creative writing prompts prompts

199+ Creative Writing Prompts To Help You Write Your Next Story

Have you ever wondered what secrets lurk within the depths of your creativity, waiting to be unleashed?

This list of creative writing prompts is not just a list; it's a portal to worlds uncharted, emotions untold, and adventures unseen.

Here, every writing prompt is a key, unlocking the doors to stories ranging from the haunting echoes of horror to the boundless wonders of science fiction.

Imagine crafting tales where your main character is a time traveler or a serial killer, or perhaps a day in the life of an old family photo comes alive.

All creative writing prompts offer a new opportunity to explore an aspect of life, an alternate universe, or a moment in time, transforming a blank page into a canvas brimming with vivid stories.

A long list of creative writing prompts and writing ideas

1. Symphony of the Skies

Imagine a world where music can literally change the weather. Write a story about a character who uses this power to communicate emotions, transforming the skies to reflect their inner turmoil or joy.

2. Time-Traveler's Sunrise

Create a tale where the main character wakes up in a different period every morning. Explore how they adapt and learn from these diverse historical settings and their challenges in maintaining their identity.

3. The Witnessing Walls

Write from the perspective of a house that has stood for centuries. Narrate its experiences and the secrets it has seen, focusing on the generations of families living within its walls.

4. The Last Library on Earth

In a future where all digital information has been lost, the last remaining library holds the key to humanity's past. Craft a story about the individuals who guard and seek knowledge in this sacred place.

5. The Color Thief

Invent a world where colors are a finite resource. Follow a character known as the Color Thief, who steals hues from nature to sell on the black market and their eventual realization of the consequences of their actions.

6. Conversations with the Moon

Write a poetic narrative novel about a lonely astronaut who develops a friendship with the Moon, sharing their deepest fears and dreams during their extended mission in space.

7. The Invisible City

Describe a city that is invisible to the outside world. Detail the lives of its inhabitants, their culture, and how they deal with the threat of discovery by the outside world.

8. Echoes of the Future

A character starts hearing echoes of future events in their dreams. Explore how they use this knowledge to navigate their daily lives and their moral dilemmas.

9. The Last Flower

A single flower blooms in a desolate landscape in a world devoid of flora. Write a story centered around various characters' interactions with this last symbol of nature.

10. The Clockmaker's Secret

Dive into the life of a clockmaker who creates timepieces that can alter moments in time. Detail the adventures and misadventures when one of these clocks falls into the wrong hands.

11. Shadow Symphony

Every person's shadow is a reflection of their soul. Create a narrative where a musician discovers they can manipulate emotions by playing melodies that influence the dance of these shadows.

12. The Language of the Stars

In a universe where each star has its own language, a young linguist sets out to decode these celestial messages, uncovering a story of cosmic importance.

13. The Last Letter

A post-apocalyptic world where communication is lost, except for a single mailbox that delivers letters to the past. Write about the notes people send, their contents, and their impacts on past events.

14. The Dream Cartographer

Follow the journey of a character who can map and navigate the dream world. Explore the wonders and horrors they encounter in the subconscious realms of others.

15. The Forgotten Season

Imagine a world with a secret fifth season that only a few can perceive. Narrate the experiences of a character who discovers and explores this mysterious season for the first time.

16. Melody of the Lost City

Unearth the story of an archaeologist who discovers an ancient, hidden city. The city comes to life only when its unique musical instruments are played, revealing secrets of a lost civilization.

17. The Painter's Palette

A struggling artist finds a magical palette in a realm where paintings can alter reality. Describe their journey as they grapple with the ethical dilemmas of using this power.

18. Whispers of the Forest

Write about a dense, enchanted forest where the trees can whisper secrets of the past. A young explorer ventures in, uncovering hidden truths about their family's history.

19. The Alchemist's Cookbook

A legendary cookbook contains recipes for mystical dishes with extraordinary effects. Follow a character who inherits this book and their experiments with these fantastical recipes.

20. The Invisible Bridge

There's a bridge that can only be crossed by those who truly believe it exists. Narrate the story of a skeptical protagonist who stumbles upon this bridge during a life-altering journey.

21. The Final Sunset

Earth is experiencing its last-ever sunset. Detail the experiences of different characters worldwide as they prepare for perpetual darkness.

22. The Echo of Rain

Rain in this world carries memories from the places it has fallen. A character who can hear these echoes uncovers a deep mystery when a rare rainstorm hits their drought-stricken town.

23. The Book of Unwritten Tales

A magical book contains short stories that write themselves based on the reader's imagination. Explore the escapades of a child who discovers this book and the fantastical worlds they conjure.

24. The Mirror of Truth

A small town houses a mirror that shows one's true self. Write about the interesting experiences of various townsfolk as they confront their deepest realities in the mirror.

25. The Last Dance

In a society where dancing is forbidden, an underground group risks everything to express themselves through movement—Chronicle their story of rebellion and the fight for freedom of expression.

26. The Garden of Echoing Voices

A mystical garden where every plant can echo thoughts and words once spoken near them. A detective uses this garden to solve a long-forgotten crime, unraveling a tale of love, betrayal , and redemption.

27. The Celestial Weaver

A celestial weaver creates the constellations in a world where the night sky is a tapestry. Delve into their story as they weave tales of cosmic wonder and human folly.

28. The Memory Collector

Follow the life of an individual who can see and collect memories like tangible objects. Explore how they use these memories to help others heal and the burden of carrying so many pasts.

29. The Ocean's Melody

The ocean sings a different melody to each listener. Write about a sailor drawn by a unique song , inspiring them to discover ancient sea secrets and their heart's desire.

30. The Timekeeper's Apprentice

In a city where time can be bought and sold, the apprentice of a timekeeper stumbles upon a conspiracy that could unravel the very fabric of their reality.

31. The Last Symphony of Mars

In a future where Mars is being terraformed, a mysterious melody is heard across the planet. A team of scientists and musicians must decipher its origin and meaning before the terraforming process erases it forever.

32. The Vanishing Hourglass

In a world where time is tangible and stored in hourglasses, a young heir discovers their family's hourglass is rapidly depleting. They must unravel a family secret to refill it before time runs out for them.

33. The Whispering Comet

Every thousand years, a comet passes so close to Earth that it influences people's thoughts. A group of individuals realizes that the comet is predicting a catastrophic event, and they have just a matter of days to prevent it.

34. The Final Notes of a Fading Star

A famed opera singer loses her voice mysteriously. Doctors predict it will return for a single, final performance. She must choose the perfect song while unravelling the cause of her condition.

35. Echoes from the Lighthouse

An abandoned lighthouse starts emitting a strange light sequence. A curious historian discovers it's a code from a ship lost in time, predicting its imminent return. The race is on to solve the mystery and prepare for the ship's arrival.

36. The Clocktower Conspiracy

In an ancient city, the central clocktower ticks towards an unknown catastrophic event. A young clockmaker apprentice stumbles upon a secret society's plot and must stop them before the clock strikes the final hour.

37. The Disappearing Poet

A renowned poet announces their final masterpiece, a poem that will be revealed across the world in fragments. As the poet starts physically fading with each fragment revealed, a fan must piece together the poem to save their idol.

38. The Last Breath of the Forest

A mystical forest known for its healing powers is dying. The protagonist, linked to the forest by a family curse , must uncover ancient secrets and heal the forest before it vanishes, taking them along with it.

39. The Melting Citadel

A once-frozen citadel begins to melt, revealing hidden chambers and ancient dangers. A group of explorers has only hours to navigate its mysteries and escape before it collapses.

40. The Starving Gallery

An art gallery where the paintings age and change, feeding on viewers' emotions. A new curator discovers that if the gallery isn't fed with a masterpiece soon, the paintings will come to life and wreak havoc.

41. The Secret of the Sinking City

A city is sinking, and the only way to save it lies in its submerged part. A team of divers must explore underwater ruins, uncovering a hidden history and a solution that ticks away with the rising waters.

42. The Forgotten Astronaut

An astronaut left behind on a deserted space station discovers a way to return to Earth but has only a limited time to repair the escape pod before their life support fails.

43. The Last Train to Eternity

A mystical train appears once every hundred years, offering a journey to an unknown destination. A group of strangers boards it, each seeking answers to life's greatest mysteries, with just one night to find them before the train vanishes.

44. The Phantom Melancholy

A city is enveloped in an inexplicable sadness. A psychologist with a troubled past discovers that the city's collective sorrow manifests physically, and they must find the source before the melancholy consumes everything.

45. The Fading Colors of the Rainbow Bridge

The Rainbow Bridge, a celestial pathway, is losing its colors, threatening the connection between worlds. A team of artists and scientists embark on a journey to restore it, unraveling cosmic mysteries and their own destinies.

46. The Last Song of the Sirens

The sirens, mythical beings of the sea, are losing their voices. A marine biologist who can communicate with them discovers a looming ecological disaster and must convince the world to act before the sirens' song is lost forever.

47. The Eclipse of the Century

An eclipse predicted to reveal hidden truths is approaching. A group of individuals with interconnected destinies must unravel a centuries-old mystery before the eclipse exposes secrets they wish to keep hidden.

48. The Vanishing Street Performer

A street performer in a bustling city predicts future events in their acts. As their predictions come true, they begin to disappear bit by bit, and a local journalist must solve the mystery before the performer vanishes entirely.

49. The Dwindling Sand of the Oasis

In a world where water is scarce, an oasis is drying up at an alarming rate. A young leader from the Oasis tribe must embark on a perilous journey to find a mythical water source to save their people and the oasis.

50. The Final Flight of the Phoenix

A mythical phoenix appears in the modern world, pursued by those who seek its power. A group of protectors must ensure its safe return to its realm before its pursuers capture it, risking a global catastrophe.

51. The Silence of the Stars

Suddenly, all the stars in the night sky go silent, alarming astronomers. A team is sent on an interstellar mission to uncover the cause before the celestial silence leads to cosmic consequences.

52. The Last Melody of Atlantis

As the legendary city of Atlantis begins to resurface, its ancient melody, capable of controlling the world's water, plays again. A historian and a musician must decode the melody to prevent a global flood.

53. The Vanishing Sculptor

A gifted sculptor who can bring statues to life is slowly turning to stone themselves. They have one final masterpiece to complete, which holds the key to reversing their condition.

54. The Shadow of the Black Sun

Every century, a Black Sun eclipse casts a shadow that brings one's deepest fears to life. A village must uncover an ancient ritual to confront and banish these fears before the shadow consumes them.

55. The Final Performance of the Phoenix Theatre

A famous theatre is destined to burn down after its final show. The performers and crew uncover a prophecy and race against time to change the fate of their beloved theatre.

56. The Whispering Wall of Babylon

An ancient wall in Babylon starts whispering prophecies. An archaeologist who hears these whispers must decipher them to prevent a looming disaster predicted by the wall.

57. The Last Dream of the Dreamcatcher

A dreamcatcher that can trap nightmares is dying. Its keeper must find a replacement before the trapped nightmares escape and wreak havoc.

58. The Disappearing Ink of the Eternal Book

A book with the power to rewrite history is losing its ink. A librarian discovers they are a part of its story and must solve its riddles before their own existence is erased.

59. The Frost of the Eternal Winter

A sudden, unending winter envelops the land. A group of survivors must find the mythical source of this eternal frost and stop it before their world becomes a frozen wasteland.

60. The Last Breath of the Oracle

An oracle who can predict the future is on their deathbed. Their final prophecy foretells a catastrophic event that can only be stopped by interpreting their cryptic last words.

61. The Countdown of the Timeless Clock

A clock that controls time starts counting down to an unknown event. A team of temporal agents must uncover the event's nature and stop it to prevent a time paradox.

62. The Final Voyage of the Celestial Ark

A spaceship carrying the last of Earth's biodiversity is failing. The crew has one last chance to find a habitable planet before the life-support systems shut down permanently.

63. The Cursed Symphony of the Forgotten Composer

A lost symphony resurfaces, bringing misfortune to anyone who plays it. A musician must uncover the composer's tragic past to break the curse.

64. The Collapsing Bridge Between Worlds

A bridge between parallel worlds begins to collapse. Characters from different dimensions must come together to repair it before their worlds permanently sever.

65. The Final Harvest of the Midnight Garden

A garden that blooms only at midnight starts dying. The gardener, bound to the garden by an ancient spell, must find a cure before the last petal falls and they vanish with it.

66. The Last Light of the Lighthouse Keeper

A lighthouse keeper discovers their light is the only thing keeping a deep-sea monster at bay. With their light dimming, they must repair it before the creature reaches shore.

67. The Eternal Flame of Prometheus

The mythical flame that grants enlightenment is fading. A group of scholars seeks the flame, racing against an organization that wants to extinguish it for good.

68. The Dissolving City in the Clouds

A city in the clouds is slowly dissolving into the air. Its inhabitants must discover the ancient technology that keeps it afloat before it falls to the Earth below.

69. The Last Words of the Silent Poet

A poet who has been silent for decades suddenly begins to speak, predicting an event that could change the world. A journalist tries to unravel the meaning behind their cryptic words.

70. The Final Puzzle of the Sphinx

The Great Sphinx of Giza awakens, offering a final riddle that promises immense knowledge but threatens dire consequences if unsolved. An unlikely group of adventurers gathers to solve it.

71. The Vanishing Colors of Aurora City

In a city where colors represent emotions, colors start to vanish. A colorblind artist who sees the world differently must find the cause and restore the city's hues before they disappear entirely.

72. The Whispering Dunes of Time

In a desert where the sands can whisper future events, a nomadic tribe must decipher these whispers to survive an approaching cataclysm predicted by the dunes.

73. The Last Cry of the Ocean

The ocean has started emitting a mournful sound, signaling an impending ecological disaster. A marine biologist with a mysterious connection to the sea must uncover the secret of this cry to avert the disaster.

74. The Forgotten Tunes of the Underground City

Beneath a bustling metropolis lies an ancient city whose music ensures the upper city's survival. When the music starts to fade, an urban explorer must descend to revive the forgotten tunes.

75. The Eternal Eclipse

An eternal eclipse casts the world in darkness, with only a tiny town remaining in light. The town's residents must uncover why they're spared and find a way to bring back the sun.

76. The Last Guardian of the Ancient Library

An ancient library containing universal knowledge is deteriorating. Its last guardian begins to find the lost key to its preservation before the library vanishes forever.

77. The Melting Ice Palace

A palace made of ice, home to a unique civilization, is melting. A young heir to the throne must journey to find a mythical power source to save their home.

78. The Withering Tree of Eternity

A tree that ensures the immortality of a hidden race is withering away. A young outcast must uncover ancient secrets to save the tree and its people from extinction.

79. The Disintegrating Reality of Parallel Earth

A parallel Earth begins to disintegrate into our world. An inter-dimensional traveler must find a way to stabilize both realities before they collapse into chaos.

80. The Cursed Chime of the Ancient Bell

An ancient bell starts chiming, releasing a curse upon the land. A deaf historian who can't hear the bell's chimes is the key to unraveling the curse.

81. The Fading Shadows of the Ghost City

A city inhabited by shadows is fading into oblivion. A shadow-born individual who exists between the physical and shadow worlds must solve the mystery to save their home.

82. The Last Breath of the Windwalker

A being who controls the winds is losing its power, causing climatic chaos. Adventurers must help the Windwalker regain strength to restore balance to the weather.

83. The Final Encore of the Ghost Orchestra

In an abandoned concert hall, a ghostly orchestra plays one last concert that manipulates time. A musicologist discovers the concert and must end it before reality is irreversibly altered.

84. The Last Harvest of the Golden Fields

Fields that yield crops sustaining the world's life are turning barren. A young farmer with a mystical connection to the land must uncover the cause and find a solution.

85. The Fading Light of the Polar Star

The Polar Star, guiding travelers for centuries, is dimming. An ancient navigator must undertake a celestial quest to reignite the star.

86. The Dying Echoes of the Valley

A valley known for its echoing cliffs is falling silent. A sound engineer passionate about natural acoustics investigates the phenomenon, uncovering a hidden environmental crisis.

87. The Last Voyage of the Star Sailors

A fleet of celestial ships that navigate the cosmos is on its final journey. The youngest star sailor must confront cosmic mysteries and their own destiny to chart a new course for humanity.

88. The Vanishing Ink of the Eternal Manuscript

An eternal manuscript that writes the future is running out of ink. A society of scribes must find the mythical Inkwell of Destiny to refill it and secure their future.

89. The Unfinished Story

You're a writer struggling with writer's block. Start writing a story about a character who discovers an old diary entry that changes their life.

90. Parallel Lives

Imagine a world where every decision creates an alternate universe. Write a story where your main character gets a glimpse into one of these universes, depicting their life if they had made a different choice at a turning point.

91. The Secret of the Old Photos

Your character finds a box of old family photos in their attic, revealing a mystery about their next-door neighbor.

92. A Journey Through Time

Write a story about a character who has the ability to travel through time. They decide to visit critical moments in their family's history, but something goes unexpectedly wrong.

93. First Sight in a Fantasy World

Create a fantasy world where you can hear each other's thoughts the first time you lock eyes with your soulmate.

94. The Laughing Curse

In a world where making people laugh is legally allowed only for certified comedians, your main character, who is incredibly funny, must keep their talent a secret.

95. The Last Writer on Earth

After a mysterious event wipes out the human population, one writer survives. They decide to document the world's end but hear another voice.

96. Unseen Voices

Your protagonist, a detective, starts receiving calls from an unknown number, guiding them to prevent crimes before they happen.

97. The Forgotten Melody

An elderly person in a retirement home suddenly remembers a piece of music from their youth, leading them on a quest to uncover a forgotten part of their life.

98. A Day of Reversal

Write about a day where everything happens in reverse, from sunset to sunrise. How does this affect the life of your main character?

99. A Walk Through Memories

A character decides to walk the path they took every day in high school, only to find themselves physically transported back to their teenage years.

100. Message from the Future

Your main character receives a letter postmarked 30 years in the future. It's from their future self, warning them about a crucial decision they're about to make.

101. The Hidden World Next Door

Your protagonist discovers that their boring next-door neighbor is actually a guardian of a magical realm.

102. The Midnight Train

A story about two people who meet every night on the last train of the day to talk, sharing stories and secrets, but only meeting within this setting .

103. The City of Lost Animals

In a city where lost pets mysteriously reappear, a group of friends starts to investigate where these animals go.

104. A Comedy of Errors

Write a short story about a series of misunderstandings that lead to an unexpected friendship.

105. The Coffee Shop on the Other Side

A character finds a coffee shop that only appears at midnight and serves a clientele from different time periods.

106. The Blank Page Conspiracy

A secret society believes that all creativity in the world originates from a single, mystical blank page.

107. The Silent Speech

Write a story where the main character can only communicate through written words, yet they must convince a large group of an important truth.

108. The World in a Room

Your character wakes up to find their entire town has shrunk and is now contained within a single room.

109. The Unwritten Poem

A famous poet leaves behind a note in a blank book, rumored to contain their greatest work. A fan becomes obsessed with deciphering it.

110. A Night at the Library

After getting locked in a library overnight, a child discovers that the characters in the books come to life when no one is watching.

111. The Forgotten Island

Write about an island that appears on no map and is only accessible to those who are lost.

112. The Last Laugh

In a world where laughter is a form of currency, your main character, who has always been serious, suddenly becomes the funniest person on the planet.

113. The Ghostwriter's Dilemma

A ghostwriter starts receiving mysterious messages in the margins of their work, leading them to a hidden truth about their client.

114. The Door to Nowhere

Every time your character opens their front door, it leads to a different place and time.

115. The Painting That Changed

A character notices that a painting in their house subtly changes daily, eventually revealing a hidden message.

116. The Language of Flowers

In a world where people communicate through the language of flowers, a florist becomes the most influential person in town.

117. A Recipe for Memories

A chef discovers that their latest recipe can bring back memories for those who eat it, but not always the good ones.

118. The Last Book on Earth

In a post-apocalyptic world, a group of survivors finds what appears to be the last remaining book on Earth, leading them on a journey to discover why it was saved.

119. The Song of the Stars

On a clear night, your main character discovers they can hear the music of the stars. They begin a quest to record this celestial melody, but only some people want it to be heard.

120. The Day of Everything Wrong

Everything your character says comes out the opposite of what they mean. This leads to a series of comedic and dramatic events, culminating in a vital self-discovery.

121. The Unseen Companion

A lonely child invents an imaginary friend who turns out to be a ghost from the past, revealing secrets about an old family mystery.

122. The Magic Pen

Your protagonist finds a pen that makes whatever is written with it come true. But they soon learn that this power comes with heavy consequences.

123. The Lost City Beneath

An urban explorer discovers an ancient, hidden city beneath their hometown, leading to an adventure of archaeological significance and personal danger.

124. The Endless Book

A character finds a book with no end, each page leading to another story. They become obsessed with finding the last page.

125. The Garden of Time

In a secret garden, time moves differently. A minute inside is a day outside. Your character uses this to their advantage, but at what cost?

126. The Last Sunset

Write a story set in a world where the sun is about to set for the last time. How does humanity react?

127. The Language of Dreams

A linguist starts dreaming in a language that doesn't exist. They set out to find its origin and meaning.

128. The Bridge Between Worlds

A bridge in your character's town leads to an alternate dimension. What do they find on the other side?

129. The Forgotten Flavor

A renowned chef loses their sense of taste and must relearn their craft, rediscovering their passion for cooking in the process.

130. The Mirror of Truth

A character inherits an antique mirror that shows not their reflection but their true self.

131. The Last Letter

Your character receives a letter from their future self, warning about a decision that could change everything.

132. The Hidden Kingdom

A child discovers a miniature kingdom in their backyard. They become the key to solving a royal dispute.

133. The Shadow Without a Source

Shadows start moving independently of their sources. Your character investigates this phenomenon, uncovering a much stranger and more profound mystery.

134. The Journey to the Center of the Mind

A scientist invents a machine that can explore human memories. They decide to test it on themselves.

135. The Colorless Rainbow

A world where rainbows have lost their color. Your character sets out on a quest to bring the colors back.

136. The Whispering Wind

A breeze that carries messages from the past. Your character hears a whisper meant for them, leading to a family secret.

137. The Room of Lost Things

A room where lost objects appear. Your character finds something they lost long ago, sparking a journey into their past.

138. The Echo of Silence

Silence becomes a rare and powerful commodity in a world overrun by noise. Your character discovers a place where silence reigns, but it's not as peaceful as it seems.

139. The Artist's Final Canvas

An artist on the brink of giving up discovers a canvas that brings everything painted on it to life, reigniting their passion but at a mysterious cost.

140. The Clock That Ticked Backwards

In a small town, a clock tower starts ticking backward, causing the townspeople to relive moments of their lives. Your protagonist must uncover the reason behind this temporal anomaly.

141. The Last Dance

On the eve of a global catastrophe, two strangers decide to spend their final moments learning to dance together, finding unexpected joy, hope and connection.

142. The Invisible Friend

A child's imaginary friend starts to have a tangible impact on the world around them, challenging the boundaries between imagination and reality.

143. The Book of Forgotten Stories

A librarian finds a magical book containing stories that the world has forgotten. Each story read out loud comes to life.

144. The Memory Painter

An artist discovers they can paint scenes that erase or alter memories. They must choose whether to use this power for good or selfish purposes.

145. The Day of Infinite Possibilities

A character wakes up to find that they are living the same day repeatedly, each time with a different outcome based on their choices.

146. The Secret Under the Lake

During a summer vacation, a group of friends discovers an underwater city beneath the lake. They embark on an adventure to unlock its mysteries.

147. The Whispering Woods

A forest where the trees whisper secrets of those who walk among them. Your character hears a secret they were never meant to know.

148. The Last Library

In a future where books are banned, your character discovers the last existing library and becomes its protector.

149. The Dream Collector

A character who can enter and collect people's dreams must save someone from a nightmare they can't wake up from.

150. The Starless Sky

One night, the stars disappear from the sky. Your character, an astronomer, sets out to find out why and restore the night's beauty.

151. The Door to Yesterday

A door that takes anyone who walks through it back to any day in their past, but only for one hour.

152. The Street That Changed Everything

A mysterious street appears in the city, where each door leads to a different historical point.

153. The Last Song of the Sirens

In a modern world, the last siren on Earth tries to find her place and understand her ancient heritage.

154. The Writer's Secret

A famous writer's novels are actually transcripts of actual events from an alternate universe. They struggle to keep their source a secret.

155. The Painting of Prophecy

A character finds a painting that changes every day, predicting events that will happen in their life.

156. The Forgotten Path

A hidden path in the woods leads to a forgotten civilization with secrets that could change the world.

157. The Echoes of the Future

A character begins to hear echoes of future conversations, leading them to discover the truth about their destiny.

158. The Melody of the Lost City

Explorers find a lost city where music and poetry is the key to unlocking its ancient mysteries.

159. The Shadow of Doubt

A detective with a perfect record starts doubting their ability when they face an unsolvable case.

160. The Last Breath of Magic

In a world where magic is dying, the last magician embarks on a quest to save magical creatures and restore magic.

161. The Colors of Emotion

A scientist develops a device that allows people to see emotions as colors, leading to unexpected consequences in human relationships.

162. The Journey Beyond the Map

A character finds a map leading to a land that doesn't exist on any modern map, starting an adventure of a lifetime.

163. The Unheard Symphony

A composer creates a symphony that can only be heard by those who truly understand the language of music, leading to a quest for understanding and connection.

164. The Puzzle of the Past

A historian discovers a puzzle that, when solved, reveals a hidden chapter in human history.

165. The Garden of Whispers

A mysterious garden where plants whisper secrets of the natural world, drawing in a botanist who discovers its enchanting and dangerous secrets.

166. The Forgotten Festival

A town celebrates a festival every week that nobody remembers the origin of, leading to revelations about the town's history and the power of tradition.

167. The Mirror of Other Lives

A mirror that shows the life you would have led if you had made different choices, challenging your character's perception of their life and choices.

168. The Lost Art of Dreaming

In a society where dreaming is lost, a character who still dreams must uncover why dreams disappeared and how to bring them back.

169. The Language of the Stars

An astronomer discovers they can interpret the language of the stars, uncovering secrets of the universe and a message critical to humanity's future.

170. The Shadow in the Photograph

A character finds a series of old family photos with the same unidentifiable shadow. Their investigation uncovers a hidden family legacy.

171. The Clockmaker's Secret

In a small town, a clockmaker creates timepieces that can alter moments in the owner's life. One customer discovers the true power and consequences of this ability.

172. The Unwritten Letters

A character finds a stack of letters their best friend never sent, revealing secrets and changing their understanding of the past.

173. The Whispering Gallery

An artist creates a mural that whispers the thoughts and feelings of the people who view it, leading to profound personal revelations and conflicts.

174. The Dream Weaver

A character can weave dreams into reality, but when their dreams start to become nightmares, they must find a way to control this power.

175. The Secret of the Seventh Floor

In an ordinary office building, the seventh floor is mysteriously missing. A new employee's curiosity leads them to a hidden world and a startling discovery.

176. The Last Train Home

A mysterious train appears at the station every night, but only those with unfinished business can see it. One night, your character decides to board it.

177. The Melancholy Circus

A circus where performers use their acts to express and heal their deepest sorrows, attracting an audience that finds solace in their performances.

178. The Book of Endings

An author discovers they can end any real-life situation by writing their conclusion in a special book. They face moral dilemmas when using this power.

179. The Forgotten Melody

A street musician plays a melody that seems forgotten by the world, yet it holds the key to unlocking a universal truth.

180. The Painter's Vision

A painter starts seeing visions of another world every time they paint. They begin to create canvases that serve as windows to this mysterious place.

181. The Secret Ingredient

A chef's dishes have the power to evoke vivid memories in those who eat them, but a particular recipe reveals a long-lost memory that changes everything.

182. The Echo of Lost Voices

A character develops the ability to hear the voices of lost or missing people, leading them on a journey to find and help these souls.

183. The Last Garden on Earth

In a world where nature has been almost destroyed, your character discovers the last existing garden and becomes its guardian.

184. The Hourglass of Forgotten Time

An hourglass that counts down to significant moments in the character's life, but with each turn, a piece of their past is forgotten.

185. The Bridge of Farewells

A bridge that allows people to meet departed loved ones for one last conversation, offering closure or revealing unexpected truths.

186. The Symphony of Silence

In a world overwhelmed by noise, a silent symphony is composed, and its performance profoundly affects its audience.

187. The Island of Lost Tales

An island that appears only to those who have an untold story burning within them. Your character sets sail to find it and tell their tale.

188. The Shadow That Spoke

A character's shadow starts communicating with them, revealing secrets about their life and foretelling future events.

189. The Artist of Echoes

An artist discovers they can paint echoes of people's most significant life events, but they struggle with the responsibility of this insight.

190. The Last Page of the Universe

A scientist discovers a book that describes the entire history and future of the universe but is missing the last page – the ending of everything.

191. The Vanishing Hour

A town experiences a lost hour every night, during which people vanish mysteriously. A young detective with only days before their forced retirement must solve the case before they, too, disappear.

192. The Final Symphony

A composer has a vision of the world's end and writes a symphony to prevent it. They race against time to perform it, battling forces that seek to silence the music forever.

193. The Shattered Mirror

After a cursed mirror shatters, a character must piece it together within 24 hours, as each shard shows a grim future they are trying to prevent.

194. The Countdown Writer

An author finds they can only write during a yearly celestial event. With the event approaching for the last time, they struggle to finish their life's work.

195. The Eclipse of Destiny

Every eclipse, a character relives a pivotal moment of their past, each time with a different outcome. They have one final eclipse to set their life on the right path.

196. The Last Breath of the Forest

In a dying world, a lone botanist discovers the key to saving the planet lies within a wilting forest, racing against deforestation and corporate greed.

197. The Artist's Dilemma

An artist can bring their paintings to life, but each creation shortens their lifespan. They face a tough decision when asked to create one final masterpiece.

198. The Forgotten Train Station

A spectral train appears once every decade, promising to take passengers to a moment in their past they wish to change. A character debates boarding, aware this is their last chance.

199. The Sinking City

A city is sinking, and its inhabitants have one night to escape. Amidst the chaos, a young couple must find each other and confront their unresolved past.

200. The Last Flame

In a world losing its light, the last flame is about to go out. A group of strangers embarks on a perilous journey to reignite it, facing darkness and their fears.

201. The Unheard Plea

A lawyer with the ability to hear the unspoken thoughts of others faces a moral dilemma in a high-stakes case that could set a dangerous criminal free.

202. The Final Performance

A retiring actress discovers her final performance is to a crowd of ghosts who seek closure. She has one night to help them find peace.

203. The Disappearing Island

An island that appears once every five years is the only place where a rare cure can be found. A desperate father races against time to save his sick child.

204. The Last Songbird

The last songbird on Earth holds the key to reviving its species, but a relentless hunter is on its trail. A young girl must protect it at all costs.

205. The Hourglass of Eternity

An ancient hourglass can grant immortality but at the cost of a loved one's life. A character must decide whether to use it as their partner's life hangs by a thread.

206. The Final Exhibit

An art curator discovers their latest exhibit foretells the future. With an apocalyptic event depicted, they must interpret the art to prevent it.

207. The Lost Ocean

Earth's last ocean is disappearing, and with it, the final haven for sea life. A marine biologist fights to save this precious ecosystem against time and human greed.

208. The Bridge of Souls

A bridge appears once a generation, allowing one person to bring someone back from the dead. A character must choose who to resurrect, knowing the dire consequences.

209. The Fading Melody

A musician's ability to play is fading with their final performance approaching. They seek a legendary melody rumored to grant eternal musical talent.

210. The Vanishing Words

A poet's words start vanishing from their books, with each lost word erasing a memory. They must write their masterpiece before their identity is lost forever.

211. The Clockwork Heist

A master thief discovers a clock that can stop time for one hour each day. They plan a final, risky heist but must outsmart a timekeeper who knows their secret.

212. The Last Beacon of Light

In a world of encroaching darkness, a lighthouse keeper discovers the light they tend to be the last on Earth. They face a siege to extinguish it by those who thrive in darkness.

213. The Dwindling Sands

An adventurer races against time to find a mythical oasis that appears only once in a lifetime as their beloved's life hangs in the balance, threatened by a rare desert ailment.

214. The Whispering Comet

A comet passing Earth whispers people's deepest secrets aloud. A politician with a dark past must silence the comet before it reveals their scandalous secret.

215. The Final Harvest

In a village cursed to wither away, a young farmer discovers a way to save it. But they have only until the harvest moon to convince the villagers to break tradition.

216. The Unseen Storm

A meteorologist predicts a supernatural storm that could destroy their city. With no one believing them, they have 24 hours to convince the town to evacuate.

217. The Painter of Souls

An artist realizes their paintings trap the souls of their subjects. With a final exhibition approaching, they must find a way to release the souls without losing their fame.

218. The Phantom Train

A ghost train appears once a year, carrying the souls of the departed. A character whose loved one vanished years ago awaits this train, seeking closure.

219. The Last Dance of the Leaves

A magical forest, its life force waning, performs a final autumn dance. A nature enthusiast tries to capture this last spectacle while uncovering the forest's ancient secret.

220. The Melting City

In a city made of ice, the sun shines for the first time in centuries. The inhabitants must find a way to save their melting home.

221. The Final Note

A deaf musician discovers a musical note that can be heard by everyone. They compose a symphony with this note, facing opposition from those who fear its power.

222. The Crystal Cave's Secret

A spelunker discovers a cave with time-altering crystals. They have a limited time to use their powers to save a loved one from a past accident.

223. The Last Dreamwalker

In a world where dreams are forbidden, the last dreamwalker must enter the dreams of a tyrant to end their rule, risking their own life in the process.

224. The Vanishing Village

A village disappears every full moon, returning with one less inhabitant each time. A young detective has one lunar cycle to solve this mystery.

225. The Silent Opera

An opera singer loses her voice to a curse. She has one final performance to break the curse, but her voice's return comes with a great sacrifice.

226. The Last Polar Bear

The last polar bear on Earth tells its story to a wildlife conservationist. They embark on a journey to find a safe haven pursued by hunters.

227. The Shadow Festival

Once a year, shadows come to life. A young child whose shadow behaves strangely discovers a hidden world and must save it from destruction.

228. The Forgotten Astronaut

An astronaut left behind on a space station races against dwindling supplies and sanity to make contact with Earth one last time.

229. The Ephemeral Museum

An enchanted museum appears once in a generation, with artifacts that grant wishes. A curator must protect its treasures from those who would misuse them.

230. The Last Guardian of Magic

In a world where magic is dying, the last guardian of an ancient magical order faces a final battle against those who seek to eradicate magic forever.

As we reach the end of this extensive journey through this list of creative writing prompts , it's important to remember that these ideas are merely starting points for your own unique storytelling adventure.

Each prompt is a seed designed to sprout in the fertile soil of your imagination. You have the absolute freedom to modify, twist, and reshape these concepts to suit the landscape of your creative world.

Whether you're crafting short stories, diving into novel writing, or simply seeking a spark for your daily journaling, let these prompts be your guide and not your boundary. Your creativity knows no limits, so take these ideas, play with them, and make them truly your own.

Happy writing, and may your journey through the realms of imagination be as boundless and brilliant as the stars in the sky!

Frequently Asked Questions About Creative Writing Prompts

What are creative writing prompts.

Creative writing prompts are your gateway to a universe of untold stories. They're little nuggets of writing inspiration and story ideas designed to kickstart your imagination, develop your writing skills, and set your creative gears in motion to start the writing process. Think of them as story starters that can lead you to unexpected places.

How Can Horror Writing Prompts Help Me?

Horror writing prompts offer a fun and thrilling challenge. They're like a dark, unexplored forest in your mind, beckoning you to step in and discover the mysteries hidden within. They're perfect for exploring the depths of fear and suspense.

Are Science Fiction Writing Prompts Only About Outer Space?

Not at all! Science fiction writing prompts can transport you to alternate universes, time travel escapades, or even a dystopian future on Earth.

They're about exploring the 'what ifs' of science and beyond, stretching the limits of your imagination.

How Can Fantasy Writing Prompts Assist?

Fantasy writing prompts are like opening a door to a world where dragons soar and magic reigns. They help you leap into realms where the ordinary becomes extraordinary, inviting you to explore enchanted forests, ancient curses, and mystical creatures.

What's Special About Romance Writing Prompts?

Romance writing prompts invite you to explore the myriad hues of love. From love at first sight to heart-wrenching goodbyes, they cover the entire spectrum of human emotions.

They challenge you to delve deep into the complexities of relationships and emotional connections.

Can You Give an Example of a Thriller Writing Prompt?

Certainly! Picture this: "You receive a mysterious letter, but as you read it, you realize it's detailing your own life... and predicting a terrifying future."

Thriller writing prompts are great for creating intense, edge-of-your-seat narratives.

How Do I Turn Writing Prompts into a Short Story?

To turn a writing prompt into a short story , start by envisioning the scene , the main character and setting.

Let the prompt guide your plot and unfold your tale with a beginning, middle, and end. Allow the prompt to be the seed from which your story grows.

I Love Writing but Struggle with Writer's Block. Any Tips?

Writer's block is a common hurdle. When it strikes, switch up your environment, read something inspiring, or try free writing to get the creative juices flowing again. Sometimes, tackling a completely different writing prompt can also help break the block.

How Can I Use Old Family Photos as Writing Prompts?

Use old family photos as a time machine. Create stories about the people in them, their hopes, dreams, and the era they lived in.

It's a wonderful way to connect with the past and weave narratives that bridge generations.

Are There Any Unique Writing Prompts for Writing About Everyday Life?

Absolutely! Try this: "Write about the day when everything went wrong, but it led to something unexpectedly wonderful."

Everyday life prompts can turn the mundane into the extraordinary, offering a fresh perspective on the familiar.

How Can I Challenge Myself with Writing Prompts?

To challenge yourself, pick a prompt that's outside your comfort zone. If you usually write romance, try a thriller prompt. It's all about stretching your creative muscles and exploring new narrative territories.

Any Last Piece of Advice for Aspiring Writers Using Prompts?

The best piece of advice: Just start writing. Don't worry about perfection. Let your imagination lead the way and enjoy the journey.

Remember, every great writer was once a beginner. Embrace the process, and you'll be amazed at where it takes you.

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365 Creative Writing Prompts

Here are 365 Creative Writing Prompts to help inspire you to write every single day! Use them for journaling, story starters, poetry, and more!

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If you want to become a better writer, the best thing you can do is practice writing every single day. Writing prompts are useful because we know sometimes it can be hard to think of what to write about!

