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Latest Writing Prompts

Essence extraction.

Imagine a procedure to extract the essence of a person before they become a zombie, to be reinserted once a cure is found. Explore This Prompt Further →

Cure Conundrum

Research an experimental cure for the zombie virus that reactivates portions of the brain. Explore This Prompt Further →

Phantom Memories

Write a tale about a zombie experiencing “phantom memories”, echoes from their past. Explore This Prompt Further →

Homo Necrosis

Imagine a world where the outbreak never happened, but a virus still transforms the human brain, turning people into “zombies”. Explore This Prompt Further →

Zombie Consciousness

Explore the possibility of a conscious existence within the mind of a zombie. Explore This Prompt Further →

Zombie Hive Mind

Consider a zombie world where there isn’t a singular leader, but a collective zombie consciousness or hive mind. Explore This Prompt Further →

Zombie Matriarch

Envision a zombie apocalypse ruled by a nurturing but potent “Mother” zombie. Explore This Prompt Further →

Zombie Corporation

Consider a more business-structure hierarchy where there is a CEO-like zombie making decisions, with various tiers of zombies beneath them. Explore This Prompt Further →

The Alpha Zombie

Write about a “survival-of-the-fittest” zombie society, driven by an Alpha zombie who leads and dictates the zombies’ actions. Explore This Prompt Further →

Zombie Monarchy

Explore the possibility of a royal monarchy, complete with a king, queen, and court, within a zombie apocalypse. Explore This Prompt Further →

The Solitary Walker

Sketch a monologue from the viewpoint of a zombie, trying to recollect fragments of forgotten human life. Explore This Prompt Further →

Descent into Despair

Write a diary entry of someone who is bitten and is transforming into a zombie. Explore This Prompt Further →

Last Humanity Stand

Create a monologue that captures the moment a leader rouses their jaded group to make a stand against the zombie horde. Explore This Prompt Further →

Chronicles of Survival

Write a series of journal entries from the perspective of a survivalist in a zombie apocalypse. Explore This Prompt Further →

Z-Day Confessionals

Craft a monologue spoken by a character who has a harrowing secret connected to the zombie apocalypse. Explore This Prompt Further →

Forgotten Knowledge

Create a character who uses forgotten or overlooked skills to survive after the apocalypse. Explore This Prompt Further →

Last Day on the Job

Imagine a survivor who experienced the breakout on their last day of work. Explore This Prompt Further →

Fractured Bonds

Write about a character whose relationships undergo drastic changes due to the zombie apocalypse. Explore This Prompt Further →

From Comfort to Chaos

Create a backstory for a survivor who had everything before the apocalypse. Explore This Prompt Further →

The Unlikely Hero

Write about a character that is an unlikely survivor in a zombie apocalypse. Explore This Prompt Further →

Religious Zombies

Envision zombies retaining their religious beliefs, essentially becoming religious zombies. Explore This Prompt Further →

Miraculous Transformation

Write about a character who prayed fervently during the apocalypse and was subsequently immune to the zombie virus. Explore This Prompt Further →

Heavenly Battleground

Consider a world where religious texts predicted the zombie apocalypse and provided ways to combat them. Explore This Prompt Further →

Divine Wrath or Injustice

Suppose that people believe a zombie apocalypse is a divine punishment or a test of their faith. Explore This Prompt Further →

Sacred Survival

Write a piece where a religious leader takes charge to guide and protect their community during a zombie apocalypse. Explore This Prompt Further →

The Old Human vs The New Human

Imagine a world where the surviving humans evolve, giving birth to a new species while the ‘old’ humans struggle to survive without these new abilities. Explore This Prompt Further →

Unexpected Symbiosis

Envision a scenario where the parasite responsible for the zombie outbreak forms a symbiotic relationship with its human host. Explore This Prompt Further →

Apex Predators

Write about humans evolving a new set of skills to hunt and kill the zombies, now that they are the apex predators. Explore This Prompt Further →

Terrifying Evolution

Imagine a world where the zombie virus has evolved to the point where zombies can think, feel, plan and co-operate. Explore This Prompt Further →

Survival Adaptation

Write a story about a group of survivors who develop unique physical mutations to survive a zombie apocalypse. Explore This Prompt Further →

The Diary of a Zombie

Write a diary entry from the perspective of a self-aware zombie. Explore This Prompt Further →

Love Among the Ruins

Detail a romantic relationship that blooms amidst a zombie apocalypse. Explore This Prompt Further →

Facing The Horde

Narrate a scenario where you have to confront a group of zombies to save your post-apocalyptic community. Explore This Prompt Further →

The Betrayed Leader

Write about a leader who is a secret zombie sympathizer during a zombie apocalypse. Explore This Prompt Further →

Zombie Utopia

Imagine that the zombie apocalypse led not to a dismal dystopia, but to a surprising utopia. Explore This Prompt Further →

Yearning for the Past

Narrate the sentiment of longing for the lost civilization through the perspective of a character. Explore This Prompt Further →

The Forgotten Arts

Write about the revival of forgotten skills or arts in the face of a collapsed civilization. Explore This Prompt Further →

A Leader Rises

Imagine a new form of leadership that emerges in the chaotic post-apocalypse world. Explore This Prompt Further →

Last Standing Structures

Depict the known landmarks or monuments and how they still stand in your narrated post-apocalypse world. Explore This Prompt Further →

Collapse Chronicles

Illustrate what life is like after the fall of civilization, focusing on day-to-day survival and emotions. Explore This Prompt Further →

Question of Justice

Write about a zombie standing trial for their actions while they were under the influence of zombification. Explore This Prompt Further →

Write a story about a group of enlightened zombies creating their own utopian community post human extinction. Explore This Prompt Further →

Unearthing Forgotten Loves

Set in a post-apocalyptic world, write about a zombie who stumbles upon his/her/their old diary, reviving forgotten feelings and memories. Explore This Prompt Further →

Zombie Savior

Construct a narrative where zombies are not the antagonists, but the heroes who save mankind. Explore This Prompt Further →

Reviving the Heartbeat

Write about a zombie, who, after years of being lifeless is suddenly back with a beating heart. Explore This Prompt Further →

A Day In Toy’s Life

Write a story from your toy’s perspective about a regular day with you. Explore This Prompt Further →

Bond of Love

Write a heartfelt letter to your favorite toy expressing how much it means to you. Explore This Prompt Further →

Toy Interview

Suppose you could interview your favorite toy. What kind of questions would you ask and how would it respond? Explore This Prompt Further →

Magic Transformation

What if your favorite toy magically turned into a real creature or person? Write a story about it. Explore This Prompt Further →

Toy’s Adventure

Imagine your favorite toy going on an epic adventure. Where would they go? What would they do? Explore This Prompt Further →

Winning the Podrace

Write about the thrilling and dangerous experience of Anakin winning the high-speed and adrenaline-packed podracing. Explore This Prompt Further →

Touched by the Force

Narrate about Anakin discovering he has special powers of the Force and how he learned to use them. Explore This Prompt Further →

A Glimpse of Hope

Describe the moment when Anakin first sees Jedi and dreams of becoming one. Explore This Prompt Further →

Friendship with Droids

Imagine being young Anakin and having your best friend as a droid, how would that friendship influence his feelings towards machines. Explore This Prompt Further →

Living the Space Slave Life

Write a story from the perspective of a young Anakin Skywalker, detailing the hardships and occasional joys of living as a space slave. Explore This Prompt Further →

5. From Ordinary to Executive

Overnight, your high school protagonist finds themselves promoted to a high-stakes executive position. Explore This Prompt Further →

4. Creature Chronicles

Your protagonist discovers that they can see and communicate with mythical creatures no one else can. Describe their experiences. Explore This Prompt Further →

3. Reversing the Curse

Your protagonist is living under a curse they desperately want to reverse. What is the curse, and how does it affect their daily life? Explore This Prompt Further →

2. A World Divided

Craft a story around a dystopian world where society has changed drastically. Your protagonist is a teenager trying to navigate this world. Explore This Prompt Further →

1. The Day Everything Changed

Describe a momentous day in your character’s life when the ordinary became extraordinary and everything they thought they knew was turned on its head. Explore This Prompt Further →

Double Identity Crisis

A teenager leads a double life – one as an ordinary student, and another as a talented secret agent. Explore This Prompt Further →

Post-Apocalyptic Survivor

In a world ravaged by an apocalypse, a young adult must use their ingenuity and strength to survive and find other survivors. Explore This Prompt Further →

New Planet Chronicles

A group of teenagers are the first humans to grow up on a newly colonized planet. Explore This Prompt Further →

Haunted Past

A teen discovers that their new home is haunted by a ghost. Rather than being afraid, they become best friends. Explore This Prompt Further →

High School Reimagined

Imagine a high school where all the typical stereotypes are reversed. Explore This Prompt Further →

Redeemed by Friendship

Write about a villain who reforms due to the positive influence of a friend. Explore This Prompt Further →

Unlikely Allies

Imagine a scenario where your villain has to team up with a hero for a common cause. Explore This Prompt Further →

The Betrayed Villain

Write a scene in which your villain is betrayed by their most trusted friend. Explore This Prompt Further →

Bonding in Their Badness

Craft a scenario where two villains find a common ground and form an alliance. Explore This Prompt Further →

Friends in Low Places

Write a backstory for your villain where they form a treasured friendship that influences their nefarious behavior. Explore This Prompt Further →

Friendships’ Album

Reflect on the dynamics and value of your friendships over the past year. Explore This Prompt Further →

Stepping Stone

Reflect on how your experiences this school year have prepared you for your future. Explore This Prompt Further →

Last Year’s Letter

Imagine you found a letter you wrote to yourself at the beginning of this school year. What would it say, and how would you respond now? Explore This Prompt Further →

The Person I’ve Become

Considering the challenges and triumphs of the past year, write a descriptive piece about the person you have evolved into. Explore This Prompt Further →

Year in Review

Write an essay reflecting on the past school year, highlighting achievements, struggles, and self-improvement. Explore This Prompt Further →

Peering Through The Fear

Describe a time when you were terrified, the outcome, and how you dealt with fear afterwards. Explore This Prompt Further →

Unsaid Goodbye

Write a heartfelt goodbye letter to someone you never had the chance to say farewell to. Explore This Prompt Further →

Journal of Gratitude

Write a daily entry listing three things you’re grateful for and why. Explore This Prompt Further →

Empathy Exercise

Choose a person you struggle to understand or get along with, and write a narrative from their perspective. Explore This Prompt Further →

Mapping Emotional Landscapes

Visualize an emotional journey you’ve had in life and write about it as if it were a physical trip. Explore This Prompt Further →

Wolf in Disguise

Construct a fairytale where a friendly wolf is misunderstood because of its appearance. Explore This Prompt Further →

The Magical Object

Write a story about a magical object that grants wishes, but with unexpected consequences. Explore This Prompt Further →

Once Upon A Dream

Craft a fairytale that begins with the main character waking up from an unusual dream. Explore This Prompt Further →

Journey of the Lost Crown

Imagine you are a prince or princess who has lost their crown and embark on a journey to get it back. Explore This Prompt Further →

Enchanted Forest Adventure

Create a story about a day in an enchanted forest filled with magical creatures. Explore This Prompt Further →

First Vigilante Act

Write about your superhero’s first step into crime-fighting, and their emotions during this crucial phase. Explore This Prompt Further →

Costume Designing Day

Tell the story of your superhero’s decision to create a costume, and describe its significance. Explore This Prompt Further →

Superhero Origin Story

Your superhero isn’t born a hero. Write about the pivotal event that transforms them from an ordinary individual to a savior. Explore This Prompt Further →

Unveiling the Power

Describe the moment your superhero first discovers their superpower. Explore This Prompt Further →

Finding the Name

Write about your superhero discovering their superhero name. Explore This Prompt Further →

Leap Year Chronicle

Pen a short story about an extraordinary event that only happens on the 29th of February. Explore This Prompt Further →

Frozen Fantasy

Describe an encounter with a mythical creature in a February snowstorm. Explore This Prompt Further →

Global Celebration Canvas

Explore a global festival celebrated in February and imagine creating an artistic masterpiece inspired by it. Explore This Prompt Further →

February the Optimist

Create a personification of February and narrate a day in its life. Explore This Prompt Further →

Valentines Voyager

Compose an imaginative piece where you are a love letter written by a secret admirer, journeying to your recipient. Explore This Prompt Further →

Unraveling the Benevolent

Craft a narrative where a revered hero slowly transforms into a villain. Explore This Prompt Further →

The Reluctant Evil

Write about a villain who didn’t choose the path of evil, but had it thrust upon them. Explore This Prompt Further →

Malleable Morality

Script a situation where the villain believes they are the hero. Explore This Prompt Further →

The Unseen Nemesis

Dive into the mind of a villain who is an invisible presence, exerting influence from the shadows. Explore This Prompt Further →

The Sympathetic Villain

Create a fantasy villain with a backstory that evokes sympathy. Explore This Prompt Further →

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!

Here’s my favorite journal for 2024:

Gratitude Journal Prompts Mindfulness Journal Prompts Journal Prompts for Anxiety Reflective Journal Prompts Healing Journal Prompts Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Journal Prompts Mental Health Journal Prompts ASMR Journal Prompts Manifestation Journal Prompts Self-Care Journal Prompts Morning Journal Prompts Evening Journal Prompts Self-Improvement Journal Prompts Creative Writing Journal Prompts Dream Journal Prompts Relationship Journal Prompts "What If" Journal Prompts New Year Journal Prompts Shadow Work Journal Prompts Journal Prompts for Overcoming Fear Journal Prompts for Dealing with Loss Journal Prompts for Discerning and Decision Making Travel Journal Prompts Fun Journal Prompts

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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.

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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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.

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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Your teacher tasks you with writing a story based on an eavesdropped conversation. when the story is published, your subject isn’t happy..

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Write a story in which someone can only hear one side of a conversation and must piece together the meaning of what they’ve heard.

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Write a story about a child overhearing something they don’t understand.

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Write a story in which someone is afraid of being overheard.

Write a story about a character driving and getting lost., write a story about a tennis match between two rivals., write a story that begins with someone dancing in a bar., write a story around someone (literally) bumping into someone else., write a story about a character running late for a job interview., write a story titled 'persuasion'., write a story titled 'the wind in the willows'., write a story titled 'desperate remedies'., write a story titled 'paradise lost'., write a story titled 'a tale of two cities'., write a narrative about a group of scientists exploring the deepest parts of the ocean., imagine a world where exploration is forbidden, and write a story about a character who defies this rule to satisfy their innate curiosity., center your story around a character’s personal exploration, whether it's trying a new hobby, visiting an unfamiliar place, or learning something completely new., set your story on a spaceship exploring the far reaches of space when something goes wrong., write a story in the form of diary entries, written by an explorer as they make their way through what they thought was an untouched location., win $250 in our short story competition 🏆.

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The Only 10 Creative Writing Prompts You Need

by Joe Bunting | 55 comments

Want to Become a Published Author? In 100 Day Book, you’ll finish your book guaranteed. Learn more and sign up here.

You get better at any skill through practice. Prompts are a great way to practice writing (as you might imagine, we're really into practice here), and in this post, I have ten of our best creative writing prompts.

Try a few out, and if you're ready to take the next step in your writing, check out our 100 Best Short Story Ideas .

How To Use These Creative Writing Prompts

At the end of every article on The Write Practice , we include a writing prompt so you can put what you just learned to use immediately. And we invite you to share your writing with our community so you can get feedback on your work.

The Write Practice is more than just a writing blog. It's a writing workbook , and we think it's the best one on the Internet (of course, we're a bit biased).

One of the most important parts of practice is getting feedback, and we want to help YOU get feedback on your writing. To do that, choose one of the prompts, write for 15 minutes, and then copy and paste your practice into the box at the bottom to post your practice in our forum for feedback. You'll be able to read others' practice and give feedback too.

And if you want even more prompts, you can download our workbook, 14 Prompts , for free here (it's normally, $5.99).

Our Most Popular Creative Writing Prompts

Why not try using two or three of these creative writing prompts in your writing today? Who knows, you might even begin something that becomes your next novel to write or short story. It's happened to Write Practicers before!

Enjoy the writing prompts!

My 3 Favorite Writing Prompts

Write about a time you felt out of place, awkward, and uncomfortable. Try not to focus on your feelings, but project your feelings onto the things around you.

Write about a ghost. How do they feel about the world? What do they see and hear? How did they become a ghost?

Your characters haven’t gotten any sleep. Write about why, and how they respond to being sleepless.

Now, let's look at the rest of our favorite prompts!

1. Grandfathers

Write about a grandfather, maybe your grandfather or your character's grandfather. What memories do you/does your character associate with him?

See the prompt: Grandfathers

2. Sleepless

Your characters haven’t gotten any sleep. Write about it.

See the prompt: Sleepless

3. Out of Place

See the prompt: Out of Place

Write about longing. How does it feel to go about a normal day when your character wants something else?

See the prompt: Longing

5. Write About Yourself

Write about yourself.

See the writing prompt: Write About Yourself

See the prompt: 3 Reasons to Write About Ghosts

7. Road Trip

Write about a road trip. Is your character escaping something? Is your character looking for something? Hint at the thing without telling us while describing what the character sees.

See the writing prompt: Road Trip

Write about the morning. What are your character's morning routines? What is special about this morning?

See the prompt: Morning

9. The Beach

Write about the beach. Is your character reflecting on something important that has happened to them? Describe the memory while overlaying the sights, sounds, and smells of the beach onto them.

See the prompt: The Beach

Write about autumn. Natural surroundings can bring up old memories and odd feelings. Describe what your character sees, feels, and most of all does.

See the prompt: Autumn

Do you use writing prompts in your writing? What is your favorite prompt for ideas? Share in the comments .

For today's practice, choose one of these prompts and write for fifteen minutes . When you're finished with your practice, share it in the Pro Practice Workshop . Don't forget to leave feedback for three other writers. Not a community member yet? Join us !

Happy writing!

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Joe Bunting

Joe Bunting is an author and the leader of The Write Practice community. He is also the author of the new book Crowdsourcing Paris , a real life adventure story set in France. It was a #1 New Release on Amazon. Follow him on Instagram (@jhbunting).

Want best-seller coaching? Book Joe here.

The 7 Components of a Fail Proof Book Plan

55 Comments

It usually takes the living to confirm you’re dead. That’s why Saginaw didn’t know for months he’d passed. He was a hermit, had lived alone out in the woods for years. He still isn’t sure how or when he died.

After it happened, he continued to get up every morning and head out to the woodpile. Chopping was his release, his balance, his yoga. The repetitive grabbing and swinging and cracking and discarding brought him harmony.

Until the day he realized nothing was happening.

Like every other morning, he grabbed for the axe handle. This time, he noticed his hand passed right through it.

“What the hell?” he said to himself.

He looked down and saw the log cabin through his body, and knew he was dead. Thinking back, he realized he’d probably been dead for awhile. The familiar weight of the axe was a distant memory. He’d been grabbing and swinging and cracking and discarding nothing. He was going through the motions because they brought him peace.

Saginaw wasn’t sure what a ghost was supposed to do with his free time. He tried strolling through the woods and watching animals. They never spooked like he expected. It was boring.

Within days, he realized how much he missed his chopping. He returned home and tried doing it like a mime – empty hand reaching up and striking down on nothing. But now it made him feel useless.

According to the books he’d read during his life, the dead had the ability to interact with the real world. He practiced, trying to control things with his translucent body. He found that he could create a type of wind with his movements. Grass would sway as he ran by and dandelions would shed their cotton if he swooshed his hand over them.

