923 Great Writing Prompts For Drabbles - Commaful Storytelling Blog

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Before twitteratures came along, there were drabbles.

Also known as microfiction, drabbles are 100-word stories whose main purpose is to test a writer’s ability to express interesting and meaningful ideas in a confined space. It originated in the 1980s from the United Kingdom’s science fiction fandom, as a word game where the first participant to write a story was declared as the winner.

Aside from being fun and engaging, drabbles can also be useful in developing your writing skills, as its strict word count can teach you how to filter words and train your editing skills.

If you want to try your hands on writing drabbles, here are writing prompts to help you out:

There is nothing quite like the look on a person’s face when they walk in front of a fast moving bus.
He wishes he could be the type of person who cares.
A boy or girl has been chosen by their village to leave the cave he or she lives in. The dark side of the moon is known to offer mystery and power, and the villagers require that the chosen one venture there to bring the village offerings of minerals and metal ore. Speak about this child’s feelings regarding this venture, his or her departure from the cave, and his or her return.
“He made me do it!” you scream, and the jury sympathizes with your situation…
No matter where you look, you know he’s watching you.
Explain a dream character’s motivation for past actions.
He finds her endearing in the way pet rocks are. They try to rub your arm to greet you, startle you when you least expect it, roll over and beg for tummy rubs if you show even a bit of interest, and don’t do much of anything
It hurts. It hurts a lot.
You walk in on a person in the bathroom, washing himself.
Write the ending of a mystery.
The screen is filled with flashy colors as the cursor shivers awaiting your word.
Write about an encounter with your least favorite fictional character.
He tried to throw away his identity, he truly did, but they’ve caught up with him anyway.
What was so famous about this woman that you recognize her name?
This person’s greatest wish just came true! What happens next?
When you wake up, you find that in place of your daughter, you have an orange tabby cat.
It’s a beautiful, sunny day, and everything falls into place perfectly.
Write about conversations you’ve always wanted to have with your hero.
Write about that lyrical, dreamy world in front of your nose.
When you’re walking along with your laptop under your arm, several people try to stop you and talk to you.
Write about a first meeting.
You are walking alone. Half a block away, a pair of blue eyes are watching you.
A body is found. Alive, but no one sees its eyes.
You look through the old family album and find a completely unexpected photo.
When you were a child, you wondered if anyone else had the same strange dream that you did.
Write about a random act of kindness.
In your opinion, he’s the most handsome man you’ve ever seen.
They key press echoes in the silent conference room.
Anticipation leads to waiting, and waiting leads to…dismay. Write about an unfulfilled destiny.
The voice of your GPS is a hard-coded male. You hack into it and change the voice to female.
You’re in the shower when suddenly the water begins to change color, from clear to brown, and then from brown to red.
You’ve never seen anything like it.
It is easier still to watch than to look.
As you hang up, you know you’ve made the right decision.
The person you love is about to become the victim of a horrific crime.
He has been lying in his bed for days. The same four walls. The same excuse for furniture.Writing on his lifeless keyboard with bursting fingers.
You go into the kitchen, and you remember – you forgot to put the apron backup, again. At least it’s not very important.
She orders a beer. He orders a cola. They gaze into each other’s eyes. They don’t have any money, but then again, neither of them is buying.
Write about a person who has a fear or phobia, but you find it kind of cute.
Write about a mother and child.
Write about unicorns.
On a battlefield where both sides are wounded and dying, one soldier stops to help another.
The politician known for his blister has turned, finally. He proclaims he’s taking down the regime of the Stolerate.
You’ve been seeing each other for awhile, and finally you and your half-elven lover have decided to take the plunge.
Write about someone who lives in the past.
Go to a party and write about how you feel.
Once upon a time, you played an ancient Irish board game with your mother and father.
Write about something you’ve been waiting for years to happen for you.
“You used it,” he accuses you. “How could you?”
We’re just one step closer to delivering a cleaner future for…
The locals are completely into trading at this flea market.
Write about someone who is mistaken for a celebrity.
The room is empty.
Write about a pair of lovers who meet for the first time.
Everyone will look at you. You know that. And you deserve their judgements. Not that you’re doing it for them.
You’re no less confident without your suit on. In fact, you feel better.
Write about the first time you arrived somewhere.
There is an order out for your arrest.
Write a few paragraphs about the thoughts going through your head as you change into your gym clothes.
A tiny chip that holds an entire novel.
You are aware, in a fragmented sort of way, that you are not fully in control of your actions.
A spooky radio drama you’re recording has gone terribly, horribly, painfully, delightfully wrong.
Write about your grandmother.
It isn’t until the second snooze of the budgie’s alarm clock that you open your eyes.
You see yourself in the mirror, and without warning the mask slips.
You reminisce about the days when you didn’t have a care in the world.
Think of a book or book series that you absolutely love.
You don’t care. Let everyone judge and criticize, because what you’re about to do is the best decision you could have possibly made.
Write about size.
Did it really just get warmer?
Write about a time that you, or someone else, didn’t notice something that was a little too obvious.
Before a session of intense competitions, you ask the judges for a bathroom break.
As you look at the stars in the night sky, your heart swells with hope and wonder. Which star is your north star?
You’ve never been to this building before. Wondering what you’re doing there, you walk down the street… and then you see him.
What movie do you want to see?
Between beers, the boys start arguing over who’s tougher.
Write about a group of people after a bomb goes off.
Standing before you in the middle of a busy intersection is one of your ancestors.
When your pal fizzles out and no longer provides you joy, what do you do?
Write about being stuck.
Just for today, at the beginning of your day, imagine you are someone else.
Write about someone who is trapped in an endless nightmare.
What’s up with the neighbors next door?
You have every reason to hate her, but then you see her and all you can do is smile and warmly accept your fate.
You stand on a street corner trying to look at ease and nervous all at the same time.
What would you find interesting to put in your diorama for school? Would it be in a country, city, a building, a street, a skin-related topic or just something pointless?
Argh! The final boss is way too hard! / Write about a piece of video game garbage.
Write about a time you invented something.
Between the living and the dead, there is a place. A waiting room although no one waits here and no one enters and no one comes back… until now.
You drive off the road. You forget to breathe for a few moments. Once conscious of your condition, you inhale deeply until you no longer feel light-headed.
Write a story about an accident. The narrator is caught up in the narrative.
You’re running for a bus, but you’ve missed it again. What now?
Write about something whimsical and extraordinary.
You can’t help but stare at the cute guy on the bus, and he doesn’t even notice you in return.
Write about screaming in space.
You’ve done it again. It’s like you’re a pair of magnets combined, no matter how hard you try, you can never be apart.
Someone threatening a lawsuit. it doesn’t matter why, unless you think that’s compelling and/or funny, in which case go for it.
He catches your eye, and a week’s worth of loneliness gets distilled into one magical moment.
Describe a person who’s a sound sleeper or who enjoys making anybody else wake up early in the morning.
What would it be like to get adoring looks and catcalls from your loved one?
The coffee you had this morning is losing its taste, and you want another cup.
You think you’re going crazy when the guy on television looks just like your husband.
It’s a sunny afternoon, the perfect sort of day for meeting a lover at the park.
Write a true story.
Write about a nickname.
Everyone’s got skeletons in their closet. You just have more than most.
Alone in your car, you decide to let go of the wheel and recline the seat as far back as it will go.
You hear a loud crash upstairs and run up to find out what it is.
A plane crashes. Your loved one is on it. You are the only survivor.
You need to work up the courage to do something. What is it?