To help you brainstorm, we put together this list of 365 creative writing prompts to give you something to write about daily.

Want to Download these prompts?  I am super excited to announce due to popular demand we now have an ad-free printable version of this list of writing prompts available for just $5. The  printable version  includes a PDF as a list AND print-ready prompt cards. {And all the design source files you could ever need to customize any way you would like!}

Here are 365 Creative Writing Prompts to Inspire:

Whether you write short stories, poems, or like to keep a journal – these will stretch your imagination and give you some ideas for topics to write about!

1. Outside the Window : What’s the weather outside your window doing right now? If that’s not inspiring, what’s the weather like somewhere you wish you could be?

2. The Unrequited love poem: How do you feel when you love someone who does not love you back?

3. The Vessel: Write about a ship or other vehicle that can take you somewhere different from where you are now.

4. Dancing: Who’s dancing and why are they tapping those toes?

5. Food: What’s for breakfast? Dinner? Lunch? Or maybe you could write a poem about that time you met a friend at a cafe.

6. Eye Contact: Write about two people seeing each other for the first time.

7. The Rocket-ship: Write about a rocket-ship on its way to the moon or a distant galaxy far, far, away.

8. Dream-catcher : Write something inspired by a recent dream you had.

9. Animals: Choose an animal. Write about it!

10. Friendship: Write about being friends with someone.

11. Dragon : Envision a dragon. Do you battle him? Or is the dragon friendly? Use descriptive language.

12. Greeting : Write a story or poem that starts with the word “hello” or another greeting.

13. The Letter: Write a poem or story using words from a famous letter or inspired by a letter someone sent you.

14. The Found Poem : Read a book and circle some words on a page. Use those words to craft a poem. Alternatively, you can cut out words and phrases from magazines.

15. Eavesdropper : Create a poem, short story, or journal entry about a conversation you’ve overheard.

16. Addict: Everyone’s addicted to something in some shape or form. What are things you can’t go without?

17. Dictionary Definition : Open up a dictionary to a random word. Define what that word means to you.

18. Cleaning: Hey, even writers and creative artists have to do housework sometimes. Write about doing laundry, dishes, and other cleaning activities.

19. Great Minds: Write  about someone you admire and you thought to have had a beautiful mind.

20. Missed Connections: If you go to Craigslist, there is a “Missed Connections” section where you can find some interesting storylines to inspire your writing.

21. Foreclosure : Write a poem or short story about someone who has lost or is about to lose their home.

22. Smoke, Fog, and Haze: Write about not being able to see ahead of you.

23. Sugar: Write something so sweet, it makes your teeth hurt.

24. Numbers:  Write a poem or journal entry about numbers that have special meaning to you.

25. Dread: Write about doing something you don’t want to do.

26. Fear: What scares you a little? What do you feel when scared? How do you react?

27. Closed Doors: What’s behind the door? Why is it closed?

28. Shadow: Imagine you are someone’s shadow for a day.

29. Good Vibes: What makes you smile? What makes you happy?

30. Shopping:  Write about your shopping wishlist and how you like to spend money.

31. The Professor: Write about a teacher that has influenced you.

32. Rewrite : Take any poem or short story you enjoy. Rewrite it in your own words.

33. Jewelry: Write about a piece of jewelry. Who does it belong to?

34. Sounds : Sit outside for about an hour. Write down the sounds you hear.

35. War and Peace: Write about a recent conflict that you dealt with in your life.

36. Frame It: Write a poem or some phrases that would make for good wall art in your home.

37. Puzzle: Write about putting together the pieces of puzzles.

38. Fire-starters: Write about building a fire.

39. Coffee & Tea: Surely you drink one or the other or know someone who does- write about it!

40. Car Keys: Write about someone getting their driver’s license for the first time.

41. What You Don’t Know: Write about a secret you’ve kept from someone else or how you feel when you know someone is keeping a secret from you.

42. Warehouse : Write about being inside an old abandoned warehouse.

43. The Sound of Silence: Write about staying quiet when you feel like shouting.

44. Insult: Write about being insulted. How do you feel? Why do you think the other person insulted you?

45. Mirror, Mirror: What if you mirror started talking to you? What might the mirror say?

46. Dirty: Write a poem about getting covered in mud.

47. Light Switch : Write about coming out of the dark and seeing the light.

48. The Stars : Take inspiration from a night sky. Or, write about a time when “the stars aligned” in your horoscope.

49. Joke Poem : What did the wall say to the other wall? Meet you at the corner! Write something inspired by a favorite joke.

50. Just Say No : Write about the power you felt when you told someone no.

51: Sunrise/Sunset : The sun comes up, the sun goes down. It goes round and round. Write something inspiring about the sunrise or sunset.

52. Memory Lane : What does Memory Lane look like? How do you get there?

53. Tear-Jerker : Watch a movie that makes you cry. Write about that scene in the movie.

54. Dear Diary: Write a poem or short story about a diary entry you’ve read or imagined.

55. Holding Hands : The first time you held someone’s hand.

56. Photograph : Write a story or journal entry influenced by a photograph you see online or in a magazine.

57. Alarm Clock: Write about waking up.

58. Darkness: Write a poem or journal entry inspired by what you can’t see.

59. Refreshed: Write a poem about a time you really felt refreshed and renewed. Maybe it was a dip into a pool on a hot summer day, a drink of lemonade, or other situation that helped you relax and start again.

60. Handle With Care : Write about a very fragile or delicate object.

61. Drama: Write about a time when you got stuck in between two parties fighting with each other.

62. Slip Up: Write about making mistakes.

63. Spice: Write about flavors and tastes or a favorite spice of yours.

64. Sing a New Song: Take a popular song off the radio and rewrite it as a poem in your own words.

65. Telephone: Write about a phone call you recently received.

66. Name: Write a poem or short story using your name in some way or form.

67. Dollhouse: Write a poem or short story from the viewpoint of someone living in a doll house.

68. Random Wikipedia Article : Go to Wikipedia and click on Random Article . Write about whatever the page you get.

69. Silly Sports: Write about an extreme or silly sport. If none inspire you, make up the rules for your own game.

70. Recipe : Write about a recipe for something abstract, such as a feeling.

71. Famous Artwork: Choose a famous painting and write about it.

72. Where That Place Used to Be : Think of a place you went to when you were younger but it now no longer there or is something else. Capture your feelings about this in your writing.

73. Last Person You Talked to: Write a quick little poem or story about the last person you spoke with.

74. Caught Red-Handed: Write about being caught doing something embarrassing.

75. Interview: Write a list of questions you have for someone you would like to interview, real or fictional.

76. Missing You: Write about someone you miss dearly.

77. Geography: Pick a state or country you’ve never visited. Write about why you would or would not like to visit that place.

78. Random Song: Turn on the radio, use the shuffle feature on your music collection or your favorite streaming music service. Write something inspired by the first song you hear.

79. Hero: Write a tribute to someone you regard as a hero.

80. Ode to Strangers: Go people watching and write an ode to a stranger you see on the street.

81. Advertisement: Advertisements are everywhere, aren’t they? Write using the slogan or line from an ad.

82. Book Inspired: Think of your favorite book. Now write a poem that sums up the entire story in 10 lines.

83. Magic : Imagine you have a touch of magic, and can make impossible things happen. What would you do?

84. Fanciest Pen: Get out your favorite pen, pencils, or even colored markers and write using them!

85. A Day in the Life: Write about your daily habits and routine.

86. Your Muse: Write about your muse – what do they look like? What does your muse do to inspire you?

87. Convenience Store : Write about an experience you’ve had at a gas station or convenience store.

88. Natural Wonders of the World: Choose one of the natural wonders of the world. Write about it.

89. Status Update: Write a poem using the words from your latest status update or a friend’s status update. If you don’t use sites like Facebook or Twitter, you can often search online for some funny ones to use as inspiration.

90. Green Thumb: Write about growing something.

91. Family Heirloom: Write about an object that’s been passed through the generations in your family.

92. Bug Catcher: Write about insects.

93. Potion: Write about a magic potion. What is it made of? What does it do? What is the antidote?

94. Swinging & Sliding: Write something inspired by a playground or treehouse.

95. Adjectives: Make a list of the first 5 adjectives that pop into your head. Use these 5 words in your story, poem, or journal entry.

96. Fairy Tales: Rewrite a fairy tale. Give it a new ending or make it modern or write as a poem.

97. Whispers: Write about someone who has to whisper a secret to someone else.

98. Smile: Write a poem about the things that make you smile.

99. Seasonal: Write about your favorite season.

100.  Normal: What does normal mean to you? Is it good or bad to be normal?

101. Recycle : Take something you’ve written in the past and rewrite it into a completely different piece.

102. Wardrobe: Write about a fashion model or what’s currently in your closet or drawers.

103. Secret Message : Write something with a secret message hidden in between the words. For example, you could make an acrostic poem using the last letters of the word or use secret code words in the poem.

104. Vacation: Write about a vacation you took.

105. Heat: Write about being overheated and sweltering.

106. Spellbinding: Write a magic spell.

107. Collection : Write about collecting something, such as salt shakers, sea shells, or stamps.

108. Taking Chances: Everyone takes a risk at some point in their life. Write about a time when you took a chance and what the result was.

109. Carnival: Write a poem or story or journal entry inspired by a carnival or street fair.

110. Country Mouse: Write about someone who grew up in the country visiting the city for the first time.

111: Questions: Write about questions you have for the universe. Optional: include an answer key.

112. Rushing: Write about moving quickly and doing things fast.

113. Staircase : Use a photo of a staircase or the stairs in your home or a building you love to inspire you.

114. Neighbors: Make up a story or poem about your next door neighbor.

115. Black and Blue: Write about a time you’ve been physically hurt.

116. All Saints: Choose a saint and create a poem about his or her life.

117. Beach Inspired: What’s not to write about the beach?

118. Shoes: What kind of shoes do you wear? Where do they lead your feet?

119. The Ex: Write a poem to someone who is estranged from you.

120. My Point of View: Write in the first person point of view.

121. Stray Animal: Think of the life of a stray cat or dog and write about that.

122. Stop and Stare : Create a poem or story about something you could watch forever.

123. Your Bed: Describe where you sleep each night.

124. Fireworks : Do they inspire you or do you not like the noise and commotion? Write about it.

125. Frozen: Write about a moment in your life you wish you could freeze and preserve.

126. Alone : Do you like to be alone or do you like having company?

127. Know-it-all: Write about something you are very knowledgeable about, for example a favorite hobby or passion of yours.

128. The Promise: Write about a promise you’ve made to someone. Did you keep that promise?

129. Commotion: Write about being overstimulated by a lot of chaos.

130. Read the News Today : Construct a poem or story using a news headline for your first line.

131. Macro: Write a description of an object close-up.

132. Transportation : Write about taking your favorite (or least-favorite) form of transportation.

133. Gadgets: If you could invent a gadget, what would it do? Are there any gadgets that make your life easier?

134: Bring on the Cheese: Write a tacky love poem that is so cheesy, it belongs on top of a pizza.

135. Ladders: Write a story or poem that uses ladders as a symbol.

136. Bizarre Holiday : There is a bizarre holiday for any date! Look up a holiday for today’s date and create a poem in greeting card fashion or write a short story about the holiday to celebrate.

137. Blog-o-sphere : Visit your favorite blog or your feedreader and craft a story, journal entry, or poem based on the latest blog post you read.

138. Mailbox: Create a poem, short story, or journal entry based on a recent item of mail you’ve received.

139. Sharing : Write about sharing something with someone else.

140. Cactus: Write from the viewpoint of a cactus. What’s it like to live in the desert or have a prickly personality?

141. It’s a Sign : Have you seen any interesting road signs lately?

142. Furniture: Write about a piece of furniture in your home.

143. Failure: Write about a time you failed at something. Did you try again or give up completely?

144. Mystical Creatures: Angels or other mystical creatures – use them as inspiration.

145. Flying: Write about having wings and what you would do.

146. Clear and Transparent: Write a poem about being able to see-through something.

147. Break the Silence : Record yourself speaking, then write down what you spoke and revise into a short story or poem.

148. Beat: Listen to music with a strong rhythm or listen to drum loops. Write something that goes along with the beat you feel and hear.

149. Color Palette: Search online for color palettes and be inspired to write by one you resonate with.

150. Magazine: Randomly flip to a page in a magazine and write using the first few words you see as an opening line.

151. The Grass is Greener : Write about switching the place with someone or going to where it seems the “grass is greener”.

152. Mind & Body: Write something that would motivate others to workout and exercise.

153. Shaping Up : Write something that makes a shape on the page…ie: a circle, a heart, a square, etc.

154. Twenty-One: Write about your 21st birthday.

155. Aromatherapy: Write about scents you just absolutely love.

156. Swish, Buzz, Pop : Create a poem that uses Onomatopoeia .

157. What Time is It? Write about the time of day it is right now. What are people doing? What do you usually do at this time each day?

158. Party Animal: Have you ever gone to a party you didn’t want to leave? Or do you hate parties? Write about it!

159: Miss Manners : Use the words “please” and “thank you” in your writing.

160. Cliche: Choose a common cliche, then write something that says the same thing but without using the catch phrase.

161. Eco-friendly : Write about going green or an environmental concern you have.

162. Missing You: Write about someone you miss.

163. Set it Free: Think of a time when you had to let someone or something go to be free…did they come back?

164: Left Out : Write about a time when you’ve felt left out or you’ve noticed someone else feeling as if they didn’t belong.

165. Suitcase: Write about packing for a trip or unpacking from when you arrive home.

166. Fantasy : Write about fairies, gnomes, elves, or other mythical creatures.

167. Give and Receive : Write about giving and receiving.

168. Baker’s Dozen: Imagine the scents and sights of a bakery and write.

169. Treehouse: Write about your own secret treehouse hideaway.

170.  Risk: Write about taking a gamble on something.

171. Acrostic : Choose a word and write an acrostic poem where every line starts with a letter from the word.

172. Crossword Puzzle: Open up the newspaper or find a crossword puzzle online and choose one of the clues to use as inspiration for your writing.

173. Silver Lining : Write about the good that happens in a bad situation.

174. Gloves: Write about a pair of gloves – what kind of gloves are they? Who wears them and why?

175. All that Glitters: Write about a shiny object.

176. Jealousy: Write with a theme of envy and jealousy.

Want to Download these prompts?  I am super excited to announce due to popular demand we now have an ad-free printable version of this list of writing prompts available for just $5. The  printable version  includes a PDF as a list AND print-ready prompt cards. {And all the design source files you could ever need to customize any way you would like!}

177. How Does Your Garden Grow? Write about a flower that grows in an unusual place.

178. Jury Duty : Write a short story or poem that takes place in a courtroom.

179. Gifts: Write about a gift you have given or received.

180. Running: Write about running away from someone or something.

181. Discovery: Think of something you’ve recently discovered and use it as inspiration.

182. Complain:  Write about your complaints about something.

183. Gratitude: Write a poem or journal entry that is all about things you are thankful for.

184. Chemistry: Choose an element and write a poem or story that uses that word in one of the lines.

185. Applause: Write about giving someone a standing ovation.

186. Old Endings Into New Beginnings:  Take an old poem, story, or journal entry of yours and use the last line and make it the first line of your writing today.

187. Longing: Write  about something you very much want to do.

188. I Am: Write a motivational poem or journal entry about positive traits that make you who you are.

189. Rainbow : What is at the end of a rainbow? Or, take a cue from Kermit the Frog, and ask yourself, why are there so many songs about rainbows?

190. Museum: Take some time to visit a nearby museum with your journal. Write about one of the pieces that speaks to you.

191. Cartoon: Think of your favorite cartoon or comic. Write a poem or story that takes place in that setting.

192. Copycat: Borrow a line from a famous public domain poem to craft your own.

193. From the Roof-tops:  Imagine you could stand on a rooftop and broadcast a message to everyone below – what would you say?

194. Time Travel: If there was a time period you could visit for a day, where would you go? Write about traveling back in time to that day.

195. Changing Places: Imagine living the day as someone else.

196. Neighborhood: Write about your favorite place in your neighborhood to visit and hang out at.

197. Pirates: Write about a pirate ship.

198. Interview : Write based on a recent interview you’ve read or seen on TV or heard on the radio.

199.  Hiding Spaces : Write about places you like to hide things at. What was a favorite hiding spot for you as a child playing hide-and-seek?

200. Extreme Makeover: Imagine how life might be different if you could change your hair color or clothing into something completely opposite from your current style.

201. Empathy: Write about your feelings of empathy or compassion for another person.

202. Opposites: Write a poem or story that ties in together two opposites.

203. Boredom: Write about being bored or make a list of different ways to entertain yourself.

204. Strength : Think of a time when you’ve been physically or emotionally strong and use that as inspiration.

205. Hunger: Write from the perspective of someone with no money to buy food.

206. Greed: Write about someone who always wants more – whether it be money, power, etc. etc.

207. Volcano: Write about an eruption of a volcano.

208. Video Inspiration : Go to Vimeo.com or YouTube.com and watch one of the videos featured on the homepage. Write something based on what you watch.

209. Sneeze: Write about things that make you sneeze.

210. Footsteps on the Moon:  Write about the possibility of life in outer-space.

211: Star-crossed: Write a short modern version of the story of Romeo and Juliet or think of real-life examples of lovers who are not allowed to be together to use as inspiration for your writing.

212. Font-tastic: Choose a unique font and type out a poem, story or journal entry using that font.

213. Schedule: Take a look at your calendar and use the schedule for inspiration in writing.

214. Grandparents: Write about a moment in your grandparent’s life.

215. Collage: Go through a magazine and cut out words that grab your attention. Use these words to construct a poem or as a story starter or inspiration for your journal.

216. Oh so Lonely: Write a poem about what you do when you are alone – do you feel lonely or do you enjoy your own company?

217. Waterfall: Think of a waterfall you’ve seen in person or spend some time browsing photos of waterfalls online. Write about the movement, flow, and energy.

218. First Kiss: Write about your first kiss.

219. So Ironic: Write about an ironic situation you’ve been in throughout your life.

220. Limerick: Write a limerick today.

221. Grocery Shopping: Write about an experience at the grocery store.

222. Fashion : Go through a fashion magazine or browse fashion websites online and write about a style you love.

223. So Close: Write about coming close to reaching a goal.

224. Drinks on Me: Write a poem or short story that takes place at a bar.

225. Online Friends: Write an ode to someone online you’ve met and become friends with.

226. Admiration: Is there someone you admire? Write about those feelings.

227. Trash Day: Write from the perspective of a garbage collector.

228. Mailbox: Open your mailbox and write something inspired by one of the pieces of mail you received.

229. Fresh & Clean: Write about how you feel after you take a shower.

230. Energized: Write about how you feel when you’re either at a high or low energy level for the day.

231. Rhyme & No Reason: Make up a silly rhyming poem using made up words.

232. Tech Support: Use computers or a conversation with tech support you’ve had as inspiration.

233. Hotel: Write from the perspective of someone who works at a hotel or staying at a hotel.

234. Underwater: Write about sea creatures and under water life. What’s under the surface of the ocean? What adventures might be waiting?

235. Breathing: Take a few minutes to do some deep breathing relaxation techniques. Once your mind is clear, just write the first few things that you think of.

236. Liar, Liar: Make up a poem or story of complete lies about yourself or someone else.

237. Obituaries: Look at the recent obituaries online or in the newspaper and imagine the life of someone and write about that person.

238. Pocket: Rummage through your pockets and write about what you keep or find in your pockets.

239. Cinquain: Write a cinquain poem, which consists of 5 lines that do not rhyme.

240. Alphabetical: Write a poem that has every letter of the alphabet in it.

241.  Comedy Club: Write something inspired by a comedian.

242. Cheater: Write about someone who is unfaithful.

243. Sestina: Give a try to writing a sestina poem.

244. Fight: Write about witnessing two people get in an argument with each other.

245. Social Network : Visit your favorite Social Networking website (ie: Facebook, Pinterest, Google, Twitter, etc.) and write a about a post you see there.

246. Peaceful: Write about something peaceful and serene.

247. In the Clouds: Go cloud watching for the day and write about what you imagine in the clouds.

248. At the Park: Take some time to sit on a park bench and write about the sights, scenes, and senses and emotions you experience.

249. Sonnet: Write a sonnet today.

250. Should, Would, And Could: Write a poem or story using the words should, would, and could.

251. How to: Write directions on how to do something.

252. Alliteration: Use alliteration in your poem or in a sentence in a story.

253. Poker Face: Write about playing a card game.

254. Timer: Set a timer for 5 minutes and just write. Don’t worry about it making sense or being perfect.

255. Dance: Write about a dancer or a time you remember dancing.

256. Write for a Cause: Write a poem or essay that raises awareness for a cause you support.

257. Magic : Write about a magician or magic trick.

258. Out of the Box: Imagine finding a box. Write about opening it and what’s inside.

259. Under the Influence: What is something has impacted you positively in your life?

260. Forgotten Toy : Write from the perspective a forgotten or lost toy.

261. Rocks and Gems: Write about a rock or gemstone meaning.

262. Remote Control: Imagine you can fast forward and rewind your life with a remote control.

263. Symbolism: Think of objects, animals, etc. that have symbolic meaning to you. Write about it.

264. Light at the End of the Tunnel: Write about a time when you saw hope when it seemed like a hopeless situation.

265. Smoke and Fire : “Where there’s smoke, there’s fire.” Use this saying as inspiration to write!

266. Railroad: Write about a train and its cargo or passengers.

267. Clipboard: Write about words you imagine on an office clipboard.

268. Shipwrecked: Write about being stranded somewhere – an island, a bus stop, etc.

269. Quotable: Use a popular quote from a speaker and use it as inspiration for your writing.

270. Mind   Map it Out: Create a mind map of words, phrases, and ideas that pop into your head or spend some time browsing the many mind maps online. Write a poem, story, or journal entry inspired by the mind map.

271. Patterns : Write about repeating patterns that occur in life.

272. Scrapbook : Write about finding a scrapbook and the memories it contains.

273. Cure: Write about finding a cure for an illness.

274. Email Subject Lines: Read your email today and look for subject lines that may be good starters for writing inspiration.

275. Wishful Thinking: Write about a wish you have.

276. Doodle : Spend some time today doodling for about 5-10 minutes. Write about the thoughts you had while doodling or create something inspired by your finished doodle.

277. Chalkboard: Imagine you are in a classroom. What does it say on the chalkboard?

278. Sticky: Imagine a situation that’s very sticky, maybe even covered in maple syrup, tape or glue. Write about it!

279. Flashlight : Imagine going somewhere very dark with only a flashlight to guide you.

280. A Far Away Place : Envision yourself traveling to a fictional place, what do you experience in your imaginary journey?

281. On the Farm : Write about being in a country or rural setting.

282. Promise to Yourself: Write about a promise you want to make to yourself and keep.

283. Brick Wall : Write a poem that is about a brick wall – whether literal or figurative.

284. Making a Choice: Write about a time when you had to make a difficult choice.

285.  Repeat: Write about a time when you’ve had to repeat yourself or a time when it felt like no one was listening.

286. Outcast : Write about someone who is not accepted by their peers. (for example, the Ugly Ducking)

287. Scary Monsters: Write about a scary (or not-so-scary) monster in your closet or under the bed.

288. Sacrifice: Write about something you’ve sacrificed doing to do something else or help another person.

289. Imperfection: Create a poem that highlights the beauty in being flawed.

290. Birthday Poem: Write a poem inspired by birthdays.

291. Title First : Make a list of potential poem or story titles and choose one to write from.

292. Job Interview : Write about going on a job interview.

293. Get Well : Write a poem that will help someone who is sick feel better quick!

294. Lost in the Crowd: Write about feeling lost in the crowd.

295. Apple a Day: Write about a health topic that interests you.

296. Cravings: Write about craving something.

297. Phobia: Research some common phobias, choose one, and write about it.

298. In the Moment: Write about living in the present moment.

299. Concrete : Write about walking down a sidewalk and what you see and experience.

300. Battle: Write about an epic battle, whether real, fictional or figurative.

301. This Old House : Write about an old house that is abandoned or being renovated.

302. Clutter: Is there a cluttered spot in your home? Go through some of that clutter today and write about what you find or the process of organizing.

303. Go Fly a Kite: Write about flying a kite.

304. On the TV: Flip to a random TV channel and write about the first thing that comes on – even if it is an infomercial!

305. Fruit: Write an ode to your favorite fruit.

306. Long Distance Love: Write about a couple that is separated by distance.

307. Glasses: Write about a pair of eyeglasses or someone wearing glasses.

308. Robotic : Write about a robot.

309. Cute as a Button: Write about something you think is just adorable.

310. Movie Conversation: Use a memorable conversation from a favorite movie to inspire your writing.

311. Easy-Peasy : Write  about doing something effortlessly.

312. Idiom: Choose from a list of idioms one that speaks to you and create a poem around that saying or phrase. (Ie: It is raining cats and dogs)

313. Playground: Whether it is the swings or the sandbox or the sliding boards, write about your memories of being on a playground.

314. Romance: Write about romantic things partners can do for each other.

315. Rock Star: Imagine you are a famous rock star. Write about the experience.

316. Come to Life: Imagine ordinary objects have come to life. Write about what they do and say.

317. Airplane: Write about meeting someone on an airplane and a conversation you might have.

318. Health & Beauty: Take some time to peruse your medicine cabinet or the health and beauty aisles at a local store. Write a poem, short story, or journal entry inspired by a product label.

319. Determination: Write about not giving up.

320. Instrumental Inspiration: Listen to some instrumental music and write a poem that matches the mood, beat, and style of the music.

321. Wait Your Turn: Write about having to wait in line.

322. Personality Type : Do you know your personality type? (There are many free quizzes online) – write about what type of personality traits you have.

323. Decade: Choose a favorite decade and write about it. (IE: 1980’s or 1950’s for example)

324. I Believe: Write your personal credo of things you believe in.

325. Lost and Found: Write about a lost object.

326. Say it: Write a poem or story that uses dialogue between two people.

327. The Unsent Letter: Write about a letter that never made it to its recipient.

328. The Windows of the Soul: Write a poem about the story that is told through someone’s eyes.

329. Trial and Error: Write about something you learned the hard way.

330. Escape : Write about where you like to go to escape from it all.

331. What’s Cooking: Write something inspired a favorite food or recipe.

332. Records : Go through your file box and pull out old receipts or records…write something inspired by what you find!

333. Banking: Write about visiting the bank.

334. Sweet Talk: Write about trying to convince someone of something.

335. Serendipity: Write about something that happened by chance in a positive way.

336. Distractions: Write about how it feels when you can’t focus.

337. Corporation: Write about big business.

338. Word of the Day: Go to a dictionary website that has a word of the day and use it in a poem, story or journal entry you write.

339. Pick Me Up:  What do you do when you need a pick me up?

340. Unfinished: Write about a project you started but never completed.

341. Forgiveness: Write about a time when someone forgave you or you forgave someone.

342. Weakness: Write about your greatest weakness.

343. Starting: Write about starting a project.

344. Mechanical: Think of gears, moving parts, machines.

345. Random Act of Kindness : Write about a random act of kindness you’ve done for someone or someone has done for you, no matter how small or insignificant it may have seemed.

346. Underground: Imagine living in a home underground and use that as inspiration for writing.

347. Classic Rock: Pick a classic rock love ballad and rewrite it into a story or poem with a similar theme.

348. Night Owl : Write about staying up late at night.

349. Magnetic : Write about attraction to something or someone.

350. Teamwork: Write about working with a team towards a common goal.

351. Roller-coaster : Write about the ups and downs in life.

352. Motivational Poster: Look at some motivational posters online and write a poem or journal entry inspired by your favorite one.

353. Games: Write about the games people play – figuratively or literally.

354. Turning Point: Write about a point in life where things turned for the better or worse.

355. Spellbound: Write about a witch’s spell.

356. Anniversary: Write about the anniversary of a special date.

357. Gamble:  Be inspired by a casino or lottery ticket.

358. Picnic: Write about going on a picnic.

359. Garage: Write about some random item you might find in a garage.

360. Review: Review your week, month, or year in a journal entry or poem format.

361. Detective: Write about a detective searching for clues or solving a mystery.

362. Camera: Take your camera for a walk and write based on one of the photographs you take.

363. Visiting : Write about visiting a family member or friend.

364. Trust: Write about putting trust in someone.

365. Congratulations : Did you write a poem, short story, or journal entry every day for a whole year? Write about what you’ve learned and celebrate your achievement!

We hope you enjoy these creative writing prompts! And of course, if you write anything using these prompts, we’d love to know about it! Tell us how you’ll use these everyday creative writing prompts in the comments section below!

And of course, if you’d like the printable ad-free version of these prompts to reference again and again or to use in your classroom, you can find them at our Etsy shop !

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

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!

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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70 Creative Writing Prompts to Inspire You to Write

by Tom Corson-Knowles | 11 comments

Writing prompts are a useful tool and resource for any writer, from beginners to published authors. A good prompt can give you the inspiration you need to craft a paragraph, a book, or an entire series.

You can also use them just for writing practice and to get your creative juices flowing. See where these ideas take you.

Fantasy Writing Prompts

• In your character’s world, only strong magic–users are allowed to survive past their 13th birthday. Your character has no magical ability—but even at 11 years old, they’ve discovered a way to fake it.
• Your character is granted one day in the land of the dead to retrieve their deceased beloved, only to discover that their one true love faked death to escape marriage.
• A mysterious statue appears in the forest that makes perfect duplicates of any human being that touches it. Your character is one such duplicate—and your “sponsor-body” is wanted for murder.
• Your character is a witch-hunter, tasked to track down and slay a powerful target—who is currently pregnant with your character’s child.
• A monster emerges from the forest and forces your character to care for its newborn offspring, which begins to look more human the longer your character cares for it.
• Your character is one of a species of sea creatures that inhabit the very deepest part of the ocean. This species has created an advanced civilization—and they’re getting ready to break the surface and take their rightful place as Earth’s rulers, with your character at the helm.
• Your character discovers that a certain mythical being is real—and they’re about to go extinct.
• Your character falls in love with a magical being. To keep their love alive, your character has to fight not only their family, but their entire race.

Historical Fiction Writing Prompts

• Your character is the daughter of a poor clergyman in mid-19th-century England. Without a dowry, she has little chance for marriage. Without a husband, she’s doomed to a spinster’s life as a governess or servant. In 1854 she joins Florence Nightingale’s group of female nurses bound for the Crimean Peninsula, where she discovers that the hell of war extends into the hospital at Scutari.
• Your character is an artisan in 12th-century Ireland at Clonmacnoise, a monastery that anchored a wealthy community of art, learning, and craftsmanship on the Shannon River. Medieval life is good in this beautiful town … until the Vikings arrive.
• England, 1776: A young astronomer has receives the job of a lifetime: traveling with the famous Captain Cook on his voyage to discover the fabled Northwest Passage. After the rigorous journey takes the crew from Tahiti to Siberia, damage to the ship’s mast forces a stop for repairs in Hawaii. Turns out the natives aren’t as friendly as they thought.
• Your character is one of the hundreds of thousands of craftsman tasked with creating the terracotta army in ancient China. He molds each soldier’s face after someone he knows: his father, his grandfather, a friend from his village, etc., and thinks about their lives and legacies as he works.
• Research the history of your own city or town. Imagine you lived there 50, 100, or even 200 years ago. What would your life have been like?

Horror/Thriller Writing Prompts

• Your character has a stalker with the ability to stop time. The stalker uses this ability to manipulate your character—and their efforts are escalating.
• Your character’s lover died in a horrible accident—but one day they simply return, and nobody but your character remembers that they died.
• Your character and their college friends attend their first off-campus party, and discover too late that the fraternity throwing the bash is a cult—and very serious about the concept of brotherhood.
• Your character is marooned on a tiny desert island. One morning, an idol appears outside their shelter’s front door. It’s stone—except for the real human head on top.
• Your character’s family moves into a new house with an in-ground pool that the previous owners paved over. At night, your character can hear something screaming beneath the concrete—something that isn’t human.
• Your character’s neighbor is an older man who mostly keeps to himself; your character often sees him taking walks or puttering around his garden. But when your character knocks on the old man’s door to invite him to a block party, things take a turn for the sinister.
• Your character is a mobile phone. The phone has just been purchased by a woman who turns out to be a criminal mastermind.
• Your character is a regular office clerk who just discovered that your company is brainwashing its employees. The goal of the company is menacing.
• Your character is on their way to work when they get stuck in a massive traffic jam. Suddenly, in the distance, there is a huge explosion.
• Your character is a serial killer, confessing to his crimes.
• Your character is at a Halloween party at a bar. Everyone is in costume when a man suddenly drops dead.
• Your character is out for a jog early in the morning, trips, and loses consciousness. When they wake up, they are in a morgue surrounded by dead and dissected bodies.

Mystery Writing Prompts

• A powerful pharmaceutical company recently released a new drug to market that dampens the arousal response in human beings. Your character is a private detective brought in to solve an unusual murder. The weapon? A lethal dose of this new drug, which was previously thought to be harmless.
• Your character’s child has been bringing home peculiar drawings from school for the past two weeks. Your character thinks nothing of it, until they realize that each drawing corresponds to one in a series of brutal murders that have plagued their tiny town.
• A marine zoologist is vacationing on a beach in a foreign country when they read about a local political figure who was killed in a shark attack. But from the photos, your character realizes that no shark made those puncture marks on the victim’s stomach—and that the accident may have, in fact, been murder most foul.
• A young police detective must find the kidnapped daughter of a powerful city planner. The hitch? She was at a Star Trek convention when she was kidnapped, and the only description of the culprit is that he “looked like Mr. Spock.”
• After taking a DNA test, your character discovers that their genetic material was altered in the womb. But your character was adopted, and has no records of who their birth parents are, or where they were born.
• Your character has been happily married to their partner for 25 years. But one day, a mysterious stranger shows up claiming to be your partner’s spouse and demanding to know what your character is doing in this stranger’s home.
• Your character is a retired military officer who is ready to leave his past behind him. One day, you accidentally walk in on a bank robbery in progress—and these aren’t ordinary criminals.
• Your character finds out that their deceased twin had multiple passports IDs with different names and faces. To find out more, your character must assume these identities in his place.
• Your character, an important New York businessperson, wakes up naked and alone in a strange, foreign land, with no recollection of how you got there. The native people take you in, but you don’t speak their language and know nothing about the culture. You must learn to communicate in order to get home.

Romance Writing Prompts

• After moving into a new house, your character begins to receive love letters addressed to the previous occupant. The letters have no return address, but they are so beautifully written that your character begins to fall in love with the writer, despite never having met the author.
• Your character is the first person in history to fall in love. They cannot describe the feeling to anybody else, especially not the person for whom they’ve fallen head over heels.
• Your characters have been married for over 700 years; when they die, they are reincarnated with all their memories, and simply find each other again.
• When your character’s country loses a long war, your character is tasked with negotiating the surrender. The person across the table holds the fate of both countries in their hands … and they’re pretty darn cute, too.
• Boy meets girl. Boy falls in love with girl. The catch? Their parents are engaged to be married!
• Your character is a teenager who writes short, fictional romance stories and posts them to a blog that they believe no one reads. One day, a fan starts responding to the stories, and your character connects with the fan on many levels, creating their own idealized, fictional romance story online. Now, they must decide whether they’re willing to let go of their “perfect” love story to meet the real (and inevitably, imperfect) person on the other side of the screen.
• Your character was born deaf and your character’s spouse was just involved in an accident that made them blind. After being together for six years, they must re-learn how to navigate the world together.
• Your character has a mental condition that landed them in a rehab facility. There, your character meets a recovering addict, and they connect instantly and begin to find healing in each other.
• Your character dreams of a person they’ve never met and wakes up convinced it is their true love.
• Your character shows up for an interview for their dream job, and discovers that their could-be boss is also their ex.

Science Fiction Writing Prompts

• Your character wakes up on a slab in a high-tech medical facility, hooked up to strange machines and occupying a body you don’t recognize. Before the doctors arrive, you hear a voice in your head: it’s your new body’s original owner, and they want it back.
• The aliens that land in your backyard strike a deal with your character: Murder one innocent person on the planet, and they will spare the earth. Refuse, or reveal the aliens’ existence to the world, and the planet is doomed.
• Your character is captain of a long-distance spaceship taking thousands of Earthling colonists to a new planet. One day, completely by accident, you discover what this spaceship uses for fuel, and are faced with a terrible moral dilemma of how to handle this information.
• Your main character is the warden of a virtual-reality prison. One day, a notorious murderer attempts to orchestrate a “breakout.”
• Your character is a child whose stuffed toy comes equipped with a nanny-cam and primitive AI. One day, the toy decides to take your character’s safety into its own mitten-like hands.
• Your character is an average college student. Somehow, your character discovers that everything they’re doing—every movement they make and every word they say, even in private—is being tracked and recorded. Now they must figure out who is recording and why—without the recorder knowing what they’re doing.
• Your character washes up on a remote island that has never been visited by an outsider before. Turns out, there’s a whole civilization there—but these “people” have been isolated for so long, they’ve evolved differently than people in the rest of the world.
• Your character is a troubled teenager who discovers that he has the power to see people’s futures by touching them. When you accidentally bump into a man on the subway, you see the man piloting a spaceship—and it’s moving towards your city. Now, you must find the man—and convince everyone else that the danger is real.

Comedy Writing Prompts

• Over Christmas, your character’s parents decide to take the family to the Caribbean. The first day there, both of your parents get sunburned and decide to spend the rest of the vacation indoors, leaving you and your little brother to your own devices.
• Your character is a reality TV judge, but not one of the judges that appears on TV—you’re one of the judges that decides which contestants even get to be on TV. After being subjected to a string of terrible singers, your character finally discovers someone great, and finds themselves strangely invested in the success of this contestant.
• Your character is a superfan of a popular musician. They wait in line to get front row seats to every show, spend outrageous amounts of money on paraphernalia on eBay, and have plastered nearly every wall of their apartment with posters and ticket stubs. One day, your character finally gets a chance to meet the musician—and he’s not what anyone expected.
• Your character is a schoolteacher who is watching two kids argue over a toy in the sandbox when suddenly, an alien creature rises out of the sand. The students decide to make it the class pet.
• Your character’s life is extremely mundane, until a stray dog starts showing up on their front porch every day.