That was the most he could do; wind would never carry his axe. Ghosts couldn’t shed tears but it didn’t stop Saginaw from crying.

He cried until he was angry. In a rage, he jumped up and, growling, grabbed the axe. It flew up with his hands.

“Oh my God!”

His anger vanished and the axe slipped through his fingers. He tried picking it up again, but it refused. Saginaw grew furious at his futility and kicked at the handle. His foot caught the wood and Saginaw realized what was happening.

His raw anger fueled the power to move objects. The only way to do what calmed him was to lose his calm. A total catch-22.

Sag fell to the ground. He’d never thought much about the afterlife. Glancing at the axe, he wondered, as dread lit fire to his insides, exactly where he was.

I like this piece a lot. It’s like a little story. That line, “Chopping was his release, his balance, his yoga.” is very telling, the yoga bit completing it beautifully. Thanks for sharing.

An interesting take on life after death. What is it? Even when dead, the dead don’t know. A question to be never answered. Adelaide

Brilliant post. I love just starting with a prompt and letting my muse find her way. I could pick any one of these starters and write a series of short pieces. And then voile I have a mini collection to create into a mini e-book. Wow. You’ve just experienced my ‘light-bulb’ moment. I now have an idea for some free giveaways to my potential readers.

After a couple of weeks of dull creative urge, this post has just put a surge of creative current back in my circuit. Thank goodness for that. Thanks Joe for the inspiration.

Thanks so much, Dawn. So glad this got your creative juices flowing! 🙂

I’m book marking this page, what a great post.

Here’s what I wrote.

The beach is empty. On a beautiful, perfect day, with a sky of crystal blue, the beach is empty. You can hear the surf slap against the sand, and the cry of gulls overhead. The white, fine sand stretches before you, so bright you have to squint against it. The day is hot, but not sweltering, and you marvel at the privilege of having the beach all to yourself. There is nothing here but, you, the gulls and the sound of the waves. The coconut smell of the lotion you are applying, the red of the beach towel laid down. You wonder if you should have brought a book, if you ought have left the ipod in the car, but then you sit down, watch the waves ebb and tide against the wet sand, and let the song of the sea lull you. A fleeting thought of awe wanders into your mind, at the quiet, extraordinary way that nature has, going on without human observation. The sea will always lap against the shore. The gulls will nest in the brush and seek their dinner from the sea. Even the fish, unseen, will make their homes and hatch eggs, all without anyone watching. It all continues without human eyes upon them, and it is marvellous. And then, in a moment like this, a perfect bubble in time, you might be allowed to witness it. Watch the gull walk along the rocks, its black shiny eye on you, watch the rhythmical way the waves roll and turn. See the crab burrow out from the sand, crawling along the shore.

And then in an instance, the bubble is broken. The moment shattered as the high voice of a child comes laughing into the sand. A couple follows close behind, their voices low. They make their place a distance away from you, but it is too late. The moment of grace with nature is over, the human world has once again inserted itself and the beach is no longer empty.

I love the beach. And I totally appreciate those moments/ times of immersion into the whole wonder of life at lands edge.

And then being slapped back into the moment by the sound and presence of humans.

Nice writing. Thanks for sharing.

Thanks for the feedback.

I loved this piece! Your wonderful word choice and clever phrasing helped to create a very vivid image of this gem of a beach, in my mind. It really sucked me in, so much so that I couldn’t help but feel a sharp twinge of sadness and disappointment when the human presence disrupted it all and popped the “perfect bubble in time”. Thank you for sharing such a lovely piece.

Thank you Catherine! That certainly is encouraging, and I appreciate the feedback.

You’re very welcome! I’m glad I could be of some help. Best of luck in all your writing endeavors!

No idea if you will find this a year later.

I was reading this and at first I was like thinking. I have read this before. Crystal blue sky. Generic.

And then I hit the line, “you ought have left the ipod in the car”. And it suddenly became personal.

In Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain, the author talks about how children draw symbols. You say draw a person and they draw a stick figure. For an adult it is generic. They don’t actually look at what they are drawing.

The first part of that you write is like that and then suddenly small details, personal details, start to appear and the piece becomes much more powerful. In my opinion you drop out of the generic symbols of a beach and into your personal subjective view point, and the writing gets much better. More visceral.

For me I would encourage you to go back and either drop or rewrite all the generic parts like crystal blue sky, which sounds symbolic, to something personal.

I love this…..

I picked beach.

Soft morning mist Gently rises to kiss Fan of dawn’s rays And slicing through silky southern teal Nullakai’s finger, long dark green Invites me in. Briney effervescence clings To salty diamond necklace Criss-crossing my Summer freckled chest And aquamarine mesmerised My sleepy sea stained eyes Sting to a blur As swollen turquoise curve Breaks this office face Drowning the frown Before it begins I am fresh again fresh This Monday morning.

I’ve been intending to post a comment, but I don’t know much about blank verse or any other poetry other than Japanese short-form poetry such as haiku. What I notice about this poem is that some of the lines read awkwardly because of the lack of an article: a .

“Fan of dawn’s rays,” I think would read better if it were “A fan of dawn’s rays.” Same with “To salty diamond necklace” which would be better as “To a salty diamond necklace.” Again, a missing “a” with “As swollen turquoise curve.” Also, I don’t understand “And aquamarine mesmerised.” .

Otherwise, it’s a beautiful scene and a wonderful way to greet a Monday morning. Adelaide

Thanks Adelaide. Great feedback. Aquamarine should have been two words – aqua marine. I guess I was trying to imply ocean water in a sparklier, gem like way, and taking poetic licence/ freedom by playing with the two words.

Much appreciated. Dawn 🙂

… And I picked ‘morning’.

Dewey pearls lace the graceful dance of understory and spider webs weep fine filaments between sleeping boughs and awakening flowers. In hushed light creamy tones, sun softly shines awake dancing through curls of morning mist. And my body slips into the day, barefoot upon the forest floor.

Early birds sing through the dawning light, their excitement bouncing from leaf to branch. They pause to consider my gaze then flutter on their busy way.

This flesh of mine in autumn beige seeks a deeper walk, into the maze of awakening trees with liquorice trunks black and damp with dew.

Only the forest is talking; the world is yet to yawn and stretch it’s sleepy limbs out of night warmed sheets. I am alone in full company of the promise of a new day.

Strings of purple Hovea buds embrace my passing by, an ephemeral bracelet for one tiny moment, and leave a trace of sparkling silver pearls moist across my wrist. This freshness I bring to my lips. This gift I gently kiss. And I love myself awake.

This sort of reads like a poem, in fact a re-read proves it is! I almost missed that, I was reading too fast. Thank you for sharing.

Hi Giulia It was just a quick 15 minute muse, but yes, now that you’ve pointed it out it does read like poetry. Thanks for that feedback, I can have a play with it and offer it some shape.

Did you like it? Or was it a bit to poetic and slow? I’d appreciate your feedback. Thanks Dawn

Oh, I did like it! I think the structure shape of the poem needs a bit of polish, it might read more smoothly if the lines were shorter. I actually like the languid feel it has, it expresses morning and nature well, how everything seems expanded and slower when you’re really looking at the tiny marvels found in the natural world.

Grandfather.

He’s not a grandfather and I’m terrified he won’t become one. He’s be a great one. I’m positive.

I really shouldn’t be afraid of hospitals. I grew up in one–Dad’s a doctor. I’m familiar with the tile floors and nurses knowing my name and my nickname. But now I’m afraid. He’s not in scrubs but instead in a gown. A nasty butterfly needle is digging into his skin. They always say it’s a small needle and won’t hurt. Don’t believe them. I’ve had nightmares about this. About driving from Mississippi back home because he’s had a heart attack. He’s never had any heart problems so that fear should be irrational. I should have been praying a seemingly ridiculous prayer. It’s a good thing I was praying even though I didn’t know why. Unknown prayer saved his life. As I sat with him on the hospital bed I felt so strange. I felt 7 and still desperately needing my dad. I can’t do anything without him. I don’t know how to be me without him. At the same time I felt grief for my future children. If he’s not better then those make believe kids will only have my stories to go on. They’d never believe me when I told them their grandfather was the greatest man to ever live.

My brothers have stories. Absolutely hilarious stories of my dad that they both recounted on the way to the hospital room. As they did I realized I don’t have stories. I have facts, subjects, events. I have moments.

-Reading Harry Potter together and standing in line for each book release.

-Agatha Christie -Keeping Up Appearances -“I think I’ll go pay that bill.” “You know what I think you should do?” “What?” “Go pay that bill.” “Oh my gosh you’re brilliant!” -We are both left handed.

-How to swing a bat.

-How to replace a door.

-How to drive.

-Telling me his “M.D.” stood for “My Daddy.” -His Martin acoustic guitar -The smell of cedar wood and rain when he made duck calls in the basement.

I don’t have hilarious stories of my dad I just have a lot of lessons. He taught me in every moment we spent together. Those moments were hilarious but I don’t think I could recreate them to become stories.

I want him to be a grandfather because I didn’t know mine. He has to show my children how amazing he is because how could I possibly put that into words? He’s my very best friend. He thinks I can do absolutely anything. I know that I can because a quick phone call to him clears up any questions.

He always has the answers.

I need him to be a grandfather because I need him to keep being my dad.

That was wonderful, simultaneously heartwarming and heartbreaking. I love it

Thank you!!!

A warm tribute to your father. I hope he got well. adelaide

I really love this piece.

I chose morning as it was a few weeks ago up here in upstate NY.

FROM MY WINDOW

Spring is gearing up. At the far end of the front yard, where it rises to meet the road, crocus splash yellow, white and purple. Stems on the lilac bushes are knobby with green tipped leaf buds. Daffodils, some just poking through the soil, some already at their full height with swollen flower buds ready to burst. Through the open window the breeze is damp,ripe with the fragrance of wet dirt, last year’s leaves and manure from the field around the bend. There are busy calls from unseen birds and announcing honks from another gaggle of geese. There is, in this moment, everything that there is.

coffee brewing the anticipation before the first sip

Lovely. I can almost feel myself standing beside you at the window. Great use of all the senses Adelaide. Thanks for sharing. Dawn

This post is in response to OUT OF PLACE

A sorority beach house. Full of surging hormones and testosterone from the young women and the visiting frat boys who have a house down the road. Some girls have wandered there to see what’s going on. Most likely the same things that are going on here.

It’s Easter Break at Laguna Beach. A week of fun, fun, fun! For some. For most. But not for the dark haired girl trying to play poker with two other girls and three guys. Trying to play because she is new at the game and loses every hand. She also loses at the witty, sexually laced repartee between the other five players. After four games and down to her last 10 pennies, she quits. It is not for her this game. The entire experience is not for her. She looks over the party goers. Beer, kisses and gropes are exchanged in corners. What goes on in the closed bedrooms is better not seen.

She takes a beer, her first, and her cigarettes and goes out to the beach. This is what she came for: the beach, swimming during the day, reading what she didn’t have time for when crushed with class assignments, girl talk with a few friends. Even that is a disappointment as the girl talk usually turns to boys, a topic which is foreign to her experience.

She’ll lie when she goes back to her classes. She’ll say the week was fun, a blast. Yeah. Partying every night. At least, she’ll have a tan to prove she was there.

Lovely demonstration of the odd teen, who out of place cannot even bare to bow to peer pressure. I liked the ending where she decided to lie to fit in.

Can you please tell me what a ‘sorority’ house is exactly. (I’m not from the USA.)

Thanks for sharing Dawn

Many colleges have sororities, a club of sorts to which candidates are invited to be a member. In some colleges they can be very snobbish, at least that was the situation when I was in college. My college, a small woman’s college, was more democratic, in that a student chose the soriety she wanted and was accepted in it. There was no voting on who could come in and who could not. Bigger colleges have special housing for sororities and fraternities (the male equvilent of sororities).I don’t know what other sororities did, but the ones at my college, in addition to organizing teas, parties, picnics, etc., had a commitment to do some social work for the community. Being a Catholic college we gave Catechism lessons to young childdren in poor parishes where there was a shortage of teachers to give these lessons after school

A sororiety beach house is just that: a house at the beach which the sorority rents for a time, the rent being paid for by charging a fee for each girl who wants to spend the week there. Easter week was usually a time of letting loose

I hope this answers your question. Adelaide

Thanks again Joe Due to the inspiration of this post and it’s kickstarting my creative flow (I’ve been editing my first novel), I have decided to do the NaNo July Camp.

Using some of the above prompts I am aiming to complete a collection of short stories, prose and poetic interludes. My goal is only 10,000 words. This will give me time to edit, shape and tease out detail. It’s winter in my part of the world. A cosy time to write beside the fireplace.

A brief synopsis: A collection of short stories, prose and poetic interludes that reflect on the shadows, woods, winds and ocean waves of a south coast winter.

Where nature walks deep into the rhythm of this human’s hibernating season and beckons her into conversation with looming clouds, long shadows and the low breathing reach of winter sun.

That she may see the beauty that dances between the tempest winter weather sweeping the landscape and her quiet resting inner world.

Of course I’ll still be visiting TWP daily. For ongoing inspiration and community to share with. Cheers Dawn 🙂

What a great, stimulating post! I chose the ‘Morning’ prompt.

My eyes slowly creaked open, only to squint in the sun beam that had smacked my face, arousing me from sleep. But I hadn’t been asleep…had I? I couldn’t be sure. As I groggily sat up in bed, a chill ran down my spine as the air conditioning kissed my back-drenched with sweat. The next thing I took notice of was the pounding in my chest. It seemed that my heart had been beating wildly only moments ago, and now it was doing its best to resume normality. Yet that wasn’t all. There was a dull, aching that had come with the wild beating. In my mind’s eye, I could see a face, slowly fading from sight. It’s features were slowly becoming more and more obscure. Who was he? Why did I care? Hardly a minute had passed before the man’s face vanished from my mind entirely. Birds began to chirp cheerily outside my window, and without knowing why- a tear slipped down my face and darkened the baby blue sheets. I struggled to search my mind for the image of his face once more, but there was nothing. There never would be- except for the lone tear that spotted my sheets.

Great start that draws your readers in; beginning of the day, mysterious dream image evoking intense emotion, loved it Catherine!

This is amazing.

I chose the sleepless prompt. I kind of went deeper than I was trying to.

She tossed. She turned. Her eyes wouldn’t stay shut. They would stay open either. She blinked. The dark of the night filled the room, and the smell of dust covered everything. The blankets on the bed were everywhere, and one the pillows had been thrown on the floor. The rest of the bedroom looked neat, beside the dark and glooming aroma.

She had a specific person on her mind. Someone she had been wondering about for awhile. She didn’t have a crush, nor were they enemies. The person was just very… normal. She tried getting her mind on something else, only to be reminded on him somehow. The smell was like him, the smell of the room.

She turned again, thinking of what happened that day. He had asked her a strange question; one that’s wasn’t like trying to know someone. It was just strange. “Do you like country music?” His words echoed in her mind. She had said no, and then he had left, without any sign.

He wasn’t exactly a normal boy, but he wasn’t weird either. He wears black often, but sometimes he’ll wear pink. His hair is often messy, but sometimes, for no reason, it’s perfectly neat. He manly sticks to keeping quiet, but sometimes, he’s the most active in class.

Thank’s, it is very creative! Besides I found this writing prompts tool http://youressayhelper.com/writing-prompt-generator.html very helpful!

Found this post and took a stab at the grandfather prompt.

I never knew my grandfather.

A man walks towards me. Top hat, suit. Black against white mist. He is smiling. He is a handsome man. He does not take a step but if he did they would be long strides. Purposeful, directed. He is tall but does not tower over me. And he is looking at me. Not at me, not through me. At me. At the deep sliver of me before the echoes of memory. And smiling. A smile that reaches from ear to ear. A smile that starts in the gut and ends in the eyes. A smile that leaves me quivering inside my own skin. He knows my secret.

How does he know. What if he tells someone.

He sees me. No, he sees him. The lie of lies. He sees past the lies. He sees the lies I tell myself and he laughs. A laugh from the belly that shakes the mists he reaches out from.

Small lies. Self-pity. Worthlessness. Fear. His eyes move past them, not even bothering to swat them aside.

Something rests on my heart.

I was inspired when I read this post and I immediately made a story. However, I came up with my own prompt: Jealousy.

I keep finding the wrong in her brown capturing eyes, hoping to see the darkness she has yet to reveal. I keep finding the treason in her refined movements, the plan in her bright smile, the sting in her sweet words yet I couldn’t find any. She is the sun, and everyone is flocking around her warmth but I am blinded. My eyes sting and my breath caught within my throat, afraid they will notice the insecurities blowing in and out of my lungs. Afraid to move for they might see the urge to block their words worshiping her, slowly pressing my stomach, burying me into the depths of the dark place I wouldn’t want to be in but I’m still falling, falling, and falling. I have to avoid the mirror and the vision of myself beside her, comparing and losing. I have to refrain from looking as it would pour fuel into the fire and I have to stay away, far away from her. She pleaded why am I keeping distance, as I remember how my stomach churns every time they prefer her, how I’m always in the shadow of her glow, and I retreated leaving her groping in the dark for an answer, like how I’m pathetically groping for salvation. I cry that night chanting apologies; I am lost and I have to find myself, hoping to be stable and solid so my molecules will not easily drown in hers. I am me and she is her as they point my parts apart from her. A heterogeneous system, as one, as sisters, as best friends. But not today. Today I’m lying on the thorns of my selfish inexcusable reasons devoid of any strength to get up. Today, I’m still avoiding the traces of her on my notebook and my map. I’m sorry, you are the best and the worst that has happened to me and for that pitiful reason, today at 10 am in our small warm coffee shop I will not be there. I will be somewhere else, a place cowards run off to, somewhere you wouldn’t have to go.

——-your undeserving best friend: jealousy

I just re-posted a post on my FB page about using images to help you write! https://www.facebook.com/A-Page-A-Day-Lets-all-write-just-one-page-a-day-103970129720405/?fref=ts I used many images to write my novel. El Salvador’s civil war was the most photographed war in history. I bet it still is! Thanks for a great post! Sherrie Sherrie Miranda’s historically based, coming of age, Adventure novel “Secrets & Lies in El Salvador” is about an American girl in war-torn El Salvador: http://tinyurl.com/klxbt4y Her husband made a video for her novel. He wrote the song too: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P11Ch5chkAc

“Morning”

The sun shone through a small gap where the panels of curtains met. Usually the curtains did their job and blacked out any light, but the angle she laid in bed today was the perfect place for the sun to shine right on her face. It beamed like a laser through her eyelids. She turned over in bed attempting to evade the warm light. Her subconscious knew something wasn’t right. She bolted upright and scrambled to find her phone which served as her alarm clock. Dead. What time is it? She ran to the kitchen to look at the clock on the oven. It was blinking 3:38. This can’t be right, the sun is shining bright as noon. The power must have gone off sometime during the night. She hurried back to her room to plug in her phone. It seemed like hours as she waited for it to charge enough to turn on. Panic started to set in. Finally! The iPhone beamed back to life. The clock on the home screen read 7:22. She was late. Late for her first day at her new job.