Sitting on a park bench in the rain, clutching an old book to your chest, a young man thinks about a conversation he once had with the book’s previous owner.
With a shiver, you realize you’re standing in a place where the ghosts whisper to you.
Write about a sad clown.
Do you like the location you found for this story? Can you use that setting somewhere else?
Stepping into your bedroom, you pause in front of the mirror.
What do you do when the ‘someone’ attacks you? What would you say?
You closed your eyes, and when you opened someone had replaced you.
They’ve started a book club! How exciting.
The subway comes to an abrupt stop. Everything is suddenly quiet.
All the pets in the pet shop woke up and became human. You walk into the pet store to investigate.
Write about an animal taking human form who might have been born as a human being or may have always been an animal and somehow knows that she or he is unusual.
From midnight to one in the morning, as the lonely club filled up with people young and old.
Write about a time that you got lost and/or lost something.
You see someone in the park, throwing a ball for his dog. Suddenly the dog starts wrestling with some OTHER dog. It’s your dog.
Describe someone who is gazing out at the scenery.
You are at your ex’s new home out-of-town, after years of not staying in touch. Almost as if it wasn’t planned, she opens the door and stares at you, shocked.
You conjure up a nightmare in time for your partner! In return, he writes a nice poem.
Your first instinct is correct. Whatever the reason for your unease, your presence is not unwelcomed.
Write about waking up on a strange planet.
You’re sure he’s seen you. Eye contact. His face turned red. You sense he knows.
In the airport bathroom, you think you’re alone until you hear a voice behind you.
“Um,” you say, politely. “This isn’t my spot on the bench…”
You frequently find yourself wondering about all the technological doodads people are snapping up today.
If an agent or production company really wants your script, why shouldn’t you let them.
Write about a teacher who everyone thought was terrible who was completely misunderstood.
What does it feel like to be the villagers’ hero?
You’re in the tour bus when you see it in the distance—a series of rolling clouds, like a tidal wave made out of water vapor.
It’s a particularly hot summer day, you are at Niagara Falls, watching the water carve it’s path as it flows…
Write about the setting you don’t usually think about. There’s a part of the office/apartment/building you rarely spend time in.
You’ve waited all year, and now your vacation is your reward.
You awake to a stormy night, and a banging noise.
The hallway goes on for miles, but not a sound is heard. It’s too dark. The building must be empty.
If you could have anything in the world, what would you want?
While walking in the desert, you find a buried treasure.
You and your brother compete over practically everything. But does he really want you to win that contest?
Beneath the stench, she noticed that he reeked from a strange cologne.
Your ship bucks and you clutch at your instruments to keep from falling over the rail. It only lasts a moment and then it is over.
Nature lovers are machiavellians, plain and simple.
You remember that moment of disconnection, being literally suspended between dimensions.
Teleportation has been invented. How do you feel about it?
You pull out your travel diary and become lost in the memories of the past.
Write about someone that you’ve just met and immediately like very much.
Write about immortality.
You need to have a serious talk with your partner. Your feet won’t leave the ground.
Write about a chance meeting.
What if you opened a closet door and an alien stood there with tentacle-like appendages reaching out to grab you?
The starship across the galaxy explodes in a shower of glorious orange flames.
Hot after their honeymoon, a newlywed couple can’t keep their hands off each other.
He was nearly your stepfather. You should be relieved that he doesn’t love mom anymore.
It’s the third time your procrastinating neighbour has called the authorities on you.
The last thing you remember is being stuck inside the old water tower. Now you’re outside.
write about someone who cuts, peels, cracks and slits. What do they find beneath the exterior?
Why would a guard need a change of clothes? What do they change into?
There is nothing more intimidating than the silence of space.
While things are going well between you two, unrest is stewing under the surface of your partnership.
Incompetency is not an admirable quality in a coworker.
Write about the receiver of an out-of-this-world gift.
Being chased by aliens is hard because they have so many superior weapons.
A ninja is trying really hard to be stealthy but ends up being an oddly adorable failure.
You’re sitting on a bus when someone falls into the seat next to you and starts to cry.
Write about a recurring character doing something you’ve never seen them do before.
You have the best phone on the planet, the newest, the fastest, the least buggy.
There’s a knock at your door. Beware.
It’s his birthday, you breathe out a sigh of relief.
Describe what happens in the story when the character says a poignant sentence that is true.
Write about a demigod.
You hear a stifled sob, and you turn abruptly to see his tears falling on the floor.
Write about a task like dishes that go wrong in an amusing way.
After a rather long detour, today is the day you go back to work.
It is a cold night, and you seek refuge in a coffee shop. Someone is sitting in the corner.
Write about meeting your soulmate.
Your best friend moves away to a far off place. Years later you bump into him on the street.
You spot him across the street, watching you with hidden intent.
How would you prepare for a crayon eating contest?
You’ve always just been your average, everyday office worker. Suddenly one morning, you have a new employee along who turns out to be a demon! What the heck has happened?!
His tongue dances across your skin, teasing and caressing one sensitive spot after another.
What advice do you have to give to a younger version of yourself?
Strange, the sky behind him is normal. It’s as if he has his own light source.
You go for months without hearing from them, and then without warning, one day they show up at your place.
You sink into the swing that you loved when you were a little girl.
You get in the elevator. Suddenly you freeze.
A strange new store opens up down the street. At first, the store is ignored, but in time it becomes the place to buy everything from kennels to kombucha teas.
Record a voice note and submit it as audio.
What if you could change history?
What do you do on weekends when you aren’t running the town of Salem?
Name an object. Write about the object, its name and the person who gives it to you.
Write about your parents.
You head to the driveway. The kids are piling in the car. “Can’t we unpack a few more things first?” your wife yelps.
In a restaurant, a man is staring at you. You break the gaze, but then look back. He’s still looking.
Write about motherly advice.
Sitting in an empty, carpeted room, your knees curled up against your chest, you listen as the sound of a heart monitor beeps speedily beside you
Write about a stranger turning out to be very familiar.
You go to reach for the light in your bedroom, but it is already on. You just checked, so you know someone is there.
How long would you wait for someone you love?
“You’re fired,” he’d said arrogantly, with a smirk crawling across his overconfident face.
You dream of being a famous magician, but the people you know think you’re just a foolish dreamer.
You get confused when you hear a couple talking about their relationship on the subway.
An unseasonably warm day gave way to an unseasonably cold one. Winter wasn’t over yet.
Imagine you’re dead. What are you going to do while you’re waiting to be reincarnated?
He was attacked by something out of science fiction. Explain.
Your sister shudders as your mother squeaks that people only die when their time
You are adopted. It changes your life.
You run the comb through her beautiful red hair. Even though you know better, you can’t help but smile.
Write about an abrupt change in scenery.
From somewhere in the room, you hear that chime of a text notification.
She loves her ring, the way it looks on her finger, but has anyone noticed the carving?
He took one final sip of tea from his mug and checked his watch. Time was up.
Write about wearing something for the first time. Reactions are different depending on who’s wearing it.
Before you withdraw the last of your last cash, you eye your identity card. It has your mug on it, all your details.
Do you think tulpas are real? Come up with a story for how you would react if you met another tulpa for the first time.
Write about something you wish you’d never found. A letter, an article you can’t shake your head about, something that keeps coming to mind even though thinking about it makes you sweat.
Write about a time you made the wrong decision.
Someone is silently following you. You know it, but you can’t figure out why.
Write about going on vacation.
Write about catching a murderer.
You can’t help noticing it.
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Administering the Becoming campaign got him to fight tooth and nail in the name of justice – now, as the world is becoming completely different around him, fighting for truth seems useless, or even silly.
