One of the easiest ways to become a better writer is to write. The more you write the greater chances you have of becoming better at it. However, that can be easier said than done. In fact, there are plenty of writers that talk about writing more than they actually write. One thing many famous writers can agree on though, is that you need to write as much as possible to end up in a position of success. That’s the nice thing about writing prompts. You can use them to create stories you might not ever use, but they are still improving your craft and they are giving you ideas for stories that you might create later in the future. Writing prompts are often a free and invaluable resource for writers looking to practice their craft.
As you go through these prompts you might notice that the characters are described in a very basic way. We’ve done things like, “a woman” or “a non-binary teen.” This is to allow you to create the important parts of your story and also to get you thinking. You can make your character anything you want! We also did not add disability into the equation for this reason. If you find that a prompt resonates with you and gets you into a creative space, we encourage you to create a character that speaks to you, and if you have a character that could be disabled, you can make that happen.
30 writing prompts:
- A young child is enchanted with what’s on the other end of a toy store window
- A parent goes to call the kids in for lunch only to discover they aren’t in the yard
- A teen that didn’t do his homework stands to give his report in front of the class
- A dog wanders the city lost and alone
- A woman walks outside to see her street deserted and no one home.
- A zombie loses her taste for brains
- A waitress deals with an unreasonable customer.
- A customer who is constantly uncomfortable with their dining experience chooses to suffer in silence
- A day in the life of a leaf, floating through the air in Autumn
- Siblings wait with baited breath to find out if there’s a snow day or not.
- A TV journalist gets horrible news right before going live on air.
- Two parents fight over the last toy at a Black Friday Sale.
- A ghost amuses themselves by watching couples argue about things the ghost has done
- A couple at a café makes the rational decision to breakup
- A rideshare driver breaks down in the middle of nowhere on the way to their next fare.
- A real estate agent finds a homeless person squatting in a home on the day of an open house
- A child writes out their Christmas wish list
- With the teacher asleep, some kids plot to break out of detention
- A hospital janitor is tasked with cleaning out the room of a long standing patient that is no longer there.
- A woman on the brink of boredom imagines a better world while waiting in line at the DMV.
- It’s the last day of the last Blockbuster Video in Florida and the last customer just walked in
- A woman interrupts her husband and his date at the local theater
- A dog searches the woods for some new friends
- A man pursues a dating app while considering what he wants from it
- A teen goes missing during the schools overnight Lock-in.
- A controversial billboard is defaced much to the delight and chagrin of local residents.
- A kindergarten teacher needs to keep the kids safe and settled during a tornado warning.
- A telemarketer deals with a caller that makes them uncomfortable
- A doctor has to make the decision to save the life of a criminal, or not
- A college student crams for a test while fellow roommates party throughout the entire floor.
We hope that you enjoy these writing prompts! Feel free to share your work with us or ask any questions you might have in the comments! You can also add suggestions of your own writing prompts, if you’d like.