I really enjoy creative writing and I hope to get better at it. I always have different ideas running through my head but I never actually put them on paper. I chose the “Morning” prompt and I feel like this is actually pretty good! Morning The warm rays of the sun filled the room as Vaughn lay their asleep. It was about 10:45 in the morning, and Vaughn was still exhausted from yesterday’s job searching. He had been fired about three months ago and has been budgeting his money the best he can. Natalie, his girlfriend, has been giving him small amounts of money here and there. Bzzz, Bzzz…his phone starts ringing, causing him to wake up from his deep sleep. His violet eyes scan the screen of the phone. Vaughn sighs, noticing it’s a text from Natalie. He puts the phone back where it was and snuggled back under the warm covers. As soon as his platinum hair hit the pillow- bzzz, bzzz, bzzz…this time it was a call. Vaughn released a sigh of annoyance, noticing it was Natalie again. “Hello”, he answered. “Vaughn I cannot believe you forgot again, you know as much as I help you, you could be a little better at remembering things”, Natalie yelled through the speaker. “What are you talking about, Natalie, we didn’t plan anything today! You said you were tired” Vaughn explained, his patients wearing thin. “I just texted you and said ‘Meet me at the new café’, I’ve been waiting here for thirty minutes and you’re still not here!”, Natalie whined. “Okay, okay, I’m on my way Naty” Vaughn threw the covers off himself and started getting ready. He wouldn’t have heard the end of it if he didn’t go. While he was pacing through his apartment, he knocked down a picture frame. He bent down and froze when he saw the picture it displayed. It was him standing beside a girl with brown hair and tan skin. Her smile was gentle and calming and her violet eyes sparkled with joy. Vaughn gently held the frame and whispered,” Cerene…”. *Flashback to High School* “Will we still talk like we are now, Florida seems like its pretty far”, Vaughn asked nervously. “Of course we will, silly, you’re my best friend!” Cerene Exclaimed. Vaughn and Cerene had been friends since elementary school. They were always together. Unfortunately, Cerene’s family traveled a lot. Her father’s job required them to move from time time. Vaughn didn’t like this at all, sure he had other friends, but they weren’t his best friends like Cerene was. She was always there for him, even when he was sick, she would bring tea, movies, or just sit and talk with him. Everyone at school thought the two liked each other. It was true Vaughn liked Cerene but he never knew how she felt about him. Cerene was leaving a week after graduation. As the day grew closer, Vaughn noticed that Cerene just wasn’t her cheery self anymore. Instead she seemed depressed and disconnected from the world. He’d find her staring off into the distance a lot like she was thinking. Three days before she was supposed to leave, Vaughn got a call from Cerene. “Hey, Cerene, how’s it goin’”, Vaughn answered. “Hey Vanya…I..um..I have some bad news” Cerene explained. Her voice was shaking, Vaughn wondered if she was about to cry. “What is it, Cerene” he asked, worried. “I’m…leaving earlier than I thought”, she said sadly. “But why, what happened to te week after graduation” he pleaded. “I’m sorry, Vanya, I tried to get extra time but my father said we have to leave earlier than expected!” she exclaimed. “Its okay, Cerene, its not your fault, but can I see you before you leave, please”, Vaughn asked with hope. “Of course, silly, you’re my best friend!” Vaughn snapped out of day dream when his phone started vibrating again.

Today was a fresh day, leaves crunching beneath my boots and the sun beams stretching out for a new morning. I usually had these walks by myself, oftenly I’d get looks from my friends of concern and they had always questioned me as to why I never invited them along. But me and the Autumn season are meant to be alone, we’re meant to be one.

My nose was red, and I had an occasional case of the sniffles not that I was really bothered about it. Nevertheless it might not be winter but the whispy breeze, and the coldness of the astomophere was indicating that it was near. I paused at the tree, in the middle of a meadow. A meadow packed with tall soft grass, flowers that were in the process of blooming and the silent birds that peacefully flew on by in the bright clear sky. I parked myself down, my back resting on the bark of the old tree my knees tucked into my chest while my arms rested on top of my knees.

I felt my hair blow with the sudden blast of wind, like waves of an ocean as I felt tears prick in the corners of my eyes. Truth is, Autumn was the sad season. The season where I lost my younger brother, Despite his falling sand the countless times he was called names and picked on by the other children, he always managed to smile and laugh with me, which you wouldn’t expect from a brother and sister. After he passed I always came here, somehow his presence lingered near. My eyelids eventually gave away to the tiredness from my sobs, my throat was sore, so just as I fell asleep, a small murmered whispered in my ear, “Sweet dreams, Sis.” And a small smile creeped onto my face, as well as the last falling tear.

This is lovely. I believe it to be true.

Beach Do you remember the last year when I called you and requested to see me at Clifton beach in the evening. You might have forget that call but tell me have you forgot that last meeting also? You might have forgot that meeting but tell me have you forgot our last dance on the sand. The sun was setting and the sky turned red as if it had not slept since many last nights. Do you remember when your left foot was kissing my right foot and your right my my left. Do you remember when we danced on the music of sew waves. Do you remember when a wave touched our feet took the sand from beneath our feet away with it. Since that day I am hanging in the air. I don’t have anything to place my feet on.

Using the prompt, “Road trip” and this is what I came up with.

11:00 in the morning, my wheelchair is securely locked in the mechanism. I’m semi nervous and excited, watching out the window as the bus pulls away from the depot. Out the corner of my eye, I notice one seat up and over, a young boy is looking back at me. I give him a quick smile before he turns to his mother. She looks back to me then nudges his shoulder. A scolding expression on her face and speaking quietly to him him. I don’t hear what is said but I’m sure I can imagine her words. Parents, how they stifle a child’s curiosity. 2:45 in the afternoon, the lift is shaky as I ride it down off the bus. I’m glad to have all four wheels on the ground. I have a couple of minutes before I have to board the next bus. Just enough time for a quick bathroom break. I’m passing the young boy again. We make eye contact. His mother is busy scrounging through her purse. Oops, I bet she lost her tickets. I pop a wheely as I ride pass the boy and a bright smile lights up his young face as he watches. I turn back around, looking at him and smile. Catching a glimpse of me, his mother grabs his hand and pulls him along toward a customer desk. My eyes are still on the little boy as he looks back to me once more. I quickly give him a thumbs up, then ride off toward the rest room, wheeling on my back tires. 3:00, I’d just exited the bathroom. Time to board. The bus will be leaving in 10 minutes bound for Philadelphia. I see the boy and his mother once more as I wheel myself toward the bus’s lift. Catching the mother’s eye, I remark, “He’s a bright young boy. He’s very inquisitive, nurture him well.” She manages a curt smile and hurriedly walks toward her destination and I can’t help to watch them as the lift raises me up to enter the bus. I can’t help but wonder about the man he’ll grow up to be.

this story really made my day and i would honestly consider you to become an author. I will forever cherish this story as i can relate being wheelchair bound and now have been inspired to “pop a wheely” which i will continue to do in my every day life.You are the reason i wake up in the morning

Robert i take a massive offence to this as i am also “wheelchair bound” and like to “pop a wheely” from time to time and would highly recommend deleting your comment

As a fellow wheeler, I too take great pride in ‘popping wheelies’ whenever free time shows face in my schedule. The W.A. society (wheelers anonymous) are a faction of like minded individuals who all have a great passion for the art that is ‘paralytic parkour’. I come from a long line of wheelers, must be in my genes-sorry future kids L0L! Not a singe soul has stood tall in my family for many of years now, everyday’s a struggle, all worse than the last, but my strong will and high admiration pulls me through with a little grass from my friends if you get what i mean 😉 anyway, maybe we could arrange a date sometime soon, ill send you my details for future reference.

Hey AJ, how you doing? cause im doing swell BUT i couldn’t help wondering about this faction im hearing of, i have some gnarly brain storms about a new stunt wheelchair as ive been having a lot of trouble going down the half pipe at my local skate park, i seem to be falling out my wheelchair every time i go down and cant get back up. approximately 1/3 paralytic parkourers die due to faulty wheelchairs, i hope you take my brain storms into deep consideration.

sincerely Lance.

WOW lance you seem to have caught my attention because this is a everyday common struggle of most wheelers. We wheelers have to stick together and have each others backs even when we are both struggling to find our feet quite literally! the only thing i have to live on is hope and you know what they say about hope ‘breeds eternal misery’ .

I found myself choosing the Grandfather Prompt. I felt my eyelids getting heavier as I placed my head on the car window. It was a quiet day. Even the sound of my mother and Grandmother talking seemed soothing. I was quickly brought back to reality by a voice message on my mother’s phone, from my grandfather. “I need..help…a hospital. Please come..” ,he whispered, then silence. I felt my heart drop to my stomach as his voice echoed in my head. I froze. I didn’t move. I couldn’t move… All I could do was sit there, listening to my mother trying to hold back her tears as she was speeding on a busy street. Only my younger sister shaking my arm snapped me back. “What’s going on? Why are they crying?”, she desperately asked. In that second, it hit me. We might not get there in time. I tried to hold back my tears, I tried to be strong, but I couldn’t. I could hear my heart pounding louder than my thoughts. I felt my temperature rising by the second. My tears sliding down my chin. The only thing I resorted to doing was pray. “Please, not today. I’m not ready. Not this soon, let me hug him one more time. Don’t take him from me yet.”,I prayed in silence. Then the thoughts began to come. What was the last thing I said to him? When is the last time I told him I loved him? My thoughts were interrupted as my mother slammed the breaks on my grandparents driveway. “Stay in the car.” ,my mother snapped as she ran out. The wait seemed endless. Everything felt unreal. I felt helpless. Was he dead? This can’t be how he leaves. I didn’t get to say goodbye. No more fighting over the t.v controller with him again. We would never share a piece of cherry pie again. I’ll never get another poem from him. My attention quickly turned to the door as my sister began to cry, as she realized the situation. My mother and grandmother came out struggling to carry my grandfather. I didn’t know what to think. “Where’s the nearest E.R?” , I hear my grandma yell. We made it on time. There seemed to be a weight off my chest. My grandfathers even SLIGHT breathing, was prayers answered.

After high school graduation we begin our journey, going to college; going here and there on vacations; work and exactly where we’re going isn’t clear. We can see down the road aways, sometime to the next turn, but our destination remains obscure. Often there are intersections and we glare down the different routes and make a choice and we’re off again. Job offers come and we change directions. We meet people and that may take is off in yet other directions. Then we start a family and the road seems to be long and hard. We wonder if we’re going down the right road. Will we get to nice place in the end? Will there be food and shelter waiting for us? Or will we run out of gas and be stranded, walking down the road? But we keep moving. Eventually the kids grow up and are in college and the road seems to open up and the scenery gets better. We start seeing what we think is our destination in the distance and our focus lands there. Are we going to make it – or can’t wait to make it. More intersections seem to keep the goal at bay, but we continue on. Kids are on their own road and we see them taking some of the same roads we travelled. But we make a turn and the goal is in view. We think back about the trip and how frustrating it was at the time and realize that it went by way too quickly. We long to be able to keep the trip going, taking in more sights and doing things that we didn’t stop and bother with previously. But we arrive as the sun sets. Out of gas. Cold. Hungry. Tired. And waiting for us is a huge lodge with a warm fireplace burning. A huge meal has been prepared. There is laughter, music and lots of people, many of whom we’ve known along the trip. It’s been a wonderful experience. And the talk is about the next road trip.

I absolutely love these! I just read a post about the benefits of using creative writing prompts and went looking for some to get started. Thanks so much for these!

Its been days since Ronda landed, maybe tonight she will get some sleep. Jet Lag has been a nightmare. Started the night befor the flight, woke up every 2-3 hours and could not fall back to sleep. Ronka always stresses before trips. Really she stresses before everything. The 13 hours on the plane were completely sleepless as well. Ronka rarely ever can sleep on a plane. She brought a book but did not read. She had some podcasts but didnt listen. Her focus was not good enough for any of those. Not even for random thoughts. She watched a few movies but probably doesnt remember much. At the last 2 hours she found Remi Cube on the airplane entertainment system and thats where she finally found solace. Went into a frenzy of playing until the plane landed. Ronda does most things in a frenzy. Now she’s in her parents home. Day 3 and she hasnt got much sleep. On the surface things are ok. She hasnt spiraled out of control yet. But deep inside she can feel the shift… She is not fully ok. Getting a little more grumpy and restless by the minute. A big total eclipse is happening in a few hours. The energies must be affecting. Ronda is always greatly affected with the universe arround her. The weather, The full Moons, the astrological signs. Ronda needs a good night sleep. A few good night sleeps. She needs to get back on track. She’s been doing relatively good lately.

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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.

Home › Study Tips › Creative Writing Resources For Secondary School Students

308 Creative Writing Prompts To Unlock Your Writing Skills

Published November 23, 2022

A yellow typewriter that emphasizes 'Stay Creative'.

You want to start creative writing but how? It’s hard to be creative on demand. Most people need some inspiration or a push in the right direction. That’s why we teach our creative writing summer courses with various techniques to conquer your fear of the blank page.

And we’ve put together a stimulating list of Creative Writing prompts to get those creative wheels turning! But, if you want to niche down then feel free to check out our high school writing prompts .

General Writing Prompts

An envelope from a passing plane falls out of the sky and lands on your character. What would the contents of the envelope be?
You’re invulnerable except for one weakness. What’s your weakness?
Create a character that abhors your favourite hobby, and explain why.
Create a story that revolves around the main character, “the girl with the red balloon.”
What’s the most boring job you can imagine? Write a sports commentary on a person doing it.
Describe a character’s morning routine as if you’re writing an inspiring script for a personal development Youtube channel.
Your character is dancing in the rain. What’s the backstory?
Write a story beginning with the climax, then proceed to give flashbacks.
Who is your least favourite person? What do you dislike most about them? Write a backstory on how they may have developed these negative traits.
Two characters are talking about a topic. Write the same dialogue twice, each from two different perspectives.
You have 7 days to complete a mission. Should you fail, the world ends. What’s the mission about?
Think about a person you want to be with. What do you wish they’d tell you? Write the scenario.
Your character is making a magic potion that steals 5 years of life from the maker. Why are they willing to give up their time for the potion?
Is there a moment in your life you wish would last forever? Capture it with your writing.
Write a story that begins with a tribal ritual. What’s the ritual about? How is it performed?
Choose a random holiday on the calendar, and write a greeting card about it.
Rewrite the lyrics to a song with a good beat.
Write a pokemon battle from the pokemon’s perspective.
Write about a character suffering from a disease without mentioning the disease.
If you had 1 hour left to live, what would you do?

Before moving on, creative writing examples can also help you conquer the fear of the blank page. We highly recommend reading through our resource, as well as our tips for creative writers like you.

Mythical Creatures/Places Prompts

You meet a dragon. How would the story go? Describe the dragon as much as you can.
Your character is running away from a perilous situation. Suddenly, a pegasus and their rider swoop down from the sky to their rescue.Who is the rider?
Losing your way while travelling, you accidentally stumbled on a golden city. You think it’s El Dorado! Before you take one more step, large soldiers materialise, golden spears pointed at your throat. How do you escape?
Write a poem about a mythical place that has always fascinated you.
If you could choose one mythical creature to meet in real life, who would it be?
You heard a beautiful melody while walking through a forest on a guided tour. You wandered off on your own and found a group of fairies singing a ritual song. Suddenly, they all turn to you and say in unison, “We have been waiting for you.” What’s happening?
You’re in a submarine on the ocean floor. When a mermaid approaches you with open curiosity. Describe the mermaid in as much detail as you can.
Describe the underworld from Cerberus’ perspective.
Your character went island hopping on vacation. When they encounter the irresistible song of the sirens. What happens next?
Write about Hades from Zeus’ perspective.
You just found out you’re a reincarnated Egyptian god/goddess. How do you react?

Superpower Writing Prompts

If you could choose any superpower, what would it be? Why?
You just discovered you have the power of invisibility. What would you do with this power?
What responsibilities come with having superpowers?
How would the world be different if everyone had superpowers?
You’re at a party, and you can read everyone’s mind. How will the scene go?
Write about what it would be like to have the power of flight.

Tired yet? Keep going or take a break by reading through the top UK universities for creative writing – maybe that will provide some extra motivation to keep you racing through these prompts.

“For the First Time” Prompts

A tourist from a tropical country encounters snow for the first time. How would they react?
Write about a person who grew up in a desert and saw the sea for the first time.
What was the most crucial decision you made? Write a story of what would’ve happened if you chose differently.
A colourblind person sees colour for the first time. How did the experience go?
Write about a deaf toddler who hears their mommy for the first time.
Write a romantic story about first-time lovers.
How was your experience riding the boat for the first time?
You eat a foreign fruit for the first time. Describe the taste in a way that makes the reader’s mouth water.
Write about a character who skydives for the first time.
What would Christopher Columbus have felt seeing America for the first time?
Write about a character who experiences the death of an immediate family member for the first time.
It was your first time seeing a Kangaroo. Write the experience from the Kangaroo’s perspective.
Write about a character who gets caught up in a riptide for the first time.

Creative writing has, and always will be, a popular university course. Knowing exactly what the a-level requirements for creative writing are helps ensure you have the best chance of getting into a top university of your choice.

Unfortunate Events

Write a story wherein a character experiences 3 unfortunate events in quick succession within 24 hours.
A businessman loses all his money in one day. What happens next?
Burglars break into your home 4 consecutive times in one month. Write a thrilling narrative.
You wake up to your empty garage. Someone stole your car. The carnapper happens to be the leader of an infamous gang, and you happen to be a CIA agent. Write an action-packed story.
Write about an innocent character framed to be the murderer.
You entered the class with all your classmates glaring at you with anger and indignation, except one. Who smiles at you in evil triumph. What happened?
A character starts the day wrong and ends up ruining the rest of the day because of a bad mood. They go to bed screaming in frustration, “THE WORST DAY EVER!” Write what transpired in a way that’ll make your readers laugh.
Your protagonist has a goal. But every time they try to achieve it, something bad happens. Is it a coincidence, or is someone sabotaging their efforts?

Alternate Ending/Path

Write an alternate ending to a movie or story you wished ended differently.
Write a character who’s born into a military family, and who is expected to follow their father’s footsteps. But they feel called to a different path.
Who would you be if you could be anyone you want to be?
Julius Caesar survived his assassination. How will his story continue after the betrayal?
An heir to the throne chose to run away and travel the world in disguise. Write about their journey.
Romeo and Juliet didn’t die. So how will their romance continue?
Harry Potter ended up marrying Hermione. Write the alternate ending.
Augustus didn’t die in the Fault in Our Stars. Write a happy ending.
How would you have wanted the Game of Thrones to end instead? Write the script.
Gatsby was discovered to be innocent, and his life was spared. What happens next?
If Jack didn’t die, how would his romance with Rose continue?

From the Object’s Perspective

Your character is an expert samurai. Write about the samurai from the sword’s perspective.
Write a story with art materials as the main characters.
What is your most prized possession? Write from its perspective about how it thinks and feels about you.
Write about a family’s history from an heirloom’s perspective.
Write a scene from Dr Strange from his cape’s perspective.
Write about the Elder Wand’s previous masters before it became Dumbledore’s, from the wand’s perspective.
Narrate a Percy Jackson scene from Riptide’s perspective.
Write a scene from Dr. Strange from his cape’s perspective.
If Gandalf’s staff could talk, what legendary tales would it tell you?
A castle houses multiple generations of nobles. What secrets does it know?

Is the Grass Greener on the Other Side?

Write a story about two characters who wish they live the other person’s life without the other knowing.
A character believes the grass is greener on the other side. Turns out it isn’t. How did the story go?
Write about a little girl who wanted to be a mermaid, and her wish was granted.
A character thought having instant millions could make them happy. It didn’t. Write about their inner monologue on their deathbed.
You had the opportunity to live the life of your favourite Hollywood star in a day. How will it go?
Do you think abundant money can buy happiness? Why or why not?
If you could shift into any career in the world, what would it be? Why?
Your character’s best friend just got engaged. They’re happy for them, but they can’t help feeling a little jealous. Write about the internal struggle.

