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Author : Caroline Chartrand

22nd Feb 2024

Creative Writing Prompts for Writers: 80 Ideas Will Inspire You

Don’t Have Time to Read? Listen to this Article Instead!

Key Takeaways: Creative Writing Prompts

• Writing prompts are designed to spark creativity and help overcome writer’s block. They serve as a starting point for storytelling by providing a scenario, question, as well as theme to explore.
• Prompts can vary widely, from single words or phrases to sentences, questions, or even images. They are versatile tools that can be tailored to any genre, theme, or writing style.
• Effective prompts should balance specificity and openness, spark curiosity, encourage imagination, evoke an emotional response, and sometimes utilize visual stimuli to inspire creativity.
• The guide provides examples of prompts for various genres, including mystery and thriller, romance, science fiction, fantasy and paranormal, general fiction, travel and adventure, horror, and young adult.
• Beyond the initial prompt, developing a story involves character development, setting the scene, as well as creating conflict and plot twists to drive the narrative forward.
• Regular writing practice using prompts can boost creativity, improve discipline, and enhance one’s writing skills over time.
• Books, online communities, and daily prompt apps are valuable resources for finding new writing prompts and engaging with a community of writers for feedback and inspiration.

Craft Your Book Using Writing Prompts

Write your next ebook with us. Authors Breeze use creative writing prompts to create compelling narratives that captivate your readers.

Introduction to Creative Writing Prompts

Ever found yourself staring at a blank page, blinking your eyes as you try to summon words that seem to have taken a vacation? You’re not alone. Every writer, at some point, faces writer’s block. But fear not! Creative writing prompts and writing ideas are here to rescue you from the lack of creativity. In this comprehensive guide, we will explore creative writing prompts. They can ignite your imagination, help you weave compelling stories, and significantly improve your writing craft.

Feeling stuck when you want to write is something many of us experience. It can be really tough to come up with ideas or even know where to start. This challenge is something even professional writers face, especially before their work reaches bookshelves or sells books on Amazon . But there’s a helpful solution for when you feel like you’re hitting a dead end: writing prompts. So, these prompts can kickstart your creativity and help you get your writing and publishing going.

What is a Writing Prompt?

At its core, a writing prompt is a starting point to get your creativity flowing. But what does prompt mean in writing? A prompt is 1 to 3 sentences that raise an issue or ask a question that fuels your writing ideas.

No matter if it is a single word, a phrase, a sentence, or even a picture, a writing prompt can open doors to untold stories waiting to be told. So, if you learn how to write a prompt, you can enhance its effectiveness in sparking creativity.

However, what makes prompts for writing so magical? Well, they come with built-in writing challenges: to conjure up a unique story based on a predefined starting point. This constraint, surprisingly, liberates rather than confines creativity. It is a paradox of the creative process. Boundaries often lead to the most boundless imagination.

How to Write a Writing Prompt?

Crafting effective writer prompts is an art in itself. Your goal should be to strike a delicate balance between specificity and openness. In addition, you need to provide just enough detail to guide the writer, but not so much that it stifles their creativity. Here are some tips to consider:

Spark Curiosity

An excellent prompt should pique interest. It could be something as simple as:

“The clock struck thirteen,” prompting the question, “Why thirteen?”

This could serve as a fantastic mystery and thriller writing prompt.

Encourage Imagination

Allow room for interpretation. A prompt like the following opens up endless narrative possibilities:

“In a world where dreams are currency.”

It is perfect for science fiction writing prompts or even dystopian writing prompts.

Emotional Connect

Try to evoke an emotional response. Prompts that relate to universal feelings, love, fear, and joy, can be particularly compelling.

Visual Stimulus

Sometimes, a picture can be worth a thousand words. For example, a mysterious photograph or a bizarre painting. It can serve as a powerful prompt.

The beauty of writing prompts lies in their versatility. You can tailor them for any genre, theme, or writing style . It makes them invaluable tools for writers of all stripes.

