75 Prompts for the Uninspired Writer (with pictures)

What writer doesn't like being able to plagiarize without getting sued? That's what these prompts are for: take 'em, leave 'em, take half and completely revise the other half, whatever. The point is to get those brain cells moving and give you something you're passionate and interested in to write for a little while (or a long while if you decide to stick with it as an ongoing project). So read on, and then go set a timer and write until it goes off. :P

(Also. I don't support every prompt on every other prompt list. Just because I linked to the page doesn't mean I support everything on there. FYI. ;))

Fantasy

Mine:

1. Us humans have been training dragons for centuries. But what no one expected was that the dragons were the ones doing the training - and they aren't as loyal as we were led to believe.

2. The MC was the villain all along, and the supposed "villain" of the story was actually the Hero, trying to redeem the MC.

3. A 10-year-old boy finds a portal - not to another place, but a portal that warps time. He steps through and comes out the other side as a 60-year-old man.

4. Put a spin on an old superpower - then place it in a futuristic fantasy world.

5. A girl finds out the hard way that questing is painful - for you and those around you who face the consequences of your ambition.

Others:

1. “You’re the Chosen One, but the prophecy says you’re going to be an epic failure and the only way you save anyone is by complete accident." (Source)

2. "In a modern world where cars drive, planes fly, cell phones ring, and everything is normal, fairytale creatures are also perfectly normal. There are selkies working in the marine biology department. Fairies create magical teas that can heal bags under the eyes or a broken leg.  However, things begin to change when an ogre antique owner sees humans. They’re not real. There’s no way she’s seeing a human. But when pieces of their world begin to fade, she’s forced to go on an adventure to stop the fairytales from ending." (Source)

3. "The sword in the stone reappears." (Source)

4. "After a young man is killed as an innocent bystander in the cross-fires of gang violence, you notice a mysterious symbol appear on the side of a building." (Source)

5. "Write a story about a retired fantasy hero who must get back into action due to a new or reawakened foe." (Source)

Pictures:

(Disclaimer: all picture prompts on this post were taken from Pinterest. Credit to the original owners.)

Sci-Fi

Mine:

1. Have your MC meet someone from their past - but the MC is from that same person's future.

2. "No, the space whale ate the escape pod. With both of them still in it."

3. Your MC is an alien, and the humans are invading.

4. You're an ambassador for your country and are trying to set up intergalactic trade between a planet in another galaxy. The only problem is that those pesky rebels keep trying to convert you with death threats and other such minor inconveniences.

5. You found some old technology from ancient Earth, long since gone. It's a recording of some sort, but when you play it you find that is a message for you, a lowly tech hiding alien blood.

Others:

1. "You are a duchess in the year 3029. You have to journey to the Hidden Planet, but the only person who knows its location is a dreaded pirate with a stolen spaceship. However, not everything goes according to plan when the captain gets abducted by aliens, which means that if you’re ever going to locate the Hidden World, you’re going to have to save him." (Source)

2. "In a world where robots dictate how children are raised, the government decides their system is failing. They need moms back. The problem is, where will they get moms for their child soldiers? Well, they had to start somewhere, and you just happened to be one of the first ones chosen to care for them. However, you don’t plan on going down without a fight." (Source)

3. "Bored of your life? Try our mindswap program! Over 9,000 people willing to swap lives! 20% off for first-time buyers. No refunds." (Source)

4. "Earth has been accepted into the Galactic Union. To get to know Earth better, the other nine members of the Union send their representatives to live on the planet for a year." (Source)

5. "Write about a character who wakes up in a space pod alone…next to a ship so massive it’s actually carrying a planet beneath it. Your character has no memory from before they wake." (Source)

Pictures:

Historical Fiction

Mine:

1. You and your family got tickets to the Titanic, but you got sick right before the trip and have to stay behind.

2. A 17th century slave meets a time traveler determined to set him free for reasons the time traveler refuses to reveal.  (And yes, I know I'm combining genres. I can't help myself. XD)

3. A day in the life of a blind medieval king.

4. In the 1800s, you volunteered to pose as your reckless, overcommitting best friend during a competition he signed up for but couldn't make. Turns out that competition was a duel to the death and your friend forgot to mention that.

