Writing Prompt Generator
Tap for a fresh creative writing prompt. Pick the kinds you like, set a 15-minute timer and write before you can talk yourself out of it.
Prompt of the day
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- Setting type…
Five kinds of creative writing prompt
Situation prompts hand you a person, a place, a goal and an obstacle, the four things every scene needs. What if prompts change one rule of the world and let you follow the consequences. Dialogue prompts give you an opening line with tension already in it. Object prompts put something strange in your character's hands. Constraint prompts add a formal rule, such as writing in the second person or in exactly 100 words.
How to use a story prompt well
- Write the first thing that comes to mind, then ask "what's the less obvious version?" and write that instead.
- Don't explain the prompt. If it says a character found a warm key, start after they have found it.
- Change anything that doesn't excite you. A prompt is a door, not a contract.
- Save the ones you like to your notebook so you can come back when a novel stalls.
Writing groups can all use the prompt of the day: it is picked from the date, so everyone sees the same one.
Keep forging
Questions writers ask
How does the writing prompt generator work?
It combines hand-written ingredients (characters, places, wants, obstacles, objects, first lines and constraints) into a complete prompt. Every combination is checked to make grammatical sense, and there are tens of thousands of possible prompts.
What is the prompt of the day?
One prompt picked from the date, so everyone who visits on the same day sees the same prompt. It is handy for writing groups and classrooms who want to write on a shared theme.
What kind of prompt should I choose?
Situation prompts give you a ready-made conflict. What-if prompts build a world. Dialogue prompts give you a first line. Object prompts hand you a mystery. Constraint prompts add a rule, which often unlocks more creativity than total freedom.
Are these writing prompts for adults or kids?
They are written for teens and adults but kept suitable for a general audience. Teachers can use situation, object and constraint prompts with most secondary-school classes.
How long should I write for?
Try a timed sprint: 15 minutes without stopping or editing. The goal of a prompt is momentum, not a finished story.