Pro Writing Tip: Incorporate direct quotations, summaries, and rephrased content from the provided material to bolster your opinions and insights. It’s crucial to demonstrate to your audience that you are actively interacting with the author’s ideas and the content they’ve shared. For instance, if you find yourself at odds with a recommendation in the material, refer to a specific section and articulate your reasons for disagreement. This approach will aid in convincing others to understand and possibly align with your perspective.

How to Start a Writing Prompt?

Staring down a prompt can be as intimidating as the blank page itself. Here’s how to leap over that initial hurdle:

Allow yourself to write without judgment or editing . Let the prompt lead you wherever it may, even if it initially seems nonsensical.

Ask Questions

Who? What? Where? When? Why? How? These questions can help you unpack the prompt and start weaving a narrative web.

Play with Perspectives

If the prompt is a sentence, try writing from the perspective of different characters or objects within that scenario.

Mix and Match

Combine the prompt with another idea you’ve been toying with. The intersection of two ideas can often be where the magic happens.

Genre-Specific Creative Writing Book Prompts

Let’s look at some writing prompt examples that will help you with more writing prompt ideas:

Mystery and Thriller Writing Prompts

Everyone loves a good mystery or a heart-pounding thriller. These genres keep readers on the edge, eager to turn the page. So, here are a few prompts for mysterious writings:

• While renovating your grandmother’s attic, you discover a diary belonging to a relative you never knew existed. The entries hint at a family secret buried for decades.
• You receive a series of anonymous letters, each with a clue that leads you closer to uncovering the identity of a person who claims to have changed your life forever.
• A renowned magician disappears during a live performance. However, this time, it is not part of the act.
• A detective receives a series of cryptic letters. They seem to be linked to unsolved cases from decades ago.
• You witness a crime that hasn’t happened yet. Can you be able to prevent it, or will you become part of it?
• A journalist stumbles upon a conspiracy tied to a secret society that has influenced historical events.
• An ordinary book contains a secret message. It leads to a dangerous treasure hunt across the city.
• A family heirloom is stolen on the eve of a meaningful ceremony. It reveals long-buried family secrets.
• Someone is following you, always a step behind. However, when you turn around, there’s never anyone there.
• A small town is gripped by fear as residents receive anonymous threats predicting their deaths.

Pro Writing Tip: Always start with a relatable scenario but add a twist that invites curiosity. For example , instead of presenting a generic setting like “ walking in a park, ” twist it into something unexpected like “ walking in a park where every bench tells a story of a lost civilization. ” This approach not only grabs the reader’s attention but also provides a fertile ground for their imagination to take off. It encourages them to think beyond the ordinary and dive into the creative process with enthusiasm.

Romance Writing Prompts

Love fuels countless stories, from the tragic to the transcendent. Therefore, with the help of romantic writing prompts, you can explore the complexities of relationships and the human heart. In addition, you can try these creative writing prompts for romance novels :

• Two former lovers unexpectedly reunite in a small coffee shop after years apart. What led to their separation? Moreover, what secrets have they held onto?
• A love letter meant for someone else lands in your hands. It leads you on a quest to find the intended recipient and, perhaps, a love of your own.
• Messages in bottles wash up on the shore. They are penned by a lovelorn sailor from the past.
• A scientist discovers a way to time travel, only to fall in love with someone from a different era.
• Two rival dance champions are forced to partner up, finding love in their quest for the title.
• An astronomer and a poet, sharing a love for the stars, find their paths intertwined under a celestial event.
• Two strangers exchange notes daily in a coffee shop’s suggestion box, leading to an unexpected romance.
• A musician rediscovers a love song written by their late partner. It leads them to a new beginning.
• Two people meet on a cross-country train ride. They form a connection that challenges their destinations.
• Longtime friends make a pact to marry if they’re both single at 30. Then, as the deadline approaches, real feelings emerge.

