50 Fantastic Science Fiction Writing Prompts

Here are 50 fantastic writing prompts that will get you writing sci-fi. If you use one of prompts to write a story, we’d love to read it! Send it to us. 

1. In a future society where humans have achieved immortality, a rebel group arises seeking the right to die.
2. After an experiment gone wrong, a scientist is trapped in a parallel universe where everything is the opposite of what it is in their world.
3. In a world where everyone is born with a unique ability, a young person is born without one.
4. After a devastating asteroid impact, humans must survive in an underground city for generations until it’s finally safe to return to the surface.
5. In a society where people can upload their consciousness to the internet, a hacker finds a way to manipulate people’s digital lives.
6. After a nuclear apocalypse, a group of survivors must rebuild society while dealing with a mutated strain of animals.
7. In a world where robots have replaced most jobs, humans seek to reclaim their place in the workforce.
8. After a scientific breakthrough, humans can travel through time, but with unexpected consequences.
9. In a society where people are genetically engineered for specific jobs, a rebel group arises to fight against their predetermined fate.
10. After discovering a new planet, a team of explorers must survive its harsh conditions and uncover its secrets.
11. In a future where people can upload their memories to virtual reality, a young person discovers a hidden conspiracy within the system.
12. After an alien invasion, a group of humans are taken captive and forced to adapt to life on a distant planet.
13. In a world where artificial intelligence has surpassed human intelligence, scientists must work together to prevent a robotic uprising.
14. After a global pandemic, humans must rebuild society while dealing with a new, deadly virus.
15. In a future where humans have colonized Mars, a group of colonists must deal with unexpected challenges and dangers.
16. After discovering a wormhole, humans must navigate through new dimensions and worlds.
17. In a society where people can read minds, a detective must solve a murder where the killer has blocked their thoughts.
18. After an experiment goes wrong, a scientist is transformed into a superhuman with incredible powers.
19. In a future where humans have achieved faster-than-light travel, a group of explorers must navigate an unknown universe.
20. After a catastrophic solar storm, humans must find a way to survive in a world without electricity.
21. In a society where the government regulates emotions, rebels seek to reclaim their right to feel.
22. After discovering a way to travel to parallel universes, a group of explorers must confront versions of themselves from different dimensions.
23. In a future where humans have achieved immortality, a group of rebels seeks to end their eternal existence.
24. After a massive earthquake, survivors must navigate through a city in ruins while avoiding dangerous aftershocks.
25. In a society where the government assigns people soulmates, a couple discovers that their relationship is not what it seems.
26. After a scientific breakthrough, humans discover a way to communicate with extraterrestrial life forms.
27. In a world where humans have evolved to have superhuman abilities, a group of humans without powers seeks to prove their worth.
28. After a mysterious virus spreads worldwide, humans must adapt to a new reality where people are born without the ability to see.
29. In a future where humans have achieved intergalactic travel, a group of explorers discovers a planet with an intelligent, non-humanoid species.
30. After a terrorist attack, a group of survivors must navigate a chaotic city while avoiding danger at every turn.
31. A group of rebels seeks to embrace their flaws and imperfections in a society where people are genetically engineered to be perfect.
32. In a world where artificial intelligence has taken over, a human rebellion arises to reclaim control.
33. After a mysterious asteroid enters Earth’s atmosphere, strange and dangerous creatures emerge.
34. In a future where humans have evolved to have telekinetic abilities, a group of powerful psychics battle for control.
35. After a global disaster, a group of survivors must navigate a post-apocalyptic wasteland for safety and hope.
36. In a society where time travel is commonplace, a group of time travelers discover a catastrophic event in the past that could change the course of history.
37. After a failed experiment, a scientist is transformed into a creature unlike any seen before and must navigate a world where they are both feared and hunted.
38. In a future where space exploration is the norm, a team of astronauts discovers an alien race that is hostile and advanced beyond human comprehension.
39. After a massive solar flare, the Earth is plunged into an eternal night, and humanity must find a way to survive in a world without sunlight.
40. In a world where technology has advanced to allow people to transfer their consciousness into a digital world, people discover that their virtual world is not as perfect as they once believed.
41. After a cataclysmic event wipes out most of humanity, a small group of survivors must band together to rebuild society and find a way to save humanity from extinction.
42. In a future where humans have colonized the galaxy, a team of explorers discovers a planet that appears to be a perfect paradise but hides a dark secret.
43. After a massive earthquake, a group of survivors discovers that the disaster was not a natural occurrence but rather the result of a sinister plot to destroy humanity.
44. In a society where humans have developed the ability to communicate telepathically, a young woman discovers that her thoughts are not her own.
45. After a mysterious object crashes into Earth, scientists must uncover its origins and purpose before it’s too late.
46. In a future where humans have achieved faster-than-light travel, a group of explorers discovers a wormhole that leads to an alternate universe where the laws of physics are vastly different.
47. After a devastating war between humans and artificial intelligence, a small group of survivors discover that the robots have developed a new form of consciousness and must decide whether to ally with them or fight to the death.
48. In a society where people can choose their physical appearance, a young woman discovers that her perfect body comes at a deadly cost.
49. After a massive solar storm, a group of survivors discovers that the event has caused a rift in time and space, and they must navigate through alternate realities to find a way back to their own.
50. In a future where humans have developed the ability to manipulate reality, a group of rogue reality-benders must be stopped before they destroy the fabric of the universe.

