70 Short Story Writing Prompts for Writers in All Genres

Function of Short Story Writing Prompts 

How to Use Writing Prompts

Short story writing prompts serve as creative sparks to fuel your narrative writing. There are a few ways to best use writing prompts to get the most out of the exercises. 

Harnessing Prompts for Story Ideas

Sometimes all you need to kickstart your short story is a single captivating idea. Writing prompts can often serve as this initial spark. Prompts will serve as a direction for where to use your imagination and creativity. Find ways to use put story and concept together when these prompts spark an idea.

Using Prompts for Character Development

Prompts can also be beneficial for character development. A prompt requiring you to "Write from the perspective of a character with a secret" can push you to dive deeper into your character's psyche, exploring their motivations, fears, and dreams. It can help you become a stronger writer by writing from perspectives that are new to you.

Leveraging Prompts to Explore Themes and Genres

Prompts can also be used to explore different themes and genres. If you're usually drawn to historical fiction, why not try a science fiction prompt? This way, prompts can broaden your storytelling skills and make you a more versatile writer.

Remember, the power of a writing prompt lies not in its specificity, but in its potential to inspire a unique story that only you can tell. 

Short Story Writing Prompts

Drama

Drama, with its intense conflict and emotional highs and lows, is a genre that can deliver powerful stories. It provides a canvas to explore the intricacies of human relationships, moral dilemmas, and life-changing decisions. Unleash your creativity and weave compelling narratives with these ten drama-themed writing prompts. 

1. Write a story about a character who must make a moral choice that could change their life forever.

2. Create a story centered around an unexpected reunion between two old friends and the secrets they discover about each other.

3. Write a story where a character receives a mysterious letter that threatens to reveal their past.

4. Imagine a scenario where your main character witnesses an act of injustice and decides to take a stand.

5. Write about a character who is forced to confront their biggest fear.

6. Create a narrative where your protagonist must make a sacrifice to save someone they love.

7. Write a story about a character navigating the complexities of forgiveness after a traumatic event.

8. Write about a character who must keep up a lie with dire consequences if discovered.

9. Create a narrative where your protagonist deals with the fallout of a decision made in anger.

10. Write a story revolving around a character who uncovers a family secret that changes their perception of their identity.

Short Writing Prompts for Comedy

Comedy

Comedy, with its light-hearted and humorous touch, has the potential to engage readers like no other genre. It can serve as a delightful escape from reality, a tool to highlight societal absurdities, or a means to explore the human condition through a lens of humor. Engage your wit and imagination with these ten comedy-themed writing prompts.

1. Write a story about a protagonist who wakes up one morning to find they have turned into their most hilarious nightmare.

2. Create a narrative where a notorious prankster meets their match at a new job.

3. Write a tale about a character who accidentally becomes a viral sensation for a ridiculous reason.

4. Spin a yarn where your main character attempts to cook a gourmet meal for the first time with humorous consequences.

5. Write a story about a character who invents a hilarious solution to an everyday problem.

6. Imagine a scenario where a character must hilariously juggle multiple secret identities.

7. Write a narrative where your protagonist accidentally sends a silly, embarrassing text to the wrong person.

8. Create a story about a time-travel journey that takes a comical turn.

9. Write about a character who has a knack for turning mundane situations into comic adventures.

10. Write a story revolving around a character who humorously fails at a simple task turning it into a complex adventure. 

Embrace the funny side of storytelling and let these prompts inspire your comedic creativity. 

Mystery Genre Short Story Topics

Mystery

In this section, we delve into the realm of the unknown - the world of mystery and suspense. Here are prompts that will make your readers' minds swirl with questions, their hearts pound in anticipation. Who did it? Why? And how? Thrill your readers with tales of suspense and intrigue, where every page is a step further into the depths of the unknown. 

1. A woman finds a peculiar object that triggers a series of disturbing events.

2. An unsolved murder in a small town holds secrets that could destroy the community.

3. A detective, haunted by an old case, starts seeing clues everywhere.

4. A forgotten letter is found in an antique desk, leading to a secret decades old.

5. An eerily empty house in a bustling city holds an uncanny silence.

6. A woman wakes up with a strange tattoo and no memory of getting it.

7. An anonymous tip leads to an unexpected discovery.

8. A mysterious foreigner moves into a quiet town, stirring up intrigue.

9. A missing artifact turns up in the most unlikely of places.

10. A childhood toy appears in an adult's life in strange circumstances.

Science Fiction Short Story Plot Ideas

Sci-Fi

Prepare to journey into the vast expanse of the cosmos, or perhaps delve into the intricate workings of an artificial intelligence. The realm of Sci-Fi offers infinite possibilities and challenges our understanding of reality. In this section, we present prompts that will catapult your storytelling into otherworldly dimensions. Open your mind to alien civilizations, time travel, dystopian futures, and much more.