All that matters is both of you can get out alive.
Choose a wig you might wear. What would be the best outfit to wear with it?
What happens if your best friend murders your sister?
You both scramble under the nearest tables to avoid the bullets. You know the drill, but nobody else in the restaurant seems to.
It’s not in any language you can read. How can you read it?
There’s a knock on your door. It’s a person you thought you’d never see again.
You look at him. There’s something in his eyes… Does he feel it too?
Write the beginning story of the world’s greatest detective.
A scream from a neighboring house.
An insult is thrown your way, but it’s funny enough that you laugh along with it.
You inadvertently bump into someone as he rushes by you. He apologizes.
There’s a knock at the door. It’s not a salesman or a friend asking for a favor.
Write about an unrequited love.
The third time he takes you out to dinner, you order dessert first.
Write about who would win in a fight between Superman and Batman.
Write about stars.
This year, just for fun, you resolve to skip all stars with “and” in their name.
Your family has a secret. Half of your siblings are actually your twins.
Write about telling a secret.
Winter’s raging. To you, that just means it’s time to bundle up and relax with a good book.
You see a friendly face only to remember he isn’t really that friendly.
What do you do when you find out your pet has died in the night?
It’s the middle of the night and you can’t sleep.
You’ve just been given an emergency phone call.
Write about a memory you lost. How did you get it back?
You put the last supplies into the baby bag and run out of your room to pick up the baby.
You cannot recall how, but you are walking down the street in your hometown.
You carry the weight of the world on your shoulders.
You try to conceal it, you try to hide it, but in the end, you just need to share it with someone or you’ll go crazy.
When you find a creature, different from all the others you’ve encountered, you aren’t sure at first what to make of it.
You remember a store window on the Boulevard des Peu d’Autant quay. You remember the darkelder-babchaps in the window.
There are crazy stories, and there are truly insane stories. Which are worse?
Write about a climb.
Write about an out-of-body experience.
You stop in your tracks. There, crouched in the alley, is a figure, motionless.
When she was a girl, her grandmother told her stories about the dragons that lived in the mountains outside their village.
You peer through the cracked door watching them on their wedding night.
Someone tells you your mother came looking for you.
Write about a lovesick person.
You open a”See Inside” book on an old haunted house with a weird family portrait inside.
Write about someone you met during a stage play.
Describe a scenario from someone else’s point of view.
You’ve tried, okay? But it’s just no good anymore. It’s time to call it quits.
What’s that in the sky? Turn your head to the right and look up.
You’re at your favorite bar. Everything is right in the world. A girl sits across from you. She takes her drink, thanks you for the conversation, and leaves. You realize this is it, and you’ve got the rest of your life to live. What do you do?
You come from a family that always eats at the same restaurant. It’s been a tradition for as long as you can remember.
You’re in love with your best friend. Listen to their voice, feel their arms around you. You know you can’t tell them, because it’d ruin everything.
They’re wearing a uniform. They are proud of it.
You’re not supposed to be here. But you couldn’t stay behind.
You believe something impossible. It works… but how?
The silence of your lonely room suddenly becomes a distant memory as a familiar howl rings out close by.
You are the richest person in the world. Your business can be in ANY industry, and you can do whatever you want with the money.
Write about someone making a big sacrifice for their Soulmate’s happiness.
Someone walked up to you and said, “the universe was written for us. We are the protagonists!”
You arrive home to see a deer in your backyard. You notice that it has a saddle on its… Write a story featuring an artificial intelligence.
It hasn’t been a good day. Then you spot the courage to change that.
The cat’s out of the bag and the sheep are running. How long before the engineered virus that was keeping the villagers in check gets to them.
Write about a prom that wears a prom dress.
The taxi turns the corner onto your street. A smile creeps across your face.
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Early one morning while emptying the dishwasher, Oran imagines doing something he’d never had the courage to do until then.
What if retirement is not the most unsettling thing awaiting you?
Three friends go to find a missing fourth.
You’ve always hated that thing about hotels, so you made sure to lock the door when you left.
You find out that someone sent a letter to your partner, telling them how much they love them and how much they’ve missed them.
You head out with your friends, but before you reach the street corner, you hear a voice calling out for help.
Write about a winter solstice.
Write about a famous historical figure. Do not make this an admiration post.
He has tried almost every approach in the book. Riddles and recipes hardly worked, building a time machine was an ambitious goal, but unexpected by its very nature it failed miserably, but food?
Write about a character who doesn’t need to sleep.
Your life is void, devoid of meaning. You’re miserable, no matter what you do.
When you tell him she’s dead, he says “What do you know about it?”
You watch the world go by outside the window. It’s a strange place for you after all this time spent apart.
At breakfast, the cereal box reads “Complete Breakfast.” So you pour in half the milk and call it lunch.
Write about a gift that was better than you expected.
Ash is not of this world, and his job is killing humans. All humans.
Look up. What did you see that made you jump?
Write about an injury.
She stares out her bedroom window at the glorious fall of leaves tumbling one after the other to the street below.
Write about an online relationship.
A tumbleweed blows through.
A man in a trench coat sits on the park bench. Regardless of the weather, he’s just sitting there quietly, his hands crossed, waiting.
You can honestly say that you don’t think there’s ever existed anybody more special to you.
Someone is injured, unconscious at your feet and, although it’s not your fault, you are to blame.
Write about a person who is a vegetarian.
How hard is it, really, to admit that you’ve made a mistake?
Write about someone so unhealthily attached to a teddy bear.
They’re all around you. All the people you’ve called friends at some point in time. They’ve returned to haunt and tempt you, vying for your attention – to no avail.
Write about us sneaking around, keeping ourselves secret.
You’re lying in your bed when suddenly you hear something that wakes you up.
Write about getting dumped by your lover.
You have a drink, and the stage lights bathe you in a weird, creeping amber glow. Then the lights flicker out.
Write a quick response to a prompt you’ve seen and posted in the blogosphere.
You’re bored. What’s life going to give you next?
Mark your calendars, more Drabbles are on the way!
What would you do if you had a year to live?
For apparition practice, you end up after the place you most wanted to go to.
You knew that you were born into a family filled with witches and sorcerers. It was no surprise when it happened to you.
You open the door to find a man dressed in a black tuxedo and top hat waiting there.
You knew the count was off. You knew it had to be an intruder even then.
The full moon lights your way as you walk down the sidewalk. You realize someone is following you, but you shouldn’t be worried.
Your life is about to change. It’s almost as if you know what part you’re going to play in the unfolding chapters.
Write about a couple that’s taking a vacation together.
It hasn’t been removed yet. You can still go back there. You will, someday. Even if it kills you.
You didn’t question why you were being fired from your job. You accepted it.
Write down a list of ten of your possible life choices you’ve made to this point.
Two characters in love with each other but can never admit it. How do they deal?
You walk through the halls of the school and secretly, and then not so secretly, covet the treasure of new students.
A bug lands on your leg. You contemplate squishing it. Why? Come up with a compelling story.
Everything must go—yet so many things are so precious.
Write about a situation where someone is living in a former life or being in the way of the future. The ink fades as you look upon it, feeling a twinge of regret in your gut.
You gasp with excitement when you notice the free gift you’ve just won.
You’re laboring over your keys. It’s clear that your companions notice but your words are silent.
Write about unrequited love and the complexities and difficulties of the relationship.
Write about someone with a major secret.
Write about someone seeing someone from the past unexpectedly.
Talking about the current top grossing movies.
You think you’re reading it right until you finish it.