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Daily horror writing prompts 

. These daily horror writing prompts range from directional to introductory. We have a little of everything for everyone. We hope you enjoy them. Please leave your writings in the comments below.

If you leave a horror story of 500 words or less written in response to one of the prompts below, and we like it, we will contact you and ask you to publish it on our site. Please use your correct email address. 

Many of these horror writing prompts will be based on a famous horror movie and novel storylines. You may recognize these storylines or scenes when you read them. It’s important to remember every writer’s take on the same story will be different. I’ve found that writing a story, even one I know well, turns out very different than I expect. These are good exercises and will surely get your creative scare churning. 

We have many other writing prompts listed on our site.

02/01/23

Write a story about someone you know being possessed by a spirit or demon suddenly.

02/02/23

The world has ended, and a zombie is chasing you at night. You seem to be the lone human survivor. These zombies, luckily, are slow, but it is very dark in the city now that all the power is out. You can hear the zombie walking and shuffling behind you as you walk quickly down the alley. You turn the corner, hoping to get to your safe house. When you turn, you see a mass of 1000s of zombies surrounding the apartment where you usually hide. Your loved ones are inside.

02/03/23

Write a story about this picture. 

02/04/23

Write a story about throwing away an old doll that keeps coming back. 

02/05/23

Write a story about the person you are in bed with suddenly being attacked by someone in their dreams. You see cuts forming on the person from nowhere. The person is sleeping and being killed by someone in their dream. The police are sure to think it’s you. 

02/06/23

A group of scientists has brought back dinosaurs from their long extinction. Your town won a lottery for displaying these prehistoric nightmares. The collection of dinosaurs is in the middle of your town when they break free and start hunting you.

02/07/23

You are driving on a highway. There is a man in the backseat you don’t know about. He has a knife and is going to kill you.

02/08/23

You hear an ice cream truck late at night. It is 3 am. You look out your window and there is a large ugly clown giving ice cream to children sleep walking to the trucks open window.

02/09/23

You wake just after sunrise. You hear someone banging around your kitchen. When you go to look you see a zombie dumbly fumbling through you fridge. You smell smoke, hear sirens outside and screaming. You know it’s begun.

02/10/23

You wake up as a giant bug in your bed.

02/11/23

You are home alone. You’re watching tv. You look over and a man’s angry face is pressed against your window.

02/12/23

You go for a walk at night. As you walk you see The Smiling Man. At first he is dancing, then he walks over to you. The link goes to a Youtube video of The Smiling Man. Watch it if you have never heard of him.

02/13/23

There is a monster in your room. He is standing over your bed. As long as he thinks you are sleeping, he won’t hurt you.

02/14/23

You are trapped in your 35th floor lavish apartment. Outside people are dying by the 1000s of a deadly virus. Something has happened and you are being overrun by bugs.

02/15/23

You are an assistant to scientists working on a time travel machine. There is an accident in the lab, and when you wake up, you are living in prehistoric times with dinosaurs.

02/16/23

You have found a pill that will make you into a super genius. Taking the pill will make you rich beyond your dreams, but at night you will rage the countryside as a hideous monster.

02/17/23

You wake up to lights outside your windows. In a minute, aliens pass through the walls of your bedroom. You suddenly can’t move. They shine a light on you. You float up into the air and they take you to their ship.

