Writing Prompts

Our site has over 3500 writing prompts and is growing. Writing prompts are an essential way of helping writers create, stay creative, and teach writing. There are many kinds of writing prompts. If you want to know more about the kinds of writing prompts see our article Types of Writing Prompts.

Writing Prompts are Outstanding Tools

Writing prompts and story starters are easy ways to get you writing even if you are stuck. Journal prompts are easy ways to get students to write about personal issues that will help you get to know them. There are so many ways writing prompts can help teachers and writers create and inspire; we have dedicated this part of our site to making lists of writing prompts in many categories. All of these writing prompts are useful and fun. So please enjoy them.

Creative Writing

There are many reasons prompts and story starters are important in creative writing—inspiration, trying something new, and ending writer's block are just a few reasons. Every writer needs help sometimes, and writing prompts and story starters can play a significant role.

Inspiration: Story Starters

There can be a lull when you finish your work in progress (WIP). Emotionally, you might be exhausted or just searching for a new idea for your next WIP. You may need another story arc in your current WIP. Writing prompts and story starters can inspire new ideas. You are welcome to take any idea from these prompts and make them your own. We will be thrilled if one of these prompts inspires your megahit novel! Look through our list. It's growing daily, and see if you can find something you love.

Writer's Block

Creative writing can be difficult sometimes, even for seasoned writers. Writer's block is genuine, and when it comes, you need help to start writing. Writing prompts and story starters can end writer's block. If you are stuck on a project or can't get the words out, a fun and imaginative writing prompt can get you writing. Try it! People can't believe the results. Writer's block is about something other than writing. It's about inspiration and losing sight of the fun you have while writing. A fun, funny, or exciting writing prompt can make you feel your writing in a new way. It can open a door you forgot was there and reopened old passions about writing. If you have writer's block, find a prompt list you like and then a prompt you like and start writing. It will work wonders.

New Directions: Writing Prompts

We have writing prompts for zombies, pirates, cyberpunk, paranormal romance, horror, and every season! The ideas are here if you want to write in an unfamiliar genre. These prompts can get you writing on concepts already deep in a genre you might never have heard of. If you want to try a new direction for your writing, pick a list of writing prompts you have not tried before. Let them take you to a new place in your writing.

