Plot Twist Story Prompts: Antagonist Gain
Every good story needs a nice (or not so nice) turn or two to keep it interesting. This week, we'll look at what happens when an antagonist levels up.
Creative Writing Prompt: View From Space
This week's writing prompt will take the point of view to an interstellar level.
Plot Twist Story Prompts: The Unknown Fear
Every good story needs a nice (or not so nice) turn or two to keep it interesting. This week, we'll look at what happens when an unknown fear or phobia is revealed.
Prompt, Newburyport
This week's writing prompt takes its inspiration from Lucy Ellmann.
Plot Twist Story Prompts: The Old Acquaintance
Every good story needs a nice (or not so nice) turn or two to keep it interesting. So here's a new series of plot twist story prompts to help writers come up with new directions for their stories.
In Living Color
The weather outside is gray, so let's bring some color into the world with a writing prompt.
5 Fun Creative Writing Prompts for Kids and Parents
Here are five fun creative writing prompts for kids and parents of all ages shared by Writer’s Digest editor and father of five Robert Lee Brewer.
Earth Day
Write a scene set in a universe in which the inhabitants take good care of their planet. What does their world look like? How is it different that the reality we live in now?
Dear Diary
Write a diary entry or a letter from your character's point of view. Are they re-discovering events from the past, or recording today's events so they don't forget? Do they have a unique perspective? Who are they writing to and why?
Writing the Stream
Write a piece using the stream-of-consciousness technique.
Fairy Tale Remake
Write a scene that puts a character or characters from a fairy tale in a different situation. What is different from their original story? How do they adapt to this change?
Exercise of Perspective
Write a scene from an animal's perspective. What looks different from their perspective? Can the animal see that humans cannot?
Seeing Green
Write a scene that includes the color green, literally or figuratively. Is your character wearing a green dress? Does someone feel envious? Are they recycling?
25 Ways to Start a Story
Because getting started is sometimes the hardest part of any project, here are 25 ways to start a story that writers can use to prompt their next tale.
Food For Thought
Write a scene or story that includes food. What type of food is it? How does it taste? Why is the character eating it? Was it prepared a special way or only eaten on special occasions?
Did You Hear That?
As you likely know, the term onomatopoeia refers to words that imitate sounds associated with actions and objects. Incorporate as many onomatopoetic words into a story or scene as you can.
Character Content
Consider what it means to be "judged by the content of your character." Write a scene in which an individual is not judged by the content of his or her character, but by something else entirely. It doesn't have to be skin color, but perhaps another physical attribute or factor beyond the character's control. What impact does this judgment have?
10 Easy Writing Prompts to Get Your Life Story Started
Having trouble getting started on writing your life story? Answer these ten easy writing prompts, and the answers will be the framework to your story.
The Shadow
Dampness lingers in the midnight air. Nearby, an unidentifiable sound pricks at your nerves, repeating every few seconds. Your breath catches in your throat as a long shadow cleaves through the light spilling from a street lamp just around the corner ahead of you. You consider turning back. ... What happens next?
Why We Write
The Prompt: This week's writing prompt is a little bit different than usual. Instead of telling us a fictional tale, we'd like to hear the why behind your love of writing. Share in the comments—in under 500 words—the reason behind your love of writing. Your response could appear in the February 2018 issue of Writer's Digest!
Unexpected Christmas Chatter
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.
Killing Your Best Friend's Wife
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.
What You're Most Thankful For
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 ... "