creative writing stimulus quotes

91 creative writing quotes by 62 great authors

I’m a pretty terrible writer, but I write a lot. Every single day. And I want to get better at it. Maybe you’re in the same boat, and if that’s the case—this is for you. You see, I read a lot about writing. You know, I read what writers who actually write good stuff write about creative writing. Tens of thousands of pages, almost a hundred books, countless articles, blog posts, interviews… and here are my favorite creative writing quotes, kind of categorized in a way that (hopefully) makes it easy for you to find the ones that are most meaningful to you at any given time. Here we go:

Table of Contents

Creative writing quotes on the importance of consistent practice

At one time I thought the most important thing was talent. I think now that—the young man or the young woman must possess or teach himself, train himself, in infinite patience, which is to try and to try and to try until it comes right. He must train himself in ruthless intolerance. That is, to throw away anything that is false no matter how much he might love that page or that paragraph. The most important thing is insight, that is … curiosity to wonder, to mull, and to muse why it is that man does what he does. And if you have that, then I don’t think the talent makes much difference, whether you’ve got that or not. —William Faulkner

Talent is cheaper than table salt. What separates the talented individual from the successful one is a lot of hard work. —Steven King

This is how you do it: You sit down at the keyboard and you put one word after another until it’s done. It’s that easy, and that hard. —Neil Gaiman

The only way to learn to write is to force yourself to produce a certain number of words on a regular basis. —William Zinsser

Everybody walks past a thousand story ideas every day. The good writers are the ones who see five or six of them. Most people don’t see any. —Orson Scott

Abandon the idea that you are ever going to finish. Lose track of the 400 pages and write just one page for each day, it helps. Then when it gets finished, you are always surprised. —John Steinbeck

Creative writing quotes that acknowledge the writer’s quirkiness and imperfection

I love deadlines. I love the whooshing noise they make as they go by. —Douglas Adams

Every writer I know has trouble writing. —Joseph Heller

A writer is a person for whom writing is more difficult than it is for other people. —Thomas Mann

I am so clever that sometimes I don’t understand a single word of what I am saying. —Oscar Wilde

Art should comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable. —Cesar A. Cruz

Creative writing quotes on technique

The key to all story endings is to give the audience what it wants, but not in the way it expects. —William Goldman

Time passes, as the novelist says. The single most useful trick of fiction for our repair and refreshment: the defeat of time. A century of family saga and a ride up an escalator can take the same number of pages. Fiction sets any conversion rate, then changes it in a syllable. The narrator’s mother carries her child up the stairs and the reader follows, for days. But World War I passes in a paragraph. I needed 125 pages to get from Labor Day to Christmas vacation. In six more words, here’s spring. —Richard Powers, Generosity: An Enhancement

Description begins in the writer’s imagination but should finish in the readers’s. —Stephen King

When I used to teach creative writing, I would tell the students to make their characters want something right away – even if it’s only a glass of water. Characters paralyzed by the meaninglessness of modern life still have to drink water from time to time. —Kurt Vonnegut

Creative writing quotes on beginnings

Almost all good writing begins with terrible first efforts. You need to start somewhere. —Anne Lamont

Start writing, no matter what. The water does not flow until the faucet is turned on. —Louis L’Amour

You can always edit a bad page. You can’t edit a blank page. —Jodi Picoult

I have never started a poem yet whose end I knew. Writing a poem is discovering. —Robert Frost

The scariest moment is always just before you start. —Stephen King

Beginning a novel is always hard. It feels like going nowhere. I always have to write at least 100 pages that go into the trashcan before it finally begins to work. It’s discouraging, but necessary to write those pages. I try to consider them pages minus 100 to zero of the novel. —Barbara Kingsolver

The first draft is just you telling yourself the story. —Terry Pratchett

I know very dimly when I start what’s going to happen. I just have a very general idea, and then the thing develops as I write. —Aldous Huxley

There is something delicious about writing the first words of a story. You never quite know where they’ll take you. —Beatrix Potter

Creative writing quotes on the (non-) rules of writing

There are three rules for writing the novel. Unfortunately, no one knows what they are. —W. Somerset Maugham

There is no rule on how to write. Sometimes it comes easily and perfectly: sometimes it’s like drilling rock and then blasting it out with charges. —Ernest Hemingway

Any word you have to hunt for in a thesaurus is the wrong word. There are no exceptions to this rule. —Stephen King

If a story is not about the hearer, he will not listen. And here I make a rule – a great and interesting story is about everyone or it will not last. —John Steinbeck

A writer is someone who has taught his mind to misbehave. —Oscar Wilde

Here is a lesson in creative writing. First rule: Do not use semicolons… All they do is show you’ve been to college. —Kurt Vonnegut

Creative writing quotes on what to write about

Write about what really interests you, whether it is real things or imaginary things, and nothing else. —C.S. Lewis

When all else fails, write what your heart tells you. You can’t depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus. —Mark Twain

So long as you write what you wish to write, that is all that matters; and whether it matters for ages or only for hours, nobody can say. —Virginia Woolf

When I sit down to write a book, I do not say to myself, ‘I am going to produce a work of art.’ I write it because there is some lie that I want to expose, some fact to which I want to draw attention, and my initial concern is to get a hearing. —George Orwell

Close the door. Write with no one looking over your shoulder. Don’t try to figure out what other people want to hear from you; figure out what you have to say. It’s the one and only thing you have to offer. —Barbara Kingsolver

That is the mission of art – to make us pause and look at a thing a second time. —Oscar Wilde

To be the kind of writer you want to be, you must first be the kind of thinker you want to be. —Ayn Rand

Ideas are like rabbits. You get a couple and learn how to handle them, and pretty soon you have a dozen. —John Steinbeck

One of the best ways to come up with great ideas is to come up with a lot of ideas. I do this by keeping a creative journal. If you are curious about this, check out my creative journal ideas .

I also write morning pages which I find incredibly helpful in getting my creative juices flowing. Check out my morning pages prompts .

Creative writing quotes on persistence

A professional writer is an amateur who didn’t quit. —Richard Bach

The ability to go anywhere in our imagination is a pure expression of individual freedom. It is a creative force that can help us transcend reality. —Esther Perel (check out more Esther Perel quotes )

A writer who waits for ideal conditions under which to work will die without putting a word on paper. —E.B. White

All good writing is swimming under water and holding your breath. —F. Scott Fitzgerald

Creative writing quotes on inspiration

If you wait for inspiration to write you’re not a writer, you’re a waiter. —Dan Poynter

I only write when inspiration strikes. Fortunately it strikes at nine every morning. —William Faulkner

Sometimes the ideas just come to me. Other times I have to sweat and almost bleed to make ideas come. It’s a mysterious process, but I hope I never find out exactly how it works. I like a mystery, as you may have noticed. —J.K. Rowling

Your intuition knows what to write, so get out of the way. —Ray Bradbury

Creative writing quotes on dealing with doubt

Focus more on your desire than on your doubt, and the dream will take care of itself. —Mark Twain

The counterfeit innovator is wildly self-confident. The real one is scared to death. —Steven Pressfield

And by the way, everything in life is writable about if you have the outgoing guts to do it, and the imagination to improvise. The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt. —Sylvia Plath

One usually dislikes a play while writing it, but afterward it grows on one. Let others judge and make decisions. —Anton Chekhov

Creative writing quotes on perfectionism

Get it down. Take chances. It may be bad, but it’s the only way you can do anything really good. —William Faulkner

If I waited for perfection, I would never write a word. —Margaret Atwood

We are all apprentices in a craft where no one ever becomes a master. —Ernest Hemingway

There is no innovation and creativity without failure. —Brené Brown

He is an emancipated thinker who is not afraid to write foolish things. —Anton Chekhov

Creative writing quotes on being prolific and doing the work

If you write one story, it may be bad; if you write a hundred, you have the odds in your favor. —Edgar Rice Burroughs

Don’t ‘be a writer.’ Be writing. —William Faulkner

Imagination is like a muscle. I found out that the more I wrote, the bigger it got. —Philip José Farmer

I met, not long ago, a young man who aspired to become a novelist. Knowing that I was in the profession, he asked me to tell him how he should set to work to realize his ambition. I did my best to explain. ‘The first thing,’ I said, ‘is to buy quite a lot of paper, a bottle of ink, and a pen. After that you merely have to write.’ —Aldous Huxley

Write while the heat is in you. … The writer who postpones the recording of his thoughts uses an iron which has cooled to burn a hole with. —Henry David Thoreau

The most important thing in writing is to have written. I can always fix a bad page. I can’t fix a blank one. —Nora Roberts

Write, write, write-till your fingers break. —Anton Chekhov

The most valuable of all education is the ability to make yourself do the thing you have to do, when it has to be done, whether you like it or not. —Aldous Huxley

Creative writing quotes on the importance of reading

If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot. —Stephen King

Just write every day of your life. Read intensely. Then see what happens. Most of my friends who are put on that diet have very pleasant careers. —Ray Bradbury

Read, read, read. Read everything—trash, classics, good and bad, and see how they do it. Just like a carpenter who works as an apprentice and studies the master. Read! You’ll absorb it. Then write. If it’s good, you’ll find out. If it’s not, throw it out of the window. —William Faulkner

There’s no better teacher for writing than reading… Get a library card. That’s the best investment. —Alisa Valdes

The greatest part of a writer’s time is spent in reading in order to write. A man will turn over half a library to make a book. —Samuel Johnson

I am too fond of reading books to care to write them. —Oscar Wilde

Read a thousand books, and your words will flow like a river. —Lisa See

Writing comes from reading, and reading is the finest teacher of how to write. —Annie Proulx

You cannot hope to sweep someone else away by the force of your writing until it has been done to you. —Stephen King

A great novel, rather than discouraging me, simply makes me want to write. —Madeleine L’Engle

It is what you read when you don’t have to that determines what you will be when you can’t help it. —Oscar Wilde

If one cannot enjoy reading a book over and over again, there is no use in reading it at all. —Oscar Wilde

If you read good books, when you write, good books will come out of you. —Natalie Goldberg

The proper study of mankind is books. —Aldous Huxley

There is creative reading as well as creative writing. —Ralph Waldo Emerson

Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing. —Benjamin Franklin

Creative writing quotes on the need to write

If my doctor told me I had only six minutes to live, I wouldn’t brood. I’d type a little faster. —Isaac Asimov

We photograph things in order to drive them out of our minds. My stories are a way of shutting my eyes. —Franz Kafka

If there’s a book that you want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it. —Toni Morrison

Writing is the only thing that when I do it, I don’t feel I should be doing something else. —Gloria Steinem

There comes a point in your life when you need to stop reading other people’s books and write your own. —Albert Einstein

There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you. —Maya Angelou

We write to taste life twice, in the moment and in retrospect. —Anaïs Nin

A writer’s life and work are not a gift to mankind; they are its necessity. —Toni Morrison

I write because it gives me the greatest possible artistic pleasure to write. If my work pleases the few I am gratified. As for the mob, I have no desire to be a popular novelist. It is far too easy. —Oscar Wilde

I can shake off everything as I write; my sorrows disappear, my courage is reborn. —Anne Frank

Writers write to influence their readers, their preachers, their auditors, but always, at bottom, to be more themselves. —Aldous Huxley

Creative writing can be a difficult and sometimes intimidating process. It requires not only imagination and skill, but also the willingness to let go of the expected and to embrace the unknown. It can be a challenging and daunting task, but it can also be incredibly rewarding and even transformative when you overcome creative blocks . As the great American writer Ernest Hemingway once wrote, There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed.

It’s creative writing quotes like these that I sometimes find more impactful than actual writing advice. And there are some great movies about writing that can help you get your creative juices flowing. (That might be one of the reasons why my writing is still so bad, despite the enormous amounts of time and energy I’ve dedicated to becoming a good writer.)

The creative writing process can often be one of trial and error. There is no one-size-fits-all approach, and it can take a lot of hard work and dedication to reach a satisfaction level with one’s work. In fact, you could try to make social media a place for your creative writing outlet. Maybe post some inspirational quotes for writers on X, or whatever your social network of choice is, and post your own commentary to it.

20 Inspiring Quotes for Writers to Fuel Creativity

Boost your writing inspiration with the best collection of inspiring quotes for writers. Read on to find the most thought-provoking and motivating words to spark your creativity and keep you motivated. Writing can be a challenging task, even for the most experienced writers. There are times you might feel stuck, uninspired, or unmotivated. But don’t worry; you’re not alone.

Whether you’re struggling to start your first draft or searching for the perfect ending to your story, inspiring quotes for writers can provide you with the guidance and inspiration you need . Most writers have been in your shoes, and many have found ways to overcome these uncreative downturns. One of the best ways to rekindle your inspiration and motivation is by reading inspiring quotes for writers. These quotes can help you find the right words, inspire new ideas, and keep you motivated to keep writing. Below is a list of the most inspiring quotes for writers to help you find the inspiration you need to push through writer’s block.

Inspiring Quotes for Writers

From famous authors to modern-day poets, the world is full of inspiring quotes for writers to help them overcome self-doubt and procrastination. Check out The Reliable Narrator’s picks below.

1. The scariest moment is always just before you start. – Stephen King

It can be scary to take the first put words down on paper, especially when you’re not sure if they will be good enough. However, King’s quote serves as a reminder that this fear is normal but temporary. Once you start writing, that fear dissipates, and the words begin to flow. The anticipation of starting can be the scariest part. Incorporating inspiring quotes for writers into a writing routine can help writers stay focused and inspired throughout the creative process. These motivational words can help push through the fear and roadblocks.

2. I write to give myself strength. I write to be the characters that I am not. I write to explore all the things I’m afraid of. – Joss Whedon

For Whedon, writing is a way to overcome personal fears and limitations. Through his writing, he can become the characters he wishes he could be and explore the things that scare him the most. There is a lot to learn from his words – that’s the power of inspiring quotes for writers.

Writing can be a way to express feelings, work through emotions, and connect with others. It’s a way to explore the many different facets of the human experience and to connect with readers on a deeper level. Ultimately, we create worlds and characters that reflect some part of ourselves.

3. A word after a word after a word is power. – Margaret Atwood

Every word writers choose has the potential to make a difference, inspire, educate, and connect with others. Atwood’s quote highlights the importance of persistence and dedication when it comes to writing.

It can be a slow and challenging process, but every word we put on paper has the power to shape our ideas, our stories, and our world. The beauty of these inspiring quotes for writers is their ability to remind. Atwood’s quote is a reminder that even if we can only write a few words a day, those words are still significant and can accumulate to create something truly powerful.

4. you fail only if you stop writing. – ray bradbury.

Writing is a journey that requires persistence, determination, and a willingness to keep going even when things get tough . Failure is not the end of the road. Sometimes all it takes is a few words from a favorite author to reignite the passion for writing. That’s the power of inspiring quotes for writers.

Many writers face rejection, criticism, and self-doubt throughout their careers. Failure is not the opposite of success but rather a necessary part of the creative process. Every mistake, every rejection, and every struggle is an opportunity to learn and grow. By continuing to write, writers are moving forward and growing.

5. There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you. – Maya Angelou

As human beings, we all have stories to tell, whether they are personal anecdotes, historical accounts, or works of fiction. As writers, we know how keeping these stories inside us can weigh us down. Sharing our stories with others can help us find healing, connection, and meaning. Writing can be a solitary and challenging pursuit, but the right words of inspiration can help you stay the course. Seek out and embrace inspiring quotes for writers along the way. Your words may inspire the next generation of writers.

6. If there’s a book that you want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it. – Toni Morrison

When we write stories featuring diverse characters and perspectives, we can help create a more inclusive and understanding world. Ultimately, Morrison’s quote reminds us that writing is about more than entertainment or self-expression. It’s about creating something that resonates with readers and has the potential to change the world. Reading inspiring quotes for writers can ignite the spark of creativity and motivate you to pick up your pen and paper.

7. The first draft is just you telling yourself the story. – Terry Pratchett

Writing can be a daunting process, and the pressure to create something polished and perfect can sometimes stifle a writer’s creativity. To overcome this hurdle, it is important for writers to remember the role of a first draft.

The first draft is an opportunity for writers to get their ideas on paper and explore different elements of their writing. It’s a time to experiment with characters, plot twists, and themes without worrying too much about getting everything right.

Of course, the first draft is only the beginning of the process. Editing and revision are crucially important. But by viewing the first draft as a starting point rather than a finished product, writers can free themselves to take risks and create something unique and impactful.

8. The beautiful part of writing is that you don’t have to get it right the first time, unlike, say, a brain surgeon. – Robert Cormier

Unlike brain surgery, writing offers the luxury of being able to revise and edit one’s work until it’s right. Writing is not an exact science- there is no one “right” way to do it. This means that writers have the freedom to experiment, take risks, and make mistakes along the way.

Cormier’s inspirational quotes for writers remind us that writing is a craft that takes time, effort, and a willingness to learn and grow. But with patience, persistence, and a willingness to take risks and make mistakes, writers can produce work that is truly beautiful and meaningful.

9. The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt. – Sylvia Plath

Self-doubt can be a paralyzing force , preventing writers from trying new things and fully expressing themselves on the page. It can make even the most talented writers feel inadequate and unworthy of success.

Self-doubt is not a necessary part of the creative process. In fact, it can be the thing that holds writers back from achieving their full potential. By learning to recognize and confront self-doubt, writers can push past their fears and create work that is truly inspiring and meaningful.

Incorporating inspiring quotes for writers into your writing routine can help you stay focused and inspired throughout the creative process.

10. You can make anything by writing. – C.S. Lewis

Whether it’s a story, a poem, an essay, or a memoir, writing has the ability to create something new. Through the written word, writers can explore their own experiences and emotions, share their perspectives on the world, and connect with readers in profound and meaningful ways. Writing can also be a powerful tool for advocacy, education, and social change, as it allows writers to share their ideas and inspire others to take action.

Ultimately, C.S. Lewis’ inspiring quotes for writers speak to the limitless potential of writing as a form of expression and creation. With the power of words, writers have the ability to shape the world in their own unique way.

11. Write what should not be forgotten. – Isabel Allende

Writers have the ability to preserve memories, traditions, and experiences that might otherwise fade away with time. This is the essence of inspiring quotes for writers – to inspire us to tell the stories that need to be told. It’s an invitation to explore the world and shine a light on the things that matter most.

12. Don’t tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass. – Anton Chekhov

It’s not enough to simply tell the reader what’s happening; writers must also paint a vivid picture of the scene with words . Chekhov’s quote is a reminder to pay attention to the details and to use them to create a sensory experience for the reader. This is the beauty of inspiring quotes for writers – they offer insights and guidance that can help us improve our craft.

13. There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed.” – Ernest Hemingway

Hemingway’s quote suggests writing is a deeply personal and often painful experience, but it’s also an essential one. His quote is a reminder that writing can be difficult and challenging, but it’s also incredibly rewarding. Inspiring quotes for writers like this one can help us embrace the struggle and find meaning in the process.

