Creative Writing Prompts

After getting into an argument with another patron at a local bar, the person challenges you to a fight out back. Because you’ve never been in a fight before (and don’t want this to be your first time), you come up with a more creative way to settle your dispute. Read more

You’ve been convicted of a crime, but the judge recognizes that this is your first offense. Instead of sending you to jail, he hands down an extremely unusual punishment. What’s even more unusual is, after it’s over, you come back to thank him. Why? Read more

The plane lifted off the runway and into the air. The person next to you turns and quietly whispers in your ear, “I know I’m supposed to keep this a secret, but I absolutely must tell someone.” Read more

Around mid-morning one day, you realize that everything that is happening seems really familiar. After much thought you discover that your life has fallen into a terrible rut and now you must take drastic measures to find a way out of it. Write the scene where you make a life-changing decision. Read more

It’s a few days after Christmas and you received everything you wanted, especially (fill in the blank). But things take an interesting turn when, in the middle of the night, the thing that you wanted, which had been sitting in the corner, starts talking to you. Read more

While hanging up your Christmas lights, you are flagged down by a neighborhood kid who offers to help. As he helps you, he tells you about the Christmas ghost that haunts his house. What’s odd is that you’ve noticed the same things happening around your house. Write this scene. Read more

Needing to get something off your chest, you head to the confessional at church. After laying out your misdeed to the priest, you are given an unusual task to perform as penance—not creepy, just unusual. Write this scene. Read more

Thanks to a chronic illness, a coworker has been trapped in the hospital for weeks and is bummed he’s going to miss the company Christmas party—that is, until you and another coworker unexpectedly show up to bust him out and take him to the celebration. Write this scene. Read more

A close friend asks you to help him kill his wife and, to his surprise, you agree without hesitation—not because you particularly dislike his wife, but because she’s the only person who knows this one deep, dark secret that could ruin your life forever. Write about how you confront her and how the murder plays out. Read more

Not including people or pets, what’s the one thing that you’re most thankful for? Write a one-paragraph note that starts “I’m thankful for (fill in the blank) because … ” Read more

You are dealing with a bout of insomnia due to a reoccurring nightmare that started two days after the loss of your grandmother. Suddenly, you see a ghost who claims to be her spirit. Her spirit orders you to take care of something she wasn’t able to before she passed. If you do, she’ll leave you alone. If you don’t, she’ll haunt you forever. Write this scene. Read more

Your move to a new office building hits a major hurdle when you arrive for your first day only to find out your name wasn’t on the move list. Write this scene. Read more

Your company is moving office buildings and you’ve been asked to stay after hours and help pack up the desks. While clearing through one particular coworker’s desk, you find something extremely concerning in his bottom drawer. Call one of your friends and ask for advice on what to do about it. Read more

For the last 10 years, kids have been toilet papering your house on Halloween night. Unfortunately for them, this is the year you finally decided to get even. Write about your night of retaliation. Read more

You’re attending an annual pumpkin-carving party with your friends when one of them stands up and makes a shocking announcement. Start your story with the announcement and end with “And that’s how I got my head stuck in the pumpkin.” Read more

A picture on your mantle unexpectedly falls and crashes to the floor. As you go to pick it up, you notice a note hidden behind the picture. The message is from the future—and written by you. It instructs you to do something important. What does it say?
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A special anniversary is coming up and you’ve decided to go all-out to celebrate. The only thing is, this is an anniversary of something unusual and there’s only one other person who knows what it’s about—and he’s uncomfortable celebrating. Write this scene. Read more

You’ve been playing Scrabble with an anonymous person online. After some Internet chatting, you realize that the two of you live in the same town and decide to meet at a local pub. What you didn’t expect was to fall in love. Read more

You receive a letter in the mail from an out-of-town relative asking you to drop everything and meet him in Boston ASAP. He doesn’t say why, but signs off on the letter (just above his name) with the phrase: “Treasure awaits.” Read more

You come across a pack of matches that sets off a series of uncanny events. Start your story with “My mother always told me not to play with fire.” End it with … Read more

You received a call from your alma mater and they want you to be the keynote speaker at graduation. Write a speech that inspires the future generation to work toward their dreams. Read more