Need some inspiration to inject new life into a project or start anew? Whether you’ve already got an idea and want some extra ideas, or you want to prepare for writing exercises to warm-up, these writing prompts for stories can work for all kinds of genre.
Writing prompts can help you find something to write about even when you’re struggling for ideas or motivation. Just pick a prompt and start plotting. You can even use them to free write, letting the words spring from your fingers before you’ve processed them.
Any acknowledgement or credit for using any of my prompts is always appreciated, whether it’s linking to my website from yours or a social media shoutout.
22 writing prompts for stories
You can take just one prompt or combine any of the following for one story! Every prompt is entirely up to your interpretation.
You’ll find prompts for characters, words, settings, tropes, plotlines, and something sensory below.
Characters: An artist. A child. An encouraging friend.
Words: Hour. Sunshine. Magnitude. Banish. Tiger. Spiteful.
Settings: A shop. During a new moon. A cave.
Tropes: Affection-Hating Kid. Evil Twin. Grail in the Garbage.
Plotlines:
- An adventure involves a flawed plan and a rusty blade.
- What if the kindly greengrocer is actually a dryad?
- Two lovers of opposing types: the sun and the moon, the earth and the sea, the shadow and the light.
- Their neighbour is watching them.
- When a notebook goes missing, the mystery spirals out of control.
- During a ceremony, one person dies and another person starts a new life.
Sensory: Mint.
If you need more inspiration, visit my masterlist of writing prompts for short stories and other fiction, with all of my prompts organised by genre.
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