14. You don’t start out writing good stuff. You start out writing crap and thinking it’s good stuff, and then gradually you get better at it. – Octavia Butler

Writing is a skill that takes time to develop, and it’s important to give allow for mistakes along the way. Butler’s quote is an encouragement to keep going , even when writers feel like their writing isn’t up to par. Inspiring quotes for writers like this one can help us maintain a growth mindset and stay focused on our goals.

15. The most important things are the hardest things to say. They are the things you get ashamed of because words diminish them — words shrink things that seemed limitless when they were in your head to no more than living size when they’re brought out. – Stephen King

As writers, sensitive or uncomfortable subjects can be difficult to discuss, and it’s important to approach these topics with care and respect. King’s quote is a reminder that the most important stories are often the most difficult to tell and are also the ones that can have the greatest impact. Inspiring quotes for writers like this one can help us find the courage to tackle tough subjects and use our writing to effect change.

Many successful authors credit inspiring quotes for writers as the fuel that helped them achieve their writing goals.

16. There are three rules for writing a novel. Unfortunately, no one knows what they are. – W. Somerset Maugham

17. i write entirely to find out what i’m thinking, what i’m looking at, what i see and what it means. what i want and what i fear. – joan didion, 18. the role of a writer is not to say what we all can say, but what we are unable to say. – anaïs nin, 19. the pen is mightier than the sword. – edward bulwer-lytton, 20. good writing is supposed to evoke sensation in the reader—not the fact that it is raining, but the feeling of being rained upon. – e.l. doctorow.

In conclusion, inspiring quotes for writers can help fuel creativity and provide motivation to keep writing. Writing can be a challenging process, and it’s important to remember that even the best writers face self-doubt and struggle with their craft. But these inspiring quotes for writers serve as a reminder that the act of writing itself is powerful and can lead to incredible things. Whether it’s Isabel Allende’s reminder to write what should not be forgotten, or Ernest Hemingway’s famous inspiring quote for writers about bleeding onto the page, they capture the essence of what it means to be a writer. They encourage us to embrace our unique voices, persevere through tough times, and always strive for improvement. So the next time you’re feeling stuck or overwhelmed in your writing journey, take a moment to reflect on these inspiring quotes for writers. Allow them to fuel your creativity, spark new ideas, and remind you of the incredible power that words can hold. And most importantly, remember that as a writer, you have the ability to make a difference in the world through your words.

99 Quotes About Creativity To Inspire Your Writing

As a writer , you know the importance of creativity . It’s what keeps your brain alive and opens it to new possibilities.

It leads you into the world beyond your limited experience.

But it doesn’t get far without curiosity.

When you’re curious about something, you take action to learn more about it. You test limits and take risks.

That’s the point of these 99 creativity quotes for inspiratio n with your writing project. Find your favorites and see how much further your creativity can take you.

Albert Einstein Creativity Quotes

Dr. seuss creativity quotes, steve jobs creativity quotes, short creativity quotes, more famous creativity quotes.

Enjoy these quotes from one of the most influential scientists of the 20th century, who valued imagination and curiosity over logical precision.

“True art is characterized by an irresistible urge in the creative artist.”

“The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination.”

“Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler.”

“Small is the number of people who see with their eyes and think with their minds.”

“No problem can be solved from the same level of consciousness that created it.”

“It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge.”

“The only way to escape the corruptible effect of praise is to go on working.”

“The monotony and solitude of a quiet life stimulates the creative mind.”

“Once we accept our limits, we go beyond them.”

“The world as we have created it is a process of our thinking. It cannot be changed without changing our thinking.”

“Nothing happens until something moves.”

“Only those who attempt the absurd can achieve the impossible.”

“A man should look for what is, and not for what he thinks should be.”

“Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”

.ugb-903a2f4 .ugb-blockquote__item{background-color:#4791bb !important;border-radius:50px !important}.ugb-903a2f4 .ugb-blockquote__item:before{background-color:#4791bb !important}.ugb-903a2f4 .ugb-blockquote__quote{fill:#fcb900 !important;width:70px !important;height:70px !important}.ugb-903a2f4 .ugb-blockquote__text{color:#ffffff}.ugb-903a2f4 .ugb-inner-block{text-align:center} “Creativity is seeing what everyone else has seen, and thinking what no one else has thought.”

“Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds.”

“I have no special talent. I am only passionately curious.”

“Invention is not the product of logical thought, even though the final product is tied to a logical structure.”

“Once you stop learning, you start dying.”

“I believe in intuitions and inspirations. I sometimes feel that I am right. I do not know that I am.”

“Creativity is intelligence having fun.”

“Imagination is everything. It is the preview of life’s coming attractions.”

“I never made one of my discoveries through the process of rational thinking”

Who knows more about the power of creative imagination than Dr. Seuss? Generations of children unleashed their own imaginations with his whimsical stories and characters.

“You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You’re on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the one who’ll decide where to go…”

“Think left and think right and think low and think high. Oh, the thinks you can think up if only you try!”

“You can get help from teachers, but you are going to have to learn a lot by yourself, sitting alone in a room.”

“So the writer who breeds more words than he needs, is making a chore for the reader who reads.”

“Think and wonder, wonder and think.”

“It’s not about what it is, it’s about what it can become.”

“If you never did you should. These things are fun, and fun is good.”

“It is better to know how to learn than to know.”

.ugb-907ba63 .ugb-blockquote__item{background-color:#5c84a3 !important;border-radius:50px !important}.ugb-907ba63 .ugb-blockquote__item:before{background-color:#5c84a3 !important}.ugb-907ba63 .ugb-blockquote__quote{fill:#e3bb9f !important;width:70px !important;height:70px !important}.ugb-907ba63 .ugb-blockquote__text{color:#ffffff}.ugb-907ba63 .ugb-inner-block{text-align:center} “I’m telling you this ‘cause you’re one of my friends. My alphabet starts where your alphabet ends!”

“You have to be odd to be number one”

“Nothing is going to change, unless someone does something soon”

“So, open your mouth, lad! For every voice counts!”

“Oh the things you can find, if you don’t stay behind!”

“He who makes a beast out of himself gets rid of the pain of being a man”

The visionary co-founder of Apple Computers had plenty to say about creativity and its role in both human evolution and happiness.

“Creativity is just connecting things. When you ask creative people how they did something, they feel a little guilty because they didn’t really do it, they just saw something.”

“Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower.”

“Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.”

“I think if you do something and it turns out pretty good, then you should go do something else wonderful, not dwell on it for too long. Just figure out what’s next.”

“None of us are as creative as all of us.”

“Sometimes when you innovate, you make mistakes. It is best to admit them quickly, and get on with improving your other innovations.”

“We do not say anything about future products. We work on them in secret, then we announce them.”

“You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something – your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever.”

“That’s been one of my mantras – focus and simplicity. Simple can be harder than complex: You have to work hard to get your thinking clean to make it simple. But it’s worth it in the end because once you get there, you can move mountains.”

.ugb-b1a6745 .ugb-blockquote__item{background-color:#8961ae !important;border-radius:50px !important}.ugb-b1a6745 .ugb-blockquote__item:before{background-color:#8961ae !important}.ugb-b1a6745 .ugb-blockquote__quote{fill:#7bdcb5 !important;width:70px !important;height:70px !important}.ugb-b1a6745 .ugb-blockquote__text{color:#ffffff}.ugb-b1a6745 .ugb-inner-block{text-align:center} “You have to be burning with an idea, or a problem, or a wrong that you want to right. If you’re not passionate enough from the start, you’ll never stick it out.”

“Older people sit down and ask, ‘What is it?’ but the boy asks, ‘What can I do with it?’”

“The ones who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do.”

Powerful quotes on creativity don’t have to be long; something short and sweet is easier to use as a mantra when you’re feeling tapped out.

“Great things are done by a series of small things brought together.” – Vincent van Gogh

“Have no fear of perfection, you’ll never reach it.”– Salvador Dali

“Creativity is a wild mind and a disciplined eye.”– Dorothy Parker

“It’s not what you look at that matters, it’s what you see.” – Henry David Thoreau

“If you want creative workers, give them enough time to play.”– John Cleese

“If you’re not doing some things that are crazy, then you’re doing the wrong things.”- Larry Page

“Create with the heart; build with the mind.”- Criss Jami

“Originality is the best form of rebellion.”- Mike Sasso

“If it doesn’t sell; it isn’t creative.”- David Ogilvy

“When we build, let us think that we build forever.”- John Ruskin

“The cure for boredom is curiosity. There is no cure for curiosity.” — Dorothy Parker

“Art, freedom and creativity will change society faster than politics.”– Victor Pinchuk

WEEKLY WRITING PROMPTS

Join (probably?) the world's largest writing contest. Flex those creative muscles with weekly writing prompts.

Showing 2149 prompts

Write a story that includes someone saying, “be careful what you wish for.”.

LIVE – Character

Make a character’s obsession or addiction an important element of your story.

Write a story in which one of the characters is a narcissist., write about a character who struggles to do the right thing., start your story with a character being followed..

Introducing Prompted , a new magazine written by you!

🏆 Featuring 12 prize-winning stories from our community. Download it now for FREE .

Your protagonist is a voracious reader. Lately, they’ve been noticing odd synchronicities in the books he or she is reading. What does the protagonist discover is happening?

Dream up a secret library. write a story about an adventurer who discovers it. what’s in the library why was it kept secret, write a story about a future academic (or another influential person) “rediscovering” a book that, in its time, was dismissed. the book can be fictitious or real., your protagonist is a writer who discovers a new favorite author. how does their writing, or even their own personality, change as the protagonist falls under the writer’s influence, write a story about discovering a lost manuscript. it can be from a famous (or infamous) author, or an unknown one., subscribe to our prompts newsletter.

Never miss a prompt! Get curated writing inspiration delivered to your inbox each week.

Your teacher tasks you with writing a story based on an eavesdropped conversation. When the story is published, your subject isn’t happy.

A character overhears something at a black-tie event that puts the night in jeopardy., write a story in which someone can only hear one side of a conversation and must piece together the meaning of what they’ve heard., write a story about a child overhearing something they don’t understand., write a story in which someone is afraid of being overheard., write a story about a character driving and getting lost., write a story about a tennis match between two rivals., write a story that begins with someone dancing in a bar., write a story around someone (literally) bumping into someone else., write a story about a character running late for a job interview., win $250 in our short story competition 🏆.

We'll send you 5 prompts each week. Respond with your short story and you could win $250!

Contest #252 LIVE

Enter our weekly contest.

This week's theme: Obsession

Prize money

Contest entries, closes at 23:59 - may 31, 2024 est, recent contests ✍️.

#251 – Lost and Found Books with BookTrib

#250 – All Ears

#249 – Action Stations with Tom Bromley

#248 – From the Top

Recent winners 🏆

VJ Hamilton – read

Dena Linn – read

Honey Homecroft – read

Madeline McCourt – read

Leaderboard 🥇

#1 Zilla Babbitt

32375 points

#2 Deidra Whitt Lovegren

28734 points

#3 Abigail Airuedomwinya

22421 points

#4 Graham Kinross

14537 points

#5 Scout Tahoe

13199 points

#6 Chris Campbell

11414 points

#7 Thom With An H

10639 points

#8 Rayhan Hidayat

10213 points

#9 Michał Przywara

9945 points

#10 Deborah Mercer

9610 points

Bring your short stories to life

Fuse character, story, and conflict with tools in the Reedsy Book Editor. 100% free.

Creative Writing Prompts

When the idea to start a weekly newsletter with writing inspiration first came to us, we decided that we wanted to do more than provide people with topics to write about. We wanted to try and help authors form a regular writing habit and also give them a place to proudly display their work. So we started the weekly Creative Writing Prompts newsletter. Since then, Prompts has grown to a community of more than 450,000 authors, complete with its own literary magazine, Prompted .

Here's how our contest works: every Friday, we send out a newsletter containing five creative writing prompts. Each week, the story ideas center around a different theme. Authors then have one week — until the following Friday — to submit a short story based on one of our prompts. A winner is picked each week to win $250 and is highlighted on our Reedsy Prompts page.

Interested in participating in our short story contest? Sign up here for more information! Or you can check out our full Terms of Use and our FAQ page .

Why we love creative writing prompts

If you've ever sat in front of a computer or notebook and felt the urge to start creating worlds, characters, and storylines — all the while finding yourself unable to do so — then you've met the author's age-old foe: writer's block. There's nothing more frustrating than finding the time but not the words to be creative. Enter our directory! If you're ready to kick writer's block to the curb and finally get started on your short story or novel, these unique story ideas might just be your ticket.

This list of 1800+ creative writing prompts has been created by the Reedsy team to help you develop a rock-solid writing routine. As all aspiring authors know, this is the #1 challenge — and solution! — for reaching your literary goals. Feel free to filter through different genres, which include...

Dramatic — If you want to make people laugh and cry within the same story, this might be your genre.

Funny — Whether satire or slapstick, this is an opportunity to write with your funny bone.

Romance — One of the most popular commercial genres out there. Check out these story ideas out if you love writing about love.

Fantasy — The beauty of this genre is that the possibilities are as endless as your imagination.

Dystopian – Explore the shadowy side of human nature and contemporary technology in dark speculative fiction.

Mystery — From whodunnits to cozy mysteries, it's time to bring out your inner detective.

Thriller and Suspense — There's nothing like a page-turner that elicits a gasp of surprise at the end.

High School — Encourage teens to let their imaginations run free.

Want to submit your own story ideas to help inspire fellow writers? Send them to us here.

After you find the perfect story idea

Finding inspiration is just one piece of the puzzle. Next, you need to refine your craft skills — and then display them to the world. We've worked hard to create resources that help you do just that! Check them out:

How to Write a Short Story That Gets Published — a free, ten-day course by Laura Mae Isaacman, a full-time editor who runs a book editing company in Brooklyn.
Best Literary Magazines of 2023 — a directory of 100+ reputable magazines that accept unsolicited submissions.
Writing Contests in 2023 — the finest contests of 2021 for fiction and non-fiction authors of short stories, poetry, essays, and more.

Beyond creative writing prompts: how to build a writing routine

While writing prompts are a great tactic to spark your creative sessions, a writer generally needs a couple more tools in their toolbelt when it comes to developing a rock-solid writing routine . To that end, here are a few more additional tips for incorporating your craft into your everyday life.

NNWT. Or, as book coach Kevin Johns calls it , “Non-Negotiable Writing Time.” This time should be scheduled into your routine, whether that’s once a day or once a week. Treat it as a serious commitment, and don’t schedule anything else during your NNWT unless it’s absolutely necessary.
Set word count goals. And make them realistic! Don’t start out with lofty goals you’re unlikely to achieve. Give some thought to how many words you think you can write a week, and start there. If you find you’re hitting your weekly or daily goals easily, keep upping the stakes as your craft time becomes more ingrained in your routine.
Talk to friends and family about the project you’re working on. Doing so means that those close to you are likely to check in about the status of your piece — which in turn keeps you more accountable.

Arm yourself against writer’s block. Writer’s block will inevitably come, no matter how much story ideas initially inspire you. So it’s best to be prepared with tips and tricks you can use to keep yourself on track before the block hits. You can find 20 solid tips here — including how to establish a relationship with your inner critic and apps that can help you defeat procrastination or lack of motivation.

NEW VIDEO COURSE 🎉

How to Write a Novel

Join Tom Bromley for a writing master class and finish your first draft in 3 months . Learn more →

Explore more writing prompt ideas:

Adults Writing Prompts ⭢

Adventure Writing Prompts ⭢

Angst Writing Prompts ⭢

Character Writing Prompts ⭢

Christmas Writing Prompts ⭢

Dark Writing Prompts ⭢

Dialogue Writing Prompts ⭢

Dramatic Writing Prompts ⭢

Dystopian Writing Prompts ⭢

Fall Writing Prompts ⭢

Fantasy Writing Prompts ⭢

Fiction Writing Prompts ⭢

Fluff Writing Prompts ⭢

Funny Writing Prompts ⭢

Halloween Writing Prompts ⭢

High School Writing Prompts ⭢

Historical Fiction Writing Prompts ⭢

Holiday Writing Prompts ⭢

Horror Writing Prompts ⭢

Kids Writing Prompts ⭢

Middle School Writing Prompts ⭢

Mystery Writing Prompts ⭢

Narrative Writing Prompts ⭢

Nonfiction Writing Prompts ⭢

Novel Writing Prompts ⭢

Poetry Writing Prompts ⭢

Romance Writing Prompts ⭢

Sad Writing Prompts ⭢

Science Fiction Writing Prompts ⭢

Short Story Writing Prompts ⭢

Spring Writing Prompts ⭢

Summer Writing Prompts ⭢

Teens Writing Prompts ⭢

Thanksgiving Writing Prompts ⭢

Thriller and Suspense Writing Prompts ⭢

Valentine's Day Writing Prompts ⭢

Vampire Writing Prompts ⭢

Winter Writing Prompts ⭢

Oops, you need an account for that!

Or enter your email:

59+ Creative Writing Prompts to Fuel Your Inspiration

As a creative individual, you may occasionally find yourself facing the infamous writer's block, searching for that spark of inspiration to ignite your storytelling. I've gathered an extensive selection of writing prompts that aim to fuel your creativity and offer new perspectives on your characters, settings, or plot lines.

Since launching these prompts on YouTube in October 2022, I have compiled over 140 short videos, each presenting a unique prompt that taps into a variety of genres. These range from the magical realms of fantasy to the intimate nuances of romance, the boundless possibilities of science fiction and thrillers, and even the familiar territory of everyday life.

The prompts have resonated with audiences in different ways, and while some have gained more traction than others, each one presents a unique challenge and opportunity for storytelling.

To showcase the diversity and potential of these prompts, I'd like to share some of my personal favorites with you.

These top picks journey through various scenarios—imagine an undiscovered animal species, engage with woodland spirits, explore the powers of a water god, or dive into the complexities of futuristic love affairs.

The intention is to provide you with a versatile toolkit, enhancing both your writing skills and your imaginative capacity.

Key Takeaways

Writing prompts serve as a tool to overcome writer's blocks and enhance storytelling elements.
A wide range of genres are covered, offering diverse opportunities for creative exploration.
The prompts propose intriguing scenarios that challenge and inspire writers to craft compelling narratives.

Writing Stimulus Overview

Creative blocks are common, and one effective strategy to trigger inspiration is the use of writing stimuli . They not only help break through blocks but can also enrich elements such as characters, settings, or storylines.

A variety of these stimuli have been synthesized and shared as YouTube short videos since mid-October 2022, with a library now exceeding 140 shorts. These prompts span various genres, from high fantasy and science fiction to slice-of-life scenarios.

Favorites for Fantasy Enthusiasts:

Invent a new animal species, an extraterrestrial being, or an entirely fictional creature.
Craft a tale about an individual who can converse with forest critters.
Narrate the story of a deity or spirit associated with water.
Explore the life of someone whose fate was predicted at birth, yet skepticism lingers.