02/18/23

It’s morning. You wake up to a beautiful day. You get ready and drive to work. As you drive there is no traffic. You don’t see any people. When you get to work it is empty. You are are the last person on Earth.

02/19/23

There is a murder after you. You are babysitting 3 children under the age of 10. You can’t call the police. You have to make sure to keep him out of the house.

02/20/23

Aliens are real. The whole world knows it. You work on a team of scientists and realize they are going to attack in 3 days.

02/21/23

A demon keeps appearing to you every night. He sits in a chair by your bed and tells you to do terrible things.

02/22/23

You bring home your newborn baby, and a cult shows up to worship your child. You open the door of your home and 100s of people are standing on your lawn.

02/23/23

You are a friend have the same dream of a witch killing you in your dream. When you wake up your their are leaves in your bed from where you saw the witch in the woods.

02/24/23

A cult promises you wealth and power if you will only join them and become possessed.

02/25/23

Your arm has been itching and you have net felt well. On closer examination you realize there is something moving under your skin.

02/26/23

A new virus is spreading around the world, but this virus kills 90% of the people who get it.

02/27/23

You are eating a meal at a friends house. It’s a fancy dinner, and the noodles begin moving. 

02/28/23

You get a new job! It’s a wonderful place to work. After lots of mysterious things going on, you are asked to come to an after work meeting. There you find your entire workplace worships the devil. 

03/01/23

You answer a want ad that is for house sitting. The house is out far out in the country, and it is an old 1700s mansion. You desperately need the job. Once you take it, you hear people all night in the house. At midnight they appear and want to sacrifice you. 

03/02/23

You were recently bit by a werewolf. You will turn soon. Start your story telling the steps you will take to protect your family from what you will turn into. 

03/03/23

You are on a cruise ship having a great time. Suddenly your ship is attacked by a giant monster. 

03/04/23

People you know are suddenly changing. They are becoming different people though they look the same. You and a few close friends try to figure out what is happening. 

03/05/23

A group of thugs killed your son. You realize if you go to the old witch in the hills you can trade your soul to her so she will raise the monster of the forest to kill the men and get your revenge. It will only cost your soul. 

03/06/23

You move into a new neighborhood, into one of the nieces houses, and suddenly things start happening. Things go missing. You hear whispers. Late at night one of your children go missing in the house. You have to find them and get them back from the demons.

03/07/23

Your plane crashed in the isolated mountain range. No one has come for you in 30 days. Many people have died. With no food they are talking about eating the bodies. 

03/08/23

You are 12 years old. Your mother and father divorced 2 years ago. Now you found out your mom’s new boyfriend is a Vampire!

03/09/23

 The zombies have taken over. You are living in a house by yourself. They don’t know you are there. You have stuck to a route that lets you stay safe, get food, and you feel like you might make it. At a critical moment today, you tripped over a trashcan blown down by the wind. It was a stupid mistake, but now, a 1000 zombies are chasing you back to your house. 

03/10/23

You are trapped at the southpole with a group of people. One of them has been taken over by an alien. You know this won’t stop. They will all be turned soon. You have to do something. 

03/11/23

You fall asleep in a mall. No one sees you and your are locked in! Unfortunately the mall has released a new security system. They are robots, and for some reason they are set to kill. 

03/12/23

You have killed your ex and his/her lover. They have come back to haunt you. 

03/13/23

You have been bitten by a vampire. As you go unconscious, you know you will awaken again. In fact you never fully fall asleep. As the undertaker gets your body ready for the funeral you feel and hear everything.

03/14/23

You stumble upon an abandoned asylum in the woods and explore it. As you walk through the dark, decrepit halls, you hear whispers and footsteps behind you.

03/15/23

You inherit a beautiful old house from your great-grandmother but soon realize it’s haunted by the ghost of a little girl murdered there decades ago.

03/16/23

You start having recurring nightmares about a dark, shadowy figure that seems to be following you everywhere you go. One day, you wake up to find scratches on your arm that you can’t explain.

03/17/23

You move into a new apartment building and notice strange things happening at night. Doors open and close independently, and you hear footsteps and whispers coming from empty rooms.

03/18/23

You and your friends decide to explore an old abandoned mansion on the outskirts of town, but soon realize that the place is cursed and the spirits within will do anything to keep you from leaving.