You tell them how they’ve helped you in your life, despite the fact that you get nothing from it.
Write about the feeling of waiting for that person you love.
The doorbell rings, and you know who it is.
Give us an awakening kiss. Mmm, you taste so good, yum!
You can’t believe your eyes. Who has shipped these?
Someone found something on your dead body. Write about the moment you’re revived.
A conversation with someone you need.
Someone important just died. How do you feel?
You’ve spotted a strange and unusual looking car parked in your neighborhood. Maybe it’s a manifestation of the Devourer. Unlight spills from the metal doors. You hurry inside.
There are bumps in the night.
The question that you’ve been avoiding suddenly becomes too big to ignore anymore.
You can’t believe the words that she’s saying to you, so you force her to repeat everything.
One morning, you awaken to find a feather on your nightstand. What does it mean?
Write about a paranormal being that is not human.
You’ve lost her. You fear she’s wandering the city somewhere on foot.
A girl visits her grandfather, who is looking very unwell.
You really need another pair of hands…
Write about someone who becomes mute after they meet the one love of their life.
Write about a person who doesn’t know where they belong. They always feel like an outsider and have trouble finding their place in the world.
You accidentally wake up in the middle of the night in a strange and unfamiliar place.
Write about a wild animal landing a job.
Your palms sweat, your hands shake, your heart races, your breath stops. What should you do?
Everyone is waiting for you to speak. When you do you see a ripple of joy spread through the crowd.
Name a piece of video game software that was never released.
When you see your boss downtown, what do you do?
A terribly powerful natural disaster rocks your home locale. What comes of it?
Write about a peek through a window.
You cross out the person you’ve worked so hard on your professional resume to make it look more impressive.
Write about an unexpected bad time during a date.
Write about a meeting you had that changed your life.
You open the door to your lease with a bucket of painters tape in your hand, no furniture in sight.
Write about a visit to the salon or spa.
You and a friend find yourselves sneaking into a restricted section of a library to take a peek at rare books.
It’s a simple yes or no question, you decide. But omitted from these choices is ‘I’ll probably never see the person again’, which, in a way, is the hardest choice of all.
You are running late and need your makeup, but you can’t find your bag — or any of the products inside it.
Dreams can come true. Sometimes. You can dream up a wish and it just happens.
Give your character an unusual object that he/she can throw using a significant skill roll.
When he delivers the news, you have no idea how to feel.
You are the sheriff, and you have caught the bad guy.
You are at a high society party, and you notice there are several people who are dead.
Write about opening a door.
Write about someone who discovers something shocking and unexpected about someone else.
Friendship is a two-way street.
This moment is just a stop along the way. How does this character feel about that?
Write about a song that you like so much that you can’t figure out why.
He’s adopted your little sister, just like you wanted.
An episode of a TV show you’ve never seen, but that sounds interesting.
Write about the first time you fell in love or were heartbroken.
You’ve finally done it. You’ve found it. What is it? It’s not what you expected.
Write a postcard to a character. You can write the letter in the first person or third-person point of view.
Write about someone who is terrified in the present.
Write about a first meeting of people.
Write about a character going on their first trip on an airplane – writing about misunderstandings or awkward situations is rewarded.
You walk a mile to the auto store and back because you suddenly need a light bulb.
It’s just a sliver of foam, but it bothers you enough that you end up throwing it away.
Write about a change you want to make.
You are on another planet. You are looking for food. Write about what you would eat.
Write about a day when everything goes terrifyingly wrong.
You spot a staircase and head downstairs, finding a room with a door.
A lock of sandy blonde hair falls onto the small, rounded forehead of the baby, clear blue eyes peering out, bright and curious.
Imagine you found an ancient piece of clothing that holds a remarkable power.
It’s not every day that your ex-wife shows up at your front door to tell you that she needs a favor from you.
You stumble back, away from the man. There’s something familiar about him, something that reminds you of yourself.
It’s a sunny day and you discover a field of beautiful purple flowers blooming nearby.
While singing along to a song you hear on the radio, you wonder what the name of the artist is.
The cafe is elegantly decorated, just like the city in which you live.
“Quick, quick, quick, hide me,” she shouted and glanced around the crowded street, “someone’s coming!” Little did she know that when she stepped in front of that coffee shop’s window, she would be seen by everyone.
Describe what your character looks like on his/her wedding day.
Write about a queen or king.
You have insomnia. You can’t sleep on these hot summer nights.
You finally join your family at the dinner table, and you notice something.
Write about an omen.
You will never be as old as you are at this moment.
Mine listener took off all of his, trailing his tail in the dust.
You’re off-duty and you happen to walk past your favorite pub.
Write about a cult.
You convince yourself that this is the end.
Write about someone watching a sunset/ a sunrise.
What’s the last thing you said to yourself before you fall asleep?
Remember that Tahoe ski trip a few years back?
In your deepest fears, you never thought you’d end up here. And yet, here you are.
Write about the bond between a teacher and a student.
What’s hiding in your parcel? Open it up and take a look.
Certain people say that youth is wasted on the young. What do you say?
You hear the soft pitter patter of feet in time with a recurring beat.” Daddy?”
A letter from someone you don’t know, but who has a very familiar, if impossible, name.
I hate how cobblestones act as a bouncer for people who can’t afford a club.
You look down at her hands, which grip the scythe. Both of them.
A new valet enters your life, but not in the way you anticipated.
Write about what lies beyond the veil of reality.
What happens when Jim finds out House already made his choice.
Few things are more fashionable than an afternoon at the coffee shop. Or are they?
As you drop your child off at school, you pull away, only to turn around and notice a boy your son’s age that is all too familiar.
The city is quiet late at night. Except the park. The park has always been different.
The grieving parents couldn’t handle it, years later the guilt is still eating them alive.
A stranger tells you your future by simply reading your palm.
Write a story about someone who loves to sing.
You think things are bad now, but the future is going to get so much worse…
Your rich parents come to you with an ugly surprise.
Write about an unhappy plan gone right.
Write about your favorite gun.
You get off the train, ready to start a brand new day. But then your face falls.
Look into these long distance eyes
What do you do when the ticker tape settles at the bottom of the page?
Just because she didn’t touch it doesn’t mean she wasn’t holding it.
A chance encounter with an old friend leaves you both thinking, “What if we’d slept together one day instead of just talking?”
A life unraveled. That means a life that is a pile of different threads, right?
Write about an unusual method of birth control.
An alarm goes off. You look up and realize that you took a wrong turn.
A stranger comes up to you and hands you money. They say they feel like doing something nice for a change.
Be the person interviewing at a job.
You’re several months into your deployment. When you couldn’t answer his emails before, how do you write to him now?
Write about discovering something unexpected. It can be as large as a forgotten treasure, or as small as a button under a chair cushion.
Write about a character who’s intelligent and cynical.
Write about someone who has never been kissed.
Some apple trees are just waiting for a ladder.
You’ve been contemplating the meaning of life, and you suddenly have it all figured out.
Write about having a terminal illness. Or being close to someone with one.
Write them home.
Write about an object that has a power over you.
Write about bartering.
It’s that time of year again. Your partner would normally visit you, but in the end he or she decided to stay home.
When you met them, you never would have expected that all the hardships you’d face later on in life would be because of them.
When she told him how interested she was in becoming pregnant, he wasn’t at all interested.
You watch as she comes out of the room with a smile on her face.
Write about a time something bad happened to you, but then you ate cookies.
What do you do when the things you love the most turn out to be more than you could possibly have hoped for?
You’ve been circling around her ever since you first met her, always stopping just short of committing. Write about that some more.