Intriguing Plot Twists:

Your protagonist makes a living through counterfeit psychic abilities, but one day, genuine powers manifest.
Discover a mystical passageway in an unexpected place—the comfort of your own home.

Romantic Fiction Ideas:

Stories of culinary expressions of affection ending in a romantically timed embrace.
Chance encounters between solitary globetrotters in the most unforeseen locations.
Narrate an impossible love between a mermaid and a prince, or between a witch and her liberator from a curse.

Science Fiction for the Curious Mind:

Amidst a variety of universes, there still persists the constant presence of Adam Sandler.
A dystopian setting where literacy has vanished, but a machine reignites these lost abilities.

Everyday Oddities and Thrills:

A casual mention of a store aisle that doesn't exist brings about a puzzled reaction.

Mystery and Suspense Elements:

Coin an account involving internet friends who are clueless about their real-life acquaintance.

Historical and Alternative World Settings:

A narrative taking place in a realm where conventional currency is obsolete.
Write from the perspective of an inadvertent time-traveler due to an erroneous clock adjustment.

Creative Challenges:

Describe a chance meeting in a graveyard involving peculiar characters and a menacing revelation.
Envision a summer camp that becomes a backdrop for uncovering grim secrets.

Creative Sparks for Your Imagination

Engaging fantasy scenarios.

Concoct a tale regarding a species of animal that does not exist.
Craft a fairy tale focused on a person who can converse with forest wildlife.
Imagine a water deity and build a story revolving around them.
Challenge the concept of destiny by creating a character who knows their future but doubts its veracity.
Mix reality with fantasy as your character pretends to be a psychic, only to truly become one.

Romantic Escapades with a Twist

Explore magnetism in love and write about a world where electromagnetic bracelets lead to soulmates.
Whip up a romantic meal as a character who expresses affection through cooking, culminating in a midnight kiss.
Destined encounters unfold as solo travelers meet repeatedly in the most surprising places.
Turn the tale of Cupid's arrow on its head, examining lost affections when preexisting love meets myth.

Sci-fi Encounters and Anomalies

Tackle interdimensional consistency with the peculiar notion that Adam Sandler exists uniformly across multiverses.
Picture a future where reading and writing are lost arts, revived through an unlikely mentor.
Voice a robot rebellion as NASA's Curiosity Rover suddenly deviates from its mission, sparking intrigue with a cryptic message.

Mysterious and Macabre Twists

Devise a murder mystery with an unusual weapon – a pumpkin-carving knife.
Envision a self-aware zombie and explore the apocalypse from its unique perspective.
Unveil sinister secrets as friends discover more than they bargained for in a hidden room within an old mansion.

Collection of Creative Writing Ideas

Top Fantasy Concepts :

Invent a non-existent animal species or a fantasy being.
Write a fairy tale about a character who converses with woodland creatures.
Create a narrative featuring a deity or spirit tied to water.
Describe a protagonist whose future has been predicted since birth and their skepticism.
Your character, initially a charlatan psychic, wakes up with genuine abilities.
Formulate a tale about discovering a magical portal at home.
Design a story based around a character experiencing former or future lives.
Detail the antics of a mischievous fairy or deity.
Pen a scene where a chat with the ghost of a friend over tea is a routine affair.
Craft a scenario where, upon alerting to a mess in a nonexistent supermarket aisle, a mystery unfolds.

Romantic Sparks and Twists :

Magnetic bracelets are designed to draw one to their soulmate; narrate the activation day.
Feature a character expressing love through culinary masterpieces, culminating in a kiss at the stroke of midnight.
Weave tales of two wanderlust individuals repeatedly crossing paths.
Introduce Cupid and the consequences of his arrow to a tale of unrequited love.
A mermaid and a prince defy the ban on their affection; spin their narrative.
Conjure a witch whose curse can only be broken by one man; chart their tale.

Sci-Fi and Dystopia :

Depict Adam Sandler's surprising presence across various universes.
In a world reliant on vocal commands, a machine reteaches a girl to read and write.
Imagine someone hearing disobedient thoughts from an unkown voice during an illness.
The Curiosity Rover curiously alters course; what comes next?
In a longevity-driven society with a dark catch, you receive a life-or-death letter.

Mystery and Thriller :

Craft a murder mystery with an unusual pumpkin-carving weapon.
Unearth a dark secret guarded by an enigmatic mansion from its sinister rooms.
A serene summer camp becomes the stage for harrowing revelations.

Unique Story Elements :

Narrate from a zombie's perspective during an apocalypse.
Investigate a neighbor's façade, leading to a terrifying discovery.
Engage readers with a tale of internet anonymity and real-life acquaintance.

Suggestions for Love-Inspired Narratives

Top Romantic Plot Ideas:

Imagine your daily visit to the grocery store leads to a mysterious discovery when the cashier informs you there's no such place as aisle 24.
Picture a world where bracelets with electromagnetic properties draw people to their destined partners—yours just activated.
Craft a tale where a character expresses affection through homemade meals, culminating in a significant kiss as a new day begins.
Envision two solitary globetrotters whose paths keep intersecting in the most unanticipated areas.

Forbidden and Enchanted Loves:

Think of a mermaid and a prince, their liaison deemed illicit, yet their attraction is inescapable.
Contemplate a powerful enchantress whose only salvation from a haunting curse is a most unexpected individual.

Sci-Fi Romance Twists:

Develop a narrative around a human-shaped automaton, created for perfection, learning about the beauty in flaws from an unanticipated teacher.
Inhabit a universe of many dimensions where one humorous and consistent figure makes an appearance: a familiar comedian named Adam Sandler.

Unexpected Encounters:

Bring to life a story about a machine in a dystopian future that imparts to a girl the forgotten arts of reading and writing.
Explore the chilling reality of a voice that commands you while you're unwell, proclaiming the game you're living is defective.

Bullet Points:

Concoct a romantic scenario where food is the language of love, ending with a pivotal moment at the stroke of midnight.
Dream up an encounter with Cupid, where his arrow has the power to erase pre-existing affections.
Write about the unexpected and humorous omnipresence of a celebrity in every conceivable universe or timeline.
Frame a love story within a technologically advanced world where a simple machine revives the lost art of literacy.
Envision a species that enters your narrative, one that's yet to be seen in the natural world.
Whether extraterrestrial beings or imaginary entities, the horizon for creation is boundless.
Imagine a universe where Adam Sandler exists in every possible reality, providing a constant thread of humor regardless of the circumstances.
Think about creating a murder mystery revolving around an unconventional murder weapon, like a pumpkin-carving knife, weaving a tale of intrigue and unpredicted twists.
Consider a plot set against a post-apocalyptic backdrop, where a protagonist awakens to find that voice-command technology has caused humanity to lose its ability to read and write, until one machine sparks a change.
While settling the bill at the grocery store, casually mention a spill in aisle 24. The cashier's baffled response—they have no aisle 24—sparks a curious tale.
You take a sick day and stay in, only to hear an internal voice questioning your actions as if you were a character in a game with a glitch.
Narrate the tale of two solo wanderers who serendipitously cross paths across the globe.
Cupid offers a love-struck trade: an arrow for your love, with the condition that their current feelings might vanish upon impact.
Mankind has foregone the art of reading and writing in a dystopian future where machines communicate through voice, but one machine's choice to teach a girl these lost skills can change everything.
In a world where Adam Sandler is the universal constant across multiverses, describe an encounter with this timeless figure.
Invent a story around the meeting with a woodland spirit or a trickster deity.
Compose a narrative where a character wakes as a reincarnation of themselves, facing the joys and trials of a new life cycle.
Delve into a murder mystery where a seemingly innocuous pumpkin carving knife becomes the central clue.
Create tension as a group of friends uncovers a chilling secret in an abandoned room of an old mansion.
Enthralling Beasts : Imagine an entirely new species; an unearthly creature, perhaps a vividly unique animal, or even an extraterrestrial organism. Let the bounds of reality be stretched by your creation.
Woodland Whispers : Craft a narrative about a character who can exchange thoughts with creatures of the forest. Detail their interactions in the hidden enclaves of nature.
Mystical Waters : Conjure up a tale about a deity or spirit presiding over water. Narrative waves should ebb and flow with their ancient, fluid power.
Prophecy Pondering : A future is written at birth for a character. Doubt clouds their belief. What will they choose when fate beckons?
Sudden Sight : What happens when someone who fakes psychic abilities wakes to find they possess real ones? Describe their initial shock and ensuing choices.
Dimensional Doorways : A character uncovers a magical portal within the confines of their residence—adventure into what lies beyond.
Historical Echoes : Your protagonist awakes within a past life or as a future incarnation. Weave the story of their metaphysical journey.
Pixie Mischief : Tell the tale of a playful pixie or a cunning trickster deity. What chaos and laughter will they bring?
Ghostly Reunions : Visualize a character engaging in periodic tea encounters with a spectral old friend.
Nonexistent Aisles : While paying for groceries, your character mentions a spill in aisle 24, only to be told it doesn't exist—what mystery unfolds?
Attraction Amplified : In a world where electromagnetic bracelets draw your soulmate to you, narrate the anticipation of the moment they turn on.
Culinary Affection : A protagonist expresses their love through cooking. Finish their story with a midnight kiss.
Unexpected Encounters : Two travelers intent on solitude repeatedly meet. Detail their growing relationship spun by serendipitous events.
Cupid's Caveat : Cupid can shoot the love arrow, but pre-existing affection could vanish upon impact. Decide whether the risk is worth the reward.
Forbidden Merfolk Love : Amidst a strict divide between land and sea, a prince and a mermaid resist the rules that keep them apart.
Hex and Heartbreak : An empowered witch is tormented by a curse—paint a picture of the only one capable of releasing her from this spell.
Multiversal Constant : Adam Sandler exists in every reality of the Multiverse. Chronicle the absurdities in both utopian and dystopian worlds.
Forgotten Literacy : Humanity has lost the skills to read and write, until one machine reveals these lost arts to a young girl.
Glitch in the System : A sick day leads to a voice stating disobedience from a character's head. What's the source of this ominous game glitch?
Curiosity's Choice : NASA's rover on Mars takes an unplanned route and sends a cryptic message. What are the implications?
Mortal Lottery : Eternal life is feasible but at a deadly cost. Your chosen protagonist receives notice—they are to die. How will they face this?
Uncharted Economies : Set a story within a world where the currency is unconventional. Explore the nature of value and exchange.
Daylight Shift : After adjusting the clock for daylight savings, a character finds they've leaped through time. Elaborate on their temporal misadventure.
Lab Lilliputian : A lab accident leaves a scientist minuscule. Chronicling a bug-sized adventure to revert the mishap is your task.
Creation Catastrophe : A scientist's new life form leads to dire outcomes. Spell out the repercussions of such an invention.
Graveyard Stories : Incorporate a mysterious blue-veined hand, a graveyard setting, and the phrase "all that spit and sweat" in a chilling narrative.
Unseen Dangers : A character discerns their neighbor's menacing nature. What darkness lies hidden next door?
Imagine a non-existent animal species—an extraterrestrial find or mystical entity—and create its story.
Craft a fairy tale centered around a character who communicates with forest animals.
Envision a tale about a deity associated with water.
Explore the life of someone whose future was predicted from birth, questioning their belief in that destiny.
Create a scenario where your character, a sham psychic, gains genuine psychic abilities one day.
Invent a story involving the discovery of an enchanted portal within one's abode.
Consider a protagonist who experiences life in a past or future reincarnation.
Develop a narrative featuring a playful pixie or a cunning deity.
Write about an encounter with the spirit of a past acquaintance over tea.
Depict a world where electromagnetic bracelets draw people to their soulmates, and examine the experience.
Conceive a character expressing love through culinary creations, culminating in a kiss as a new day begins.
Describe the serendipitous meetings of two single travelers in unexpected locales.
Delve into the choice presented by Cupid to risk a current affection for guaranteed love.
Illustrate a forbidden love between a mermaid and a prince, transcending boundaries.
Narrate the tale of a witch whose curse can only be broken by a particular individual's love.
Narrate a universe where Adam Sandler exists as a constant across a multiverse, maintaining his distinctive persona.
Picture a dystopian future where humans no longer read or write until one individual relearns these lost arts.
Imagine a day at home interrupted by a voice in your head, suggesting a reality beyond your understanding.
Conjure a scenario where the Curiosity Rover acts against command, leading to an unthinkable revelation.
Envision a society with eternal youth, but at a steep and ethical cost.
Weave a narrative where the story unfolds in an undefined world, featuring alternative currencies to money.
Tell a tale of unintended time travel due to a simple act of changing a clock for daylight saving.
Design a murder mystery revolving around an unexpected murder weapon, like a pumpkin-carving knife.
Imagine a world where you are 'Big Brother,' overseeing all.
Picture an undead apocalypse from the perspective of a frightened zombie.
Fabricate a story about internet friends who are unaware of their real-life acquaintance.
Initiate a story with the discovery of a secret leading to significant ramifications.
Portray a character resolving a mystery with the help of a local library or librarian.
Depict someone orchestrating a cookie exchange masking a deeper purpose for the gathering.
Start a narrative with the finding of a peculiar inscription on the back of a painting, leading to small-town secrets.
Craft a dialogue recalling an event that seems impossible, considering the person involved vanished years ago.
Write about an individual who magnifies minor events, turning them into dire conundrums.
Describe an extensive road trip filled with self-discovery, starting from a decisive "I quit."
Imagined Worlds of Tomorrow In a universe where fantastical beings roam, you might invent a myth about an unrecorded species—an extraterrestrial marvel, perhaps. Imagine a world where you can interact with forest animals, or a realm dominated by a deity of water. Picture a life where your destiny has been predicted since birth, yet skepticism lingers. You could lead a deceptive life, pretending to have psychic abilities—until one morning, you awaken with genuine powers. Consider discovering a passageway to other realms within your abode, or picture yourself as your own ancestor or successor reincarnated. Envision tales of mischievous sprites or capricious divinities, or encountering a spectral old friend for regular teatime. You're at the store, and as you alert the clerk to a spill in aisle 24, they respond with confusion—there is no aisle 24. Sci-Fi Encounters and Cosmic Oddities In realms beyond, romantic allure becomes tangible. Imagine bracelets that magnetically draw soulmates together, igniting on a day of eager anticipation. Think of savoring culinary creations as a love language, ending with a kiss as the clock strikes midnight. Envision paths repeatedly crossing with another lone traveler in serendipity's embrace. Cupid offers a perilous choice: shoot your love with an arrow, but risk extinguishing any affection they may hold for you. Mystical love stories unfold between mermaids and princes, witches and mortals. A novice author might fall for a mysterious writer, unraveling past secrets to understand their bond. You could risk all for a fervid quest, or learn that imperfection holds its own beauty in a romance with a cyborg. Parallel Realities and Existential Musings Imagine a Multiverse with one constant: Adam Sandler. Humorous or grim, his presence remains in every reality. In a bleak future, voice-operated machines lead humanity to discard the written word, leaving generations illiterate until a single machine revives forgotten skills. Perhaps, one day at home, unwell, you hear an inner voice—as if you're a glitch in a game, not adhering to unseen controls. Deep space exploration takes a turn as the Curiosity Rover veers off-script and, shockingly, communicates. What if science uncovers the secret to cease aging, but for each life extended, another must end, maintaining a balance albeit with a cruel twist? Dystopian Visions and Chilling Discoveries In a nameless, dystopian society, currency evolves beyond mere money. Time leaps forward due to a single twist on your clock—and not by a mere hour. A scientist shrinks to an insect's scale following an experiment gone awry and must brave a now colossal laboratory. Murder mysteries can hinge on the flip of a coin, or occur in an environment where Big Brother truly watches. A zombie experiencing fear sheds light on an apocalypse, while friends in the digital realm unknowingly intertwine their fates in the physical world. Imagine yourself as a harbinger of truth or deception, beguiling with knowledge or leading astray. The simple act of removing a painting could reveal chilling engravings, hinting at a small town's hidden turpitudes. Tales of Survival and Suspense A hot air balloon operator battles prehistoric predators to provide thrills for passengers. A tale of betrayal might begin with the revelation of an affair, leading to trust tested by gunfire. Lives transform over a single meal, while a misidentified delivery driver races against time, encumbered by pizzas and dodging criminal entanglements. Potential Endings and Narrative Inspirations Imagine a life devoted to achieving culinary greatness, hindered only by absent taste. Or perhaps, you'll choose to navigate the poignant musings of an overthinker, spiraling over the minuscule. Whether through embracing a final round in a familiar fight or revealing your grandmother as an unlikely cult figurehead, stories await your crafting. The end of one journey or the change wrought in the time it takes to share a meal harbors the potency to reshape a character's world—in your hands, these moments are yours to mold. Enigmas and Homicide Motifs
If you've ever fantasized about unearthly entities , consider penning a tale about an imagined beast —complete freedom to define its form and nature.
Weave a narrative centered on someone who holds conversations with forest-dwelling creatures , akin to the classic structure of fairy tales.
What about crafting an epic about a deity of the waters ? Place this spirit within your fantasy universe and explore its interactions.
Imagine you're the prime subject of an ancient prophecy since birth, yet skepticism clouds your belief in this set fate.
Your life's work has revolved around fabricating psychic talents—until the day arrives when you awaken to genuine supernatural capabilities.
A hidden mystical gateway within your abode serves as an invitation to otherworldly adventure. What lies beyond it?
Reflect on waking up intertwined with a prior life or perhaps as a future self reborn, incorporating elements of reincarnation into your plot.
Conjure up tales of mischief, brought about either by a pixie with a penchant for chaos or a deity known for their trickery .
Old companionship and the supernatural merge when you write about periodic meetings with a spectral friend over tea.
Envision informing a store clerk about a mess in a non-existent Aisle 24, and the narrative possibilities spiral from there.
Engage with these top literary ventures that I've personally enjoyed crafting:
Envision a fantastical race of beings that have no parallel in nature or mythology. Their existence is yours to define.
Write a fable centered on a character who possesses the rare ability to converse with forest animals.
Conceive a tale about a deity of the waters and the mysteries they guard.
What if your fate was written at birth? Create a character grappling with their predestined future.
Imagine what would happen if a phony clairvoyant awoke to genuine psychic gifts.
Spin a yarn about discovering an enchanting gateway within the confines of one's dwelling.
Explore the life of someone who navigates through their former or forthcoming incarnations.
Conjure a story about a playful sprite or deity known for their antics.
What intrigue unfolds when an old ghostly acquaintance is routinely met over tea?
You've just alerted the cashier to a mess in nonexistent aisle 24. Where does the story lead from there?
In an age where magnetic bracelets theoretically lead you to your soulmate, what transpires on the day they are activated?
Create a character whose greatest expression of love is through culinary creations, culminating in a kiss as the clock strikes midnight.
Narrate the serendipitous encounters of two independent wanderers in the most unlikely locales.
What if Cupid warned that his arrow could erase existing affections? Would you still take the risk?
Dive into a forbidden romance between a mermaid and a prince.
A witch bound by a curse finds solace in the one man who can break it.
An aspiring novelist unravels the mysteries of a reclusive author's past to grasp the nature of their bond.
Portray a character who hazards everything in the pursuit of what their heart desires.
A narrative where a cyborg, designed for flawlessness, learns the beauty of imperfection from an unexpected source.
In every universe of a vast Multiverse, one constant remains: Adam Sandler.
Imagine a dystopian future where reading and writing are relics of the past—until one machine revives these lost arts.
You've called in sick only to hear a voice in your mind demanding you obey—suggesting your life may be a video game glitch.
When Mars' Curiosity rover deviates from its course and communicates, "We'll save Opie," unravel the mystery.
Conceive a world where halting the aging process has a lethal catch: for every person who gains this benefit, another must perish.
Invent a story where the currency is something other than money—something we wouldn't recognize as currency today.
What happens when a time change for daylight savings unwittingly propels you far beyond an hour?
Craft a tale around the chaos unleashed by a scientist who accidentally miniaturizes herself.
Or a scientist whose creation of new life yields catastrophic results.
Picture a murder mystery where a pumpkin-carving knife is the unexpected weapon.
Fantasy beings : You might write about the interaction between creatures of your own design and the human world.
Woodland communicators : Characters may have abilities to converse with forest animals, presenting unique relational challenges.
Aqua deities : Stories could involve water gods or spirits, highlighting the difficulties of relationships crossing the natural and supernatural realms.
Fortune's weight : Explore a character's skepticism about their destiny as foretold at birth.
Supernatural shifts : Imagine making a living faking supernatural abilities, only to awaken with genuine ones.
Temporal dissonance : Characters face personal strife waking up as past or future incarnations of themselves.
Ethereal bonds : Perhaps a tale where a human communes with the spirit of an old friend.
Magnetic attraction : Delve into a world where love is quantified and brought to life through technology, complicating the notion of soulmates.
Gastronomic affection : A character expresses love through preparing food , culminating in a storybook kiss at midnight.
Serendipitous encounters : Two solo travelers repeatedly meet, raising questions of fate and choice in their connection.
Mythical love : A mermaid and a prince find love despite societal barriers, or a witch finds redemption through an unlikely relationship.
Technological dependence : In a dystopia where speech has supplanted literacy, one young girl learns to read and write, transforming her relationships.
Multiverse constant : Humorous narratives where a familiar personality, like a famous actor, appears in every imaginable universe.
Mandatory sacrifice : Imagine a world where immortality is achievable, but at a grim cost to another, affecting personal morals and societal values.
Envision a species unfamiliar to our world: might be alien, mystical, or undefined.
Craft a fable of a person conversing with forest animals.
Create a narrative centered around a deity tied to water.
Tell the tale of a protagonist, whose destiny was predicted at birth; yet, they are skeptical.
Your main character, known for simulating psychic abilities, awakens to genuine ones.
Literal Attraction : An electromagnetic bracelet designed to lead you to your soulmate.
Culinary Affection : A story ending with a shared kiss—a testament to love expressed through cooking.
Intertwined Paths : Two travelers coincidentally meet across unusual locations.
Multiversal Constant : Across various universes, there's one invariant—Adam Sandler.
Dystopian Dynamic : In a world where humans converse with machines and have forgotten to read and write, one machine teaches a girl these lost skills.
Unexpected Dialogue : Your usual workday is upended by a mysterious voice in your head.
Martian Mystery : When the Curiosity Rover deviates unexpectedly, a cryptic message is received.
In a world that has mastered the prolongation of youth and life, the balance of population demands a high price.
A World Nameless and Currency Strange : A realm where what is valued isn't money as we perceive it.
Twist of Time : An hour adjustment for daylight savings thrusts you far beyond the intended time span.
Pumpkin Carving Peril : A murder mystery pivoting around an autumn festive tool.
Graveyard Tales : Craft a narrative steeped in a cemetery, weaving in specific eerie elements.
Airborne Antics : Navigate a hot air balloon amidst prehistoric predators.
Culinary Cover-Up : Organize a quaint cookie exchange with ulterior motives.
Hidden Messages : Discovering enigmatic inscriptions behind mundane items reveals hidden truths.
An unexpected visitor in a downpour bears uncanny resemblance to a long-lost child, yet something is amiss.
Fantasy Beginnings : Craft stories on unconventional animal species, that aren't bound by the constraints of reality.
Woodland Dialogues : Spin a yarn where someone holds conversations with forest denizens.
Watery Deities’ Tales : Weave a story centered around a deity or spirit of the aquatic realm.
Portents from Birth : Explore the life of someone whose future has been predicted since their infancy.
Accidental Mystic : Create a narrative where a fraudulent psychic unexpectedly acquires genuine abilities.
Portals at Home : Describe the discovery of a mystical gateway in a domestic setting.
Lives Reexamined : Delve into the conscious experience of a character linked with past or future existences.
Sprite and Deity Mischief : Spin tales about crafty pixies or mischievous deities.
Phantom Companions : Write of a protagonist who enjoys periodic, spectral tea sessions with a departed companion.
Mysterious Store Layouts : Picture a grocery store scenario where a non-existent aisle becomes the subject of conversation.
Magnetically Drawn Together : Visualize a future where electromagnetic bracelets hypothetically draw you to your soulmate.
Cuisine of Affection : Craft a narrative that culminates with an intimate gesture, using acts of culinary love as its language.
Travelers' Serendipity : Write about nomadic souls crossing paths in the most serendipitous encounters.
Cupid's Consequence : Contemplate the repercussions of Cupid's intervention on existing affections.
Meta-human Romance : Explore a forbidden love story between a mermaid and a prince or a witch seeking redemption through relationship.
Writerly Affections : Develop a story where passion and the unraveling of a mysterious past intertwine.
Quest for Love : Concoct a tale of a character's arduous journey towards their heart's true yearning.
Beauty in Imperfection : Ponder the romantic connection between a cyborg and an individual who shows them the beauty in flaws.
Multiverse Constant : Imagine a universe, no matter how diverse or absurd, where a familiar comedian’s presence is the only certainty.
Lost Skills in the Future : Envision a dystopia where digital interfaces usurp traditional reading and writing until a significant re-education.
Misbehaving Simulation : Fathom a reality where virtual commands and responses take new, unexpected tangents.
Rover’s Rebellion : Picture NASA's Curiosity Rover inexplicably deviating from its path, leading to an unprecedented communication.
Curious Longevity : Conceive of a future where eternal youth is attainable but at a consequential price.