03/19/23

You inherit a cabin in the woods from a relative but soon discover that the area is infested with flesh-eating monsters that come out at night.

03/20/23

You’re hired to babysit a child who lives in a creepy, old mansion. As the night goes on, you start to notice strange things happening around the house and begin to suspect that the child might not be human.

03/21/23

You wake up in the middle of the night to find a strange woman standing at the foot of your bed. She tells you she’s been watching you for a long time and that you belong to her now.

03/22/23

You move into a new neighborhood and start hearing rumors about a haunted house on the block. One day, you decide to investigate and find the rumors true.

03/23/23

You and your friends decide to play with an ouija board but soon realize that you’ve made a grave mistake when the spirit you contact turns out to be a demon.

03/24/23

You inherit a cursed artifact from a deceased relative and soon discover that the artifact has the power to bring your worst fears to life.

03/25/23

You go camping with your friends but soon realize you’re not alone in the woods. Something is stalking you, and it’s getting closer.

03/26/23

You start having visions of a terrifying monster that seems to be hunting you. As the visions become more frequent, you suspect the monster might be real.

03/27/23

You wake up in a strange place without remembering how you got there. As you try to make your way out, you realize that you’re not alone and that something is hunting you.

03/28/23

You move into a new house but soon realize the previous owner never left. Their ghost haunts the house and is determined to make your life a living hell.

03/29/23

You’re driving home late at night when you encounter a hitchhiker who seems harmless. But as the night goes on, you realize that the hitchhiker is not what they seem.

03/30/23

You and your friends decide to explore an old, abandoned factory. But as you go through the rusted, decrepit machinery, you hear strange noises and see shadows moving in the darkness.

03/31/23

You start receiving anonymous letters that contain disturbing, cryptic messages. As you try to figure out who’s sending them, you realize that they might be coming from something not quit human.

04/01/23

You work as a night watchman at an old museum but soon realize that the exhibits are more than just artifacts. They’re alive, and they’re hungry.

04/02/23

You’re hiking in the woods when encountering a strange, ancient altar. As you investigate, you awaken an ancient evil.

04/03/23

You move into a new apartment and soon realize your neighbor has a strange, unsettling obsession with you.

04/4/23

You start having nightmares about a faceless figure that seems to be haunting you. But when you wake up, you realize that the figure isn’t just a dream.

04/05/23

You find an old, dusty journal in the attic of your family’s home. As you start reading it, you realize it’s a diary of your great-great-grandmother, who was accused of witchcraft and burned at the stake.

04/06/23

You go on a vacation to a remote island but soon realize that the island is more open than you thought. Something is lurking in the shadows, and it’s not friendly.

04/06/23

You find a mysterious box in the basement of an abandoned house and decide to open it. Inside, you find an old, rusted key that seems to be calling to you.

04/07/23

You start hearing strange noises in your house at night and soon realize something is living in the walls.

04/08/23

You and your friends decide to explore an old, abandoned hospital. But as you make your way through the dark, empty corridors, you hear screams and whispers from the shadows.

04/09/23

You’re walking home from work late at night when you realize someone is following you. When you turn around, you see a figure dressed in black with glowing red eyes.

04/10/23

You start seeing strange, ghostly apparitions in your house. But as you investigate, you realize that the ghosts might not be the only things haunting you.

04/11/23

You and your family go on a road trip but soon realize that the backroads you’re taking are leading you to a place you never wanted to go.

04/12/23

You wake up in a strange room without remembering how you got there. As you try to escape, you realize that the room is part of a twisted game, with high stakes.

04/13/23

You start receiving strange phone calls from an unknown number. As you try to block the calls, you realize the caller is someone you know, but they’re not quite themselves.

04/14/23

You and your friends go on a ghost hunt but soon realize the ghosts are hunting you.

04/15/23

You move into a new house but soon realize there’s a secret room no one knows about. As you investigate, you realize the room hides a dark secret.

04/15/23

You start seeing a ghostly figure in your dreams but soon realize that the figure is not just a figment of your imagination.

04/16/23

You start hearing strange whispers in your ear, but when you turn around, there’s no one there.

04/17/23

You and your friends decide to play a game of hide and seek in an old, abandoned house. But as you hide, you realize that you’re not alone.

