25 Creative Writing Prompts
25 creative writing prompts to inspire and motivate
Don’t you just hate writer’s block? Some say it’s a disease that only attacks creative workers. Some say it’s a curse. Others argue that it doesn’t exist at all. But just about everyone has been there — sitting in front of a blank screen, fingers itching to create a masterpiece. And nothing comes.
For me, the most bizarre thing about writer’s block is that it strikes randomly. Most of the time, I’m overwhelmed with ideas — more than I can possibly write about. Then, out of the blue, I’ll sit down and just go blank. Sure, I flip through my notebooks and review all the ideas I’ve had, but nothing feels right. I want something fresh. I need a new angle.
Luckily, I have several books and other writing resources that are packed with writing exercises and creative writing prompts. Sometimes, all it takes are a few words to get me started, and then I’m off, writing into the sunset.
Here at Writing Forward, I’ve published poetry prompts, journal prompts, fiction and poetry writing exercises, but today I’d like to try something different. Here’s a mash-up of creative writing prompts. There are no rules. Write a poem. Write a short story. Write an essay. Aim for a hundred words or aim for a thousand. Just start writing. Take off and fly, and have fun.
Creative Writing Prompts
- You’re digging in your garden and find a fist-sized nugget of gold.
- Write about something ugly — war, fear, hate, cruelty — but find the beauty (silver lining) in it.
- The asteroid was hurtling straight for…
- A kid comes out of the bathroom with toilet paper dangling from his or her waistband.
- Write about your early memories of faith, religion, or spirituality; yours or someone else’s.
- There’s a guy sitting on a park bench reading a newspaper…
- Write a poem about a first romantic (dare I say: sexual) experience or encounter.
- He turned the key in the lock and opened the door. To his horror, he saw…
- Silvery flakes drifted down, glittering in the bright light of the harvest moon. The blackbird…
- The detective saw his opportunity. He grabbed the waitress’s arm and said…
- There are three children sitting on a log near a stream. One of them looks up at the sky and says…
- There is a magic talisman that allows its keeper to read minds. It falls into the hands of a young politician…
- And you thought dragons didn’t exist…
- Write about nature. Include the following words: hard drive, stapler, phone, car, billboard.
- The doctor put his hand on her arm and said gently, “You or the baby will survive. Not both. I’m sorry.”
- The nation is controlled by…
- You walk into your house and it’s completely different — furniture, decor, all changed. And nobody’s home.
- Write about one (or both) of your parents. Start with “I was born…”
- The most beautiful smile I ever saw…
- I believe that animals exist to…
- A twinkling eye can mean many things. The one that is twinkling at me right now…
- Good versus evil. Does it truly exist? What are the gray areas? Do good people do bad things?
- My body…
- Have you ever been just about to drift off to sleep only to be roused because you spontaneously remembered an embarrassing moment from your past?
- Get a package of one of your favorite canned or boxed foods and look at the ingredients. Use every ingredient in your writing session.
Now It’s Your Turn
If none of these prompts inspired you, don’t despair. Come up with some creative writing prompts of your own, and then share them in the comments. Later, I’ll publish them in a post or republish an updated version of this post with your prompts added to the list. Anyone who contributes will be credited!
Keep on writing!
Melissa Donovan is a website designer and copywriter. She writes fiction and poetry and is the founder and editor of Writing Forward, a blog packed with creative writing tips and ideas.
Melissa,
Wow, there’s something about this list that feels like a lightbulb went off! There are times when I feel stuck, like ideas aren’t there. And this list really shines what can be…limitless possibilities!
26. If my life were a cartoon…
27. Pick two crayons at random. What thoughts/feelings do two color stir up in you?
Ah, I love the feeling of a light bulb illuminating my mind! Thanks for adding to the list!
Thanks for sharing these.
If you have children, visualize one of them running the house for a day.
Steve
That’s a good one. Kids running the house… how very Dr. Suess! Cat in the Hat without the cat, hehee.
Ooh, great prompts! Thanks for sharing these!
Thanks! Glad you like them!