Final Thoughts and Steps Forward Harness the power of imagination to break free from creative stagnation. The inception of over 140 unique shorts on YouTube has led to a mosaic of genres awaiting your pen. Venture into the uncharted with early fantasy prompts; craft tales of unearthly beasts, or spin yarns of enchanted dialogues with forest inhabitants. Imagine the whispers of a water deity or the weight of a predestined future gently nudging at your protagonist's skepticism. Embrace the peculiar with scenarios that fuse the mundane with the magical, like finding accidental doorways to other worlds within your abode, or tackling the unnerving reality of an accurate prophecy. Envision the thrill, or perhaps the terror, of awakening latent psychic abilities under the guise of deceit. Revel in the peculiarities of romance that defy worldly norms, where destinies entwine through the magnetic pull of technology or the culinary gestures that symbolize deep affection. Imagine chance encounters spiraling into once-in-a-lifetime adventures, or the perils of love through Cupid's precarious assistance. In the realms of science fiction and dystopian futures, contemplate the constant of one celebrity's presence across all universes or the sacrifices required for eternal youth. Consider the conundrums of tech-fueled oblivion or the chaos when sentient machines challenge the status quo. Your creative journey may lead to fantastical murders with peculiar weapons, sympathizing with the fears of an undead creature, or unearthing grim secrets in unsuspecting places. The choice to explore is yours, and the prompts are plentiful, totaling 60 with even more to discover. This collection is designed to not only challenge your creative boundaries but also to ignite a narrative spark. Engage with these prompts and weave your stories. Share your creations and inspirations, and remember, an expanse of at least 80 additional prompts awaits your exploration.

19+ best notion real estate templates (free and paid), 15 best notion templates for writers, how to stop being lazy and get things done: 5 practical tips, 10 toxic habits you must break today to unleash a happier you, frequently asked questions, what is notion.

Notion is a note-taking and productivity app that allows you to organize your thoughts, write, and plan all in one place. It's like having a digital workspace to capture anything.

What is Notionyou?

Notionyou is your one-stop-shop to get free and premium notion templates for every single use case. We are on a mission to help people improve their lifestyle and become productive with our newsletter and templates.

What is a Notion template?

A Notion template is a pre-built workspace or page structure that can be duplicated to quickly set up common workflows or documents. Templates help users get started without building from scratch.

Why pay for Notion templates?

If you want more than the basic templates that come with Notion, you may find it useful to pay for templates that are of higher quality, more specialized, or more complicated. Paid templates frequently have more sophisticated features, allow for extensive customization, and have expertly made designs. They make things easier to do and save time for certain tasks or projects.

Can I use the Notion free account plan?

Yes, the Notion free account plan allows for personal use forever with features like unlimited pages, blocks, and integrations. It's a good option to try Notion without paying.

45 Quotes that Make Great Writing Prompts

Quotes can make great writing prompts. This list is about using quotes for great creative writing.

There are quotes you know, quotes you don’t, and prompts that challenge a writer to think in a different way and embrace changes in style.

How to Use Prompts

These prompts are a bit different. They are a list of quotes meant to inspire. Take these as inspiration for a great story, explain how it applies to you, relate something to it, or even just focus on what the main idea is.

Quotes as Prompts

The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing. -Walt Disney
If life were predictable, it would cease to be life, and be without flavor. -Eleanor Roosevelt
If you look at what you have in life, you’ll always have more. If you look at what you don’t have in life, you’ll never have enough. -Oprah Winfrey
If you set your goals ridiculously high and it’s a failure, you will fail above everyone else’s success. -James Cameron
Life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans. -John Lennon
When you reach the end of your rope, tie a knot in it and hang on. -Franklin D. Roosevelt
Always remember that you are absolutely unique. Just like everyone else. -Margaret Mead
The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams. -Eleanor Roosevelt
Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn. -Benjamin Franklin
It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light. -Aristotle
Whoever is happy will make others happy too. -Anne Frank
In the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years. -Abraham Lincoln
Never let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game. -Babe Ruth
Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all. -Helen Keller
Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up. -Thomas A. Edison
You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. -Dr. Seuss
Keep smiling, because life is a beautiful thing and there’s so much to smile about. -Marilyn Monroe
Love the life you live. Live the life you love. -Bob Marley
Life is made of ever so many partings welded together. -Charles Dickens
Life is trying things to see if they work. -Ray Bradbury
Success is not final; failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts. -Winston S. Churchill
Success usually comes to those who are too busy to be looking for it. -Henry David Thoreau
The secret of success is to do the common thing uncommonly well. -John D. Rockefeller Jr.
I find that the harder I work, the more luck I seem to have. -Thomas Jefferson
The real test is not whether you avoid this failure, because you won’t. It’s whether you let it harden or shame you into inaction, or whether you learn from it; whether you choose to persevere. -Barack Obama
You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take. -Wayne Gretzky
Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re right. -Henry Ford
I have learned over the years that when one’s mind is made up, this diminishes fear. -Rosa Parks
Nothing is impossible, the word itself says, ‘I’m possible!’ -Audrey Hepburn
The question isn’t who is going to let me; it’s who is going to stop me. -Ayn Rand
The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be. -Ralph Waldo Emerson
Believe you can and you’re halfway there. -Theodore Roosevelt
Winning isn’t everything, but wanting to win is. -Vince Lombardi
You become what you believe. -Oprah Winfrey
An unexamined life is not worth living. -Socrates
Everything you’ve ever wanted is on the other side of fear. -George Addair
Dream big and dare to fail. -Norman Vaughn
It doesn’t matter how slow you go as long as you do not stop. -Confuscious
I would rather die of passion than of boredom. -Vincent van Gogh
Dreaming, after all, is another form of planning. -Gloria Steinem
Before anything else, preparation is the key to success. -Alexander Graham Bell
I failed my way to success. -Thomas Edison
I never dreamed about success, I worked for it. -Estee Lauder
It’s better to fail in originality than to succeed in imitation. -Herman Melville

Feel free to browse around our site and explore the other resources available to you. We’ve got thousands of free resources we’ve lovingly created to inspire writing, and all sorts of other teaching and other educational resources too!

Let us know your feedback! Thanks for stopping by – see you again soon.

Choose Your Test

Sat / act prep online guides and tips, 105 creative writing prompts to try out.

General Education

The most common advice out there for being a writer is, "if you want to write, write." While this is true (and good advice), it's not always that easy, particularly if you're not writing regularly.

Whether you're looking for help getting started on your next project, or just want to spend 20 minutes being creative, writing prompts are great ways to rev up your imagination. Read on for our list of over 100 creative writing prompts!

feature image credit: r. nial bradshaw /Flickr

10 Short Writing Prompts

If you're looking for a quick boost to get yourself going, these 10 short writing prompts will do the trick.

#1 : Write a scene starting with a regular family ritual that goes awry.

#2 : Describe exactly what you see/smell/hear/etc, right now. Include objects, people, and anything else in your immediate environment.

#3 : Suggest eight possible ways to get a ping pong ball out of a vertical pipe.

#4 : A shoe falls out of the sky. Justify why.

#5 : If your brain were a tangible, physical place, what would it be like?

#6 : Begin your writing with the phrase, "The stage was set."

#7 : You have been asked to write a history of "The Summer of [this past year]." Your publisher wants a table of contents. What events will you submit?

#8 : Write a sympathetic story from the point of view of the "bad guy." (Think fractured fairy tales like Wicked or The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs! , although the story doesn't have to be a fairy tale.)

#9 : Look at everyday objects in a new way and write about the stories one of these objects contains.

#10 : One person meets a stranger on a mode of transportation. Write the story that ensues.

11 Writing Prompts for Kids

Any of these prompts can be used by writers of any age, but we chose the following 11 prompts as ones that would be particularly fun for kids to write about. (Most of them I used myself as a young writer, so I can vouch for their working!)

#1 : Include something falling in your writing.

#2 : Write a short poem (or story) with the title, "We don't know when it will be fixed."

#3 : Write from the perspective of someone of a different gender than you.

#4 : Write a dumb internet quiz.

#5 : Finish this thought: "A perfect day in my imagination begins like this:"

#6 : Write a character's inner monologue (what they are thinking as they go about their day).

#7 : Think of a character. Write a paragraph each about:

An important childhood experience that character had.
The character's living situation.
Two hobbies or things the character likes to do.
The room where the character sleeps.
An ambition of the character.
Two physical characteristics of the character.
What happens when a second person and this character meet.
Two important defining personal traits of this character.

#8 : Start a story with a quote from a song.

#9 : Begin a story with, "It was the summer of ______ when ______"

#10 : Pretend everyday objects have no names. Think about what you would name them based on what they do, what you can use them for, and what they look like.

#11 : Start a story with the phrases "My grandparents are/were," "My parents are/were," or "My mother/father/parent is/was."

15 Cool Writing Prompts

#1 : List five issues that you're passionate about. Write about them from the opposite point of view (or from the perspective of a character with the opposite point of view).

#2 : Walk around and write down a phrase you hear (or read). Make a story out of it.

#3 : Write using no adjectives or adverbs.

#4 : Write a character's inner dialogue between different aspects of a character's self (rather than an inner monologue).

#5 : Write a true story from your past that involves light or darkness in some way.

#6 : "Saying goodbye awakens us to the true nature of things." Write something in which someone has to say goodbye and has a realization.

#7 : Begin by writing the end of the story.

#8 : Write a recipe for an intangible thing.

#9 : Write a horror story about an ordinary situation (e.g., buying groceries, going to the bank, listening to music).

#10 : Write a story from within a bubble.

#11 : Write down 2-3 short character descriptions and then write the characters in conversation with one another.

#12 : Write a story in second person.

#13 : Write a story that keeps contradicting itself.

#14 : Write about a character with at least three big problems.

#15 : Write something that takes place on a Friday, the 13th (of any month).

15 Funny Writing Prompts

#1 : Write a story which starts with someone eating a pickle and potato sandwich.

#2 : Write a short script where the plot has to do with evil dolls trying to take over something.

#3 : Write about writers' block.

#4 : List five election issues that would be ridiculous to includes as part of your election platform (e.g. outlawing mechanical pencils and clicky pens, mandating every person over the age of 30 must own an emergency last rites kit). Choose one of the ridiculous issues and write a speech in favor of it.

#5 : Write a children's story that is insanely inappropriate but can't use graphic language, curses, or violence.

#6 : List five careers. Write about someone with one of those careers who wants to quit it.

#7 : Write down a list of murder methods. Choose one at random from the list to use in a story.

#8 : Write a romance story in which the hero must have a last name corresponding with a physical characteristic (e.g. Jacques Hairyback or Flora Dimple).

#9 : Come up with 10 different ways to:

order a pizza
congratulate someone on a job well done
return to the store something that's broken

#10 : Search for "random Renaissance painting" (or any other inspirational image search text you can think of) on any online internet image search engine. Picking one image, write half a page each of:

Statements about this image (e.g. "I meant bring me the BREAD of John the Baptist").
Questions about this image (e.g. "How many of those cherubs look like their necks are broken?").
Explanations of this image (e.g. "The painter ran out of blue paint halfway through and had to improvise for the color of the sky").
Commands said by people in this image or about this image (e.g. "Stop telling me to smile!" or "Bring me some gasoline!").

#11 : Write starting with a word that sounds like "chute" (e.g. "chute," "shoot," "shooed").

#12 : Write about a character named X "The [article of clothing]" Y (e.g. Julie "The Yellow Darted Skirt" Whyte) or simply referred to by their clothing (e.g. "the man in the brown suit" or "the woman in black").

#13 : Write down a paragraph each describing two wildly different settings. Write a story involving both settings.

#14 : Think of a fictional holiday based around some natural event (e.g. the Earth being at its farthest point from the sun, in memory of a volcanic eruption, that time a cloud looked like a rabbit riding a bicycle). Write about how this holiday is celebrated.

#15 : Write a "Just-So" type story about a fictional creature (e.g. "how the dragon got its firebreath" or "how the mudkip got its cheek gills").

54 Other Writing Prompt Ideas

#1 : Borrow a character from some other form of media (or create your own). Write from that character's perspective.

#2 : Write for and against a non-consequential controversy (e.g., salt vs. pepper, Mac vs. PC, best kind of door).

#3 : Choose an ancestor or a person from the past to write about or to.

#4 : Write a pirate story with a twist.

#5 : Have a character talk about another character and their feelings about that other character.

#6 : Pick a season and think about an event in your life that occurred in that season. Write a creative nonfiction piece about that event and that season.

#7 : Think of something very complicated and long. Write a page about it using short sentences.