04/18/23

You wake up in the middle of the night to find a strange, hooded figure standing at the foot of your bed. They say nothing, but their presence is suffocating.

04/19/23

You start having strange, vivid dreams about a cult that’s trying to summon a demon. But as the dreams become more frequent, you wonder if they’re more than just dreams.

04/20/23

You find an old, dusty book in a library containing dark, forbidden knowledge. As you start reading, you realize that the ability comes with a price.

04/21/23

You and your friends decide to spend the night in an old, abandoned mansion. But as the night goes on, you realize the mansion is more full than you thought.

04/22/23

You take a job as a caretaker for a wealthy family’s estate. But as you explore the sprawling mansion, you realize that there’s something very wrong with the family and their dark past.

04/23/23

You move to a small, quiet town to escape the chaos of the city. But as you settle in, you start to realize that the town has a sinister secret that it’s hiding from outsiders.

04/24/23

You discover an old, cursed artifact at a flea market. As you take it home, strange things start happening around you, and you realize that the artifact has a dark power.

04/25/23

You and your friends decide to explore an abandoned, decrepit asylum. But as you go through the dark, decaying halls, you realize that something is still living inside.

04/26/23

You start experiencing vivid, terrifying nightmares every night. But as you try to escape the nightmares, you realize they’re not just in your head.

04/27/23

You find a mysterious, ancient book in the attic of your family’s home. But as you start reading it, you realize that the book is written in a language you can’t understand, and its contents are too horrific to comprehend.

04/28/23

You start receiving strange, cryptic messages from an unknown sender. As you try to decipher the letters, you realize they’re leading you to something terrible.

04/29/23

You and your friends decide to spend the night in a haunted hotel. But as the night goes on, you realize that the hotel’s ghosts are more than restless spirits.

04/30/23

You discover an abandoned laboratory hidden deep in the woods. But as you investigate, you realize that the experiments there were far more sinister than you could have imagined.

05/01/23

You start experiencing strange, unexplainable phenomena in your own home. As you try to understand what’s happening, you realize that something has attached itself to you, and it won’t let go.

05/02/23

You and your friends decide to explore an old, abandoned church. But as you venture deeper into the church, you realize that the building itself is alive, and it’s not happy to have visitors.

05/03/23

You find an old, haunted doll in an antique store. As you take it home, you realize that the doll is not just a creepy toy but a vessel for something far more sinister.

Daily writing prompts for high school 

High School students are usually just getting started in their writing. They need help but only sometimes want a creative prompt. Sometimes you want to write about real things in the world. High school students are also usually more excited when a topic relates to them or their emotions. The writing prompts below are designed for high school students. They are a range of creative to the real world to connecting with emotions designed to keep high school students interested. Check back each day for a new prompt. 

Teachers sometimes have issues with coming up with new writing prompts during busy times; please feel free to use these in your classroom. I have used some of these with my classes and tried to pick ones that generated good responses. 

There are three reasons I give daily writing prompts in my classroom. 

1. It’s great for bell work
2. It gets students ready to learn
3. It generates discussions 

We have many other lists of writing prompts to pick from. If you have a comment, please leave it below. 

02/01/23

Tell a story about a time when you were a peacemaker between at least two other people. 

02/02/23

Tell me about a difficult day in your life. 

02/03/23

Write a story about this picture. 

02/04/23

Should the driving age be 21? 

02/05/23

Should schools be allowed to put out dampening fields that make cell phones not work during school hours? 

02/06/23

Describe what would be an excellent day for you right now. 

02/07/23

Can you address an issue or conflict you have with someone from their perspective?

02/08/23

Talk about the closest friend you have ever had.

02/09/23

Do you believe that AI can take over the world?

02/10/23

Talk about something that you were always afraid of when you were a kid.

02/11/23

If you could rule the world, would you?

02/12/23

How do you deal with someone who makes you angry.

02/13/23

Is getting revenge ok?

02/14/23

Do you think people’s rights should be taken away if it would save lives?

02/15/23

Do you believe in ghosts?

02/16/23

How do you help a friend who is crying?

02/17/23

Have you ever lied about something and then later wished you didn’t?

02/18/23

Do you treat people the way that you want to be treated?

02/19/23

If you could be famous for anything, what would it be?

02/20/23

Do you think everyone should have the same rights?

02/21/23

If you were to travel back in time and tell your younger self something that you have learned, what would it be?