When I took my creative writing class in college the instructor gave us a really good one to use if we couldn’t think of what to write. She said to write the word Remember 3 times and that would prompt something. The entire class tried it and it worked and I have used it several times since then!
I like the use of “remember.” There are a lot of trigger words that help people when they can’t think of anything to write about. Maybe I should do a list of single-word prompts. Hmm…
Wow. I was COMPLETELY stuck and this brought back a great story for me to write about, though only faintly attached to any memory of mine. Thanks!
That’s great Camille! Good luck with your story
I like to use the question “what would happen if …. ”
What would happen if your husband retired and your kid left home and you’re getting older? -> ” Always Faithful”
What would happen if a person moved back home to care for a relative after decades of living far away? -> “The Way Home”
What would happen if a person who has been divorced and alone for a long time suddenly met the most perfect mate imaginable … but it turns out the person may not be what she appears to be? -> “Baiting and Fishing”
In a way, I think “What Would Happen If…” is my novelist version of my favorite childhood game, “Let’s pretend that…..”
Meredith, “What if” is the best creative writing prompt ever! You can apply it just about any situation. Just look at any movie, book, or even real life and start asking “What if things happened a little differently?” Or “What if this person made a different decision?” Asking these questions can take you all kinds of new and interesting directions in writing! It’s great fun.
I love these. Here’s one:
“She was drifting off to sleep when there was a sharp knock at the door . . . “
Ooh, I like that one.
Fabulous list. I’ve been brainstorming all morning with no luck, and so I came online and VOILA, here you are. Loved the list, especially 22.
I’ve created several interesting works using my personal favourite “things to do on a rainy day”. I usually write from the perspective of a child, but rarely myself as a child. This one just opens up so many possibilities for make beleive!
Thanks Melanie! Glad this list helped you in a time of need. My favorite “things to do on a rainy day” story is The Cat in the Hat. Of course, it’s a “day when mom’s away” rather than a “rainy day,” but it’s pretty much the same idea. Keep on writing!
these are very great… i got this one off of True Jackson VP.. spin around and the first thing you see will give you an idea..
i just did this and i saw flowers…
i’m writing about “you are walking through a field with your best friend.. you spot a flower and pick it up.. it gives you super powers…
Ah, a flower that gives one super powers. I love that idea! You should definitely run with it!
I love True Jackson VP! Cool that you got an idea from it!
ooh those are cool… how about:
He cradled her, taking in all of her burdens as he swept her hair back from her face and stroked her cheek in a gentle calming motion.
I do creative writing as an A level so it would be cool to know if this starter is ok! ty xoxo
Catherine, I think that’s a great starter line, especially for a romantic story or poem! My only suggestion would be the part “gentle calming motion.” There might be one too many adjectives there. If you keep both adjectives, be sure to add a comma after the first one: “gentle, calming motion.” Nice job!
A young man attempts to pull a robbery of some kind on an older man. Things go drastically wrong for the young man. Either viewpoint!
Either viewpoint, or both, could work!
Heres a gorgeous one!
Write a story in the POV of a flower being given from person 2 person.
Interesting!
Wow! These are great, thanks for putting these up. I’m 12 and I really want to be a novelist when I grow up. One of my favourites is: the empty glass.
It’s a bit over-used but I think that it’s so versatile, it doesn’t matter if it’s popular because you can take it in so many different directions!
That’s great Katie! You’re off to an early start. Just stay focused and passionate and you’ll become a novelist if that’s what you truly want. Good luck to you!
Katie,
It is never too young to start living your dreams. Don’t ever let anyone get you down. Keep on writing and believe in yourself that one day you will make it! Best of luck!
I couldn’t agree more, AJ!
I’m 16 and i wrote a great alternate ending for an assignment in english, and i wrote a short christmas story on christmas eve, but now i just don’t know what to write about. i have ideas and i have been reading prompts that are good but i just don’t know.
Kristi, give the prompts a try. There are also lots of writing exercises that you can use to spark writing sessions when you’re feeling uninspired. The trick is to write something rather than sit around waiting for something to write.