#8 : Write a story as a dream.

#9 : Describe around a food without ever directly naming it.

#10 : Write a monologue (one character, talking to the audience/reader) (*not* an inner monologue).

#11 : Begin a story with the phrase, "It only took five seconds to..."

#12 : List five strong emotions. Choosing one, write about a character experiencing that emotion, but only use the character's actions to convey how they are feeling (no outright statements).

#13 : Write a chapter of the memoir of your life.

#14 : Look through the (physical) things you're currently carrying with you or wearing. Write about the memories or emotions tied with each of them.

#15 : Go be in nature. Write drawing your story from your surroundings (both physical, social, and mental/emotional).

#16 : Write from the perspective of a bubble (or bubble-like creature).

#17 : A person is jogging along an asphalt road. Write a story.

#18 : Title your story (or poem, or play, etc) "Anti-_____". Fill in the blank and write the story.

#19 : Write something that must include an animal, a mineral, and a vegetable.

#20 : Begin your writing with the phrase, "6 weeks later..."

#21 : List 5-10 office jobs. Pick one of them and describe a person working in that job as if you were a commentator on an Olympic sporting event.

#22 : Practice your poetic imagery: overwrite a description of a character's breakfast routine.

#23 : Write about a character (or group of characters) trying to convince another character to try something they're scared of.

#24 : Keep an eye out in your environment for examples of greengrocer's apostrophes and rogue quotation marks. Pick an example and write about what the misplaced punctuation implies (e.g., we have the "best" meat or we have the best "meat" ).

#25 : Fill in the blank with the first word that comes to mind: "_______ Riot!" Write a newspaper-style article describing the events that that took place.

#26 : Write from the point of view of your most-loved possession. What does it think of you?

#27 : Think of five common sayings (e.g., "An apple a day keeps the doctor away"). Write a horror story whose plot is one of those common sayings.

#28 : Write a scene in which two characters are finally hashing out a long-standing misunderstanding or disagreement.

#29 : You start receiving text messages from an unknown number. Tell the story of what happens next.

#30 : Write one character bragging to another about the story behind their new tattoo.

#31 : Superheroes save the world...but they also leave a lot of destruction in their wake. Write about a normal person in a superhero's world.

#32 : Sometimes, family is who we are related to; sometimes, family is a group of people we gather around ourselves. Write a story about (some of) a character's found family and relatives meeting for the first time.

#33 : Write a story that begins in the middle of the plot's action ( en media res ).

#34 : Everyone says you can never have too much of a good thing. Write a story where that isn't true.

#35 : What do ghosts do when they're not creating mischief? Write about the secret lives of ghosts.

#36 : Every year, you dread the last week of April. Write a story about why.

#37 : Write a story about what it would be like to have an animal sidekick in real life.

#38 : Heists don't just have to be black-clad thieves stealing into vaults to steal rare art or money. Write about a group of people (adults or children) who commit a heist for something of seemingly little monetary value.

#39 : "Life is like a chooseable-path adventure, except you don't get to see what would have happened if you chose differently." Think of a choice you've made and write about a world where you made a different choice.

#40 : Write a story about a secret room.

#41 : You find a message in a bottle with very specific directions. Write a story about the adventure you embark upon.

#42 : "You'll always be okay as long as you know where your _______ is." Fill in the blank and write a story (either fictional or from your life) illustrating this statement.

#43 : Forcing people into prolonged proximity can change and deepen relationships. Write about characters on a road trip together.

#44 : In music, sonata form includes three main parts: exposition, development, and recapitulation. Write a short story that follows this format.

#45 : Begin writing with a character saying, "I'm afraid this simply can't wait."

#46 : Write a story with a happy ending (either happily-ever-after or happy-for-now).

#47 : Write about a character before and after a tragedy in that character's life.

#48 : Choose an object or concept you encounter in everyday life (e.g. tables, the feeling of hot or cold, oxygen) and write an infomercial about it.

#49 : "Life is a series of quests, whether important or mundane." Write about a quest you've gone on (or would like to go on, or will have to go on).

#50 : List 10 different ways to learn. Choose one (or more) and write a story where a character learns something using that one (or more) method.

#51 : You've been called to the principal's office for bad behavior. You know what you did. Explain and justify yourself.

#52 : A character discovers their sibling owns a cursed object. Write about what happens next.

#53 : Write a character description by writing a list of items that would be on a scavenger hunt about them.

#54 : The slogan for a product or service you're advertising is, "Kid-tested, _____." Fill in the blank and write the copy for a radio or podcast advertisement for your product.

How to Use Creative Writing Prompts

There's no wrong way to use a creative writing prompt (unless it's to harass and hurt someone)—the point of them is to get you writing and your imagination flowing.

To help you get the most out of these writing prompts, however, we've come up with the six tips below. Try them out!

#1: DON'T Limit Yourself to Prose

Unless you're writing for a particular assignment, there's no reason everything you write in response to a writing prompt has to be prose fiction . Instead of writing your response to a prompt as a story, try writing a poem, nonfiction essay, play, screenplay, or some other format entirely.

#2: DON'T Edit as You Write

The purposes of writing prompts is to get you writing, typos and weird grammar and all. Editing comes later, once you've finished writing and have some space from it to come back to what you wrote.

It's OK to fix things that will make it difficult to read what you've written (e.g., a weird autocorrect that changes the meaning of a sentence), but don't worry too much about typos or perfect grammar when you're writing; those are easy enough to fix in edits . You also can always insert asterisks or a short note as you're writing to remind yourself to go back to fix something (for instance, if as you're writing it seems like you want to move around the order of your paragraphs or insert something earlier).

#3: DO Interpret the Prompt Broadly

The point of using a writing prompt is not to write something that best exemplifies the prompt, but something that sparks your own creativity. Again, unless you're writing in response to an assignment with specific directions, feel free to interpret writing prompts as broadly or as narrowly as you want.

For instance, if your prompt is to write a story that begins with "The stage was set," you could write about anything from someone preparing to put a plan into motion to a literal theatre stage constructed out of pieces of old sets (or something else entirely).

If you're using a writing prompt, it doesn't have to be the first sentence of your story or poem, either; you can also use the prompt as a goal to work towards in your writing.

#4: DO Try Switching Up Your Writing Methods

If it's a possibility for you, see if you write differently in different media. Do you write the same kind of stories by hand as you would typing at a computer? What about if you dictate a story and then transcribe it? Or text it to a friend? Varying the method you use to write can affect the stories you're able to tell.

For example, you may find that it's easier for you to tell stories about your life to a voice recorder than to try to write out a personal essay. Or maybe you have trouble writing poetry, but can easily text yourself or a friend a poem. You might even find you like a writing method you've not tried before better than what you've been doing!

#5: DO Mix and Match Prompt Ideas

If you need more inspiration, feel free to combine multiple prompts (but don't overwhelm yourself with too much to write about).

You can also try switching genres from what might be suggested in the prompt. For instance, try writing a prompt that seems funny in a serious and sad way, or finding the humor in something that otherwise seems humorless. The categories we've organized the prompts into are by no means limiters on what you're allowed to write about.

#6: DO Try to Write Regularly

The more regularly you write, the easier it will be to write (with or without writing prompts).

For some people, this means writing daily; for others, it means setting aside time to write each weekend or each month. Set yourself an achievable goal (write 2x a week, write 1000 words a month) and stick to it. You can always start small and then ramp your wordcount or frequency up.

If you do better when you have something outside yourself prompting to write, you may also want to try something like morning pages , which encourages you to write at least 750 words every day, in any format (story, diary entry, social media postings, etc).

What's Next?

Thinking about attending college or grad school for creative writing? Our articles on whether or not you should major in creative writing and the best creative writing programs are there for you! Plus, if you're a high schooler, you should check out these top writing contests .

Creative writing doesn't necessarily have to be fiction. Check out these three examples of narrative writing and our tips for how to write your own narrative stories and essays .

Just as writing prompts can help give form to amorphous creative energy, using specific writing structures or devices can be great starting points for your next story. Read through our discussion of the top 20 poetic devices to know and see if you can work at least one new one into your next writing session.

Still looking for more writing ideas? Try repurposing our 100+ easy drawing ideas for characters, settings, or plot points in your writing.

Laura graduated magna cum laude from Wellesley College with a BA in Music and Psychology, and earned a Master's degree in Composition from the Longy School of Music of Bard College. She scored 99 percentile scores on the SAT and GRE and loves advising students on how to excel in high school.

Ask a Question Below

Have any questions about this article or other topics? Ask below and we'll reply!

Improve With Our Famous Guides

For All Students

The 5 Strategies You Must Be Using to Improve 160+ SAT Points

How to Get a Perfect 1600, by a Perfect Scorer

Series: How to Get 800 on Each SAT Section:

Score 800 on SAT Math

Score 800 on SAT Reading

Score 800 on SAT Writing

Series: How to Get to 600 on Each SAT Section:

Score 600 on SAT Math

Score 600 on SAT Reading

Score 600 on SAT Writing

Free Complete Official SAT Practice Tests

What SAT Target Score Should You Be Aiming For?

15 Strategies to Improve Your SAT Essay

The 5 Strategies You Must Be Using to Improve 4+ ACT Points

How to Get a Perfect 36 ACT, by a Perfect Scorer

Series: How to Get 36 on Each ACT Section:

36 on ACT English

36 on ACT Math

36 on ACT Reading

36 on ACT Science

Series: How to Get to 24 on Each ACT Section:

24 on ACT English

24 on ACT Math

24 on ACT Reading

24 on ACT Science

What ACT target score should you be aiming for?

ACT Vocabulary You Must Know

ACT Writing: 15 Tips to Raise Your Essay Score

How to Get Into Harvard and the Ivy League

How to Get a Perfect 4.0 GPA

How to Write an Amazing College Essay

What Exactly Are Colleges Looking For?

Is the ACT easier than the SAT? A Comprehensive Guide

Should you retake your SAT or ACT?

When should you take the SAT or ACT?

Stay Informed

Get the latest articles and test prep tips!

Looking for Graduate School Test Prep?

Check out our top-rated graduate blogs here:

GRE Online Prep Blog

GMAT Online Prep Blog

TOEFL Online Prep Blog

Holly R. "I am absolutely overjoyed and cannot thank you enough for helping me!”

Features for Creative Writers
Features for Work
Features for Higher Education
Features for Teachers
Features for Non-Native Speakers
Learn Blog Grammar Guide Community Events FAQ
Grammar Guide

Creative Writing in the Classroom: Start with a Stimulus

Helly Douglas

Creative writing is a wonderful chance for students to write with freedom and enjoyment. However, they can find these tasks daunting. Where to begin? What to write? The open nature of the task can be off-putting to reluctant writers.

Using a stimulus to launch your lesson is a way of sparking interest and excitement whilst removing the fear of getting it wrong. Your students can collaboratively generate ideas before having to put their pen to paper.

Why Use a Stimulus?

Ideas for creative writing prompts, common problems, how to use your creative writing stimulus, moving from stimulus to writing, supporting struggling students, final thoughts.

It is easy to fall into a familiar pattern of teaching. Students soon get bored if every writing task starts in the same way. They start to wonder why they must do creative writing at all.

Starting with a stimulus is an opportunity for developing speaking and listening skills. Discussion and debate helps students to see different perspectives and it gives you the chance to introduce any specific tier three vocabulary you want to teach. A writing prompt offers excitement into your classroom and opens students' imaginations to something new.

Look for something that is more than a prompt towards an obvious outcome. Instead, find an idea which will promote rich discussion and offer many possibilities.

Strike a balance between constraining your learners with a narrow and predictable writing outcome and overwhelming them with too many possibilities to choose from. You can use a thematic prompt or allow your students complete freedom with an abstract choice. You might use one item or a series of resources with a link between them.

Successful stimuli include:

Pictures and paintings
Photographs
Movie clips and animations
Stories and extracts from books
Scripts and plays
Letters and diaries
Questions to discuss
Newspaper articles
Controversial statements
Scenario cards
Start or end paragraphs from a story

To make creative writing a regular part of your English lessons, plan a series of stimuli that will lead to very different outcomes. There are lots of resources online to help you with ideas.

If you are interested in sharing your writing with a wider audience, look into the 100 word challenge. It provides a weekly stimulus and allows students around the world to comment on each other’s blogs. This is a great way to give a purpose to your creative writing lessons.

It is easy to fall into a familiar pattern that always starts with looking at a picture or video clip. Vary the item you use. This will prevent the writing becoming boring or predictable.

Choose a resource that offers different possibilities and moves beyond the familiar experiences of your class. For example, a picture of a historical pirate ship would lead your students to write traditional adventure stories full of gold, peg-legs, and walking the plank. Adding in an account of modern piracy would transform their writing. They could explore ideas around theft and morality. The responses will be varied and more interesting, allowing for greater creativity.

Sharing a writing prompt with your class gives you the chance to be creative. Find the perfect resource to inspire them and add a dash of drama and excitement to the moment.

Think about changing how the class are seated by moving them into a discussion circle. Take your students outside to get in touch with nature or darken the room and play music to add a sense of mystery.

When you show your students the stimulus:

Plan time for discussion and debate
Record key points made by students
Write up any questions they have
Make sure they can all see the resource clearly
Use different senses to describe it
Let them touch objects

Encourage your learners to ask and answer questions about the writing prompt and use questioning to help them think deeply. Avoid using leading questions that will push your class towards seeing the stimulus in the same way as you. Let them surprise you.

After exploring and discussing, support your learners as they start the writing task. Some students will brim with suggestions and struggle to decide which direction to take. Others won’t know what to write.

Before launching into writing, give the class time to discuss and share their ideas. Use a strategy like think, pair, share to help them work collaboratively. Ask the learners to suggest different types and styles of writing they could use and encourage them to borrow ideas from each other.

Record promising ideas for children to refer to when they are planning and writing. Display any key vocabulary they will need and provide them with a checklist of features to include.

Allow your students to move away from the stimulus once it has sparked their imaginations. Their final writing may differ from your expectations.

Don’t make assumptions about who will find free writing difficult. Students who have limited technical abilities can be full of creative ideas. Provide support to any who need it.

You could offer them:

A planning frame or template to work from
The opportunity to plan their writing as a series of pictures
Key questions to consider
A word mat containing technical vocabulary and definitions
Sentence starters
Paired writing with a peer
Group writing with an adult
A limited choice of tasks to select from
An opening paragraph they continue

Too often, creative writing is dismissed as unimportant and a waste of time. In fact, prioritizing regular imaginative writing empowers your students and engages them in the writing process.

It is tempting to select the style and content you want to see in a writing task, but this can limit the enjoyment and creativity of your class. Using a writing stimulus offers students the freedom of choice that is often lost in an overcrowded curriculum.

Allowing time to develop initial thoughts and ideas will lead to a far richer piece of writing and better student outcomes. By inspiring and engaging them, the class will write more and take ownership of their work.

Be confident about grammar

Check every email, essay, or story for grammar mistakes. Fix them before you press send.

Helly Douglas is a UK writer and teacher, specialising in education, children, and parenting. She loves making the complex seem simple through blogs, articles, and curriculum content. You can check out her work at hellydouglas.com or connect on Twitter @hellydouglas. When she’s not writing, you will find her in a classroom, being a mum or battling against the wilderness of her garden—the garden is winning!

Get started with ProWritingAid

Drop us a line or let's stay in touch via :

Writing Prompts

56 Dystopian Writing Prompts

Escape to a dark, disheartened world with these 56 dystopian writing prompts .

Mass poverty, cruelty and fear cover a dystopian world. From the shelter-like homes to the dark, broken streets. Life is hard. When writing a story set in a dystopian world you need to describe the harsh reality of this world in great detail. Make the reader fear this world. Think about the leaders who have control. This control might be significant, where harsh rules are made to keep the peace. Alternatively, there could be a rebellion, where leaders have no control and civilians are running havoc. See our master list of world-building questions to help develop a believable dystopian world.

A dystopian world is a world in shatters and ruins. How did it become this way? What rules and regimes do civilians follow, if any? What type of crime is most prominent in this world? These questions will help you create a realistic and powerful dystopian world for your readers.

Looking for some name ideas for your new world? Check out this world name generator . You might also find this list of Earth day writing prompts and this list of over 110 sci-fi writing prompts .