You hate Valentine’s Day. Why buy into a holiday designed by Hallmark to sell cards and overpriced candies in “limited edition packaging”?
You meet someone that you had never expected to meet, and discover they are more perfect than you had ever realized.
You’ve always told public safety you needed just a few more minutes.
Write about a long-term relationship.
Write about someone who you think could do better…
Upon seeing him cross the street, you remind yourself to breathe.
Find a quote from somewhere that you can use in a story.
Your friends are debating a topic and they need a tie-breaker.
You want to visit your favourite vacation spot. The one that beckoned you every time you felt stress building up. But it has always been difficult for you to take time off work.
Write about mourning the loss of a loved one.
Write about a ghost.
You are faced with a difficult decision.
In a deserted alley you find a dead body, something you are all too familiar with.
Exes aren’t supposed to be real.
How does your character handle physical injury?
The following is a list you can use for your inspiration.
Write about opening a gift that someone has given you.
Check your personal messages. You can’t believe what someone chose to tell you over the phone.
Write about a person who is immune/highly resistant to a disease, a poison, or similar sort of influence, which could kill, alter the character’s status, or generally be considered a threat to most, it affects the character terribly.
You come face to face with God. You think you should apologize for your transgressions but are surprised when God seems completely nonchalant.
Someone’s been following you for a while now. Go. Write about whomever it is.
An old photograph of yourself is discovered and you’re not quite sure what to feel.
She knows him. They all know him. And what’s worse is they know you want to know him.
Describe a mundane activity like doing homework, grocery shopping, or running errands.
You go to check your mail and instantly feel better.
You’ve been waiting for nightfall.
I would like to recommend to you my manuscript, XYZ. Don’t judge a book by its cover.
You empty your bookshelves. The books land heavily on the floor with a thud. Someone enters.
Write about someone kissing someone else in public.
It’s not safe for you to stay here, but where would you go?
Someone you know takes off all her clothes, right before your very eyes.
Write about a hockey player that just won’t give up.
Not quite happy and not quite sad. You wonder what it all means.
He frizzled his hair as he cooked in the rush to capture his most excited feature.
“I challenge you,” he proclaims, stepping forward and thrusting his sword towards you.
Write about flying through the air with nothing but hope.
You look at your date and notice he’s shorter than you thought he would be.
Sometimes, when you’re driving, you like to take the long way.
What a thankless job this is. All he does is clean and do laundry and make sure outside the door the glittering guests stay safe.
You notice an ambient glow coming from your jar, almost like a firefly.
The door to your office is closed, but despite this you can hear your boss easily enough. He’s shouting.
What comes to mind when you read the word “defenestration?”
Write a scene about someone completing a checklist.
It looks like it’s going to rain, but since you no longer even remember having umbrellas, you must go without.
She’s realized what’s happened. She’s confused. In her hands, there’s a ticket envelope and a plane ticket.
Unable to help yourself, you burst into the room. “It’s about time!” you shout triumphantly.
A meteor crashes to the ground in front of you, along with a very confused young man.
At the stroke of midnight, the world pauses.
Think of a fictional universe that does not have any humans, spirits, demons, or deities in it. Write about those beings.
You start to notice that every time you look in the mirror, your spouse looks better than you.
In your pocket you find a message that makes no sense, yet leaves you feeling excited.
Write about a park bench.
He’s just awakened from the magical sleep he must remain in for twenty more years.
A sky about to burst and with it the coming rain, an umbrella in hand and an umbrella under the arm is life.
Write about being ordered to march to a firing squad.
Write about a sunbathing beach ghost.
Write about your favorite thing to do. What is it, and what do you do?
A young man sits on a window ledge, Twitter feed open. “I want to end it,” he says.
Children are frolicking as you make your way through the park on your way back from the grocery store.
This particular day you can’t help but notice how steady your breaths are.
Write about a character who doesn’t realize they are dead.
The recording says, “Message deleted,” but you know what it sounds like.
You’re looking up at the sky and it looks like it’s about to start raining.
Several people are walking along the sidewalk, excitedly talking. You distinctly hear one person say “Discounted… “
Write about an unexpected reunion.
Make up a story about the life of a dog.
Write about a cursed object, cursed object, indentured spirit, trapped essence, the life essence of a being, an entity trapped in an object, an object with some sort of magical spell/blessing on it, etc. etc. etc.
You think he’s a corporate zombie, but tonight you’re going to prove him wrong.
Someone wants to marry you.
You see a lone silhouette standing starkly against a black sky.
Write a fairy tale or nursery rhyme.
Escaping The Lion’s Den
Write about meeting your idol.
You arrive home from work, and put your keys on the table in the usual place. As you put them away, you see a tiny figure crouched in the shadows, watching you.
Write about a time you have to choose between something you want, and something you need.
He has no choice. He has to do it…the same way you have no choice but to end it.
It’s nearly dark out. The only noise in town is the revving of your motorcycle engine.
Your roommate introduces your potential new boyfriend to you.
Write about the last place you remember being happy.
Someone gets stuck in your elevator. Who will it be?
Write about someone who never wanted to be an astronaut.
His parents disapproved of the relationship and had forbidden him to see you.
There is a legend. A legend that says it’s better to light a candle than to curse the darkness. This is a story about that legend.
Imagine a relationship between a mortal and a mythical creature.
Graffiti scrawled across a subway tile or billboard sends your heart racing one way…
What would you do if the zombie apocalypse took over your town? And what if your spouse/parent/friend/etc. is one of them?
Not your most clever idea, but clever enough.
An ancient tea set has been found in your attic and left to you by an old friend.
There’s a big blob of ink on your newly-reprinted masterpiece, which has been on the self-publishing circuit for several weeks now. The publisher says they corrected it in the next edition, which is to be released this week. Should you buy it from early bulk copies? Under what circumstances would you buy a book from early bulk copies instead of waiting for the actual final copy to come out?
Write about the moment when an object, a person, a location, changes something.
Write about something you wish would happen.
You find a camera in a back alley, just lying in the trash. What do you do?
Waking up that morning, you had no idea your life wasn’t going to be the same anymore.
Write about something going bump in the night.
He took the polite route. You are the alien and you see him as a hostile force, intent to invade your territory.
Write about a house.
You pull up your chair, and sit across from the old woman. She’s tiny, and fragile, and alone.
On a sunny Saturday afternoon, a bum suggests you join them in a drink.
Write about someone who has a secret.
It’s raining, but that’s not the problem, the roof has a hole. The problem was that you climbed on it and now you’re stuck. What do you do?
What is your maid’s name? What does she look like? What does she do for your rich life?
A story about an unsolved crime, whether it be one that took place about you in another world, or one that happened but is never discovered.
You’ve found a new church home. How do you feel?
You go to bed with a child’s smile for the whole night.
Someone is fixing your air conditioner when all of a sudden a chicken flops onto his back on your patio. He tries to get back up, rooster all the while screeching, but can’t. He’s stuck. Write about him.
You accidentally run over your neighbor’s prize rosebush.
You pull into the driveway and as you are about to get out of your car, you notice a small trail of green left by your tire.
Write about the first day at work.
You can be anyone’s boss. It might be boring, but you get to fire people and stuff.
Write about telling someone something you aren’t usually honest about.
He keeps the box under his desk.
You see an old man in the corner of a small library, covered by a stack of books.
You hear the dishes clinking in the kitchen and decide to go help. As you turn the corner you find yourself face to face with him.
It’s cold outside, and you need to do something about it.
You see someone smile at you from across the room. They call your name and walk over.
