Best Writing Prompts (To Practice Writing For Any Style!)

So, you’ve had this idea for a story at the back of your mind but have struggled to get it going. You’d thought about it here and there, drifted off and went meanderingly down different paths, then returned to it later.

But no matter how many times you try to write this story, you can’t get it started. If only you could find a way to jump-start your writing muse and bring that story to life. Have no fear. We’ve got the solution: Writing Prompts That Will Get Even The Dullest Writer Inspired.

Creative Writing Ideas

There are many writing ideas for adults available to help tackle writer’s block and provide creative solutions for writing. Writing prompts can be a great way to stimulate your creativity and develop new ideas for longer writing pieces.

Whether you’re looking for writing prompts to practice your skills or inspiring topics to write about, there is sure to be something for everyone.

Short writing prompts are a great place to start for those looking to practice their writing skills. These can be anything from a single sentence or phrase to “fill in the blank” stories or even creative exercises such as building a character or creating a new world.

Writing prompts of this type help you hone your craft and can provide a great source of inspiration for longer pieces.

Creative Writing Prompts For Improved Writing Skills

If you want to get your creative juices flowing, try some creative journal prompts explicitly designed for adults. These writing topics are often open-ended, encouraging the writer to explore an idea or concept in more detail.

These prompts can take different forms depending on the writing you’re trying to do, such as asking the writer to compare two ideas or use a specific emotion in their writing.

Monthly writing prompts are a great way to get started for those struggling with writer’s block. These provide regular motivation and inspiration for longer writing works, giving the author something concrete to work towards each month.

These prompts are often more structured and goal-oriented, such as writing a certain number of words each day or exploring one particular theme for the entire month.

What Are Some Good Writing Prompt Examples?

Here are a few writing prompts to get you started:

• Write a short story about a character discovering a mysterious object that grants wishes.
• Imagine you are stranded on a deserted island. Write about your experience and how you survive.
• Write a poem about your most cherished memory.
• Write a letter to your future self ten years from now.
• Write a short story about a character who can time travel.
• Write a descriptive essay about your favorite place in the world.
• Write a script for a short film about a character who has to choose between two paths in life.
• Write a narrative about a character overcoming a great challenge to achieve their dream.
• Write a short story about a character who can communicate with animals.
• Write a letter to a public figure (real or fictional) expressing your thoughts on an issue you care about.

Here are some ideas for romance writing prompts:

• Write a love letter to your significant other.
• Write a story about a couple who meet in an unusual way and fall in love.
• Write a poem about falling in love for the first time.
• Write a story about a couple married for 50 years and reflect on their journey together.
• Write a letter from one character to another confessing their love and asking for a chance at a relationship.
• Write a short story about a couple who must overcome a major obstacle to be together.
• Write a story about a couple who have a deep, unspoken connection and must find a way to express their love for each other.
• Write a short story about a character struggling to choose between two people they love.
• Write a story about a couple who are high school sweethearts and reconnect later in life.
• Write a story about a couple with a strong, unbreakable bond, despite being from different worlds.

Here are a few thriller writing prompts:

• A group of friends becomes stranded on a deserted island, but they soon realize they’re not alone. Someone – or something – is watching them.
• A young woman wakes up in a hotel room without remembering how she got there. As she pieces together the previous night’s events, she realizes that she may have witnessed a crime.
• A man is falsely accused of a crime and must go on the run to clear his name and evade the authorities.
• A detective is tasked with solving a series of murders connected to a notorious serial killer who was thought to be dead.
• A group of coworkers at a high-tech company begin to suspect that one of their own may be responsible for a string of cyber attacks.
• A journalist uncovers evidence of a conspiracy while investigating a story and must go into hiding to protect themselves and the information they’ve gathered.

Here are a few fantasy writing prompts:

• A group of travelers must navigate a dangerous and magical forest to reach their destination.
• A young orphan discovers they are the key to unlocking an ancient prophecy and saving the world.
• A powerful sorcerer must confront their dark past to defeat a tyrannical ruler and restore balance to the realm.
• A group of rebels fighting against an oppressive government discovers they have magical powers.
• A cursed prince must find a way to break the spell and reclaim his throne.
• A detective investigates a series of strange occurrences and realizes they are connected to a hidden world of magic and mythical creatures.

Here are a few horror writing prompts:

• A group of friends decides to spend the night in a haunted house, but they soon realize they are not alone.
• A young couple moves into their dream home, but they begin to experience strange and unsettling events.
• A lone survivor must outwit a psychopathic killer in a deserted town.
• A cursed object brings to life the worst fears of those who possess it.
• A medical experiment goes awry, turning the subjects into terrifying monsters.
• A group of teenagers must survive a night in a haunted high school.

Here are a few science fiction writing prompts:

• After a global disaster, a small group of survivors must find a way to rebuild society and avoid the same mistakes of the past.
• A team of scientists discovers a way to time travel, but they soon realize that the past is not as they expected it to be.
• A group of rebels fights against an oppressive government that controls every aspect of people’s lives, including their memories.
• A malfunction in a virtual reality program traps a user in a simulated world.
• A virus threatens to wipe out humanity, and a small group of survivors must find a way to stop it before it’s too late.
• A spacecraft traveling to a distant planet experiences technical difficulties, leaving the crew stranded and fighting for survival.