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• 100 Character-Driven Writing Prompts
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• 100 Chilling Horror Writing Prompts with Twisted Endings
• 100 crime fiction writing prompts
• 100 cryptid writing prompts
• 100 cyberpunk novel ideas
• 100 dark fantasy writing prompts
• 100 dialogue writing prompts
• 100 dystopian writing prompts
• 100 end of the world writing prompts
• 100 Epistolary Writing Prompts for Telling Stories Through Letters
• 100 fantasy romance writing prompts
• 100 gothic fiction writing prompts
• 100 Gothic Space Horror Writing Prompt
• 100 Haunted House Story Starters: Craft Your Scariest Tale Yet
• 100 horror comedy writing prompts
• 100 Horror Story Ideas Based on Horror Movies
• 100 Ideas for Summer Blockbuster Movie Scripts
• 100 literary fiction writing prompts
• 100 Magical Writing Prompts to Ignite Your Imagination
• 100 Magically Creative Witch-Inspired Story Ideas
• 100 Mind-Bending Speculative Fiction Story Ideas
• 100 mystery writing prompts
• 100 Nautical Gothic writing prompts
• 100 New Year’s Eve writing prompts
• 100 over-the-top action Writing Prompts to Ignite Your Creativity
• 100 Paranormal Fantasy Writing Prompts
• 100 paranormal writing prompts
• 100 romantic mystery writing prompts
• 100 science fiction western writing prompts
• 100 slasher horror writing prompts
• 100 solarpunk utopias writing prompts
• 100 Space Opera Writing Prompts
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• 100 Steampunk Writing Prompts
• 100 Superhero Writing Prompts
• 100 survival horror writing prompts
• 100 techno thriller writing prompts
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• 100 Vampire, Werewolf, Witch and Ghost Writing Prompts
• 100 Werewolf Writing Prompts
• 100 Western Writing Prompts
• 100 writing prompts for creating vivid settings
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• 119 Nightmare Alien Writing Prompts
• 125 Mind-Bending Cosmic Horror Prompts
• 150 Romance Writing Prompts
• 150 scary Halloween fiction writing prompts
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• 365 Horrifying Horror Writing Prompts
• 50 Abominable Snowman  and Snowstorms Writing Prompts
• 50 Arthurian Myths and Legends Writing Prompts
• 50 Bigfoot writing prompts
• 50 Cat Poem Writing Prompts
• 50 Chilling Haunted Doll Writing Prompts
• 50 Chilling Horror Sci-Fi Writing Prompts
• 50 Christmas Fiction Writing Prompts
• 50 Christmas Ghost Story Writing Prompts
• 50 Christmas writing prompts from the year 3023
• 50 Cyberpunk Writing Prompts
• 50 Dinosaur Writing Prompts 
• 50 fairy tale retelling writing prompts
• 50 Fantastic Science Fiction Writing Prompts
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• 50 historical fiction writing prompts
• 50 Horror Writing Prompts from Different Points of View
• 50 Jungle Adventure Writing Prompts
• 50 Lovecraftian horror writing prompts
• 50 Mind-Bending New Weird Writing Prompts to Ignite Your Imagination
• 50 mystery whodunit writing prompts
• 50 paranormal romance story starters
• 50 Pirate Writing Prompts to Inspire Your Next Tale
• 50 Poetry Prompts Every Writer Should Try
• 50 Prompts for Writing from Different Points of View
• 50 psychological thriller writing prompts
• 50 Science Fiction and Fantasy Writing Prompts
• 50 song-inspired poetry writing prompts
• 50 True Crime writing prompts
• 50 vampire writing prompts
• 50 writing prompts from the North Pole
• 50 Zombie Writing Prompts to scary up stories
• 56 Captivating Frame Story Writing Prompts 
• 60 Chilling Folk Horror Writing Prompts Unearth the Terror

Teaching Writing

There are many ways writing prompts can help you teach writing. Journal writing prompts can get students to open up about their passions or inspire them to explore parts of their emotions they have not thought of before. As a teacher, you can find out new things about your students. Giving students writing prompts can illuminate their experiences, and then they share those unique experiences with you. It also helps them develop their writing on a different level. We have daily writing prompts for students. We have monthly writing prompt lists (one for every day of the month), and of course, we have 1000s of creative writing prompts to get them writing. You can even find some writing prompts benefits to students on the Department of Education's website and at the Centers for Excellent in Teaching and Learning.

Emotional Writing Prompts

Writing prompts can be a gateway to social and emotional learning. As a Trauma Certified Educator, I have seen firsthand the impact writing prompts can have on students and teachers. Writing prompts can be one avenue if you are looking for a way to better connect with your students.

Daily Writing Prompts

Daily writing prompts can get students to write every day. This practice can eliminate apprehensiveness about writing in students. It will also, with a little guidance, improve their writing significantly. Writing a little bit every day can give many students the tools they need to face bigger writing assignments with more skill and confidence.

• 100 Classic Philosophical Writing Prompts
• 100 end-of-the-year writing prompts
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• 100 student writing prompts about failure
• 100 what-if scenarios writing prompts for students
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• 184 Daily Writing Prompts for Students
• 200 Persuasive Essay Topics
• 300 Writing Prompts for Middle School Students
• 31 Creepy Writing Prompts for Every Day of October
• 50 Christmas journal writing prompts young writers
• 50 spring break writing prompts for high school students
• 50 Thanksgiving Writing Prompts
• Daily Writing Prompts
• Daily writing prompts for high school 
• Daily Writing Prompts for November
• Writing Prompts for High School Students

Writing Prompt Posts

Below are our writing prompt posts. We add a new one almost everyday. They are on the lists above, but you might want to browse them in their more beatified state below.