Memoir/Nonfiction Writing Prompts

• Describe a time when you wanted to experience a spiritual moment or looked for spiritual guidance. Why were you in this situation? What were you hoping to get from it?
• Tell the story of your life in inverted chronological order.
• What was the happiest moment of your life? What made it the happiest?
• Write about an addiction. Include as much detail as possible, including how it started and your journey to overcoming it.
• Write about an experience that made you feel ashamed or guilty. How did it impact you? What have you done to move on?
• Think about the ways in which you’ve changed over the years. Can you identify any turning points? Be specific and describe those moments.
• Write about a job or career move that changed your life.
• Write about how you met your current partner or spouse. Do you think it was fate? What events led to you two meeting?
• Write about a person who has had a profound impact on your life—either positive or negative. How have you changed because of them? What have they done to cause your life to change?
• Write a biography of someone in your family who immigrated from one country to another.
• Create a cookbook in which every recipe is tied to a specific person or moment in your life.
• Describe something you’ve done that you’re proud of. How did you get to that moment? How can others learn from your experience?
• Tell the story of how the seed of faith was planted in your life. When did your spiritual journey began, who influenced and guided you in discovering your faith, and at what point did you realize you needed to change your life?
• Write about a memory of your favorite pet. What can animals teach us about ourselves?
• Think about a time when you learned a new skill. What made you want to learn it? Who did you learn from? How did you practice? How did you improve?

Creative Writing Prompts Can Boost Your Writing Skills

Using writing prompts can boost your creativity and improve your writing skills in a number of ways by:

• Helping to overcome writer’s block
• Exercising your imagination
• Increasing your rate of practice
• Teaching you more about yourself

If you’re still not sure using a writing prompt would be good for you, that’s great! If you feel you are against using writing prompts, then you have reason enough to explore it.

As they say, the opposite of love is not hate—it’s apathy. Strong feelings mean strong opinions and emotions, and writing with strong emotions can be incredibly productive and healing.

Did you find this post helpful? Let us know in the comments below!

If you liked this post, you might also like:

72 Journal Prompts to Boost Your Creative Writing Skills

Writing Motivation: 7 Tips for Staying Productive

46 Apps and Sites to Improve Your Writing Skills

75 Quotes About Writing for When You Feel Like Putting the Pen Down

Tom Corson-Knowles is the founder of TCK Publishing, and the bestselling author of 27 books including Secrets of the Six-Figure author. He is also the host of the Publishing Profits Podcast show where we interview successful authors and publishing industry experts to share their tips for creating a successful writing career.

11 Comments

Nice prompts! Can you do more on fantasy?

I love this. So helpful

thanks, so glad you found the prompts helpful! :)

Is there a way I can like this blog? I wish it was on Playstore so I could a rate it a 5. Good work, people.

Thank you, Mercy! We’re happy to have you here :)

Thank you for these. I will use some of them for my writing group.

You’re very welcome, we’re glad you liked them! :)

It is very useful for me as a beginner writer. Thankyou for your hard work.

we’re so glad you found these prompts helpful! :)

A useful tool for beginning and continuing writers. Thank you for the endeavor.

Glad you found the prompts helpful, Bernard! :) Let us know how they work for you!

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Writing Prompts: 52 Places to Find Them When You Need Inspiration

by Emily Withnall | Nov 1, 2023

If you feel like you are stuck in your writing, writing prompts might be just what you need to get out of your rut.

Whether you’re experiencing writer’s block or you’re tired of your own voice, style or subject-matter, writing prompts can give you a creative jolt to help you begin something new. 

In addition to being a writer and editor, I teach writing in public schools and in a nearby detention center. This means I regularly use writing prompts with students of all ages. 

Table of contents, what is a writing prompt .

A writing prompt is a brief image or topic that can help writers generate new ideas. Writing prompts can be a great way to inspire ideas in any genre of writing. 

They can also take a huge variety of forms. Whether you’re inspired by news headlines, objects, one-word prompts, detailed questions or reading a poem or full work of prose, writing prompts can help you explore a particular topic, engage in a “conversation” with other writers or get through writer’s block. 

Writing prompts can also help you make new or unusual connections between things. I was once asked to write an essay that incorporated a dog, a wristwatch and scuba diver. This prompt resulted in an essay that was published in a magazine.

Where to find writing prompts

Writing classes can be wonderful places to encounter interesting prompts, but the internet is also swimming with more prompts than you can ever use. 

The following list is a collection of some of the resources that can help you generate new work no matter what genre you’re working in.

While these prompts are grouped in categories, many of the websites offer prompts in multiple genres. Remember that a genre-specific prompt can often be used to generate interesting ideas or connections in other genres, too.

Here’s where to find writing prompts.

Fiction writing prompts and creative writing prompts

1. Poets & Writers: The Time is Now

Poets & Writers Magazine  publishes a new fiction prompt online every Wednesday. These prompts are typically a paragraph in length and they encourage ideas through a series of questions and suggestions.

2. Self-Publishing School: 400+ Creative Writing Prompts to Find Your Next (Best) Book Idea

These prompts are aimed at inspiring plot and character development and are meant to generate the sparks needed to fuel writing a book. Sets of prompts are grouped into genres of fiction writing such as mystery, dystopian, fantasy, and more. Each group of prompts is also accompanied by a series of tips for how to write in a particular genre.

The Write Life has teamed up with Self-Publishing School to create this presentation, “How to Write & Publish Your Book in 90 Days.” In it, you’ll learn how to finish your book in just 30 minutes per day. To sign up for this free training, click here.

3.   12 Nature-Inspired Creative Writing Prompts

Nature writing typically brings to mind nonfiction writing, but this list of prompts encourages nature- and place-based storytelling. The prompts contain detailed visual descriptions to help you jump into a particular place or scene. 

4. Writer’s Digest Creative Writing Prompts

These prompts are posted weekly and help to generate specific scenes or ideas you can expand on. Most of the prompts are a series of questions to help generate details about plot and character development.

5. 21 Writing Prompts to Help You Finish an Entire Novel This Summer

These short prompts offer a topic, scenario or structure broad enough to build a book around. Each prompt is accompanied by a gif that works as an additional prompt for people who are inspired by visual imagery.

6. Plot Prompts for Fiction: Writer Igniter

This simple but innovative website offers digital flashcards to help writers explore character, situation, prop, and setting. Four specific cards are offered to the writer and when you finish (or if you want a different idea) you can just press the “shuffle” button and get an entirely new combination to write about. 

7. Creative Writing Now: Fiction Writing Prompts

The heart of any story often involves a character’s internal or personal journey. These prompts offer a full paragraph to flesh out a particular character and the personal or relational challenges they are facing.

8. Creative Writing Now: 44 Short Story Ideas

Designed for shorter works of fictions, these short story prompts offer brief scenarios for inspiration. Each set of ideas comes with a writing challenge, and you are encouraged to mix and match ideas from each of the prompt lists. There’s even one set of prompts that helps you brainstorm personal fears and habits and helps you fictionalize them. 

9. ServiceScape Fiction Writing Prompt Generator

Scroll through a list of fiction sub-genres, such as “utopia,” “space opera,” “science fiction romance,” or many other sub-genres, to pull up a carousel of prompts. Each prompt is about a paragraph long to set the scene and situation—perfect for any fiction writer who just needs a nudge to get them off and running. 

10. Fiction Prompts on StoryADay with Julie Duffy

The prompts provided on StoryADay often ask writers to imagine a momentous moment and dive right into the action. These prompts can be great for helping writers craft plot. Each prompt is paired with a photograph, too, which can be another boon for anyone who derives inspiration from imagery. 

11. The Writer: Writing Prompts

Writers looking to combine mundane, everyday life with secrets, mysteries, or other strange twists will likely find these prompts intriguing. Paired with colorful and engaging images, these prompts are updated weekly on Fridays.

12. 40 Short Story Prompts You Can Write in a Day

If all you need is a scenario, these prompts should do the trick. Each prompt sets up the situation, and it’s up to you to provide the story! 

13. Random Story Prompt Generator

Click a button and receive a few random prompts! These work well for writers who just need a handful of objects and archetypal characters for inspiration to strike. And for even more random story prompts, check out the links to other story generators below the prompt box. 

14. Giant Golden Buddha & 364 More 5-Minute Writing Exercises

For fiction writers who need inspiration for how to begin, these prompts are detailed and focused enough to help you zero in on an opening paragraph, a brief scene, or a vivid description of a character.

Flash Fiction Prompts

15. Laurie Stone’s Flash Fiction Prompts

The prompts on this website are creative and include sentence fragments, excerpts of poems, and sentences with fill-in-the blank spots. The variety makes these prompts unusual and great for experimentation. 

16. Bookfox: 50 Flash Fiction Prompts

Designed for fiction 1,000 words or under, these prompts will likely spark ideas for short stories or even novels. The prompts are grouped by category and each prompt introduces the main character and the tension for a writer to run with. 

17. 62 of the Best Flash Fiction Story Prompts

This list of prompts is perfect for fiction writers who want to try their hand at writing flash fiction. Steph Fraser provides an overview of flash fiction and tips for how to write flash stories successfully. This introduction is followed by prompts which are grouped by sub-genres such as “horror” and “romance.” 

18. 99 Days of Flash Fiction Prompts

If you need a little more to go on than a few words, but don’t need a full paragraph, these prompts provide brief dialogue and just enough sensory detail to spark a flash story idea.

19. 100 Days of Fun Flash Fiction Prompts

These brief prompts created by Eva Deverell are designed to keep you writing every day, but can be used at random, too. As a bonus, her website offers a number of other free writing resources, too! 

Nonfiction writing prompts

20. Submittable Prompts

Writers who submit work to literary magazines are likely familiar with Submittable — but did you know their blog has an archive of writing prompts? Each blog post is accompanied by an image that relates to the theme of the prompts. There are 8-10 prompts focused on a particular idea or theme. Most of these prompts can easily be used for other genres. 

21. Poets & Writers: The Time is Now

Poets & Writers Magazine publishes a new nonfiction prompt every Thursday. Writers can also subscribe to the Time is Now weekly e-newsletter to receive prompts for nonfiction as well as fiction and poetry.

22. The New York Times Learning Network: 550 Prompts for Narrative and Personal Writing

Not only are these prompts grouped in easy-to-navigate categories, but each prompt is linked to background information, a brief summary of someone’s story as it pertains to the topic, and a series of questions aimed at helping a writer think through the various aspects of a particular prompt. This is a great option for writers who need more than one-word prompts!

23. Bad-Ass Writing Prompts to Kick-Start Your Creativity

Each of these prompts lays out a brief scenario and asks a question aimed at self-discovery or introspection. These would be particularly useful for  personal essayists  or memoirists who are trying to find a way into writing about their bad or regrettable behaviors. 

24. 10 Ways to Inspire Personal Writing with The New York Times

Writers with years of expertise and a keen eye for structure and tone will benefit from these advanced writing prompts. Each prompt provides loose guidelines for modeling a piece on the writing published in particular sections of The New York Times. The prompts include links to published work writers might reference as good examples.

25. Creative Nonfiction Prompts

The 50 prompts on this list are pulled from Melissa Donovan’s book, “1200 Creative Writing Prompts.” The list is made up of strings of questions that ask writers to recall various types of memories, or to engage with emotional or intellectual responses to music, art, and media. 

26. Bookfox: 50 Creative Nonfiction Prompts Guaranteed to Inspire

Most memoirists and personal essayists explore relationships in their writing and this list of prompts is bound to jog particular kinds of memories. Most of the prompts relate to childhood or family relationships, but some prompts focus on other types of relationships, too.

27. Event: 30 Non-Fiction Writing Prompts

While some people prefer a word or phrase to spark an idea, others benefit from paragraphs and series of questions, and some enjoy reading a full essay or article before beginning to write. This list of prompts offers all three options for each of the 30 ideas. Some prompts suggest a straightforward retelling, but others suggest looser associations and experimental nonfiction writing.

28. 11 Strange Fiction/Nonfiction Prompts

Derived from the quotes of renowned writers, these prompts ask writers to dig deep and consider the connections between small, detailed moments and larger themes or events. The prompts can easily be used for either fiction or nonfiction. 

29. 10 Easy Writing Prompts to Get Your Life Story Started

It can be difficult to write about your complex life story in a clear way. Each of these ten prompts provides a frame so that you can dive into one aspect of your life story that will likely illuminate larger themes as you keep writing. 

30. Writing Class Radio

Perfect for people who prefer a minimalist approach, Writing Class Radio provides daily prompts of one or two words. The website also hosts a nonfiction writing podcast that features writers sharing work and discussing craft.

31. Writing Our Lives Personal Essay Prompts

Writer Vanessa Martír posts prompts weekly. Each prompt invites writers to reflect deeply on a particular memory or set of memories and most prompts include a quote from a book or movie that connects to the topic. Many of the prompts are focused on reflection and healing. 

32. Journal Writing Prompts for Beginners: 119 Journal Prompts

You don’t have to seek publication to be a writer. Writing for yourself counts, too! People who want to journal but aren’t sure where to start or what to write each day (or week) will find this list of prompts to be helpful in sparking ideas for topics.

33. Bernadette Mayer’s List of Journal Ideas

For beginners and advanced journalers and nonfiction writers, this list is divided into categories to give you ideas for themed journals, topic ideas, and quote fragments meant to inspire. There are also longer prompts that encourage experimentation with structure, form, and collaboration.

Flash Nonfiction Prompts

34. Flash Nonfiction Lessons in Concision and Revision

As a writing instructor, Zoë Bossiere has a lot of wisdom to share about the various kinds of flash nonfiction and the elements that make flash writing different than longer types of writing. Although this is essentially a lesson plan on Assay: A Journal of Nonfiction Studies, writers can learn a lot about the four main types of flash nonfiction, and gain inspiration for their own flash pieces from the many examples and resources that Boossiere provides. 

35. Documenting Life, Briefly: Flash Nonfiction Prompts

In each of these prompts, the writer is invited to approach the truth of the world or themselves from a different angle, whether it’s a memorable phone call or something from the news you just can’t shake. Some prompts walk you through a series of steps, and others offer just a couple of lines to help you begin. 

Poetry writing prompts

36. Poets & Writers: The Time is Now

Poets & Writers Magazine  releases a new poetry prompt once a week on Tuesdays. You can access these on the website or sign up to receive the prompts in their weekly writing prompt e-newsletter. These prompts are typically in the form of a paragraph with excerpts of poems or quotes accompanied by a series of questions or suggestions.

37. Think Written: 101 Poetry Writing Prompts

If you want to jump right into a poem, these prompts are a great way to start. Each prompt is one short sentence and the list is filled with suggestions that will evoke memories or spark your imagination. 

38. Writer’s Relief: 125 of the Best Writing Prompts for Poets

These prompts consist of two words or a short phrase or image meant to evoke life memories. The prompts are grouped in categories like “Momentous Occasions” and “Mysterious Places.”

39. Creative Writing Now: Prompts for Poetry

These short prompts are open-ended and each one might be used repeatedly to produce different kinds of poems. Many of the prompts suggest using a set of specific words. Using words you might not use ordinarily can help you stretch creatively as a writer!

40. Poetry Prompt Generator

Choose the number of words you want to appear on this page, and the number of challenges. Then decide whether you’d like to draw inspiration from an image, and press the “Get Prompt” button. Voila! You now have a set of instructions, a list of words to try to use in your poem, and an image to get your creative juices flowing. 

41. The Poetry Writing Society: Poetry Writing Prompts

Each of these prompts involves a series of instructions or steps. For poets who are feeling particularly stuck or benefit from structure, the prompts here just may do the trick. 

42. Writing Forward Poetry Prompts

The 25 prompts on this list are pulled from Melissa Donovan’s book, “1200 Creative Writing Prompts.” Books can be great resources for writing prompts and many authors make some of these printed prompts available online. Many of these prompts suggest writing poems that use a specific set of images or sounds.

43. 30 Writing Prompts for National Poetry Month

Take your shoes off, grab the nearest book, or find a recipe: Many of these prompts derive inspiration from the objects and ideas that surround you. 

44. CAConrad’s (Soma)tic Poetry Exercises

How do you feel about putting a penny under your tongue before writing? For poets or other creative writers looking for embodied experiences to inspire their writing, these exercises are more than just prompts. Each exercise calls on writers to engage in a particular activity while thinking about particular memories and ideas.  

Writing prompts on social media (including Reddit writing prompts)

45. Reddit Writing Prompts

You can find anything on Reddit — including writing prompts. Most of the prompts on Reddit are for fiction writers, but the search bar will turn up other genres, too. Reddit prompts are great for people who want to write and get feedback in an online community.

46. Tumblr Writing Prompts: Story Prompts

Tumblr is a virtual treasure trove of writing prompts of any genre and topic you can imagine. Story Prompts curates prompts from across many different Tumblr accounts, but you can also search for specific blogs or genre types.

47. Facebook Writing Prompts: Windcatchers

Windcatchers is one of many writing prompt Facebook groups and it is run by writer Michelle Labyrinth. Prompts are posted about once a week and other articles and resources for writers are posted, too. The prompts are generally targeted to nonfiction writers.

48. Twitter #Writing Prompts

Hashtags make it easier than ever to find the kind of prompts you are looking for. #writingprompts generates lots of different kinds of prompts, but there are also Twitter accounts you can follow that are devoted to particular kinds of prompts.

49. TikTok Writing Prompts

Obsessed with TikTok? You can find writing prompts there, too! Type “writing prompts” into the search feature and you will find a list of the top accounts posting writing prompts. Some accounts post multiple times a day, and others post less frequently but have an archive of prompts you can scroll through. 

50. YouTube Writing Prompts

Do you squander valuable writing time by watching too many cat videos on YouTube? Not to worry—there are tons of writing prompt videos on YouTube. Often, the key to inspiration is looking for it in the places you spend the most time.

51. Instagram #WritingPrompts

Like Twitter, you can easily find any kind of writing prompt by searching for a specific hashtag. However, Instagram is ideal for the image-oriented writer; many prompts are accompanied by an image or background that can provide additional inspiration.

52. Pinterest Writing Prompts

Pinterest is not the first place most writers would think of when searching for prompts, but like Instagram, it has a wealth of image-oriented prompts across all genres. For people who already spend time on Pinterest, this can be a great way to find writing inspiration, too.

Photo via frantic00 / Shutterstock  

25 Creative Writing Prompts to Ignite Your Creativity

Creative writing is a vast and dynamic field that offers a platform for individuals to express their ideas, emotions, and stories in an imaginative and original way.

It plays a crucial role in enhancing communication skills, fostering empathy, and also promoting a deep understanding of the human experience. If you’re not sure how to get started, consider these helpful writing prompts – let’s get creative!

The Importance of Creative Writing

In the realm of literature and beyond, creative writing holds a pivotal role. It not only allows for personal expression but also:

• fosters critical thinking
• enhances vocabulary
• improves writing skills
• conveys complex ideas and emotions
• serves as a therapeutic medium
• enhances empathy

From short stories and poetry to novels and screenplays, creative writing spans a wide array of genres and styles, and offers endless opportunities for exploration and expression.

In the professional realm, creative writing skills are highly valued. They can lead to various creative writing jobs in fields like publishing, advertising, journalism, and content creation. For those interested in pursuing higher education in this field, you might want to explore whether a degree in creative writing is worth it .

Understanding Creative Writing Prompts

When it comes to igniting creativity and fostering unique ideas, creative writing prompts play an invaluable role. They provide a starting point, a spark that can lead to a flame of inspiration for writers.

How Prompts Can Ignite Creativity

While creative writing is an exciting field, it can sometimes be challenging to kickstart the creative process. This is where creative writing prompts come into play. These prompts are designed to ignite the imagination and inspire writers to create original and compelling pieces.

They help to overcome writer’s block , encourage experimentation with different styles and genres. So, whether you’re a seasoned writer or a beginner, creative writing prompts can be an invaluable tool to spark creativity and enhance your writing skills.

What are Creative Writing Prompts?

Creative writing prompts are essentially ideas, questions, or topics that are designed to inspire and stimulate the creative writing process. They serve as a catalyst, helping to ignite the writer’s imagination and encourage them to explore new themes, concepts, or perspectives.

These prompts can take a myriad of forms. They might be a single word, a phrase, a sentence, or even an image. Remember, regardless of the format, the goal of a creative writing prompt is to trigger thought and also encourage writers to delve deeper into their creative psyche, producing unique and compelling pieces of writing.

For more understanding of what creative writing entails, read our article on what is creative writing .

Types of Creative Writing Prompts

There are various types of creative writing prompts, each tailored to stimulate different forms of writing, cater to various genres, or inspire certain ideas. For example, you might encounter:

• Fiction Writing Prompts : These prompts are designed to inspire stories. They might provide a setting, a character, a conflict, or a plot point to kick-start the writer’s imagination.
• Non-Fiction Writing Prompts : These prompts are geared towards non-fiction writing, such as essays, memoirs, or journalistic pieces. They might pose a question, present a topic, or propose a perspective for the writer to explore.
• Poetry Writing Prompts : These prompts are tailored for writing poetry. They could suggest a theme, a form, a line, or a poetic device to be used in the poem.
• Dialogue Writing Prompts : These prompts focus on conversations and are designed to inspire dialogue-driven pieces. They generally provide a line or a snippet of conversation to act as a starting point.
• Story Starter Writing Prompts : These prompts serve as the opening line or the first paragraph of a story. The writer’s task is to continue the narrative from there.

Understanding the different types of creative writing prompts is essential to making the most of them. For example, when you choose the right type of prompt, you target specific writing skills , push boundaries of creativity, and provide the necessary spark to bring your ideas to life.

25 Creative Writing Prompts

Using creative writing prompts is a great way to jumpstart your creativity and get the ideas flowing. Whether you’re a seasoned writer or a beginner, these prompts can help inspire your next piece. Here, we’ve broken down 25 prompts into five categories: fiction, non-fiction, poetry, dialogue, and story starters.

Fiction Writing Prompts

Fiction allows writers to flex their imaginative muscles. The following prompts can help to stir up new ideas for a unique storyline:

• Write a story where the main character finds an old, mysterious letter in the attic.
• Imagine a world where animals can talk.
• Create a tale where a character discovers they have a superpower.
• Write about a character who wakes up in a different era.
• Write a story set in a world where money doesn’t exist.

Non-Fiction Writing Prompts

Non-fiction writing can help you explore real-life experiences and lessons. Here are some prompts to get you started:

• Write about a time when you faced a significant challenge and how you overcame it.
• Describe the most influential person in your life.
• Share a moment when you learned a valuable lesson.
• Write about an unforgettable trip.
• Discuss a current event that has impacted you personally.

Poetry Writing Prompts

Poetry allows for artistic expression through words. These prompts can inspire new verses:

• Write a poem about a dream you can’t forget.
• Create a sonnet about the changing seasons.
• Write about an emotion without naming it directly.
• Craft a poem inspired by a piece of art.
• Pen a haiku about nature’s power.

Dialogue Writing Prompts

Dialogue writing can help you improve your dialogue creation skills. Try these prompts:

• Write a conversation between two people stuck in an elevator.
• Describe a heated argument between a character and their best friend.
• Create a dialogue where a character reveals a deep secret.
• Write an exchange between a detective and a suspect.
• Craft a conversation between two people who speak different languages.

Story Starter Writing Prompts

Story starters are great for sparking an idea for a story. Here are some to try:

• “When she opened the door, she couldn’t believe her eyes…”
• “He’d waited his whole life for this moment, and now…”
• “It was a town like no other, because…”
• “She was the last person on earth, or so she thought…”
• “The letter arrived, marked with a seal she didn’t recognize…”

These creative writing prompts are designed to challenge you and spark your creativity. Remember, the goal is not to create a perfect piece of writing but to ignite your imagination and hone your writing skills. Also, don’t forget, you can always revise and refine your work later .

For more on the art of writing, check out our article on what is creative writing .

Making the Most of Your Creative Writing Prompts

Now that you have a list of creative writing prompts at your disposal, it’s important to understand how to utilize them effectively. The value of a prompt lies not just in the initial idea it provides, but also in how it can be expanded and developed into a full-blown piece of writing.

How to Use Creative Writing Prompts Effectively

Using creative writing prompts effectively requires an open mind and a willingness to explore. Here are some strategies to make the most of your prompts:

• Brainstorming: Allow yourself to brainstorm ideas after reading the prompt. Jot down whatever comes to mind without self-judgment or censorship.
• Freedom: Give yourself the freedom to interpret the prompt in your own way. Remember, prompts are starting points, not rigid guidelines.
• Experimentation: Experiment with different genres, perspectives, and writing styles. A prompt can be turned into a poem, a short story, or even a script for a play.
• Consistency: Try to write regularly. Whether you choose to do this daily, weekly, or bi-weekly, consistency can help develop your writing skills.
• Reflection: Finally, reflect on the prompt and your writing. Consider what worked, what didn’t, and also what you would like to improve in your next piece.

In addition to this, check out our article on what is creative writing .

Tips to Expand on a Prompt

Expanding on a prompt involves transforming a simple idea into a fully developed narrative. Here are a few tips:

• Character Development: Flesh out your characters. Give them backgrounds, motivations, and flaws to make them more relatable and interesting.
• Plot Building: Develop a coherent plot. Consider the key events, conflicts, and resolutions that will drive your story forward.
• Show, Don’t Tell: Show the reader what’s happening through vivid descriptions and actions rather than simply telling them.
• Dialogue: Use dialogue to reveal character traits and advance the plot. Make sure it’s natural and adds value to your story.
• Editing: Finally review and revise your work. Look for areas where you can improve clarity, tighten your prose, and also eliminate any inconsistencies or errors.

Editor’s Note : Don’t get rid of old ideas or unfinished works – you never know when looking back over these might spark inspiration or two ideas might mesh to form something cohesive and new!

The Right Prompts Grow Your Skills

By using these strategies, you can take full advantage of creative writing prompts and improve your writing skills. So, whether you’re pursuing a career in creative writing or just looking for a new hobby, these tips can help you unlock your full creative potential.

For more insights on creative writing, check out our articles on creative writing jobs and what you can do with a creative writing degree and how to teach creative writing .

Also, don’t miss our master list of more than 250 journal prompts .

Brooks Manley

Creative Primer  is a resource on all things journaling, creativity, and productivity. We’ll help you produce better ideas, get more done, and live a more effective life.

My name is Brooks. I do a ton of journaling, like to think I’m a creative (jury’s out), and spend a lot of time thinking about productivity. I hope these resources and product recommendations serve you well. Reach out if you ever want to chat or let me know about a journal I need to check out!

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Writing Prompts & Exercises

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The Time Is Now offers three new and original writing prompts each week to help you stay committed to your writing practice throughout the year. We also curate a list of essential books on writing —both the newly published and the classics—that we recommend for guidance and inspiration. Whether you’re struggling with writer’s block, looking for a fresh topic, or just starting to write, our archive of writing prompts has what you need. Need a starter pack? Check out our Writing Prompts for Beginners.

Tuesdays: Poetry prompts Wednesdays: Fiction prompts Thursdays: Creative nonfiction prompts

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Chain Reaction

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Earlier this month, Science journal published an article detailing findings that linked the death of bats to higher human infant mortality rates. In U.S. counties where bat populations decreased due to a fungal disease called white-nose syndrome, farmers increased their use of pesticides to compensate for the insect population control that bats typically provide, and putting more pesticide into the environment led to increased infant deaths. Write a short story that demonstrates the unfolding of a chain reaction that occurs when the population of one animal in our interconnected ecosystem either significantly increases or decreases the human population. You might experiment with incorporating elements of certain genres, like science fiction, mystery, romance, or even comedy into your story.

“The jacket doesn’t have many wears left. Its small fissures have become large ones. Its fading has become even more pronounced. And yet, I am putting it through the rigors of my living,” writes Hanif Abdurraqib, about a 1978 vintage Bruce Springsteen nylon jacket he procured, in a piece published for the Yale Review ’s “Objects of Desire” series, in which writers “meditate on an everyday item that haunts them.” This week compose a poem about one such haunting object in your life. Abdurraqib describes being drawn to vintage clothing because it is a way of “extending the life of an item that someone else decided they were finished with” and “a bridge from one existence to another.” Is there a beloved item of yours with a history? Think about how you can play with diction, rhythm, and formatting to express why you hold on to this object.

Raindrops on roses, whiskers on kittens, brown paper packages tied up with strings, cream-colored ponies, crisp apple strudels, wild geese that fly with the moon on their wings. These are a few, mundane yet specific, favorite things the protagonist from the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical The Sound of Music sings about as an uplifting way to buoy the characters’ spirits in moments of sorrow and distress. This week write a series of short nonfiction vignettes, each one titled with one of your favorite things. Reflect on how each favorite originated, your memories associated with the items, and how they make you feel.

Penny-Pinching

“Most pennies produced by the U.S. Mint are given out as change but never spent; this creates an incessant demand for new pennies to replace them,” writes Caity Weaver in an article published in the New York Times Magazine about the wasteful production of pennies. “A conservative estimate holds that there are 240 billion pennies lying around the United States…enough to hand two pennies to every bewildered human born since the dawn of man.” Write a short story that imagines a different life for the copper-plated coin, perhaps a universe in which all dormant pennies are suddenly used or an attempt to collect and dispose of them is put into place. What would propel your characters to care about the worth of a penny?

The French expression, à la rentrée , literally means “at the return” and can be translated as “see you in the fall” to refer to the time of year when students return back to school after the summer break and vacationers return to the city and to work after out-of-town trips—a time to start anew feeling reenergized with a refreshed and rested perspective on everyday routines. Think about the projects, personal goals, or relationships that you’d like to approach with a fresh start this autumn season. To celebrate la rentrée , write a poem that revolves around a familiar relationship, duty, or obligation. How might it be approached from a different angle or seen in a new light?

All at Once

“The writing comes not with the then and then and then of narrative time driven by the hierarchy of information that plot demands, but with the and and and and and of parataxis. Everything is equal all together and all at once,” writes Jennifer Kabat in her debut memoir, The Eighth Moon: A Memoir of Belonging and Rebellion (Milkweed Editions, 2024), which combines the author’s musings on her relocation to the rural Catskills in New York with historical documents and research about the Anti-Rent War between tenant farmers and landowners that took place in the region in the early nineteenth century. Take a deep dive into a historical event that took place where you live and write an essay that attempts to bridge your own experiences and memories of your locale with the past. Inspired by Kabat, experiment with alternating back and forth through different time periods, point of view, and verb tense for a sense of simultaneity.

The Sound of Things

French director and screenwriter Tran Anh Hung’s Oscar-nominated film The Taste of Things , adapted from a 1924 novel by Swiss author Marcel Rouff, opens with a scene that takes place in the ground-floor kitchen of a late-nineteenth-century estate in France. The scene, which lasts for nearly forty minutes and contains little dialogue, consists primarily of shots of a chef and his cooks preparing a sumptuous feast as they maneuver around one another, handling and arranging various ingredients for each dish. The camera zooms in on the pots and pans, and precise sounds of sizzling, sauteing, crackling, rinsing, stirring, bubbling, and steaming are captured. Write a scene or portion of a short story that focuses in on the sounds of a particular room in your setting. When you subtract human voices, does a chronicle of meticulous details emerge?

List of the Lost

Can what was once lost still be found? The Search for Lost Birds, a global partnership between the American Bird Conservancy, Re:wild, and BirdLife International, was founded in 2021 to shed a light on species of birds that are deemed “lost,” meaning that there has been no documented evidence of them in over a decade, but that they may still exist. Researchers from the organization recently published a paper in the journal Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment citing over one hundred “lost” bird species with the majority in danger of extinction. Jot down a list of items that have been lost to you over the years, perhaps including both physical objects and intangible things, and compose a poem that incorporates your list. How might you play with the order of items, punctuation, line breaks, sound, and rhythm to express the experience of loss?

Friend or Foe

How do best pals become worst enemies? In the television fantasy drama series House of the Dragon , created by Ryan Condal and George R. R. Martin, childhood best friends Rhaenyra Targaryen and Alicent Hightower become mortal enemies, each at the head of a household vying for the power to rule the Seven Kingdoms. Compose a personal essay that ruminates on a complicated friendship or relationship you’ve had that has transformed significantly over time. Was there one catalyzing incident or many gradual shifts that caused your relationship to change direction? Consider the ways in which the relationship changed in parallel, or in contradiction, to how each of you have evolved as individuals.

The Act of Resistance

In the documentary Yintah , directors Jennifer Wickham, Brenda Michell, and Michael Toledano chronicle how Wet’suwet’en First Nation have been fighting to protect their unceded territory in northern British Columbia for decades, most recently in protests and blockades against pipeline developments. The film spanning more than a decade of conflict captures the spirit of Wet’suwet’en resistance in the face of Canadian government policies and police invasions, and their fight for the survival of the land itself. Write a short story that revolves around a group of people who are beset upon by unjust policies, and explore the values and priorities of each side. How do strengths, weaknesses, advantages, and disadvantages play out?

Cry About It

In the 1960s, a string of songs about crying hit the air waves, from Roy Orbison’s “Crying,” to “Big Girls Don’t Cry” by The Four Seasons, to Lesley Gore’s song that begins with, “It’s my party, and I’ll cry if I want to.” Crying has carried on as a theme in popular songs throughout the decades with Prince’s 1984 ballad “When Doves Cry,” Aerosmith’s 1993 hit “Cryin’” and The Weeknd’s 2020 song “Save Your Tears.” This week, take a cue from tunes about shedding tears and write a poem that incorporates crying in some way, whether about sorrow or joy, letting the waterworks flow or attempting to hold them back. Consider using unique diction or imagery to put a fresh spin on conventional tropes. What can you say about crying that hasn’t been said before?

In Stories Are Weapons: Psychological Warfare and the American Mind , published by W. W. Norton in June, author and journalist Annalee Newitz chronicles the ways storytelling can be wielded as a manipulative tool to further political agendas and steer cultural perspective, through advertising, influence campaigns, and mass media. In the first chapter Newitz discusses how Sigmund Freud’s theories help sell products: “Advertisers began to study psychology to figure out ways to manipulate the unconscious minds of consumers,” she writes. “They would lure consumers in with emotional appeals or by associating a product with some political ideal like freedom.” Write a personal essay about a time when you were persuaded by a narrative—whether it be a story told to you by a friend, foe, colleague, family member, or even an advertisement. Were you able to separate from your unconscious mind and gain a fuller perspective on the situation?

Tense Future

Is it science fiction or simply the state of advanced, contemporary science? Hiromi Kawakami’s latest novel, Under the Eye of the Big Bird , forthcoming from Soft Skull Press in September and translated from the Japanese by Asa Yoneda, takes place thousands of years in the future when humans are near extinction. Children are created in factories from the cells of animals including cows, dolphins, horses, and mice. Kawakami’s magical realism blends scientific advancements with real-life phenomena such as population aging, as well as the existing technologies of cloning and xenotransplantation. Using an idea or a concept derived from scientific studies or your own research, write a speculative fiction story that builds on existing technology to achieve the fantastic. In your invented future what fundamental issues of ethics, traditions, and mortality arise?

William Carlos Williams’s multi-volume, mid-twentieth-century poem Paterson is purportedly inspired by the works of his contemporaries: James Joyce’s Ulysses , Ezra Pound’s The Cantos , T. S. Eliot’s The Waste Land , and Hart Crane’s The Bridge . Through his subject—the former mill town of Paterson, New Jersey—Williams provides a voice for American industrial communities. A launching pad for other artists’ work, the book inspired Jim Jarmusch’s 2016 film Paterson , about a bus driver and poet named Paterson in the city of the same name, and Robert Fitterman’s book Creve Coeur (Winter Editions, 2024), set in the segregated suburbs of his eponymous Missouri hometown—an illustration of contemporary America that mirrors the structure of Williams’s postwar epic. Write a poem that draws on specific observations of your neighborhood to express a wider perspective on life in the twenty-first century. Incorporate street names, local landmarks, and history as well as tidbits of everyday conversation.

Appearances

When you picture sea otters, you might think immediately of the many photos and videos of fuzzy otters holding hands while floating in the water, but do these images of cuddly creatures represent their true character? In a 2013 Slate article titled “Sea Otters Are Jerks. So Are Dolphins, Penguins, and Other Adorable Animals,” the violent behavior of these animals and their instinctive modes in the wild are described in detail and contradict the cute and cuddly depictions humans often project onto them. Write a personal essay that explores the theme of deceptive appearances, perhaps drawing on experiences you’ve had in which you misjudged someone and found your first impression contradicted other facts. Or you might think back to a time when someone else made assumptions about you based on superficial traits. What social conditions or cultural expectations contributed to those first impressions?

Convergence

In Michael Ondaatje’s 1992 Booker Prize–winning novel, The English Patient , four main characters—a young Canadian army nurse, an Indian Sikh working as a British military engineer, a thief, and the eponymous patient—find themselves at a bombed-out Italian villa toward the end of World War II. Through a convergence of sections that weave in and out of time, between the past and present, and told through the characters’ various points of view, the story comes into focus. Write a short story that takes place in a vivid locale where a small group of characters has converged. Experiment with telling the story from multiple perspectives, and alternating chronology. In Ondaatje’s novel, the nonlinear storytelling reflects the effects of war trauma—how might time in your story work on a thematic level?

Growing a Garden

“In colonial times, gardens were utilitarian. A cross between a grocery store and a pharmacy. In the gilded age, they became an entrance to high society, a place of conspicuous display,” narrates the main character in Paul Schrader’s 2022 film Master Gardener , a man with a secret past who works as the horticulturalist of an estate owned by a wealthy dowager. This week write a poem about a garden, perhaps a large and well-known one visited by tourists, a seasonal garden tended by family members that you frequented as a child, or one you pass occasionally on a neighborhood walk. You might explore the functions of the garden; list colors, shapes, textures, and smells; or make conjectures about its guiding aesthetics. What can a garden reveal about its gardener and the space in which it resides?

Intensity of Feeling

“When I say I have written from the beginning, I mean that all real writers write from the beginning, that the vocation, the obsession, is already there, and that the obsession derives from an intensity of feeling which normal life cannot accommodate,” said the late Irish author Edna O’Brien in a 1984 interview for the Paris Review ’s Art of Fiction series. O’Brien, who died last Saturday at the age of ninety-three, was the author of a series of novels beginning with The Country Girls , which were internationally acclaimed but banned in Ireland. Her work included memoirs, biographies, and plays, many of which revolved around intimate stories of women’s experiences of love and loss. Write a lyric essay that responds to O’Brien’s sentiment about being drawn to writing from “an intensity of feeling.” Does writing serve in some sense as an outlet for expressing something that seemingly can’t fit into the strictures of normal life?

