulty; and it would seem that, in time, there was no recess of the woods so dark, nor any secret place so lovely, that it might claim exemption from the inroads of those who had pledged their blood to satiate their vengeance, or to uphold the cold and selfish policy of the distant monarchs of Europe.

Younger readers: Read the following passage from I Peter 1:17-20 (NIV). Then paraphrase it (use your own, plain words) to reveal what it says. Note: Take it one sentence at a time, if that helps you.

Since you call on a Father who judges each man’s work impartially, live your lives as strangers here in reverent fear. For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. He was chosen before the creation of the world but was revealed in these last times for your sake.

Interested in talking shoes (anthropomorphism)? >>

How about a moving description? >>

Or a creepy flat-screen wall TV and sensory imagery? >>

An here’s a bundle of 13 delightful fiction-writing prompts to inspire your story writers. >>

Find more writing prompts for your middle school students here. >>

Your teens will enjoy these engaging prompts. >>

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The best writing prompts for high school

Ah, high school. The birthplace of future geniuses, the setting of a million Young Adult books — and the cutting ground of many a brilliant young author. Writing in the classroom is often the best outlet of creativity for kids, and what better way to get your students excited about it than through creative writing prompts for high school students?

Whether you use journal prompts or story ideas to kickstart your high school student’s imagination, writing prompts are sure to help broaden their thinking, sharpen their writing skills, record their thoughts, and get them to engage with the world around them.

If you're looking to cut to the chase, here's a top ten list of writing prompts for high school students:

  • In the form of diary/ journal entries, write about someone who's just experienced a big "first."
  • Just then, your phone rings. It's your friend and they have some interesting news...
  • Write a short story where the protagonist has a doppelgänger.
  • Write a story about a misunderstanding.
  • Write a story about a strange family tradition, with at least two characters from the family narrating in the course of the story.
  • Write a story about someone who would be described, above all else, as: kind.
  • Write a story that centers on an Instagram post.
  • Write a story that spans a month during which everything changes.
  • Write about a group of people determined to win an award for making the biggest cookie ever.
  • Write about someone going to extreme lengths to return an overdue library book.

If you have a high school student who’s interested in becoming an author, check out our free resources on the topic:

Develop a Writing Routine (free course) — Any high schooler who’s serious about becoming a published author should know that writing a book doesn’t just take talent. 90% of the process is sitting in front of a blank piece of paper, and having the drive and commitment to put words to paper. That’s why we created this free course, which shows people of any age how to develop a writing routine that works for you. It’s never too early to start the process today!

Want to encourage your high school students to start writing? Check out Reedsy’s weekly short story contest , for the chance of winning $250! You can also check out our list of writing contests or our directory of literary magazines for more opportunities to submit your story.

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Explore more writing prompt ideas:

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