Writing is a complex, challenging process. It takes more than just coming up with an idea for a story: you need to develop characters and settings, write dialogue, and create memorable moments. But don’t worry! There are plenty of free resources to help you get started on these projects.
We’ve created 25 creative writing prompts that can help you think about how to write better stories by exploring different genres (including fantasy and science fiction).
| Takeaways |
|---|
| 1. Utilize a Variety of Prompts to Spark Creativity |
| 2. Overcome Writer’s Block with Thoughtful Prompts |
| 3. Use Prompts to Explore New Genres and Styles |
| 4. Embrace Unconventional Prompts for Unique Story Ideas |
| 5. Incorporate Prompts as a Regular Writing Practice |
| 6. Customize Prompts to Fit Your Writing Goals and Themes |
| 7. Engage with a Community of Writers Using Similar Prompts |
| 8. Experiment with Prompts to Expand Your Writing Horizons |
| 9. Combine Prompts to Create Complex and Intriguing Storylines |
| 10. Embrace the Joy of Writing by Letting Prompts Inspire Your Imagination |
Writer’s Block
Writer’s block is a common affliction for writers of all levels and genres. Whether you’re a newbie or a seasoned pro, it can be hard to get started when you don’t know what to write about.
But don’t worry! Writer’s block isn’t something to fear it’s more like an annoying coworker who keeps asking you if they can borrow your stapler (and then never returns it). Instead of freaking out, take some time to think through the problem and come up with productive solutions. Here are some ideas:
Write about writer’s block itself what causes it? Why do we experience it as writers? How does it affect us? What are different types of writer’s block, and how do they manifest in our work? Who suffers from them most often (men vs women)?
Write about overcoming writer’s block and think about what strategies have worked for other people facing similar situations. What have YOU done in the past when faced with this challenge? What did it feel like afterward? How did those experiences change your approach going forward?
If you’re just starting out with creative writing and want to craft captivating short stories, our ultimate guide to writing a short story for beginners is your go-to resource. Explore essential techniques, plot structures, and tips to bring your stories to life.
How To Start A Good Story
There are a lot of ways to start a story. Some writers start with the setting, while others prefer to introduce their characters first. You can even start with a problem or question that needs solving—most of us have had enough of those in real life already! But whatever you do, make sure you grab your reader’s attention right away.
Here Are Some Tips For Starting A Good Story
Hook them fast with an intriguing premise or situation:
A character who finds herself at odds with her family or society at large must decide whether she will follow her heart or surrender to what is expected of her.
A woman goes to an underground nightclub and finds herself drawn into an intense game played by two strangers who seem determined to get under each other’s skin—and more than just emotionally!
Elevate your creative writing prowess with a collection of engaging writing exercises designed to sharpen your skills and ignite your imagination. These exercises cover a range of genres and prompts to help you break through writer’s block and enhance your craft.
Help Creating A Character
When you start writing, one of the most important things you’ll be doing is creating characters. The best stories are made up of people, who are usually dynamic and interesting in their way.
To create a character that your readers will want to follow through your story, you need to think about how they look, talk and act. You also need to consider if they have any flaws, or what they like/dislike.
Here Are Some Tips
Make your character believable. Their actions should seem logical given their personality and situation (they’re not going to suddenly start running around in circles because they can’t find their way out of an office building). If something seems unlikely for them then it probably shouldn’t happen in the story!
Make them likable, otherwise, why would anyone care about them? If someone has done something terrible but their personality makes up for it somehow then perhaps there’s a chance at redemption later on down the line…but it’s still worth remembering that we all make mistakes sometimes regardless of whether we’re good people overall!
Make sure there’s enough conflict (or conflict potential) between two opposing sides within each scene so things don’t become stale fast which would mean having no reason left other than boredom itself before long…not only does this mean keeping everyone engaged.
Also helps build tension throughout chapters leading up until climaxes moments later on down the road when everything comes together nicely.”
Help Keeping People In Your Stories Alive
It’s easy to get so wrapped up in your story that you forget about the characters. You know, those people who are supposed to be the main focus of your story. Those people need to be believable, unique, and relatable. The ones who have their distinct voices and personalities.
These prompts will help you create well-rounded characters that keep readers invested in your stories!
Looking for inspiration to kickstart your next writing project? Dive into a treasury of diverse and thought-provoking creative writing pieces that can fuel your creativity and help you explore new horizons in storytelling.
How To Tell A Story
Now that you have a general idea of what to do when writing, let’s look at some tips on how to tell a story.
The first thing to remember is that knowing your story before you start writing is essential. It will help focus your creativity and make it easier for readers to understand what is going on.
You can use many different methods for developing this from doing nothing more than thinking about it in your head, to creating an intricate outline with detailed notes about every character, plot twist, setting detail, and scene description.
I recommend experimenting with both approaches and finding the one that works best for you!
Making The Main Character A Believable Person
The main character of your story can be anyone you know well. You can develop the personality of this character by getting to know them better, or by observing them closely enough that you understand their motivation and their flaws.
The main character of your story can also be someone you have imagined, someone who doesn’t exist in real life but could exist if they existed and they were real people, although this will require a little more imagination on your part!
You also have the option of writing about a character that has been created in another writer’s mind (like Sherlock Holmes) or about a fictionalized version of yourself (a famous author named J K Rowling).
Reignite your passion for writing with a compilation of practical creative writing tips that can rekindle your love for the craft. Discover techniques to overcome challenges, find your unique voice, and reignite your writing journey.
Reaction Of Characters To Each Other In A Story
When writing a story, the characters should have different personalities. They should be of different ages, have distinct backgrounds and motivations, and have different goals and moods. They should also have relationships with each other.
