The fastest and most effective way to improve your writing skills and become a better writer is by simply writing more. Quality may be more important than quality to artists, but all great artists understand that it is the quantity of practice that allows you to produce the highest quality work. In my experience, there are times when we just need a little push in the right direction. Sometimes we just need a trigger to get the creative juices flowing again. And that’s why we need writing prompts.
2. As a writer, your worst enemy is a blank page
and no idea what to write about.
For many writers the beginning
is the worst part of writing because
it is the most painful and s l o o o w w w.
Sometimes, we all just need a little pushin
the right direction, a trigger to get
the creative juices flowing again.
This is where writing prompts could be
most useful!
3. Why use Writing Prompts?
1writing prompts
increase creativity
I write for 10-15 minutes without
judgement. In effect, it shatters my
inhibitions and doubts. It makes me
less timid and more adventurous with
my writing.
4. Why use Writing Prompts?
2writing prompts
exercise imagination
One of the benefits of writing prompts is
that they stretch your imagination. Just
one word can spawn an infinite number
of story ideas in a matter of seconds.
5. Why use Writing Prompts?
3writing prompts
increase rate of
practice
I find it essential to write everyday even if
it’s just for a few minutes. Exposing
yourself to this pattern of behavior can
help you build the writing habit, and you
will find it becomes easier to write the
more you do it.
6. Why use Writing Prompts?
4writing prompts
save time
The great thing about writing prompts is
they allow you to skip thinking about
what to write during practice. You can just
write whatever random topic you get.
7. Why use Writing Prompts?
5writing prompts
help you learn
more about yourself
Writing prompts force you to question
old opinions, standards, and beliefs
from our culture. Writing prompts can
help you to ask why the things are the
way they are, and what if they are not
the way they seem?
8. Not sure if writing prompts
will work for you?
If you’re still not sure using a writing prompt
would be good for you, that’s great!
If you’re immediate reaction to a prompt is
“that’s just senseless” or “who would ever write about that?”
that’s wonderful.
Now you have something to write about. Write about
everything that’s wrong with it and why it’s absurd.
You just found your first writing prompt!
9. Here are writing promptsover 35
to help you get started
writing a fresh story right now.
10. over 35
writing
prompts
to get
you started
1 Your main character is a mobile phone.
The story should be about the various
things it sees and observes, about how
it’s being interacted with. Give it a
personality that you think is most
suitable for a perceptive mobile device.
fiction
11. over 35
writing
prompts
to get
you started
2 You’re a regular office clerk who just
discovered that your company is
brainwashing its employees.
The goal of the company is menacing.
fiction
12. over 35
writing
prompts
to get
you started
3 Are you a small town girl?
Research and study the history of your
town and find a specific situation that
interests you. What would it look like if it
happened in the present day?
fiction
13. over 35
writing
prompts
to get
you started
4 Write a story about a real remote island
with its own culture, tradition and
language.
Use these facts to guide you in writing a
story about your own remote island.
fiction
14. over 35
writing
prompts
to get
you started
5 What is your favorite mythical being?
Imagine you discovered they exist and
are about to become extinct.
fiction
15. over 35
writing
prompts
to get
you started
6 Write a story about a human falling in
love with a magical being and they have
to fight not only their family, but their
entire race.
romance
16. over 35
writing
prompts
to get
you started
7 She was born deaf and he just got
involved in an accident that made him
blind. They have been together six years.
How would they fight for their love?
romance
17. over 35
writing
prompts
to get
you started
8 Two strangers met in a rehab facility.
She has a mental condition and he is a
recovering addict but they connected
instantly.
Write a story about how they find
healing in each other.
romance
18. over 35
writing
prompts
to get
you started
9 “It all began with a dream.
I can see her face. She was alone and
crying. I can feel her…”
romance
19. over 35
writing
prompts
to get
you started
10I woke up in a new world with no
recollection of what happened last
night. There’s a shadow slowly walking
towards me. There she was.
The most beautiful creature
I’ve ever seen.
romance
20. over 35
writing
prompts
to get
you started
11On the way to work, all the cars are
stopped on the highway for miles.
You see a massive explosion in the
distance.
thriller
22. over 35
writing
prompts
to get
you started
13Write about an old man confessing to
be a serial killer.
He tells the story of how he tortured
his victims.
thriller
23. over 35
writing
prompts
to get
you started
14Your car broke down.
You are all alone with no cell phone
service at midnight.