Here are a few more sci-fi writing prompts:

• A group of scientists develops a machine that can predict the future, but they soon realize that the consequences of their actions could be disastrous.
• After a catastrophic event renders Earth uninhabitable, a group of survivors must find a way to terraform a new planet and establish a new home.
• A young woman with extraordinary powers must hide her abilities from a society that fears and hates people with unique abilities.
• A soldier is sent on a mission to a distant planet and discovers that the war they are fighting is not what it seems.
• A hacker becomes embroiled in a conspiracy to take down powerful artificial intelligence.
• A group of scientists working on a top-secret project suddenly disappear, and a government agent must uncover the truth behind their disappearance.

Here are a few dystopian writing prompts for adults:

• In a world where the government controls every aspect of citizens’ lives, a small group of rebels fights to regain their freedom.
• In a future where technology has advanced beyond our wildest dreams, a group of hackers works to bring down the tyrannical corporation that controls everything.
• In a society divided into strict social classes, a young woman from the lower class rises to lead a revolution against the oppressive government.
• A small group of survivors must band together to rebuild society and protect themselves from the dangers that still lurk in a world where a deadly virus has wiped out most of humanity.
• In a future where climate change has caused widespread destruction, a group of rebels fights to bring down the government that refuses to take action to save the planet.

These creative writing ideas for adults can help spark inspiration for writing, whether it’s a short story, novel, or just a few paragraphs.

Writing topics can range from lighthearted to grave, from fantasy and science fiction to horror and suspense. These questions can help you think of ideas that you may have forgotten about and help you be more creative.

Are Writing Prompts Good Practice?

Writing prompts can help you start writing and provide a foundation for your world-building. They can also help you think about different characters, plots, and settings that you might not have considered otherwise.

Using writing prompts can be especially helpful if you’re feeling stuck or uninspired or if you want to try writing in a new genre. They can help you stretch your imagination and challenge yourself to develop new and exciting ideas.

That being said, it’s important to remember that writing prompts are just that. They are not meant to dictate the entire story or writing process. You can use them as inspiration and then take your writing in any direction.

Building a fantasy world can be a fun and rewarding process. It involves creating a detailed and immersive world for your story, complete with its own unique cultures, histories, and geography. 

You don’t have to have every single detail prepared in your mind’s eye, but having a starting point can still be helpful.

It’s a good idea to spend some time thinking about the different aspects of your fantasy world and how they might impact the characters and plot of your story. Will it be a hero’s journey, a coming-of-age story, etc?

How Can I Improve My Writing Prompt?

Here are a few ways and story ideas you can improve your writing prompt:

Make it specific: A specific writing prompt will be more inspiring and easier to work with than a broad or vague one.

Example: “Write a story about your best friend who discovers a hidden talent through a painful experience” is more specific than “Write a story about a person who has a special ability.”

Add a twist or conflict: A writing prompt with a twist or conflict can help make the story more exciting and engaging.

Example: “Write a story about a person who is the only one who can see ghosts, but nobody believes them” adds a twist to the traditional “person with a special ability” prompt.

Use descriptive language: Using descriptive language can help bring the prompt to life and make it more engaging.

Example: “Write a story about a group of friends who go on a hiking trip and get lost in the woods, only to discover that a mysterious creature is hunting them” this uses descriptive language to set the scene and add tension.

Consider your audience: Considering your intended audience can help you tailor your writing prompt to their interests and make it more appealing.

Let’s say you are writing for a young adult audience, you might want to focus on themes and issues relevant to that age group in everyday life.

What Do You Write About When You Have Writer’s Block?

Fiction writers will often use story starters as a way to engage creative ideas. A creative writing prompt can get some words on that blank page. Once you start writing, ideas will begin to flow and you can work on expanding upon these ideas.

If you don’t want to use a story starter, try writing about something that interests you or that you are passionate about. It can also be helpful to do some freewriting or brainstorming – just write out whatever comes into your head without judging yourself for the quality. This is the creative process. Not the editing process.

When I have writer’s block, I usually try different approaches to get my creativity flowing again. Here are a few things that I find helpful:

Take a break: Sometimes, a change of scenery or a break from writing can help clear your mind and give you a fresh perspective.

Do some freewriting: Freewriting involves setting a timer for a specific time (such as 10 or 15 minutes) and writing whatever comes to mind without worrying about grammar, spelling, or structure. This can help get your creative juices flowing and help you overcome writer’s block.

Try a different writing style: Experimenting with a different writing style or genre can help spark new ideas and keep things interesting.

Use writing prompts: Writing prompts are short, open-ended statements or questions that can help stimulate your creativity and give you a starting point for your writing.

Get feedback: Sharing your writing with others and getting feedback can help you see your work in a new light and get ideas for how to move forward.

Conclusion

No matter what type of writing you want, there are plenty of writing prompts for adults and young writers to get your creativity going. 

Whether you want to practice writing, explore new topics, or tackle new creative writing ideas, using these story starters is an efficient way of starting something new!

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By pairing your writing prompts with AI-assisted writing software such as Jasper or Eilla AI, you can have a virtual best friend that gives you quick story ideas that will lead to your best writing yet! Or, it could just be used as a writing practice that improves your overall skills.

Either way, many writers struggle with writer’s block, and this blog post shares some secret tools that have helped my own life as a writer. So, if you love writing and you also love productivity, feel free to check it out (It turned my hobby into a profitable career).