Time Travel/History

Choose a historical event, and insert a fictional character who experiences it and has no idea how significant it is in human history.
If you could travel back in time as a mere observer, what 3 historical events would you want to witness in person?
What would you tell your younger self from 10 years ago?
If you could change one event in human history, what would it be? Why?
What would you tell a parent if you could meet them before they had you?
You travel back in time but can’t return to your own time. What happens next?
If you could save one person from dying at their appointed time, who would it be? Why?
What would you tell your great-grandchild if you could travel to the future?
If you could relive an event that happened in the past without changing it, what would it be? Why?
Choose one decision you wouldn’t make if you could go back in time. How will your life change?
Your character travels through time, but they keep getting stuck in the same year. What year is it, and what’s happening?
You’re travelling back in time, but you accidentally go too far and land in the middle of a prehistoric jungle. Describe your experience.

Describe ___ To A Blind Person

If you were to describe the:

Northern Lights
Empire State Building
Mona Lisa Painting
Pyramids of Giza
Most beautiful person you met

How would you go about it?

The Villain/Wrongdoing

Write about a bully who undergoes a change of heart after being bullied.
A mad scientist concocted a deadly solution in their lab to eradicate a huge percentage of the human race. What events pushed them to such measures?
Write a story about a manipulative character who always found a way to escape problems unscathed. Until they meet their match.
An important event is going on. A biassed journalist creates fake news. What events made the journalist regret what they did?
Write about a character who is falling in love with the villain.
Write a scene from Narnia from the White Witch’s perspective.
What would the final Lord of the Rings battle look like from Sauron’s perspective? Write the scene.
Write a Star Wars scene from Darth Vader’s perspective.

Inner Monologue

You’re waiting in line to buy pizza. And you see a person reading the menu. What would their inner monologue be?
What goes on in the mind of a traitor?
Write a character who’s about to end their life. But they changed their mind at the last minute. Why?
Write the inner monologue of a genius taking a maths exam.
What goes on inside a gamer’s mind while playing Mobile Legends?
Write about what Martin Luther must have been thinking while writing his momentous speech “I Have A Dream.”
What do you think were the thoughts of Julius Caesar during his assassination?
Write about what Taylor Swift’s inner monologue must have been while she wrote her famous song “All Too Well.”
Write about a character’s internal monologue while on a blind date.
What went on in the mind of the Titanic’s captain as they sunk?

Family and Friendship

Think about your top 5 friends. Make them characters in your story with you as the antagonist.
You want to give a favourite book to a friend. Write the dedication note.
Recall a favourite moment you had with your best friend. Write the event from their perspective.
A family was eating dinner as usual. But something happened that changed their lives forever. What was the life-changing event?
Write a story about a hero who gave their lives to protect their loved ones against a powerful foe.
If a friend were to introduce you in an essay, what would they write?
Write an essay convincing your close friends to watch a movie they haven’t watched before.
If you and your family were the main characters of an alien invasion story, how would it go?
Two friends have been debating a topic for years. One dies first at a young age. How does the remaining person live his remaining life in reaction to his friend’s untimely death?
Write about a character who looks back on their life and discovers how they’ve hurt the people closest to them. How will they try to repair these relationships?
What’s your favourite bread? Describe its deliciousness without using the word delicious or any of its synonyms.
What’s your favourite dish? Narrate a chef preparing it in a suspenseful way.
Start your story with someone drinking their usual morning coffee at a local coffee shop.
How would the dialogue go if you were to instruct a younger sibling on how to prepare a dish through the phone?
Write a romantic story about food lovers who met at a restaurant.
Describe how a stew smells so tasty as to make your readers’ mouths water.
Brewed vs 3-in-1-Coffee, why is one better than the other?
You watch a person eating food with such satisfaction that it makes you hungry. Describe how they ate the food.
Describe a dish without revealing its name.
Write about a character suffering from depression, then they taste food that reminds them of happy childhood days.
What’s a vegetable you hate? Write an inner monologue from its perspective, detailing how it hates you back.
A mother receives the last letter from her son before he dies in the war. What does the letter say?
A couple parts ways. A year later, one of them decides to win back the relationship and proceeds to search. Only to discover the other died a week ago. What happens next?
In a snap, your young character’s life takes a cruel turn because every family member dies in one day. What will they do in the aftermath of the tragedy?
A superhero shines bright. But what about the normal person who lost a loved one because of the superhero’s rash action in saving the world? Write a story about the normal person.
Your character is dying, and their life is flashing before their eyes. What are they seeing?
Write a character who has to let go of a loved one who recently passed away.
What would you say if you could talk to someone you desperately want to talk to, but can’t?
Write about a character who goes through the motions but is frozen in the past. What situation forces them to move on?
Write about a war veteran struggling with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.
A young student suffers from bullying. What development do they go through that allows them to stand up for themselves later in the story?
You stumbled upon a mostly empty house with a picture frame hanging on a wall. Who’s in the picture?
An old woman walks by every 3pm in the afternoon. Where is she going?
You look out and see a couple fighting behind a closed window. What are they arguing about?
Who do you find most mysterious? Imagine what their inner monologue sounds like. Write it down.
Someone gave you a key necklace. You later discovered it’s an actual key to a secret door. What happens next?
Write a story about a character surfing on the beach. When they stumbled upon a message in a bottle. The very next day, they leave everything behind to go someplace else. What’s the message?
A locket has been passed down multiple generations and ended up with you. Little did you know it was hiding a secret yet to be discovered. What is the secret? How did you find out?
You sit at a playground and notice a young girl looking sullen and withdrawn. What do you think is her story?
Someone played the public piano at the airport. Your character watched as a tear ran down their face. Why?
Choose a painting of a deceased painter. What are they trying to tell you?
Your great-grandchild went back in time to meet you. Why?
There’s a secret room that’s been walled off. Why?
You find a hidden door in your apartment. Where does it lead to?
“With his last breath, he uttered a name.” Continue the story.
You’re walking down a street, and you see someone who looks exactly like you. Your eyes meet, and both freeze in astonishment. What happens next?
Every year, a character dreads June 13th. Why?
What’s your most hated insect? Describe the expression of disgust on your face from the insect’s perspective.
Your character lands in a new world, and they encounter an animal they never saw before. How would you describe the animal?
The wolves sing to the moon. Write a song about it.
Write the inner monologue of a cat intent on world domination.
Two cats are playing a mock fight. What would their dialogue be?
Write the inner monologue of a dog waiting for its owners to return.
A dog jumped on you. And you hear a voice say, “Sorry, sorry!” Who is it?
Write from the perspective of a porcupine. What does it feel like to have a soft body covered with spikes?
Write a war scene from the horse’s perspective.
A male bird is courting a female bird. Write a dialogue.
An ocean diver gets surrounded by a hundred squids. What happens next?
Write what blood tastes like to a female mosquito.
What’s the daily life of an ant in a colony like? Write a story.
Ravens have a mourning ritual for their dead. Write about the ritual from a raven’s perspective.
A male lion searches for his brother and finds him right before he’s about to be killed by hyenas. Write the suspenseful scene from the searching lion’s perspective.

Funny/Comedy

You pass by a restaurant and see two people laughing their heads off. What is making them laugh?
Write a comedy with your neighbour as the main character.
A character tries a new hobby but is really bad at it. What is their hobby, and how do they fail?
Your character goes on a date with someone who has a strange quirk. Describe the quirk and the date.
You’re at a job interview, and the interviewer asks you an absurd question. How do you answer it?
Write a funny story about a man who is either always early or always late.
Your character is in a meeting, but they keep dozing off. What’s the meeting about, and how do they stay awake?
You’re at a party, but you’re really bored. How do you entertain yourself?
Write about a character explaining that the dog ate their homework, with the line “true story.”
A man discovered an unknown bird species. It happens to be a parrot. And it scared the man senseless when it heard the bird talk. Write about the details of the horrifying encounter.
You’re stuck in traffic, but you must hit the loo quickly. What do you do?
Write a detailed essay that makes a mundane object sound massively life-changing.
You’re about to eat food you abhor, but you must act like it’s the best thing ever. What is the food, and how do you react?
Write about a character who can read minds and cannot help but answer unspoken thoughts, garnering horrified and bewildered glances.
Your character falls in love. But they had no clue it was the child of their sworn enemy! How do they untangle the mess?

New/Parallel World

Create a world where the currency is food.
You see a planet at night that glows especially bright. If it housed living creatures, what would it be like?
Who’s your favourite fictional character? Imagine they came to life in the real world. How would they adjust? What would their reaction be to the modern world?
You stumbled upon a parallel universe. What happens next?
A portal opens up and transports you to another world. What is the world like, and how do you get back home now that the portal’s closed?
Write Snow White’s story from the Evil Queen’s perspective.
What would you ask if you had access to the Evil Queen’s Mirror on the Wall?
Write Mulan’s story from her father’s perspective.
Write Ariel’s story from King Triton’s perspective.
If the Prince in Sleeping Beauty wrote a poem for Princess Aurora, how would it go?
Write Cinderella’s story from the lost shoe’s perspective.
Narrate Cinderella’s story from the Evil Stepmother’s perspective.
Write Simba’s story from Scar’s point of view.
Write Elsa’s story from Olaf’s perspective.
A war broke out in an ancient era, and a runner bolts out, carrying a crucial message. Write a story about the journey.
You woke up to people screaming, “Invasion! RUN!” What will you do next?
Your character is a soldier who’s captured by the enemy. How do they escape?
You find a wounded soldier on the battlefield. What happens next?
People are falling sick with a new, unknown disease. A doctor tries to find a cure amidst all the chaos. Did the doctor succeed?

Thriller/Horror

Your character encounters a monster in an alley. Write the scene.
You open your door, and there’s a note on the floor that says, “I’m watching you.” What happens next?
Write a character that stumbled upon a human corpse while exploring a cave. Who is it?
You live in a new home, and you discover it’s haunted. By whom?
You watch a beautiful lady receive a bouquet of roses. She reads the attached note and drops it in an expression of utter horror. What did she read?
Write a story about an attractive man with a dark secret.
You’re riding the train. Suddenly, someone who looks familiar approaches you and says with alarm, “Quick, we have to get off this train now .” What happens next?
Write a horror story about a character going to the grocery store.
Someone shares a secret with you that has a huge impact on your circle of friends. You promise to keep it. But the owner of the secret dies the next day. Unable to carry the burden, you reveal the secret. Only to end up being haunted by the owner’s ghost. How does the story resolve itself?
You had a nightmare about a character chasing you. You wake up remembering only one detail: a tattoo. As you go about your day, you notice a stranger with the same tattoo. What happens next?
A series of events led to you receiving a cursed package. Why did it choose you? How do you get rid of it?
Write a story about a character who wakes up with someone shaking their shoulders and looking into their eyes, asking frantically, “What happened?!”
If a zombie apocalypse broke out right now, what are the first 3 things you would do? Why?
A character in your story wants to confess to someone they fell in love with by sending them a text message. How would the message go?
Write about a character looking for love on a dating site…and finding it.
Write a story about two people falling in love, only to discover they are closely related.
Two characters meet on a pilgrimage together. Write about how they fell in love.
“Wherever you are in the world, I will find you.” Write a romantic story starting with this sentence.
Two lovers are separated by war. They swore to get married after, but they both died before they could reunite. Write their story via the letters they exchanged with each other.
You held the hand of someone you’re attracted to for the first time. What does it feel like?
Write about two characters who like each other in secret. Did they end up confessing their mutual attraction?
A character goes on a journey to understand what love means. How did it go?
What’s your favourite poem? Write a poem responding to it.
Compose a poem about falling for someone who doesn’t return your affections.
Write a short poem about your name.
A sailor is wrestling against a stormy ocean. Write a poem from the ocean’s perspective.
Write a poem about an object or a place you once had access to when you were a child. But it’s no longer there today.
Planet Earth has many beautiful places. Choose one and write a poem praising its beauty.
What is the most beautiful building you’ve ever laid eyes on? Write a poem about it.
What does your favourite perfume smell like? Describe the scent in a poem.
Use lots of onomatopoeia in a poem.
Write a poem about the colour green.
Who’s the most attractive person you met in your life? Write a poem about them.
What are you most afraid of? Why?
Someone is trying to convince you to try something you’re scared of. How would the dialogue go?
A character is afraid of public speaking. But they end up being a world-renowned public speaker. Write a story about the journey.
Write about a character who’s terrified of the deep ocean.
Your character is afraid of aliens. But they proceed to fight them anyway to protect others. Write the story from the first-person point of view.

General Personal Essay

What is the greatest regret of your life? Write an essay about it.
How would you define “love”?
Who do you admire the most today? Why?
How would your day go if you were someone’s shadow for a day?
What is your happy place? Why?
What do you feel, hear, smell, or see right now? Describe it in as much detail as you can.
Write about your favourite hobby and how it affects your life.
If you could create a national holiday, what would it be? How would the country celebrate it?
What’s your favourite season? Why?
What makes you happy? Write the answer from the perspective of a very young person or a very old person.
What are three personal weaknesses you want to improve on? How do you plan on improving?
What are the top 3 words that describe you best? Why?
Write a story about a character falling for a narcissist, then finding a way out.
What are your 3 greatest achievements in life? Write an essay about it.
You’re nominated for an award. The host reads out the winner’s name, and it’s you! Write your 1-minute speech.
What’s your favourite piece of clothing? What are the memories you’ve made while wearing it?
What’s your favourite mode of transportation? Write an essay convincing the readers why it’s the best option.
If you could invent anything, what would it be? Why?
If you had wings, how would you take care of them? Write an essay entitled “Top 10 Tips for Wing-care.”
If you were the president of the country, what 3 policies would you reinforce first? Why?

A Line in the Story

Include this line in your story: “It wasn’t…what I wanted.”
Write about a character who lives their life according to this statement by Nelson Mandela, “The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.”
Write a short story that begins with “My life was never the same since.”
What’s your favourite song? Write a story that begins with the first verse.
Write a story that ends with “she never looked back.”
“Practice makes perfect,” the common saying goes. Write a thriller story with the line repeated at least 3 times throughout.
“I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it.” Write a story from the perspective of someone who lives by this quote.
Start your story with this quote by Michael Jordan, “I can accept failure; everyone fails at something. But I can’t accept not trying.”
You meet someone who wants to lose weight but easily gets discouraged. Write 5 inspiring letters to motivate them to keep going.
You see “Reach out to a friend” posters hanging everywhere to advocate for mental health. Write a letter to someone who is lonely and desperately needs a friend.
What would you write if you could send a letter to a renowned historical person?
If you could send a letter to a politician, what would you write?
Write a letter to your younger self, convincing them not to give up on their dreams.
Your character finds an old love letter from a previous relationship. What do they do with it?
A Gratitude Letter: You’ve just been diagnosed with cancer, and you’re going through chemotherapy. Write a letter to your body, thanking it for everything it’s been through.
Create an essay around the theme, “It’s not about how much you earn, but how much you spend.”
A character undergoing a financial crisis wins the lottery. Did their life improve? Or did it become worse?
Write an orphan character who rises through the ranks and becomes a millionaire. What’s their motivation?
A rich man gives away all his money and lives a life of poverty. Why?
A carefree couple racks up a large amount of debt, and they have to face the consequences. How do they go about reforming their lives?
Your character has to choose between love and money. Which do they choose and why?

Out of This World

You’re on a space mission when you suddenly find yourself stranded on an unknown planet. Describe the planet and your experience.
You’re a space shuttle pilot, and you encounter a black hole. What happens next?
Your character is the first human to make contact with aliens. How does the meeting go?
You’ve been chosen to be the first human to live on Mars. Describe your experience.
You wake up one day to find that you’ve been turned into an alien. What happens next?
You’re an alien who is observing humans for the first time. Write your observation notes.

There you have it! A wealth of writing prompts to help get you started. Whether you’re aiming to write a story, poem, or personal essay, we’ve got you covered.

And if you’re looking to go deeper into honing your skills then try out some creative writing exercises to get the brain juices flowing.

Don’t forget to bookmark this post for future reference!

Key Takeaways

Writing prompts serve as a tool to overcome writer's blocks and enhance storytelling elements.
A wide range of genres are covered, offering diverse opportunities for creative exploration.
The prompts propose intriguing scenarios that challenge and inspire writers to craft compelling narratives.

Writing Stimulus Overview

Creative blocks are common, and one effective strategy to trigger inspiration is the use of writing stimuli . They not only help break through blocks but can also enrich elements such as characters, settings, or storylines.

A variety of these stimuli have been synthesized and shared as YouTube short videos since mid-October 2022, with a library now exceeding 140 shorts. These prompts span various genres, from high fantasy and science fiction to slice-of-life scenarios.

Favorites for Fantasy Enthusiasts:

Invent a new animal species, an extraterrestrial being, or an entirely fictional creature.
Craft a tale about an individual who can converse with forest critters.
Narrate the story of a deity or spirit associated with water.
Explore the life of someone whose fate was predicted at birth, yet skepticism lingers.

Intriguing Plot Twists:

Your protagonist makes a living through counterfeit psychic abilities, but one day, genuine powers manifest.
Discover a mystical passageway in an unexpected place—the comfort of your own home.

Romantic Fiction Ideas:

Stories of culinary expressions of affection ending in a romantically timed embrace.
Chance encounters between solitary globetrotters in the most unforeseen locations.
Narrate an impossible love between a mermaid and a prince, or between a witch and her liberator from a curse.

Science Fiction for the Curious Mind:

Amidst a variety of universes, there still persists the constant presence of Adam Sandler.
A dystopian setting where literacy has vanished, but a machine reignites these lost abilities.

Everyday Oddities and Thrills:

A casual mention of a store aisle that doesn't exist brings about a puzzled reaction.

Mystery and Suspense Elements:

Coin an account involving internet friends who are clueless about their real-life acquaintance.

Historical and Alternative World Settings:

A narrative taking place in a realm where conventional currency is obsolete.
Write from the perspective of an inadvertent time-traveler due to an erroneous clock adjustment.

Creative Challenges:

Describe a chance meeting in a graveyard involving peculiar characters and a menacing revelation.
Envision a summer camp that becomes a backdrop for uncovering grim secrets.

Creative Sparks for Your Imagination

Engaging fantasy scenarios.

Concoct a tale regarding a species of animal that does not exist.
Craft a fairy tale focused on a person who can converse with forest wildlife.
Imagine a water deity and build a story revolving around them.
Challenge the concept of destiny by creating a character who knows their future but doubts its veracity.
Mix reality with fantasy as your character pretends to be a psychic, only to truly become one.

Romantic Escapades with a Twist

Explore magnetism in love and write about a world where electromagnetic bracelets lead to soulmates.
Whip up a romantic meal as a character who expresses affection through cooking, culminating in a midnight kiss.
Destined encounters unfold as solo travelers meet repeatedly in the most surprising places.
Turn the tale of Cupid's arrow on its head, examining lost affections when preexisting love meets myth.

Sci-fi Encounters and Anomalies

Tackle interdimensional consistency with the peculiar notion that Adam Sandler exists uniformly across multiverses.
Picture a future where reading and writing are lost arts, revived through an unlikely mentor.
Voice a robot rebellion as NASA's Curiosity Rover suddenly deviates from its mission, sparking intrigue with a cryptic message.

Mysterious and Macabre Twists

Devise a murder mystery with an unusual weapon – a pumpkin-carving knife.
Envision a self-aware zombie and explore the apocalypse from its unique perspective.
Unveil sinister secrets as friends discover more than they bargained for in a hidden room within an old mansion.