What happens next?
thriller
24. over 35
writing
prompts
to get
you started
15It’s Halloween.
Everybody is on the street wearing
costumes when a man suddenly
drops dead.
thriller
25. over 35
writing
prompts
to get
you started
16You wake up next to your husband.
You smile and get up. You were just
about to wake him up when you
notice he is not breathing and his
eyes are gone.
What do you do?
mystery
26. over 35
writing
prompts
to get
you started
17You were jogging early morning.
You tripped and lost consciousness.
The next scene is you waking up in a
morgue. There are dissected bodies
all around you.
mystery
27. over 35
writing
prompts
to get
you started
18A woman finds out her deceased
husband had secret bank accounts
and multiple passports with different
names and faces.
mystery
28. over 35
writing
prompts
to get
you started
19An outbreak of a mysterious disease
has killed several people in a small
town. One scientist will do whatever
it takes to find out what’s really
happening.
mystery
29. over 35
writing
prompts
to get
you started
20A thirty-year-old woman drops dead
at a wedding from unknown causes.
The cops don’t seem all that
interested in finding out what really
happened.
mystery
30. over 35
writing
prompts
to get
you started
21The year is 2050.
Drought, famine, diseases and
natural disasters destroyed Earth.
World population is 965,281.
Everybody’s struggling to survive.
fantasy
31. over 35
writing
prompts
to get
you started
22A troubled teenager discovers that
he has the power to see the deepest
desire of anyone by touching them.
He met a stranger, accidentally
touched him, and saw spaceships
moving towards their town.
fantasy
32. over 35
writing
prompts
to get
you started
23You must go on a quest to find a cure
for your daughter’s mysterious
disease. Who do you bring with you
on this quest and what will you do to
succeed?
fantasy
33. over 35
writing
prompts
to get
you started
24You’re a human bird living in a castle
in the air. You’ve always been an
outcast but don’t care because you
are happy flying and exploring the
land. You discover a new tribe.
fantasy
34. over 35
writing
prompts
to get
you started
25Write about a teenage witch who just
discovered the most powerful wand
in the wizarding world.
How will she use her new power?
fantasy
36. over 35
writing
prompts
to get
you started
27Mix and match reality TV shows to
create a list of the craziest
participants you can think of.
Start with a singer wannabe whose
only real talent is to annoy everyone.
comedy
37. over 35
writing
prompts
to get
you started
28Write a story about the life of a
groupie. Think about the struggles
they encounter in getting that last
concert ticket, or their shopping
shenanigans just to get the last shirt
with the face of their favorite icon.
comedy
38. over 35
writing
prompts
to get
you started
29You are about to get married to the
perfect guy, or so you think. Your
bestfriend will do everything to
stop the marriage.
comedy
39. over 35
writing
prompts
to get
you started
30You just saw your ex whom you
dumped because he smells. He is
looking fine, smelling good and he
is going to be your next boss.
Write every awkward moment of
this scenario and exaggerate it.
comedy
40. over 35
writing
prompts
to get
you started
31Describe a time that you wanted to
experience a spiritual moment.
Why were you in this situation and
what are you hoping to get from it?
non-fiction
43. over 35
writing
prompts
to get
you started
34Write about an addiction that you had.
Tell the dramatic details of how you
started and your journey in
overcoming this addiction.
non-fiction
44. over 35
writing
prompts
to get
you started
35Relive a situation in your life when
you felt most ashamed or guilty.
How did it affect your life and what
have you done to move on?
non-fiction
45. over 35
writing
prompts
to get
you started
over 35
writing
prompts
to get
you started
36Her eyes smile when she smiles.
Write about what delights her.
other writing prompts
46. over 35
writing
prompts
to get
you started
37Tell the story of how the seed of
faith was planted in your life.
When did your spiritual journey
began, who influenced and guided
you in discovering your faith, and
at what point did you realize you
needed to change your life?
other writing prompts
47. over 35
writing
prompts
to get
you started
38At the sandbox, two kids are fighting
about a rock when it zapped them.
What happened next?
other writing prompts
48. over 35
writing
prompts
to get
you started
39Write about a story of how a guy
from Mars fell in love with a girl from
Venus. Use lots of dialogue.
other writing prompts
49. over 35
writing
prompts
to get
you started
40Your parents were killed and you
want to avenge them.
How will you prepare for this war?
other writing prompts
50. Now let us get those creative
juices flowing!
Let’s start writing!
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