Dystopian writing prompts

To help you create a powerful story about a society in crisis, here are our 56 dystopian writing prompts:

In the year 2,121, sea levels have risen at an extreme rate. 98% of the Earth is now underwater. The remaining 2% is made of small islands scattered across the Earth. With resources at a scarcity, the islands must work together if they are to survive.
A virus has wiped out 95% of humanity in the future. The only survivors are machines and a group of secret underground warriors who rebelled against technology for centuries.
In the future, a virus has caused some humans to mutate into ravenous troll-like beasts. While the remaining humans have to learn to survive in the world with these beasts.
The life expectancy of people has dropped drastically in the future. At the age of 18, humans start to deteriorate and slowly pass away. The ruler is an arrogant 14-year-old kid.
Scientists have combined robotics with human tissue to increase the life expectancy of humans. Apart from the vital organs, such as lungs and heart, as well as parts of the brain, humans are mostly robotic. Eventually, humans start losing control of their bodies to machines.
From the moment a human is born to the day they die, humans are connected to the internet. Everything they need to know about life is on a screen to which they are connected. One day, a technology outbreak completely wipes the internet. Humans are switched off. What happens next?
Scientists have found the secret to endless happiness. They create a new pill that needs to be taken once a day to remain happy. But is this new pill all as it seems?
To promote equality in the future, humans have to dress the same and talk the same. Any inappropriate English and slang words are banned. All around the world, everyone must speak English. If these rules are broken, the rule breaker will be sentenced to prison or even death.
With the brand new Cloner 3000, cloning is just a button press away. Clone your cat, your dog and even yourself if you dare. What are the potential dangers of cloning yourself too many times?
Law and order is destroyed in the future. People are free to do whatever they want without any consequences. Until a group of vigilante heroes decide to recreate the law.
There are two types of people, the rich and the poor. The rich have an extreme amount of money and power. And the poor are living on the streets and undergrounds, struggling to get by. A poor orphan girl is adopted by a rich family and discovers a deadly secret about how the rich become rich.
The excessive use of technology and social media has meant that 95% of the world suffers from extreme social phobia. The slightest human interaction results in mass panic attacks. One brave human decides to create a group where people can meet face to face regularly to help them overcome this fear.
Crime has become such a huge issue in the future, that every home in the world has become a prison cell. Prison guards patrol the streets and provide prisoners with the essentials. One guard feeling guilty that his family is locked behind bars, tries freeing them, and soon things get out of control.
Oxygen is the new currency in the future. Instead of money people buy, earn and sell little canisters of oxygen. Continue this dystopian story…
Desperate to create the perfect world, the government provides every person with a free virtual reality headset. Once worn, the person is transported to a tranquil utopia. Meanwhile, the government secretly has other plans in the real world.
A virus has turned every tree, plant and flower on earth into flesh-eating monsters. The only way to survive is to kill all plant life on Earth, but how will the planet survive?
A new mobile app in the future tells people when to eat, sleep, drink and essentially live. Without the app, humans would be lost, confused and clueless. A group of cyber hackers, hack this app to gain control of all humans.
Being the main cause of social disorders and suicides, the internet is banned in the year 2,098. With the ban of the internet, people slowly resort to the old ways of living before the internet ever existed. Until a group of individuals find a way to bring back the net.
Bored of old-style video gaming, humans resort to sticking chips inside prisoners. Once a prisoner is chipped, they can be controlled like a video game character.
Desperate to be beautiful and young, rich people resort to stealing the actual skin and facial features of ordinary people. These extreme surgeries soon start to have a weird effect on humans.
The Earth has been destroyed by a huge asteroid. A few humans that survived by living underground finally emerge to start a new life on Earth.
With the Earth’s population at an all-time high, it’s time for every human to prove their worth. After the age of 16, humans must take a test every year. If they fail the test, they are killed immediately. One young adult scores incredibly high on the test making them the ‘chosen one’.
Due to the lack of resources on Earth, all luxury items have been banned. People survive on basic rations of bread, rice and beans each month. No vanity items, such as jewellery or make-up are allowed. One day a group of civilians discover that luxury items do exist, but only the leaders can use them.
For the sake of human evolution, scientists have turned the small town of Whitefish into a huge science experiment. No one is allowed to enter or leave the city unless they are told so. Every now and then, a new stimulus is introduced, so that scientists can record the human reactions for a research paper.
Write a story about the aftermath of World War 5. Who was at war and who lost it? What devastation did the war create on Earth?
In the far future, robots are responsible for creating human life. They carefully program each human when they are born to do certain tasks in life. One human realizes that they don’t need to follow the orders programmed in them and fights for freedom.
After a huge asteroid hits Earth, the last two survivors have to find a way to recreate life. It’s a modern, dystopian Adam and Eve story.
World leaders ban religion and talk of God in the future. A man discovers a secret church up in the mountains where people secretly believe in God.
Due to animal cruelty, people are no longer allowed to have animals as pets in the future. All pets live out in the wild without any human masters. One homeless teenager finds a hurt dog in the wild and takes care of it. Eventually, authorities find out about this forbidden friendship.
A bored scientist dedicates his whole life to recreating popular monsters like vampires, werewolves and Frankenstein’s monster in real life. He finally masters the procedure and offers it to rich people at a price.
Tired of the rat race and busy city-living, people move to the country to live a peaceful and calm life. Eventually, cities like New York City become a playground for criminals and runaways.
When the human population on land reaches an all-time high. One man goes on a quest to create the ultimate underwater city for humans. Continue this story.
In the year 2,121, 100% of the population becomes vegan. Eating any sort of animal product is considered cannibalism. Farm animals realize that humans will no longer eat them, so decide to plan their revenge.
Cyber-pets become a huge thing in the future. Technology advances so much that people would rather buy robotic pets inside of real ones. This results in more stray animals on the streets. With no human love, the pets turn into savages attacking both humans and the cyber-pets.
Humans have left Earth for a better life on Mars. One day, thousands of years later, a space astronaut from Mars lands on Earth to find…
In the future, the majority of jobs have been taken over by robots. The only way to earn money is to take part in a series of games and challenges created by the rich for their entertainment.
Everyone on Earth has experienced some sort of mutation in the future. This mutation has made humans powerful and troll-like. As the only pure human (with no mutations), your character’s daughter is kidnapped by a group of mutants who want to use her blood to make humans human-like again.
Imagine you are the last human survivor on Earth. What would you do alone on Earth?
Describe a future where all humans are either deaf or blind.
You and your family live underground away from all the technology. Write a series of diary entries about life underground.
Sugar is banned completely in the future. Even fruits that taste sugary are no longer available. You are the leader of a secret underground group that creates your own homemade sugar. However since humans haven’t tasted sugar in a long time, the results become very dangerous.
Since Earth has been destroyed, every family lives in their own spaceship homes floating around the galaxy. Every now and then you need to protect your home from space invaders, pirates and of course black holes.
Write a story about one boy, his dog and a group of robots living on Earth as the only survivors.
Lying dormant deep at the core of the Earth, dragons finally awake. After a series of powerful earthquakes, they burst through the ground one by one.
With surveillance cameras watching everyone. A new TV show called, ‘Did They Really Do That’ airs across the nation showing the most embarrassing moments of civilians living in your area. You then go on a mission to destroy all surveillance and destroy the TV show.
One man’s dream to swim with the dolphins is taken to extremes, as he genetically modifies a group of humans, so that they can swim underwater. Unknowingly these humans turn into monstrous mermaid-like creatures.
Huge floating islands are created all over Earth to cope with the increase in the human population. These floating islands become new countries on the map with their own rules and way of life.
In the year 3,021 world peace is finally achieved. Everyone lives in perfect harmony. But how was this world peace achieved? One curious civilian makes a shocking discovery.
Write a news article about the latest riot happening in your town in the year 2,899. Why did this riot happen? Who was involved? Where did it happen? What exactly happened before and during the riot?
You are a lab assistant for a company that creates genetic make-up for humans. The make-up keeps humans looking young for their entire lifespan of 180 years. One day you discover something shocking…
Cats and dogs have evolved into human-shaped beings. They now rule Earth and treat humans like pets.
Due to natural extinction and the threat of disease, all animals are gone in the future. You and your family have created a secret underground zoo, which holds the last remaining animals on Earth.
Write a story from the perspective of a servant robot who wants to be the mayor of the city.
Scientists have learned to extract emotions from humans and contain them in jars. At a price, you can remove negative emotions like anger, sadness and fear. You can also sell and buy positive emotions like happiness. To obtain a new emotion, you simply inhale the emotion directly from the jar. In a special clinic, over 10,000 jars of emotions are contained, until one day…
The Earth is a massive video game for advanced aliens living on a distant planet. They randomly spawn monsters whenever they feel like, and can control any human they like. One day the aliens are so bored that they create a big scary boss monster for a town of people to fight.
In an effort to create a better world, all humans must take a personality test. If your personality does not meet the criteria set by the government, then you are sent to work camps. People at the work camps live a horrible life of abuse, torture and endless hard work for 18 hours a day. Imagine that your main character fails the personality test, and is sent to one of these camps.

For more gritty ideas, check out our guide on what is dieselpunk plus story ideas .

What do you think of these dystopian writing prompts? Which one is your favourite? Let us know in the comments below.

Marty the wizard is the master of Imagine Forest. When he's not reading a ton of books or writing some of his own tales, he loves to be surrounded by the magical creatures that live in Imagine Forest. While living in his tree house he has devoted his time to helping children around the world with their writing skills and creativity.

summer Creative Writing Prompts To Get Kids Writing

Comments loading...

What Is Creative Writing? (Ultimate Guide + 20 Examples)

Creative writing begins with a blank page and the courage to fill it with the stories only you can tell.

I face this intimidating blank page daily–and I have for the better part of 20+ years.

In this guide, you’ll learn all the ins and outs of creative writing with tons of examples.

What Is Creative Writing (Long Description)?

Creative Writing is the art of using words to express ideas and emotions in imaginative ways. It encompasses various forms including novels, poetry, and plays, focusing on narrative craft, character development, and the use of literary tropes.

Bright, colorful creative writer's desk with notebook and typewriter -- What Is Creative Writing

Table of Contents

Let’s expand on that definition a bit.

Creative writing is an art form that transcends traditional literature boundaries.

It includes professional, journalistic, academic, and technical writing. This type of writing emphasizes narrative craft, character development, and literary tropes. It also explores poetry and poetics traditions.

In essence, creative writing lets you express ideas and emotions uniquely and imaginatively.

It’s about the freedom to invent worlds, characters, and stories. These creations evoke a spectrum of emotions in readers.

Creative writing covers fiction, poetry, and everything in between.

It allows writers to express inner thoughts and feelings. Often, it reflects human experiences through a fabricated lens.

Types of Creative Writing

There are many types of creative writing that we need to explain.

Some of the most common types:

Short stories
Screenplays
Flash fiction
Creative Nonfiction

Short Stories (The Brief Escape)

Short stories are like narrative treasures.

They are compact but impactful, telling a full story within a limited word count. These tales often focus on a single character or a crucial moment.

Short stories are known for their brevity.

They deliver emotion and insight in a concise yet powerful package. This format is ideal for exploring diverse genres, themes, and characters. It leaves a lasting impression on readers.

Example: Emma discovers an old photo of her smiling grandmother. It’s a rarity. Through flashbacks, Emma learns about her grandmother’s wartime love story. She comes to understand her grandmother’s resilience and the value of joy.

Novels (The Long Journey)

Novels are extensive explorations of character, plot, and setting.

They span thousands of words, giving writers the space to create entire worlds. Novels can weave complex stories across various themes and timelines.

The length of a novel allows for deep narrative and character development.

Readers get an immersive experience.

Example: Across the Divide tells of two siblings separated in childhood. They grow up in different cultures. Their reunion highlights the strength of family bonds, despite distance and differences.

Poetry (The Soul’s Language)

Poetry expresses ideas and emotions through rhythm, sound, and word beauty.

It distills emotions and thoughts into verses. Poetry often uses metaphors, similes, and figurative language to reach the reader’s heart and mind.

Poetry ranges from structured forms, like sonnets, to free verse.

The latter breaks away from traditional formats for more expressive thought.

Example: Whispers of Dawn is a poem collection capturing morning’s quiet moments. “First Light” personifies dawn as a painter. It brings colors of hope and renewal to the world.

Plays (The Dramatic Dialogue)

Plays are meant for performance. They bring characters and conflicts to life through dialogue and action.

This format uniquely explores human relationships and societal issues.

Playwrights face the challenge of conveying setting, emotion, and plot through dialogue and directions.

Example: Echoes of Tomorrow is set in a dystopian future. Memories can be bought and sold. It follows siblings on a quest to retrieve their stolen memories. They learn the cost of living in a world where the past has a price.

Screenplays (Cinema’s Blueprint)

Screenplays outline narratives for films and TV shows.

They require an understanding of visual storytelling, pacing, and dialogue. Screenplays must fit film production constraints.

Example: The Last Light is a screenplay for a sci-fi film. Humanity’s survivors on a dying Earth seek a new planet. The story focuses on spacecraft Argo’s crew as they face mission challenges and internal dynamics.

Memoirs (The Personal Journey)

Memoirs provide insight into an author’s life, focusing on personal experiences and emotional journeys.

They differ from autobiographies by concentrating on specific themes or events.

Memoirs invite readers into the author’s world.

They share lessons learned and hardships overcome.

Example: Under the Mango Tree is a memoir by Maria Gomez. It shares her childhood memories in rural Colombia. The mango tree in their yard symbolizes home, growth, and nostalgia. Maria reflects on her journey to a new life in America.

Flash Fiction (The Quick Twist)

Flash fiction tells stories in under 1,000 words.

It’s about crafting compelling narratives concisely. Each word in flash fiction must count, often leading to a twist.

This format captures life’s vivid moments, delivering quick, impactful insights.

Example: The Last Message features an astronaut’s final Earth message as her spacecraft drifts away. In 500 words, it explores isolation, hope, and the desire to connect against all odds.

Creative Nonfiction (The Factual Tale)

Creative nonfiction combines factual accuracy with creative storytelling.

This genre covers real events, people, and places with a twist. It uses descriptive language and narrative arcs to make true stories engaging.

Creative nonfiction includes biographies, essays, and travelogues.

Example: Echoes of Everest follows the author’s Mount Everest climb. It mixes factual details with personal reflections and the history of past climbers. The narrative captures the climb’s beauty and challenges, offering an immersive experience.

Fantasy (The World Beyond)

Fantasy transports readers to magical and mythical worlds.

It explores themes like good vs. evil and heroism in unreal settings. Fantasy requires careful world-building to create believable yet fantastic realms.

Example: The Crystal of Azmar tells of a young girl destined to save her world from darkness. She learns she’s the last sorceress in a forgotten lineage. Her journey involves mastering powers, forming alliances, and uncovering ancient kingdom myths.

Science Fiction (The Future Imagined)

Science fiction delves into futuristic and scientific themes.

It questions the impact of advancements on society and individuals.

Science fiction ranges from speculative to hard sci-fi, focusing on plausible futures.

Example: When the Stars Whisper is set in a future where humanity communicates with distant galaxies. It centers on a scientist who finds an alien message. This discovery prompts a deep look at humanity’s universe role and interstellar communication.

Watch this great video that explores the question, “What is creative writing?” and “How to get started?”:

What Are the 5 Cs of Creative Writing?

The 5 Cs of creative writing are fundamental pillars.

They guide writers to produce compelling and impactful work. These principles—Clarity, Coherence, Conciseness, Creativity, and Consistency—help craft stories that engage and entertain.

They also resonate deeply with readers. Let’s explore each of these critical components.

Clarity makes your writing understandable and accessible.

It involves choosing the right words and constructing clear sentences. Your narrative should be easy to follow.

In creative writing, clarity means conveying complex ideas in a digestible and enjoyable way.

Coherence ensures your writing flows logically.

It’s crucial for maintaining the reader’s interest. Characters should develop believably, and plots should progress logically. This makes the narrative feel cohesive.

Conciseness

Conciseness is about expressing ideas succinctly.

It’s being economical with words and avoiding redundancy. This principle helps maintain pace and tension, engaging readers throughout the story.

Creativity is the heart of creative writing.

It allows writers to invent new worlds and create memorable characters. Creativity involves originality and imagination. It’s seeing the world in unique ways and sharing that vision.

Consistency

Consistency maintains a uniform tone, style, and voice.

It means being faithful to the world you’ve created. Characters should act true to their development. This builds trust with readers, making your story immersive and believable.

Is Creative Writing Easy?

Creative writing is both rewarding and challenging.

Crafting stories from your imagination involves more than just words on a page. It requires discipline and a deep understanding of language and narrative structure.

Exploring complex characters and themes is also key.

Refining and revising your work is crucial for developing your voice.

The ease of creative writing varies. Some find the freedom of expression liberating.

Others struggle with writer’s block or plot development challenges. However, practice and feedback make creative writing more fulfilling.

What Does a Creative Writer Do?

A creative writer weaves narratives that entertain, enlighten, and inspire.

Writers explore both the world they create and the emotions they wish to evoke. Their tasks are diverse, involving more than just writing.

Creative writers develop ideas, research, and plan their stories.

They create characters and outline plots with attention to detail. Drafting and revising their work is a significant part of their process. They strive for the 5 Cs of compelling writing.

Writers engage with the literary community, seeking feedback and participating in workshops.

They may navigate the publishing world with agents and editors.

Creative writers are storytellers, craftsmen, and artists. They bring narratives to life, enriching our lives and expanding our imaginations.

How to Get Started With Creative Writing?

Embarking on a creative writing journey can feel like standing at the edge of a vast and mysterious forest.

The path is not always clear, but the adventure is calling.

Here’s how to take your first steps into the world of creative writing:

Find a time of day when your mind is most alert and creative.
Create a comfortable writing space free from distractions.
Use prompts to spark your imagination. They can be as simple as a word, a phrase, or an image.
Try writing for 15-20 minutes on a prompt without editing yourself. Let the ideas flow freely.
Reading is fuel for your writing. Explore various genres and styles.
Pay attention to how your favorite authors construct their sentences, develop characters, and build their worlds.
Don’t pressure yourself to write a novel right away. Begin with short stories or poems.
Small projects can help you hone your skills and boost your confidence.
Look for writing groups in your area or online. These communities offer support, feedback, and motivation.
Participating in workshops or classes can also provide valuable insights into your writing.
Understand that your first draft is just the beginning. Revising your work is where the real magic happens.
Be open to feedback and willing to rework your pieces.
Carry a notebook or digital recorder to jot down ideas, observations, and snippets of conversations.
These notes can be gold mines for future writing projects.

Final Thoughts: What Is Creative Writing?

Creative writing is an invitation to explore the unknown, to give voice to the silenced, and to celebrate the human spirit in all its forms.

Check out these creative writing tools (that I highly recommend):

Like Peas and Carrots

Writers and editors are just meant to be together. A delicious medley!

Dynamic Duo

Every superhero needs a trusty sidekick. Our editors will always have your back.

Conjuring up Some New Ideas?

ServiceScape's editing wizards can help you make your writing magical.

Fall in Love With Our Editors

When writers meet our editors, it's love at first write! Fall head over heels for ServiceScape.

AI Alternatives

Writing prompt generator.

ThinkWritten

300 Fun Writing Prompts for Kids: Story Starters, Journal Prompts & Ideas

Are you a parent or teacher? Here are 300 fun and creative writing prompts for kids to spark the imagination of young writers everywhere. Use these kids writing ideas as journaling prompts, story starters or just for fun!

We may receive a commission when you make a purchase from one of our links for products and services we recommend. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Thank you for support!

Sharing is caring!

It’s never too early to start writing, and so we’ve created this fun list of 300 creative kids writing prompts for teacher and parents to use.

You’ll love these fun ideas for kids writing prompts to use as creative sparks to get young imaginations writing in no time!

These are perfect to use as kids journal writing prompts, as short story writing prompts, or just for exercises to help students and children of all ages tap into their creativity. Maybe your kids will write an essay, maybe a poem, or maybe even a whole book!

Whether you are a teacher or parent looking to inspire your kids to write, or maybe even an adult who would like to practice writing with a more playful and young-hearted approach, I hope you find these creative writing prompts inspiring!

Buy the Printable Cards! We will always have this list of 300 kids writing prompts available for free, but I’m very excited to now also offer an ad-free printable version of these prompts in my online Etsy shop. Thank you for your support!

The Ultimate List of 300 Fun & Creative Writing Prompts for Kids

#1. Imagine a giant box is delivered to your front doorstep with your name on it. What’s inside and what happens when you open it?

#2. Write a short story about what it might be like if you woke up one morning with a mermaid tail.

#3. Which is better, winter or summer? Write about the reasons why you think winter or summer is better.

#4. Write about what would it be like if you had an alligator as a pet.

#5. If you had $1,000, what would you buy and why?

#6. Write a story using these 5 words: apple, train, elephant, paper, banjo

#7. What do you want be when you grow up and why?

#8. Who is your favorite person on the planet? What do you like most about that person?

#9. If you could have any secret super power, what would you want it to be and why?

#10. Write about 3 places you would like to travel someday. What do these three places have in common?

#11. Write about a time you felt really happy. What happened? What made you feel happy?

#12. Imagine what would happen if someone shrunk you down to be only 1″ tall. How would your life change?

#13. If you were in charge of the whole world, what would you do to make the world a happier place?

#14. Write a story about what it would be like to climb to the very top of the highest mountain in the world.

#15. If you were in charge of planning the school lunch menu, what foods would you serve each day?

#16. What are some of your favorite animals? What do you like about them?