Collection of Creative Writing Ideas

Top Fantasy Concepts :

Invent a non-existent animal species or a fantasy being.
Write a fairy tale about a character who converses with woodland creatures.
Create a narrative featuring a deity or spirit tied to water.
Describe a protagonist whose future has been predicted since birth and their skepticism.
Your character, initially a charlatan psychic, wakes up with genuine abilities.
Formulate a tale about discovering a magical portal at home.
Design a story based around a character experiencing former or future lives.
Detail the antics of a mischievous fairy or deity.
Pen a scene where a chat with the ghost of a friend over tea is a routine affair.
Craft a scenario where, upon alerting to a mess in a nonexistent supermarket aisle, a mystery unfolds.

Romantic Sparks and Twists :

Magnetic bracelets are designed to draw one to their soulmate; narrate the activation day.
Feature a character expressing love through culinary masterpieces, culminating in a kiss at the stroke of midnight.
Weave tales of two wanderlust individuals repeatedly crossing paths.
Introduce Cupid and the consequences of his arrow to a tale of unrequited love.
A mermaid and a prince defy the ban on their affection; spin their narrative.
Conjure a witch whose curse can only be broken by one man; chart their tale.

Sci-Fi and Dystopia :

Depict Adam Sandler's surprising presence across various universes.
In a world reliant on vocal commands, a machine reteaches a girl to read and write.
Imagine someone hearing disobedient thoughts from an unkown voice during an illness.
The Curiosity Rover curiously alters course; what comes next?
In a longevity-driven society with a dark catch, you receive a life-or-death letter.

Mystery and Thriller :

Craft a murder mystery with an unusual pumpkin-carving weapon.
Unearth a dark secret guarded by an enigmatic mansion from its sinister rooms.
A serene summer camp becomes the stage for harrowing revelations.

Unique Story Elements :

Narrate from a zombie's perspective during an apocalypse.
Investigate a neighbor's façade, leading to a terrifying discovery.
Engage readers with a tale of internet anonymity and real-life acquaintance.

Suggestions for Love-Inspired Narratives

Top Romantic Plot Ideas:

Imagine your daily visit to the grocery store leads to a mysterious discovery when the cashier informs you there's no such place as aisle 24.
Picture a world where bracelets with electromagnetic properties draw people to their destined partners—yours just activated.
Craft a tale where a character expresses affection through homemade meals, culminating in a significant kiss as a new day begins.
Envision two solitary globetrotters whose paths keep intersecting in the most unanticipated areas.

Forbidden and Enchanted Loves:

Think of a mermaid and a prince, their liaison deemed illicit, yet their attraction is inescapable.
Contemplate a powerful enchantress whose only salvation from a haunting curse is a most unexpected individual.

Sci-Fi Romance Twists:

Develop a narrative around a human-shaped automaton, created for perfection, learning about the beauty in flaws from an unanticipated teacher.
Inhabit a universe of many dimensions where one humorous and consistent figure makes an appearance: a familiar comedian named Adam Sandler.

Unexpected Encounters:

Bring to life a story about a machine in a dystopian future that imparts to a girl the forgotten arts of reading and writing.
Explore the chilling reality of a voice that commands you while you're unwell, proclaiming the game you're living is defective.

Bullet Points:

Concoct a romantic scenario where food is the language of love, ending with a pivotal moment at the stroke of midnight.
Dream up an encounter with Cupid, where his arrow has the power to erase pre-existing affections.
Write about the unexpected and humorous omnipresence of a celebrity in every conceivable universe or timeline.
Frame a love story within a technologically advanced world where a simple machine revives the lost art of literacy.
Envision a species that enters your narrative, one that's yet to be seen in the natural world.
Whether extraterrestrial beings or imaginary entities, the horizon for creation is boundless.
Imagine a universe where Adam Sandler exists in every possible reality, providing a constant thread of humor regardless of the circumstances.
Think about creating a murder mystery revolving around an unconventional murder weapon, like a pumpkin-carving knife, weaving a tale of intrigue and unpredicted twists.
Consider a plot set against a post-apocalyptic backdrop, where a protagonist awakens to find that voice-command technology has caused humanity to lose its ability to read and write, until one machine sparks a change.
While settling the bill at the grocery store, casually mention a spill in aisle 24. The cashier's baffled response—they have no aisle 24—sparks a curious tale.
You take a sick day and stay in, only to hear an internal voice questioning your actions as if you were a character in a game with a glitch.
Narrate the tale of two solo wanderers who serendipitously cross paths across the globe.
Cupid offers a love-struck trade: an arrow for your love, with the condition that their current feelings might vanish upon impact.
Mankind has foregone the art of reading and writing in a dystopian future where machines communicate through voice, but one machine's choice to teach a girl these lost skills can change everything.
In a world where Adam Sandler is the universal constant across multiverses, describe an encounter with this timeless figure.
Invent a story around the meeting with a woodland spirit or a trickster deity.
Compose a narrative where a character wakes as a reincarnation of themselves, facing the joys and trials of a new life cycle.
Delve into a murder mystery where a seemingly innocuous pumpkin carving knife becomes the central clue.
Create tension as a group of friends uncovers a chilling secret in an abandoned room of an old mansion.
Enthralling Beasts : Imagine an entirely new species; an unearthly creature, perhaps a vividly unique animal, or even an extraterrestrial organism. Let the bounds of reality be stretched by your creation.
Woodland Whispers : Craft a narrative about a character who can exchange thoughts with creatures of the forest. Detail their interactions in the hidden enclaves of nature.
Mystical Waters : Conjure up a tale about a deity or spirit presiding over water. Narrative waves should ebb and flow with their ancient, fluid power.
Prophecy Pondering : A future is written at birth for a character. Doubt clouds their belief. What will they choose when fate beckons?
Sudden Sight : What happens when someone who fakes psychic abilities wakes to find they possess real ones? Describe their initial shock and ensuing choices.
Dimensional Doorways : A character uncovers a magical portal within the confines of their residence—adventure into what lies beyond.
Historical Echoes : Your protagonist awakes within a past life or as a future incarnation. Weave the story of their metaphysical journey.
Pixie Mischief : Tell the tale of a playful pixie or a cunning trickster deity. What chaos and laughter will they bring?
Ghostly Reunions : Visualize a character engaging in periodic tea encounters with a spectral old friend.
Nonexistent Aisles : While paying for groceries, your character mentions a spill in aisle 24, only to be told it doesn't exist—what mystery unfolds?
Attraction Amplified : In a world where electromagnetic bracelets draw your soulmate to you, narrate the anticipation of the moment they turn on.
Culinary Affection : A protagonist expresses their love through cooking. Finish their story with a midnight kiss.
Unexpected Encounters : Two travelers intent on solitude repeatedly meet. Detail their growing relationship spun by serendipitous events.
Cupid's Caveat : Cupid can shoot the love arrow, but pre-existing affection could vanish upon impact. Decide whether the risk is worth the reward.
Forbidden Merfolk Love : Amidst a strict divide between land and sea, a prince and a mermaid resist the rules that keep them apart.
Hex and Heartbreak : An empowered witch is tormented by a curse—paint a picture of the only one capable of releasing her from this spell.
Multiversal Constant : Adam Sandler exists in every reality of the Multiverse. Chronicle the absurdities in both utopian and dystopian worlds.
Forgotten Literacy : Humanity has lost the skills to read and write, until one machine reveals these lost arts to a young girl.
Glitch in the System : A sick day leads to a voice stating disobedience from a character's head. What's the source of this ominous game glitch?
Curiosity's Choice : NASA's rover on Mars takes an unplanned route and sends a cryptic message. What are the implications?
Mortal Lottery : Eternal life is feasible but at a deadly cost. Your chosen protagonist receives notice—they are to die. How will they face this?
Uncharted Economies : Set a story within a world where the currency is unconventional. Explore the nature of value and exchange.
Daylight Shift : After adjusting the clock for daylight savings, a character finds they've leaped through time. Elaborate on their temporal misadventure.
Lab Lilliputian : A lab accident leaves a scientist minuscule. Chronicling a bug-sized adventure to revert the mishap is your task.
Creation Catastrophe : A scientist's new life form leads to dire outcomes. Spell out the repercussions of such an invention.
Graveyard Stories : Incorporate a mysterious blue-veined hand, a graveyard setting, and the phrase "all that spit and sweat" in a chilling narrative.
Unseen Dangers : A character discerns their neighbor's menacing nature. What darkness lies hidden next door?
Imagine a non-existent animal species—an extraterrestrial find or mystical entity—and create its story.
Craft a fairy tale centered around a character who communicates with forest animals.
Envision a tale about a deity associated with water.
Explore the life of someone whose future was predicted from birth, questioning their belief in that destiny.
Create a scenario where your character, a sham psychic, gains genuine psychic abilities one day.
Invent a story involving the discovery of an enchanted portal within one's abode.
Consider a protagonist who experiences life in a past or future reincarnation.
Develop a narrative featuring a playful pixie or a cunning deity.
Write about an encounter with the spirit of a past acquaintance over tea.
Depict a world where electromagnetic bracelets draw people to their soulmates, and examine the experience.
Conceive a character expressing love through culinary creations, culminating in a kiss as a new day begins.
Describe the serendipitous meetings of two single travelers in unexpected locales.
Delve into the choice presented by Cupid to risk a current affection for guaranteed love.
Illustrate a forbidden love between a mermaid and a prince, transcending boundaries.
Narrate the tale of a witch whose curse can only be broken by a particular individual's love.
Narrate a universe where Adam Sandler exists as a constant across a multiverse, maintaining his distinctive persona.
Picture a dystopian future where humans no longer read or write until one individual relearns these lost arts.
Imagine a day at home interrupted by a voice in your head, suggesting a reality beyond your understanding.
Conjure a scenario where the Curiosity Rover acts against command, leading to an unthinkable revelation.
Envision a society with eternal youth, but at a steep and ethical cost.
Weave a narrative where the story unfolds in an undefined world, featuring alternative currencies to money.
Tell a tale of unintended time travel due to a simple act of changing a clock for daylight saving.
Design a murder mystery revolving around an unexpected murder weapon, like a pumpkin-carving knife.
Imagine a world where you are 'Big Brother,' overseeing all.
Picture an undead apocalypse from the perspective of a frightened zombie.
Fabricate a story about internet friends who are unaware of their real-life acquaintance.
Initiate a story with the discovery of a secret leading to significant ramifications.
Portray a character resolving a mystery with the help of a local library or librarian.
Depict someone orchestrating a cookie exchange masking a deeper purpose for the gathering.
Start a narrative with the finding of a peculiar inscription on the back of a painting, leading to small-town secrets.
Craft a dialogue recalling an event that seems impossible, considering the person involved vanished years ago.
Write about an individual who magnifies minor events, turning them into dire conundrums.
Describe an extensive road trip filled with self-discovery, starting from a decisive "I quit."
Imagined Worlds of Tomorrow In a universe where fantastical beings roam, you might invent a myth about an unrecorded species—an extraterrestrial marvel, perhaps. Imagine a world where you can interact with forest animals, or a realm dominated by a deity of water. Picture a life where your destiny has been predicted since birth, yet skepticism lingers. You could lead a deceptive life, pretending to have psychic abilities—until one morning, you awaken with genuine powers. Consider discovering a passageway to other realms within your abode, or picture yourself as your own ancestor or successor reincarnated. Envision tales of mischievous sprites or capricious divinities, or encountering a spectral old friend for regular teatime. You're at the store, and as you alert the clerk to a spill in aisle 24, they respond with confusion—there is no aisle 24. Sci-Fi Encounters and Cosmic Oddities In realms beyond, romantic allure becomes tangible. Imagine bracelets that magnetically draw soulmates together, igniting on a day of eager anticipation. Think of savoring culinary creations as a love language, ending with a kiss as the clock strikes midnight. Envision paths repeatedly crossing with another lone traveler in serendipity's embrace. Cupid offers a perilous choice: shoot your love with an arrow, but risk extinguishing any affection they may hold for you. Mystical love stories unfold between mermaids and princes, witches and mortals. A novice author might fall for a mysterious writer, unraveling past secrets to understand their bond. You could risk all for a fervid quest, or learn that imperfection holds its own beauty in a romance with a cyborg. Parallel Realities and Existential Musings Imagine a Multiverse with one constant: Adam Sandler. Humorous or grim, his presence remains in every reality. In a bleak future, voice-operated machines lead humanity to discard the written word, leaving generations illiterate until a single machine revives forgotten skills. Perhaps, one day at home, unwell, you hear an inner voice—as if you're a glitch in a game, not adhering to unseen controls. Deep space exploration takes a turn as the Curiosity Rover veers off-script and, shockingly, communicates. What if science uncovers the secret to cease aging, but for each life extended, another must end, maintaining a balance albeit with a cruel twist? Dystopian Visions and Chilling Discoveries In a nameless, dystopian society, currency evolves beyond mere money. Time leaps forward due to a single twist on your clock—and not by a mere hour. A scientist shrinks to an insect's scale following an experiment gone awry and must brave a now colossal laboratory. Murder mysteries can hinge on the flip of a coin, or occur in an environment where Big Brother truly watches. A zombie experiencing fear sheds light on an apocalypse, while friends in the digital realm unknowingly intertwine their fates in the physical world. Imagine yourself as a harbinger of truth or deception, beguiling with knowledge or leading astray. The simple act of removing a painting could reveal chilling engravings, hinting at a small town's hidden turpitudes. Tales of Survival and Suspense A hot air balloon operator battles prehistoric predators to provide thrills for passengers. A tale of betrayal might begin with the revelation of an affair, leading to trust tested by gunfire. Lives transform over a single meal, while a misidentified delivery driver races against time, encumbered by pizzas and dodging criminal entanglements. Potential Endings and Narrative Inspirations Imagine a life devoted to achieving culinary greatness, hindered only by absent taste. Or perhaps, you'll choose to navigate the poignant musings of an overthinker, spiraling over the minuscule. Whether through embracing a final round in a familiar fight or revealing your grandmother as an unlikely cult figurehead, stories await your crafting. The end of one journey or the change wrought in the time it takes to share a meal harbors the potency to reshape a character's world—in your hands, these moments are yours to mold. Enigmas and Homicide Motifs
If you've ever fantasized about unearthly entities , consider penning a tale about an imagined beast —complete freedom to define its form and nature.
Weave a narrative centered on someone who holds conversations with forest-dwelling creatures , akin to the classic structure of fairy tales.
What about crafting an epic about a deity of the waters ? Place this spirit within your fantasy universe and explore its interactions.
Imagine you're the prime subject of an ancient prophecy since birth, yet skepticism clouds your belief in this set fate.
Your life's work has revolved around fabricating psychic talents—until the day arrives when you awaken to genuine supernatural capabilities.
A hidden mystical gateway within your abode serves as an invitation to otherworldly adventure. What lies beyond it?
Reflect on waking up intertwined with a prior life or perhaps as a future self reborn, incorporating elements of reincarnation into your plot.
Conjure up tales of mischief, brought about either by a pixie with a penchant for chaos or a deity known for their trickery .
Old companionship and the supernatural merge when you write about periodic meetings with a spectral friend over tea.
Envision informing a store clerk about a mess in a non-existent Aisle 24, and the narrative possibilities spiral from there.
Engage with these top literary ventures that I've personally enjoyed crafting:
Envision a fantastical race of beings that have no parallel in nature or mythology. Their existence is yours to define.
Write a fable centered on a character who possesses the rare ability to converse with forest animals.
Conceive a tale about a deity of the waters and the mysteries they guard.
What if your fate was written at birth? Create a character grappling with their predestined future.
Imagine what would happen if a phony clairvoyant awoke to genuine psychic gifts.
Spin a yarn about discovering an enchanting gateway within the confines of one's dwelling.
Explore the life of someone who navigates through their former or forthcoming incarnations.
Conjure a story about a playful sprite or deity known for their antics.
What intrigue unfolds when an old ghostly acquaintance is routinely met over tea?
You've just alerted the cashier to a mess in nonexistent aisle 24. Where does the story lead from there?
In an age where magnetic bracelets theoretically lead you to your soulmate, what transpires on the day they are activated?
Create a character whose greatest expression of love is through culinary creations, culminating in a kiss as the clock strikes midnight.
Narrate the serendipitous encounters of two independent wanderers in the most unlikely locales.
What if Cupid warned that his arrow could erase existing affections? Would you still take the risk?
Dive into a forbidden romance between a mermaid and a prince.
A witch bound by a curse finds solace in the one man who can break it.
An aspiring novelist unravels the mysteries of a reclusive author's past to grasp the nature of their bond.
Portray a character who hazards everything in the pursuit of what their heart desires.
A narrative where a cyborg, designed for flawlessness, learns the beauty of imperfection from an unexpected source.
In every universe of a vast Multiverse, one constant remains: Adam Sandler.
Imagine a dystopian future where reading and writing are relics of the past—until one machine revives these lost arts.
You've called in sick only to hear a voice in your mind demanding you obey—suggesting your life may be a video game glitch.
When Mars' Curiosity rover deviates from its course and communicates, "We'll save Opie," unravel the mystery.
Conceive a world where halting the aging process has a lethal catch: for every person who gains this benefit, another must perish.
Invent a story where the currency is something other than money—something we wouldn't recognize as currency today.
What happens when a time change for daylight savings unwittingly propels you far beyond an hour?
Craft a tale around the chaos unleashed by a scientist who accidentally miniaturizes herself.
Or a scientist whose creation of new life yields catastrophic results.
Picture a murder mystery where a pumpkin-carving knife is the unexpected weapon.
Fantasy beings : You might write about the interaction between creatures of your own design and the human world.
Woodland communicators : Characters may have abilities to converse with forest animals, presenting unique relational challenges.
Aqua deities : Stories could involve water gods or spirits, highlighting the difficulties of relationships crossing the natural and supernatural realms.
Fortune's weight : Explore a character's skepticism about their destiny as foretold at birth.
Supernatural shifts : Imagine making a living faking supernatural abilities, only to awaken with genuine ones.
Temporal dissonance : Characters face personal strife waking up as past or future incarnations of themselves.
Ethereal bonds : Perhaps a tale where a human communes with the spirit of an old friend.
Magnetic attraction : Delve into a world where love is quantified and brought to life through technology, complicating the notion of soulmates.
Gastronomic affection : A character expresses love through preparing food , culminating in a storybook kiss at midnight.
Serendipitous encounters : Two solo travelers repeatedly meet, raising questions of fate and choice in their connection.
Mythical love : A mermaid and a prince find love despite societal barriers, or a witch finds redemption through an unlikely relationship.
Technological dependence : In a dystopia where speech has supplanted literacy, one young girl learns to read and write, transforming her relationships.
Multiverse constant : Humorous narratives where a familiar personality, like a famous actor, appears in every imaginable universe.
Mandatory sacrifice : Imagine a world where immortality is achievable, but at a grim cost to another, affecting personal morals and societal values.
Envision a species unfamiliar to our world: might be alien, mystical, or undefined.
Craft a fable of a person conversing with forest animals.
Create a narrative centered around a deity tied to water.
Tell the tale of a protagonist, whose destiny was predicted at birth; yet, they are skeptical.
Your main character, known for simulating psychic abilities, awakens to genuine ones.
Literal Attraction : An electromagnetic bracelet designed to lead you to your soulmate.
Culinary Affection : A story ending with a shared kiss—a testament to love expressed through cooking.
Intertwined Paths : Two travelers coincidentally meet across unusual locations.
Multiversal Constant : Across various universes, there's one invariant—Adam Sandler.
Dystopian Dynamic : In a world where humans converse with machines and have forgotten to read and write, one machine teaches a girl these lost skills.
Unexpected Dialogue : Your usual workday is upended by a mysterious voice in your head.
Martian Mystery : When the Curiosity Rover deviates unexpectedly, a cryptic message is received.
In a world that has mastered the prolongation of youth and life, the balance of population demands a high price.
A World Nameless and Currency Strange : A realm where what is valued isn't money as we perceive it.
Twist of Time : An hour adjustment for daylight savings thrusts you far beyond the intended time span.
Pumpkin Carving Peril : A murder mystery pivoting around an autumn festive tool.
Graveyard Tales : Craft a narrative steeped in a cemetery, weaving in specific eerie elements.
Airborne Antics : Navigate a hot air balloon amidst prehistoric predators.
Culinary Cover-Up : Organize a quaint cookie exchange with ulterior motives.
Hidden Messages : Discovering enigmatic inscriptions behind mundane items reveals hidden truths.
An unexpected visitor in a downpour bears uncanny resemblance to a long-lost child, yet something is amiss.
Fantasy Beginnings : Craft stories on unconventional animal species, that aren't bound by the constraints of reality.
Woodland Dialogues : Spin a yarn where someone holds conversations with forest denizens.
Watery Deities’ Tales : Weave a story centered around a deity or spirit of the aquatic realm.
Portents from Birth : Explore the life of someone whose future has been predicted since their infancy.
Accidental Mystic : Create a narrative where a fraudulent psychic unexpectedly acquires genuine abilities.
Portals at Home : Describe the discovery of a mystical gateway in a domestic setting.
Lives Reexamined : Delve into the conscious experience of a character linked with past or future existences.
Sprite and Deity Mischief : Spin tales about crafty pixies or mischievous deities.
Phantom Companions : Write of a protagonist who enjoys periodic, spectral tea sessions with a departed companion.
Mysterious Store Layouts : Picture a grocery store scenario where a non-existent aisle becomes the subject of conversation.
Magnetically Drawn Together : Visualize a future where electromagnetic bracelets hypothetically draw you to your soulmate.
Cuisine of Affection : Craft a narrative that culminates with an intimate gesture, using acts of culinary love as its language.
Travelers' Serendipity : Write about nomadic souls crossing paths in the most serendipitous encounters.
Cupid's Consequence : Contemplate the repercussions of Cupid's intervention on existing affections.
Meta-human Romance : Explore a forbidden love story between a mermaid and a prince or a witch seeking redemption through relationship.
Writerly Affections : Develop a story where passion and the unraveling of a mysterious past intertwine.
Quest for Love : Concoct a tale of a character's arduous journey towards their heart's true yearning.
Beauty in Imperfection : Ponder the romantic connection between a cyborg and an individual who shows them the beauty in flaws.
Multiverse Constant : Imagine a universe, no matter how diverse or absurd, where a familiar comedian’s presence is the only certainty.
Lost Skills in the Future : Envision a dystopia where digital interfaces usurp traditional reading and writing until a significant re-education.
Misbehaving Simulation : Fathom a reality where virtual commands and responses take new, unexpected tangents.
Rover’s Rebellion : Picture NASA's Curiosity Rover inexplicably deviating from its path, leading to an unprecedented communication.
Curious Longevity : Conceive of a future where eternal youth is attainable but at a consequential price.