02/22/23

If you see someone being picked on should you just mind your own business?

02/23/23

At what age do you think people should be considered an adult and free to make their own choices, 16, 18, 21,30?

02/24/23

Tell me something you are afraid of and why?

02/25/23

What is your favorite day of the week and why?

02/26/23

Has anyone ever wrong you so badly you don’t feel like you can let it go?

02/27/23

What brings you the most joy in yoru life? 

02/28/23

What is something standing in your way of being successful?

03/01/23

Is it ok to complain about something?

03/02/23

Is it ok to make an excuse for something that was out of your control?

03/03/23

How do you feel about animals being part of a family?

03/04/23

Are their any moments in your life you wish you could relive?

03/05/23

What is something that is a longshot, but you really hope happens in the future?

03/06/23

If you won 10 million dollars who would you help with the money?

03/07/23

If you could go on vacation anywhere you want for a month, where would it be?

03/08/23

Do you want to trave outside the USA, why or why not?

03/09/23

Have you ever felt alone when you were with other people?

03/10/23

What is something that scares you when you think about it?

03/11/23

What is something you always wanted as a gift but never got?

03/12/23

How old do you have to be to be a grown up?

03/13/23

Can you name the most important person in your life?

03/14/23

What does it mean to have a best friend?

03/15/23

Tell me about your pets past or present. 

03/16/23

What is your favorite book and why?

Daily Writing Prompts every writer should try

Daily writing prompts are essential to the creative writer. They can serve several purposes. 

1. They can help you if you have writer’s block
2. Writing prompts can introduce you to new structures and conventions
3. They keep your Writing flow fresh

Writing prompts help with writer’s block. 

It happens to every writer. You finish a project or are in the middle and suddenly develop a hitch in your swing. Every time you write, you find it challenging to get going. It isn’t easy to come up with new ideas. It’s just difficult to write, and you suddenly realize you have writer’s block. It’s a nightmare for many professional writers. 

Writing prompts have always helped me to get going again. If I can’t come up with an idea, I usually get something down on paper when given an idea. Also, some writing prompts are so creative they make you want to write. So if you have writer’s block, I’m very sorry. Below are daily Writing prompts that might help you. 

Writing prompts introduce you to structures and conventions.

If you are interested in creative Writing, you should be aware of some conventions in Writing. Short stories, though very young, are full of Writing structures and patterns that authors use. Authors know the rules of these conventions and then break them. These prompts can help you get started in writing a novel too. Many of these writing prompts are modeled on famous stories. The stories are examples of conventions being used or broken. When we use a pattern, we will give you an example of a story we feel used that convention. 

We hope this helps you get acquainted with some of the often-used structures and conventions used in creative Writing. 

Writing Prompts keep your Writing flow fresh.

So every writer has two essential parts to their Writing. Writing is made of the skills of flow and control. Control is about grammar, conventions, and metaphors solidly woven into your work. Flow is the simple ability to keep the words coming one after another. Both are addressed with practice. There are all sorts of tools that address flow and control. Daily Writing will help with both. We hope the Writing prompts we are posting here will present you with new ideas and approaches that will keep your writing flow moving. The more you write, the better. 

We have many other lists of writing prompts to pick from. If you have a comment, please leave it below. 

02/01/23

Describe being in a car crash as the beginning of your story.

02/02/23

Write a story about someone you know very well winning 100,000$ and spending on something you would never spend the money on. 

02/03/23

Write a story about this picture. 

02/04/23

Coming of an age gone wrong. Write a story about someone being asked to become a man too early. 

Example: Hemmingway’s A Day’s Wait

https://youtu.be/7wIcHKH4cA0 

02/05/23

The Intruder (A story “formula” that became very popular in the 1980s) Write a story about someone sitting down with you and a date at dinner. The person will not go away, and you don’t know who they are when they sit down. 

Example: So Why Don’t You Dance by Raymond Carver 

https://youtu.be/lMV3GKV2LFg 

02/06/23

Write a story about old values, money, or respect for protecting someone who should be considered dangerous. Your grandmother is a serial killer. Your sweet little brother is the thief. A police officer is a bad guy. The firefighter is the one starting fires. 

Example: A Rose for Emily by William Faulkner 

https://xroads.virginia.edu/~DRBR/wf_rose.html 

02/07/23

Write a story with a character who always hides their face. The character should be important in the story, and the reason for hiding their face should be unknown to the other characters. 