#17. Imagine that dogs take over the world. What do they make the humans do?

#18. Write a story about flying to outer space and discovering a new planet.

#19. You are a mad scientist and have invented a new vegetable. What is it called? What does it look like? What does it taste like? Most importantly: Is it safe to eat?

#20. You go to school one morning to discover your best friend has been turned into a frog by an evil witch! How do you help your friend?

#21. Describe what it is like when trees lose all of their leaves in the autumn season.

#22. Write about your favorite sport and why you like it so much.

#23. Imagine what it might be like to live on a boat all the time and write about it.

#24. If you had one wish, what would it be?

#25. Write about what you might do if you have the super power to become invisible.

#26. You are walking through the forest when one of the trees starts talking to you. What does it say? What do you do?

#27. The weather forecast is calling for a blizzard in the middle of the summer. What do you do?

#28. What types of transportation will people have in the future?

#29. What were some of your favorite toys when you very little? Do you still enjoy playing with them?

#30. What would a day in your life be like if you were a movie star?

#31. Imagine you’ve invented a time machine! What year do you travel to?

#32. What are your favorite things to do over summer vacation?

#33. What is your favorite holiday and why?

#34. If you could meet any fictional character from a book, who would it be?

#35. You are writing a travel guide for kids visiting your city. What places do you think they should visit?

#36. What is a food you hate? Write about it!

#37. Imagine what it would be like if there was no electricity. What would be different in your daily routine?

#38. You are building a new city! What types of things do you think your city needs? How will you convince people to move to your new city?

#39. What is your favorite movie? Write your review of the movie and why you think people should watch it.

#40. Imagine you get a magic sweater for your birthday. What happens when you wear the sweater? What do you do with these new found magical powers?

#41. You are the security guard at the zoo and someone has stolen a rhinoceros! How do you track down the thief?

#42. You have been invited to have lunch with the queen. What foods do you eat and what topics do you and the queen discuss?

#43. If you could design a school uniform, what types of clothes would you suggest? What colors would they be?

#44. Imagine you are a reporter interviewing a celebrity about their life. What questions do you ask?

#45. You are running a lemonade stand. Describe the steps for how you make lemonade and the types of customers you see during the day.

#46. Write a story about being the ruler of an underwater world.

#47. Write an acrostic poem for the word “treehouse”.

#48. You decide to grow a sunflower, but the sunflower grows so tall it reaches up to the sky! Write about what happens when you decide to climb to the top. What do you discover?

#49. Imagine you look out the window and it is raining popsicles from the sky! Write a story about the experience.

#50. If you could be any animal, which one would you be and why?

#51. If you were on a spaceship, what would you be most excited about seeing?

#52. Do you have any pets at home? Write an essay about how you take care of your pets. If you do not have a pet, what type of pet might you like?

#53. Imagine you are opening a store that only sells items which are blue. What types of items do you sell?

#54. Have you ever lost something that is important to you? Were you able to find it?

#55. Write a story about a kid who is moving to a new school. How do you think they might feel?

#56. Rewrite the ending of your favorite fairy tale. For example, what would have happened if Cinderella never went to the ball?

#57. Have you ever forgotten to do your homework? What happened?

#58. Do you have a favorite song? Write about the type of music you like to listen to.

#59. Imagine your parents wake you up one morning to tell you they will take you to do anything you want to do for the whole day – you don’t even have to go to school or do your chores. What would you choose to do and why?

#60. Do you like amusement parks? What are some of your favorite rides?

#61. Write a story using these three words: detective, piano, and pizza.

#62. Have you ever been to the beach? Write about your favorite things to do. If you have never been to the beach, what would you like to do the first time you visit?

#63. Is there a favorite tv show you like to watch? Write about your favorite character and why they are your favorite.

#64. Write a poem using onomatopoeia , where the words you use are pronounced similar to the sound they make. For example, buzz, bark, sizzle, slam and pop.

#65. Have you ever had to stand in line to wait a long time for something? What did you do while you waited? How did you feel while waiting? How did you feel once the wait was over?

#66. Is it a good idea to keep ALL secrets a secret? Write about examples of when it is okay to spill a secret – and when it isn’t.

#67. Is there something you are good at doing? Write about your best strengths.

#68. What historical time period and location would you go back to live in if you could? Write about it!

#69. Write about 5 things you can do that are important for you to stay healthy and safe.

#70. Do you think thunderstorms are scary? Why or why not?

#71. What would you most like to learn over the next year? Think about things that interest you or questions you might have about the world and make a list!

#72. You are going on a trip to a jungle safari! What items do you pack in your suitcase?

#73. Imagine you are sitting at home one day and you hear someone shrieking in the living room they see a mouse in the house! Write a story about what might happen next.

#74. You are writing a letter to someone who is having a hard time making new friends at school. What do you write? What advice do you give them?

#75. Imagine you just met a magician – but their beloved rabbit who they pull out of a hat for all the tricks has been kidnapped! How do you help find the rabbit?

#76. Do you hear what I hear? Set a timer for 5 minutes and write about all of the sounds you hear in those 5 minutes.

#77. Imagine you go to get a haircut and they accidentally shave your head! How do you feel about that and what would you do?

#78. Do you find it easy to talk to people you don’t know? What are some ways you can start up a conversation with someone you have never met before?

#79. Are there any chores you have to do at home? What are they? What do you like – and not like – about each one?

#80. Open up a random book to any page. Write for 5 minutes about the first word you read.

#81. Pretend you are a writer for your city’s newspaper. Who would you like to interview for a news story and why?

#82. There are many fictional characters who live in unusual houses, such as the old woman who lived in a shoe. What kind of unusual house would you like to live in? Write about what it would be like to live in an unusual house!

#83. Write a list of 10 things you can do to practice kindness to others.

#84. Is there a homework subject you dread? Why do you not like getting homework in that subject?

#85. What is your favorite month of the year? Write about why you like it and some of your favorite things to do during that month.

#86. Imagine you are planning a surprise birthday party for someone. How do you keep it a surprise?

#87. Pretend you walked outside to find a sleeping dragon in the grass! Why is the dragon there? Is it a friendly dragon? What do you do? Write about it!

#88. What are you grateful for today and why?

#89. You were on your way to a very important event when you fell into a puddle. Now what?

#90. Have you ever watched a movie and didn’t like how it ended? Write what you think should happen instead.

#91. Can you answer this riddle from Alice in Wonderland ? How is a raven like a writing desk?

#92. Imagine you are the captain of a pirate ship. Write a diary entry for what your day was like.

#93. If you could start any type of business, what kind of business would you start? What types of products or services would you provide?

#94. Write a sequel to one of your favorite fairy tales. For example, what was Goldilocks’s next adventure after she left the bears?

#95. What is something you are afraid of? What helps you to feel less afraid of something? What would you say to a friend who feels scared to help them feel less afraid?

#96. Write a letter to your future self in 20 years.

#97. In addition to basic survival needs such as food, water, air and shelter, what are 3 things you would you need to be happy?

#98. If you could invent a robot of any type who could do anything you imagine, what types of things would you would have the robot to do?

#99. Which do like better? Apples or Oranges? How are they alike? How are they different?

#100. Why did the chicken cross the road? You are a detective and are assigned to the case. How do solve the mystery?

#101. Write instructions for how to make your favorite snack. Be sure you add your favorite tips and suggestions for how to select the best ingredients!

#102. Imagine you borrowed a friend’s favorite lucky pencil to help you pass a math test – but then it snapped in half! How will you ever tell the news to your friend?

#103. Look around the current room you are sitting in and choose 3 random objects that are nearby. Now write a story or poem that includes those three items!

#104. Write a letter to the author of a book you recently read and tell them what you liked most about the book.

#105. Ernest Hemingway is famous for writing a six word story. Can you write a story in just 6 words?

#106. What do you think will be the future for cell phones? Will people still use them in 25 years or will something else take its place?

#107. Do you want to go to college? Why or why not?

#108. Write a story or poem about a kitten who wanders off and gets lost. How does the kitten find its way home?

#109. Currently, it is required by law that kids go to school. Do you think this is a good or bad idea?

#110. If you could invent a new board game, what would it be called? How is it played? What are the rules? What makes it fun to play? Write about it!

#111. Imagine you come home to discover your entire bedroom is covered in ketchup! What on earth happened? What is your reaction? How do you clean everything up?

#112. What is something you learned today?

#113. Would you rather have a goldfish or shark as a pet?

#114. From A-Z: make a list of something for every letter of the alphabet.

#115. Have you ever gone fishing? If you have, did you like it? Why or why not? If you haven’t, do you think you might want to?

#116. What is one of the most important things you do each and every day?

#117. Write a story about Gretchen the Grouch, a girl who is always angry! Will she ever be happy? Why is she so grumpy all of the time?

#118. How do you feel when someone takes something of yours without asking? What is a good way to deal with it when that happens?

#119. Write a poem that starts with the word “if”.

#120. Write a story about a family of rabbits who live in the woods. What are some of the challenges they face?

#121. What clothes do you think are the most comfortable? What kind of clothes do you like to wear the most? What clothes do you NOT like to wear?

#122. Imagine there are no grocery stores and you must get your own food. What are some of the ways you find food? What types of things do you eat?

#123. What are 3 things you can do that are good for the environment?

#124. If you could meet any famous person today, who would you want to meet and why? What questions might you ask them?

#125. A tongue twister is a quick poem where many of the words start with the same letter and are similar in sound. For example, “Peter picked a peck of pickled peppers.” Try writing your own with this fun kids writing prompt!

#126. What is the first thing you think of when you hear or see the word green?

#127. A hero is someone who is admired for their courage and achievements. What do you think makes someone a hero? Who are some of your heroes?

#128. What did you do during summer vacation last year? What do you want to do for summer vacation this year?

#129. Write a story about a super hero dog who saves the day! Who does the dog help and why?

#130. Would you rather live somewhere that is always cold, or somewhere that is always hot? Write about which one you would rather choose.

#131. Have you ever volunteered to help a charity? If so, write about the experience! If not, what are some charities you think you might like to volunteer for?

#132. What does the word courage mean to you?

#133. What makes you unique? What are some things about you that make you an individual?

#134. Have you ever been to a museum? What is your favorite thing to look at on display?

#135. What can you do to set a good example for others to be kind?

#136. A Tall Tale is a story that exaggerates something that actually happened. Write a tall tale about something that recently happened to you.

#137. What is one of your favorite toys that you think you might still want to have and play with when you are 22 years old?

#138. Oh no! Everyone around you is sick with a nasty cold! Write a silly poem about how you try to avoid catching their germs!

#139. Personification is when a non-living object takes on human characteristics. Write a story where you personify a common electronic gadget in your house, such as the Television or toaster.

#140. Write a poem using similes, which is when you say an object is like something else. Here is an example of a simile: “Her eyes were as blue as the sky.”

#141. Have you ever read a book written by Dr. Suess? Write your own “Suess-style” story, complete with rhymes and made up words.

#142. Do you have any siblings? Think about what it might mean to be a good brother or sister and write about it!

#143. Make a list of questions to interview your parents or grandparents about what it was like when they were growing up as a kid. Then, ask them the questions and write about their answers!

#144. You are in charge of writing a new radio show just for kids! What topics will you talk about? What music do you play?

#145. What do you usually eat for breakfast every day? What, in your opinion, is the greatest breakfast food ever created? What makes it so great?

#146. Write a 12 line poem where every line is about a different month of the year.

#147. What is something you look forward to doing the most when you are an adult?

Use these prompts in your classroom! Get the ad-free printable version of these prompts to inspire your students to write! Thank you for your support!

#148. Do you like to try new things? What is something new you have tried recently or would like to try?

#149. Imagine what it might be like to be alive in Egypt when the pyramids were built. Write about what it was like.

#150. A credo is a statement of personal beliefs. Try writing your own credo for things that you believe in and feel are important.

#151. The circus has come to town but they have no place to perform! How do you help the ringmaster find a place to put on a show?

#152. Do you like to act? What are some of your favorite actors or actresses? What do you think makes someone a good actor or actress?

#153. “Practice makes perfect” is a popular saying. What is something you like to practice so you can become better at it? A sport? A musical instrument? A special skill? Do you like to practice?

#154. Write about what it might be like to be water drops freezing and turning into ice.

#155. Do you think it is important to keep your room clean? What do you like about having a clean room?

#156. Imagine your parents are sending you away for a two week summer camp trip. Would you be excited? Why or why not?

#157. What are you currently learning about in history class? Write a fictional story about someone from the past you are learning about.

#158. Many wars have been fought in the past. Instead of going to war, what do you think countries could do to resolve their differences peacefully?

#159. Every year over 8 billion plastic bottles and cans are thrown away. What are some things you can do to help encourage your family and friends to recycle?

#160. Imagine if you were the principal of the school. What might you do differently? What things would you do that are the same? Write about it!

#161. Pretend that one day you are at your neighbor’s house and you notice a strange noise coming from the basement. You go downstairs to investigate to see a large machine running with many lights and buttons. Why is it there?

#162. Write an essay that starts with the line, “Tomorrow, I hope…”

#163. If you could give one thing to every child in the world, what would you want to give them?

#164. Do you have a piggy bank at home? How do you earn money to add to your savings?

#165. What qualities make a house a home? What are 3 things you think every house should have?

#166. Would you rather go scuba diving or rock climbing? Write about which one you think you would like to do more and why.

#167. Do you think it is a good idea for kids to write a daily journal? What are some of the benefits of writing every day?

#168. Do you like watching fireworks or are they too noisy? Write about a time when you saw fireworks in the sky.

#169. Oh no! Your friend has turned into a statue! How did this happen? What do you do? Does your friend ever turn back into a person again?

#170. If you could be any movie character, who would you be and why?

#171. A mysterious message appears in code on your computer screen. What could it mean?

#172. If you could go to work with one of your parents for a day, what do you think the day would be like? What types of things do your parents do at work all day long?

#173. Imagine you are the President and you are creating a new national holiday. What is your holiday about? How is it celebrated? What day of the year do you celebrate? Write about it!

#174. You won a never-ending lifetime supply of spaghetti noodles! What will you do with all of these noodles?

#175. Would you rather be a bunny rabbit or a hawk? Why did you choose the one you chose?

#176. Your teacher has been acting mysterious lately. After school one day, you notice a weird green light shining through underneath the door of your classroom. What do you do? What is happening with your teacher?

#177. Write an article about tips for how kids can be more organized and study well for tests.

#178. Look at any product in your house and read the ingredients labels. Research what each ingredient is. Do you think these ingredients are good or bad for people?

#179. If you were a doctor, what do you think would be the most important part of your job every day?

#180. The school librarian needs your help! A truck just arrived with 2,000 books and she can’t fit all the books onto the shelves! What do you do? How do you find a place to put all these books?

#181. Do you think it would be fun to plant a garden? What types of plants would you want to grow? Write about your garden ideas.

#182. What is a sport or activity you would like to try playing for the first time?

#183. Do you think kids should be allowed to do the same things as adults? What things do you think kids should be able to do that only grown-ups can?

#184. Imagine you and your parents switch places for a day. Your parents are the kids and you are now in charge! What would you do?

#185. Write a get-well letter to someone who has been sick. What can you say to make them feel better?

#186. If you could visit any planet in the solar system, which planet would you like to visit the most and why? Write about what it might be like.

#187. Have you ever been to a farm? What did you like about it? If you haven’t been to a farm, do you think you might like to visit one? Why or why not?

#188. The mayor of the city has a big problem and needs your help! What is the problem and how will you solve it?

#189. Pretend your little sister ate carrots for dinner and the next morning woke up with rabbit ears! How did this happen? What do you do? Will she be a rabbit forever?

#190. Imagine you wake up in the morning to find out you get to relive any day of your life again for the whole day. What day would you want to experience again and why?

#191. Do you think you might like to be a firefighter? Why or why not?

#192. You are a lawyer and your client has been accused of stealing a car. How do you convince the jury your client is innocent?

#193. Think of the four elements: fire, air, earth, and water. Which of these four elements do you like the best?

#194. What would you do if you could be invisible for a whole day? Do you think you would enjoy it or be glad to be back to normal the next day? Write about it!

#195. Imagine you are a meteorologist and people are starting to get angry that your weather predictions are always wrong. What do you do?

#196. If you could create any law, what would it be? Why do you think the law is an important one to have?

#197. You are going incognito and need to hide to your identity so you aren’t recognized or discovered while you walk through the city. What type of disguise do you wear?

#198. Write a persuasive letter to your parents explaining why you should get a new pet. Make sure you provide a convincing argument they won’t be able to refuse!

#199. Your friend wants to do something dangerous. What should you do?

#200. How do you think the world would be different if there were no oceans?

#201. What do you do when someone disagrees with your opinions? Is there a better way to handle conflicting opinions?

#202. What do you think you as a kid could do to help encourage more people to read?

#203. Do you have a good luck charm? What makes this item lucky? When do you use it? How do you use it?

#204. What is at the end of a rainbow? Imagine you follow a rainbow to the end. What do you discover? Is it a pot of gold, or something else?

Use these prompts in your classroom! Get the ad-free printable version of these prompts to inspire your students to write! Thank you for your support!

#205. What do you think the consequences should be for someone who is caught cheating on a test at school?

#206. Imagine you are riding your bike one day when you encounter an older kid who wants to steal your bike. What do you do?

#207. You are the lead singer and star of a famous rock and roll band, but there is one problem – your drummer is jealous of your fame! How do you solve this situation?

#208. If you could help a group of kids in any part of the world, what kids would you want to help the most and why? What are some things you think would help these kids?

#209. Everyone knows the house on the end of the street is haunted. What are some of the strange things that happen there? Why is the house haunted?

#210. You notice at school one day there is a door to a secret passage next to the janitor’s closet and decide to explore. Where does it lead? Why is it there? Do you go alone or bring a friend along?

#211. A bucket list is a list of things you want to accomplish in your lifetime. What are 5 things on your bucket list?

#212. Imagine the perfect treehouse or clubhouse for you and all of your friends as a place to hang out. Describe what it is like inside.

#213. Do you get bored easily? Make a list of things you can do whenever you feel like you are bored and there is nothing fun to do!

#214. Now vs. Then: Think about how today is different from one year ago. How have you changed? What things in your life are different?

#215. Write your autobiography about your life.

#216. It’s a heat wave! What do you do when the weather is hot? What are some of your favorite ways to stay cool?

#217. What are three important safety tips every kid should know to stay safe?

#218. What genre of books do you like to read the most? Write about the characteristics of the genre and list some of your favorite books as examples.

#219. Holiday Traditions: How does your family celebrate the different holidays and events? What are some traditions you do each and every year?

#220. Imagine one day in science class a science experiment goes terribly wrong and now you and all of your classmates have superpowers! What are your superpowers and what do you do with them?

#221. Who is favorite teacher? Why are they your favorite?

#222. You are baking a cake, but you accidentally put salt in the cake instead of sugar. Nobody will eat it! How do you feel? What will you do next time?