Science Fiction Writing Prompts

The future is a playground for the imagination. It offers endless possibilities for exploration. Moreover, science fiction writing prompts can take you on journeys through time, space, and the depths of the human mind. Here are some short fiction ideas:

• You discover the last remaining library in the future where all books are banned. What will you do to protect it?
• In a world where memories can be bought and sold, you wake up one day with no recollection of your past. The quest for your identity leads you to dark and unexpected places.
• Earth’s sun is dying. Humanity’s last hope rests on a crew sent to reignite it with untested technology.
• A new technology allows people to swap consciousnesses. However, one person discovers they can’t switch back.
• An ancient alien artifact is unearthed. It holds the key to unlimited energy and the potential for interstellar war.
• A scientist accidentally opens a portal to a parallel dimension where history turns dark.
• There is a world where memoirs can be engineered. One person uncovers a conspiracy to manipulate the human race.
• AI servants start to develop consciousness. It leads to a society-wide debate on rights and existence.
• On a distant space colony, sabotage reveals deep-seated corruption and a fight for survival.
• A time capsule meant to be opened in a thousand years is accidentally triggered early. It reveals the unforeseen future of humanity.

Fantasy and Paranormal Writing Prompts

Get into worlds where magic is real and the paranormal is just another part of life. These prompts invite you to explore good story starters:

• You stumble upon a forest that everyone in your village avoids. Inside, you find a world that is teemed with creatures and magic you never believed possible.
• A ghost bound to an ancient mansion seeks your help to solve the mystery of their death. They reveal secrets that will change the history of the place.
• A librarian discovers their library is alive, with books that can transport readers into their stories.
• There is a discovery of the last dragon egg. It threatens to ignite a war between humans and dragonkin.
• A person makes a deal with a ghost to solve their unfinished business, entangling their fates.
• A royal heir finds their destiny intertwined with a crown that grants immense power and a deadly curse.
• Magic is banned in a world where a young mage discovers a hidden truth about their power.
• A keeper of magical portals between worlds faces a dilemma when a forbidden love crosses boundaries.
• An unlikely hero is chosen as the apprentice to the last witch in the world, tasked with saving magic.
• A mysterious carnival appears in town overnight, offering fantastical wonders and hidden dangers.

Pro Writing Tip : When crafting a fantasy or paranormal novel, the key to captivating your audience is to blend the familiar with the extraordinary. Simple Writing Prompt : Imagine a world where everyone has a magical talent that manifests on their 16th birthday. Your protagonist, however, wakes up on their 16th birthday to discover they have no talent. Explore their journey as they navigate a world where they feel out of place, only to uncover a hidden power within themselves that transcends the known talents. Creative Writing Prompt : In a city where the night brings out not just stars but also portals to other dimensions, your main character is a night courier, delivering packages to these alternate realms. One night, they receive a mysterious package that is not to be delivered to another dimension, but to a being that hasn’t been seen in centuries. This delivery leads them on an adventure through various dimensions, uncovering secrets about the city, its night-time wonders, and themselves.

General Fiction Writing Prompts

Sometimes, the most compelling stories to write are those that reflect our own world, warts and all. General fiction story ideas and prompts offer a canvas for the human condition:

• You find a phone with one unread message that changes your perspective on life.
• At a pivotal moment in your life, you meet a stranger. He offers you advice that could change everything.
• Once a year, a lottery gives one person the chance to change their life completely—but at what cost?
• An artist discovers they can paint pictures that make others relive memories. It alters their perception of the past.
• A café sits at the crossroads of reality. The customers of the café find themselves confronted with life-changing decisions.
• A box of unsent letters was found in an attic. They tell the story of a family’s hidden history.
• The last bookstore in a world dominated by digital media. It becomes the center of a community’s struggle to remember its humanity.
• A watchmaker creates a watch that can stop time for everyone but the wearer, exploring the consequences of isolation.
• A series of balcony gardens across a city weaves together the lives of its residents in unexpected ways.
• Two childhood friends make a promise to achieve their dreams. However, life takes them on very different paths.