26. past or present
27. u r running around outside all by yourself at night. u turn around and see……
28. Don’t use text or chat shorthand in professional communications or blog comments.
29. Capitalize the first word of every sentence as well as list items.
30. Write in complete sentences.
This is just my opinion, and in no way is it intended to be offensive/harsh, but, your response was rather rude. Granted, it does not take that much extra effort to type in proper English, but, the person above was merely trying to contribute to conversation and add prompts. Your 25 prompts were quite interesting, but, honestly, reading this comment from you was quite off-putting and snarky. It is so difficult to interpret tone on through text, but, your response to this post, to me, seems quite inappropriate.
Hi Jill,
It is too bad that some people find it difficult to interpret tone.
I’m sorry you found my response rude. Maybe you’ll feel better knowing that the comment in question landed in the spam folder and had a spammy link attached to it (so I decided to have a bit of fun with it). Or maybe you’ll feel better knowing that when I wrote my response, I was feeling playful. My sense is that this particular commenter knows the rules of sentence writing and was making a creative (or perhaps, lazy) choice in using text shorthand.
When people come to my blog and leave comments that are spammy, rude, disrespectful, anonymous, or mocking, I don’t have a problem issuing stern replies. This wasn’t the case here (I was actually teasing).
I would also point out that saying your comment is “in no way intended to be offensive/harsh” does not alleviate or negate the fact that you proceeded to accuse me of being rude and inappropriate on my own blog. Let me ask you a question. If I invited you to my house for dinner, and then during dinner, teased one of my other guests, would you stand up and tell me that I’m being rude? I doubt it.
So, thank you for sharing your honest response.
Regards,
bertdoesnotwanterniesgum@yahoo.com
Hi! I am 14 and just wanted to do some creative writing, but could not think of anything to write about. Thank you so much for the ideas! I will definitely be using some.
You’re so welcome! Good luck with your writing
Hi,
I’m 14 and writing is my whole life. I recently started a blog with my friend, but she’s not a writer. She just inspires me with ideas and stuff. I love your site, Melissa. I check it almost every day. Your prompts and tips are so completely helpful! Thanks so much!
Thank you! I appreciate your kind words
I’m fourteen, too, and writing is hard to juggle with school and everything else that’s going on. I know – such a teenager-y thing to say…but true nonetheless. I just wanted to say thank you for posting these prompts because they make for quick, satisfying writing that doesn’t end in frustration (at least, mostly). Thanks again!
Writing is hard to juggle at any age. It takes a lot of perseverance, but if you stick with it, you’ll succeed. Good luck to you, and keep on writing!
Write a story from the perspective of a sock being separated from its twin in the laundry.
That would make a great children’s story.
a person went to the football stadium and was wearing manu shirt and came out with a barcalona shirt.why???
Well, I have no idea but this certainly makes a good writing prompt!
I love these!!
Here are a few I made:
*Make up your own recipes for your favorite foods
*Create your own list of idioms
*Write stories of idioms literally happening
*Write about something blue
*What’s your idea of a perfect vacation?
*List what you fear. pick a few and write how they came, why, and when you got the fear first
*What would you say to an univited guest at your party
*Draw a picture of the setting around you. Now look into your inner being. What do you truly feel?
*Write from the point of view of a stack of paper waiting a few inches from the shredder
*Her laugh broke the silence…
These are great! Thank you for adding them to the list
By the way, I’m 11, love writing, and hope to publish fiction teen/children books one day
I wish you the best of luck! You have a head start, being such a young writer. Stick with it!
Lovarsnari,that’s kinda funny because l think the same thing!
My prob is that l start writing with great ideas,get stuck, and then start a new story/play….
Well when i get stuck I like to think: What would I do if I were to die in a week? Once I picked everything and it turned quite an interesting story…
That’s a good one!