He’s done suspecting you’ve been cheating, and he is determined to find the culprit.
The cleaner calls as you’re eating dinner. She says someone left their cell phone in the apartment you share with your sister.
Write about what happens when a machine falls in love with a human.
That’s the last time you wake up in a stranger’s house confused and terrified.
A hunger is building inside you. You’re starving, but your body can’t tell you.
What would you do with a time machine?
Your mouth opens and your eyes water and it hurts to breathe, but you’re not sad.
You’ve just landed your dream job, the only thing better is your significant other also so happens to have the same job as you’. One hour into the third shift together though, both of you look in each other’s eyes and realize the full weight of your new reality.
While you’re exploring a new city for the first time, an amusing incident happens to you.
Write about someone’s reaction to the news that a celebrity or public figure they like is a part of the LGBT community.
You’re eating a hot dog and your phone rings.
Tonight—just this once—you’re going to follow orders, just see where it leads you.
You desperately try to replace all the furniture, but no matter what you pile on the cloth, its size and shape remain the same.
You’re packing to move, the job’s finally over, it’s time to start over somewhere new, you can’t wait.
You notice the newspaper in the yard next door is dated more than a week ago.
You think you are the best at this task, so you do it in the fastest time possible. Then, you show off for your friend.
“Do you have any idea what you are doing?”
Write a story where your house is haunted.
You’ve heard about the game, and you’ve heard how hard it is. The world is enormous, offering countless amazing things to see and do. So how will you begin?
After the quake, you scrabble over the mound of rubble that used to be your home and scream, “Mom!! Dad!!!”
You turn on the TV and are reminded of the events that happened on this day.
Write about exploring a new universe.
The door swings open.
Write about a character who spends all day working in the field.
“Sorry for intruding in your personal life,” the caller said from the doorway, where he was leaning against the doorframe.
You saw the quirky little coffee shop downtown for the first time today, and you can’t get it out of your head.
Describe how you would handle a super secret spy mission.
Write about someone who has a ‘chosen one’ complex.
You’re at the pet store looking at the animal. When you’re asked if you’re going to feed it or let it starve, you decide to let it starve.
All your hopes and dreams are gone. Only one remains. You meet the personification of that hope, the one who’ll decide your future.
You open your locker. There’s somebody asleep inside it.
It’s a sunny day out.
Write about a prized heirloom.
Someone sends you a fruit basket
You are at a party with everyone else who is famous in the world of your writing.
You pick a target, and strike, all with a smile.
A car accident tumbles you down a steep embankment. As you lie there, upside-down, staring to the horizon, you aren’t just thankful to be alive — you feel something else too. Respect…
You share a secret with your mother, a secret that you’re the only person you’ve ever told. Is it true?
What would it be like to not be afraid of the dark? To not be afraid of anything?
You’ve found out what you need to know, but there’s more than meets the eye.
He extends his hand to help you up, then upends your drink all over your nice new shirt.
Once, when you were lying in bed half asleep, you dreamed of this moment. That he would suddenly be there, in your room, his hands on your body, his tongue …
What was the unholiest of all the sins? After all, if they could forgive him…for all the rest…maybe they could find it in their hearts to forgive him the unholiest of all.
You knew the risks. He was never the most balanced man. Still a thing of beauty to look at though.
Have you considered a certain job? Write about that.
Someone is capturing your every move, your every word.
The exhibition has been a huge disappointment, everyone is leaving early. Everyone – except him and you.
Hoping to help with your insomnia, you tried an experimental drug, pleased to discover that it has worked.
You find yourself hurtled into an important internship… but the position is in Africa. Should you go?
Write about the time your life changed forever.
Describe the hiding place you always used when you were playing hide-and-seek.
You’ve always had a special nostalgia for how fall was your favorite season, even back when you were a kid. Write about a character who has always loved …
The only sound in the entire building is your own breathing. It should fill you with fear.
Write about your going to the end of Earth, literally or figuratively.
I used random.org, conducted by rolling dice and choosing from a set of pre-established choices, to source the prompts featured in this post.
What do you do when you’re eagerly anticipating the arrival of a package? Write about it.
You woke one day with one heck of a hangover.
What do you do the first night you move into a new apartment/house?
A thief steals something of great value from you.
You’ll find it in a moment.
Write about a room. What is it like? What does it contain?
Imagine that someone you love or care about receives a painful message.
Without thinking, you pull off your plan, step by step.
Summon someone who is dead and ask them one question.
Your hike was supposed to be private, away from all the people, away from the noise, but there he is, lying under the biggest tree, sunning himself as if the place was his.
Write about someone getting transported to another world.
Write about a character who has disappeared.
A crowd, traffic, Skype connection gone astray. You needed to make that meeting. You were so close.
Write about what happens the day before the final day, when all will end.
Write about justice.
Cousins is a stage production where choruses of cousins, one by one, sing.
You carry a potted plant from your car to your apartment, carefully watering it in its little pot as you tiptoe up the stairs.
Write about a character who can time travel.
You’re completely baffled as to how you ended up in this predicament.
The sun glistened in the afternoon rays along the water’s edge.
You’re the bride in the wedding party, but then realize you’ve forgotten something. The minister says, “You may kiss the bride,” but that’s not what you wanted to say to him. Why don’t you get one more chance to tell him what you think?
Someone is chasing after you and it’s not a good feeling.
As you look down at your friends, you see them looking at an iPad.
A story entirely told in fortune cookie sayings.
You’re in a crowded train car with no space in front of you or behind you to move about.
Write about what would have happened if you were the villain’s henchman.
A man walked into a bar. The bartender said, “Hey, you look great today.”
Suddenly, time moves faster. You’ve got to use it better.
Write about Darth Vader. What’s he getting up to these days?
What if you could talk to your younger self?
With a resigned sigh, you fire up your internet connection and start the day as always.
Friday nights were always your favorite time of the week.
Write about someone who cuts themselves to feel connected.
Write about lost opportunity or regret.
A plague has hit your town. Smear your bottom in peanut butter.
Write about innocent love.
It is a nice friendly neighborhood, except everyone just wants to kill you.
Write about a well-dressed and well-composed convict.
It’s been a long day – how late could it possibly be?
Write about an outsider.
Something about the world looks different today. It almost looks… off.
To be on top once more, all you need is what it takes. Nobody knows you aren’t supposed to want this
As you have the rest of your eggs, you chuckle to yourself, just as you always love to do.
Write about an immersive video game.
You’re always up late doing something or other. This night is different.
They are talking about the shapeshifting abilities as a psychological disorder.
Write about what it’s like to win an Oscar.
A young man is crying. What’s the matter?
Several years from now you look back and can hardly believe how much has changed.
A tale of mystery and suspense…
Write about someone who has won the lottery. Yes, literal million dollar lottery from the State of California.
How does someone’s childhood influence their adulthood?
They ~ aren’t exactly what she was expecting ~ at all.
It’s a typical day. But not everything is as it seems…
You suddenly realize that you, not the world, are on the verge of destruction.
You remember the last time you closed your eyes. You didn’t think you’d ever wake up.
You are waiting at the station. Your feet are killing you. Your head hurts. There’s nothing to look at but a trade union pamphlet that tries to convince you to sign up for a membership.
Write about a person who never smiles.
You start to open the door to your building when you think you hear something from inside.
Write about your character’s favorite room in his or her house. Make it into a drabble about conflict or emotion.
After a patient’s restful sleep, she finds herself waking up in a nightmare.
It’s the last thing you ever expected, at a time when you least believed you’d ever receive such a joyous package.