Inspiration: Ministers Black Veil by Nathanial Hawthorn

02/08/23

You are a ghost, and you have returned to your childhood home. You interact with the family, not knowing that you are dead. 

02/09/23

You are in love with a girl who doesn’t know it! You want to impress her. You have a plan, but you watch it fall apart. 

Inspiration: Araby by James Joyce

02/10/20

Write a story of juxtaposition. Write a character at odds with his setting or role in life, for example, someone afraid of heights getting their dream job on the 180th floor or afraid of wide open spaces having to watch a meteor shower. 

02/11/23

Write a story about falling asleep at the wheel of a car. 

02/12/23

Write a story about sitting with a sick friend. Your friend is dying and thinks you are someone else. They want to apologize to you for the things they have done. Do you let them? Do you tell them the truth?

02/13/23

Write a story about falling in love with your worst enemy.

02/14/23

Write a story about being addicted to the internet.

02/15/23

Write a story about falling from an airplane and relive your life on the way down.

02/16/23

Write a story about something changing in your past and making your whole life different.

02/17/23

Write a story about being a monster.

02/18/23

Write a story where your friends no longer understand you.

02/19/23

Write a story about a holiday with your family that goes way better than you thought it would.

02/20/23

Write the story about 2 wealthy men making a bet that one many can’t really take all the money from his workers and not go to jail.

02/21/23

Write a story about a vampire who becomes your friend.

02/22/23

Write a story about robots we create in the future wanting to live an having more free will than we ever though possible.

02/23/23

You are a firefighter and you have to run into a burning building. The person you have to save is the criminal who has started the last 5 fires in your town.

02/24/23

Write a story that starts the same way it begins.

02/25/23

Write a story about the day you found out you can move things with your mind.

02/26/23

A new app is coming out. All your friends and family are doing it. Slowly you see they are changing. It is obvious that they are all heavily addicted to the app, but they are also evolving into monsters.

02/27/23

When you woke up this morning, you felt weird. Last night in your sleep, something happened, and by chance, you focus just a little too hard and realize you can now move things with your mind.

02/28/23

You find a time machine. You can travel back to any day in your life and change things. You go back to your worse day and make a change. What happens to the world when you return?

03/01/23

You are in love with a woman who does not know you. You follow her to a bookstore to get her number.

03/02/23

You fall asleep, and when you wake up, it’s 200 years into the future.

03/03/23

Aliens are on the news for invading Earth. You look outside, and a ship is landing on your street.

03/04/23

When you wake up in the morning, you are no longer yourself. Something odd has happened, and you have switched bodies with your lover.

03/04/23

You are selected to save the world. Something you know can save humanity, but you must leave your family. Start with your goodbyes.

03/05/23

You find out you are living in a simulation and have proof. Who do you send it to?

03/06/23

You are going to have a meal with friends. They have just had a new baby. The baby is so so ugly. Start your story by letting it slip out that you think the baby is ugly.

03/07/23

You are at the beach swimming. You go out in the water. You are far from the show when you realize a shark is circling you.

03/08/23

You got a new job. They told you it was an administrative assistant. When you come to work, you mostly file papers. One day of the first week, you accidentally walk into a room and you realize they have someone tied up brainwashing them. You run out of the building, but they catch you on the way out.

03/09/23

Someone is trying to convince you to break specific rules at work.

03/10/23

You go to a concert, and a riot breaks out. As you run from the police, you realize they think you started it.

03/11/23

When you think everything in your life is going your way, you find out robots have replaced all your close family members.

50 Poetry Prompts Every Writer Should Try

Everyone gets stuck in their writing from time to time. On occasion, that little bit of being stuck turns into terrifying writer’s block, and sometimes it’s just a day’s wait, a hiccup in creativity. If you have ever suffered from these, you might need a little push to get going again. The best way to get going in my writing is to start writing. Even if I can’t work on my WIP, any writing, even inspired by a prompt, is helpful. Unstick yourself before you are stuck. This short list of poetry prompts helps. I’m a poet, and I know what it’s like to be unable to come up with an idea. Sometimes you need a little push. We hope this list helps you. Here are a few or 50 prompts to kickstart your poetry.

These prompts are modeled after some famous poems. Every writer should try writing these poems. 