Final Thoughts and Steps Forward Harness the power of imagination to break free from creative stagnation. The inception of over 140 unique shorts on YouTube has led to a mosaic of genres awaiting your pen. Venture into the uncharted with early fantasy prompts; craft tales of unearthly beasts, or spin yarns of enchanted dialogues with forest inhabitants. Imagine the whispers of a water deity or the weight of a predestined future gently nudging at your protagonist's skepticism. Embrace the peculiar with scenarios that fuse the mundane with the magical, like finding accidental doorways to other worlds within your abode, or tackling the unnerving reality of an accurate prophecy. Envision the thrill, or perhaps the terror, of awakening latent psychic abilities under the guise of deceit. Revel in the peculiarities of romance that defy worldly norms, where destinies entwine through the magnetic pull of technology or the culinary gestures that symbolize deep affection. Imagine chance encounters spiraling into once-in-a-lifetime adventures, or the perils of love through Cupid's precarious assistance. In the realms of science fiction and dystopian futures, contemplate the constant of one celebrity's presence across all universes or the sacrifices required for eternal youth. Consider the conundrums of tech-fueled oblivion or the chaos when sentient machines challenge the status quo. Your creative journey may lead to fantastical murders with peculiar weapons, sympathizing with the fears of an undead creature, or unearthing grim secrets in unsuspecting places. The choice to explore is yours, and the prompts are plentiful, totaling 60 with even more to discover. This collection is designed to not only challenge your creative boundaries but also to ignite a narrative spark. Engage with these prompts and weave your stories. Share your creations and inspirations, and remember, an expanse of at least 80 additional prompts awaits your exploration.

How to stop being lazy and get things done: 5 practical tips, 10 toxic habits you must break today to unleash a happier you, 20 notion templates for content creators, 7 best aesthetic notion templates (free and paid), frequently asked questions, what is notion.

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Writing Games

Interactive Creative Writing Games

Fun interactive writing games to get your creative juices flowing...

Visual Poetry : Explore your creativity by drawing word mosaics with your poetry.
Haiku Madlibs : Fill out the text fields to generate 16 haikus, madlibs style - using templates from the masters, including: Basho, Buson, Issa, Shiki, Shuson, and Soseki.
Madlib Poem : A madlib poem is a fun and creative way to write poems using a fill-in-the-blank format using poem templates from famous poems.
Electronic Poetry : Similiar to magnetic poetry. Create poems using the words of your favorite authors or create magnets from your own text. Includes author kits for: Antonin Artaud, Charles Baudelaire, Francesca Lia Block, André Breton, Poppy Z. Brite, Charles Bukowski, William S. Burroughs, Angela Carter, ee cummings, Hilda Doolittle, Brett Easton Ellis, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Allen Ginsberg, Ernest Hemingway, Jack Kerouac, Stephen King, Comte de Lautréamont, The Smiths, Anaïs Nin, Flannery O'Connor, Mary Oliver, Sylvia Plath, Edgar Allan Poe, Marcel Proust, Anne Rice, Arthur Rimbaud, J.D. Salinger, William Shakespeare, Robert Smith, Gertrude Stein, Donna Tartt, Michelle Tea, Tristan Tzara, Oscar Wilde.
Poem Collage : Enter your poem and click Generate. Poem Collage will generate your poem as a series of draggable lines. Rearrange the lines to form a new poem.
Poem Builder : Flip 3 cards to build a poem - one: the subject of the poem, two: the poetic form you should write the poem in, and three: 10 words you should incorporate into the poem.
Exquisite Corpse : A writing game that originated in the Surrealist movement of the early 20th century. The game involves a group of writers who each contribute a sentence or phrase to a collective work without being able to see what the other writers have written. Add a word or line to the exquisite corpse poem - started in 2000!
Poetry Stamp : Poetry stamp will randomly generate lines of poetry, which you can then modify by changing or removing words.
Letter Link Poetry : When we play Boggle, we then like to use the words we found to write a poem, using each word to start each line of the poem.
Ring Game [Vowels vs Consonants] : Use letters to chain together words to write poems.
Text Collage : Linguasso - dynamic emotional design linguasso (for lingual and Picasso) creates totally random works of art, composed of text and based on varying emotions.
Story Dice : Roll the dice to get 6 different words - a setting, a character, an object, an action, an emotion, and an adjective. Use all of these words as prompts to write a story.
Neverending Story : Add a line to the neverending story - started in 2000!
Tarot Reading Writing Game : Use a Tarot Reading to flesh out characters, come up with plot twists, and character conflict. Tarot readings can be a powerful tool for writers looking to generate ideas for their creative work. By interpreting the symbolism and meanings of the tarot cards, you can access your subconscious mind and tap into a rich source of inspiration and creativity.
Fade Out : Fade Out is a writing game that forces you to be creative with limited word choices.
Alliterator : An alliteration text generator that only uses words starting with the same letter.
Ring Game : Use letters to chain together words to write poems.
Graffiti Wall : Add to or edit the writing on the Graffiti Wall! Yes, your additions may be altered or deleted by someone else and you may change or delete other's additions. That is the game...
Blind Finish-the-Story : A modified version of the popular writing game where at least three players take turns adding to a story on numbered index cards, creating a surreal dreamlike tale that can inspire or be used for fun.

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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.

Hone Your Craft with 66 Writing Practice Prompts

By: Author Paul Jenkins

Posted on September 3, 2023

Categories Writing

Staring at a blank page? The cursor’s blinking, your mind’s racing but words elude you.

Here’s the secret – writing practice prompts. They’re not just for beginners; even seasoned writers find them invaluable.

Let’s dive into the world of prompts and discover how they can ignite your creativity, hone your skills and banish that dreaded writer’s block.

Ready to transform your writing process?

Key Takeaways

Writing prompts are essential for improving writing skills and evolving from simple sentences to complex narratives.
Different types of writing practice prompts, such as image-based prompts, sentence starters, situational prompts, and character-driven prompts, offer unique challenges and help develop creativity and writing craft.
Choosing relevant prompts, considering audience interests, aligning with personal goals, and reflecting on past works are crucial for using writing prompts effectively.
Regular writing practice not only improves vocabulary and communication skills but also enhances creativity, shapes thinking processes, and builds bridges between ideas.

66 Writing Practice Prompts

Here are 66 writing practice prompts you could use:

Write about a memorable experience you had as a child. What made it memorable? How did it impact you?
Describe someone in your life who has influenced you in a positive way. How did they influence you?
If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go and why? Describe what you would do there.
Write about a time you tried something new. What did you try? What made you decide to try it? How did you feel?
Describe your ideal home. What does it look like? Where is it located? What features does it have?
Write about a time you faced a challenge. What was the challenge? How did you handle it? What did you learn?
If you could have any superpower, what would you choose and why? How would you use this power?
Describe your perfect day. What would you do? Who would you spend time with? How would you feel?
Write about an experience that taught you an important lesson. What was the experience? What lesson did you learn?
If you could meet anyone, living or dead, who would you meet? Why? What would you talk about?
Describe one of your role models. Why do you look up to this person? How has their example influenced you?
Write about a time you felt proud of yourself. What did you accomplish that made you feel proud? How did you celebrate?
If you could live in any fictional world, which would you choose and why? Describe what your life would be like in this world.
Describe your biggest accomplishment so far in life. What obstacles did you have to overcome? How did this accomplishmenet impact you?
Write about a time you failed at something. What happened? How did you respond? What did you learn?
Describe someone who has made a positive impact on your community. How have they made a difference?
If you could invent something new, what would you invent? How does it work? Why is it useful?
Write about a time you did something difficult that required perseverance. What was the challenge? How did you keep going?
Describe one of your hobbies or interests. How did you get interested in it? How does it impact your life?
Write about a time you had to make an important decision. What was the decision? How did you make your choice? What was the outcome?
Describe a place you have visited that you found fascinating. What was interesting about it? What did you learn there?
If you could be an expert in any field, what field would you choose? What about that field interests you? How would you apply that expertise?
Write about a time you helped someone in need. What was their situation? What did you do to help? How did it make you feel?
Describe a memorable day you spent with family or friends. What made it enjoyable? What activities did you do?
Write about a book, movie or play that impacted you. What was it and how did it affect you? What did you learn from it?
If you could interview someone from history, who would it be and why? What questions would you ask them?
Describe a place you have always wanted to visit. Why does this place appeal to you? What do you hope to experience there?
Write about an obstacle you faced while pursuing an education. How did you overcome this challenge? What did it teach you?
Describe a work of art, music or literature that moved you. How did it impact you? Why was it meaningful to you?
Write about a time you stood up for someone else. What was the situation? What action did you take? Why was it important to you?
If you were leader of a country, what would be your top priorities? Why are these important to you? How would you accomplish them?
What invention from the past 100 years has had the biggest impact on people’s lives? Why was it so revolutionary? How has it changed how people live?
Write about a time you felt out of your comfort zone. What pushed you outside your comfort zone? How did you handle it? What did you learn?
Describe a memorable teacher who made a positive impact on your life. What made them special? What lessons did they teach you?
If you could be famous for something, what would you want to be famous for? Why? How would you achieve this?
What is the most courageous thing you’ve ever done? What gave you the courage to do it? How did it turn out?
Write about a time you experienced failure. What went wrong? How did you respond? What lesson did you take from the experience?
What is your biggest dream for the future? Why is this your dream? What steps are you taking to achieve it?
If you could switch two movie, book or TV show characters, who would you switch and why? How would this change impact the story?
Describe someone who inspires you. Why do they inspire you? How have they motivated you to be a better person?
Write about a time you faced a moral dilemma. What was the situation? What conflicting values did you need to weigh? What choice did you make?
Imagine you are 90 years old. Write a letter to your younger self with advice you want to pass on. What wisdom have you gained through life?
Describe a significant risk you’ve taken in your life. What motivated you to take this risk? What happened as a result? What did you learn?
What small change could improve your local community? Why does this change matter? How would it impact people’s lives?
Write about a time you felt lost in life. What caused these feelings? How did you find direction again? What lessons did it teach you?
Describe someone who showed you kindness or empathy when you needed it most. What did they do? How did their actions affect you?
What brings you the greatest joy in life? Why does this delight you so much? How can you incorporate more of it into your life?
If you could travel back in time, what historical event would you want to experience? Why? What impact would witnessing it have on you?
Write about an experience that changed the way you see the world. What happened? How did it alter your perspective or beliefs?
What is your most treasured memory from childhood? What made it special? Why has it stuck with you?
Describe a time you felt completely overwhelmed. What contributed to these feelings? How did you eventually find relief? What help or strategies did you use?
What words of wisdom would you share with a newborn baby? What lessons would you want them to learn early in life?
What is the kindest act someone has ever done for you? What did they do? How did their kindness impact or change you?
What is the best advice you’ve ever been given? Who gave you this advice and why was it meaningful? How has it influenced you?
Write about an experience that made you grow as a person. How did you mature or change as a result? What insights did you gain?
If you could make one rule that everyone in the world had to follow, what rule would you create? Why did you choose this rule?
Describe a creative work (song, poem, painting, etc.) that has significant meaning to you. What is the work and why is it meaningful? How has it influenced you?
Write about a person who inspires you to follow your dreams. Who are they and how do they inspire you? What is your biggest dream?
What is the most adventurous thing you’ve ever done? What motivated you to do it? How did it turn out in the end?
Imagine you awoke with the ability to fly. What would you do? Where would you go? How would this new ability change your life?
What do you value most in friendship? Why is this quality so important in a close friend? How has this enriched your friendships?
If you had unlimited funds to build a house, what would the house look like? Which features and amenities would you include? Why?
What is one controversial issue you feel strongly about? Why do you care so much about this issue? What solutions do you think would be best?
Write about a time you were treated unfairly. What happened? How did you respond? What did you learn from the experience?
What is your motto or personal saying you try to live by? Why did you choose this motto? How has this belief shaped your life choices?
Describe someone who has been a mentor for you. How have they guided or supported you? What qualities make them a good mentor?

Understanding the Importance of Writing Prompts

Of Vintage Notebooks, A Quill Pen Poised Above, Surrounded By A Lightbulb, A Magnifying Glass, And A Brain Model, All On A Wooden Desk With Soft, Diffused Lighting

You’ve got to understand the importance of writing prompts. They’re key to improving your writing skills. They’re the stepping stones on the path of your writing evolution, helping you climb from simple sentences to complex narratives.

Imagine each prompt as a unique variation, a new world waiting for you to explore and conquer with words.

Think about it like this: every prompt is an unopened book in a vast library. Each one presents a unique challenge, pushing your creativity into gear. They test your mettle, stretch your imagination, and refine your craft.

Different Types of Writing Practice Prompts

Y Of Diverse, Antique Writing Tools: Quills, Typewriter, Fountain Pen, And A Laptop, Each Casting A Shadow That Forms A Different Genre-Specific Symbol (Comedy Mask, Journal, Script, News Icon)

Different types can drastically alter the focus of your exercises, don’t you think? Prompt selection criteria plays a significant role in this change. The right type of writing practice prompt can transform a dull storytelling session into an adventure filled with imagination and creativity.

Consider these four diverse types of prompts:

Image-based prompts : Stir up your visual imagination and translate it into words.
Sentence starters : Give your story a jumpstart.
Situational prompts : Provide you with an intriguing situation to develop upon.
Character-driven prompts : Supply you with unique characters to weave stories around.

Incorporating prompts in storytelling isn’t just about adding complexity; it’s about providing direction, stimulating creativity and making the exercise more engaging for both the writer and reader.

How to Use Writing Prompts Effectively

Ize A Hand Holding A Pen, Poised Over A Blank Notebook, Surrounded By Scattered Clocks Symbolizing Time Management, And A Softly Glowing Light Bulb For The Idea Generation Process

Imagine you’re a seasoned explorer, navigating the vast and unpredictable landscape of written language. Your compass? Writing prompts.

Delve into the art of choosing relevant prompts as your trusted guides. Unravel cryptic pathways with prompt interpretation techniques. Uphold your journey’s integrity by maintaining steadfast prompt discipline.

This discussion will light up your literary expedition like a bonfire in the wilderness. It will reveal secrets to harnessing the full power of writing prompts.

Choosing Relevant Prompts

It’s crucial to select relevant prompts that effectively stimulate creative thinking and writing skills. This process, known as ‘Prompt Selection,’ requires a careful ‘Relevance Assessment.’ You don’t just pick any prompt; it must resonate with your interests or experiences.

Here are some tips:

Be choosy: not all prompts will suit you. Pick ones that spark ideas instantly.
Consider your audience: if you’re writing for others, choose topics they’d find interesting.
Align with personal goals: if you aim to improve in a specific genre, select relevant prompts.
Reflect on past works: use them as guides to identify what types of prompts work best for you.

Prompt Interpretation Techniques

Mastering the art of prompt interpretation isn’t just about understanding the words, but also about tapping into your creativity and personal perspective. It’s a dance between your mind and the ink on the page.

Prompt analysis is like digging for hidden treasures within a maze of letters, an exploration of endless possibilities.

Now imagine you’re in front of a painting, its colors swirling in intricate patterns. That’s what prompt flexibility is about – seeing different images, stories even within that same canvas. You twist it around, flip it upside down until you’ve wrung out every last drop of potential.

Maintaining Prompt Discipline

While you’re exploring the depths of your creativity, don’t forget to maintain discipline and stay true to the prompt’s intention. Harnessing your imaginative power is crucial, but so is respecting the boundaries set by a writing prompt. This balance defines ‘Prompt consistency’ and aids in ‘Discipline development’.

Adhering strictly to a prompt doesn’t mean stifling creativity. Instead, it stimulates challenge-driven innovation. To help you maintain this discipline, consider these tips:

Ensure you fully understand the prompt before starting.
Keep the main theme as your anchor point.
Regularly review if your content aligns with the prompt.
Don’t shy away from revisions.

Benefits of Regular Writing Practice

Op With A Well-Lit Lamp, An Open, Blank Notebook, A Fountain Pen, And An Hourglass

You’ll notice an improvement in your vocabulary and communication skills through regular writing practice. Picture yourself as a word wizard, conjuring up spellbinding phrases from the depths of your mind. Every penned sentence is a fascinating journey of discovery, enhancing vocabulary, boosting creativity.