Travel and Adventure Writing Prompts

For the wanderlust-driven soul, travel and adventure prompts whisk you away to far-off lands and thrilling escapades:

• You get an old map that leads to a place not found on any modern map. What do you discover at the end of the journey?
• After a storm at sea, you wash up on the shores of an island. It hides a civilization untouched by the outside world.
• A map is marked with unknown names. It leads to a journey uncovering hidden histories and forgotten places.
• In the heart of the desert, a mirage reveals a hidden oasis with secrets of its own.
• An expedition to an uncharted island reveals a civilization thought to be a myth.
• A trip to see the Northern Lights uncovers a phenomenon more magical. But it is more dangerous than ever expected.
• A hidden path in an ancient forest leads to a world untouched by time.
• An urban explorer discovers an underground city beneath the streets of a bustling metropolis.
• A mysterious castle appears in the sky. It is accessible only to those who dare to find a way up.
• A traveller returns from an otherworldly journey with tales. They challenge the limits of belief.

Horror Writing Prompts

Horror writing prompts are a great resource for vampire romance books and other horror-related genres. So, tap into the depths of fear with horror story prompts that are sure to send shivers down your spine:

• A painting you acquire at an estate sale changes each time you look at it. Eventually, it reveals something horrifying.
• A person discovers their reflection. It has a mind of its own. In addition, it reveals dark truths.
• The woods near your house are said to be haunted. One night, you hear your name whispered among the trees.
• You hear about a melody that haunts a town. It drives its listeners to madness and reveals a sinister history.
• A house filled with lifelike dolls that seem to watch your every move. It hides a grim secret.
• A fog rolls into a small town, and with it comes whispers that drive people to do unspeakable things.
• You see a door in the basement that was never there before. It leads to a dark and forgotten place.
• Residents of a small town are visited by a figure in the night, who watches from afar, never approaching until.
• A grave that doesn’t appear on any map is found to hold the key to a century-old curse.
• A rare lunar eclipse reveals a horrifying figure walking across the moon’s surface. It signals a dark event.

Young Adult Writing Prompts

Young adult fiction often tackles the tumultuous journey of growing up. The following prompts focus on the challenges and triumphs of youth:

• At your new school, you’re invited to join a secret society. It promises adventure but hides a dark secret.
• On your sixteenth birthday, you discover you have a power. It could change the world or destroy it.
• A group of friends discovers a hidden bunker during summer break. It leads to a mystery that tests their friendship.
• A secret society meets at midnight to share stories. However, their tales start to come true.
• A teen discovers their ancestry is linked to an ancient legend. It thrusts them into a world of magic and danger.
• Teens have the power to enter dreams. They must save one of their own from a nightmare that could trap them forever.
• A high school talent show reveals a student’s unique ability. It attracts unwanted attention.
• There is a society where books are banned. A group of teens starts an underground library and fights for the right to read.
• A teen discovers a parallel world where their every decision creates ripples. It affects both worlds in unexpected ways.
• At a summer camp set to close, campers encounter a mystery that ties the camp’s history to their own lives.

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Beyond the Prompt: Develop Your Story with Creative Writing Prompts

You now have ideas for writing prompts. Then, it is time to transition from story writing prompts to a fully realized story. Writing prompts serve as the initial stage. However, the journey from prompt to page is where the real magic happens. Let’s look at how you can develop writing prompts into captivating narratives.

Character Development

Start with questions.

Who is your protagonist? What do they want more than anything? What’s stopping them? Characters drive stories, such as:

• Foil Characters
• Morally Grey Characters
• Round Characters

Therefore, you need to understand the motivations, fears, and strengths of your characters.

Give Them Flaws

Perfect characters are boring. Flaws make characters relatable and their journeys compelling. So, think about how the weaknesses of your character might impact their decisions and the outcome of the story.

Set the Scene

World-building.

World-building is especially important in genres such as fantasy and science fiction. However, every story needs a setting. Look at how the environment affects the story. Is it a dystopian future that challenges the characters at every turn, or a buzzing city filled with opportunities and threats?

Sensory Details

Bring your world to life with sensory details. What does it smell like in the haunted mansion or on the alien planet? In addition, what sounds fill the air in the bustling marketplace or the quiet village?

Plot Twists and Turns

Outline the journey.

Even if you’re not an outliner by nature, you should have a rough idea of where your story is headed. As a result, it can help keep you on track. So, think of it as a map with room for detours.