For some reason 19 simply inspired me! I thought about the Movie ” My sister’s keeper” amd decided to write a story like that. (: I love how sometimes you rnadomly get inspired by the simpliest of things
I haven’t seen that movie yet but a lot of films inspire me
Hey I’m 14 years old and I love writing but I get writers block often and this really helped me. I love reading the ideas and other people’s ideas they are just very interesting. Number 19 seemed the most interesting to me and I’m almost done with my story.
thanks so much
Thanks Violet. I often find that prompts and exercises can be used in different ways. You don’t always have to do the actual exercise. Sometimes, just reading through a book of exercises will generate ideas for a project I’m working on or help me understand a writing concept in a new way. Good luck with your story
Hi Melissa
Last year i won junior writer of the year ( I’m 13) and I am entering this year as well and in the process of creating my first draft. I love your site and its wonderful, all-inclusive feel.
So, here are my ideas for your list.
26. Post-War oppression & depression ( this was my winning topic last year – i wrote it from the perspective of a scarred war veterans’ emotionally abused child)
I also commend you in your point concerning finding hope and light in darkness ( war, death, etc.) and i am going to write about that! Possibly with an Amish girl as the protagonist? thank you again for inspiring me. I also hope to be a great writer some day.
Bee
Congratulations Bee, and thanks for adding to these prompts. I wish you the best of luck in becoming a great writer. You are certainly well on your way
POV of a toy sitting on a shelf in a toy store, hoping to be purchased.
your pet starts talking to you in perfect english and tells you what he/she really thinks of you…. what does he/she say?
Ha! That could be enlightening indeed!
I actually saw an animated short based on that premise (or something similar to it) and found it quite compelling. A great idea!
My contribution:
“When I look in the mirror, I don’t see what everyone else sees. What I see is…”
Nice! Thanks for adding this prompt, Nick.
My college English teacher gave my class this prompt. First Line: John closed his eyes. Last Line: It was a good day for the yellow crocuses. Anything in between. I easily made five pages with that prompt. Have fun guys.
Thanks for sharing that prompt, Jessy
It’s a good one.
Thanks! These prompts gave me more ideas for writing.
Here some: one nurse, who lives in poor condition and can’t afford better one, finds herself taking care for her wealthy niece who is very strange, spoiled and hate poor people. When they meet the girl is…
Right now what I have in my mind is nurses (it is very respectful job), even though I do not like the field, but I have one more prompt: A nurse is a donor who undergoes a heart transplant, because it’s a super nurse with two hearts; or a liver transplant to save a boy. She is very compassionate. The doctor need to perform operation quickly or the boy will die if they going to delay more. But there is a twist: the boy is the son of her father’s long-time enemy. She get to know this right before the operation take place, or after the operation. Will she be more compassionate or will she come to hate that boy for the mistake of his father {he accidently killed her mom in a … } ?
Hi vik, I find your second prompt quite intriguing. That would make a great story!
The typical Monday came: the coffee was colder than usual, the iron was hot and I burned a hole in my favorite white blouse, so I haven’t try to iron my pants which were very messy and wrinkled.
No parking place in parking lot.
Coming late to work.
Many coworker looked grumpy and mad.
Finally I made to my desk: loads and stacks of papers waiting to be done, unstopping telephone calls, and lots of other things to do.
Then I get the message from my manager, saying that the company’s vise president is waiting to see me right away. I was scared, my knees didn’t want to walk….
Managing somehow, I walked into the room. Vice president was sitting at his desk. I wasn’t alone, my manager was there too….
I’m 14 and these prompts really helped me with my writing
Thanks Sarah!
Im a 17 year old living in the most secluded area of Kentucky, unfortunately. lol My dream is to pursue a career in filmmaking, my goal is to help people who are confused or unsure about life and what they want to do with their oppourtunity of life. I want people to think and find happiness in their lives by doing something they love. My idea of doing this came from being in a depressed state from the past few years as a teen and felt strong enough to overcome it without professional help which is progressing for the good. I found setting goals is a great strategy to stay focused and optimistic about life. I appreciate your time for reading this and if there is any advice you could influence me with id appreciate that as well. Thanks
It’s wonderful that you have set your sights on a clear career path at such a young age. Filmmaking is awesome! I sometimes wish I had taken up an interest in film or photography. The best advice I can offer is to never give up, stay focused, and pursue your goals with heart and soul. I would also advise studying film at college, if you can. The film industry is notoriously networked and you’ll benefit greatly by making friends and acquaintances who share your interest. Best of luck to you!