Imagine each word you write lacing together to form an intricate tapestry of thoughts, ideas, and emotions – every thread vital to the whole picture. Think about how this vibrant web of words shapes not just your writing but also your thinking process. It’s like adding vivid colors to the monochrome sketches in your mind, transforming them into eye-catching masterpieces that breathe life into paper.

You’re not only building bridges between ideas but also molding raw emotions into tangible expressions with unparalleled finesse.

Sourcing Inspiration From Writing Prompts

Notebook With A Glowing Pen, Surrounded By A Flurry Of Luminous Words And Phrases Transforming Into Various Inspiring Symbols And Images, On A Writer'S Wooden Desk

In your quest for inspiration, don’t underestimate the power of intriguing sentence starters or thought-provoking questions. They can be a goldmine of creativity. Prompt diversification is key here; monotony is the enemy.

You’ll find that different types of prompts ignite unique creative sparks within you. Consider these sources of inspiration:

An unusual image or photograph.
A line from a book or song.
A thought-provoking question.
An interesting conversation overheard.

Always look beyond the obvious and expect the unexpected. Let these sources guide you in creating narratives that are fresh and riveting.

Creating Personalized Writing Prompts

N Notebook With A Quill Pen, Next To A Diverse Set Of Iconic Objects (Compass, Hourglass, Heart, Key) Alluding To Personalized Topics, Under A Soft Desk Lamp Light

Imagine standing at the crossroads of creativity, where your personal interests become the compass guiding you towards unique writing prompts.

You’re about to embark on a thrilling journey of self-discovery, unearthing interests deeply embedded within you and transforming them into rich soil for innovative ideas.

As we delve into this fascinating discussion, you’ll learn how to formulate prompts that are as unique as your fingerprint, mirroring your individuality and igniting an irresistible spark of inspiration each time you write.

Identifying Personal Interests

It’s crucial to identify personal interests as they can guide career and hobby choices. Imagine diving into an ocean of words, letting your passions lead you to create compelling narratives. You’re exploring hobby-based writing, developing interest-oriented narratives that reflect who you truly are.

Consider these steps:

Self-discovery: Understand what makes your heart race.
Experimentation: Don’t be afraid to try out different genres of writing.
Reflection: Contemplate on how these activities make you feel.
Integration: Incorporate your interests in your daily writing practices.

You’re not just churning out words; you’re creating a mosaic of experiences and dreams, painting the canvas of life with vibrant stories. Remember, it’s about weaving together strands of self-awareness to write narratives that resonate with your soul.

Formulating Unique Prompts

Creating unique triggers for your stories isn’t just about novelty; it’s also a way to deeply immerse yourself in your personal interests.

Picture this: you’re sitting in front of a blank canvas, armed with only your imagination and a quill. The process begins with prompt categorization, where you sort out the vast universe of ideas into manageable chunks.

You’ve got ‘fantasy’, ‘romance’, ‘adventure’ – each one a stepping stone to endless narratives that could be. But don’t stop there! Let them evolve.

This is where prompt evolution comes into play. You take ‘adventure’, weave in elements of your love for culinary arts, and voila! A prompt about an intergalactic chef navigating through space-time cuisine.

Tips for Engaging With Writing Prompts

N Notebook With A Glowing Pen, Surrounded By A Brainstorming Bubble Map Containing Symbols Of Lightbulbs, Books, Gears, And Magnifying Glasses

You’ll find that staying open-minded is key when engaging with writing prompts. Prompt exploration and customization are essential to enhancing your creative process. Don’t be afraid to modify a prompt, add unique twists, or combine several prompts; it’s all about sparking your creativity.

Immerse yourself completely in the scenario painted by the prompt. If you’re feeling stuck, take some time off and revisit the prompt later with fresh eyes.

Remember, there’s no right or wrong way to respond to a prompt; let your imagination run wild! Use interactive elements like dialogues, vibrant descriptions, or different perspectives to bring life to your story.

Overcoming Writer’s Block With Practice Prompts

Ize A Frustrated Writer, Crumpled Paper Around, Suddenly Inspired By A Lightbulb With Various Practice Prompts Swirling Around It, Symbolizing The Overcoming Of Writer'S Block

Moving from understanding how to engage with writing prompts, let’s dive into the vibrant depths of overcoming writer’s block.

Picture it like this: you’re a painter. Your canvas? Blank. You’ve got all the colors but can’t seem to make that first stroke. That’s where practice prompts come in handy! They’re your guiding lines – they set limitations not as barriers, but as launchpads for spontaneous creativity.

Don’t see them as confining; instead, embrace them as creative boundaries that challenge you to think outside the box while staying within lines only visible to your imagination’s eye.

Making Writing Practice a Daily Habit

With A Pen, Notebook, A Luminous Desk Lamp, An Hourglass Indicating A Set Time, And A Calendar Showing A Check Mark On Each Day

Incorporating a daily routine of putting pen to paper can help you overcome that dreaded writer’s block and enhance your creative flow. How? Through habitual writing, my friend! It’s about developing a consistent practice that supports your creativity.

Develop a ritual: Choose a fixed time and place for your daily writing.
Start small: Even 10 minutes of focused writing can make a difference.
Use prompts: These are great tools to jumpstart your imagination.
Be patient with yourself: Rome wasn’t built in a day; neither will your writing prowess.

These steps aren’t just about practice consistency; they’re about making the act of writing familiar, almost second nature. You’ll find that inspiration comes more easily when you’re in the habit of seeking it out every day.

So, you’ve learned the ropes of writing prompts! They’re not just words but a gateway to unleash your creativity. Remember, they’re tools to refine your writing skills and beat that pesky writer’s block.

Embrace them, make them a daily habit, and watch your writing soar. Go on, pick up that pen or open that laptop – a world of stories is waiting for you to shape!

85 Creative Writing Prompts

"If you want to write and you want to get ideas, you have to be alert and open to everything. Everything you read. Everything you listen to. You have to allow these things to inspire you."

Fun creative writing prompts to inspire and educate

These 79 creative writing prompts for adults and teens are designed as story starters to inspire you. They will also help you write on specific topics and develop important skills you need as an author.

A good writing prompt will jump-start your creativity, help you come up with new ideas and may even give you the inspiration you need to write a full story. Feel free to dive straight in without too much thought. Simply choose the topic that appeals to you, pick one at random and start writing.

If you have a novel, screenplay, or other large project you're working on, I recommend using a prompt for 10 minutes before moving onto your main project. This will help get your creative juices flowing. If you don't have an existing project, spend as long as you want on a single prompt, or try a few different ones. Have fun, be free, and trust yourself.

The following prompts also include some for business, if you're looking for writing ideas to help with your content marketing or creating a blog.

Most of these prompts are written about 'you'. If you'd prefer to write them in third person, choose a name, and write them about a fictional character instead.

If you're looking to use these prompts as part of a class, or for a writing group, you might prefer to check out the Creative Writing Exercises for Adults and Teens instead. These include 43 group and solo exercises that are 10-15 minutes each, with more detailed instructions. We also have 42 science fiction and fantasy prompts for those looking for good story ideas with a touch of magic (or technology).

Choose the topic that fires your imagination

So you can plunge straight into the topic that most interests you, these writing prompts are split into the following categories:

Overcoming writer's block

Creative writing prompts for a young adult audience
Creative writing prompts for adults

Expressing emotion

Fantasy and sci-fi prompts

Visual prompts for world building
Ideas to develop your online business writing

If you feel blocked, I recommend using one of the following prompts and writing for ten minutes in a stream of consciousness. In The Artist's Way, Julia Cameron recommends you write 3 pages every morning as your 'morning pages'. She calls this, " The bedrock tool of a creative recovery. "

To write in a stream of consciousness while using a creative writing prompt, simply start writing and don't stop! If you don't know what will happen next, write, "I don't know what will happen next!" Then write what the options are, why one option might be better than another, etc. This kind of spontaneous creativity is an incredible tool to help move your book or short story forward and to overcome writer's block. If you read back over your stream of consciousness after just ten minutes, you'll find some nuggets of gold in your writing and may have resolved a difficult decision about a particular piece of text.

All authors face a challenge in getting in touch with their creativity from time to time, so don't feel that you're alone.

Here are the first set of prompts:

You're on holiday in a new city and you were walking along talking to a friend, when you suddenly realise they're no longer with you. What happens next?
You have invented a time machine and set off to the time you would most love to visit.
Think of three conflicts - an internal conflict where the protagonist has doubts, an interpersonal conflict with another character, and an external conflict like a natural disaster, physical barrier, or bad weather. Now write a scene that encompasses all three.
You are sitting, reading a list of story writing prompts when a character from your favourite book opens the door and looks at you. They say, "I've been looking for you."
You are a security guard at a secret lair. It's a cold winter's night and there's a foot of snow. You notice a set of footprints leading straight to you, but you could have sworn that they weren't there a moment ago.
What's a flaw that one of your friends has? Imagine if that flaw was exaggerated and create a character around that flaw.
You get a newspaper delivered to your door every morning, then one day it's tomorrow's paper, telling you what will happen today.
Think about a favourite book or movie. What was the character's main goal? Now give that character a different backstory that explains his/her goal.
You are about to fly on a dragon for the very first time.
Everyone has a superpower based on the topography of where they were born (i.e. mountains, deserts, etc.). You are the first person to be born in space. (This prompt, copied from Reddit , was the inspiration for a novel, that then became the first in a successful book series).

Prompts to help you write for a young adult audience

These story prompts are ideal for teen authors and for those looking to write for a Young Adult audience.

You're at the best party you've ever been to, when your worst enemy walks through the door and heads straight towards you.
One morning you wake up and you can see people's feelings as halos of colour around them. You discover that a friend has been hiding how they feel.
You're playing with a toy car when it comes alive and starts driving around by itself. It can only make car sounds, but you have a feeling it wants you to follow it.
Think of 3 animals. A creature has just entered your room that is a magical combination of these 3 animals.
What's the most exotic place you've ever visited? Your adventure starts there.
A genie grants you three wishes. You wish for an unlimited supply of your favourite food, then for an unlimited supply of your favourite toys. Instead of appearing next to you, they start falling out of the sky. You have one wish left.
Imagine an ant is looking up at you. What would they see?
You're dreaming of flying and when you wake up, you're hovering above your bed.
The internet and all the mobile phones in the world stop working. Choose a character and give them a goal. What happens?
Write about a time when you saw a dark aspect of humanity. How it feel and how did your behaviour change as a result of it?

Writing prompts for adults

You turn up for a job interview, but instead of being offered a job, you are invited to join an illegal activist group who are fighting to right the wrongs in the government.
You have had a crush on Rowan for ages. One night your car breaks down. Cursing that your phone is out of charge, you hitch-hike home and a car pulls over to pick you up. Rowan's driving it and is alone. You get in feeling relieved and delighted, only to discover that Rowan isn't the person you thought.
Write the names of 3 friends or family members who don't know each other. Now describe a scene where the 3 of them meet.
You are a tree and are scared of losing all your leaves. Autumn is fast approaching.
A rhinoceros is charging down a crowded city street.
You have studied hard to be an opera singer. You are opening the show and forget your lines. In desperation, you sing the song to a different opera. The orchestra know it and play along with you. What happens next?
Look at different clues for a murder mystery , then write a unique clue that could be the first hint to set your detective on the trail.
Write a list of seven exotic or dynamic sounding verbs and number them 1 to 7. Now write a list of seven nouns. Now connect them together by joining the first verb with the first noun, the second verb with the second noun, etc. Choose one of the seven verb-noun pairs to create a piece of fiction.
Choose a sport you love and write a scene about a character starting where they are preparing to perform in the Olympics, or another major competition.
Your character discovers that their best friend is a murderer but chooses to keep it a secret. Create a back story that explains why. What happens next?

“The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt with the heart”

Hellen Keller

Describe the emotion the woman in the above image is feeling.
You are tired and arguing with your best friend over whose turn it is to wash the dishes. It gets out of hand.
You receive a letter saying, "We would like to publish your novel." How do you react?
What was the last strong emotion you felt? If this emotion was a type of weather, what weather would that be? Now place a character feeling the opposite emotion in those weather conditions.
Your teenage daughter gets on the train to go to uni, you wave her off, then stand on the platform as the train pulls away.
Think of an emotion. Now describe how your protagonist's body reacts when they feel this emotion.
Your white friends have just left the supermarket and the security guard ignored them. You're black and as you leave, he demands to see your receipt.
A beautiful rainbow shines in the distance, but the storm is headed your way and you're miles from cover.
Your character takes a drug (medicinal or recreational, you choose) that changes their personality radically, making them feel happy but uncaring. While on it, they decide to end a friendship in a dramatic fashion. Afterwards, they try to rebuild that friendship. Write the conversation that follows.
Three friends arrive at a crossroads. All three want to go in different directions. Create a scene where they argue about where to go. Now rewrite the scene from different points of view. See if you can show different motivations and personalities as you write.

Love Stories

Love comes in many forms and is written about in every genre. It goes beyond romantic love, though romance books are the best-selling genre. As so many people have written about love, it can be a challenge to describe love without sounding cliched.

Before we get to the prompts, here are some quotes about love to inspire you:

“Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage.” ― Lao Tzu

“One is loved because one is loved. No reason is needed for loving.” ― Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist

“Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind, And therefore is winged Cupid painted blind.” ― William Shakespeare, A Midsummer Night's Dream

Now the prompts themselves from 10 different genres. Choose whichever you feel inspired by! Many of the following say 'poem', but feel free to write a short story or letter if you'd prefer.

COMEDY - Choose 2 objects in your house. Write a love poem from one to the other.
ROMANCE - Write a love poem to someone you love.
LGBT+ - Write a scene from the perspective of a transgender teenager about everyday life at high school. Remember that in the modern world, depending on the country, they will encounter both people who support them completely and those who don't, so keep that balance in mind.
SELF-REFLECTION - Write a poem to yourself when you were a child.
SCI-FI - Write a poem from yourself 10 years from now to yourself today.
LEGEND - Write a poem from the Loch Ness Monster to Nessie, the female monster who also lives in Loch Ness.
HISTORICAL FICTION - Choose a famous character from history and research if they were married. Write a scene where they disagreed with their partner on a major decision.
ADVENTURE - Write a poem about an amazing adventure in a place you, or your character, loves.
MURDER MYSTERY - Someone is poisoned in a coffee shop. Write the scene when the detective first arrives.
THRILLER - Your character wakes to find they are trapped in a dungeon after a first date. Their partner is with them. How do they escape?

Many great story ideas are based on a what if question. What if we're living in a virtual world? What if you gained a spider's abilities when one bit you? What if toys came to life when no-one's there?

Here are some prompts in the form of what if questions. Enjoy!

What if plants robustly expressed their opinions?
What if women ruled the world?
What if money became meaningless overnight?
What if you and your friends murdered someone?
What if a news channel gave a fictional story that became reality 24 hours later?
What if you were an alien and had been adopted by humans?
What if food was replaced by 'nutrition pills' to help stop global warming?
What if sound manifested as physical beings?
What if you had a recurring dream about someone, then you met them in real life?
What if characters from history started to appear alive and well in a small town?

Bored with your immortal existence, you are gathered with your godly friends to create the ultimate virtual reality game ever. A game you have called 'Earth', but just as your first friend enters the game you realise that the game has a terrible flaw.
You are an orc who wants to do good. You have fled your hometown and arrive at a human village wondering whether you will be welcome.
You character is approaching a castle. What unusual reason do they have to be there? What do they say to the two guards standing outside it?
Evil narcists rule the world, but a wizard is determined to stop them by wiping their memory and the memory of everyone who knew them. This allows them to safely re-enter society. You have just found one of your old diaries and discovered that you were once a warlord who commit terrible evil.
A war between the vampires and werewolves has been going on for centuries in ancient Europe, but you have just found a way to turn the battle. If a werewolf eats garlic, they remain human. You're about to spread a false rumour that will change history and give vampires the advantage forever.
You are an alien visiting Earth and chose to assume an anonymous form as a dog. Now someone wants to adopt you.
Gravity has just reversed itself.
A wish generator fulfils a wish every time you touch it, but the wish it fulfils isn't your own.
Look around you and imagine that an object, plant or piece of furniture you can see is enormous. Decide what this object means to a character. Your character is walking towards it.
Imagine a fantasy world where there is one type of magic. What knock on repercussions does this have on daily life? Write a scene showing this.

If you enjoy this genre, then you can discover more sci-fi and fantasy creative writing prompts . These focus on world building, creating exotic characters and developing plots with an out of this world element.

Visual writing prompts for world building

Sometimes an image can be more of a prompt than words. As it's a different medium, it allows you complete freedom to choose how to write about it. Here are 4 visual writing prompts to help with your world building, along with a suggestion of how to use them for each.

You've entered this room for the first time. Decide what your purpose was in entering it, then start writing.

Imagine a conversation is occurring here between people who work here all the time. Write the conversation, setting the room as the background.

I find the following image so evocative, it shouldn't need a prompt to go with it!

Who lives here? Write their story.

As well as visual writing prompts, you can come up with good story ideas using musical writing prompts. Simply take the name of any song below and write a story from it. Focus on sounds in your writing.

Ideas to develop your online business writing

Mix work and pleasure! Write about something you love to do as a hobby in the style of writing that you do for your work. A sales pitch about your favourite holiday destination, or an analysis of the last board game you played, for example.
Choose a product you recently bought from the supermarket and see if you can sell it in 160 characters or less. This is useful if you're writing Meta Descriptions for a web page.
If you had to choose a single issue that determined how you would vote in every future election, what issue would it be? Why?
Write a short review of your favourite movie and a movie you hated.
Write a short autobiography of your life in the form of an interview, where paragraphs alternate between question and answer.
Choose a random article on Wikipedia and write a press release to promote it.

What is your favourite book set in a fictional universe? Write a tourist's guide to one area of that universe.
What was a favourite toy you had as a child? What appealed to you about it? Write a sales blurb for that product with you as the target audience.
Find a page selling a toy you loved as a kid. Now rewrite that page as if it was a product designed for adults.

To discover more creative writing prompts, please click the image below.

Creative writing games

Create a murder mystery game

Murder mystery riddles

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50 creative writing prompts for middle school students.

September 11, 2023
11 min read

Why creative writing matters, prompts to explore personal experiences, prompts for imagining fantastic worlds, prompts for exploring emotions, prompts to unleash adventure, prompts for humor and laughter, writing prompts for middle school mystery and suspense section, prompts to reflect on the future, prompts for historical time travel, writing prompts for middle school to target sci-fi and futuristic fantasies, writing prompts for middle school to dive into nature, writing prompts for middle school for alternate realities, are these prompts suitable for both classroom and individual use, creative writing.

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Middle school is a time of exploration, growth, and boundless imagination. It’s a phase where young minds are eager to express themselves, and what better way to channel this energy than through creative writing? This article explores 50 creative writing prompts for middle school students to worlds of wonder, emotion, and adventure. These prompts stimulate their creativity, boost their writing skills, and encourage them to think beyond the ordinary.