You’ve always been suspicious of this one person, you’re friends with everybody else but not that one person.
It’s disgustingly romantic, and he’s carved his initials into everything he owns, you included.
People are losing their numbers as if they have caught the bus. The numbers going east are fleeing while the numbers going west are stalking them. Do you plan to run or simply wait and watch?
It’s still there.
A brilliant scientist invents a time machine in what turns out to be one of his/her most ambitious and most fatal experiments.
Time with friends is time well spent, especially when those friends are game developers.
To your surprise, she steps out and closes the door behind her.
Write about the tragic hero, the one who failed to save the world.
Traveling to a foreign country can be really tiring…
You’re feeling a little anxious. Why are you even here, anyway, if you have no intention of getting involved?
Write a scene where you don’t understand something that is being said to you in a language you know.
You were badly injured. You lost a lot of blood, and due to a combination of the cold and your physical condition, you lost consciousness.
Write about settling down for the night with a loved one after a long day, inhaling the scent of the sheets, falling asleep to the sound of crickets.
Revisit the O.S. post on foreshadowing and typos.
After a good night’s sleep, you wake up refreshed and ready to take on the day.
You say some things you instantly regret.
Write about a character who is only on the screen once during the movie.
You never expected it. For all of the warnings you’ve received about him, he’s only ever turned up in one dream. Until now.
Write about meeting someone by chance.
Write about a teleporting scientist-turned-action-hero.
She is old enough to be his mother, but he keeps flirting.
It seems like she’s sleeping, but when you move a strand of black hair from her cheek…she suddenly opens her blood-red eyes, and stares at you in awe, in terror…
Her phone rings and without even looking, she knows who’s calling.
Nearby, you hear rats like laughter, and you look up, but there’s no one watching or within earshot.
As you walk slowly down the aged corridor at the coroner’s office, you ponder about the nature of life, death, and finally, existence.
What did it mean to you when he gave you that unexpected smile?
“I didn’t think it would happen this soon…” your lover daydreams as you talk.
You watch as the clerk calls over ‘her’. You desperately want to say something, to shout out a warning.
You’re mid-sentence talking to your best friend the next day when, surprising you, they comment on an item of clothing you’re wearing that they haven’t previously seen.
It’s too late at night to be ringing the doorbell, so you have no choice but to hide.
Write about someone getting the surprise visit from an old flame.
Someone doesn’t like you in the building and has a tendency to write nasty things, negative things about you.
Go into the kitchen in the middle of the night and go
Write a mystery story wherein a co-worker is taunting you. In the end, no one knows that you two are actual colleagues.
On the day before Valentine’s Day, an unlikely pair – a senior executive working for an online gaming startup and his programmer – meet at the office. During the party that was meant to celebrate the success of their new video game, he’s the only one not celebrating. Instead, something keeps pulling him towards the door…
You’ve been rehearsing your speech all day, but now, as your friend begins to speak, you feel your mind go blank.
Your dad kept several boxes of mementos from your childhood and you decided it was time to look through them.
For someone important in your life, you buy something extravagant.
Your friend tosses you an old photograph. It depicts you with someone you can’t remember, let alone reconcile with.
Someone who has never seen or even heard of a unicorn is suddenly confronted with one.
His house was destroyed but he’s feeling lucky, because he’s found a place where he won’t be bothered by anyone.
Even after all those years he can still make you burn.
You’re not used to your date talking quite as much as you do, and it leaves you curious about what’s on her mind.
You don’t do door-to-door cookware sales. In fact, you can’t even cook, but then you hear a little girl’s voice pleading to buy your pots.
Write about a person who is getting sick, but it isn’t a fatal disease.
You walk the straight and narrow and live by the rules. What happens when impelled to break that necessarily dreary sameness?
While in the process of being exorcised, your evangelist drops dead, failing in the process. Write about a witch who’s pissed.
It’s been a rough day. You’re standing on the edge of…
Some people aren’t at all that they seem.
The car shudders, slows, then spins out of control, careening off the side of the mountain road.
You wanted to surprise your family by appearing right at the breakfast table, but you mistimed it, and they are all gone. Now what?
Write about someone in a coma.
Describe the kitchen of your ideal house.
In a world where trash read spells differently, there is a journey that sets free things that don’t belong…
Write about a landlord.
Write about a spring break that goes completely wrong.
Life is a mess. You are just trying to get by, scribbling dark poems in your journal.
You don’t believe in aliens, but there he is.
You love your best friend. They always introduce you to the most interesting people.
You’ve always fancied yourself a lover, and now you have the chance to prove it.
Write about a king.
With great anticipation, you unwrap the package you’ve been waiting for. A small smile creeps onto your face.
What song do you love to sing along to?
Your obituary was your final piece. It could have been artful, meaningful – if only you’d been given space to write it. But, no, it was written for you, an incorrect, pat piece, filled with lies or unnecessary words. And yet, what a way to leave the world.
“I looked it up on the Internet,” Livanis defends himself, “and it said to clean these things in the fridge.”
And a quick reminder that my next flash fiction contest is…
It’s so bad. You can’t believe Bill set him up with your mom.
You look more closely and collapse. When he wakes up, the voice he hears is not his mother’s.
Travel time is the most boring part of your day but you’ve had an interesting idea.
You read the note slyly hidden under your windshield wiper.
Write about the best Christmas gift you ever received.
Write about the first time you two were alone together.
You are nursing a beer and listening to an old ballad but you can’t help but look up when you hear horns blowing.
Write about holding a secret.
Write about a vehicle crash. From the point of view of the driver or the person who caused it.
Write a story about a disaster that strikes a place close to home for you.
A man, laughed at as having gone the way of a fool, becomes the hero everyone really needs.
It’s finally happened. Your lifelong dream is becoming a reality.
Write about why and how people hate monsters.
On your way to lunch, you hear the excellent news, but before you can kick your feet up and happily daydream about kismet, in a turn of unfortunate events, you hear of something which defies all logic.
Make people giggle.
Write about an item that turns out to possess magical powers.
Write about a man who wakes up in an alley, his head filled with steam and clattering chimney sweepers. He gets up, goes into a building and works a busy day before bed. And so on, a story where a man reappears every day in a new location.
A pair of dad jeans appeared before you in the street. You thought, how is this possible?!
Spell ‘Desperately’ without using the letter ‘e’.
Stare into his eyes. Search your ten year memories. This is not the way it was supposed to happen.
Write about a mixup.
You are at the train station, suddenly afraid you’ll miss the train.
Your best friend calls you excitedly to tell you what he just learned.
You don’t usually keep a diary, but something about this day compels you to write something down…
While examining the garbage, you find something in the garbage with your name on it.
Imagine you are a famous actor/actress. No one really knows anything about you. Why did you decide to show up to the Academy Awards with that person, and not your significant other?
Design an alien race which has a sense analogous to Ānanda
Editors under full moons are equal parts evil and mad. The madness should concern you, but right now it’s the evil factor.
What would you do if you were the only guest at a dinner party?
An old awkward YouTube video has suddenly made you decide to try the YouTuber’s makeup.
All of the sudden, you’re not feeling so well.
You close all the caregiver programs on your aging parent’s computer. Your parent enters the room, asking what you are doing, reaching for the mouse. Write about a personal truth.
A regular old umbrella isn’t quite enough on today’s day.
Receiving your monthly report email makes you happy to have an extremely specialized skill set.
It’s one of the city’s First Citizen sculptors. It must be to tell you he really loves your work.
The wind blew harder than it should have. You caught a glance as the brief gust blew the grave marker aside.