Thanks for taking the time to reply, it’s very much appreciated and yes im going to film school out in LA next year.
Hi! I am 13 and have been writing since I was 7 or younger, and I am in love with writing. I am a very dedicated author and I have finished books in the past (about 11 or 12) but now I can’t seem to get into any longer stories! I write more short stories now, but it’s not satisfying anymore…and then, when I come up with a new idea, it’s useless, and my brain gets all cluttered! Help!
It sounds like you’re having trouble staying focused. The first (and most important) thing that can help with that is to stay healthy: eat right, exercise, and get enough sleep. You may also need to break up your writing with other activities. Make sure you read regularly! For the time being, maybe you need to write short stories. I’m not sure you need to fight it.
thank you for the advice!
You are most welcome
Hey same with me!!!!
Hello
I am 17 and doing my HSC this year. I am attempting (unsuccessfully) to write a creative writing piece as practice for my exams, and thank you so much for these, they’re really helpful
I am not a writer (and never will be), but these have given me some great ideas that I can hopefully use to increase my writing skills for my exams.
So thank you very much
You are very welcome Emily, and best of luck on your exams
The asteroid was hurtling straight for the moon but nobody cared because the season premiere of Glee was on XP
Hm. Interesting, and extremely disturbing.
I’ve found that this list, and peoples comments/ideas have been quite inspiring.
I’m 21 and haven’t been in school for a few years and I have that desire to write, but never knew how to get started. I thank you all for these wonderful ideas and I’m hoping that writing will be a good outlet for me and my struggle with depression.
So really I’m just thanking you all
You’re welcome Nicole, and thank you for joining in the discussion. Writing is a great way to work through emotions; I wish you the best of luck!
I’m 12 and LOVE writing, but I’m also getting writer’s block. I also have trouble ending my stories! HELP!
-Writing <3
Well, keep exploring Writing Forward and you should find plenty of prompts and exercises to keep your creativity in high gear. Also, make sure you read a lot and pay attention to how other writers resolve (end) their stories. Good luck to you, KJS!
These are great!!!!
My favourite starter would definetly have to be:
“Sometimes a girl just has to run. Sometimes our feet take over. This was one of those times”
I think it holds a lot of suspense but it could also be happy and bright, like a sports day or carnival.
Thanks for adding these, I am going to try to write a story for each one.
I’m not sure where that starter comes from, but it sounds good to me.
Hi! Thanks so much for these prompts. I especially like number two, because I feel like a little bit of positive thinking can go a long way.
I have a question, too, if you don’t mind.
What is your opinion on fanfictions? I know some creative writers don’t like them and feel they corrupt a series, while others think it’s a great creative exercise.
Thanks so much!
Yarrow
I think fan fiction is a great way for young and new writers to explore the craft. Some copyright holders are extremely strict about allowing fan fiction to be published. Others will actually develop and publish collections of fan fiction. There are also franchises in which fan fiction is encouraged. One of my all time favorite writers (TV and film writer, Damon Lindelof), said in a recent interview that he started out writing fan fiction. Now, he’s writing for Ridley Scott and working on the Star Trek films. It’s definitely an avenue worth pursuing if it interests you.
1. He/she wakes up to find themselves in a unrecongizeable place with no memory of how they got there in the first place….
2. Think of an fiction character and create an job application based on the basic traits we use to identify people here is an example below:
Name: Richard
Age: (optional) 78
Birthday: (optional) August 2, 1920
Hair: Red
Eyes: Green
Weight: 156 pounds
Height: 5’4″
Afterwards, write a scene identifying he or she from your or another person’s point of view.
I am trying to write to a story, and this method is somewhat working when I am trying to form all of my apperances and background.
I used prompt #7 however not exactly the way you listed….
Its not a poem but yet a story and its not about a sexual encounter but a real love encounter/ relationship retold as if the guy were the girl and the girl were the guy and during a different era.