#223. Do you think it is important to have good table manners? What do you think some good manners to practice might be?

#224. Many schools no longer teach cursive handwriting. Do you think this is a good or bad thing? Do you know how to write cursive handwriting? Would you like to learn if you haven’t?

#225. If you were the owner of a theme park, what types of rides and attractions would have? Describe what they would be like and why people would want to visit your park.

#226. Your parents give you $100 to spend at the grocery store. What do you buy and why?

#227. Some people who are alive today grew up without computers or video games. What would you do if you didn’t have a computer or video games? How would life be different?

#228. You walk into your living room and discover there is a giant elephant standing there. How did the elephant get there? What do you do about it? How do you explain the elephant in the living room to your parents?

#229. Have you ever had a weird dream? What happened in the dream? What do you think it means?

#230. Do you like to draw or paint? Write a story inspired by a painting, doodle, or sketch.

#231. You are being sent on a mission to outer space to live in a space station for 5 years. What supplies do you pack and why?

#232. What is the scariest creature alive on earth? Describe in detail what makes it so horrifying.

#233. What do you think your pet might say if they could talk to you?

#234. Imagine your school is putting on a talent show. What act will you perform? What other acts will be in the show?

#235. If you could breathe under water, what would you do?

#236. What time of day do you think school should start? Write a convincing argument on why or why not the time of day school starts should change.

#237. If you were to start your own YouTube video channel, what would the videos on your channel be about?

#238. Do you like to cook? What are some things you like to make and eat?

#239. Your school is having a field day and you are in charge of planning the activities and games. What types of activities and games would you plan for the event?

#240. If you had a remote control drone that takes video of everything it sees from the sky and you could take it anywhere, what would you film? For example, the inside of a volcano or soar it over the plains of Africa.

#241. The Bermuda Triangle is an area of the ocean where many ships and planes have gone missing. Why do you think this could be? Write a story about what it might be like to travel there.

#242. There are 7 great wonders of the world – which one do you think is the most wonderful?

#243. If you could speak any foreign language fluently, which one would you like to speak and why?

#244. You are inventing a new flavor of ice cream! What is the new flavor called and what ingredients do you need to make it?

#245. Would you rather go to a baseball game or read a good book? What reasons do you have for your choice?

#246. You walk outside to get your mail and your mailbox starts talking to you! What does your mailbox have to say?

#247. Imagine you are a famous person. What are you most famous for? What is it like to be famous?

#248. What do you think would be the most fun job in the world to have? Give examples of why you think it would be a fun job to have.

#249. Write a poem about an object that is shiny and dazzling.

#250. Do you like to watch the Olympics? Why or why not? If yes, what is your favorite Olympic sport?

#251. What kind of car do you want to drive when you are older? Do you think learning to drive will be easy or hard?

#252. What do you think would make for a great gift to give someone on their birthday?

#253. Describe a time when you needed help and someone helped you. What did they help you with and how did it make you feel?

#254. If you could be any type of fruit or vegetable, what would you be and why?

Love these prompts? Get the ad-free printable version of these prompts to use at home or in the classroom!

#255. Do you think it is more important to have a good imagination or have all the facts proven?

#256. Do you have a favorite aunt, uncle, or another relative? Write a story about their life and why you like to be with them.

#257. Think of a time you laughed really, really hard. What was so funny? Why were you laughing? Write about it!

#258. Write a poem about an emotion. For example: happy, sad, angry, embarrassed, guilty.

#259. Do you ever have a hard time falling asleep? What are some things that help you feel sleepy?

#260. If you could drive a car, where would you drive and why?

#261. Imagine you are trading places with your friend for a day. What will it be like to be at their house? What will your friend think while they are at your house? Write about it!

#262. If you could break a world record, what would it be? What do you think would be necessary to be able to break the world record?

#263. Imagine you live in Colonial times. What would it be like to grow up as a kid in Colonial America?

#264. You are building a new city. What is the name of your city? What is the weather like? What buildings will you build?

#265. What do you think it would be like to work as a sailor on big ship in the ocean each day?

#266. Imagine you are the teacher for the day. What types of activities do you make the students in the class do?

#267. How would you feel if your parents told you that you would be getting a new baby brother or sister? Write about it!

#268. Do you know any good jokes? What are some of your favorite jokes? What makes them funny? Do you think you could write your own?

#269. Imagine you are floating down a river on a raft. What types of things can you see from the river that you normally wouldn’t see from the land?

#270. You want to start a new hobby collecting something. What kinds of things would you collect and why?

#271. Your mom announces she is having a yard sale. Would you let her sell any of your things? Why or why not?

#272. Imagine you walk out your front door one morning and it is raining popcorn! What do you do?

#273. You are camping in the woods one night and hear a scary noise. What do you do? What might be the cause?

#274. What do you think might make kids really happy to go to school? What are some things you think schools should do so that it could be more fun?

#275. Today’s lunch at the cafeteria was unusually horrible. You are a detective on the case to investigate. What do you think is the cause?

#276. If you had a tree that grows money, what would you do?

#277. What would you do if you had a unicorn as a pet?

#278. Would you rather go to the zoo or go to the aviary? Which one would you pick and why?

#279. What are some safety tips you should follow when riding a bike?

#280. You are designing the cover of a magazine. What are some of the headlines on the cover?

#281. Are you afraid of the dark? Why or why not?

#282. If you could learn to play any type of musical instrument, which one would you like to learn how to play and why?

#283. Imagine you are playing a sport that involves a ball, such as soccer, baseball or kickball. What would it be like if the ball could talk?

#284. You come home to discover a friendly alien has been living in your closet. What do you do? Why is there an alien in your closet?

#285. Is there something you are afraid of that you wish you weren’t afraid of? Write about it.

#286. Write about the best party you’ve ever been to. What made the day fun and special?

#287. What makes you feel loved and cared about? What are some ways people can show you that they love and care about you?

#288. There is a kite flying competition coming up and you are going to design your own kite. What will your kite look like? What colors will it be? Will it have any certain shape?

#289. You are given the challenge to drop an egg on the floor – without it breaking! What are some things you might try to make sure the egg won’t break?

#290. What are some of the things you can do every day to stay healthy?

#291. Do you think grown-ups are boring? Why do you think they are so boring all of the time? What is something fun that boring grown-ups could do instead of being so boring?

#292. Write a lyrical poem or song about what kids do while they are at school all day long.

#293. What are the first things you like to do when you are done with school each day? What are some of the activities you like when you are not at school?

#294. Imagine dinosaurs were still alive today. How do you think our lives would be different?

#295. Would you rather visit a volcano or a desert? Which one would you choose and why?

#296. Is there a sound you think is annoying? What types of sounds drive you crazy? Write about them!

#297. What do you think it would be like to be the size of an ant for a day? What types of things would you do?

Writing Prompt: What would it be like if your teddy bear came to life?

#298. Imagine one of your stuffed animals comes to life and starts talking to you. What types of things will you talk about? What will you do?

#299. What makes you feel happiest? Write about the things in life that make you feel happy!

#300. Imagine there is no gravity. What kind of things would you do you for fun? How would some of the things you already do for fun be different?

Parents and teachers, I hope you enjoyed these 300 writing prompts for kids and that you will use them to inspire your children’s creative imaginations.

These prompts of course can be used in a number of different ways and can be adapted for a variety of different styles of writing !

What do you think? Do you think these are good conversation and story starters for kids? Do you have any ideas for writing prompts you would like to share?

And of course, if you’d like to make it super fun and easy to use these prompts at home or in your classroom, be sure to get our ad-free printable version of these kids writing prompt cards now available in my Etsy shop.

We’d love to hear your thoughts on different creative writing ideas and topics for kids to write about! Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Chelle Stein wrote her first embarrassingly bad novel at the age of 14 and hasn't stopped writing since. As the founder of ThinkWritten, she enjoys encouraging writers and creatives of all types.

101 Poetry Prompts & Ideas for Writing Poems

365 Creative Writing Prompts

108 Romance Writing Prompts & Love Story Ideas

7 Creative Writing Exercises For Writers

42 Fantasy Writing Prompts & Plot Ideas

IMAGES

Heather Sellers Quote: “Becoming a writer means being creative enough
Creative Writing Quotes And Sayings
Images For > Creative Writing Quotes
😍 Quotes on creative writing. Famous Writing Quotes: Inspirational
139 best Creative Story Writing Stimulus Pics images on Pinterest
Creative Writing

VIDEO

Congress Approves! Direct Deposit STIMULUS CHECKS DATE “CONFIRMED” For SS, SSI, SSDI
The Anxious
$2000 4th stimulus check update: Stimulus Check in March 2024 to impact SSDI, SSI, low income
Stimulus Variation Skill #Micro Lesson Plan #English
#10 Random Stimulus Technique
Stimulus Feed ♪

COMMENTS

170 Writing Quotes by Famous Authors for Every Occasion
1. "If you don't have time to read, you don't have the time (or the tools) to write. Simple as that.". — Stephen King. 2. "You should write because you love the shape of stories and sentences and the creation of different words on a page. Writing comes from reading, and reading is the finest teacher of how to write.".
91 creative writing quotes by 62 great authors
Creative writing quotes that acknowledge the writer's quirkiness and imperfection. I love deadlines. I love the whooshing noise they make as they go by. —Douglas Adams. Every writer I know has trouble writing. —Joseph Heller. A writer is a person for whom writing is more difficult than it is for other people.
Goodreads
We would like to show you a description here but the site won't allow us.
Words of Wisdom: 52 Inspiring Writing Quotes
52 Quotes for Writers to Fuel Writing Inspiration... "When you're writing, you're creating something out of nothing…. A successful piece of writing is like doing a successful piece of magic.". - Susanna Clarke. "You never know, of course, when you write a book what its fate will be. Sink out of sight, soar to the sun— who knows ...
20 Inspiring Quotes for Writers to Fuel Creativity
7. The first draft is just you telling yourself the story. - Terry Pratchett. Writing can be a daunting process, and the pressure to create something polished and perfect can sometimes stifle a writer's creativity. To overcome this hurdle, it is important for writers to remember the role of a first draft.
99 Quotes About Creativity For Writers
Small minds discuss people."-. Henry Thomas Buckle. "Everything you can imagine is real.". — Pablo Picasso. "The chief enemy of creativity is "good" sense.". — Pablo Picasso. "Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist."―. Pablo Picasso. "Doors are for people with no imagination."―.
25 Quotes to Inspire Your Creative Writing
1) "There comes a point in your life when you need to stop reading other people's books and write your own.". - Albert Einstein. 2) "Good fiction's job is to comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable.". - David Foster Wallace. 3) "A professional writer is an amateur who didn't quit.". - Richard Bach.
100 Creative Writing Prompts for Writers
Click to continue. *****. 100 Creative Writing Prompts for Writers. 1. The Variants of Vampires. Think of an alternative vampire that survives on something other than blood. Write a story or scene based on this character. 2. Spinning the Globe.
1800+ Creative Writing Prompts To Inspire You Right Now
Here's how our contest works: every Friday, we send out a newsletter containing five creative writing prompts. Each week, the story ideas center around a different theme. Authors then have one week — until the following Friday — to submit a short story based on one of our prompts. A winner is picked each week to win $250 and is highlighted ...
59+ Creative Writing Prompts to Fuel Your Inspiration
Writing Stimulus Overview. Creative blocks are common, ... Creative Writing Cues with Unexpected Elements Unlocking your narrative potential or overcoming a creative impasse can be as simple as engaging with a lively writing prompt. I've devised an assortment of such prompts - some birthed from my own imagination, others sourced or received ...
365 Creative Writing Prompts
14. The Found Poem: Read a book and circle some words on a page. Use those words to craft a poem. Alternatively, you can cut out words and phrases from magazines. 15. Eavesdropper: Create a poem, short story, or journal entry about a conversation you've overheard. Printable Ad-Free 365 Writing Prompt Cards. 16.
45 Creative Writing Prompts to Boost your Inspiration
Listen to conversations and write down interesting dialogue. Eavesdrop at a coffee shop or on a bus, and take notes! Write about a different person every day. Go on a walk, notice a plant or bird, and write about its features in detail. Keep a journal and tracker of your goals. Write about one thing you did every day to achieve them.
101 Sentence Prompts To Spark Your Creative Writing
Sentence Prompts. 1. The Beginning of Adventure: "The ice cream truck's jingle was suddenly drowned out by the roar of thunder, changing the course of the little girl's day." 2. A Mysterious Morning: "He woke up with icy fingers clutching his shoulder, only to find an empty room." 3.
45 Quotes that Make Great Writing Prompts
Quotes as Prompts. The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing. -Walt Disney. If life were predictable, it would cease to be life, and be without flavor. -Eleanor Roosevelt. If you look at what you have in life, you'll always have more. If you look at what you don't have in life, you'll never have enough. -Oprah Winfrey.
105 Creative Writing Prompts to Try Out
Make a story out of it. #3: Write using no adjectives or adverbs. #4: Write a character's inner dialogue between different aspects of a character's self (rather than an inner monologue). #5: Write a true story from your past that involves light or darkness in some way. #6: "Saying goodbye awakens us to the true nature of things."
105 Creative Writing Exercises: 10 Min Writing Exercises
Here are over 105 creative writing exercises to give your brain a workout and help those creative juices flow again: Set a timer for 60 seconds. Now write down as many words or phrases that come to mind at that moment. Pick any colour you like. Now start your sentence with this colour.
How to Use a Creative Writing Stimulus
Use different senses to describe it. Let them touch objects. Encourage your learners to ask and answer questions about the writing prompt and use questioning to help them think deeply. Avoid using leading questions that will push your class towards seeing the stimulus in the same way as you. Let them surprise you.
56 Dystopian Writing Prompts & Story Ideas
Dystopian writing prompts. To help you create a powerful story about a society in crisis, here are our 56 dystopian writing prompts: In the year 2,121, sea levels have risen at an extreme rate. 98% of the Earth is now underwater. The remaining 2% is made of small islands scattered across the Earth. With resources at a scarcity, the islands must ...
Stimulus in creative writing
Exploring stimulus in creative writing practice, in physiological and psychological terms, reveals that stimulus-for becomes stimulus-in, as primary affective immersion generates deep, sensory imagining - bringing (past) feeling to (present) thinking. KEYWORDS: Creative writing;
What Is Creative Writing? (Ultimate Guide + 20 Examples)
Creative writing is an art form that transcends traditional literature boundaries. It includes professional, journalistic, academic, and technical writing. This type of writing emphasizes narrative craft, character development, and literary tropes. It also explores poetry and poetics traditions.
ServiceScape Writing Prompt Generator
Need fiction writing inspiration? The ServiceScape Writing Prompt Generator has hundreds of creative writing ideas. From Fantasy to Science Fiction to Horror to Romance, our free and easy-to-use writing prompt generator can get your gears turning for whatever fiction story you want to write.
300 Creative Writing Prompts for Kids
Which is better, winter or summer? Write about the reasons why you think winter or summer is better. #4. Write about what would it be like if you had an alligator as a pet. #5. If you had $1,000, what would you buy and why? #6. Write a story using these 5 words: apple, train, elephant, paper, banjo. #7.
70 Picture Prompts for Creative Writing (with Free Slides)
Writing Center. Print cards or writing pages with these images on them and put them in a writing center for your students to discover at their own pace. Specific Skills. Use story picture prompts to help kids work on specific writing skills. For example, you could work on descriptive writing by having them describe the setting of the picture in ...

91 creative writing quotes by 62 great authors

Creative writing quotes on the importance of consistent practice

Creative writing quotes that acknowledge the writer’s quirkiness and imperfection

Creative writing quotes on technique

Creative writing quotes on beginnings

Creative writing quotes on the (non-) rules of writing

Creative writing quotes on what to write about

Creative writing quotes on persistence

Creative writing quotes on inspiration

Creative writing quotes on dealing with doubt

Creative writing quotes on perfectionism

Creative writing quotes on being prolific and doing the work

Creative writing quotes on the importance of reading

Creative writing quotes on the need to write

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

20 Inspiring Quotes for Writers to Fuel Creativity

Inspiring Quotes for Writers

1. The scariest moment is always just before you start. – Stephen King

2. I write to give myself strength. I write to be the characters that I am not. I write to explore all the things I’m afraid of. – Joss Whedon

3. A word after a word after a word is power. – Margaret Atwood

Table of Contents

5. There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you. – Maya Angelou

6. If there’s a book that you want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it. – Toni Morrison

7. The first draft is just you telling yourself the story. – Terry Pratchett

8. The beautiful part of writing is that you don’t have to get it right the first time, unlike, say, a brain surgeon. – Robert Cormier

9. The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt. – Sylvia Plath

10. You can make anything by writing. – C.S. Lewis

11. Write what should not be forgotten. – Isabel Allende

12. Don’t tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass. – Anton Chekhov

13. There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed.” – Ernest Hemingway

14. You don’t start out writing good stuff. You start out writing crap and thinking it’s good stuff, and then gradually you get better at it. – Octavia Butler

15. The most important things are the hardest things to say. They are the things you get ashamed of because words diminish them — words shrink things that seemed limitless when they were in your head to no more than living size when they’re brought out. – Stephen King

16. There are three rules for writing a novel. Unfortunately, no one knows what they are. – W. Somerset Maugham

Share this:

99 Quotes About Creativity To Inspire Your Writing

Albert Einstein Creativity Quotes

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

WEEKLY WRITING PROMPTS

Showing 2149 prompts

Make a character’s obsession or addiction an important element of your story.

Introducing Prompted , a new magazine written by you!

Your protagonist is a voracious reader. Lately, they’ve been noticing odd synchronicities in the books he or she is reading. What does the protagonist discover is happening?

Your teacher tasks you with writing a story based on an eavesdropped conversation. When the story is published, your subject isn’t happy.

Contest #252 LIVE

Prize money

Recent winners 🏆

Leaderboard 🥇

Bring your short stories to life

Creative Writing Prompts

Why we love creative writing prompts

After you find the perfect story idea

Beyond creative writing prompts: how to build a writing routine

Explore more writing prompt ideas:

59+ Creative Writing Prompts to Fuel Your Inspiration

Key Takeaways

Writing Stimulus Overview

Creative Sparks for Your Imagination

Romantic Escapades with a Twist

Sci-fi Encounters and Anomalies

Mysterious and Macabre Twists

Collection of Creative Writing Ideas

Suggestions for Love-Inspired Narratives

Related Posts

What is Notionyou?

What is a Notion template?

Why pay for Notion templates?

Can I use the Notion free account plan?

45 Quotes that Make Great Writing Prompts

How to Use Prompts

Quotes as Prompts

Choose Your Test

10 Short Writing Prompts

11 Writing Prompts for Kids

15 Cool Writing Prompts

15 Funny Writing Prompts

54 Other Writing Prompt Ideas

How to Use Creative Writing Prompts

#1: DON'T Limit Yourself to Prose

#2: DON'T Edit as You Write

#3: DO Interpret the Prompt Broadly