In 1996, scientists created the first clone of a mammal, a sheep named Dolly. Since 2015, a company based in Texas called ViaGen Pets has cloned hundreds of dogs, cats, and horses for tens of thousands of dollars each. Scientists have warned of the ethical issues of cloning—both in the ways in which the process requires the use of multiple animals (an egg donor and a surrogate carrier), and in the precedence it sets for humans. Write a short story in which a cloned animal plays an integral role in a plot twist. Is the animal’s cloned history kept hidden for some reason? What made this animal so exceptional to be cloned? Consider the complexity and emotions involved with your characters’ values and ethics in this decision.

In Divya Victor’s poem “Blood / Soil,” which appears in her collection Curb (Nightboat Books, 2021), she writes about Sureshbhai Patel, a man who had traveled from India to visit his son and infant grandson in Alabama and was assaulted by police for alleged suspicious behavior while taking a neighborhood stroll. As she describes the physical encounter, Victor includes Newton’s laws of motion and experiments with the visuals of typography and spacing in her incorporation of quotations to draw attention to movement and a sense of confrontation between bodies and language. Write a poem inspired by a news incident that feels resonant to you and provokes a strong emotion. Consider adding bits of science, research, or reported dialogue that might help create a more expansive, interpretive angle.

Pulitzer Prize–winning playwright Annie Baker, who made her feature film directorial debut with the coming-of-age drama Janet Planet , recently shared her inspirations for the film with the New York Times through a mood board. The artistic influences included fin-de-siècle painter Édouard Vuillard’s portraits of his mother; Maurice Pialat’s 1968 film about a foster child, L’enfance Nue ; literature by Thomas Mann and Rainer Maria Rilke; and an album by Canadian jazz musician Beverly Glenn-Copeland. Write a lyric essay composed of short descriptions of creative works—perhaps similarly spanning visual and performing arts, music, and literature—that have served as inspiration to you over the years. What is special about each one, and what are the elements that draw them together?

The Spirit of Competition

This week, in preparation for the upcoming opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympic Games in Paris, consider the Olympic creed: “The important thing in life is not the triumph, but the fight; the essential thing is not to have won, but to have fought well.” Write a short story that revolves around a competition of some sort—whether between friends, enemies, strangers, or within a liminal relationship of some kind. Decide between a contest of mental or physical abilities, or a battle of wills. Are there high stakes or is the contest seemingly inconsequential? Does all go as planned or is there a surprising upset? Think about your characters’ respective perspectives on the spirit of competition, and what constitutes as fighting fairly.

In the twentieth anniversary edition of Don’t Let Me Be Lonely: An American Lyric , Claudia Rankine writes in the preface about her use of the first-person voice “to bear witness to the witness” and provide emotion while maintaining an intimacy within the text. “Anybody could embody the first person and be our guide through the text,” writes Rankine. “For me, at the time, this was a liberating mechanism for getting at the ineffable affective disorder of the moment without disconnecting from the people affected by it.” Write a poem about an event currently unfolding in the world, either locally or on a global scale. Deploy the first-person “I” as a tool to guide the reader through what’s being witnessed. Are there multiple emotional truths at play? How can you give them shape?

Seeing Yourself

“I have known brilliant writers who could size people up in minutes with alarming accuracy.... And yet for all their ability to understand people, to see them, to capture them as characters, these writers could not see themselves,” writes Literary Hub editor-in-chief Jonny Diamond in a piece reflecting on a recent op-ed written by the daughter of Nobel laureate Alice Munro, Andrea Skinner, about her mother’s failure to protect her from sexual abuse by her stepfather. Write a personal essay that traces your self-awareness through several phases of your life, contemplating on how your understanding and perception of yourself has transformed through the years. Can you reconcile the differing points of view that various people in your life hold about you? Are there blind spots that, even if you can’t or don’t want to articulate, you wish to acknowledge?

Ghost Story

Ghosting, the social practice of suddenly cutting off communication without explanation by no longer accepting or responding to calls or messages, is often associated with dating but can also extend to other arenas of interpersonal communication and socializing, such as the interview process for a new job or with friends and family. Write a short story that revolves around two people, one of whom ghosts the other. What are the dynamics of communication that lead up to the ghosting, and what is the fallout? Are excuses made or is hindsight twenty-twenty? Consider how much of each party’s point of view to reveal prior to and after the ghosting.

About Our Writing Prompts

What is a writing prompt and how do you use one? Whether you find yourself in front of a blank page or stuck in a work-in-progress, writing prompts can offer a spark that ignites your creative thinking and can lead to new writing. Prompts offer guidance, fresh ideas, and direction for writers of all levels of experience. First, choose a prompt for the genre in which you’d like to write, then carefully read it and consider what it is asking you to think about. It could be a specific setting, a writing technique, or an element of an imagined character; a specific poem, story, essay, song, book, or film from which you might take inspiration; or a current event or a topical theme. A writing prompt is filled with endless possibilities—and there is no wrong way to use one to generate new writing!

What makes our writing prompts unique? We have an archive of over 2,000 prompts, all original and offered here and in our weekly newsletter . You’ll find a variety of poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction prompts—some inspired by recent and classic literature and other forms of art, current events, and writing practices, and others that offer guidance for a particular form, including sonnets, erasure poetry, flash fiction, lyric essays, and more. For more than fifty years, Poets & Writers has supported creative writers with trustworthy information and inspiration, and our weekly prompts provide a regular dose of encouragement and motivation.

What are the benefits of using writing prompts? Writing prompts can help you get unstuck if you’re in a rut and the ideas aren’t flowing. But even if you’re not experiencing writer’s block, writing prompts can offer a fresh take or a new approach to a work-in-progress. Writing prompts can also provide the motivation to experiment with a new form, try out a new genre, or learn about other writing techniques. And writing prompts are an invaluable tool for teachers who want to encourage and inspire their writing students.

What is this list of Best Books? Best Books for Writers is a list of essential books for creative writers that we curate to support your writing practice. Every week, we add a book (whether new or a classic) with a synopsis and highlights. Included are books on the writing life, anthologies of craft essays, collections of lectures, practical guides with writing exercises, and more.

Poetry writing prompts Every Tuesday we post a new poetry prompt to guide you in your practice. Get to know the work of contemporary and classic poets, as well as a variety of poetic forms.

Fiction writing prompts Every Wednesday we post a new fiction prompt to spark your imagination. Take inspiration from recently published short stories and novels, and of course, the classics.

Creative nonfiction writing prompts Every Thursday we post a new creative nonfiction prompt to help your exploration of this ever-changing genre. These prompts include information and inspiration for a variety of essays as well as memoirs. Discover new writers and their craft, and fresh ways to generate writing inspired by your life.

Need a starter pack? Check out our Writing Prompts for Beginners .

300 Creative Writing Prompts to Spur Your Creativity

Every good story begins with a spark—an idea that engages, intrigues, and inspires. But what happens when you're facing the dreaded blank page without a flicker of inspiration? The solution lies in writing prompts—effective tools that ignite your creativity and kickstart your storytelling journey. Here are 300 writing prompts that can steer you toward fresh narratives and unexplored themes.

These prompts focus on the personal. They lead you to introspect and narrate your experiences. Prompts like "The most challenging decision I've ever made...", or "The time I faced my worst fear…" encourage self-reflection.

This batch involves prompts that revolve around hypothetical situations. For example - "If I were the last person on Earth...", or "The day I woke up as a millionaire...". These prompts provoke your imagination, pulling your story into unexpected territories.

101 to 150:

Geared toward exploring new perspectives, these prompts offer characters, settings, or situations for you to develop. Imagine prompts like "A day in the life of a time-traveler..." or "Persuade someone to move to Mars...". They challenge you to step into other people's shoes and invent new worlds.

151 to 200:

These prompts dip into genres. Whether it's "Write a ghost story set in an ice cream shop..." or "Your protagonist can read minds, but...". Here, you can explore and experiment with different storytelling styles and themes.

201 to 250:

Taking a poetic turn, these prompts suggest themes for verses. Prompts like "A sonnet about a sunset..." or "a haiku about the four seasons..." provide an opportunity to practice and perfect your rhythm and rhyme.

251 to 300:

Lastly, these prompts focus on the macro, inviting big-picture ideas like "The future of humanity in a technology-dominated world...". They can be deeply thought-provoking, encouraging you to develop intricate plots and complex characters.

So, next time you're stuck or need a writing warm-up, delve into these prompts. You'll find that they not only inspire fresh ideas but also encourage you to write outside your comfort zone. Each prompt is a new adventure in your writing journey, pushing you to explore different characters, situations, and styles, ultimately helping you grow as a writer.

Remember, these are only starting points—the magic happens when you let your creativity take over. Let the prompts guide you, but don't be afraid to deviate and follow where your creativity leads you. And don't forget to make use of Chapterly's AI-assisted content creation to enhance your creative process. Discover new words, narrative styles, and storytelling elements with the help of our intuitive authoring platform.

Personal Introspection Prompts:

1. "The moment I felt most alive..." 2. "The time I had to stand up for what I believed in..." 3. "My greatest achievement and how it changed me..." 4. "A lesson I've learned the hard way..." 5. "How my biggest failure shaped me..." 6. "A chance encounter that affected me deeply..." 7. "A choice I made that defined my life..." 8. "The person who has had the most influence over me..." 9. "A dream that had a profound impact on my waking life..." 10. "What I missed the most during quarantine..." These exciting prompts invite you to harness your emotions, recall your memories, and reflect on life's pivotal moments. This in-depth self-exploration can lead to profound insights and beautiful stories that genuinely resonate with readers. Remember, the magic lies not only in the exercise of writing but also in the journey of self-discovery it sparks. Enjoy this special kind of magic and watch how your writing transforms as you evolve.

11. "The most unique place I've ever visited..." 12. "How the pandemic changed my lifestyle..." 13. "An act of kindness that changed my perspective..." 14. "My perspective on body positivity..." 15. "The most daring thing I've ever done..." 16. "How a hobby can transform into a passion..." 17. "An event that shaped my cultural perspective..." 18. "My journey to self-love and acceptance..." 19. "An unexpected friendship that changed my life..." 20. "What I wish I knew as a teenager..."

These personal introspection prompts can lead to self-discovery while also enabling you to craft relatable narratives that strike a chord with your readers. Remember, writing prompts not only draw out stories, but they allow us to explore parts of ourselves and gain clarity about who we are. So, take these prompts as an invitation to look within, and simultaneously, to step out of your comfort zone and into uncharted territories in your writing process.

21. "A defining cultural experience from my travels..." 22. "How a particular book or film significantly influenced my perspective..." 23. "The role of nature in my personal wellbeing..." 24. "An experience in my childhood that defines who I am today..." 25. "A moment when I felt completely helpless..." 26. "The role spirituality plays in my life..." 27. "The hardest lesson I’ve learned from a past relationship..." 28. "An episode in my life when I had to take a leap of faith..." 29. "A special tradition in my family..." 30. "Recovering from a personal trauma..."

These prompts act as mirrors, providing you opportunity to reflect on your life experiences and weave them into captivating tales. Writing from personal experience not only enhances relatability but also authenticity in your narrative. Ultimately, the journey with these prompts can deepen your understanding of yourself and your craft, enriching the stories you tell and how you tell them. 31. "When I challenged a belief that I grew up with..." 32. "A moment when I truly appreciated solitude..." 33. "How I overcame the greatest obstacle in my life..." 34. "A relationship that taught me tolerance and understanding..." 35. "A time when I stood against the majority..." 36. "When I realized the value of a simple life..." 37. "A situation when I chose to be a leader rather than a follower..." 38. "When I chose family over a life ambition..." 39. "My encounter with a stranger that left a lasting impression..." 40. "The role of failure in sculpting my current success..."

These prompts help you illuminate the corners of your own life experiences, allowing you to tap into the reservoir of your personal growth. Writing about these instances not only provides therapeutic value but also creates an emotional connection with your readers. So, don't shy away from baring your soul, for it's these raw and authentic narratives that truly touch people's hearts.

41. "A hobby that impacted my professional career..." 42. "A moment when I had to confront my own bias..." 43. "When I chose to forgive someone who deeply hurt me..." 44. "The impact of a major public event on my personal life..." 45. "How I rebuilt my life after a major setback..." 46. "A moment of genuine bonding with a person from a different culture..." 47. "The time I had to give up something I loved for greater good..." 48. "An encounter with a mentor that altered my life course..." 49. "The time when I chose silence over reaction..." 50. "A surprising coincidence that changed my life..."

These prompts invite you to explore your past, reflect on your experiences, and articulate them into evocative narratives. Real-life episodes resonate with readers as they often find common ground or learn lessons from your experiences. So, take a deep dive into these prompts and use them as a compass to navigate the contours of your life and creativity.

The Hypothetical "What If" Prompts:

51. "If I could switch lives with anyone for a day..." 52. "If I were to write a letter to my future self..." 53. "If I could master any skill instantly..." 54. "The day I found a door to a parallel universe..." 55. "If I were granted three wishes..." 56. "If I could change one historical event..." 57. "The day I realized everyone can hear my thoughts..." 58. "If I could go back in time and meet any historical figure..." 59. "If I woke up one day and discovered I was famous..." 60. "The day I realized the world I was living in was just a simulation..."

These hypothetical prompts propel you beyond the parameters of reality, setting your imagination free to wander and invent new narratives. They challenge you, stretching your thinking and creativity—an excellent opportunity to flex your writing muscles and build unique and engaging stories.

61. "If I could choose any era to live in..." 62. "The day I woke up ten years into the future..." 63. "If I could communicate with animals..." 64. "If I found a magic lamp in my attic..." 65. "The day I first discovered my superpower..." 66. "If I could revisit any moment in my past..." 67. "The day the world lost the concept of time..." 68. "If I were stranded on an island..." 69. "If I were to wake up as my favorite book's character..." 70. "The day I discovered the secret to eternal youth..."

These 'What If' prompts push your creative boundaries, inviting your imagination to roam across limitless possibilities. Harness these prompts to construct uniquely compelling narratives that breathe life into your ideas. Remember, stretching your creativity injects depth and dynamism into your writing, making your stories mesmerizing and distinct.

71. "If I were to become an overnight billionaire..." 72. "The day my favorite fictional world became real..." 73. "If I could turn any dream or nightmare into reality..." 74. "The day I got the ability to time travel..." 75. "If I could eradicate any one vice from the world..." 76. "The day the Internet disappeared..." 77. "If I had the power to make people read my mind..." 78. "If I were given the chance to colonize a new planet..." 79. "The day I got a front-row seat to an alien encounter..." 80. "If my life was a movie, which actor would play me..."

These hypothetical scenarios can be a fun way to stretch your creative muscles and imagine life from vastly different perspectives. So, prepare to let your imagination run wild and pen down narratives that are nothing short of fantastic. Trust the process and let the scenarios you conjure invoke emotions, provoke thoughts, and inspire your storytelling prowess.

81. "If I became the leader of a new country..." 82. "The day machines gained consciousness..." 83. "If I suddenly got the ability to teleport to any place in an instant..." 84. "The day I realized I could speak every language..." 85. "The day I woke up in my favorite video game..." 86. "If I could instantly solve one world problem..." 87. "The day everyone in the world went mute..." 88. "If I got the chance to script my life's ending..." 89. "The day humans acquired the ability to fly..." 90. "If I were to wake up in a world without color..."

These prompts challenge you to imagine wildly different realities and scenarios. Use them as a launchpad to push your creativity and shape extraordinary narratives that defy the conventional bounds of reality. Remember, it's in these unexplored realms that you can truly unleash the full potential of your imagination, leading to stories that captivate and thrill in equal measure.

91. "If I were to wake up as a character in a painting..." 92. "The day humanity discovered it was not alone in the universe..." 93. "If I suddenly became invisible for a day..." 94. "The day gravity ceased to exist..." 95. "If I could bring a fictional character to life..." 96. "The day everyone's dreams began to come true..." 97. "If I could erase any species of animal from existence..." 98. "The day humans gained the ability to breathe underwater..." 99. "If I could see the outcome of every choice I make..." 100. "The day science found a way to reverse aging..."

These hypothetical prompts invite you to brainstorm innovative scenarios, testing your abilities to craft enticing narratives that stretch the reader's imagination. So dive into these prompts and let them propel you into other worldly scenarios and far-flung possibilities. Remember, your writing journey relies not only on realistic stories but also on your ability to imagine the unimaginable, creating narratives that thrill, inspire, and captivate.

Exploring New Perspectives:

101. "My first day as a Martian settler..." 102. "Life through the eyes of a butterfly..." 103. "A day in the life of a World War II soldier..." 104. "Experiencing the world as a person of the opposite gender..." 105. "My life as a nomadic traveller in the Sahara Desert..." 106. "Perspective of a discarded toy in a thrift store..." 107. "A conversation between the sun and the moon..." 108. "Life as a lone tree in an urban cityscape..." 109. "Imagine being the only human left in a world of AI..." 110. "The mindset of an astronaut embarking on a one-way mission to Pluto..."

These prompts open the door to new worlds and unique viewpoints. They allow you to perceive life from different angles, encouraging empathy and fostering creativity. By adopting unusual perspectives and diving into uncharted territories, you can generate compelling narratives full of depth and insight.

111. "The world as seen from the eyes of a bee..." 112. "Struggles of a child prodigy..." 113. "Walking a mile in the shoes of a homeless individual..." 114. "A day in the shoes of an elderly person experiencing life in a new era..." 115. "Seeing the world through the eyes of a rescue dog..." 116. "The contemplations of a lone lighthouse keeper..." 117. "Chronicles of a soldier returning home after years of service..." 118. "The exhilarating first flight of a baby bird..." 119. "The world from the perspective of an AI robot..." 120. "The daily life of a centuries-old vampire coping with the modern world..."

These prompts invite you to step outside your typical frame of reference and explore diverse perspectives. This endeavours not only enrich the depth and scope of your stories, but also nurture empathy and open-mindedness in your writing. By challenging yourself to depict varying viewpoints, you also enhance your creative versatility - an invaluable asset in the world of storytelling.

121. "A day in the life of the President..." 122. "The struggles of being invisible, from an invisible person's point of view..." 123. "Guiding the lost as a self-aware GPS system..." 124. "Survival insights from a polar bear in a melting Arctic..." 125. "Witnessing a volcanic eruption as a local bird..." 126. "Turmoil of a book as it sees its own pages being torn out..." 127. "Adventures from the perspective of an ancient explorer's map..." 128. "Observations of a guardian angel assigned to a reckless teenager..." 129. "First impressions of Earth, as detailed by a curious alien visitor..." 130. "Self-reflections of a mirror in a busy hat shop..."

These prompts should encourage you to delve deep into perspectives you typically wouldn't imagine. There's an astounding amount of narrative potential in telling a story from a fresh viewpoint. Embrace the challenge to write from an unfamiliar standpoint—it's a fabulous way to stretch your creativity and produce truly original content.

131. "Experiencing the ocean depths as a deep-sea diver..." 132. "Profiling a city from the perspective of a local street artist..." 133. "Living life at a snail's pace, as a snail..." 134. "Journaling the journey of a package from an online store..." 135. "The thoughts and experiences of a cloud on a windy day..." 136. "A year in life of a football from a Premier League club..." 137. "Roman Colosseum: Revisiting historical spectacles from the view of a stone seat..." 138. "Experiencing a volcanic eruption as a native plant..." 139. "A day in life in an alien civilization from the point of view of an Earth visitor..." 140. "Environmental abuse from the perspective of mother nature..."

By exploring perspectives outside your own, not only do you broaden your narrative horizons, but also gain a richer understanding of the world. So the next time you're in search of fresh material, try out these role-reversal prompts and see where your creativity takes you. This paradigm shift might just lead to your most exciting story yet.

141. "The secrets held by a forgotten diary in an attic..." 142. "The journey of a coin from mint to being lost in a sofa..." 143. "The perceptive shift of a caterpillar becoming a butterfly..." 144. "Witnessing human evolution as a timeless ancient tree..." 145. "The shifting world of a chameleon..." 146. "The evolution of music as seen by a Stradivarius Violin..." 147. "Experiencing history from the perspective of a museum artifact..." 148. "Experiencing a snowfall for the first time as an African elephant in a zoo..." 149. "The journey of a mail carrier in a rural mountain town..." 150. "A day in the life of your favourite fictional character if they lived in our world..."

These prompts push your creativity and empathy to the limits as they require you to think and feel from perspectives that drastically differ from your own. Remember, every new perspective is a chance to create an unexpected narrative. So go ahead, step into someone else's shoes (or paws, or roots, or wings), and discover an entirely new story waiting to unfold.

Diving into Different Genres:

151. "Write a spine-chilling horror story set in an abandoned amusement park..." 152. "Craft a romantic plot that starts with people stuck in an elevator..." 153. "A gripping mystery about a death in a family reunion..." 154. "Narrate a thrilling chase between a master thief and a determined detective..." 155. "Write a Sci-Fi story about an AI taking the Presidential office..." 156. "Create an epic fantasy tale about a magical kingdom underneath the ocean..." 157. "Conjure a time-travel mishap filled with hilarious consequences..." 158. "A dystopian world, where reading has been outlawed..." 159. "Portrait a compelling romance between two superheroes..." 160. "Weave a chilling ghost story set within an old, desolate library..."

These genre-based prompts introduce you to different styles of narrative storytelling. By experimenting with various genres, you’ll not only diversify your writing capabilities but will also discover what style resonates with you the most. Remember, trying different genres is not about fitting into a particular box, but about expanding your toolbox as a writer.

161. "Construct an adventure tale of a treasure hunt in a haunted jungle..." 162. "Narrate a powerful human drama set in the backdrop of a civil war..." 163. "Spin a humour-filled tale about a day when pets switched roles with their owners..." 164. "Craft a suspense-thriller about a journalist uncovering corporate wrongdoings..." 165. "Pen a Sci-Fi narrative about humans existing as digital entities..." 166. "Write a historical fiction piece based around the first moon landing..." 167. "Unravel a tale of romance blooming in an old-age home..." 168. "Create a hilarious story set in an office where every day is opposite day..." 169. "Weave a tale of supernatural events occurring in a quiet suburban neighbourhood..." 170. "Write an engaging fantasy tale about a knight who is afraid of the dark..."

Whether it's sparking intrigue with a suspense thriller, captivating hearts with a romance narrative, or tickling funny bones with a humor-filled tale, genre-specific prompts can elevate your storytelling skills. Exploring a variety of genres can also offer a refreshing break, fuelling your creativity further. Remember, these prompts are to not only help diversify your writing but also to explore which genre best complements your storytelling style!

171. "Envision a futuristic world where emotions can be bought and sold..." 172. "Develop an engaging Western about a lawman who can't use a gun..." 173. "A humorous misadventure of a clumsy time-traveller..." 174. "Write a heartbreaking tale of a World War II separated love affair rekindling in the 21st century..." 175. "Spin a paranormal story of a psychic detective solving a murder..." 176. "Write a cyberpunk tale set in a post-apocalyptic city..." 177. "A romance blossoming between two rival chefs in a cooking reality show..." 178. "Craft an adventure story of a pirate with a phobia of water..." 179. "A Gothic horror narrative set in a centuries-old castle..." 180. "Weave a dramatic tale about a rockstar's downfall and eventual redemption..."

Experimenting with different genres not only challenges your writing skills but broadens your understanding of diverse narrative styles. Genre-based prompts help you explore a wide range of themes and settings —from suspenseful mysteries to heartwarming romance— while encouraging creativity within these contexts. So, embrace the challenge, step out from your comfort zone, and see where your writing prowess leads you!

181. "Pen a suspenseful whodunit set in an underwater research facility..." 182. "Write a post-apocalyptic narrative about a group of children trying to rebuild society..." 183. "Craft a magical realism story of a small town where everyone has the same dream every night..." 184. "Weave a romantic comedy set amidst the ruins of an alien invasion..." 185. "A war drama from the perspective of a war correspondent..." 186. "Craft a noir tale set in a city where every person has a clone..." 187. "Narrate an epic fantasy about a reluctant prince saving a cursed kingdom..." 188. "A steamy romance that sparks in the cold corridors of a space station..." 189. "Spin a historical fiction about a secret society in Victorian England..." 190. "A Sci-Fi murder mystery on a ship traveling beyond the solar system..."

Engaging with different genres allows you to explore distinct narrative styles, settings, and tropes, enhancing your storytelling arsenal. From the grim streets of noir tales to the spectral spookiness of ghost stories, each genre lends its unique flavor to your narratives. Remember, as a writer, versatility is a strength, and exploring different genres helps in expanding your narrative range.

191. "Write an espionage thriller set in Cold War era Berlin..." 192. "Craft a romantic tragedy between a human and an alien being..." 193. "Create a dystopian tale about a world where asking questions is forbidden..." 194. "Weave a psychological thriller about a man who sees people's darkness..." 195. "Write a Gothic horror story centered around an antique mirror with a sinister past..." 196. "Narrate a soulful romance blooming amidst the competitive world of ballet dancers..." 197. "Pen an action-packed adventure about a historian tracking down a lost civilization..." 198. "Develop a chilling horror narrative about a haunted toy factory..." 199. "Write a gripping detective story about a series of art heists..." 200. "Weave a stirring drama about a family living in a lighthouse on a deserted island..."

Venturing into different genres of storytelling is a fantastic way to challenge your creative boundaries and expand your narrative prowess. From suspense and horror to romance and fantasy, each genre introduces unique elements that help in crafting engaging narratives and developing diverse storytelling skills. Remember, creative growth lies in exploring new territories and pushing your comfort zone. Happy genre-hopping!

Getting Poetic:

201. "A sonnet expressing love for the simple pleasures of life..." 202. "Write an ode to a moment that changed your life forever..." 203. "A free verse detailing a poignant encounter with a stranger..." 204. "Craft a quatrain exploring the whims of the weather..." 205. "A haiku to capture the serenity of a silent snowfall..." 206. "Pen a concrete poem in the shape of a key, narrating the unlocking of a secret..." 207. "Compose a ballad telling the story of an unsung hero..." 208. "Write a limerick about an unusual journey..." 209. "A poem capturing the essence of a city that never sleeps..." 210. "A triolet exploring the cyclical nature of life..."

Poetry prompts open the floodgates of expression. Poems can distill powerful emotions and vivid imagery into just a few lines, crafting narratives that hook readers at a visceral level. Whether you're already an experienced poet or you're just getting your feet wet, these prompts can lead to a deeper understanding of this profound art form.

211. "Free verse inspired by a whirlwind romance..." 212. "Compose a sonnet about a spectacular sunrise..." 213. "A haiku about the loneliness of the moon..." 214. "Craft an elegy for a crumbling historical monument..." 215. "Skinny poem interpreting the flight of a bird..." 216. "Tanka about the anticipation of a long-awaited reunion..." 217. "A triolet celebrating the beauty of a summer's day..." 218. "Write a ghazal about an unrequited love..." 219. "A concrete poem in the shape of a mountain depicting a daunting challenge..." 220. "Compose a cinquain describing the fleeting beauty of autumn..."

Poetry lets you experiment with rhythm, rhyme, and form, allowing you to beautifully articulate emotions, ideas, and narratives. Whether you're a novice poet or an experienced lyricist, these prompts are designed to inspire and facilitate your poetical efforts. Remember to relax, enjoy, and let your pen dance to the rhythm of your thoughts.

221. "A dazzling ode to the night sky..." 222. "Write an acrostic poem using the word "serenity"..." 223. "Compose a ballad recounting a myth from ancient Greece..." 224. "A sonnet that captures the wonder of a rainbow after a storm..." 225. "A limerick inspired by the antics of a house cat..." 226. "Create a haiku that captures the spirit of a bustling marketplace..." 227. "A blank verse about the quiet beauty of an underwater kingdom..." 228. "A rhymed quatrain exploring the mystery of dreams..." 229. "Compose a pantoum about the changing of seasons..." 230. "Write a lyric poem about falling in love at first sight..."

While poetry often concisely conveys stories, it has a unique ability to emotionally resonate with readers. These poetic prompts encourage you to showcase your creativity, using a rich array of language and an exploration of intricate emotions and nuanced subtleties. Regardless of your familiarity with verse, delving into poetry can enhance your narrative skills and evoke a deep sense of personal reflection.

231. "Craft an English sonnet about a battle between good and evil..." 232. "A free verse on the duality of human nature..." 233. "Explore the serenity of a forest at dawn through a haiku..." 234. "Create a sestina about the complexities of a writer's mind..." 235. "Write a pantoum centered on the theme of reincarnation..." 236. "A villanelle about the beauty and pain of growing old..." 237. "An epigram summarizing the essence of childhood innocence..." 238. "A sonnet expressing one's turmoil amidst societal expectations..." 239. "Craft a ghazal that encapsulates the magic of falling in love..." 240. "A narrative poem telling the tale of an orphan who becomes a hero..."

These poetry prompts allow you to tap into a wide array of emotions, observations, and experiences- turning them into a rhythmic medley of words. Poetry writing can be a deeply rewarding practice, enabling you to play with language and form while conveying profound sentiments. Remember, writing poetry is a beautiful expression of the soul; the more you pour into it, the more rewarding it becomes.

241. "A ghazal that paints the paradox of love and loss..." 242. "Write a concrete poem in the shape of a heart, describing an intense love affair..." 243. "A limerick about a playful encounter with the wind..." 244. "Compose a haiku that captures the essence of a quiet winter morning..." 245. "An ode celebrating the free spirit of a bird in flight..." 246. "Craft an Italian sonnet about the struggle and triumph of a musician..." 247. "A pantoum poem mirroring the relentless ebb and flow of the sea..." 248. "A dramatic monologue poem voiced by a lighthouse keeper witnessing a shipwreck..." 249. "Write a ballad about a ghost haunting an old castle..." 250. "Create a lyric poem inspired by the melody of a lullaby..."

For many writers, poetry is an exercise in vulnerability, authenticity, and striking language use. These prompts encourage you to take a deep dive into a myriad of feelings and situations, spinning them into verses that resonate with readers. Whether you're looking to bare your soul or simply paint a vivid picture with eloquent words, embrace the beauty and catharsis that poetry writing brings.

Exploring Big Picture Ideas: 251. "The future of humanity in a technology-dominated world..." 252. "A world where money doesn’t exist – how would that change society?" 253. "The impact of climate change on future generations..." 254. "Imagine if humans could instantly teleport anywhere - what would be the implications?" 255. "The prospect of humans living forever: is it a utopia or dystopia?" 256. "The consequences of a world where everyone has superpowers..." 257. "If animals could talk, how would society change?" 258. "The ramifications of making contact with an alien civilization..." 259. "How would society evolve if memories could be traded like commodities?" 260. "An essay on education in a world where everyone has access to all of human knowledge..."

These macro-themes compel you to consider bigger picture issues and reflect on their implications. Such prompts help you to think critically and philosophically. Remember, exploring these large-scale themes is not only about surfacing problems but also about imagining solutions—or even questioning whether solutions we take for granted are comprehensive or effective.

261. "The evolution of language in an increasingly digital world..." 262. "A world without the concept of countries, what would that entail..." 263. "The moral implications of genetically modifying human DNA..." 264. "Gender roles in a world where gender doesn't exist..." 265. "How different would society be if there was no concept of race?" 266. "The impacts and influences of artificial intelligence on human relationships..." 267. "Predictions for religion in a world where definitive proof of extraterrestrial life exists..." 268. "The consequences of immortality on human relations and societal structure..." 269. "How would society change if animals held equal rights with humans?" 270. "An exploration of the future of work in a post-automation society..."

These prompts tackle larger narratives about society, technology, and human nature. The goal here is less about predicting the future, and more about thinking from an alternative perspective. Developing your thoughts on such wide-ranging topics helps not only to improve your writing skills but also to refine your critical thinking abilities. It's an opportunity to contemplate, hypothesize, reason, and imagine. So, let your thoughts flow and see where they take you.

271. "How would a world function if everything was shared equally?" 272. "Imagination into a future where every lifestyle choice is environmentally sustainable..." 273. "Ambitions for humanity in a world where no one ages..." 274. "The impact on society if all diseases were cured..." 275. "Prospects of crime in a world where mind reading is achievable..." 276. "The foreseeable effects of time travel on world history..." 277. "The societal implications of a world without scarcity..." 278. "Emotions in a world where humans can control their feelings at will..." 279. "Phenomenal love in a world devoid of physical appearances..." 280. "Gender dynamics in a world where everyone can change their gender at will..."

These prompts open broader perspectives on some of society's most pressing issues or open the gateway into the world beyond our imagination. Interrogating significant, macro-level themes pushes your boundaries of thought and creativity, compelling you to scrutinize intricate, layered aspects of human existence. Use this exercise to mold and refine your perspective and elevate the quality of your writing.

281. "Privacy in an age where every thought gets uploaded on the internet..." 282. "Leisure in a future where robots have taken all the jobs..." 283. "What would a world look like where physical money is redundant?" 284. "The role of governments in a world where population size can be controlled..." 285. "Music in a future where we can taste sounds..." 286. "The prospect of justice in a world where crimes can be predicted before they happen..." 287. "Rethinking reproduction in a world where humans are immortal..." 288. "Exploring human behavior and society in a world without the concept of lying..." 289. "The future of food in a world with no animals..." 290. "The impact on communication if telepathy was possible..."

These high-concept prompts invite you to stretch your creativity, challenge your assumptions and think deeply about various aspects of human life. Such speculation offers an exciting opportunity to dream, to question, and to envision radically different possibilities for the future. Each topic can generate countless exciting narratives, giving you a vast playground to explore theories, possibilities and their implications.

291. "The future of space exploration and the possibility of colonizing other planets..." 292. "The prospect of peace in a world without borders and nations..." 293. "The future of humanity in a world where physical human form is replaced by digital avatars..." 294. "Potential of human adaptability in a world under constant ecological shifts..." 295. "The possibility of equality in a world where social hierarchies are determined by knowledge instead of wealth..." 296. "Creativity in a futuristic world dominated by artificial intelligence..." 297. "Tackling depression in a world where everyone's life is perfect..." 298. "The interplay of truth and propaganda in a world where everyone can read minds..." 299. "The future of sports in a world where humans have gained superhuman abilities..." 300. "The evolution of human relationships in a technically advanced alien society..."

The beauty of macro-based prompts is that they enable you to think beyond the immediate. They challenge you to widen your vision, explore different contexts, and delve into the heart of complex themes. In exploring these big picture ideas, you not only refine your analytical abilities but also expand your narrative horizons. The exercise could lead to interesting revelations about your worldview, enabling you to craft narratives that resonate on a deeper level.

So, next time you find yourself struggling for inspiration, dig into these prompts. Let them be the springboard that catapults you into new dimensions of creativity. From personal introspection to exploring other perspectives, dipping into genres, getting poetic, or wrestling with big-picture ideas, there's a world of imagination waiting to be discovered.

Remember, these writing prompts are only the starting point. They're intended to ignite the spark of your creativity. Use them as they are, twist them, or simply let them inspire your unique ideas. And remember, the most crucial part of storytelling is not merely coming up with an idea. It's what you do with that idea that counts!

Enjoy the creative process and see the magic that happens when you let your creativity run wild. Use this as an opportunity to grow and evolve, both as a writer and as an individual. Let the process inspire you, motivate you, and ultimately, lead you to find your unique storytelling voice.

50 Love Poems that Inspire

Love, in all its blissful, soul-stirring, and heart-wrenching intricacy has always been a cornerstone of human existence. It is a sentiment that has been etched into the confines of our hearts. Enjoy these 50 Love Poems that inspire.

Harry Potter Books in Order

The universe of Harry Potter, conjured by J.K. Rowling, beginning with "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone" and culminating in "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows"

Get Inspired: 101 Creative Writing Prompts You Can’t Ignore

By: Author Paul Jenkins

Posted on September 3, 2023

Categories Writing , Creative Writing

You’re staring at a blank page, ideas just out of reach. Don’t fret! Creative writing prompts are your golden ticket to inspiration. They’ll ignite your imagination, help you conquer writer’s block and even refine your writing style.

Whether it’s poetry or prose, there’s a prompt for you. So let’s dive into the world of creative writing prompts; who knows what stories you’ll uncover?

Key Takeaways

• Writing prompts ignite imagination and help overcome writer’s block.
• Prompts can lead to undiscovered terrains or provide a fresh perspective on familiar grounds.
• Using prompts helps overcome writer’s block and boosts motivation.
• Unconventional prompts stimulate innovative thinking.