Creative writing holds a significance that extends far beyond the confines of a classroom. It is a form of expression that acts like a mirror reflecting human emotions, similar to what is explored in What are the three main purposes for writing? . It is a powerful medium through which individuals can express their innermost thoughts, emotions, and ideas, allowing them to connect with themselves and the world around them on a deeper level. This art form empowers individuals to unleash their imagination and paint vivid landscapes of words, enabling them to communicate in ways that traditional language often falls short of. For middle school students, creative writing is a journey of exploration and growth, much like the journey described in How to write a good story: A complete process . As they engage with a diverse array of writing prompts for middle school, they embark on a path that enriches their vocabulary, refines their grasp of grammar, and teaches them the invaluable skill of structuring their thoughts coherently and effectively. Through crafting narratives and weaving intricate tales, students learn the art of storytelling, a skill crucial in literature and various aspects of life. Whether it’s penning down a compelling essay, delivering a persuasive speech, or even drafting a well-structured email, the ability to organize ideas compellingly is a trait that serves students well throughout their academic and professional journey. However, the benefits of creative writing go well beyond linguistic and organizational services like book writing services . This form of expression acts as a mirror that reflects the complexities of human emotions. As students immerse themselves in crafting characters, settings, and plotlines, they inherently develop a deep sense of empathy. By stepping into the shoes of diverse characters and exploring the world from various perspectives, students cultivate an understanding of different viewpoints, backgrounds, and experiences. This broadens their worldview and nurtures their ability to relate to and connect with people from all walks of life.

Discovering a Hidden Door

Imagine stumbling upon a mysterious door in your school that no one else has noticed. Where does it lead, and what adventures await on the other side?

The Day I Traveled Through Time

You wake up one morning to find yourself in a different period. Describe your experiences and the challenges you face in this unfamiliar era.

My Conversation with a Talking Animal

While wandering in the woods, you encounter an animal that can communicate with you. Write about your unexpected conversation and the wisdom the animal imparts.

A Mysterious Message in a Bottle

You discover a message in a bottle washed up on the shore. What does the message say, and how does it change your life?

Life on a Floating Island

Describe a world where entire civilizations exist on floating islands in the sky. What are the unique challenges and wonders of this airborne realm?

Journey to the Center of a Candy Planet

You embark on a journey to the core of a planet made entirely of candy. Detail your adventures as you traverse the sugary landscapes.

The Robot’s Secret Rebellion

In a futuristic city, robots have secretly started rebelling against their human creators. Explore the events leading up to this uprising and the consequences that follow.

When Magic Came to the Modern World

Magic suddenly becomes real in the present day. How does society change, and how do you adapt to this new magical reality?

The Joy of Finding a Lost Toy

Revisit a childhood memory of losing a cherished toy and the overwhelming happiness of eventually finding it.

A Moment of Overcoming Fear

Write about when you faced a fear head-on and emerged stronger and braver on the other side.

The Bittersweet Farewell

Explore the emotions surrounding a farewell to a close friend moving away. How do you cope with the mixture of joy and sadness?

An Unexpected Act of Kindness

Describe an instance where a stranger’s small act of kindness profoundly impacts your life and perspective.

Quest for the Enchanted Crown

Embark on a quest to retrieve a stolen enchanted crown from a treacherous dragon’s lair. Chronicle your epic adventure and the challenges you must overcome.

Lost in a Haunted Forest

You find yourself lost in a mysterious and haunted forest. Describe your eerie surroundings and the spine-chilling encounters you experience.

Exploring an Abandoned Space Station

Write about your exploration of a deserted space station, uncovering its secrets and unraveling the mysteries of its past.

Time-Traveling to Historical Events

Where and when would you go if you could time-travel to any historical event? Describe your experiences and the impact they have on your perspective.

The Day I Turned into a Vegetable

Imagine waking up one day to find yourself transformed into a vegetable. How do you communicate, and what hilarious misadventures ensue?

Conversations Between My Pets

Write a humorous dialogue between your pets discussing their daily lives, adventures, and their peculiar perspectives on the world.

When My Room Became a Miniature Zoo

Describe a scenario where your room suddenly becomes a mini-zoo filled with various animals. How do you manage this unexpected turn of events?

The Misadventures of Super Socks

Create a quirky superhero story where a pair of socks gains extraordinary powers and embarks on comical crime-fighting escapades.

The Puzzle of the Whispering Walls

Detail a suspenseful investigation into the strange phenomenon of walls that whisper cryptic messages, leading to an unexpected revelation.

Footprints in the Forbidden Attic

You discover mysterious footprints leading to the forbidden attic in your house. Write about your daring exploration and the secrets you uncover.

The Disappearance of the Midnight Carnival

Describe the mysterious disappearance of a beloved carnival that only operates at midnight. What clues do you follow to solve the enigma?

The Secret Diary of a Famous Explorer

You stumble upon the secret diary of a renowned explorer. Unveil the adventures chronicled within its pages and the hidden truths it holds.

A Glimpse into Life as an Adult

Imagine yourself as an adult and write about a day in your future life. How have your goals, priorities, and perspectives evolved?

Inventing a Revolutionary Gadget

Design a revolutionary gadget that changes the world. Describe its features, benefits, and the impact it has on society.

My First Day on Another Planet

Transport yourself to an alien planet and narrate your experiences on the first day of your interstellar adventure.

The World After Solving Pollution

Describe a world where pollution has been successfully eliminated. How does this achievement reshape the environment, society, and daily life?

Prompts for Exploring Friendship

Write about a strong and unbreakable bond between two friends. What challenges have they overcome together, and how has their friendship evolved?

Adventures of the Dynamic Duo

Create a story about a dynamic duo who embark on thrilling adventures together. What makes their partnership special, and how do they complement each other?

A Magical Friend from a Book

Imagine a character from a book coming to life and becoming your friend. Describe your magical friendship and the escapades you share.

Messages in a Bottle Between Pen Pals

Two pen pals communicate through messages sent in bottles across a vast ocean. Write about their unique form of friendship and the stories they share.

An Interview with a Renaissance Artist

Travel back in time to interview a famous Renaissance artist. Explore their inspirations, struggles, and the impact of their art on the world.

Surviving the Titanic Disaster

Imagine being a passenger on the Titanic and surviving the tragic sinking. Chronicle your experiences and the lessons you learn from the ordeal.

Ancient Egypt: Through the Eyes of a Pharaoh

Experience life as an ancient Egyptian pharaoh. Describe the grandeur of your rule, interactions with subjects, and leadership challenges.

Encountering Dinosaurs in Prehistoric Times

Describe an adventurous journey to prehistoric times, where you encounter dinosaurs and experience the wonders and dangers of the ancient world.

When Robots Ruled the World

Envision a world where robots have taken over as rulers. Detail the consequences of this robotic regime and the struggles of human resistance.

Galactic Explorers on a New Frontier

Join a group of galactic explorers as they venture into uncharted space territories. Describe their discoveries, encounters, and the mysteries they unravel.

The Day I Met an Alien from Mars

Write about the day you encounter a friendly alien from Mars. How do you communicate, and what do you learn from each other?

Earth 3000: A Utopian Dream or Dystopian Reality?

Transport yourself to the year 3000 and describe the state of the Earth. Is it a romantic paradise or a dystopian nightmare? What led to this outcome?

Conversations with Forest Creatures

Imagine having conversations with animals in a magical forest. Write about the wisdom they share and the adventures you embark on together.

My Adventure in the Enchanted Rainforest

Describe your thrilling adventure through an enchanted rainforest with mystical creatures and hidden secrets.

The Underwater Discovery: Mermaid’s Tale

You discover a hidden underwater world inhabited by mermaids. Chronicle your underwater journey and the interactions you have with these mythical beings.

Exploring a World Inside a Dewdrop

Write about a micro-adventure inside a dewdrop, where you encounter miniature worlds and experience nature from a new perspective.

Stepping into a Mirror Universe

Describe an experience where you step into an alternate reality through a mirror. How is this world different from yours, and what challenges do you face?

The Butterfly Effect: Changing a Single Moment

Explore the butterfly effect concept by narrating a story where changing a single moment in the past has a cascading impact on the present and future.

My Life as a Fictional Character

Imagine living the life of a fictional character from your favorite book. Describe your experiences as you navigate their world and story.

When Dreams Became Our Reality

Write about a world where dreams have the power to shape reality. How do people use their dreams to create their lives, and what challenges arise?

The Ethereal Library

Imagine a mystical library that holds books containing the stories of every possible life you could have lived. Write about a person who stumbles upon this library and can read the book of their alternate life stories.

The Reality Architect

In a future society, some specialized architects design alternate realities for individuals seeking escape from their own lives. Write about a reality architect and their journey to create the perfect alternate world for a client.

The Convergence Point

Describe a world where all alternate realities converge at a single point in time. People from different realities can meet and interact for a brief period. Write about the challenges and opportunities that arise during this unique convergence.

The suitability of writing prompts for middle school for classroom and individual use depends on their content and complexity. Prompts encouraging critical thinking, creative expression, and thoughtful discussion can work well in both settings. However, there are a few considerations to keep in mind:

Ensure that the prompts are clear and easily understandable by individuals and a group of students. Avoid overly complex language or concepts that might be confusing.
Writing prompts for middle school allow various interpretations, and responses can engage individual learners and groups. This flexibility encourages students to express their unique perspectives.
Choose interesting and relevant writing prompts for middle school to the target audience, whether in a classroom full of students or individuals working independently. Engaging prompts are more likely to spark enthusiasm and thoughtful responses.
Prompts that invite discussion and debate can lead to rich and meaningful conversations for classroom use. These prompts should be open-ended and encourage diverse viewpoints.

Middle school is critical for nurturing creativity, similar to the journey detailed in How to launch a book: The ultimate guide for authors , young students’ creativity, and honing writing skills. These 50 creative writing prompts for middle school offer many opportunities to explore diverse themes, emotions, and scenarios while refining their writing abilities. Whether they’re crafting tales of time travel, exploring futuristic realms, or delving into the mysteries of the past, these prompts will ignite the imagination and open new avenues of self-expression for budding writers.

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70 Picture Prompts for Creative Writing (with Free Slides)

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Visual writing prompts help young writers generate new ideas and overcome writer’s block. We’ve put together 70 picture prompts for creative writing that you can use in your writing centers or lesson plans to get your students’ creative juices flowing.

70 PICTURE PROMPTS FOR CREATIVE WRITING TEXT OVERLAY WITH TWO VISUAL WRITING PROMPTS

Picture Writing Prompts for All Ages

Writers of all ages and experience levels can get stuck thinking about what to write. Writer’s block is not just a challenge for reluctant writers. Even professional writers have days when they feel less than inspired.

Visual prompts can result in a vast array of story ideas. A single image viewed by ten writers will result in ten completely different stories. Even if you use verbal cues to get students thinking about the picture, each student will still write a unique response to the image.

Visual creative writing prompts are fantastic for elementary school because younger students often relate more to a pictorial prompt than a written one, but don’t shy away from using these with high school and middle school students as well. Pictures make a fun alternative to your typical writing prompts and story starters and can help shake up your regular routine.

How to Use Picture Prompts for Creative Writing

There’s no limit to the ways you can use writing prompts. Here are some of our favorite ways to incorporate image prompts into your weekly lesson plans .

Writing Center. Print cards or writing pages with these images on them and put them in a writing center for your students to discover at their own pace.
Specific Skills. Use story picture prompts to help kids work on specific writing skills. For example, you could work on descriptive writing by having them describe the setting of the picture in detail. Or you could work on character development by having them make up a history for a person in a picture.
Warm-up Activity: You could pop the pictures into Google slides and project an image on a screen or whiteboard for the first fifteen minutes of class and have students work on a short story as soon as they enter the class.

No matter how you decide to use them—whether at home or in the classroom—photographic writing prompts are a great way to cultivate a daily writing habit and encourage kids to explore new topics.

70 Pictures for Writing Prompts

We’ve selected 70 of the most interesting pictures we could find for this exercise. When choosing photos for writing prompts, we look for high-quality photos with intriguing subject matter, but we try to go beyond that. We want to share images that suggest a story, that make the viewer ask questions and wonder why things are the way they are.

We want to feel propelled to explore questions like, What happened before the photo that led to this moment? What are we witnessing in this photo? What’s about to happen?

A photo doesn’t make much of a story starter if it doesn’t suggest that there might be a bigger picture lurking beneath the surface.

We hope you and your students love these picture prompts for creative writing as much as we do. If you love them, go ahead and scroll to the bottom to grab your own copy.

We’ve included a couple of questions with each picture that you could use to spark pre-writing conversations in your classroom, which can be helpful when working with younger students who might need a little more direction.

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Whose cat is this? What is he looking at? Where is he?

What is the owl thinking about? Is he alone? What does he hope to eat for dinner?

Who are these frogs? What is their relationship with each other? Why are they taking photos?

two toy frogs stand in a field. One takes pictures of the other.

How did the dog get a phone? Why is he taking selfies? What is he doing with the pictures he takes?

This cat doesn’t look too happy. What’s bugging him? Did he get too many phone calls or is he waiting on an important call that’s taking too long to come?

a black and white cat sits beside a phone

What do these chicks think of the dog? What does the dog think of the chicks? Do you think they can communicate with each other? If so, what would they say?

Where do these lemurs live? What are they looking at? What is something unusual that might happen to them?

a lemur lies on a branch while another hides in the background

What is this fox doing? Is he yawning and stretching or is he trying to scare someone away? What kind of mischief does he like to get up to?

Is this wolf alone? If not, who is with him? What is he planning to do? Does he have a family to feed or protect?

What is this child doing on the laptop? Can he actually read and type or is he just playing? If he can read and type, how did he learn that at such a young age? What other cool things can he do?

a toddler wearing a toque and glasses types on a laptop

Where is this woman? Is she lost? How did she get to this street? What interesting things might she discover as she explores this new city?

a woman stands in an empty street holding a map

Why is the dog wearing glasses? Can he see through them? What are he and the girl doing? How does he feel about it?

Who are these two little boys? What is their relationship with each other? What is the teddy bear’s story?

two boys sit in a bath holding a teddy bear

Who are these children? Why are they running? Is it a race or are they playing a game? Who’s going to win?

Whose horse is this? Does the little boy own it or does he just visit it? Can the horse talk? How does the boy feel when he’s with the horse?

What is this boy reading? Does the book have magical powers? Does the boy? Do the stories in the book become real or does something else special happen?

a boy reads a book that has some magical elements in it

Where is this man? How did he get there? What is he looking for?

a man dressed like a pirate looks through a telescope

Who is walking over the bridge? What’s on the other side? Is it worth the risk?

a top-down view of a person crossing a bridge

What are these people doing on the elephant? Where are they? Are they tourists or is the elephant their pet? What would life with an elephant be like?

two people ride an elephant through a field

Who made this map? It looks old. Has it been hidden away for a long time? Who discovered it and how? What does it lead to?

Whose typewriter is this? What important or secretive thing might they be working on? What could happen if the wrong person finds their work?

Who are these three stuffed animals? Are they living? What is their story?

Whose ukulele is this? Why did they leave it here? Who might find it?

Where is the owner of the bike? Where does this path lead? What if the bike’s not there when the owner returns?

Whose shoes are these? Why did they leave them here? Why are they so dirty?

Who was reading the newspaper? What was the most interesting thing they read? Where have they disappeared to?

a stack of newspapers, a white cup, and a pair of glasses

Who put this sign on the old truck? What do you think of it? How did the truck end up in its current condition and location?

Who set the table? Who are they expecting? What special occasion are they celebrating? What could go wrong?

Whose birthday cake is this? Are they having a party? Who is there? Who did they want to have there that didn’t show up?

Who lives here? How do they access their home? What is their life like?

Who built the igloo? Where is it? How does it feel to spend the night inside it?

What is the history of this castle? Who lives in it now? Does it have any special or magical features?

Is this barn abandoned or do people live on the property? What kind of animals might live here? How do they keep themselves entertained?

What is it like living on a houseboat? What kind of community do you think forms among the neighbors? Imagine you live on one of these boats and think about how your daily life might change. What interesting things could you do if you lived here? What would you miss the most?

Where is this hut? Who lives here? What mystery might unfold if a stranger came knocking at their door?

What is this lighthouse called? Who runs it? How often do they leave? What is the most memorable experience they’ve had as a lighthouse operator?

How did this house get here? Does anyone live in it? What would life be like here?

Where is this festive street? Are the people there celebrating something? Where is everybody?

Who lives here? How did they build this house? Are they hiding from something? What does it look like inside?

Whose notebook is this? Why did they leave it here? What’s written in it and how might it change the life of the person who finds it?

What are these women doing? What are they supposed to be doing? Will they be in trouble if they get caught?

Who might be represented in this statue? Why is she being pulled by lions? What amazing things might she have done to deserve a statue in this prominent place?

a statue of a woman being pulled in a carriage by two lions

Where is this? Who is riding in the hot air balloons? Where are they going and why?

How old is this tree? Where is it? What are some of the most fascinating stories it could tell?

Where is this carousel? Who is riding it? Can you think of a special or strange story about how it came to exist in this particular place?

What are these people thinking about? What’s at stake for them? What happens if one of them sneezes?

Where are these penguins? What are they talking about? Which one of them is the leader?

What is this place? Was it designed to be open like this or was it once part of someone’s home or a public building? How have people’s opinions of this place changed over time?

Who are these kids? Is this what they’re supposed to be doing? What happens when their teacher sees them?

Who is supposed to ride in this boat? Where are they going? Will they make it there?

Is this plane special to someone? What did they have to do to get it/build it? Where will they fly to in it?

Who decorated this train car? Which passengers will fill it up? What will they talk about?

Whose skis are these? Why are they sticking out of the snow? How did their owner get down the mountain without them?

two skis and two poles stick out of a snowbank

Where does this gondola go? Who rides it? How does it feel to ride it?

Who’s driving the monster truck? Why is it at the beach? What is it going to crush? Who is watching?

Where is the boat going? Who is on it? What is their mission?

What city is the helicopter flying over? Why? Is the driver looking for something specific or do they have a special delivery?

What’s the little boy doing in the boat? Is he alone or is someone with him? Where is he trying to go?

Who is in the sub? What’s it like inside? What are they doing?

Whose book is this? What’s it about? What’s happening to it?

How did that piece of land with the house on it break off from the rest of the world? Why? Where is it going? Is anyone in the house?

a fantasy graphic with a piece of land separating from the earth and floating away

Who is this girl? Where is she? Who is she shooting at?

a woman in the woods shoots a bow and arrow

Where does this scene take place? Is the lizard/dragon good or bad? What is its relationship with the girl?

a girl standing on the tip of a cliff pats the nose of a giant lizard

What do these books represent? What kind of world is this? What (or who) is inside the books?

a row of books designed to look like houses

What are these dinosaurs discussing? Where are they? What do they do for fun?

Whose cottage is this? Do they still live there? If not, where have they gone? If so, what do they do there?

What is the moth thinking about? Is it alone? What’s the biggest challenge it faces in this moment?

Who is the owl looking at? Has it read these books? What is its greatest talent?

Where are these trees? Why are they pink? Do they have any special powers or features?

trees in a wood covered with something pink

What do you think? Which kind of pictures do you like best for creative writing prompts ? Let us know in the comments.

Tuesday 5th of March 2024

I LOVE these! My daughter has always struggled with written story prompts and an internet search this week convinced me of the value of picture prompts for reluctant readers/writers (https://youcanjournal.com/journal-picture-prompts/ if you're interested!). I'll definitely be using these to help improve her writing skills. Thanks so much!

Tuesday 26th of December 2023

I think the idea of using picture prompts is a great idea. It initiates oral language thus building vocabulary. It allows lends itself to students working in small groups to stimulate new ideas. The prompts engage the students and gives the teacher the opportunity to focus on specific writing skills.

luke elford

Wednesday 13th of December 2023

cloey mckay

Tuesday 17th of October 2023

I tried this with myself and my 6th-grade students, and they love it. it gives room for so much creativity.

Nayyar Abbas

Tuesday 30th of May 2023

This is very good idea and it really works, viewing these one try to think one's own way that what these pictures are telling or asking? I also recommend that this idea should also be given to the students for building their creative instinct.

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