Please read it and let me know what you think about it. I take criticism well. The good, the bad, & the ugly lol
http://myeverydaypain.blogspot.com/2011/10/lets-take-it-back.html
(PS) you have some really good prompts!!!!! Thanks again
I’m so glad you found these prompts useful!
I’m fifteen and I want to write a book before the end of highschool. The problem is I can’t finish what I’ve started. I always find a “better” idea and write about that and the cycle begins again. Please help me!!!
The only way to finish what you’ve started is to simply finish it. When “better” ideas present themselves, make a note and file those ideas away for a future project. Part of being a writer involves developing self-discipline. I often recommend setting up a reward system. For example, you have to work on the novel for 20 minutes before you can call or text your friends after school. Or you have to finish a scene before you go out to see a movie. These are self-imposed rewards, so you have to discipline yourself. Nobody else can do it for you.
You might also look into participating in NaNoWriMo. The timing is great because it starts in just a few weeks. That means you’ll have some time to prepare and check it out. Then, you can write your novel in November, leaving plenty of time afterwards for you to clean it up (edit, proof, polish).
Finally, if you’re truly committed to writing, start looking at schools with good creative writing programs and plan to study at college. University instructors are quite helpful in teaching students self-discipline and good writing habits and practices.
Best of luck to you Art!
Hi! Your prompts and the comments have really helped me! I can’t wait to start some stories from them:)
Here are a couple that I’ve come up with:
The Bell sounded. Workers froze in their places…
Kay frowned as she opened her school locker after school. Down the hall, Alexis and Christine exchanged grins…
That’s great Alyssa. Keep up the good work!
These are fantastic! I’m also 21 and have been out of school for awhile. I used to write all the time when I was in school but not so much these days. These ideas are really going to help once I get started writing again. I’m attempting to set a goal for myself. An hour a day, just writing whatever I want. Just to get me back in the habit.
Thank you so much!!!
One prompt my creative writing teacher in high school gave the class was “It was a smile that darkness could kill…”
That’s wonderful! An hour a day is enough to produce quite a bit of writing. I wish you the best of luck, Ashlee!
This is great! Especially the prompts :3
Here’s another prompt to add.
The toy she held fell slowly yet fast, she screamed as it started to happen..
Hmm. Interesting.
Obviously it is now 2011 haha, but these are great!! I have wanted to write a novel for quite some time but I can’t seem to get the creative juices flowing. So I set out on a quest across the World Wide Web and I am finding some amazing ideas!! Thank you so much for this website I look forward to writing now instead of despairing of that dreaded cursor blinking me to oblivion!!
I hope your quest for inspiration is fruitful! And keep writing!
I’ve just been inspired to start a personal blog full of my own creative writing, with the assistance of some of these wonderful writing prompts (both yours, and the ones left in the comment section). Thank you, thank you, thank you.
That’s wonderful! Blogs have been a boon for writers, and I think more writers should take advantage of the technology. I wish you the best of luck with your blog, Emily
Hi, I’m 17. I started creative writing when I was about 10 or 11. I found myself writing more and more when I was troubled a few years back, so it was good stress relief for me. But now that I’m busy with college, I realize that I haven’t been writing as much as I used to. I reread some of my old work and I thought “Hey, why not? I’ll give it a try for old times’ sake.”
I was a bit confused with where to start off, but these prompts really got my creative juices flowing. After I post this comment, I think I’ll try one or two of them and see how far it takes me. Thanks for the inspiration.
I’m so glad that these prompts inspired you, Christi. I think many writers go through phases when they drift away from the craft, but when you’re called back to it, that may be a sign. Follow it and keep writing!
In my junior year of high school, we were given a creative writing assignment to expand on this sentence:
“A person walked into the room, looked around, sat down, and ate.”
That’s a great prompt. It would certainly be interesting to see what a whole classroom of people come up with. I imagine each piece of writing would be quite different from the others even though they are all based on the same premise. Thanks for sharing it, Alli.
Here’s a prompt! Prop open the door. I can actually see my breathe tonight. But that doesnt mean im breathing.
Ooh, sounds like a zombie, robot, or vampire story.
Behind the dark cabinet door………
He heard footsteps and the click of the door handle. He braced himself……..