1. In a world where memories can be traded, one man risks it all to reclaim his past.

2. A spaceship lands on an unknown planet; what they find is beyond comprehension.

3. A rogue AI begins to question its purpose.

4. After a time-travel accident, a man finds himself in the same day, but everything is different.

5. A child discovers they can communicate with machines.

6. An alien race makes contact, but their message is puzzling.

7. In a post-apocalyptic world, a group of survivors stumbles upon a fully functioning utopia.

8. A scientist invents a device that can alter physical reality.

9. An experiment in a government lab goes horribly wrong, altering reality.

10. A diary from the future washes up on a beach.

Short Story Writing Prompts 

Romance

Welcome to the romance section, where tales of love, heartbreak, and passion abound. In this part, you'll discover story prompts that will inspire you to weave narratives of romance that are as breathtakingly beautiful as they are heart-wrenchingly poignant. 

Whether it's a tale of star-crossed lovers, a bittersweet unrequited love, or a heartwarming happily-ever-after, these prompts will help you capture the essence of romance in your writing.

1. An unexpected encounter in a bookstore leads to a whirlwind romance.

2. A famous actor falls in love with a fan, but their relationship isn't as simple as it seems.

3. A love letter from decades ago is found in a library book, sparking a journey to find its writer.

4. Two strangers are stranded on a deserted island.

5. A single coffee shop visit turns into a romantic adventure.

6. A chance meeting on a train leads to a life-altering love story.

7. A couple finds an old photo album that unlocks forgotten memories of their relationship.

8. Two pen pals meet for the first time after years of correspondence.

9. A woman finds love in an unexpected place while traveling abroad.

10. A man and a woman, who can't stand each other, are forced to work together.

Writing Prompts for Short Stories by Genre

Fantasy

This is the section for those who yearn for enchanting tales of quests, heroes, and extraordinary worlds. Whether it's a story of kingdoms in turmoil, wizardry gone awry, or mythical beasts stirring up mayhem, these prompts will inspire you to weave epic narratives that transport your readers to magical realms. Ignite your creativity, wield your metaphorical quill, and let's explore the boundless world of fantasy together.

1. A young wizard discovers a spell that could change his world.

2. A dragon befriends a human child.

3. An ordinary girl finds a magical artifact in her grandmother's attic.

4. A group of friends stumbles into a parallel universe.

5. A knight embarks on a quest to rescue a princess, only to find she does not wish to be saved.

6. A mythical creature is spotted in a modern city.

7. A map found in an old book leads to a hidden kingdom.

8. A group of children discovers a door to another realm in their school.

9. A woman's mirror shows her alternate realities.

10. A prophecy predicts the fall of the kingdom, and a young squire is the only hope.

Scary Ideas for a Short Story

Horror

Welcome to the domain of the eerie, the unsettling, the spine-chilling. This section on horror is a call to test the limits of fear and craft tales that lurk in the darkest corners of the reader's mind. These prompts will guide you to weave narratives that make hearts race, palms sweat, and eyes wide open in the dead of the night.

1. A family moves into a house that seems alive.

2. An innocent game of hide and seek turns into a nightmare.

3. A man wakes up in a grave, with no memory of how he got there.

4. A small town's annual harvest festival has a sinister undertone.

5. A group of friends finds an old board game that has deadly consequences.

6. A seemingly harmless doll has a life of its own.

7. A woman starts seeing her doppelgänger everywhere.

8. A chilling phone call in the middle of the night reveals a disturbing secret.

9. An isolated cabin in the woods isn't as empty as it seems.

10. A late night drive leads to an encounter with a terrifying creature.

Whatever genre you are looking to write in, we hope you’ve found some inspiration in these prompts. If there ever comes a day where its difficult to put words on the page, come back to these prompts and write to one that excites you. You never know what concepts and stories you’ll discover once you start pulling the thread of an idea.

Up Next

Turning a Short Story into a Script

With a variety of story prompts, let's explore a new realm of creativity. The next article will guide you on transforming these ideas into compelling scripts, learning to adapt a short story into a visual one. 

Up Next: Turning a Short Story into a Script →