Write about a world in which something strange is happening.
It is a hot and humid day. Still, the beautiful, dark-haired girl walking down the street in front of your building is wearing an intricately detailed dress from the Victorian era.
You look around your room, trying to find something trustworthy. “Do you know where the pencil sharpener is?” she laughs
Someone close to you was given a choice, and they made a terrible mistake.
You weren’t sure the files had cleared, but apparently they did.
Regardless of your age or history of family relations, when you enter the graveyard everyone says you look just like the person you’re visiting.
Someone turns around to stare at you. Not everything has been as it seems, and now someone has seen through your disguise.
There are worlds of wonder inside of books.
Write about a ghost who has unfinished business.
The lawyer looks nervous. “What’s the will of your uncle?” you ask.
He’d left her everything.
Write about a child with an adult mind. Do they become a prodigy in their career synopsis?
Write a first person narrative about an animal or mythical creature.
Write about a time machine.
An elf has written to Santa asking for help. It’s a plea for his Christmas survival.
You meet Friend for the first time. She is short and slender – bunned dark brown hair covering her ears and fastened at the back, deep blue eyes like a calm ocean. Her lavender cotton/silk blouse complements her green cotton skirt. She is always well dressed. You reach to shake her hand.
The phone rings. You’ve dreaded this call for a week.
He walks into the room as soon as you think of him.
Write about a murder.
Write about the secret someone hid that most people didn’t know about
Write about skeleton keys.
Write about someone who is invisible.
You are working late one night when your boss comes to visit.
Lou? You ask, but no one around you answers. The figure just walks away down the corridor, disappearing into the shadows.
You’ll remember me Rehabilitate your characters
“So, who do they use to determine who is young and who is old,” you ask.
Suddenly you notice a pair of eyes staring intently at you.
Write about a glitch in the matrix.
Write a story about a famous space station or moon colony.
Stand in front of a mirror and look yourself in the eye in a loving way, your eyes embracing your entire body.
When you think about it, you realize you’re always cleaning something, mopping something, wiping something.
It’s here. You hear the doorbell ring and drop the cutlery onto the blood red floor tiles.
You meet someone and fall in love on the spot, with your friendships and priorities squashed in the corner.
Imagine the characters you only read about. You know, those who don’t get enough of the spotlight. Weeaboos unite!
You find yourself in an unfamiliar place, yet it’s the most familiar place you’ve ever known.
You look around for someone, someone who might have seen, but no one sees you.
It’s a beautiful sunny day. On your walk, you see a large silhouette in front of a tree. It looks like someone is casting a shadow on the bark.
By the time you return home in the evening…
Write about a symmetrical pair in two sentences.
You move towards the bed, pushing back the covers of the clothes that will influence your fate.
You suspect your neighbor of having an affair. So one day you decide to follow him. But maybe you won’t really learn much.
Write about saving the world.
You drive all over creation looking for a speed-limit sign with the magic number.
You are haunted by your dreams.
Write about a time when you had to make a BIG decision.
The first time you saw him, you knew he’d be trouble.
You have a dream about your first day of school.
Falling asleep is a luxury after a long day. Haven’t gotten so much as a wink yet? Pour yourself a nightcap and try counting sheep.
During the night, you reach out for your lover’s warm body, but you find it’s not there.
Hardly accustomed to living in a vibrant, noisy city, Orlyss was quietly complaining about the cacophony of the summer festival.
Your manager walks by and asks you suspiciously, “do you know anything about the blueprints on your desk? There are extra drawings on them.”
Harper Lee still lives in her home town and many wonder why she doesn’t try and publish more. Why do you think this is? Write about the life of a zombie in their everyday life. What stories would he have to tell?
You couldn’t remember her name—only that she was special to you somehow. She looked at you, puzzled.
He says he has loved you since the moment you met. You start to shut the door, but he’s faster than
Your partner suggests you and him/herplay a naughty game.
Write about a character from mythology.
Write about losing something of value.
The baseball bat swings with precision as it hits the side of the lamppost with a sickening thunk.
You stand there like an idiot under the rain, even after he keeps driving away as if you didn’t exist.
There is a pop quiz today.
Write about a childhood friend that is now an adult.
You pick your nose, only to discover much more than an outie.
You’re so sick of the current political climate that you’ve decided to run for office.
Your eyes light up as the eighty-inch plasma display comes into view.
An asteroid is headed to earth at the speed of light. There’s no time to do anything about it.
By one of the book’s characters, and addressed to Simon Snow.
You see it. It’s there. Reaching out to you.
It’s your first day but your mind is already elsewhere.
Luckily, you manage to swerve just in time to bounce off the surface of the planet.
Write about a murder weapon.
You’re on a train somewhere between Miami and New York, when you see him.
You arrive, only to find out you need the permission of someone you barely know, who you don’t necessarily think is even going to show up.
Write about meeting a ghost.
You’ve made some mistakes, but thankfully for you, she’ll forgive you for them.
Abandoned ship. Would love to hear about this.
You have just managed to break away from the party. You make your way down the hall, bathroom in sight.
Your yearly evaluation lands in your inbox a little sooner than usual today.
In the morning, the very first thing you reach for is coffee.
Write about a killer.
It was a great dissertation defense. You deserve a treat, even if it’s donuts from a dive in the middle of nowhere, far from town.
Write about your signature weapon or gift.
Write about someone that hates their job.
Even though he is apart from you, you easily sense his mood, more than you would have in the past.
Once upon a time, there was a very lonely boy, so very alone, that the universe found it a pity.
You live every day like this, terrified, waiting for the next shoe to drop. One morning, it finally happened.
The next day you find a bloody footprint in your apartment.
You’re trapped! It’s well-built and strong. You beat against it with your fists, with your feet, but the walls of your prison are solid to the touch. There is no escape from this inescapable trap.
You have the love of your life in a convenient location. How do you convince them to accept your love?
You come to check your email one morning and find one from an old friend.
You’re on a boat when you look up and spot another ship sinking
You’re at a party. You like the company of people there. You love the company of people there.
A sudden gust of wind fills your nose with a familiar fragrance, one that has been forgotten in the heat of events.
Write about dying your hair.
All you have to do is kill your sister, and you’d get to marry the prince. Well, it doesn’t sound that bad, does it?
Write about a cherished object that is being destroyed.
It’s been a crazy week. You’re so exhausted, you can’t even remember what you had for breakfast. You decide to find an empty room and lie down for a while. After taking a long needed nap you awaken to find yourself in a world of limited time.
Write about a guest who unexpectedly arrives at your house.
They ride motorcycles through the countryside. People are whispering rumors that they are a motorcycle gang, but no one can seem to join up.
You have a great idea for a new product, maybe one using laser technology or on the internet.
You take a quick shower and put on your Halloween costume.
Embrace your podiatry.
You’re late for work. You forgot your office key.
What could you give a man as a gift?
Your cousin gives you your birthday present, a deck of cards.
You have a special secret talent to augment your magic.
Write about something that a famous author created.
A story about a mechanical girl.
Ghosts have a history in fiction, but that doesn’t mean they don’t exist.
Write about someone who’s grieving for his long-lost love.
You’ve always known your mother was a witch, but tonight will prove it to the rest of the world.
Go to the nearest hardware store and purchase a spool of wire, duct tape and a roll of string.
A faint whiff of blood catches your attention. Is someone nearby injured?
Crowds of people stand like statues as they stare at you and refuse to make a sound.
Write about a character who is pretending to be someone they’re not.
Monster. You’ve never been one for cuddling your stuffed animals.

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