Curiosity and childlike wonder are assets capable of paying back millions, and our imagination is the key to unlocking them. To build and flex this precious muscle, many writers use creative writing prompts. Writing prompts help us explore different perspectives and generate new ideas through the written word, allowing us the chance to solve relevant problems and overcome writer’s block, if needed. Here are 50 writing prompts guaranteed to activate your imagination.
- Imagine you are running for president of the United States and you visit a kindergarten classroom. Give a speech, no longer than 60 seconds, on why students should encourage their parents to vote for you.
- There’s an interesting rumor about your neighbor that’s been spreading like wildfire. What are people saying?
- There’s a house on your block with an urban legend that keeps anyone who knows it from going near its yard. What’s the story?
- Imagine you have one day to plan a surprise party for your best friend and money is no object. What kind of party are you planning?
- If you were a world-renowned spy, what would your code name and special skill set be?
- Write a story of how the clown flunked out of clown school.
- Your dog runs off from the family van during a stop on a cross country road trip and returns 5 years later at your back door. Describe their travels.
- Describe your mom in one word.
- Write a review for a movie you’ve never seen.
- Your city has a new NBA team and you get to name them.
- Name three of your favorite characters and imagine they meet for the first time.
- You walk outside to find a bird’s nest with three eggs the size of softballs on the roof of your car. You’re also running late for an important meeting. What’s your plan to make it on time without harming this precious new ecosystem?
- Write a speech congratulating your childhood best friend on their marriage.
- One day you decide to walk out of the building in the middle of your work shift and drive away from the area with no plan or direction. One week later, where are you and where have you been?
- Your grandmother’s farm is famous for its food. Describe in vivid detail the setup of her selling table at the weekly farmer’s market.
- Take the words dinosaur, towel, knee, vase, and onion, and write a short scene or story that includes all five.
- One day you bump into someone who claims to be you from 25 years in the future. How do the two of you spend the rest of your day together?
- You’ve invented a new product that can be used as a cloaking device that renders its wearer invisible to the naked eye, but you need funding to build the design and bring it to market. Write your investor pitch.
- Write a short story or poem about anything you wish using Abecedarian Form, the writing composition where each line or stanza begins with a letter of the alphabet and continues in that order until each letter is used.
- You’ve just won a prestigious award with a million-dollar prize. What have you done?
- Write a story about a bank heist gone wrong.
- You walk into your kitchen in the middle of the night and overhear two mice chatting in a language you understand whilst standing in front of the open fridge. What are they talking about?
- Write a diary entry from the perspective of your 7-year-old self.
- Write a short story or essay that celebrates and describes your favorite guilty pleasure.
- Your kids ask you to tell them a bedtime story about a princess and her pet dragon.
- You’re delivering a pizza but when you knock on the customer’s door, they slide a note through the mail slot asking you to read it immediately. You laugh all the way back to the restaurant over what the note says. You go on to repeat the words to your co-workers, family and friends for years. What was on that piece of paper?
- You’re the newest zookeeper tasked with keeping the chimpanzees from breaking out of their exhibit. What’s your plan?
- You’ve been selected as one of the fortunate few to take up residence on Mars and you’re asked to write a goodbye speech to the peoples of planet Earth. What do you say?
- Your grandfather settled into your home country 50 years before you were born. Write the story of his immigration.
- Your online store has sold $100,000 in merchandise in one month. What is your top-rated review?
- You discover a new species. Name the creature and describe everything you’ve learned about it to date.
- You’ve been invited to attend the birthday party of a 100-year-old king. Write about the celebration.
- Describe the experience of taking your first steps.
- Create a new game for all ages to enjoy.
- You win a sweepstakes to go on your dream vacation. How does the announcement describe your prize?
- You’re waiting at a restaurant for a friend to meet you for lunch when a stranger sits down at your table, hands you a package, and promptly exits through the front door without saying a word. What are the next 15 minutes like?
- An intelligent being from another planet has shown up on your doorstep with a device the two of you can use to speak to each other with clear understanding. How does your conversation unfold?
- The family dog digs up something new in the backyard that stops you in your tracks. Describe the specimen.
- You’re the owner of a company that just earned enough money to hand out raises to all 12 of your employees. Write an open letter telling them the news.
- Think of your favorite story and flip it on its head, retelling it using opposite details.
- A group of the most popular kids in school drive out to a cabin in the woods once a year for a weeklong visit. What is their vacation ritual?
- Write a story from the perspective of someone doing their best to survive as a human after vampires have taken over the world.
- There’s a new superhero in town. Write a short story about their latest adventure.
- Imagine you and your significant other take a hot air balloon ride for your anniversary and your operator falls out of the basket at maximum altitude. Don’t worry, they have a parachute, but how do the two of you manage to land safely without them?
- Have you read the news lately? Write a short story inspired by one of the most bizarre headlines you’ve come across.
- You’ve convinced the government to establish a new holiday. When, why, and how do we celebrate?
- One day your cousin spills the tea on an old family secret. What story do you repeat to your parents to double check the details?
- You discover you have the ability to fly but your family never wanted you to know. What is their excuse for not telling you the truth?
- It’s a rainy day and you have nothing to do. Describe your perfect afternoon inside.
- Describe the color blue to someone who’s never seen it.
Not ready for the fun to end? Visit the following sites for hundreds of more ideas meant to spark your imagination.
100 Creative Writing Prompts from Writer’s Digest
400+ Writing Prompts from Self-Publishing.com
50 Inspiring Journal Prompts from VeryWell Mind
20 Thought-Provoking Journal Prompts to Help With Your Success from Entrepreneur
19 Powerful Journal Prompts for Business Owners from An Uncomplicated Marketing Coach
75 Inspiring Journal Prompts For Success (And Entrepreneurs) from Prompts First