5. Write your parents' love story, ending in their marriage and a "and they lived happily ever after. I hope."

Others:

1. "You are a time-traveling detective and have to find people with the same occupation as you from different eras to fight a greater evil." (Source)

2. "You are an undercover Union soldier during the Civil War but your family is in danger." (Source)

3. "It’s 1925, and you’ve joined the traveling circus as a clown to hide your identity after being framed for a murder you didn’t commit. A rival performer recognizes you and threatens to expose you but doesn’t. He wants something else." (Source)

4. "A British loyalist in America struggles with their allegiance as revolution brews." (Source)

5. "A returning Crusader finds his home village drastically changed." (Source)

Pictures:

Contemporary

Mine:

1. Someone starts texting you - someone who claims to be from the past. It gets worse when someone from the future accidentally manages to put all three of you in a group chat.

2. A military airplane crash-lands on your street.

3. The MC is falsely accused and convicted of a crime that lands them in prison. How do they prove their innocence? What if God put them there for a reason? And if so, what is that reason and how in the world are they supposed to fulfill it when the prison's top gun is targeting them?

4. You're helping your grandma with dementia move when you find out who she really is - and that her dementia might have been caused by more than just age.

5. Your car breaks down, so you walk to work, only to be stopped by the person who sabotaged your car specifically so he or she could talk to you.

Others:

1. "A coffee shop romance where the guy owns a bookshop next door and is very quiet and soft-spoken and the girl is on a constant rush of caffeine and wants to take him to the monster truck races next Thursday." (Source)

2. "Write about a character who’s done everything they’re told. They just graduated high school and are off to a very good college to get their degree in something reliable. But when they get there, they realize there’s a whole world of opportunity they never knew existed. Now they have to maintain the façade of going to college even though they decided to pursue a different endeavor." (Source)

3. "Write a book about how a character has been living a very sheltered, very dangerous life. After the death of their overbearing father, they’re thrust into the real world – only to realize just how different their life really is from those around them." (Source)

4. "Your character’s life is extremely mundane, until a stray dog starts showing up on their front porch every day." (Source)

5. "Write a story about an author who struggles with writing until something drastic happens in their life." (Source)

Pictures:

Random

Mine:

1. Pick five of your favorite characters from books and movies and sit them down together to arrange the funeral of a beloved sixth character (or your funeral, your choice).

2. Shuffle your favorite playlist and use the first five songs (titles, lyrics, instrumentation) in a short story.

3. A character from one of your favorite books or movies ends up on your doorstep with the villain on their heels. What do you do?

4. "You do know what I'm talking about, right?"

5. Break the fourth wall between you and your characters. Ignore all the rules and have fun.
   

Others:

1. "And then the world ended." (Source)

2. "The main character dies, and a new character becomes the main character suddenly." (Source)

3. "Every child under 15 disappears from town. They return a week later, but the adults know something’s different about them, though they can’t pinpoint what." (Source)

4. "Out of the entire company of spies, you and your worst enemy were chosen to pretend you’re a happily engaged couple from high society, where you will stay until you capture the villain. You hate it. He hates it. But you’re both enjoying the taunting you’re able to do to each other without others realizing the truth. However, you think you might actually be falling in love. You need to finish this mission as quickly as possible. You can’t let your acting get to your head." (Source)

5. "After you go visit Grandma for Christmas and see the new ornament she buys from the local thrift store, you’re stuck trying to figure out what to do with the genie you just summoned after rubbing a smudge off the glass." (Source)

Pictures:

---

What are some of your favorite prompts? Do you like writing by prompts or is it hard for you? What are some stories you thought of based off of these? Would you like to see more inspiration posts? Did I go overkill (hint: yes)?

Until next time,

Take courage, pursue Christ, and smile while you still have teeth!! ^_^

-Joelle

Subscribe to the Newsletter!