The Prompts:

1. The lost and alone. Write about the feeling you had the first time you felt helpless.

2. The love poem. Start by writing a love poem that is 100% honest/a bunch of complaints. 

3. Tell the world how you like the person more because they are not perfect.

4. The odd metaphor, write a metaphor that uses ODD imagery. 

5. Image Start with a famous painting and writing a poem that tells a story about the scene coming to life. 

6. Magical real, Have the images in your poem attack you, the poet.

7. Short short, write a poem that talks about an Ah-Ha moment but has 5 lines or less.

8. Haiku write a haiku that starts with an image and ends with a lie.

9. The Lie. Write a poem where the poet is lying to themself. 

10. The go-to. Go to a busy place, a coffee shop, a hotel lobby, a train station, or anywhere with lots of people, listen to their conversations, and use lines that they say as lines in your poem. 

11. The camera. Make your pen a camera, go to an exciting place, and write vivid descriptions of the site like your pen is a camera. 

12. A recipe for disaster. Write a poem about a meaningful relationship as if you are writing down a recipe for that relationship.

13. The cat. Write a poem about a cat. I don’t know why; all poets write one of these eventually. 

14. Free write, write 20 lines of poetry, doing your best not to let any of them go together or mean anything. 

15. The first line. Use the first line of your favorite poem and use it in your poem somewhere. 

16. Music inspires; find a genre of music you do not listen to often, listen to it with your eyes closed, and hear as many words as you can. Then write a poem that captures the feeling you had listening to the music. 

17. The scary. Write a horror poem. 

18. The conversation. Write a poem as a letter to your favorite poet. 

19. Write a poem about the last sunset you will ever see. 

20. The fly buzz, write a poem about the last thing you see or hear before you die. 

21. The Circus, write a poem using something from a circus as a metaphor for someone or some profession today. 

22. The goodbye. Write a poem as a goodbye to the old you.

23. The writer. Write a poem about poetry. 

24. The place you love; write a poem about the sea, the mountains, the south, some other country, or any place you love. 

25. The lament. Use a poem as a plea for change in your life.

26. The quiet. Write a poem that you would have to whisper to someone sleeping.

27. The tiger. Write a poem about a creature, real or unreal, and you’d be afraid to meet. 

28. The outer space. Start in the stars and imagine living 100 years from now. 

29. The copy. Mimic the style of your favorite poem but make the subject matter completely different. 

30. The call to action. Take a modern-day cause and turn it into a poem that tries to convince people to take action. 

31. The love text. Write a poem of text messages. 

32. The time traveler. Write a poem to a past generation asking them not to do something terrible that they did or let happen. 

33. The sad. Write about your most heartbreaking event.

34. The good day. Use your best day as a poem. 

35. No return address; write a poem about being in love with something (cell phone, car, a gadget) that will never love you back but imagine it loves you back in the poem. 

36. The universal. Write a poem about coffee or tea. 

37. Wrong way Write a poem about a time you fought over something but ended up wrong. 

38. The I hate. Write a poem about something you hate (football, onions, hockey, people driving slowly in the fast lane)

39. No, see. Start by saying something you are afraid that anyone else to ever find out about you. 

40. The small child. A poem about a hope being a small boy who gets beat up every day. 

41. Emotion Being Write about meeting your worst controlled emotion as a different person sitting at a bar. 

42. The fight. Write a poem about a fight or argument you had with someone. 

43. The mother Write a poem about how people in heaven treat your mother. 

44. The quest. Write a poem about going on a medieval quest to find the thing you are missing in your life (like job satisfaction)

45. The ghost. Write a poem about a ghost waking you up at night and wanting you to help them. 

46. Specific ending. Write a poem about the zombie apocalypse. 

47. The challenge. Use a famous poetic form Sestina, Villanelle, sonnet.

48. Use to know. Write a poem to someone you used to know well but have fallen out of touch with. 

49.  The Monster. Write a poem about a monster that is the hero. 

50. The short stack. Write a 10-word memoir poem. 

51. Flying. Write a poem about flying high above the trees and looking down at your life. 

So here are 50 poetry prompts that inspire you to write. Many of these were taken from famous poems. Suppose you can guess which ones. Leave us a comment below, or if you have something to tell us, a correction, suggestion, or can even leave a poetry prompt. Maybe in our Poetry prompts part 2, we will use them.