101 Creative Writing Prompts

Here are 101 creative writing prompts to get your imaginative juices flowing:

• Write about your earliest memory.
• Imagine you woke up one day with a superpower. What would it be and how would you use it?
• You’re home alone and hear a noise coming from upstairs. What happens next?
• Describe a typical day in your life 20 years from now. What does your future look like?
• Pick two random objects and write a story involving them.
• You find a mysterious box on your doorstep. What’s inside and how does it change your life?
• Rewrite a fairy tale from the antagonist’s perspective.
• A giant sinkhole suddenly appears in your backyard. Where does it lead?
• You’re an astronaut on the first mission to Mars. Describe your experience.
• Write a poem about your favorite season.
• You find an old lamp and give it a rub. A genie appears and grants you three wishes. What do you wish for?
• You wake up one day and can understand what animals are saying. What conversations do you overhear?
• Describe a memorable experience you had with one of your grandparents or other older relative.
• Write a story featuring a character who discovers something extraordinary in an ordinary setting.
• Pick an object close by and write a story about its origins.
• You find a wallet on the sidewalk containing $1000 and the ID of its owner. What do you do?
• Write a poem from the perspective of an insect.
• Describe your perfect weekend. Where are you, who are you with, and what are you doing?
• Write a letter to your future self offering advice about life.
• Imagine you switched places with your pet for a day. What would happen?
• Pick two celebrities and write a story about them meeting for the first time.
• Write a scene featuring a character who panics in a humorous way.
• Describe a pleasant early morning in the city from the point of view of a pigeon.
• Pick a color and describe how it makes you feel.
• Rewrite a scene from a book or movie from a minor character’s perspective.
• You find an old faded photograph with a mysterious figure in the background. Write a story about who it is.
• Describe a memorable experience you had involving music.
• Write a poem using nature imagery to describe a strong emotion.
• Imagine you could live in any fictional world. Which would you choose and why?
• You’re house-sitting for relatives and think you hear an intruder late at night. What happens?
• Pick two famous people from different time periods and write about them meeting.
• Describe a memorable teacher who had an impact on your life.
• Imagine you could teleport anywhere in the universe. Where would you go? What would you do there?
• You find a door to an alternate universe in your attic. What’s on the other side?
• Write a poem about someone or something that inspires you.
• Describe a moment when you felt completely at peace.
• Imagine you could talk to animals. Write a conversation between you and your pet.
• Describe a vibrant outdoor market using all five senses.
• Pick an occupation and describe a “day in the life” from that perspective.
• You accidentally travel 100 years into the future. How is life different?
• Tell the story of your first kiss.
• Write a scene featuring a character who loses something important.
• Pick two mythical creatures and imagine them meeting for the first time.
• Describe a memorable experience you had with a grandparent or older friend.
• Imagine you’re the first person selected to live on Mars. What is your experience like?
• Describe your perfect summer day.
• Rewrite a scene from a well-known story from the perspective of a side character.
• Write about a risk that paid off for you.
• Imagine you can spend the day with any person from history. Who would you choose and why?
• Write a story that begins with this line: “It was the day that changed everything.”
• Describe your neighborhood on a lively summer evening using all five senses.
• You find a magic wand that allows you to change one thing about yourself. What do you change and why?
• Write about a teacher who had a meaningful impact on you.
• Imagine you wake up one morning with the ability to fly. What do you do?
• Someone close to you is keeping an important secret. Write the reveal scene.
• Describe a place from your childhood that was very special to you. What made it so memorable?
• Pick two of your favorite fictional characters from different stories and imagine them meeting for the first time.
• You’re house-sitting in a remote cabin and strange things start happening late at night. What happens next?
• Rewrite a classic fairy tale in a modern setting.
• Write a story featuring a character who uncovers a family secret. What’s the secret and how is it revealed?
• Describe the view out your window right now using poetic imagery.
• Pick a common object and write a short horror story about it.
• Imagine you could travel back in time. What year would you visit and why? What would you do there?
• Write a scene featuring two characters meeting for the first time and getting off on the wrong foot.
• Describe a memorable experience you had involving the ocean.
• Rewrite a pivotal scene from a book or movie from the perspective of a background character.
• Pick two exotic locations and describe someone traveling from one to the other.
• Write a story featuring a character who discovers something they shouldn’t have.
• Write about a risk that didn’t pay off for you. What lesson did you learn?
• Imagine you switch places with someone close to you for a day. What do you learn from the experience?
• Describe a memorable act of kindness you performed or received.
• Pick an animal and imagine you can spend the day seeing through its eyes. What do you experience?
• Write a scene featuring a character who loses their temper in a spectacular fashion.
• Describe your perfect day ten years from now. Where are you, what are you doing, and who is with you?
• Write a poem describing a vivid childhood memory.
• Imagine you dig up a time capsule from your childhood. What’s inside and what memories does it spark?
• Write about a place you visited that made you exceptionally happy. What was special about it?
• Describe the best and worst parts of your morning routine.
• Pick two musicians from different eras and imagine them collaborating on a song. How does their style mesh?
• Write a story that begins: “I never would have discovered the secret if it weren’t for…”
• Describe a misadventure you had while traveling. What happened and what did you learn?
• Imagine you can inhabit the body of someone else for a day. Whose body and life do you experience?
• Write a poem inspired by a piece of art or music.
• Imagine you find an abandoned campsite deep in the woods. What do you discover there?
• Pick two characters from different children’s books and imagine them meeting for an adventure.
• Describe the scariest place you have ever visited. What made it so frightening?
• Write about a time you felt caught in the middle of two sides of an argument. How did you handle it?
• Imagine you discover a hidden room in your home. What’s inside and how does it get there?
• Describe how it feels to come in first place in a competition.
• Pick two favorite TV or movie characters from when you were a child and imagine them meeting.
• Write a story about someone who wakes up to find the world is deserted.
• Imagine you could become invisible for a day. What would you do?
• Describe your zaniest friend. Include what makes them fun to be around.
• Pick two movies, books or TV shows in different genres and imagine a character from each meeting for the first time.
• Rewrite a scene from your favorite book from a minor character’s perspective.
• Describe a holiday celebration from your childhood and what made it memorable.
• Imagine you discover objects from another dimension popping up around your home. Describe them.
• Write a story featuring a character who gets lost in the woods.
• Imagine you can switch two movie characters. How would the plot change?
• Describe an ordinary object in an extraordinary way.
• Free write for 15 minutes without stopping. Afterward, review what you wrote and mine it for story ideas.

Exploring the Concept of Creative Writing Prompts

You’re about to delve into the concept of creative writing prompts.

Picture this. You’re standing at a gateway to countless worlds, each shaped by your imagination. The key to this gateway? Writing prompts.

Prompt selection criteria is vital here. It’s not just about picking any random prompt; it’s about selecting one that resonates with you, sparks your creativity and propels your story forward.

Some might steer you towards undiscovered terrains while others could guide you back to familiar grounds with a fresh perspective.

Now comes the art of prompt adaptation methods – twisting, turning and tweaking these prompts until they fit snugly into your narrative. They’re not rigid commands but flexible suggestions waiting for you to mold them into your unique masterpiece.

The Importance of Using Writing Prompts

Imagine you’re standing on the edge of a vast ocean of words, ready to dive in but not sure where to start. That’s where writing prompts come in – they’re your diving board, pushing you into the depths of creativity and helping boost your writing skills.

With their aid, you’ll unlock new levels of imaginative thinking and overcome that pesky writer’s block that’s been holding you back.

Enhancing Writing Skills

Don’t underestimate the importance of enhancing your writing skills; it’s a crucial aspect of effective communication. Dive into the sea of grammar enhancement, let every wave refine your punctuation and syntax.

Feel the transformation as you evolve from choppy sentences to flowing prose, replacing dull words with vibrant ones through vocabulary expansion.

Imagine yourself in a bustling marketplace of words, picking up exotic verbs and adjectives like rare spices.

You’re not merely expanding your vocabulary; you’re creating a palette for painting images with language that will captivate readers’ minds.

Prompting Creative Thinking

Let’s delve into strategies that stimulate innovative thinking, offering a fresh perspective to approach tasks and problem-solving. Unconventional prompts can be your secret weapon here.

Imagine you’re asked to write a story about an alien invasion but the aliens are invisible. Suddenly, the familiar trope is flipped on its head, pushing you beyond prompt limitations and sparking creativity.

Think of it as navigating through an exciting labyrinth of endless possibilities where each twist and turn unlocks new ideas.

Prompt limitations aren’t shackles; they’re stepping stones guiding you towards uncharted territories of imagination.

With unconventional prompts, you’re not just writing – you’re pioneering through a jungle of creativity, hacking through overgrown cliches with the machete of originality. Give it a shot – let unpredictability fuel your creative fires.

Overcoming Writer’s Block

How about if you hit a wall with your story?

The once vibrant world in your mind’s eye now feels as barren as a desert. But don’t sweat it. Overcoming writer’s block is not some arcane art. It just needs the right mix of motivational techniques and mental exercises.

Try visualizing your plot like an intricate puzzle; each word, sentence, and paragraph fitting together to form a grand design.

See yourself standing victorious on top of that daunting wall, manuscript in hand! This visualization exercise can fuel your motivation.

How about playing word games or free writing for ten minutes? These mental exercises stimulate creativity and can reignite the spark in you.

Remember, every great author has faced this challenge. You’re not alone in this battle against the blank page.

Techniques to Generate Creative Writing Ideas

Dive headfirst into the whirlwind of creative possibilities with effective brainstorming session techniques. Unlock a treasure trove of ideas that might’ve remained hidden.

You’re about to harness the power of visual stimuli, transforming ordinary images into extraordinary stories that leap off the page.

And remember – your personal experiences aren’t just memories, they’re fuel for your imagination’s fire. Ready to be leveraged into captivating tales only you can tell.

Brainstorming Session Techniques

There’s a variety of techniques that can make your brainstorming sessions more effective and productive.

Imagine yourself at the helm of innovation, navigating prompt limitations while embracing prompt flexibility. This dance between constraint and freedom fuels creativity.

Limitations shape the challenge, providing a frame within which your ideas bounce around like lively pinballs, lighting up possibilities with every hit.

Flexibility, on the other hand, is an open window inviting fresh perspectives; it’s the permission to explore beyond borders.

Pair these concepts in your brainstorming session – let the prompts’ limitations guide you but don’t be afraid to flex those creative muscles! Embrace this dynamic interplay for it holds the key to unlock endless streams of ideas, turning your session into an exciting expedition of discovery.

Utilizing Visual Stimuli

Incorporating visual stimuli into your brainstorming process can spark new ideas and expand your thinking outside the box. Visual inspiration isn’t just about looking at art or beautiful landscapes; it’s about seeing things differently, allowing image interpretation to fuel your creativity.

Here’s how you can utilize visual stimuli:

• Explore different forms of art – paintings, sculptures, graphic designs.
• Take a walk in nature and absorb its beauty.
• Flip through magazines or books with vibrant images.
• Watch stimulating videos or movies.
• Try visualizing abstract concepts in physical form.

Remember, it’s not about what you see but rather how you interpret what you see.

It’s time to push the boundaries of your imagination and let visuals trigger innovative thoughts.

Leveraging Personal Experiences

Leveraging personal experiences can significantly enhance your brainstorming process, as they’re a rich source of unique and original ideas. Imagine each memory as a colorful thread in the tapestry of your life; these threads don’t merely exist to decorate but also inspire.

Your personal narratives become vibrant brushes that paint strokes onto an empty canvas, bringing it to life with hues only you possess.

These experiential reflections are more than just recollections; they’re catalysts that trigger cascades of creativity. They form bridges connecting the real world to the realm of imagination, allowing you to explore uncharted territories within your own mind.

Diverse Types of Creative Writing Prompts

You’ll find a wide variety of creative writing prompts, each designed to spark different ideas and encourage unique storytelling.

These ‘Prompt Varieties’ are key in ‘Evolving Creativity’. They are the secret sauce that boosts your imagination, enhancing your ability to weave tales out of thin air.

• Picture Prompts: A single image can inspire a thousand words.
• Word Play Prompts: Challenge yourself with homophones or synonyms.
• Dialogue Prompts: A snippet of conversation that ignites a narrative.
• Music-Inspired Prompts: Let rhythm and lyrics move your creativity.
• Thematic Prompts: Get lost in specific genres or settings.

How to Use Prompts for Poetry Writing

Dive headfirst into the realm of poetry, where your task is choosing an ideal prompt to ignite your imagination.

You’re on a quest, not just for any prompt but one that resonates with you, one that tickles your creative instincts and sets them aflame.

Let’s unravel together how this careful selection can be a beacon, guiding your poetic journey towards fresh inspiration, new perspectives, and uncharted emotional depths.

Choosing Appropriate Prompts

It’s important to consider your audience when picking a suitable creative writing prompt. Your Prompt Selection process should involve understanding what resonates with them, ensuring the Prompt Suitability for their taste and level of understanding.

Take into account these elements:

• Their age: Young readers might prefer adventurous tales, while an older audience may appreciate complex narratives.
• Cultural background: Stories that reflect or respect their traditions could engage them more effectively.
• Personal interests: Tailor your prompts around hobbies or passions they have.
• Reading levels: Ensure the complexity aligns with their comprehension abilities.
• Emotional connection: Themes they can emotionally connect with may spark better responses.

Inspiration Through Prompts

Drawing inspiration from cues can often spark an exceptional storyline, stirring a reader’s imagination and emotional connection. In the world of creative writing, this is where ‘Prompt Selection’ steps in.

Picture yourself scouring through a myriad of prompts, each one whispering its own unique challenge to your creativity.

The journey doesn’t end at selection; it merely evolves into ‘Prompt Evolution’. You’re not just choosing a prompt; you’re nurturing it, letting it grow within your mind until it blossoms into an intricate web of thoughts and ideas.

As you explore various interpretations, the initial prompt transcends its original form, morphing into something utterly personal and distinctive.

The ultimate goal? Crafting a narrative so engaging that every word captivates your readers, leaving them yearning for more.

Enhancing Fiction Writing With Creative Prompts

You’ll find that using creative prompts can significantly enhance your fiction writing skills. These tools are perfect for sharpening your mind, sparking new ideas, and injecting life into your narratives. Creative prompts help stimulate ‘Prompted Imagery’ allowing you to paint vivid pictures in the minds of your readers.

They also aid in ‘Fictional Worldbuilding’, helping you craft immersive universes with depth and detail.

Consider these benefits:

• Prompts ignite the spark of inspiration.
• They foster creativity and originality.
• Prompts assist in developing dynamic characters.
• They guide robust plot development.
• Prompts catalyze innovative world building.

Understanding Prompts for Non-fiction Writing

Imagine yourself standing at the edge of a vast landscape of reality, armed only with your words.

You’re about to dive into the world of non-fiction prompts, where you’ll learn not only how to define these nuggets of inspiration but also how to wield them effectively in your writing.

It’s more than just jotting down facts; it’s painting a vivid picture of life as we know it, using prompts as your guideposts along this journey.

Defining Non-fiction Prompts

Non-fiction prompts can be a great tool for you, particularly when you’re struggling to come up with ideas for your next writing project. They lend themselves perfectly to real-life narratives and autobiographical prompts, helping you dig into your experiences and viewpoints.

For instance, a prompt like ‘Describe a time when you faced a significant challenge’ could kickstart an engaging tale of adversity. Or ‘Write about someone who’s influenced your life’ might ignite the spark for an inspiring tribute.

The command to depict ‘Your most memorable journey’ may evoke vivid travel memories, while an invitation to explore ‘The best decision you’ve ever made’ provides room for introspection. Finally, crafting an answer to ‘What does home mean to you?’ can create an intensely personal piece.

Such prompts stimulate thought-provoking narratives that are rooted in reality yet utterly unique – just like your life story!

Utilizing Prompts Effectively

To make the most out of these thought-starters, it’s vital that you’re not just answering them superficially but really delving deep into your experiences and emotions.

The dance of prompt selection is like sifting through a treasure chest, each gem sparking a different story in your mind. Yet, it’s how you adapt to these prompts that truly defines their worth.

Think of prompt adaptation as painting with words; each stroke adds depth to your canvas. The slight change in perspective, the twist in interpretation, allows for a creative explosion. Don’t shy away from pushing boundaries or coloring outside the lines.

You’re an artist wielding language as your brush – let it flow freely and watch as the mundane turns magical.

Using Prompts for Character Development

You’ll find that prompts can be a powerful tool for developing your characters in a story. They help you delve deep into the Character Backgrounds and Motivational Aspects of your personas, thus making them more relatable and real to your readers.

Consider these innovative ways to use prompts:

• Use them as interview questions, asking your characters about their past, dreams, fears.
• Incorporate them in scenarios to explore how they would react under different circumstances.
• Apply them to reveal secrets or hidden aspects of their personalities.
• Utilize them as tools to create conflict or tension between characters.
• Engage with them as means to develop a character’s moral compass.

The Role of Prompts in Plot Creation

When it comes to plot creation, using these tools can help you construct a compelling narrative with gripping twists and turns. The role of prompts here is paramount. However, be mindful of prompt limitations that might stifle your creative juices; you must learn to navigate them skillfully.

Your imagination could take flight when met with unconventional prompts. They’re not your typical ‘write about a summer day’; no, they push you into uncharted territories, sparking innovative ideas.

Picture this: ‘Write from the perspective of a wilting flower.’ Unusual? Yes. But doesn’t it stir intrigue? It’s through such provocation that you weave intricate plots, ones that captivate and engage readers in unexpected ways.

Boosting Descriptive Skills Through Writing Prompts

Expanding your vocabulary and exploring new ways to describe scenes can greatly enhance your storytelling abilities. Writing prompts not only push you out of comfort zones, but also allow you to experiment with the power of metaphors and sensory descriptions.

With every penned word, feel the sentences come alive as the sun doesn’t just set, it melts into the horizon like a dollop of fiery orange sorbet. Rain isn’t simply falling; it’s a symphony on rooftops creating an orchestra of droplets. A meadow isn’t green; it’s brushed with strokes of emerald splendor.

Imagine tasting colors or hearing fragrances. Let these prompts unlock your mind’s eye. Your readers aren’t just reading; they’re stepping into another world – yours!

Using Prompts for Writing Dialogue

Dialogue isn’t just about conveying information; it’s a tool for character development and plot progression. When you’re using prompts for writing dialogue, focus on ‘dialogue realism’ and the ‘character’s voice’.

Imagine yourself in their shoes. Would they use big words or stick to simple slang? Do they have an accent that you can hint at through spelling and sentence structure?

Remember, every spoken word builds your character’s identity. It’s not just what they say, but how they say it that reveals their personality. The goal is to create engaging conversations that feel real to your readers as if they are eavesdropping on a private chat.

The Impact of Prompts on Writing Style

Stepping away from the chatter of dialogue prompts, let’s dive into the deep waters of how prompts can shape your writing style. Yes, you’ve got it—we’re exploring ‘Prompt Dependencies and Evolving Styles’.

Prompts aren’t just creative sparks; they could subtly influence how you spin a tale. Here’s why:

• You adapt to different Prompt Dependencies , sharpening diverse aspects of your craft.
• Prompts challenge you to write outside your comfort zone, evolving your style.
• They help highlight strengths and expose weaknesses in your technique.
• The constraints imposed by prompts often fuel creativity, enhancing storytelling abilities.
• Experimenting with various prompts refines versatility, embracing an eclectic mix of styles.

The Connection Between Prompts and Emotional Engagement

You might not realize it, but those intriguing cues you engage with can significantly heighten the emotional engagement in your narratives. They’re not just prompts, they’re sparks that ignite a bonfire of emotion within your storytelling.

Emotional resonance isn’t about crafting a plot; it’s about creating an atmosphere so palpable, your readers can taste the tension or joy in every word.

The magic lies in imbuing each character and scene with emotional authenticity. That’s where prompts come into play. You see, they challenge you to explore uncharted emotional territories and weave them seamlessly into your narrative fabric. They nudge you towards nuances that’d otherwise remain hidden, making for richer storytelling.

Overcoming Writer’s Block With Creative Prompts

When it’s like pulling teeth to get the words flowing, turning to imaginative cues can be your salvation from the dreaded writer’s block. Prompt selection and prompt evolution become your saviors in this bleak landscape of stalled creativity.

Consider these strategies:

• Use prompt selection to choose a theme or situation that sparks your interest.
• Allow for prompt evolution , letting one idea lead naturally to another.
• Delve into character development prompts; they can reveal surprising paths for your story.
• Don’t discount non-fiction prompts. Real-life situations often inspire compelling narratives.
• Experiment with genre-specific prompts. They may open up new storytelling territories you’ve never explored before.

Tips to Create Your Own Writing Prompts

Let’s dive into some handy tips for crafting your own engaging cues to inspire your storytelling.

Begin with prompt personalization; it’s about making the prompt uniquely yours. Think of experiences, thoughts, or ideas that only you can explore and weave them into your prompts.

Next, consider prompt categorization. This involves grouping prompts based on themes or genres. It’s not just a way to organize but also stimulates creative thinking by setting boundaries within which to play and innovate.

Lastly, ensure versatility in your prompts. They should be capable of inspiring different types of writing – from poetry to prose, fiction to memoirs.

Creating prompts isn’t just about overcoming writer’s block; it’s an exercise in creativity itself. So go ahead, make it fun!

So, you’ve dived deep into the world of creative writing prompts. Now you’re armed with techniques to generate ideas and strategies to conquer writer’s block.

Remember, these prompts are meant to spur your creativity and evoke emotion. Don’t shy away from crafting your own! They can drastically refine your style and keep your pen moving.

Embrace this exciting tool in your writing journey – let’s see where it takes you!

70+ Clever Creative Writing Prompts (& 6 Brainy Bonus Tips)

by Mel Wicks

on Aug 7, 2024

I bet you just asked Google to search for creative writing prompts.

Or was it writing ideas? Short story ideas? Or maybe writers block ?

Boy, are you stuck!

But don’t worry. It doesn’t matter if you’re halfway through writing a book , sweating over social media posts, or journaling about your own life, all writers get stuck for creative ideas sometimes.

So, it’s great to have you here.

This is your go-to source of story starters, writing prompts, and bonus writing tips guaranteed to improve your writing skills , power up your passion , and get your creative juices flowing.

Here’s what we’ll cover:

• Writing Prompts Q&A
• 72 Writing Prompts (Broken into Categories)
• 6 Bonus Tips (to Sharpen Your Writing Skills)

We’ll start with a few common questions and answers…

What are Writing Prompts?

A writing prompt can be a phrase, an image, or even a physical object that kick-starts your imagination and motivates you to write . It provides a spark of an idea as a starting point to stimulate a natural flow of writing.

Writing prompts are ideal for any form of writing, like fiction or nonfiction , journaling , copywriting , blogging , or poetry . They usually contain two parts: an idea or a potential topic to write about, and the instructions on what you should do next.

For example, a creative writing prompt for fiction writers might be:

Your main character has a car accident and starts to hear voices while in the hospital. Write a short story about the conflict between the character and the voices and what really happened at the time of the car accident.

While journal prompts tend to focus on topics of self-awareness, such as:

Write about a turning point in your life. How different would things be now if you had made a different decision at the time?

How Do You Use Writing Prompts?

Like all muscle-building exercises, writing prompts are most effective when you make them a daily habit. Over time, with repetition, you’ll find your flow of writing becomes more natural, and your ability to write for longer strengthens.

But don’t feel you have to follow a prompt to the letter. If the prompt suggests you write about romance, but it sparks an idea for a poem, write a poem. Let your imagination guide you through the writing process.

Here are some other hot tips:

• Don’t overthink it. Just start writing.
• Don’t edit as you go.
• If it’s not working for your style of writing , move on to another prompt. Find the prompts that make you want to write.
• The creative writing prompt is a starting point. The finish is up to you. You don’t have to write a complete story, a poem, or an essay. Feel free to discard your work halfway through and move on to something else.
• Adopt the Ernest Hemingway approach: Accept that most of what you write is likely to be crap, and you’re going to toss it. This isn’t about producing ready-to-publish work for your latest freelance writing job . It’s about the practice of writing.

Have fun with it, and remember each prompt is an opportunity to practice and refine your writing craft. Now, let’s explore those creative writing prompts we promised you.

72 Writing Prompts to Help You Kickstart Your Imagination

Fiction writing prompts.

• Fantasy Writing Prompts

Romance Writing Prompts

• Comedy Writing Prompts
• Horror Writing Prompts

Persuasive Copywriting Prompts

Poetry writing prompts, journal writing prompts, blog writing prompts, non-fiction writing prompts, random writing prompts.

• “It was the best of times. It was the worst of times.” Use this famous opening line to start your own novel.
• Rewrite your resume as a short story , either in the first or third person .
• Open the dictionary to any page and select the first word that catches your eye. Write the opening few paragraphs of a thrilling, suspenseful story using your selected word at least three times.
• Write a synopsis of your version of the movie, Groundhog Day . What would your day look like and why?
• Write a short story using these words: Mountainous, parched, field mouse, time travel, and Black Forest Gateau.
• Sit in a café and write a short story about the person or couple at the next table. Take note of their body language and clothing, what they’re eating, or doing. And if you can eavesdrop, let their conversation inspire you too.
• Write about a person who is arrested for committing a crime, but they can’t remember anything about the night the crime occurred. What is the crime, why can’t they remember and what happens next?

Fantasy & Adventure Writing Prompts

• If you could come back to life as any person, animal or thing, what or who would you be and how would you live your second life?
• The world’s oceans dry up. Who or what survives?
• You open the bathroom door and find the room’s disappeared. In its place is another world. Describe what you see and hear, and what you do next?
• You’re sitting at a bar talking to a giraffe. What’s the conversation about?
• You live in a fantasy world where people communicate without talking. Write about an average day in this sci-fi, fairy tale world.
• You are the inventor of a popular video game. One day the main character from your game knocks on your front door. What does he want?
• Write about a character who has a superhuman power. The problem is, they don’t want it. Write about the conflict between the character, his or her power and the everyday life they are forced to lead.
• What is the most romantic season of the year and why?
•  Write a story about love at first sight. It doesn’t have to be about young people, or even about people.
•  “Last Christmas” was a song by George Michael that inspired a movie by the same name in 2019. Think of your favorite romantic song and write a film synopsis for it.
• If you are a woman, write a short love story about the most romantic experience you could imagine, as a man. If you are a man, reverse the exercise.
• The song “Summer Nights”   from Grease  is about the summer romance between two high school students, with their friends begging to hear more. What memory does that evoke for you about the first time you fell in love, and who did you tell?
• Next time you visit a grocery store make a note of the first person you see. What are they wearing, what are they buying, are they alone? Write a description of them as the main character for your next romantic novel.
• Your protagonist is about to marry the man she has been in love with for years. A week before the wedding she meets a stranger and falls madly and hopelessly in love. What does she do?

Funny Writing Prompts

• You are a bartender on a quiet night, listening to man drown his sorrows as he tells you how his wife has recently left him for a neighbor. A second man enters and sits at the other end of the bar. It’s the neighbor. Describe the comedy of errors that happens next.
• What makes you laugh out loud?
• What’s the funniest joke you know? Write the backstory to the main character in the joke.
• What’s the funniest thing that’s happened to you in real-life? Write it as a stand-up comedy anecdote with lots of observational humor thrown in.
• Your shopping bag rips apart, and all the contents tumble out at the feet of the girl or guy who lives in the apartment below you, who you have fancied for some time. What does your shopping reveal about you and why are you so embarrassed?
• List posts are one of the most popular forms of blogging . Write a funny list post about all the things you are not going to do this year.

Horror Writing Prompts?

• Write the opening chapter to a story that begins: “I stared at my beautiful, evil wife and realized the horror had only just begun.
•  “Terror made me cruel” is a line from Wuthering Heights  by Emily Bronte. Write about a situation where terror might make you cruel.
• You’re walking home alone late one night when you realize several cats are stalking you. Then the streetlights go out. What happens next?
• There’s a locked door at the top of the house you’re staying in. What’s behind it?
• What are you really, really scared of? Put yourself in that situation and describe how it feels.
• Write a horror story set in either a bar or a graveyard (or both). Include a blue-veined hand, a serial killer, and the phrase “all that spit and sweat.”
• Your best friend doesn’t much care for Chinese food. Write down all the reasons why they need to reconsider their opinion and join you tonight at your favorite Chinese restaurant.
• Your mother’s always nagging you to clean your room. Write an account of the last time she nagged you, but from her point of view.
• Have you ever seen a ghost, or sensed a ghostly presence? Write an account of your experience knowing it will be read by a skeptic.
• Talk the Christmas Grinch out of being a Grinch.
• A man finds a letter in a bottle while walking on the beach. Where has the bottle come from, how old is it, and what does the letter say? What does it compel the man to do?
• Think of a cliché and write an argument against it. Here are a few to start you off:

Time heals all wounds It’s better to be safe than sorry Money is the root of all evil Ignorance is bliss

• Open the dictionary at any page and select the first word that catches your eye. Set a timer for 5 minutes and write a list of rhyming words. Now write a poem using as many of those words as you can.
• Write a poem about rhythm. It might be about music, or the flow of a river, or the clattering sound of a train. Weave the rhythm you hear in your head into the tempo of your poem.
• Write a poem about a feast. Describe how it looks, smells and tastes. Use powerful imagery and include the different sensations of spices and flavors, the texture and feel of the dishes and how each one made you feel as you ate more and more.
•  Write a poem about the “Thrilla in Manila.”
• Write about your plans for tomorrow and how you hope they’ll turn out.
• “It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done. ” This is a famous quote about self-sacrifice from A Tale of Two Cities  by Charles Dickens. Write an honest journal entry about how far you would be prepared to go to sacrifice your wealth, happiness, health, or safety for a person or principle.
• Write about a single day — either the first or last of your life.
• Think about the last time you woke up at 4am, in a cold sweat. What was on your mind and how did you resolve it? Did you feel differently about it in the daylight?
• Write a letter in your journal to each of your family members, telling them what your love (and/or hate) about them.
• What is your personal manifesto? What are the core principles and values that guide everything you do in life?
• Make a list of all the things you’d like to say no to, and then write down the reasons why you don’t — or can’t — say no. Is there a pattern? Is there something you can change?
• Write about the biggest challenge you have faced and how you overcame it.
• Write an open letter to a person or group of people you strongly disagree with and explain why. Use reason not emotion.
• Write about the best writing or weight loss tips you can share.
• Interview your favorite fictional character.
• Describe social media to someone who has never heard of it before. Include advice on which platform might be best for them.
• Think of the 3 most unhealthy habits you indulge in and write about how you might be able to break those habits.
• What are the top 10 style trends you would like to see make a comeback ?
• Write about your views on climate change. Are you a believer or a skeptic? Is the world doing enough? What facts do you know?
• Write about a time you had to swallow your pride and do something that made you uncomfortable, either morally or physically.
• There is no such thing as a truly unselfish deed. Defend this statement.
• If you were to write an autobiography, how would it start?
• Write a fantasy story based on the last dream you had.
• Write about your favorite place and how it makes you feel. Use all the sensory language  you can muster to describe the place.
• If you were a dog, what type would you be and who would own you?
• If you had the opportunity to turn back time what would you change about the course of your life and why?
• What is your favorite thing to eat and what memories does it evoke?
• Write a list of your three most prized possessions (inanimate objects, not people or animals). Imagine you are forced to discard one. Which one would it be and explain the reasons for your choice?
• Write your own eulogy as a diary entry. What would you like people to know and say about you?
• Write 500 words on what financial freedom looks like to you?
• Select a book from your bookshelf and open it to any page. Write out the last sentence of the last complete paragraph on that page and continue writing.
• Think of your favorite book or film. Now rewrite the ending to something completely different.
• If you were to buy a plane ticket today — no expense spared — where would you go and why?

There they are. A compact list of 72 creative prompts. And when you’ve worked your way through these, you might want to move on to the motherlode of creative writing prompts over at Reddit.

Reddit  is part social media platform , part community, part media curator, with 520 million monthly visitors subscribing to message boards across 1.2 million sub-categories. Phew!

One of these subcategories is Writing Prompts , with over 14 million subscribers who have posted years’ worth of prompts, so you’ll never run out of inspiration again.

How Else Can I Improve My Creative Writing Skills?

Improving your skills takes lots of writing practice.

And using creative writing ideas and prompts are the best ways to do just that.

But it’s not the only way.

Here are a few other creative writing exercises you might want to explore:

Freewriting

This is when you write about anything that pops into your head. Take a blank page, set a timer for 30 minutes, and start writing. Write whatever your brain tells you to, and don’t worry if it’s nonsensical.

This writing exercise is great for pushing through writers block  and allowing your mind to head off in spontaneous directions.

The Adjectives Game

List 5 things you like or dislike tasting, and then list 5 adjectives for each item. For example, you might like the taste of cake. The 5 adjectives might be: sweet, gooey, yummy, nutty, and scrumptious. Now do the same for your other senses.

This builds your sensory vocabulary and ability to write with flair and color.

Perspectives

Write about a recent incident you were involved in, from the point of view of someone else who was involved. Empathy is hugely important in writing and this exercise forces you to step into the shoes of another person and understand their point of view.

Writing authentic dialogue is notoriously hard to master, so this writing exercise will help.

Write about 300 words of a conversation between two people without using ‘he said/she said’ tags. Show the difference and relationship between the two speakers only through the words they use. It’s more challenging than it sounds.

Observation

Think of a color. Now go for a walk or a ride on the bus and note down everything you see of that color. When you get home, write up what you remember (take notes as you go to make it easier).

How many different hues of the color did you see? What did the things you saw make you feel? Was there any connection between them?

Think of an anecdote you like to recount. Write it up in less than 500 words. Now rewrite the same story in 100 words. Now in 50 words. And finally, in 25 words or less, if you can achieve it.

This exercise shows how filler words, background, and context can sometimes get in the way of a good story. It will help you choose your words carefully.

If you’ve got the time and energy, here  are a few more creative writing exercises to really help flex those writing muscles.

6 Bonus Writing Tips to Power Up Your Passion and Sharpen Your Skills

Before we let you go…

If you’re looking for creative writing prompts or story ideas, there’s an excellent chance you’re looking for other ways to hone your skills and improve your craft.

Here are 6 bonus writing tips to help you on your journey:

1. Make Time to Write

If you’re not setting aside time to write, you may as well ignore every other piece of advice in this post. Make your writing time sacred and block it off in your calendar. Turn off your phone. Disconnect the internet, close your door, and write.

You can use a daily writing prompt if that helps you get going. 

Creating a solid writing habit is the single best thing you can do if you want to be a writer.

2. Set Writing Goals

We set goals for everything in our life: losing weight, saving for a dream holiday, growing our business, and so on. So, do the same for your writing. Measure your progress.

Start with, say, a 300 or 500 word count in a daily session. Once you consistently reach this goal with ease, up the ante and shoot for more challenging targets. 1,000 words a session; 25,000 words a month, and so on. But make sure your goals are not overwhelming.

Writing goals will help you write faster and with more confidence. Over time you will recognize when you are most productive and can use this to your advantage.

3. Pack Your Writing with a Powerful Punch

Fill your writing with passion from an arsenal of power words . Or supercharge your reader’s imagination with a well-aimed metaphor .

Use these two writing devices to turbocharge your prose and watch the words burst off the page with intention.

4. Harness the Power of Grammar

Grammar reduces confusion and brings clarity and confidence to your writing. It’s a good thing and you need to learn the rules .

But grammar can sometimes get in the way of creativity and turn fluid prose into a turgid swamp of clunky awkwardness.

If you need to ignore your grammar checker and start a sentence with a conjunction that feels right, go for it. If you want to brazenly split an infinitive to avoid mangling a sentence, split away.

So, learn the grammar rules, but then learn how to break them . Effectively.

5. Copy Your Writing Heroes — Literally

Pick a writer you’ve always admired, whether it’s a New York Times best-selling author or an influencer in your blogging niche .

Now, put pen to paper and rewrite exactly what they wrote by hand. Don’t think too hard about it. Just go with it.

As you write out their words, you’ll absorb their writing style, their pace and rhythm, their grammar, their word choice, and their sentence structure.

This is one of the most effective ways to sharpen your writing skills and inspire your own writing voice.

6. Read Your Way to Writing Stardom

Every great writer is a great reader. There are no exceptions.

Read daily.

Read fiction and biographies, or read books, blogs and articles. But read in an active way. Stay alert to what grabs your attention and how the writer has crafted his words. Then consciously apply the best techniques to your own writing process.

A Final Word on Writing Prompts

The purpose of a writing prompt is to kickstart your creativity and spur you into writing something… anything.

Initially, the process may seem a little intimidating. But that’s OK. Most writers draw a blank when they first start with writing prompts.

Keep pushing through, because something thrilling will start to happen.

The more you practice using the prompts in this post, the more your creative juices will flow, and the more words and ideas will start pouring out of you.

So, let yourself go. Abandon yourself to the power of writing prompts and let the magic happen.

Happy writing!

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• Tags: Fiction Writing , Novel , Novel Writing , Short Story Poetry

Do you wish to write but don’t know how to start? If you have writer’s block, this article is for you! This article includes 100 plus creative writing prompts across all genres to kickstart your writing journey. 

From horror writing prompts to fantasy writing prompts, we’ve covered everything for you! Before we see examples of writing prompts, let’s quickly understand the meaning of writing prompts. 

Ready to take your writing to the next level? Learn more

What are writing prompts? 

A writing prompt is a simple topic idea to inspire the writer to get the first words on the page. It can be a picture, a line from a poem, or an imaginary scenario. Writing prompts can be abstract, realistic, evocative, thought-provoking, insightful, or descriptive. 

Dive in to see exciting writing prompts from various genres! These also include many creative writing prompts for adults.

1. Horror writing prompts 

1) A man inside the coffin breaks the coffin and starts walking. 

2) A demonic spirit has entered your friend’s body and she is moving closer to attack you. 

3) You wake up in an empty house and see a ghost. 

4) A doll you brought for a friend suddenly starts speaking. 

5)  You suddenly see a man who was supposed to have died in 1900. 

6) A vampire you saw in your dream kidnaps you in real life. 

7) You are awakened by drops of blood falling on your face. 

8) You have an accident and suddenly see a centaur who has a half-human, half-animal face. 

9)  You are walking in the forest and witness a shocking ritual where people are drinking blood. 

10) You wear an old ring you found after which something terrible keeps happening to you. 

11) An excavator finds an old mummy while digging which tries to grab him. 

Now let’s see some of the best creative writing prompts for adults and kids for journaling, 

2. Journal writing prompts 

1) Describe a childhood memory that always makes you smile. 

2) Write about a dream you had that you can never forget. 

3) Recount your biggest challenge and what you learned from it. 

4) Name three people who inspire you the most and why. 

5) Pen a letter to yourself and describe your accomplishments and future goals. 

6) Explain what would you like to change if you had a chance to go back in time. 

7) Narrate an incident where the kindness of strangers moved you. 

8) Express in detail some of your best memories with school friends. 

9) List five activities you love to do and your efforts to perform those activities. 

10) Tell in detail about your favorite travel destination. 

11) Describe your most challenging times and how you overcame them. 

If you wish to explore writing about mysteries, the following are some creative prompts about mysteries. 

3. Mystery writing prompts 

1) Ten scientists die on the same day and a Scotland Yard detective is assigned to find out why. 

2) A top bureaucrat starts getting anonymous threatening notes and decides to investigate. 

3) A retired police officer decides to play detective and solve the case of his granddaughter’s death. 

4) A private investigator is assigned to find the truth about a journalist who went missing.

5)  A meteor strikes a village after which people start falling sick. 

6) An archaeologist finds a document about a cursed treasure and decides to find out the truth. 

7) A young boy hears screams from a tower and sees torch lights flashing in the dark. 

8) A factory burns and an investigator finds out whether the fire was caused naturally or intentionally. 

9) A girl inquires to understand why her dog was shot and discovers a shocking truth. 

10) A son promises his mother to uncover the reason behind his sister’s suicide. 

11) A police inspector has to solve the murder case of an orphan who was earlier arrested in a drug case. 

4. Romance writing prompts 

1) A girl falls in love with a video gamer she met in college.  

2) A 70-year-old realizes that he has fallen in love with a woman he met at an old age home. 

3) A man meets his childhood crush after years and tries to woo her once more. 

4)  Two best friends decide to experiment and set up a double date. 

5) Give a love story to a person whom everyone assumes to be a villain. 

6) Pen a romance story with the words affair, flirting, infatuation, and fling. 

7) A man who has a phobia of getting married meets a girl with a similar fear. 

8) Write a love story of two people staying in two different countries. 

9) Two employees from rival companies fall in love. 

10) A paramedic falls in love with a spy whose life she saves. She later realizes that he will soon embark on a dangerous mission. 

11) Write a love story of a librarian and a time-traveler. 

Instead of writing about romance, you might be interested in the science fiction genre. Given below are some creative prompts related to science fiction. 

