Creative Writing Prompts

Do you have too many empty journals that you need to fill up? Do you need a break from work? Are you just bored? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, here are some writing prompts you can try out!

1. Homonyms: Choose a homonym (a word with two different meanings) and write a story with a plot surrounding those two definitions.
2. Idioms: Write a story that takes an idiom literally. To help, you can research the history of the idiom. Here are some you could use:
   1. Cat got your tongue?
   2. Up in the air
   3. Piece of cake
   4. Going bananas
   5. Two peas in a pod
3. The Butterfly Effect: Think of a well-known story, and make one small change that results in a completely different conclusion.
4. Photo: Write about your most recent photo in your camera roll.
5. List: Write a piece with the structure of a to-do list. This can be a story, an essay, satire, etc.
6. Color: Quick! Think of a color! Now write about it.
7. Cliffhanger: Write a story with an incomplete last sentence.
8. Music: Choose a song and write a story using the song title as your subject.
9. Perspective: Write in the point of view of an inanimate object.
10. Groundhog Day: Write a story in which a character repeats an hour, day, or week of their life. Some things to consider: Do other characters know? Does the main character know other characters know? Are all past rewinds completely erased, or do they leave remnants?
11. Adjective: What word best describes you? Write a story about two characters who have this trait–for one character, it is their superpower, and for the other, it’s their weakness.
12. Haiku: Write a haiku. This can be the piece itself, or you can write a story that expands upon it.
13. Optimism: Write something with a satisfying ending.
14. Pessimism: Write something with an ominous ending.
15. Moral of the Story: Choose a meaningful quote, saying, or value, and write a fable-esque story.

You can mold these prompts to fit all styles of creative writing, such as short stories, plays, or even poetry! If you want to switch it up, write in a style you haven’t tried before.

Happy writing 🙂

Advertisement