Writing Prompts

We all need an idea to get us writing. Sometimes it’s nice to find a writing prompt to bring in new ingredients. You can find a number of ideas here to get you working on a new story, or maybe help on a current one. Sometimes you may have the beginnings of an idea, and just need a little help organizing the thoughts.

The way I think about getting an idea I can use to write is like making a potion. You collect ingredients from everywhere and combine them in hundreds of different ways to make the different ideas you use to write. So, here is where you may find a few ingredients to add to your life experiences to make the potion that will create your story!

Potions in bottles with words and images representing stories.
Story Idea Potions

Prompts


Dialogue Prompt

“I’m never sarcastic about something like this!”

Image Prompt

Ruler, scissors, and ponytail of hair.

Scene Prompt

Under the Christmas tree, with a barricade of presents, it was a safe, quiet, and well-lit location.


Writing Prompt Challenges


Seasonal Prompt Challenges

Story Prompt Challenge #1 – Winter Traditions

Story Prompt Challenge #2 – Transition from Winter Blahs

Story Prompt Challenge #3 – Change, Drastically Different

Story Prompt Challenge #7 – The Greatest Blessing

Story Prompt Challenge #14 – Write a Christmas Story

For other ideas based on a certain time of year, look at other seasonal blogs.


Elements of Story

Story Prompt Challenge #4 – Artist’s Struggles

Story Prompt Challenge #5 – Write a Fable

Story Prompt Challenge #6 – Theme or Message

Story Prompt Challenge #10 – Build a World

Story Prompt Challenge #12 – Anxiety and Emotion

For other ideas on practicing or creating a story from the basic elements of story, look at other blogs on Story Elements.


Current Events and Topics

Story Prompt Challenge #8 – Real Deal

Story Prompt Challenge #9 – Doomsday

Story Prompt Challenge #11 – Conspiracy Theory

Story Prompt Challenge #13 – Transformation

For more writing prompt ideas, check out In Fiction, a series that looks at everyday aspects of life and begins exploring how they can influence a story. Life Lessons and Creativity and Writing may be other options that inspire a story from life events.


Event Prompt

What is your first memory? What is a different perspective on that memory?

Experience Prompt

Pick one thing from your bucket list. Write about a character experiencing that.

Situation Prompt

Being pregnant for the first time is an experience on its own. What if it happened on a deserted island?