5. Science fiction writing prompts 

1) Two scientists invent a machine that can control and manipulate weather. 

2) An astronaut flies to the planet Jupiter and discovers alien life. 

3) An archaeologist finds an old book about a magical time travel ritual and uses that ritual to go back in time. 

4) A young boy finds a hidden library of science books and is trapped inside the library. 

5) A science teacher decides to take revenge against the government by performing a dangerous science experiment. 

6) A jailed scientist uses science to escape and prove his innocence. 

7) A science geek creates an AI program that can hack the data of government and private organizations without leaving a trace. 

8) A spaceship is pulled into another universe by an unknown force and aliens are planning to invade the Earth. 

9) A scientist designs a robot that looks and talks exactly like the country’s President and plans to kill the real President. 

10) To reduce population, a crazy scientist makes a deadly plan to release a virus into the air. 

11) A chemistry professor creates a dangerous solution that can massively change the genes of animals and humans. 

If science fiction is not your cup of tea and you love fantasy, here are some creative writing prompts about fantasy. 

6. Fantasy writing prompts 

1) An archaeologist enters a magical world of dragons and is unable to return to Earth. 

2) A tribal girl develops fairy wings and she is later assigned the task to save the fairy race from extinction. 

3) A man discovers a magical dream shop where dreams are sold to change reality. 

4) A musician visits a hidden world and finds a magical flute that can hypnotize people and make them stand still. 

5) A boy finds a small dwarf in his garden who shows him the train to travel to parallel universes. 

6) A woman finds the feather of a rare bird, using which she enters the world of lost secrets. 

7) A college student falls in love with a cursed mermaid and travels to her land to free her from the curse. 

8) An excavator opens a door and arrives in the land where destinies are written. 

9) A man unintentionally awakens a sleeping devil who creates a new world and new citizens to destroy the earth. 

10) A girl realizes that she has the power to control stars and is pulled into a world of demons and monsters. 

11) A fairy falls in love with a human and must convince Fairyland to accept her love and let her go. 

You might also have an interest in writing poems about various topics. For poetry lovers, the following are some of the best creative writing prompts. 

7. Poetry writing prompts 

1) Write a poem about your favorite fairy tale as a child. 

2) Describe an unforgettable memory with your first crush in a poem. 

3) Pen a poem about a stray dog who became your best friend. 

4) Craft a poem about the beauty of witnessing fireflies in the dark. 

5) Explore the sadness of losing touch with school classmates in a poem. 

6) Narrate an incident about a memorable dance you saw in a poem. 

7) Write a poem that has the quote “Tough times never last but tough people do”. 

8) Compose a poem on a special gift you received and its importance. 

9) Pen a poem about your favorite cartoon character. 

10) Write a poem about how a person who passed away inspired you in life. 

11) Compose a poem about a magical land where you wish to go. 

If you love to write on light-hearted, funny topics, given below are some of the best writing prompts for you! 

8. Funny writing prompts 

1) Jot down a hilarious conversation between a madman and a witty parrot. 

2) Create a funny story about how a person is forced to communicate with a stranger who doesn’t understand English. 

3) Write a funny dialogue about a person who says something wrong at the most inappropriate time. 

4) Describe a prank where you created a savory dish that looked like chocolate and made your friend taste it. 

5) Write a humorous conversation between a standup comedian and an angry spectator. 

6) Pen a story about a disaster that takes place because a scientist forgot to add a valuable component to an experiment. 

7) Craft a funny story about a brother who takes revenge on his sister for revealing his girlfriend to his parents. 

8) Imagine a funny situation where a friend tries to copy everything you do to irritate you and write about it. 

9) Write about a funny incident when you received a parcel you hadn’t ordered.

10) Narrate an incident about a funny costume party where everyone was dressed up as different animals.  

11) Write about a comic incident where an aunt asked you to take responsibility for her son while she was away. However, the son ends up in prison. 

9. Short story writing prompts 

1) Write a short story about a ship that mysteriously sank in the ocean. 

2) Pen a short story about a girl who has synesthesia and sees colors around people. 

3) Craft a short story about a mountaineer who decides to climb Mount Everest. 

4) Develop a short story about a road trip gone wrong. 

5) Write a short story about what happens when a government official finds out about a dangerous secret. 

6) Create a short story about a detective who disguises himself and is discovered. 

7) Pen a short story about a businessman with a big scar and a twisted lip. 

8) Write a short story about how a boy discovers a magical wishing feather after which his every wish comes true. 

9) Develop a short story about a blind man who takes revenge for an insult. 

10) Craft a short story about an eagle who saves a jungle from being destroyed. 

11) Write a short story about the last living princess who makes a mark on the world. 

If you wish to explore historical fiction instead, here are some of the best writing prompts for you! 

10. Historical fiction writing prompts 

1) A librarian discovers a shocking secret about the Second World War which can change the future of the USA and Russia. 

2) Write a story about a mirror that talks about an ancient era and reveals a secret about that era. 

3) Craft a tale about a poet who wrote about the Red Indians. 

4) A political leader begins a movement to get recognition for a lesser-known historical figure, resulting in controversy. 

5) An excavator finds a valuable artifact from the Mayan civilization that could affect the world’s future. 

6) A girl realizes that she is the last living descendant of a French queen and must protect a family secret at all costs. 

7) A bureaucrat finds a diary about a man who suffered during the Great Depression and resolves to make amends. 

8) A boy has dreams about the First World War and decides to solve the mystery of his dreams. 

9) A tribe decides to get back a valuable historical artifact stolen from them. 

10) A historian finds out about the most dangerous escape of an American soldier. 

11) A girl discovers a magical portal that transports her to the 18th century.  

Now that you’ve understood what are writing prompts, you can use one prompt daily and start writing. The next step after writing is editing. As providers of editing and proofreading services , we’d love to help you edit and perfect your writing! 

We realize how writing and editing can be challenging tasks. Here are some resources to enhance your writing: 

• The dynamics of Christian book editing and proofreading
• What Is Developmental Editing? A Self-Editing Checklist
• How to Write a Novel in Past Tense? 3 Steps & Examples

Frequently Asked Questions

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105 Creative Writing Prompts to Try Out

General Education

The most common advice out there for being a writer is, "if you want to write, write." While this is true (and good advice), it's not always that easy, particularly if you're not writing regularly.

Whether you're looking for help getting started on your next project, or just want to spend 20 minutes being creative, writing prompts are great ways to rev up your imagination. Read on for our list of over 100 creative writing prompts!

feature image credit: r. nial bradshaw /Flickr

10 Short Writing Prompts

If you're looking for a quick boost to get yourself going, these 10 short writing prompts will do the trick.

#1 : Write a scene starting with a regular family ritual that goes awry.

#2 : Describe exactly what you see/smell/hear/etc, right now. Include objects, people, and anything else in your immediate environment.

#3 : Suggest eight possible ways to get a ping pong ball out of a vertical pipe.

#4 : A shoe falls out of the sky. Justify why.

#5 : If your brain were a tangible, physical place, what would it be like?

#6 : Begin your writing with the phrase, "The stage was set."

#7 : You have been asked to write a history of "The Summer of [this past year]." Your publisher wants a table of contents. What events will you submit?

#8 : Write a sympathetic story from the point of view of the "bad guy." (Think fractured fairy tales like Wicked or The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs! , although the story doesn't have to be a fairy tale.)

#9 : Look at everyday objects in a new way and write about the stories one of these objects contains.

#10 : One person meets a stranger on a mode of transportation. Write the story that ensues.

11 Writing Prompts for Kids

Any of these prompts can be used by writers of any age, but we chose the following 11 prompts as ones that would be particularly fun for kids to write about. (Most of them I used myself as a young writer, so I can vouch for their working!)

#1 : Include something falling in your writing.

#2 : Write a short poem (or story) with the title, "We don't know when it will be fixed."

#3 : Write from the perspective of someone of a different gender than you.

#4 : Write a dumb internet quiz.

#5 : Finish this thought: "A perfect day in my imagination begins like this:"

#6 : Write a character's inner monologue (what they are thinking as they go about their day).

#7 : Think of a character. Write a paragraph each about:

• An important childhood experience that character had.
• The character's living situation.
• Two hobbies or things the character likes to do.
• The room where the character sleeps.
• An ambition of the character.
• Two physical characteristics of the character.
• What happens when a second person and this character meet.
• Two important defining personal traits of this character.

#8 : Start a story with a quote from a song.

#9 : Begin a story with, "It was the summer of ______ when ______"

#10 : Pretend everyday objects have no names. Think about what you would name them based on what they do, what you can use them for, and what they look like.

#11 : Start a story with the phrases "My grandparents are/were," "My parents are/were," or "My mother/father/parent is/was."

15 Cool Writing Prompts

#1 : List five issues that you're passionate about. Write about them from the opposite point of view (or from the perspective of a character with the opposite point of view).

#2 : Walk around and write down a phrase you hear (or read). Make a story out of it.

#3 : Write using no adjectives or adverbs.

#4 : Write a character's inner dialogue between different aspects of a character's self (rather than an inner monologue).

#5 : Write a true story from your past that involves light or darkness in some way.

#6 : "Saying goodbye awakens us to the true nature of things." Write something in which someone has to say goodbye and has a realization.

#7 : Begin by writing the end of the story.

#8 : Write a recipe for an intangible thing.

#9 : Write a horror story about an ordinary situation (e.g., buying groceries, going to the bank, listening to music).

#10 : Write a story from within a bubble.

#11 : Write down 2-3 short character descriptions and then write the characters in conversation with one another.

#12 : Write a story in second person.

#13 : Write a story that keeps contradicting itself.

#14 : Write about a character with at least three big problems.

#15 : Write something that takes place on a Friday, the 13th (of any month).

15 Funny Writing Prompts

#1 : Write a story which starts with someone eating a pickle and potato sandwich.

#2 : Write a short script where the plot has to do with evil dolls trying to take over something.

#3 : Write about writers' block.

#4 : List five election issues that would be ridiculous to includes as part of your election platform (e.g. outlawing mechanical pencils and clicky pens, mandating every person over the age of 30 must own an emergency last rites kit). Choose one of the ridiculous issues and write a speech in favor of it.

#5 : Write a children's story that is insanely inappropriate but can't use graphic language, curses, or violence.

#6 : List five careers. Write about someone with one of those careers who wants to quit it.

#7 : Write down a list of murder methods. Choose one at random from the list to use in a story.

#8 : Write a romance story in which the hero must have a last name corresponding with a physical characteristic (e.g. Jacques Hairyback or Flora Dimple).

#9 : Come up with 10 different ways to:

• order a pizza
• congratulate someone on a job well done
• return to the store something that's broken

#10 : Search for "random Renaissance painting" (or any other inspirational image search text you can think of) on any online internet image search engine. Picking one image, write half a page each of:

• Statements about this image (e.g. "I meant bring me the BREAD of John the Baptist").
• Questions about this image (e.g. "How many of those cherubs look like their necks are broken?").
• Explanations of this image (e.g. "The painter ran out of blue paint halfway through and had to improvise for the color of the sky").
• Commands said by people in this image or about this image (e.g. "Stop telling me to smile!" or "Bring me some gasoline!").

#11 : Write starting with a word that sounds like "chute" (e.g. "chute," "shoot," "shooed").

#12 : Write about a character named X "The [article of clothing]" Y (e.g. Julie "The Yellow Darted Skirt" Whyte) or simply referred to by their clothing (e.g. "the man in the brown suit" or "the woman in black").

#13 : Write down a paragraph each describing two wildly different settings. Write a story involving both settings.

#14 : Think of a fictional holiday based around some natural event (e.g. the Earth being at its farthest point from the sun, in memory of a volcanic eruption, that time a cloud looked like a rabbit riding a bicycle). Write about how this holiday is celebrated.

#15 : Write a "Just-So" type story about a fictional creature (e.g. "how the dragon got its firebreath" or "how the mudkip got its cheek gills").

54 Other Writing Prompt Ideas

#1 : Borrow a character from some other form of media (or create your own). Write from that character's perspective.

#2 : Write for and against a non-consequential controversy (e.g., salt vs. pepper, Mac vs. PC, best kind of door).

#3 : Choose an ancestor or a person from the past to write about or to.

#4 : Write a pirate story with a twist.

#5 : Have a character talk about another character and their feelings about that other character.

#6 : Pick a season and think about an event in your life that occurred in that season. Write a creative nonfiction piece about that event and that season.

#7 : Think of something very complicated and long. Write a page about it using short sentences.

#8 : Write a story as a dream.

#9 : Describe around a food without ever directly naming it.

#10 : Write a monologue (one character, talking to the audience/reader) (*not* an inner monologue).

#11 : Begin a story with the phrase, "It only took five seconds to..."

#12 : List five strong emotions. Choosing one, write about a character experiencing that emotion, but only use the character's actions to convey how they are feeling (no outright statements).

#13 : Write a chapter of the memoir of your life.

#14 : Look through the (physical) things you're currently carrying with you or wearing. Write about the memories or emotions tied with each of them.

#15 : Go be in nature. Write drawing your story from your surroundings (both physical, social, and mental/emotional).

#16 : Write from the perspective of a bubble (or bubble-like creature).

#17 : A person is jogging along an asphalt road. Write a story.

#18 : Title your story (or poem, or play, etc) "Anti-_____". Fill in the blank and write the story.

#19 : Write something that must include an animal, a mineral, and a vegetable.

#20 : Begin your writing with the phrase, "6 weeks later..."

#21 : List 5-10 office jobs. Pick one of them and describe a person working in that job as if you were a commentator on an Olympic sporting event.

#22 : Practice your poetic imagery: overwrite a description of a character's breakfast routine.

#23 : Write about a character (or group of characters) trying to convince another character to try something they're scared of.

#24 : Keep an eye out in your environment for examples of greengrocer's apostrophes and rogue quotation marks. Pick an example and write about what the misplaced punctuation implies (e.g., we have the "best" meat or we have the best "meat" ).

#25 : Fill in the blank with the first word that comes to mind: "_______ Riot!" Write a newspaper-style article describing the events that that took place.

#26 : Write from the point of view of your most-loved possession. What does it think of you?

#27 : Think of five common sayings (e.g., "An apple a day keeps the doctor away"). Write a horror story whose plot is one of those common sayings.

#28 : Write a scene in which two characters are finally hashing out a long-standing misunderstanding or disagreement.

#29 : You start receiving text messages from an unknown number. Tell the story of what happens next.

#30 : Write one character bragging to another about the story behind their new tattoo.

#31 : Superheroes save the world...but they also leave a lot of destruction in their wake. Write about a normal person in a superhero's world.

#32 : Sometimes, family is who we are related to; sometimes, family is a group of people we gather around ourselves. Write a story about (some of) a character's found family and relatives meeting for the first time.

#33 : Write a story that begins in the middle of the plot's action ( en media res ).

#34 : Everyone says you can never have too much of a good thing. Write a story where that isn't true.

#35 : What do ghosts do when they're not creating mischief? Write about the secret lives of ghosts.

#36 : Every year, you dread the last week of April. Write a story about why.

#37 : Write a story about what it would be like to have an animal sidekick in real life.

#38 : Heists don't just have to be black-clad thieves stealing into vaults to steal rare art or money. Write about a group of people (adults or children) who commit a heist for something of seemingly little monetary value.

#39 : "Life is like a chooseable-path adventure, except you don't get to see what would have happened if you chose differently." Think of a choice you've made and write about a world where you made a different choice.

#40 : Write a story about a secret room.

#41 : You find a message in a bottle with very specific directions. Write a story about the adventure you embark upon.

#42 : "You'll always be okay as long as you know where your _______ is." Fill in the blank and write a story (either fictional or from your life) illustrating this statement.

#43 : Forcing people into prolonged proximity can change and deepen relationships. Write about characters on a road trip together.

#44 : In music, sonata form includes three main parts: exposition, development, and recapitulation. Write a short story that follows this format.

#45 : Begin writing with a character saying, "I'm afraid this simply can't wait."

#46 : Write a story with a happy ending (either happily-ever-after or happy-for-now).

#47 : Write about a character before and after a tragedy in that character's life.

#48 : Choose an object or concept you encounter in everyday life (e.g. tables, the feeling of hot or cold, oxygen) and write an infomercial about it.

#49 : "Life is a series of quests, whether important or mundane." Write about a quest you've gone on (or would like to go on, or will have to go on).

#50 : List 10 different ways to learn. Choose one (or more) and write a story where a character learns something using that one (or more) method.

#51 : You've been called to the principal's office for bad behavior. You know what you did. Explain and justify yourself.

#52 : A character discovers their sibling owns a cursed object. Write about what happens next.

#53 : Write a character description by writing a list of items that would be on a scavenger hunt about them.

#54 : The slogan for a product or service you're advertising is, "Kid-tested, _____." Fill in the blank and write the copy for a radio or podcast advertisement for your product.

How to Use Creative Writing Prompts

There's no wrong way to use a creative writing prompt (unless it's to harass and hurt someone)—the point of them is to get you writing and your imagination flowing.

To help you get the most out of these writing prompts, however, we've come up with the six tips below. Try them out!

#1: DON'T Limit Yourself to Prose

Unless you're writing for a particular assignment, there's no reason everything you write in response to a writing prompt has to be prose fiction . Instead of writing your response to a prompt as a story, try writing a poem, nonfiction essay, play, screenplay, or some other format entirely.

#2: DON'T Edit as You Write

The purposes of writing prompts is to get you writing, typos and weird grammar and all. Editing comes later, once you've finished writing and have some space from it to come back to what you wrote.

It's OK to fix things that will make it difficult to read what you've written (e.g., a weird autocorrect that changes the meaning of a sentence), but don't worry too much about typos or perfect grammar when you're writing; those are easy enough to fix in edits . You also can always insert asterisks or a short note as you're writing to remind yourself to go back to fix something (for instance, if as you're writing it seems like you want to move around the order of your paragraphs or insert something earlier).

#3: DO Interpret the Prompt Broadly

The point of using a writing prompt is not to write something that best exemplifies the prompt, but something that sparks your own creativity. Again, unless you're writing in response to an assignment with specific directions, feel free to interpret writing prompts as broadly or as narrowly as you want.

For instance, if your prompt is to write a story that begins with "The stage was set," you could write about anything from someone preparing to put a plan into motion to a literal theatre stage constructed out of pieces of old sets (or something else entirely).

If you're using a writing prompt, it doesn't have to be the first sentence of your story or poem, either; you can also use the prompt as a goal to work towards in your writing.

#4: DO Try Switching Up Your Writing Methods

If it's a possibility for you, see if you write differently in different media. Do you write the same kind of stories by hand as you would typing at a computer? What about if you dictate a story and then transcribe it? Or text it to a friend? Varying the method you use to write can affect the stories you're able to tell.

For example, you may find that it's easier for you to tell stories about your life to a voice recorder than to try to write out a personal essay. Or maybe you have trouble writing poetry, but can easily text yourself or a friend a poem. You might even find you like a writing method you've not tried before better than what you've been doing!

#5: DO Mix and Match Prompt Ideas

If you need more inspiration, feel free to combine multiple prompts (but don't overwhelm yourself with too much to write about).

You can also try switching genres from what might be suggested in the prompt. For instance, try writing a prompt that seems funny in a serious and sad way, or finding the humor in something that otherwise seems humorless. The categories we've organized the prompts into are by no means limiters on what you're allowed to write about.

#6: DO Try to Write Regularly

The more regularly you write, the easier it will be to write (with or without writing prompts).

For some people, this means writing daily; for others, it means setting aside time to write each weekend or each month. Set yourself an achievable goal (write 2x a week, write 1000 words a month) and stick to it. You can always start small and then ramp your wordcount or frequency up.

If you do better when you have something outside yourself prompting to write, you may also want to try something like morning pages , which encourages you to write at least 750 words every day, in any format (story, diary entry, social media postings, etc).

What's Next?

Thinking about attending college or grad school for creative writing? Our articles on whether or not you should major in creative writing and the best creative writing programs are there for you! Plus, if you're a high schooler, you should check out these top writing contests .

Creative writing doesn't necessarily have to be fiction. Check out these three examples of narrative writing and our tips for how to write your own narrative stories and essays .

Just as writing prompts can help give form to amorphous creative energy, using specific writing structures or devices can be great starting points for your next story. Read through our discussion of the top 20 poetic devices to know and see if you can work at least one new one into your next writing session.

Still looking for more writing ideas? Try repurposing our 100+ easy drawing ideas for characters, settings, or plot points in your writing.

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Laura graduated magna cum laude from Wellesley College with a BA in Music and Psychology, and earned a Master's degree in Composition from the Longy School of Music of Bard College. She scored 99 percentile scores on the SAT and GRE and loves advising students on how to excel in high school.

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Author : Caroline Chartrand

22nd Feb 2024

Creative Writing Prompts for Writers: 80 Ideas Will Inspire You

Don’t Have Time to Read? Listen to this Article Instead!

Key Takeaways: Creative Writing Prompts

• Writing prompts are designed to spark creativity and help overcome writer’s block. They serve as a starting point for storytelling by providing a scenario, question, as well as theme to explore.
• Prompts can vary widely, from single words or phrases to sentences, questions, or even images. They are versatile tools that can be tailored to any genre, theme, or writing style.
• Effective prompts should balance specificity and openness, spark curiosity, encourage imagination, evoke an emotional response, and sometimes utilize visual stimuli to inspire creativity.
• The guide provides examples of prompts for various genres, including mystery and thriller, romance, science fiction, fantasy and paranormal, general fiction, travel and adventure, horror, and young adult.
• Beyond the initial prompt, developing a story involves character development, setting the scene, as well as creating conflict and plot twists to drive the narrative forward.
• Regular writing practice using prompts can boost creativity, improve discipline, and enhance one’s writing skills over time.
• Books, online communities, and daily prompt apps are valuable resources for finding new writing prompts and engaging with a community of writers for feedback and inspiration.

Craft Your Book Using Writing Prompts

Write your next ebook with us. Authors Breeze use creative writing prompts to create compelling narratives that captivate your readers.

Introduction to Creative Writing Prompts

Ever found yourself staring at a blank page, blinking your eyes as you try to summon words that seem to have taken a vacation? You’re not alone. Every writer, at some point, faces writer’s block. But fear not! Creative writing prompts and writing ideas are here to rescue you from the lack of creativity. In this comprehensive guide, we will explore creative writing prompts. They can ignite your imagination, help you weave compelling stories, and significantly improve your writing craft.

Feeling stuck when you want to write is something many of us experience. It can be really tough to come up with ideas or even know where to start. This challenge is something even professional writers face, especially before their work reaches bookshelves or sells books on Amazon . But there’s a helpful solution for when you feel like you’re hitting a dead end: writing prompts. So, these prompts can kickstart your creativity and help you get your writing and publishing going.

What is a Writing Prompt?

At its core, a writing prompt is a starting point to get your creativity flowing. But what does prompt mean in writing? A prompt is 1 to 3 sentences that raise an issue or ask a question that fuels your writing ideas.

No matter if it is a single word, a phrase, a sentence, or even a picture, a writing prompt can open doors to untold stories waiting to be told. So, if you learn how to write a prompt, you can enhance its effectiveness in sparking creativity.

However, what makes prompts for writing so magical? Well, they come with built-in writing challenges: to conjure up a unique story based on a predefined starting point. This constraint, surprisingly, liberates rather than confines creativity. It is a paradox of the creative process. Boundaries often lead to the most boundless imagination.

How to Write a Writing Prompt?

Crafting effective writer prompts is an art in itself. Your goal should be to strike a delicate balance between specificity and openness. In addition, you need to provide just enough detail to guide the writer, but not so much that it stifles their creativity. Here are some tips to consider:

Spark Curiosity

An excellent prompt should pique interest. It could be something as simple as:

“The clock struck thirteen,” prompting the question, “Why thirteen?”

This could serve as a fantastic mystery and thriller writing prompt.

Encourage Imagination

Allow room for interpretation. A prompt like the following opens up endless narrative possibilities:

“In a world where dreams are currency.”

It is perfect for science fiction writing prompts or even dystopian writing prompts.

Emotional Connect

Try to evoke an emotional response. Prompts that relate to universal feelings, love, fear, and joy, can be particularly compelling.

Visual Stimulus

Sometimes, a picture can be worth a thousand words. For example, a mysterious photograph or a bizarre painting. It can serve as a powerful prompt.

The beauty of writing prompts lies in their versatility. You can tailor them for any genre, theme, or writing style . It makes them invaluable tools for writers of all stripes.

Pro Writing Tip: Incorporate direct quotations, summaries, and rephrased content from the provided material to bolster your opinions and insights. It’s crucial to demonstrate to your audience that you are actively interacting with the author’s ideas and the content they’ve shared. For instance, if you find yourself at odds with a recommendation in the material, refer to a specific section and articulate your reasons for disagreement. This approach will aid in convincing others to understand and possibly align with your perspective.

How to Start a Writing Prompt?

Staring down a prompt can be as intimidating as the blank page itself. Here’s how to leap over that initial hurdle:

Allow yourself to write without judgment or editing . Let the prompt lead you wherever it may, even if it initially seems nonsensical.

Ask Questions

Who? What? Where? When? Why? How? These questions can help you unpack the prompt and start weaving a narrative web.

Play with Perspectives

If the prompt is a sentence, try writing from the perspective of different characters or objects within that scenario.

Mix and Match

Combine the prompt with another idea you’ve been toying with. The intersection of two ideas can often be where the magic happens.

Genre-Specific Creative Writing Book Prompts

Let’s look at some writing prompt examples that will help you with more writing prompt ideas:

Mystery and Thriller Writing Prompts

Everyone loves a good mystery or a heart-pounding thriller. These genres keep readers on the edge, eager to turn the page. So, here are a few prompts for mysterious writings:

• While renovating your grandmother’s attic, you discover a diary belonging to a relative you never knew existed. The entries hint at a family secret buried for decades.
• You receive a series of anonymous letters, each with a clue that leads you closer to uncovering the identity of a person who claims to have changed your life forever.
• A renowned magician disappears during a live performance. However, this time, it is not part of the act.
• A detective receives a series of cryptic letters. They seem to be linked to unsolved cases from decades ago.
• You witness a crime that hasn’t happened yet. Can you be able to prevent it, or will you become part of it?
• A journalist stumbles upon a conspiracy tied to a secret society that has influenced historical events.
• An ordinary book contains a secret message. It leads to a dangerous treasure hunt across the city.
• A family heirloom is stolen on the eve of a meaningful ceremony. It reveals long-buried family secrets.
• Someone is following you, always a step behind. However, when you turn around, there’s never anyone there.
• A small town is gripped by fear as residents receive anonymous threats predicting their deaths.

Pro Writing Tip: Always start with a relatable scenario but add a twist that invites curiosity. For example , instead of presenting a generic setting like “ walking in a park, ” twist it into something unexpected like “ walking in a park where every bench tells a story of a lost civilization. ” This approach not only grabs the reader’s attention but also provides a fertile ground for their imagination to take off. It encourages them to think beyond the ordinary and dive into the creative process with enthusiasm.

Romance Writing Prompts

Love fuels countless stories, from the tragic to the transcendent. Therefore, with the help of romantic writing prompts, you can explore the complexities of relationships and the human heart. In addition, you can try these creative writing prompts for romance novels :

• Two former lovers unexpectedly reunite in a small coffee shop after years apart. What led to their separation? Moreover, what secrets have they held onto?
• A love letter meant for someone else lands in your hands. It leads you on a quest to find the intended recipient and, perhaps, a love of your own.
• Messages in bottles wash up on the shore. They are penned by a lovelorn sailor from the past.
• A scientist discovers a way to time travel, only to fall in love with someone from a different era.
• Two rival dance champions are forced to partner up, finding love in their quest for the title.
• An astronomer and a poet, sharing a love for the stars, find their paths intertwined under a celestial event.
• Two strangers exchange notes daily in a coffee shop’s suggestion box, leading to an unexpected romance.
• A musician rediscovers a love song written by their late partner. It leads them to a new beginning.
• Two people meet on a cross-country train ride. They form a connection that challenges their destinations.
• Longtime friends make a pact to marry if they’re both single at 30. Then, as the deadline approaches, real feelings emerge.

Science Fiction Writing Prompts

The future is a playground for the imagination. It offers endless possibilities for exploration. Moreover, science fiction writing prompts can take you on journeys through time, space, and the depths of the human mind. Here are some short fiction ideas:

• You discover the last remaining library in the future where all books are banned. What will you do to protect it?
• In a world where memories can be bought and sold, you wake up one day with no recollection of your past. The quest for your identity leads you to dark and unexpected places.
• Earth’s sun is dying. Humanity’s last hope rests on a crew sent to reignite it with untested technology.
• A new technology allows people to swap consciousnesses. However, one person discovers they can’t switch back.
• An ancient alien artifact is unearthed. It holds the key to unlimited energy and the potential for interstellar war.
• A scientist accidentally opens a portal to a parallel dimension where history turns dark.
• There is a world where memoirs can be engineered. One person uncovers a conspiracy to manipulate the human race.
• AI servants start to develop consciousness. It leads to a society-wide debate on rights and existence.
• On a distant space colony, sabotage reveals deep-seated corruption and a fight for survival.
• A time capsule meant to be opened in a thousand years is accidentally triggered early. It reveals the unforeseen future of humanity.

Fantasy and Paranormal Writing Prompts

Get into worlds where magic is real and the paranormal is just another part of life. These prompts invite you to explore good story starters:

• You stumble upon a forest that everyone in your village avoids. Inside, you find a world that is teemed with creatures and magic you never believed possible.
• A ghost bound to an ancient mansion seeks your help to solve the mystery of their death. They reveal secrets that will change the history of the place.
• A librarian discovers their library is alive, with books that can transport readers into their stories.
• There is a discovery of the last dragon egg. It threatens to ignite a war between humans and dragonkin.
• A person makes a deal with a ghost to solve their unfinished business, entangling their fates.
• A royal heir finds their destiny intertwined with a crown that grants immense power and a deadly curse.
• Magic is banned in a world where a young mage discovers a hidden truth about their power.
• A keeper of magical portals between worlds faces a dilemma when a forbidden love crosses boundaries.
• An unlikely hero is chosen as the apprentice to the last witch in the world, tasked with saving magic.
• A mysterious carnival appears in town overnight, offering fantastical wonders and hidden dangers.

Pro Writing Tip : When crafting a fantasy or paranormal novel, the key to captivating your audience is to blend the familiar with the extraordinary. Simple Writing Prompt : Imagine a world where everyone has a magical talent that manifests on their 16th birthday. Your protagonist, however, wakes up on their 16th birthday to discover they have no talent. Explore their journey as they navigate a world where they feel out of place, only to uncover a hidden power within themselves that transcends the known talents. Creative Writing Prompt : In a city where the night brings out not just stars but also portals to other dimensions, your main character is a night courier, delivering packages to these alternate realms. One night, they receive a mysterious package that is not to be delivered to another dimension, but to a being that hasn’t been seen in centuries. This delivery leads them on an adventure through various dimensions, uncovering secrets about the city, its night-time wonders, and themselves.

General Fiction Writing Prompts

Sometimes, the most compelling stories to write are those that reflect our own world, warts and all. General fiction story ideas and prompts offer a canvas for the human condition:

• You find a phone with one unread message that changes your perspective on life.
• At a pivotal moment in your life, you meet a stranger. He offers you advice that could change everything.
• Once a year, a lottery gives one person the chance to change their life completely—but at what cost?
• An artist discovers they can paint pictures that make others relive memories. It alters their perception of the past.
• A café sits at the crossroads of reality. The customers of the café find themselves confronted with life-changing decisions.
• A box of unsent letters was found in an attic. They tell the story of a family’s hidden history.
• The last bookstore in a world dominated by digital media. It becomes the center of a community’s struggle to remember its humanity.
• A watchmaker creates a watch that can stop time for everyone but the wearer, exploring the consequences of isolation.
• A series of balcony gardens across a city weaves together the lives of its residents in unexpected ways.
• Two childhood friends make a promise to achieve their dreams. However, life takes them on very different paths.

Travel and Adventure Writing Prompts

For the wanderlust-driven soul, travel and adventure prompts whisk you away to far-off lands and thrilling escapades:

• You get an old map that leads to a place not found on any modern map. What do you discover at the end of the journey?
• After a storm at sea, you wash up on the shores of an island. It hides a civilization untouched by the outside world.
• A map is marked with unknown names. It leads to a journey uncovering hidden histories and forgotten places.
• In the heart of the desert, a mirage reveals a hidden oasis with secrets of its own.
• An expedition to an uncharted island reveals a civilization thought to be a myth.
• A trip to see the Northern Lights uncovers a phenomenon more magical. But it is more dangerous than ever expected.
• A hidden path in an ancient forest leads to a world untouched by time.
• An urban explorer discovers an underground city beneath the streets of a bustling metropolis.
• A mysterious castle appears in the sky. It is accessible only to those who dare to find a way up.
• A traveller returns from an otherworldly journey with tales. They challenge the limits of belief.

Horror Writing Prompts

Horror writing prompts are a great resource for vampire romance books and other horror-related genres. So, tap into the depths of fear with horror story prompts that are sure to send shivers down your spine:

• A painting you acquire at an estate sale changes each time you look at it. Eventually, it reveals something horrifying.
• A person discovers their reflection. It has a mind of its own. In addition, it reveals dark truths.
• The woods near your house are said to be haunted. One night, you hear your name whispered among the trees.
• You hear about a melody that haunts a town. It drives its listeners to madness and reveals a sinister history.
• A house filled with lifelike dolls that seem to watch your every move. It hides a grim secret.
• A fog rolls into a small town, and with it comes whispers that drive people to do unspeakable things.
• You see a door in the basement that was never there before. It leads to a dark and forgotten place.
• Residents of a small town are visited by a figure in the night, who watches from afar, never approaching until.
• A grave that doesn’t appear on any map is found to hold the key to a century-old curse.
• A rare lunar eclipse reveals a horrifying figure walking across the moon’s surface. It signals a dark event.

Young Adult Writing Prompts

Young adult fiction often tackles the tumultuous journey of growing up. The following prompts focus on the challenges and triumphs of youth:

• At your new school, you’re invited to join a secret society. It promises adventure but hides a dark secret.
• On your sixteenth birthday, you discover you have a power. It could change the world or destroy it.
• A group of friends discovers a hidden bunker during summer break. It leads to a mystery that tests their friendship.
• A secret society meets at midnight to share stories. However, their tales start to come true.
• A teen discovers their ancestry is linked to an ancient legend. It thrusts them into a world of magic and danger.
• Teens have the power to enter dreams. They must save one of their own from a nightmare that could trap them forever.
• A high school talent show reveals a student’s unique ability. It attracts unwanted attention.
• There is a society where books are banned. A group of teens starts an underground library and fights for the right to read.
• A teen discovers a parallel world where their every decision creates ripples. It affects both worlds in unexpected ways.
• At a summer camp set to close, campers encounter a mystery that ties the camp’s history to their own lives.

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Beyond the Prompt: Develop Your Story with Creative Writing Prompts

You now have ideas for writing prompts. Then, it is time to transition from story writing prompts to a fully realized story. Writing prompts serve as the initial stage. However, the journey from prompt to page is where the real magic happens. Let’s look at how you can develop writing prompts into captivating narratives.

Character Development

Start with questions.

Who is your protagonist? What do they want more than anything? What’s stopping them? Characters drive stories, such as:

• Foil Characters
• Morally Grey Characters
• Round Characters

Therefore, you need to understand the motivations, fears, and strengths of your characters.

Give Them Flaws

Perfect characters are boring. Flaws make characters relatable and their journeys compelling. So, think about how the weaknesses of your character might impact their decisions and the outcome of the story.

Set the Scene

World-building.

World-building is especially important in genres such as fantasy and science fiction. However, every story needs a setting. Look at how the environment affects the story. Is it a dystopian future that challenges the characters at every turn, or a buzzing city filled with opportunities and threats?

Sensory Details

Bring your world to life with sensory details. What does it smell like in the haunted mansion or on the alien planet? In addition, what sounds fill the air in the bustling marketplace or the quiet village?

Plot Twists and Turns

Outline the journey.

Even if you’re not an outliner by nature, you should have a rough idea of where your story is headed. As a result, it can help keep you on track. So, think of it as a map with room for detours.

Conflict is Key

Conflict is one of the top elements of fiction . No conflict, no story. So, your characters should face challenges, make decisions, and deal with the consequences. In addition, these conflicts can be external (a villain, a natural disaster) or internal (fear of failure, struggling with identity).

Bring Your Story to Life

Our ghostwriters transform your ideas into mesmerizing stories using creative writing prompts to ensure your voice shines through.

The Value of Practice

Keep in mind that the goal is not to write a book on your first try. The goal is to write. Each story you write and each prompt you explore help hone your skills and deepen your learning of the craft. So, practice regularly with writing prompts. As a result, it will:

Boost Creativity

The more you write, the easier it becomes to develop new ideas for writing a book and solve narrative problems.

Improve Discipline

Set a writing routine, even if it’s just a few minutes a day. It can help turn writing from a hobby into a habit.

Resources and Ideas for Creative Writing Prompts

Find new and exciting prompts. It doesn’t have to be a chore. Here are some resources to keep your prompt well full:

Books and Journals

Many books are dedicated to providing writers with prompts. Similarly, literary journals sometimes offer prompt-based contests.

Online Communities

Websites like Reddit have communities dedicated to writing prompts. Participating can also provide you with feedback from fellow writers. Such platforms are excellent sources of free writing prompts, daily writing prompts as well as random writing prompts.

Daily Prompt Apps

There are several apps available that deliver a new writing prompt to you each day. In addition, they ensure you always have a source of inspiration at your fingertips.

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Additional Resources:

Books on Writing Craft: “ On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft” by Stephen King “ Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life” by Anne Lamott “The Elements of Style” by William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White “Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within” by Natalie Goldberg “The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles” by Steven Pressfield Online Writing Communities: Reddit ‘s r/Writing and r/WritingPrompts Wattpad : A platform for writers to share their work and connect with readers Scribophile : A writing group and online writing workshop where writers can critique each other’s work NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month): An annual event that encourages writers to complete a novel in a month, held every November Writing Software and Tools: Scrivener : A powerful content-generation tool for long documents Grammarly : A writing assistant that helps with grammar, punctuation, and style Hemingway Editor : A tool that highlights complex sentences and common errors to improve readability Evernote : A note-taking app that can be useful for organizing research and ideas Creative Writing Courses and Workshops: Local community colleges or universities often offer creative writing courses Online platforms like Coursera , Udemy , and Skillshare offer a variety of writing courses taught by experienced authors Writing retreats and workshops, such as those offered by The Highlights Foundation or The Loft Literary Center

Frequently Asked Questions

What are some cool prompts.