This way, it will be easier for you as a writer to create scenes where these characters interestingly interact with each other.
Writing Dialogue And Action Scenes
Keep your dialogue realistic: Dialogue should be easy to read, understand, follow and remember. If the conversation between the characters is too complex and hard to grasp, readers will get confused.
Use simple words: Using simple words can make a big difference in your writing. The simpler the word choice is, the easier it is for others to understand what you’re saying or writing about.
Paragraphs are important: Break up paragraphs into different sections so that readers can easily follow along with what’s happening in each paragraph without getting overwhelmed by everything at once!
How Can You Put Yourself Into Your Stories
If you are writing about something that you have experienced, then your stories will likely be more authentic and detailed. This is a great choice if you want to write about the excitement of being a nature photographer or the heartbreak of losing someone close to you.
If you don’t know much about this topic, it’s okay! No one is expecting perfection from beginners in any field; what matters most is that they’re trying their best with what they’ve got.
Even if your story isn’t based on reality, it can still benefit from using real-life experiences as inspiration for your characters’ personalities and actions. For example, if your character loves animals but doesn’t particularly care for people very much like how many children feel then consider using something like this as part of their backstory.
When they were little kids, they went on vacation with their parents and saw how well-behaved other kids were compared to them (this could lead to why later).
Should Beginners Write Unrealistic Stories?
I’m going to say no.
Beginners should not write what they think will be popular, which is often short stories or novels that are “genre” in nature. They need to write what they think will be good, which involves putting themselves out there and trying new things.
They should write what they think will be interesting, that’s an important part of developing your craft as a writer: exploring ideas that inspire you and want to know where those ideas can take you (and hopefully others). If a story doesn’t interest the writer then it probably won’t interest anyone else either.
Beginners should also write what excites them the more excited about what you’re writing the better! That excitement translates into effortless writing that flows from your fingertips onto paper without much effort at all (or if too much effort then maybe try something else next time).
Excited beginner writers are always eager for feedback so don’t hesitate to tell them when their work isn’t cutting it!
Graphic novels are a wellspring of creative storytelling techniques. Learn how to infuse your own writing with the magic of visual narratives by exploring tips from your favorite graphic novels. Uncover strategies to enhance pacing, character development, and immersive storytelling.
Should They Write What They Think Will Be Popular?
A lot of writers fall into the trap of thinking they should write what they think will be popular, or what they think will make money.
If you’re a writer who wants to write something and I mean *really* want to write it then go ahead and do that. Write whatever it is your heart tells you to write, regardless of whether people will like it or not, or even if anyone else thinks it’s good at all.
If you have an idea for something that no one’s ever done before (or hasn’t been done well), then try writing that story! If there aren’t any good examples out there yet (and often there aren’t), then maybe it’s time for someone new to step up and share their perspective with the world.
Writing Isn’t Easy, But These Tips Can Make It More Interesting
Writing isn’t easy. It takes time, effort, and patience to write a successful piece of writing. There are no shortcuts or tricks that will make you a better writer automatically. You have to put in the work if you want to see results.
But that doesn’t mean it can’t be fun either! Writing is one of the most enjoyable activities I’ve ever done in my life and I’m sure many other writers would agree with me on this point! There is something about putting your thoughts down on paper that makes me feel more free and alive than anything else I do regularly (except maybe making videos).
Writing is an amazing way for us humans to express ourselves creatively as well as connect with others through our ideas, feelings, opinions, and experiences. And if there’s one thing we love here at GoNomad HQ…it’s creative expression!
Conclusion
There you have it! 25 creative writing prompts. These are just some of the many that I use in my class, but I hope they can help you get started on your creative writing journey. Remember: there’s no right or wrong answer when writing (except for plagiarism).
If you think of something else to add, do so! I promise that it’ll make your stories even better (and more interesting) than if you stuck with one prompt alone.
Further Reading
Explore these additional resources to enhance your creative writing skills:
Writer’s Digest Prompts Short on inspiration? Discover a wealth of diverse writing prompts to spark your creativity and get your words flowing. Visit Writer’s Digest Prompts for an array of writing challenges that can fuel your imagination.
National Centre for Writing Immerse yourself in a hub of literary excellence. The National Centre for Writing offers workshops, events, and resources designed to nurture your writing talent and connect you with a vibrant writing community.
Reedsy Creative Writing Prompts Elevate your storytelling with a collection of thought-provoking prompts. Explore Reedsy Creative Writing Prompts for a trove of ideas to help you overcome writer’s block and craft engaging narratives.
FAQs
Q: What are some effective techniques for overcoming writer’s block?
A: Writer’s block can be challenging, but techniques like free writing, changing your environment, and exploring new prompts can help you break through creative barriers.
Q: How can I develop unique characters in my stories?
A: Creating memorable characters involves delving into their backgrounds, motivations, and quirks. Crafting character profiles and understanding their desires can bring authenticity to your writing.
Q: Where can I find inspiration for my stories?
A: Inspiration can be found everywhere – from everyday experiences to news articles, personal observations, and conversations. Keeping a journal and exploring different genres can help spark ideas.
Q: How do I improve my dialogue-writing skills?
A: To write compelling dialogue, pay attention to natural speech patterns, subtext, and character dynamics. Reading dialogue-rich novels and practicing writing conversations can enhance your skills.
Q: What’s the importance of revising and editing my work?
A: Revising and editing are essential for refining your writing. They help you eliminate errors, enhance clarity, and ensure your message is effectively conveyed to your readers.
Costantine Edward is a digital marketing expert, freelance writer, and entrepreneur who helps people attain financial freedom. I’ve been working in marketing since I was 18 years old and have managed to build a successful career doing what I love.