Here are a few writing prompts to get you started:

• Write about a song that evokes a strong emotion in you.
• Narrate a childhood memory from the perspective of someone else who was there.
• Describe an object that isn’t valuable but means a lot to you.
• Today’s color: What color do you feel like today and why?

What are 500 writing prompts?

The “500 Writing Prompts” journal is a treasure trove for writers. It offers a wide range of prompts across genres and themes. Moreover, it is designed to spark your creativity and help you explore the depths of your imagination, one prompt at a time.

What are 5-minute writing prompts?

These quick prompts are perfect for daily journaling or warming up your writing muscles. They include gratitudes, aspirations, affirmations, reflections on the day, and thoughts on improvement.

What are some good writing questions?

Here are a few journal prompts to ponder:

• What do you aspire to be?
• List five adventures you want to have before you turn 20.
• What’s your dream job?
• Imagine your life at 30. What does it look like?
• What are the three most impactful jobs in the world, in your opinion?
• Would you ever want to be president?

Writing prompts are not just a cure for writer’s block. They’re an excellent tool that can help your growth as a writer. In addition, they make your way to explore new genres and a method for honing your craft. Every word you write brings you one step closer to the writer you aspire to be. So, grab some good writing prompts from the many creative writing topics we have discussed. Then, see where it leads you. In addition, if you face any problems, you can always come to Authors Breeze .

Enhance Your Blog with Writing Prompts

Our blog writers use innovative writing prompts to produce posts that engage, inform, and delight your audience.

Caroline Chartrand

As a writing expert, Caroline R Chartrand has written numerous books across various genres, from memoirs to self-help guides. With a passion for history and literature, she has delved into the lives of some of the fascinating figures in history, uncovering hidden stories and surprising facts.

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25 Creative Writing Prompts

by Melissa Donovan | Oct 23, 2018 | Creative Writing Prompts | 236 comments

Twenty-five creative writing prompts to inspire and motivate you.

Don’t you just hate writer’s block? Some say it’s a disease that only creative workers succumb to. Some say it’s a curse. Others argue that it doesn’t exist at all. But just about everyone has been there–sitting in front of a blank screen, fingers itching to create a masterpiece. And nothing happens.

For me, the most bizarre thing about writer’s block is that it strikes randomly. Most of the time, I’m overwhelmed with more ideas than I can possibly write about. But then I’ll sit down to write and my mind goes blank. Sure, I flip through my notebooks and review all the ideas I’ve stockpiled, but nothing feels right. I want something fresh. I need a new angle.

To help break through this block, I started turning to creative writing prompts. And then I started making up my own prompts. The result:  1200 Creative Writing Prompts ,  a book designed to spark ideas for writers.

Creative Writing Prompts

Today I’d like to share a mash-up of creative writing prompts, all of which come from  1200 Creative Writing Prompts . There are no rules. Write a poem. Write a short story. Write an essay. Aim for a hundred words or aim for a hundred thousand. Just start writing, and have fun.

• The protagonist is digging in the garden and finds a fist-sized nugget of gold. There’s more where that came from in this hilarious story of sudden wealth.
• Write a poem about something ugly—war, fear, hate, or cruelty—but try to find the beauty (silver lining) in it or something good that comes out of it.
• An asteroid and a meteoroid collide near Earth, and fragments rain down onto the planet’s surface, wreaking havoc. Some of those fragments contain surprising elements: fossils that prove life exists elsewhere in the galaxy, for example.
• The story starts when a kid comes out of the school bathroom with toilet paper dangling from his or her waistband. Does someone step forward and whisper a polite word, or do the other kids make fun? What happens in this pivotal moment will drive the story and have a deep impact on the main character.
• Revisit your earliest memories of learning about faith, religion, or spirituality.
• Use all of the following words in a poem: bit, draw, flex, perilous, bubble, corner, rancid, pound, high, open.
• Write a poem about a first romantic (dare I say sexual?) experience or encounter.
• Write a personal essay describing an exotic animal you’d like to have as a pet.
• Silvery flakes drifted downward, glittering in the bright light of the harvest moon. The blackbird soared.
• Write a tongue-in-cheek, satirical tribute. Tell bad drivers, rude customers, and evil dictators how grateful you are for what they’ve done. Do it with a wink and a smile.
• Write a story about a detective solving a crime that was committed against his or her partner or a crime that his or her partner committed.
• Three children are sitting on a log near a stream. One of them looks up at the sky and says…
• There is a magic talisman that allows its keeper to read minds. It falls into the hands of a young politician.
• We’ve seen cute and cuddly dragons, mean and vicious dragons, and noble dragons. Write a story about a different kind of dragon.
• Use all of the following words in a poem: dash, hard, staple, billboard, part, circle, flattened.
• Write a story set in the distant future when humanity is at a fork in the evolutionary road. Some humans are evolving; others are not.
• The kids were raised on the mantra “Family is everything.” What happens when they find out their parents aren’t who they pretended to be? Will the family fall apart?
• Write a poem about one (or both) of your parents. It could be a tribute poem, but it doesn’t have to be.
• Turn ordinary animals into monsters that prey on humans: dog-sized rats, killer rabbits, or a pack of rabid mountain lions. Give the animals intelligence and set them loose.
• A twinkling eye can mean many things. Write a poem about a twinkle in someone’s eye.
• What determines an action or person as good or evil? Who gets to decide what or who is good or evil? Write a personal essay about it.
• Write a poem about your body.
• The protagonist is about to drift off to sleep only to be roused by the spontaneous memory of an embarrassing moment from his or her past.
• Write about the happiest day of your life.
• Use all of the following words in a poem: feast, fire, modify, squash, robbed, forgotten, understated.

Now It’s Your Turn

Did any of these prompts inspire you? Do you ever use creative writing prompts to ignite a writing session? Tell us what gets your pen moving by leaving a comment, and keep writing!

To get more prompts like these, pick up a copy of  1200 Creative Writing Prompts   today.

236 Comments

Melissa, Wow, there’s something about this list that feels like a lightbulb went off! There are times when I feel stuck, like ideas aren’t there. And this list really shines what can be…limitless possibilities!

26. If my life were a cartoon… 27. Pick two crayons at random. What thoughts/feelings do two color stir up in you?

Ah, I love the feeling of a light bulb illuminating my mind! Thanks for adding to the list!

what about… That spark which seemed like a star, when it approached closer, my lips went white and body shivering despite the fact I knew I was placed in a desert – by them- and the sun shone directly above my head. Then at a distance of 1m probably, I got the sight of…

Thanks for sharing these.

If you have children, visualize one of them running the house for a day.

That’s a good one. Kids running the house…how very Dr. Seuss! Cat in the Hat without the cat, hehee.

Ooh, great prompts! Thanks for sharing these!

Thanks! Glad you like them!

A day in the life of a doormat

The adventures of a shooting star

Making friends with my enemy

Ooh, interesting! Thanks, Fouzia.

Hi Melissa,

Bought 3 of your books. 1. 101 Creative Writing Excercises 2.10 Core Practices For Better Writing and 3. 1,200 Creative Writing Prompts.

I decided to start with 1,200 Creative Writing Prompts.

So far, I have written 4 stories from the prompts. I guess I want to enquire as to whether I need to go through each prompt. Thank you

Wow, Kevin, thanks for getting three of my books. I truly appreciate that. You can use the prompts in any way that is comfortable for you. No, you do not have to go through each and every prompt. I encourage you to skip around, flip through book, and find prompts that inspire. I hope you have fun with it! Thanks again.

When I took my creative writing class in college the instructor gave us a really good one to use if we couldn’t think of what to write. She said to write the word Remember 3 times and that would prompt something. The entire class tried it and it worked and I have used it several times since then!

I like the use of remember . There are a lot of words that help people when they can’t think of anything to write about. Maybe I should do a list of single-word prompts. Hmm…

Wow. I was COMPLETELY stuck and this brought back a great story for me to write about, though only faintly attached to any memory of mine. Thanks!

That’s great, Camille! Good luck with your story!

I like to use the question “what would happen if …. ”

What would happen if your husband retired and your kid left home and you’re getting older? -> ” Always Faithful”

What would happen if a person moved back home to care for a relative after decades of living far away? -> “The Way Home”

What would happen if a person who has been divorced and alone for a long time suddenly met the most perfect mate imaginable … but it turns out the person may not be what she appears to be? -> “Baiting and Fishing”

In a way, I think “What Would Happen If…” is my novelist version of my favorite childhood game, “Let’s pretend that…..”

“What if” is the best creative writing prompt ever! You can apply it to just about any situation. Just look at any movie, book, or even real life and start asking, “What if things happened a little differently?” or “What if this person made a different decision?” Asking these questions can take your writing in all kinds of new and interesting directions! It’s great fun.

I love these. Here’s one:

“She was drifting off to sleep when there was a sharp knock at the door . . . “

Ooh, I like that one.

Fabulous list. I’ve been brainstorming all morning with no luck, and so I came online and VOILA, here you are. Loved the list, especially 22.

I’ve created several interesting works using my personal favourite “things to do on a rainy day”. I usually write from the perspective of a child, but rarely myself as a child. This one just opens up so many possibilities for make beleive!

Thanks, Melanie! Glad this list helped you in a time of need. My favorite “things to do on a rainy day” story is The Cat in the Hat . Of course, it’s a “day when mom’s away” rather than a “rainy day,” but it’s pretty much the same idea. Keep writing!

these are very great… i got this one off of True Jackson VP.. spin around and the first thing you see will give you an idea..

i just did this and i saw flowers…

i’m writing about “you are walking through a field with your best friend.. you spot a flower and pick it up.. it gives you super powers…

Ah, a flower that gives one super powers. I love that idea! You should definitely run with it!

I love True Jackson VP! Cool that you got an idea from it! 🙂

You’re suggestion really helped! Im doing imaginative writing for homework and I was so stuck but I’ve found the right one now!!

That’s awesome, Grace! Keep writing.

ooh those are cool… how about: He cradled her, taking in all of her burdens as he swept her hair back from her face and stroked her cheek in a gentle calming motion.

I do creative writing as an A level so it would be cool to know if this starter is ok! ty xoxo

Catherine, I think that’s a great starter line, especially for a romantic story or poem! My only suggestion would be the part “gentle calming motion.” There might be one too many adjectives there. If you keep both adjectives, be sure to add a comma after the first one: “gentle, calming motion.” Nice job!

A young man attempts to pull a robbery of some kind on an older man. Things go drastically wrong for the young man. Either viewpoint!

Either viewpoint, or both, could work!

what if the old man was a retired super spy and the young robber is homeless and broke. he tells this to the old man and the man trains him to be a good spy and lets the young robber live with him. then the old man gets the young robber a job as a spy and then they both find out that the retired spy is the young robbers father and the mother ran away while she was pregnant to go be with some rich guy but the rich guy killed the mother and the young robber has been living on the streets since he was 10.

Heres a gorgeous one! Write a story in the POV of a flower being given from person 2 person.

Interesting!

Wow! These are great, thanks for putting these up. I’m 12 and I really want to be a novelist when I grow up. One of my favourites is: the empty glass. It’s a bit over-used but I think that it’s so versatile, it doesn’t matter if it’s popular because you can take it in so many different directions!

That’s great, Katie! You’re off to an early start. Just stay focused and passionate, and you’ll become a novelist if that’s what you truly want. Good luck to you!

Katie, It is never too young to start living your dreams. Don’t ever let anyone get you down. Keep on writing and believe in yourself that one day you will make it! Best of luck!

I couldn’t agree more, AJ!

I’m 11 and everyone thinks I am a good writer and I love to write so much!

That’s wonderful, Maria. Keep writing!

I’m 16 and i wrote a great alternate ending for an assignment in english, and i wrote a short christmas story on christmas eve, but now i just don’t know what to write about. i have ideas and i have been reading prompts that are good but i just don’t know.

Kristi, give the prompts a try. There are also lots of writing exercises that you can use to spark writing sessions when you’re feeling uninspired. The trick is to write something (anything) rather than sit around waiting for something to write about.

Hi! I am 14 and just wanted to do some creative writing, but could not think of anything to write about. Thank you so much for the ideas! I will definitely be using some.

You’re so welcome! Good luck with your writing!

I’m 14 and writing is my whole life. I recently started a blog with my friend, but she’s not a writer. She just inspires me with ideas and stuff. I love your site, Melissa. I check it almost every day. Your prompts and tips are so completely helpful! Thanks so much!

Thank you! I appreciate your kind words.

I’m fourteen, too, and writing is hard to juggle with school and everything else that’s going on. I know – such a teenager-y thing to say…but true nonetheless. I just wanted to say thank you for posting these prompts because they make for quick, satisfying writing that doesn’t end in frustration (at least, mostly). Thanks again!

Writing is hard to juggle at any age. It takes a lot of perseverance, but if you stick with it, you’ll succeed. Good luck to you, and keep on writing!

Im also fourteen and i love to write! i have won a national competition 2 years in a row and i never dreamed i would have won or anything but that just goes to show that youre never too young to write! Just keep believing in yourself and who knows where you might go!

I am thrilled when young people are so passionate about writing (or any craft, really). Congratulations on your success!

One good place to find good story prompts are the obituaries of a large newspaper. One true example: from the Arizona Republic years ago, an elderly gentleman got hit by a motorist one a late, rainy afternoon as he was crossing the street. He had been an immigrant from Norway, and had been a professor at ASU, and was retired and in his 80’s when he died. I have always imagined what his life had been, what he had experienced, etc.

Yes, newspapers are packed with story ideas!

Write a story from the perspective of a sock being separated from its twin in the laundry.

That would make a great children’s story.

a person went to the football stadium and was wearing manu shirt and came out with a barcalona shirt.why???

Well, I have no idea, but this certainly makes a good writing prompt!

I love these!! 😀 Here are a few I made: *Make up your own recipes for your favorite foods *Create your own list of idioms *Write stories of idioms literally happening *Write about something blue *What’s your idea of a perfect vacation? *List what you fear. pick a few and write how they came, why, and when you got the fear first *What would you say to an univited guest at your party *Draw a picture of the setting around you. Now look into your inner being. What do you truly feel? *Write from the point of view of a stack of paper waiting a few inches from the shredder *Her laugh broke the silence…

These are great! Thank you for adding them to the list.

By the way, I’m 11, love writing, and hope to publish fiction teen/children books one day

I wish you the best of luck! You have a head start, being such a young writer. Stick with it!

Lovarsnari,that’s kinda funny because l think the same thing! 🙂 My prob is that l start writing with great ideas,get stuck, and then start a new story/play….

same except that I’m 13 and mix my writing with my guitar playing and music

Well when i get stuck I like to think: What would I do if I were to die in a week? Once I picked everything and it turned quite an interesting story…

That’s a good one!

Hey I’m 14 years old and I love writing but I get writers block often and this really helped me. I love reading the ideas and other people’s ideas they are just very interesting. Number 19 seemed the most interesting to me and I’m almost done with my story. 🙂 thanks so much

Thanks, Violet. I often find that prompts and exercises can be used in different ways. You don’t always have to do the actual exercise. Sometimes, just reading through a book of exercises will generate ideas for a project I’m working on or help me understand a writing concept in a new way. Good luck with your story!

Hi Melissa 🙂 Last year i won junior writer of the year ( I’m 13) and I am entering this year as well and in the process of creating my first draft. I love your site and its wonderful, all-inclusive feel. So, here are my ideas for your list.

26. Post-War oppression & depression ( this was my winning topic last year – i wrote it from the perspective of a scarred war veterans’ emotionally abused child) I also commend you in your point concerning finding hope and light in darkness ( war, death, etc.) and i am going to write about that! Possibly with an Amish girl as the protagonist? thank you again for inspiring me. I also hope to be a great writer some day. Bee

Congratulations, Bee, and thanks for adding to these prompts. I wish you the best of luck in becoming a great writer. You are certainly well on your way!

POV of a toy sitting on a shelf in a toy store, hoping to be purchased.

your pet starts talking to you in perfect english and tells you what he/she really thinks of you…. what does he/she say?

Ha! That could be enlightening indeed!

I actually saw an animated short based on that premise (or something similar to it) and found it quite compelling. A great idea!

My contribution:

“When I look in the mirror, I don’t see what everyone else sees. What I see is…”

Nice! Thanks for adding this prompt, Nick.

My college English teacher gave my class this prompt. First Line: John closed his eyes. Last Line: It was a good day for the yellow crocuses. Anything in between. I easily made five pages with that prompt. Have fun guys.

Thanks for sharing that prompt, Jessy. It’s a good one.

Im a 17 year old living in the most secluded area of Kentucky, unfortunately. lol My dream is to pursue a career in filmmaking, my goal is to help people who are confused or unsure about life and what they want to do with their oppourtunity of life. I want people to think and find happiness in their lives by doing something they love. My idea of doing this came from being in a depressed state from the past few years as a teen and felt strong enough to overcome it without professional help which is progressing for the good. I found setting goals is a great strategy to stay focused and optimistic about life. I appreciate your time for reading this and if there is any advice you could influence me with id appreciate that as well. Thanks

It’s wonderful that you have set your sights on a clear career path at such a young age. Filmmaking is awesome! I sometimes wish I had taken up an interest in film or photography. The best advice I can offer is to never give up, stay focused, and pursue your goals with heart and soul. I would also advise studying film at college, if you can. The film industry is notoriously networked and you’ll benefit greatly by making friends and acquaintances who share your interest. Best of luck to you!

Thanks for taking the time to reply, it’s very much appreciated and yes im going to film school out in LA next year.

Hi! I am 13 and have been writing since I was 7 or younger, and I am in love with writing. I am a very dedicated author and I have finished books in the past (about 11 or 12) but now I can’t seem to get into any longer stories! I write more short stories now, but it’s not satisfying anymore…and then, when I come up with a new idea, it’s useless, and my brain gets all cluttered! Help!

It sounds like you’re having trouble staying focused. The first (and most important) thing that can help with that is to stay healthy: eat right, exercise, and get enough sleep. You may also need to break up your writing with other activities. Make sure you read regularly! For the time being, maybe you need to write short stories. I’m not sure you need to fight it.

thank you for the advice! 🙂

You are most welcome!

Hello 🙂 I am 17 and doing my HSC this year. I am attempting (unsuccessfully) to write a creative writing piece as practice for my exams, and thank you so much for these, they’re really helpful 🙂 I am not a writer (and never will be), but these have given me some great ideas that I can hopefully use to increase my writing skills for my exams. So thank you very much 🙂

You are very welcome, Emily, and best of luck on your exams.

I’ve found that this list, and peoples comments/ideas have been quite inspiring. I’m 21 and haven’t been in school for a few years and I have that desire to write, but never knew how to get started. I thank you all for these wonderful ideas and I’m hoping that writing will be a good outlet for me and my struggle with depression.

So really I’m just thanking you all 🙂

You’re welcome, Nicole, and thank you for joining in the discussion. Writing is a great way to work through emotions; I wish you the best of luck!

These are great!!!! My favourite starter would definetly have to be: “Sometimes a girl just has to run. Sometimes our feet take over. This was one of those times”

I think it holds a lot of suspense but it could also be happy and bright, like a sports day or carnival. Thanks for adding these, I am going to try to write a story for each one.

I’m not sure where that starter comes from, but it sounds good to me.

Hi! Thanks so much for these prompts. I especially like number two, because I feel like a little bit of positive thinking can go a long way. 🙂

I have a question, too, if you don’t mind.

What is your opinion on fanfictions? I know some creative writers don’t like them and feel they corrupt a series, while others think it’s a great creative exercise.

Thanks so much!

I think fan fiction is a great way for young and new writers to explore the craft. Some copyright holders are extremely strict about allowing fan fiction to be published. Others will actually develop and publish collections of fan fiction. There are also franchises in which fan fiction is encouraged. One of my all-time favorite writers, TV and film writer Damon Lindelof, said in a recent interview that he started out writing fan fiction. Now he’s writing for Ridley Scott and working on the Star Trek films as a fan-fic professional! It’s definitely an avenue worth pursuing if it interests you.

I’m fifteen and I want to write a book before the end of highschool. The problem is I can’t finish what I’ve started. I always find a “better” idea and write about that and the cycle begins again. Please help me!!!

The only way to finish what you’ve started is to simply finish it. When “better” ideas present themselves, make a note and file those ideas away for a future project. Part of being a writer involves developing self-discipline. I recommend setting up a reward system. For example, you have to work on the novel for 20 minutes before you can call or text your friends after school. Or you have to finish a scene before you go out to see a movie. These are self-imposed rewards, so you have to discipline yourself. Nobody else can do it for you.

You might also look into participating in NaNoWriMo. The timing is great because it starts in just a few weeks. That means you’ll have some time to prepare and check it out. Then you can write your novel in November, leaving plenty of time afterwards for you to clean it up (edit, proof, polish).

Finally, if you’re truly committed to writing, start looking at schools with good creative writing programs and plan to study at college. University instructors are quite helpful in teaching students self-discipline and good writing habits and practices.

Best of luck to you, Art!

Hi! Your prompts and the comments have really helped me! I can’t wait to start some stories from them:) Here are a couple that I’ve come up with: The Bell sounded. Workers froze in their places… Kay frowned as she opened her school locker after school. Down the hall, Alexis and Christine exchanged grins…

That’s great, Alyssa. Keep up the good work!

These are fantastic! I’m also 21 and have been out of school for awhile. I used to write all the time when I was in school but not so much these days. These ideas are really going to help once I get started writing again. I’m attempting to set a goal for myself. An hour a day, just writing whatever I want. Just to get me back in the habit.

Thank you so much!!!

One prompt my creative writing teacher in high school gave the class was “It was a smile that darkness could kill…”

That’s wonderful! An hour a day is enough to produce quite a bit of writing. I wish you the best of luck, Ashlee!

Obviously it is now 2011 haha, but these are great!! I have wanted to write a novel for quite some time but I can’t seem to get the creative juices flowing. So I set out on a quest across the World Wide Web and I am finding some amazing ideas!! Thank you so much for this website I look forward to writing now instead of despairing of that dreaded cursor blinking me to oblivion!!

I hope your quest for inspiration is fruitful! And keep writing!

I’ve just been inspired to start a personal blog full of my own creative writing, with the assistance of some of these wonderful writing prompts (both yours, and the ones left in the comment section). Thank you, thank you, thank you.

That’s wonderful! Blogs have been a boon for writers, and I think more writers should take advantage of the technology. I wish you the best of luck with your blog, Emily.

Hi, I’m 17. I started creative writing when I was about 10 or 11. I found myself writing more and more when I was troubled a few years back, so it was good stress relief for me. But now that I’m busy with college, I realize that I haven’t been writing as much as I used to. I reread some of my old work and I thought “Hey, why not? I’ll give it a try for old times’ sake.”

I was a bit confused with where to start off, but these prompts really got my creative juices flowing. After I post this comment, I think I’ll try one or two of them and see how far it takes me. Thanks for the inspiration. 🙂

I’m so glad that these prompts inspired you, Christi. I think many writers go through phases when they drift away from the craft, but when you’re called back to it, that might be a sign. Follow it and keep writing!

In my junior year of high school, we were given a creative writing assignment to expand on this sentence:

“A person walked into the room, looked around, sat down, and ate.”

That’s a great prompt. It would certainly be interesting to see what a whole classroom of people come up with. I imagine each piece of writing would be quite different from the others, even though they are all based on the same premise. Thanks for sharing it, Alli.

Here’s a prompt! Prop open the door. I can actually see my breathe tonight. But that doesnt mean im breathing.

Ooh, sounds like a zombie, robot, or vampire story.

These writing ideas helped a lot thank you. I really want to go to a creative writing school when I get older. One idea which I just came up with is Write from the perspective of your fish.( does each fish have there own personality, how does each fish react to the different members of the house, what is it like to be a fish) 😛 I hope you like I write often mostly stories with a more poetic base, but once in a while i will feel in the mood to write some thing different. Oh also try continuing after this sentence. Its eyes gleamed pitch black death, creeping into imaginary, azure skies. now continue it :3

Thanks for sharing your prompt, Samantha, and good luck to you!

For school, I have to enter a creative writing competition. I have two days and i was really panicking but then i found this website! It really helped! Thankyou Writing Forward!!

Hannah, I’m so glad you found help and inspiration here. Thank you!

Lately I’ve been trying to write a lot like Sarah Dessen! Were doing stories in class and I’m doin one about a girl who runs away, it starts out “I’m on the run! I don’t know where I’m going or where I’ll end up, but I’m not turning back!” 🙂 Do you like it?

I do like your opening line. It certainly grabs the reader’s attention and rouses curiosity. Nice job.

Thank you so much!!!! This got me over my terrible case of writer’s block. But now my muse is back!

Wow, thanks, Maria. That’s awesome!

I just want to say that this list of prompts has inspired me to take on a challenge of using one every day up until xmas on my blog… or at least until the end of the month!

Thanks for the great list 🙂

That’s awesome, Julz. Good luck with your December writing!

I haven’t tried it yet, but I think a fun way to mix these up even more would be to choose one of these, then draw the name of an author out of a hat, then write that prompt in the style of that author. That would really stretch your creativity.

That’s an excellent exercise and would definitely be challenging. You’d have to be deeply familiar with the author’s voice.

I have found these prompts really helpful for the English lessons that I teach.

Many thanks.

That’s great, Cass. I love the idea of these prompts helping students with reading and writing.

i have learnt English as a second language…writing is my passion…this page is REALLY inspiring!thanks for evoking our creative faculties… i want to suggest some topics and the list goes as: 1The beast in me 2Daily journal of a pair of shoes which is in the process of its making 3What the world be if gender roles get changed 4What if i were in the shoes of my English teacher 5How things at the high school are going to be if the concept of beauty gets altered altogether 6It is said that writing is all about pouring your mind on a piece of paper but what it your pen literally starts articulating your thoughts and you end up writing EVERRRRYTHING(What consequences are you going to face)

Thanks for adding your ideas to these prompts!

I haven’t tried the prompts yet but I have always wanted to be a writer since I was eight years old. However ever since graduating and entering the real world I find my muse being choked to death by the responsibility at home. I’ve had to give up my dream of writing for the past two years. I tried taking it up again and was drawing a huge blank, but just by reading a few of these prompts I’ve felt my muse start to breathe. Thank you!

Hi Rochelle. I remember graduating and entering the real world, and I had a similar experience. All of a sudden I just didn’t have the time or inspiration. It took a while, but I adjusted and my creativity returned. I’m so glad you found these prompts helpful!

I found like 5 great writing prompts thank u so much

You are so welcome!

you thought dragoons unicorns and monsters didnt exist? think again! write story of your pet unicorn

That’s a cute idea!

Thank you for these, I am a writer waiting to hear if a publisher is going to publish my novel. Waiting is so hard and my mind has gone blank. These help to stir the jucies again. I’m hand writing them in a note book and taking them with me when I’m out, to write on the go. When I have to wait for a kid to get to the car I can write and not have to figure out how to start a story. So thank you. so much.

That’s awesome. What is it about being in a car or shower that makes us more creative? I always get ideas in those two locations!

thanks sooo much! those were super helfull! you have the most helpfull website ive found! and i’m a picky writer! THANKYOU!!!

Thanks, Anna.

here are some more ideas: you inherit 1 million dollars your backpack grows wings on the way to school a zombie invasion stikes your small/big town a kidnapper captures you … hope these help 🙂

Thanks, Ebony!

Hey! These prompts really helped and I can’t wait to use some 🙂 I have started with the one about twinklling eyes and turned it into a story about creatures similar to werewolves XD

Sounds interesting, Molly! Good luck with your story, and keep writing!

My English teacher says she doesn’t believe in writer’s block. I on the other hand am not so sure. Sometimes I sit in the afternoon and stare out the window, unable to come up with anything good but I find that ideas flow like crazy at two in the morning with a cup of coffee in my left hand. That’s always my best remedy, though writing prompts like these always help me get going. Thanks for sharing 🙂

Some prompts:

10 things I hate about… What’s the recipe for those wonderful _______ muffins you baked last night? (Try filling that blank with ‘unicorn’.)

I believe in writer’s block, but I think that it’s presented as being unable to write whereas usually it’s just a case of needing to work a little harder at writing. Sometimes, we need to stop procrastinating, stop trying to force our ideas, or we just need to allow ourselves to write badly for a while. I believe there are ideas everywhere; the trick is to keep ourselves open to them and be willing to explore them. Having said all that, writer’s block still sucks. I’m like you, Maluly, the ideas flow like crazy at two in the morning (no coffee required!).

i dont believe in writiers block.. i think its more like an exuse to hide what we really want to write or say. Like sometimes peoploe wonder if it will be good enough so they put it off or they dont want people who read it to know something.. its all about the way you look at it i guess. Write what you feel. Write whatever you want. I love writing but i find myself wondering will this be good enough? What would someone think if they read it? Maybe thats just me. no self esteem… but, low selfesteem is what keeps creativity hidden…. my advice.. to everyone is to just go for it. if its not good try again you’ll get better(:

I agree: just go for it.

Thanks for these! I definitely believe in writer’s block!! In fact, I am just emerging from what I like to call writer’s ‘droubt’, since it lasted at least a year. But I don’t think you need to be blocked to use prompts. They are great exercises and get you to try new ways of writing. And sometimes, when I get burned out with the story I’m currently writing, it helps to focus on something completely different for a while, and you can come back to it with fresh eyes. Here are some prompts that I came up with and they helped me out: 1) ‘It all started with the cat…’ 2) ‘Have you ever seen something out of the corner of your eye, but when you turned to look, found nothing there? You dismiss it as an illusion, a trick of the light. You’re wrong…’ 3) Write something from the perspective of a ghost. 4) Write something using the five senses EXCEPT sight (hearing, smell, touch, taste) 5) Instead of using first or third person, write with second person point-of-view (in other words, use ‘you’ instead of ‘he/she’ or ‘I’. Or try writing in present or even future tense, instead of past tense.

Oh yeah, and one more: 6) Write something from the perspective of the BAD guy, instead of the hero

I love when stories do this! Thanks for adding it, CJM.

These are excellent prompts, especially well suited for speculative fiction writers. My favorite is the prompt about seeing something out of the corner of your eye (that happens to me sometimes!). Thanks for adding these.

Here’s one for those of you who have pets What do your pets do when you and other inhabitants of your house are not at home?

Ooh, that’s a good one, Lily. That could be great for a children’s story!

Thank you SO much for these exciting writing prompts! They really inspire me. I have one idea for a prompt: Write about a conversation that you would have if were stuck in an elevator with a celebrity or famous book character.

You’re welcome, Arieda. I love your elevator prompt! You could also do it with characters from your novel as a test to see how each would behave in an elevator with a celebrity. That could tell you a lot about your characters. Good one!

Lovely ideas, both of these! Arieda, that prompt gave me a short story idea, one that I’m pretty excited about, and I’m definitely going to have to do that with all my characters now, Melissa. 🙂 I thought up another twist on this prompt that intrigues me: Your characters get stuck in an elevator with you, their author. How do they react when they discover who you are and that you control their destinies? What sort of conversations would you have? Would you like interacting with your character? Would your character like you?

Hannah, I love your prompt idea. What a fun writing exercise: The Character Meets the Author. That’s quite brilliant!

Thank you so much for these, I’m trying to write a book…and I’ve been at a stand still lately, so this will help me more than ever.

You’re welcome, Alexis. I’m glad you found these prompts helpful.

Hi Ms. Donovan! thank you so much for the writing prompts! i’ve been using them for all my english creative writing assignments. it’s been my dream to be a writer since i was little. although i find it hard to write mysteries. ironically it’s my favorite genre to read though. any advice on how to get started on a good mystery?

I myself haven’t written mysteries, although I have read a few. My suggestion would be to read as many mysteries as you can, and watch mystery films and television shows, so you thoroughly know your genre (you should still read other stuff too!). Study the greats and ideas will come to you!

Wow i have writers block i have my charecter but i dont know what the problem is…… help any good title ideas?

When I’m stuck and can’t come up with a character or a title, I just skip it. The important thing is to keep writing. You can always come back later and add names and titles. Here’s how I do it:

GIRL said that there was no way out but OLD LADY knew otherwise…

I use all caps for characters who don’t have names yet. Many writers use a “working title” as they are developing their project. A working title can be anything. It’s just temporary.

You’ll find that as you work on your project (and if you work around these little setbacks), ideas will come to you. Good luck!

Awesome post:) Thanks so much, really helped! have a great day! Peace-Jeff

Thanks, Jeff!

A prompt could be : She started to fall over and _________( fill in the blank) picked her up.

or : The alien gaze stared from above the fence , and I blushed in embarrassment.

100 words about your favorite animal

a short story about a difficult topic like : war , famine , bullying .etc

a poem about the weather

Hi Melody! Thanks for adding your prompts to this ever-growing list!

Your prompts are definitely creative and helpful, but what I’m most impressed with is how you respond so positively and encouragingly to everyone who replied to this. Sometimes all it takes is a little bit of encouragement or approval from even a complete stranger to shift a young writers thought from maybe being able to do something to just doing it. I haven’t written in months, and are still my having any real luck, but I know I will write again someday, and I just thought it should be mentioned that you are a good person for encouraging others to do what they love. Best of luck to you…

Thank you so much, Shannon. Your words mean a lot to me. I try to be an advocate for writers and encourage young and new writers to explore their ideas and find their voices. I believe the world would be a better place if we all followed our passions, and more importantly, encouraged others to do so as well.

“Conundrum”

The little girl cries with a lie on her lips The girl can’t remember her name The little boy’s laugh rings with hollow self-doubt The little girl feels just the same A little dog lost in the thick of the woods A little man sick with dismay A little boy born in the arms of the girl A little life born from a day A little death born from an ignorant choice A little boy crying away And a little God laughs at the sight of it all For this little herd has not a say

Thanks for sharing your poem with us, Conner. Keep writing!

It’s the first time that i’m gonna be doing an inter-school creative writing competition, and i found these prompts really helpful! Thanks a billion!

You’re welcome!

Really like the prompts! It was really helpful! My brother and I are always gonna use this website! I <3 it!

Thanks! I’m glad you like it here 🙂

Thanks Melissa for the writing prompts. I asked my students to develop their writing skill through these useful prompts. By the way, I have published my first fiction ‘Faith No More’. I’d be extremely glad if you could manage to read any of it and provide me with feedback.

Hi Afshin. Thanks for sharing these prompts with your students. Requests for feedback should be sent via email (you can use the “Contact” link at the top of this site).

i have been major struggling with writing my second book and when i found these i just opened up my mind more and i decided not to write a second book it was just fine without one and now i can be on a whole other spectrum thanks so much these has inspired me a lot i put a few of em together to get ideas 🙂 well done 🙂 highly appreciated

That’s awesome. Thanks for letting me know that these prompts helped you. Good luck with your writing projects!

I just got a typewriter at a great market the other day so I came looking for something to help me have fun and get inspired while I was using it. Thanks for the help! I ended up writing a thing about an embarrassing moment that helped me learn how to not sweat it when embarrassing moments happen. This particular one had to do with toilet paper… haha. Cheers!

Embarrassing moments always make for good storytelling. Enjoy your new typewriter!

I’ve been really into playwriting lately, but I’ve been stuck with writers block for the longest time. A couple of these prompts really caught my attention and I’ve already got so many new ideas, I don’t know where to begin! 🙂

That’s awesome. I’m glad you found this piece so helpful.

I have had writers block for months now. This site has helped me so much!

I’m thrilled to hear that! Keep writing!

My favorite way to start up a story is to listen to a song and think about the story of it. Sometimes I use the first part of the song as the first sentence of my story. I hope this helps.

That’s an awesome idea! I love music-literature crossovers.

Hi thank you so much for these ideas i have chosen an idea and i have a perfect picture of my idea . Thank you again and as you will see on all of your comments you have helped a lot of children or adults from this website . Thank you !

You’re welcome! Thanks for commenting.

Great prompts.

I shared #9 with my page for a fun writing exercise about an hour ago. Great response! 🙂

Thanks for sharing one of these prompts with your readers. I hope they have fun with it.

Thanks for the prompts! Reading other people’s ideas always makes me feel more hopeful about initiating my own. I have struggled to put my thoughts down on paper for as long as I can remember- there just seems to be a disconnect between the disorganized chaos of possibilities in my head and that little spot where the ink meets the paper. BUT- I wanted to offer an idea that has often provided many interesting and fun possibilities to me- Think of a time of day ( 7 pm, the sun setting, the day cooling off, night creatures beginning to stir), or a month ( August, the air laden with heat and damp, everything deep and green and vibrant), and then try to think of all the qualities that accompany that period of time ( do most people seem happy then? is it a relaxing time? a tense time? does the weather make life easier or harder?). Once you’ve collected as many descriptions and feelings about this time as you can, then begin to build a world where it is ALWAYS that time- how do people’s lives change? 🙂

Ooh, that’s a great exercise. I wasn’t expecting the twist at all! Love it.

This is awesme. i like these. i like writing prompts, and this is a very helpful website

Thanks! I’m glad you liked these prompts.

omg wow, this helped me so much, thankyou so much!! i love my writing and this just helped me ten fold. xxx

You’re welcome. I’m glad you found it helpful.

I’ve been writing since i was eight, [approximately (obviously – i haven’t been counting!)] but I started to loose it… flame was REIGNITED by my best friend. but despite the burning, I have never actually completed a story. It knaws at me all the time! I’m currently writing a revolutionary/Sci-fi, which is odd for me, I’m more into writing realist novels… but your prompts gave me such a PERFECT plot twist that I had to comment on it! this will give me motivation for at least a few weeks… (meanwhile dancing up and down with sheer joy and attracting VERY weird looks.) Though it IS kind of weird, because non of the prompts have anything to do with it… My, how strangely the mind works…

Yes, the mind works in mysterious ways. I’m glad one of these prompts inspired you. Best of luck with your story (I love sci-fi).

This website is a life saver. My brain just froze and I was trying to do a creative writing story, and my life and my school / collage life depended on it. Thanks to one of your prompts, it won my school a pride. Thanks a lot. 🙂 bye!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Whoops I meant prize

That’s awesome, Tierrney! Congrats on winning a prize. Keep writing!

wow great writing promts, ive already decided on the start of my story but I cant think of anything that can happen. I want something to happen. HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Try throwing some conflict at your main character. Good luck to you!

Wow!! I tried prompt number one just for fun one day, I have not exercised my creative mind in a long time, and I want to thank you for offering these prompts. I really surprised myself at the poem I wrote. It probably wouldnt go over to well with the grammar police because I used old english and standard english.. but the content just really surprised me. I was like, “where did that come from”? Thank you so much!!!! Blessings and Thanks to you for your website!

Thanks for your kind words, Kathleen. I’m so glad you found inspiration here!

thank you so much i found 3 ideas for a school project i am working on this is going to be one of my most big acomplishments!

You’re welcome! Good luck with your project.

i love this website because it helped me get an A on my project!!! i am soo thankfull to WRITING FORWARD!!! thank you sooo much and i am sooo confident that i will be sure to use this website again….thanX a million luv WRIGHTING FORWARD~~kbb

You’re welcome. Congratulations on getting such a good grade!

Writing comes from the mind and obviously the ideas comes from our real life….The story of mystery novels always comes from the fear we have in our minds and it can come from everything… I can remember the things…when I wrote my first poem ‘Rain’…it was raining in cats and dogs outside…..

I think writing comes from many places. I try not to over-analyze it, but it is interesting to examine our ideas and try to figure out where they came from.

I really like your ideas but I had some of my own that I think you could add to your list. You could add things like:

You’re outside cutting your grass when you come across a large hole in the ground. You’ve never noticed the hole before, but it looks to be some sort of tunnel to another world. You decide to peek through and see where it leads, only it leads you to a pivotal moment in your past—and it’s giving you an opportunity to change it. Write this scene.

A toy, stuffed animal, or game that once meant a lot to me

Why I deserve a larger allowance

The book that got me hooked on reading

This really bugs me.

One thing I want to do by the time I finish 8th grade

I would like to have lived during this time in history.

Thanks for adding these writing prompts, Shreya.

Start your story with: Jessica had no choice. She closed her eyes and jumped.

You might be surprised.

Ah, that’s an interesting prompt.

Here one possibly

What if you woke up one day with no memories in a strange world where nobody was who they said they were?

Wow! I really like this list of prompts! I’ve been looking for inspiration to write a short story and I especially liked the one about dragons! “We’ve all seen cute and cuddly dragons, mean and vicious dragons, and noble dragons write about a different dragon”

Thanks, Meredith! I’m glad you liked these writing prompts.

Anyone considered using visual (photos/paintings) prompts?

A scenic view, a city view, a beach, a hill, a house, a village, a car, a train, a plane, a boat, a castle, a body?

Yes, I’ve used visual prompts, and I’ve included them in my book, 1200 Creative Writing Prompts . The image prompts are described (rather than using images), but they’re a lot of fun.

Hi I’m Hallie I’m 13 years old and I love writing. Just for some reason I can never think of things to write about. I really like fantasy. I look online for writing prompt ideas and I find a lot of good ones but none of them really click. I really want to write something but I don’t know what. What should I do?

Hi Hallie. Thanks for visiting Writing Forward. What you’re experiencing is fairly common among writers. I have experienced it many times — when I want to write but I don’t know what to write and nothing clicks, I will look through prompts and my old notes, and I just don’t get fired up about anything.

I’ve found that in moments like these, the best thing to do is just write anyway. We can’t feel inspired and fired up all the time. And often, when I force myself to just follow some prompt or writing exercise, even when I don’t really feel like it, I start to get into it and eventually, something clicks.

There will be many times when writing is fun or even thrilling. But I’ve found that the people who stick with writing are those who write even when they’re not especially inspired. Sometimes it’s work. Stick with it, and you’ll experience all these highs and lows. Every single one of them is worth it.

Wow! I really like the diversity of your prompts, Mellisa. I’ve been writing a collection of short stories of my childhood experience of the Biafran War in Nigeria and struggled with some troubling memories but you’ve reminded me that I could just write everything as it comes to me and revise later. Also, I love your children stories prompts.

Thank you, Edit. That makes my day. I’m always glad when people find the articles here at Writing Forward useful. Good luck with your stories. That sounds like an important project.

is it weird that when i saw the one on dragons the first thought to my mind is ‘ i counld do one on a gay dragon, right?’ and then when i saw number 4 ( for all the twilight fans, just a heads up), i thought of jasper hale- i’m not calling him ugly- but i saw the fear part and thought to myself how he fears hurting someone/ losing control.

Is it weird? I don’t think it’s weird. The point of the prompts is to engage your imagination, so it seems like they are working, which is great.

I absolutely love these! I have been writing since I was able to talk. I told my dad exactly what to write down on little pieces of paper. Now that I’m fourteen, I was sure I wrote every idea imaginable. But these really gave me a fresh perspective, and for that, I am so grateful! It also inspired me to come up with a prompt of my own: She sprinted through the trees, quickly twisting around thick trunks as she dodged the sheriff’s arrows. Her stomach ached from the laughs that shook her entire body. Foolish sheriff. He thought he could catch a pirate?

I’m glad you enjoyed these writing prompts. Your prompt is awesome. Keep writing! It will take you places that only you can imagine.

I loved these prompts. I had my friends pick a number between 1 and 25 to chose which on to do. I think they improved my writing skills. Thank you!

I’m glad you enjoyed these prompts, Nora. Thanks for your comment.

I am a 13 year old and I love to write. I have a best friend and she always wants to see my writing, but I didn’t want her to see it because I didn’t think it was very good. She insisted on seeing it, and when I showed her the first chapter in a story I was writing just for myself, she thought it was brilliant. She then disguised it as an excerpt from an e-book app and showed it to our English teacher. My friend pretended that it was a real, published book by an actual author and asked for the teacher’s opinion. The teacher loved it and asked for the name of the book. When she discovered it was written by her own pupil, she was shocked and said i should send it to a publisher. Now I am confused. I didn’t think my writing was very good. What should I do now?

Hi Sam. I was your age when I started writing.

There are a few things you might want to do. First, continue working on your book until it’s finished. This will be hard. You will probably lose interest at some point. You’ll get stuck and feel unsure where to take the story. You’ll have other ideas that seem better, and you’ll be tempted to set this story aside. Don’t be deterred. Stick with it.

Do your parents know about your interest in writing? At 13, you would need their involvement in any publishing or submissions that you might want to do. You can also try talking to your teacher. Don’t be shy about this. It’s the job of teachers to guide their students. But keep in mind, not all English teachers are knowledgeable about the publishing industry. See if she can offer some guidance. You might be able to find literary magazine for kids your age and submit your writing so you can start getting some practice in the publishing world.

Beyond that, make sure you read a lot and write as much you can. If you love writing, it’s something that will always be with you. As you get older, you’ll be able to carve out the path you want, whether that’s to make writing a career or continue enjoying it as a hobby.

Best of luck to you!

I am 10 and I have written a few short stories of my own, and I really enjoy creative writing. I was very pleased when I found this website, now I won’t be struggling to think about what to write.

That’s wonderful, Kaiya. We love having young writers around here. Thanks so much!

I’m 12 and I also really like writing. I have always been trying to write short stories since I was six (I started with mostly seven page picture books). Finding how to start a story has always been pretty hard, but these prompts have really helped! I definitely have to explore some more of these prompts. There are so many! Thank you!!

Wow, Naomi, that’s wonderful. I was just a little older than you (13) when I started writing (poetry for me). You have a long and wonderful journey ahead of you, and I hope you enjoy all of it! You’re welcome for these prompts. I’m so glad you found them helpful.

Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful post with us.

the one that has the tailsman remids me of “Wings of Fire” because one of the dragons named darkstalker put is animus magic on a scroll and called it his tailsman and he can read minds so it really reminded me of that book

I haven’t read Wings of Fire but it sounds interesting!

oh and it fell into the wrong hands or really talons but ya i just wanted to share that information thank you for this i really got some good ideas like the detective one

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Journal Buddies Jill | July 8, 2024 January 22, 2023 | Journal Prompts & Writing Ideas

60 Daily Creative Prompts for Inspired Writing

Daily Creative Prompts, Short Stories, Poems, Memoirs, and More!— Your journal is not only just a great space to explore your thoughts and reflect on life—it’s also a convenient place to hone your creative writing skills and practice various types of writing. Oh yeah!

With that goal in mind, we’ve developed a super-sized list of 60 all-new daily creative prompts for inspiration for ages 12 to adult.

This list of prompts is packed full of topics that offer plenty of room to explore and reflect—and it asks you to do so by writing in a variety of creative genres. 

You see…

In the first 45 prompts, you’ll write short stories, poems, dialogue-based scenes, brief memoirs, or personal essays, and reflect on topics through the lens of an object. You’ll really be challenged to flex your creative muscles with your journal entries.

Then, in the remaining 15 prompts, you’ll choose your own genre and explore topics through the creative writing forms you liked best (or through the genres you’d like to practice a little more). You’ll have a lot of fun with this creative activity.

If you’re eager to explore new genres or if you’re looking for a springboard to reinvigorate your writing, you’ll love these brand-new daily creative writing prompts!

60 Absolutely Awesome Daily Creative Prompts

• Write a short story about what happens when your town digs up a time capsule from 1950.
• Write a short story about an outcast teenage boy who one day suddenly discovers he can fly.
• Write a short story about a group of friends who are reunited under unusual circumstances after many years apart.
• Write a short story about a mystical mirror that shows viewers something surprising—and different—each time someone looks inside.
• Write a short story about a young girl who struggles to keep her grades up amidst trouble at home.
• Write a short story about a famous historical figure—from the perspective of him or her in the days leading up to the most significant thing he or she is known for.
• Write a short story about a woman who has the power to communicate with and understand animals.
• Write a short story about a group of explorers who find what they were looking for—only to discover that they never should have searched for it to begin with.
• Write a short story about a news photographer who learns a shocking truth one day while editing images.
• Write a short story about a man who returns to his hometown after 10 years away—only to discover things are all still the same.
• Write a short story about two strangers who cross paths every day but never meet.
• Write a short story about a family reunion that takes place on a two-week cruise.
• Write a short story about a college student who must make the toughest decision of his or her life.
• Write a short story about a farmer who spends a year growing an unusual crop.
• Write a short story about a friendly road trip that reveals an unexpected secret.
• Write a poem about your body.
• Write a poem about your worst quality.
• Write a poem about someone you love.
• Write a poem about the solar system.
• Write a poem about language and the power of words.
• Write a poem about the best dessert you ever had.
• Write a poem about the feeling of a wish come true.
• Write a poem about dinosaurs.
• Write a poem that imagines what you would do if you were invisible.
• Write a poem about power.
• Write a poem about a childhood memory.
• Write a poem about someone who isn’t sure where they’re going.
• Write a poem about your first crush.
• Write a poem about a tactile experience.
• Write a poem about your favorite type of music.
• Write a short, dialogue-based scene between two people who are both hiding something from each other.
• Write a short, dialogue-based scene between a young child and his or her grandfather.
• Write a short, dialogue-based scene between 2-4 characters who aren’t really listening to one another.
• Write a short, dialogue-based scene between two friends who have just been through an exhilarating experience.

• Write a brief memoir or personal essay about an experience in a brand-new location.
• Write a brief memoir or personal essay about a time when you felt like you belonged somewhere.
• Write a brief memoir or personal essay about a great memory with your favorite family member.
• Write a brief memoir or personal essay about a formative moment you had at school.
• Write a brief memoir or personal essay about something that always makes you laugh.
• Reflect on sadness through the lens of an object.
• Reflect on a relationship in your life through the lens of an object.
• Reflect on growing up through the lens of an object.
• Reflect on karma through the lens of an object.
• Reflect on a mystery through the lens of an object.
• Choose your own genre and write about your favorite place in the world.
• Choose your own genre and write about nature.
• Choose your own genre and write about the future.
• Choose your own genre and write about a special family tradition.
• Choose your own genre and write about your favorite book.
• Choose your own genre and write about the most interesting thing you ever saw.
• Choose your own genre and write about what you would do if you could travel through time.
• Choose your own genre and write about learning.
• Choose your own genre and write about how two people can be wildly different and totally alike at the same time.
• Choose your own genre and write about the first day of a new season.
• Choose your own genre and write about your parents.
• Choose your own genre and write about a celebration.
• Choose your own genre and write about water.
• Choose your own genre and write about an important truth.
• Choose your own genre and write about something you don’t understand

I hope you enjoyed this list of daily creative prompts and found this creative challenge really inspiring!

129 More Daily Creative Prompts Lists for You

• 29 Wonderful Daily Journal Entry Ideas
• 68 Daily Writing Prompts Everyone Can Enjoy
• 32 Daily Journal Ideas to Inspire

A Few Closing Thoughts

When a blank page feels intimidating and your creativity feels stunted, the best thing to do is reach for writing resources and journal writing prompts. And, best of all…

You’ll find loads of writing and story ideas, poetry prompts, story starter ideas, daily journaling ideas, and more right here.

Plus…

You’ll find prompts in many different genres – from time travel and science fiction to romance writing prompts for fiction writers, to loads of journaling prompts for everyone. There is truly something here for every writer of all skill levels and a variety of ages, and I hope you use these personally and/or in your classroom as part of your creative process.

My hope is the ideas you find here on my blog will help you become a better writer and inspire you to hone your craft!

Oh, and check out this excellent writing resource 365 Creative Writing Prompts for a year of writing prompts.

And, if writer’s block comes knocking, you can tell it you’re not up for visitors when you’re armed with prompts and ideas.

Until next time, write on…

If you enjoyed these Daily Writing Prompts for Ages 12 to Adult , please share them on social media via Facebook, Twitter, and/or Pinterest. I appreciate it!

Sincerely, Jill journalbuddies.com creator and curator

Tap to See Prompts 32 Wonderful Writing Prompts for Students Daily Journals for Students 32 Ideas to Inspire ------------Start of Om Added --------- @media (min-width: 320px) and (max-width: 767px) { .inside-right-sidebar { display: none !important; } } Search Now Offering You 19,000+ Prompts!

Tap to See Prompts 32 Wonderful Writing Prompts for Students Daily Journals for Students 32 Ideas to Inspire Search Search Grade 1 Grade 2 Grade 3 Grade 4 Grade 5 Grade 6 Grade 7-8 Grade 9-12 All Ages ------------End of Om Added --------- Tags All Ages , Creative Writing , creative writing forms , creative writing skills , daily creative writing , daly writing prompts , journal , new writing prompts , prompts , reinvigorate your writing , topics , types of writing , writing , writing genres , writing prompts , writing skills div#postbottom { margin-top: 12px; } Search Now Offering You 19,000+ Prompts!

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99 Creative Writing Prompts For Overcoming Writer’s Block

I want to start writing fiction this year. It’s a goal I’ve had on my mind for a while now, but as an essayist and nonfiction writer, I’ve been getting in my head about it. I have no idea how to create stories or characters. But it’s something I want to learn.

In preparing to make this pivot, I’ve discovered that writing prompts are invaluable. They can help us think about stories and subject matter in new ways and serve as a source of inspiration. Even for writers who aren’t looking to explore a new genre, prompts can be useful when we’re in a rut or need some creative magic. Instructions and parameters can help get the words flowing.

While these writing prompts are organized by month, they are designed to be used at your leisure. Feel free to follow it weekly or jump around. You may need to take breaks throughout the year or come back in the summer when you have more time to write—that’s okay, too! Use this list however it works for you and your creative flow!

For further inspiration and encouragement, here are some tips for starting a writing practice .

1. The human spirit is strong. Write about an experience in your life that has made you more resilient .

2. Releasing resolutions can be as important as reaching them. Write an essay in which you reflect on a resolution you didn’t keep.

3. Martin Luther King Jr. said , “I am not interested in power for power’s sake, but I’m interested in power that is moral, that is right and that is good.” Write a story in which your main character uses their power for good. End it with a time jump showing the long-term ripple effects. 

4. Craft a story where your main character gets caught outside in a winter storm. How do they find their way home?

5. The darker months can sometimes feel lonely, but moments alone often shape us in powerful ways. Write a lyrical essay about your own isolation experiences and what you’ve discovered about yourself through these seasons.

6. Write a story about a group of friends who travel somewhere warm for a winter holiday.

7. Imagine a group of strangers meeting while trapped in an airport for 24 hours due to flight delays. Who are they? What types of conversations do they have? How will these new relationships evolve and shape the rest of their lives?

8. Begin a short story in which your main character accepts an important award.

9. What does it mean to say, ‘I love you?’ Write an essay that includes an anecdote about the first time you remember feeling loved.

10. Write a comedic story from the perspective of a restaurant server on Valentine’s Day.

11. Who was your childhood best friend? Write an essay using the second-person (try crafting it as a letter ) about what that friendship meant to you. 

12. Think about a favorite story or fairytale from your childhood. Rewrite it with an alternative ending.

13. Begin a short story in which your main character is at a coffee shop with their love interest on a winter day.

14. Write about a time you did something that scared you.

15. Imagine a world in which the days are getting progressively shorter. How will your characters stop this countdown and save humanity before it’s too late?

16. Create a story in which two friends meet at a Lunar New Year celebration.

17. Write a scene based on a recent encounter with a stranger. 

18. For International Women’s Day (March 8), write a first-person story that takes place at a protest during the women’s liberation movement .

19. In an essay, reflect on the women who’ve helped you become who you are today.

20. Craft a poem from the sun’s perspective in honor of the spring equinox (March 20). 

21. In spring, there is a turning. Write an essay about how seasonal changes mirror a transformation in your own life.

22. Try your hand at an allegory using natural elements to convey a larger message about humanity.

23. Your main character just came home from a trip to find their house has disappeared and been replaced with a supermarket. It’s like it was never even there. What happens next?

24. Consider the meaning of beauty and how it has shifted and evolved with time. Write an essay about this.

25. Write a poem about the power of music. Use these playlists for inspiration. 

26. Create a short story that begins with you waking up on a train destined for somewhere tropical.

27. For Earth Day 🌎 (April 22), write an essay about sustainable living . What does it mean to you? If you need help getting started, try opening the piece with an anecdote about the first time you thought about climate change and sustainability. 

28. In the circle of life, beginnings are preceded by endings. Write about an ending that has led to a new beginning in your life. 

29. Begin a story in which your main character wakes up with a superpower.

30. What was the last great novel you read? Try your hand at a book review, writing as if you’re a famous critic for a publishing house or magazine.

31. Imagine a famous chef loses their sense of taste and serves an overly salted meal to eager patrons. What happens next?

32. Write an essay about your childhood home.

33. Write a third-person story about two friends playing in the rain. Rather than focusing on creating climax, aim to capture their feelings of pure love and friendship. 

34. What is something you’ve always been scared of? Write a future-tense essay about when and how you will overcome this fear. 

35. Toni Morrison once wrote , “Definitions belong to the definers, not the defined.” Write an essay defining yourself, starting with the sentence, “To others, I may seem…but that is not who I am.”

36. Write a poem about your first pet. If you’ve never had a pet, write about your plants or something else you’ve cared for.

37. Write an essay about the day you got your driver’s license.

38. Creativity can be a tool for processing our heartaches. Craft a personal essay about the last time you felt grief—and be gentle with yourself as you get the words on the page.

39. Your main character is on a rooftop in New York City, escaping the crowd of a party. What happens next?

40. Write a summer scene that begins with dialogue. 

41. In a personal essay, describe your last vacation, but write about the trip in present tense . 

42. Write a short story from an inanimate object’s perspective, either in nature or in your home.

43. The main characters in your story have gone on a camping trip. But when they return from the woods, their city is no longer there. In fact, they can’t find any sign of civilization. Write a suspenseful thriller about what happens next. 

44. Craft a poem using the word “citrus.” 

45. A couple is sharing a picnic lunch on a beach. By the end of the story, one of them is walking away in tears. What happens? Focus on building tension and the backstory that leads to this moment.

46. Write an essay about a time you worked tirelessly for something, and it didn’t turn out as you hoped or planned.

47. Create a story in which your main character is experiencing profound joy.

48. In a personal essay, revisit a moment when you learned to take your own advice .

49. Using this list of instrumental covers , rewrite the lyrics to a hit song. 

50. Write a story in which you’re a tourist and visiting your home city for the first time.

51. Two friends take out a boat on the lake and discover the water has magic powers. Write a fantasy scene about their adventure.

52. Learn about your Enneagram number , then write a personal essay with anecdotes that exemplify your basic desire and basic fear.

53. You and your best friend are on a sailboat off the coast of Italy when suddenly the captain disappears. What happens next?

54. Write a story about an encounter with a sea creature.

55. Create a lyrical essay in which the main character is “summer heat.”

56. Write an essay through the lens of your childhood self about your first year at school. Try to be as specific as possible, including the names of friends and teachers. You can use old photos or talk to your parents for reference if needed. 

57. Write a story that begins with your main character swimming in a lake.

58. Sometime this week, spend a few minutes sitting outside or staring out your window to observe another person. Write about what you notice that can help to sketch them as a character. 

59. Make a case for one of your favorite traditions —whether it be celebrating a recognized holiday or a personal ritual. 

60. Write a short story that begins with the ending. For example, perhaps your story is about a girl who gets lost at sea and then captured by pirates—only to become a pirate herself. Begin the story with the girl as a pirate, and then show the readers how she got there. 

61. What is the happiest you’ve ever been?

62. Create a short story that starts with your main character going off to college.

63. What is the most important lesson you’ve learned this year?

64. Lidia Yuknavitch says , “There is so much to learn from the edge of things, from the cracks and cuts and fissures of the earth, of our hearts.” Write a lyrical essay about the cuts and fissures in your own heart and how they’ve led you to this very moment.

65. Write a sensory essay about nature without naming the objects you’re writing about. For example, “The towering giants boast cherry-ripe foliage at this time of year.” 

66. Craft a short story about the final day of summer (September 22). 🍂

67. Try your hand at children’s lit by creating a story for a younger audience. Have your main character learn a valuable life lesson, and use these stories for inspiration if you need help!

68. When was the last time you felt most alive?

69. Write an essay about a change you knew was coming and how you prepared for it.

70. Create a story where the main character is a caregiver for a loved one.

71. Write a poem about shadows. 

72. On Indigenous People’s Day (October 10), write a historical nonfiction essay about the native land you’re living on . For guiding questions, use the Catalyst Project’s worksheet and Resource Generation’s Land Reparations Toolkit and Indigenous Solidarity Toolkit .

73. Write a story in which a “monster” turns out to be a “hero,” or vice versa. This can be either nonfiction or fiction. 

74. You and your significant other are at home watching a scary movie when the power goes out. Create a spooky story about what happens next!

75. Create a spooky children’s story that takes place in a magical forest.

76. Write a story that begins with a girl making her own Halloween costume.

77. Write a persuasive essay about an unconventional fear. Make a case for why more people should consider this fear.

78. A group of friends escapes to a private island for an end-of-year holiday. But when they arrive, the hotel is deserted, and the boat has already left the dock. What happens next?

79. Write about the last time you felt hopeful.

80. In preparation for losing an hour of daylight this month, write a poem about all your favorite cozy things. 

81. Write a story that begins with your main character dreaming.

82. In “ Braiding Sweetgrass ,” Robin Wall Kimmerer writes, “In some Native languages the term for ‘plants’ translates to ‘those who take care of us.’” In an essay, write about how the earth cares for humanity. Begin with a personal anecdote about a time you felt nurtured by nature.

83. Write a first-person essay that revolves around food or a family recipe.

84. Practice shifting between past and present tense by writing an essay about a childhood experience that impacts who you are today.

85. Write a letter to your younger self.

86. Create a story based on a time you went on a spontaneous adventure.

87. Your main characters are at a college football game when, suddenly, the sky goes black. What happens next?

88. How do you overcome self-doubt? Write a how-to essay.

89. What are you most grateful for this year?

December 

90. Write a poem about your favorite sound.

91. Reflect on winter pastimes. What do you love most about this season? Write a short essay about it.

92. Make up your own holiday poem reminiscent of “Night Before Christmas” (or the equivalent for your celebrated traditions).

93. Your main character is a ballerina performing in The Nutcracker, but secretly, they wish to be a teacher. Write a story about this.

94. Who is someone you admire in your life? Write a tribute essay to them.

95. To get in the spirit, create a Hallmarkesque script for a cheesy holiday film.

96. Write an essay that begins with your favorite holiday memory.

97. Your main character is a flight attendant working the holiday season. Write about a strange encounter they have on the plane.

98. What is the importance of rest, and why is it such a necessary practice for our lives?

99. In your final prompt of the year, write an essay about time and forward motion. Begin by reflecting on the past, write about the importance of mindfulness and living in the present moment, and then welcome whatever comes next.

If you write a story with one of these writing prompts and you’d like to share, feel free to link or paste it in the comments below! 💛

Kayti Christian (she/her) is the Managing Editor at The Good Trade. She has a Master’s in Nonfiction Writing from the University of London and is the creator of Feelings Not Aside , a newsletter for sensitive people.

RELATED READING

30 September Writing Prompts

by Sue Weems | 0 comments

Whether you enjoy the back to school season or not, as writers, it marks a new publishing season, with pub houses, literary magsazines, and agents often reopening to submissions for the fall. We start our new semester of 100 Day Book and launch a contest (see details for upcoming contests here !).

Here are some September writing prompts to usher in a new writing season!

Daily Writing Prompts: Favorite Fall Things

• What marks the beginning of fall for you and why?
• What favorite books or movies do you associate with fall and why?
• Describe your favorite fall scent and why you love it.
• What is your go-to fall activity? Why do you enjoy it?
• Write about your favorite fall food or drink.
• What's your favorite fall holiday and how do you celebrate it?
• What's your favorite fall tradition, and how did it start?
• What is your favorite type of fall weather, and how do you spend the day when it happens?
• What's your favorite fall memory from childhood, and why does it stand out?
• If you could visit anywhere in fall, where would it be and why?

Creative Writing Prompts: Back-to-School Edition

• A student discovers a secret passageway in the school library that leads to a mysterious room. What do they find?
• A new art teacher arrives with a suitcase full of enchanted art supplies. When students use them, their drawings come to life.
• After a freak storm, the entire school is transported to another dimension. How do the students and teachers navigate their strange new world?
• A student finds an old diary hidden in the school's attic, detailing strange events that took place in the school 50 years ago.
• Every time the school bell rings, time seems to reset. One student notices and tries to break the loop.
• The janitor has a strange keychain full of keys that don’t seem to fit any door in the school—until one student finds a hidden door in the basement.
• The class pet disappears from its cage, and strange things start happening in the school afterward.
• The principal announces that there will be no more tests, but instead, students must pass secret challenges hidden throughout the school to move to the next grade.
• A classroom supply closet opens up into an entirely different kind of school where…
• One grade level's favorite teacher proposes a new club, but at its first meeting…

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Daily Prompts: September Resets

• With four months left of the year, what is one thing you hope to accomplish and why?
• Which bits of summer were your favorite and why? (or alternately, why are you glad summer is waning or over?)
• If you could create a new rule or tradition for September that everyone followed for the month, what would it be and why?
• What is something you're deeply grateful for today?
• What personal habit do you want to improve or start fresh with this month?
• What’s one thing you’ll do differently this month to take better care of yourself?
• What's one new thing you've been wanting to do that you could try this month?
• Write a letter to yourself about the lessons you learned last month. What advice do you give yourself moving forward?
• Imagine your ideal month ahead. What are three things you’ll prioritize to make it fulfilling?
• Imagine it is the last day of the month. Describe what you'd like to celebrate on September 30.

There you go! Thirty fun writing prompts to get your creative juices flowing all month long. Even taking the time to complete one prompt a week with thoughtful writing can go a long way to meeting your writing goals, improving your skills, and reminding you to take a minute to breathe.

Which one will you try first?

What do you love about September? Let us know in the comments.

Set the timer for 15 minutes . Choose one of the prompts and write until time is up. When you're finished, share your story in the Pro Practice Workshop for feedback from the community. And if you share, please be sure to comment on a few stories by other writers.

Not in a community yet? Join us here!

Sue Weems is a writer, teacher, and traveler with an advanced degree in (mostly fictional) revenge. When she’s not rationalizing her love for parentheses (and dramatic asides), she follows a sailor around the globe with their four children, two dogs, and an impossibly tall stack of books to read. You can read more of her writing tips on her website .

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50 Writing Prompts

Subject: English

Age range: 7-11

Resource type: Worksheet/Activity

Last updated

10 September 2024

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This PDF contains 50 writing prompt cards, to encourage creative writing in the class. They are designed for a KS2 Montessori British school, but can be used in any school setting, for children from primary to secondary. Students can be inspired to create their own stories, enabling them to practice many writing objectives in the curriculum. They could also be used for big write sessions or assessments.

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Boost your writing skills with ai prompt writers | simple and quick ways.

Learn how to use an AI prompt writer to transform your writing process. Generate creative prompts, enhance your content, and boost productivity. Moreover, check out CapCut for seamless script-to-video generation.

In the past, writers spent countless hours perfecting their work, but now, AI technology has transformed how we approach writing. AI writers simplify the process of generating content, but to truly unlock their potential, you need to provide clear and precise prompts. For this, understanding how to create these prompts is essential, and there are specialized tools available that can assist you in this process.

In this article, we'll explore the art of creating effective prompts using AI prompt writers, ensuring you can enhance your content.

• 1 What is an AI prompt writing
• 2 Types of AI prompt writing
• 3 The 5 best AI writing prompt generators
• 4 Tips to effectively use AI prompt writers
• 5 CapCut desktop video editor: Use free AI prompts for creating a script
• 6 Conclusion

What is an AI prompt writing

Writing prompts with AI involves creating clear and specific instructions or queries for an artificial intelligence system to generate desired responses or outputs. By providing well-defined prompts, users can guide tools such as ChatGPT, Gemini, etc., that do AI-writing from prompts to produce text, generate ideas, or perform tasks that align with their needs. Effective AI prompt writing helps ensure that content is relevant, accurate, and useful for the intended purpose.

Types of AI prompt writing

AI prompt writing comes in various forms, each serving a unique purpose to enhance interactions with AI models. Understanding the different types of prompts can help you craft more effective and engaging outputs, whether you're aiming for factual accuracy, creative exploration, or analytical comparisons.

Below, we provide an overview of different types of AI prompt writing to help you choose the best one for your needs.

1. Classification prompts

These prompts are designed to categorize data or information into specific groups. They are useful for tasks like sentiment analysis, spam detection, or tagging content, allowing the AI to quickly sort and label data based on predefined criteria.

• Example of this prompt

"Label each of these sentences as expressing happiness, sadness, or anger."

2. Reasoning prompts

Reasoning prompts challenge the AI to think through problems and provide logical conclusions. These are ideal for decision-making processes, problem-solving, and understanding cause-and-effect relationships, enhancing the AI’s ability to simulate human-like thought.

"If all roses are flowers and all flowers need sunlight, do roses need sunlight?"

3. Completion prompts

Used to continue or complete a given text, completion prompts are perfect for generating text, finishing sentences, or completing code. They rely on the AI’s ability to predict what comes next, making them great for drafting documents or writing creative content.

"Finish the sentence: "The most important lesson I learned this year was..."

4. Creative prompts

Creative prompts encourage AI to generate imaginative and original content. These are particularly effective for brainstorming ideas, writing fiction, or crafting unique marketing materials, as they push the boundaries of conventional thinking.

"Write a short story about a time traveler who accidentally ends up in the Jurassic period and must find a way to return to the present."

5. Comparison prompts

Comparison prompts are designed to evaluate the differences and similarities between two or more items. They are useful for analyzing products, comparing theories, or exploring different viewpoints, helping users make informed decisions based on detailed analyses.

"Compare the benefits and drawbacks of working from home versus working in an office setting."

The 5 best AI writing prompt generators

If you’re looking to supercharge your writing with the help of AI, there are plenty of tools available to generate effective prompts. Whether you're a student, a professional writer, or just someone looking to get more creative, these prompt writer AI can help you get started. Here’s a look at some of the best options out there:

Taskade is a versatile tool designed to boost productivity and creativity by offering a range of AI-powered writing prompts. It helps users brainstorm ideas and organize thoughts effectively. This prompt-writing AI generator is perfect for those who want to streamline their workflow and enhance their creative writing process.

• User-friendly and intuitive interface.
• Supports collaboration and team projects.
• Integrates with popular productivity tools like Slack and Google Calendar.
• Offers real-time synchronization across devices.
• Limited customization options for prompts.
• The free version has restricted features.

2. NeuralWriter

NeuralWriter harnesses advanced AI algorithms to generate compelling and contextually accurate writing prompts for GPT-based AI tools like ChatGPT. It is particularly suitable for writers who need inspiration or struggle with writer’s block, providing diverse suggestions tailored to different genres and styles. NeuralWriter is also known for its seamless ability to understand user input and deliver prompts that match the intended tone and context.

• Generates prompts tailored to specific writing styles and genres.
• Provides API integration for developers who want to incorporate the prompt generator into their own applications or workflows.
• Easy to use, with a straightforward interface.
• Capable of generating prompts in multiple languages, catering to a global audience.
• Requires a subscription for full access.
• Not effective for writing prompts for the GPT-n model.

3. FeeDough

The Feedough AI writer for the prompt is designed to streamline the creation of effective prompts for various AI models, including ChatGPT, MidJourney, and Stable Diffusion. It helps content creators and marketers generate precise inputs for better AI outputs, whether text-based or visual. The tool offers an intuitive interface and customizable options, making it ideal for optimizing AI interactions.

• Supports prompt generation for both text-based and image-generating AI models.
• Offers a wide variety of prompt categories.
• This completely free tool makes it the best daily writing prompt generator.
• It helps users generate unique and contextually relevant prompts.
• The quality of prompts may vary across different languages.
• It can occasionally generate irrelevant prompts.

4. Grammarly

Known primarily for its grammar-checking capabilities, Grammarly also offers AI-powered writing prompts and suggestions to enhance your writing. It’s an excellent tool for anyone looking to refine their writing skills, from students to professionals. Grammarly’s AI can suggest prompts that help improve your writing structure, tone, and clarity.

• Provides comprehensive grammar and style checks.
• AI-driven suggestions to improve writing quality.
• User-friendly browser extension and app.
• Great for both academic and professional writing.
• Writing prompts are a secondary feature and not the main focus.
• Premium features require a subscription.

5. Writecream

The Writecream AI prompt generator is an advanced content creation platform designed to help users generate prompts. Along with this, it also creates content, from blog posts and social media captions to cold emails and voiceovers for podcasts or YouTube videos. With features like multilingual support and a user-friendly interface, Writecream simplifies the process of generating customized, engaging content across various platforms.

• Generates creative writing prompts in 75+ languages.
• Allows you to customize prompts.
• It offers voice generation in multiple languages and is ideal for global outreach.
• This writing prompt AI generator is free to use.
• Advanced features like blog post creation require a premium version.
• Some users find the interface a bit outdated.

Tips to effectively use AI prompt writers

Using an AI writer as a prompt generator effectively requires a thoughtful approach to ensure that the output aligns with your goals and meets your audience's needs. Here are some tips to help you get the most out of your AI prompt writer:

• Choose one goal or task
• Start by focusing on a single purpose, whether it's generating ideas, creating content, or refining your writing. When you're clear about what you want, the AI can produce more targeted and relevant prompts that align with your specific needs.
• Identify the audience's needs
• Think about who your content is for and what they're looking for. By understanding your audience's interests and preferences, you can guide AI to generate content that connects with them.
• Use clear and precise language
• When giving instructions to the AI, use simple language. This helps avoid any confusion and lets AI generate more accurate and useful prompts, reducing the need for extensive revisions.
• Give accurate details
• Provide specific details related to your content goals, like the tone, style, or type of output you want. The more specific you are, the closer the AI will get to producing content that matches your vision.
• Provide examples of desired outputs
• Share examples of what you're aiming for with AI. This way, the AI can better understand your expectations and create prompts that are in line with the style and quality you want.

CapCut desktop video editor: Use free AI prompts for creating a script

CapCut desktop video editor is a tool that combines advanced editing features with AI technology to help you create stunning videos effortlessly. With its AI writer, CapCut generates prompts to turn your ideas into engaging video scripts. You can then easily convert these scripts into videos using smart media, ensuring a professional and polished look.

Key features

• AI script generation
• Automatically generate scripts using AI writer to save time and spark creativity, allowing you to focus more on refining and enhancing your video content.
• Genre-specific AI prompts
• Provides genre-specific AI prompts that guide users in creating content tailored to different video styles, whether it’s games, life stories, cooking tutorials, or cinematic pieces.
• Instant text-to-video conversion
• Quickly turn text into engaging videos with the script to video maker , smoothing the content creation process and making it accessible for users of all skill levels.
• Text-to-speech capability
• Convert written text into speech , enhancing your videos with professional narration without needing to hire a voice artist.
• High-quality exports
• Export videos in high resolution to ensure your final video looks professional, making it suitable for any platform or audience.

How to generate a script in CapCut desktop video editor

First, download and install the CapCut desktop video editor by clicking the button below. After this, sign up using your Google, Facebook, or TikTok credentials.

• Open the script to video
• Open CapCut and click "Script to video." This will open an interface where you can find various categories to choose from, such as games, commercials, life stories, etc.

• Enter a prompt
• Choose any one of these categories and enter a prompt. For example, if you select "Commercial," you have to enter details such as the product name, brand name, selling points, target audience, price, duration, and promotional details. You can also create your script. Then, click "Generate script."

• Generate a script

After generating the script, choose the best one and explore options to modify it. You can also click "Generate video" to convert the script into a video. You can use your media or let AI use smart generation to select media according to the script.

To sum up, using AI prompt writers can greatly improve your writing process by generating fresh ideas and enhancing content quality. These tools help you create engaging, tailored prompts that meet your specific needs. Additionally, the CapCut desktop video editor is an excellent choice for generating innovative prompts. It offers AI-driven script generation and video conversion, along with advanced editing tools, to ensure your content looks professional and polished.

• What does an AI prompt writer do?
• An AI prompt writer helps create specific questions or statements that guide an AI to produce the desired text. It sets the context and tone, allowing the AI to generate engaging content based on the prompt. For generating prompts specifically for creating videos, the CapCut desktop video editor is an excellent choice. Plus, it allows you to generate video from text.
• Can AI prompt improve my writing style?
• Yes, AI prompts can help improve your writing style by offering suggestions that enhance clarity, structure, and creativity. They provide new ideas and ways to phrase content, making your writing more compelling and polished. Additionally, many video editing software, such as the CapCut desktop video editor, have introduced AI writing to generate videos from prompts easily.
• What is the best AI writing prompt generator?
• The best AI writing prompt generator depends on your needs, but popular options include tools like FeeDough, Neuralwriter, Writecream, and more. These tools offer diverse prompts and are user-friendly, helping you generate high-quality content effortlessly. However, for generating scripts using AI writer and converting them into videos, the CapCut desktop video editor is an ideal choice.

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