Conflict is Key

Conflict is one of the top elements of fiction . No conflict, no story. So, your characters should face challenges, make decisions, and deal with the consequences. In addition, these conflicts can be external (a villain, a natural disaster) or internal (fear of failure, struggling with identity).

Bring Your Story to Life

Our ghostwriters transform your ideas into mesmerizing stories using creative writing prompts to ensure your voice shines through.

The Value of Practice

Keep in mind that the goal is not to write a book on your first try. The goal is to write. Each story you write and each prompt you explore help hone your skills and deepen your learning of the craft. So, practice regularly with writing prompts. As a result, it will:

Boost Creativity

The more you write, the easier it becomes to develop new ideas for writing a book and solve narrative problems.

Improve Discipline

Set a writing routine, even if it’s just a few minutes a day. It can help turn writing from a hobby into a habit.

Resources and Ideas for Creative Writing Prompts

Find new and exciting prompts. It doesn’t have to be a chore. Here are some resources to keep your prompt well full:

Books and Journals

Many books are dedicated to providing writers with prompts. Similarly, literary journals sometimes offer prompt-based contests.

Online Communities

Websites like Reddit have communities dedicated to writing prompts. Participating can also provide you with feedback from fellow writers. Such platforms are excellent sources of free writing prompts, daily writing prompts as well as random writing prompts.

Daily Prompt Apps

There are several apps available that deliver a new writing prompt to you each day. In addition, they ensure you always have a source of inspiration at your fingertips.

Captivate Your Audience with Unique Articles

Infuse your articles with creativity and depth. Our article writers leverage unique prompts to craft articles that stand out.

Additional Resources:

Books on Writing Craft: “ On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft” by Stephen King “ Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life” by Anne Lamott “The Elements of Style” by William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White “Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within” by Natalie Goldberg “The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles” by Steven Pressfield Online Writing Communities: Reddit ‘s r/Writing and r/WritingPrompts Wattpad : A platform for writers to share their work and connect with readers Scribophile : A writing group and online writing workshop where writers can critique each other’s work NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month): An annual event that encourages writers to complete a novel in a month, held every November Writing Software and Tools: Scrivener : A powerful content-generation tool for long documents Grammarly : A writing assistant that helps with grammar, punctuation, and style Hemingway Editor : A tool that highlights complex sentences and common errors to improve readability Evernote : A note-taking app that can be useful for organizing research and ideas Creative Writing Courses and Workshops: Local community colleges or universities often offer creative writing courses Online platforms like Coursera , Udemy , and Skillshare offer a variety of writing courses taught by experienced authors Writing retreats and workshops, such as those offered by The Highlights Foundation or The Loft Literary Center

Frequently Asked Questions

What are some cool prompts.

Here are a few writing prompts to get you started:

• Write about a song that evokes a strong emotion in you.
• Narrate a childhood memory from the perspective of someone else who was there.
• Describe an object that isn’t valuable but means a lot to you.
• Today’s color: What color do you feel like today and why?

What are 500 writing prompts?

The “500 Writing Prompts” journal is a treasure trove for writers. It offers a wide range of prompts across genres and themes. Moreover, it is designed to spark your creativity and help you explore the depths of your imagination, one prompt at a time.

What are 5-minute writing prompts?

These quick prompts are perfect for daily journaling or warming up your writing muscles. They include gratitudes, aspirations, affirmations, reflections on the day, and thoughts on improvement.

What are some good writing questions?

Here are a few journal prompts to ponder:

• What do you aspire to be?
• List five adventures you want to have before you turn 20.
• What’s your dream job?
• Imagine your life at 30. What does it look like?
• What are the three most impactful jobs in the world, in your opinion?
• Would you ever want to be president?

Writing prompts are not just a cure for writer’s block. They’re an excellent tool that can help your growth as a writer. In addition, they make your way to explore new genres and a method for honing your craft. Every word you write brings you one step closer to the writer you aspire to be. So, grab some good writing prompts from the many creative writing topics we have discussed. Then, see where it leads you. In addition, if you face any problems, you can always come to Authors Breeze .

Enhance Your Blog with Writing Prompts

Our blog writers use innovative writing prompts to produce posts that engage, inform, and delight your audience.

Caroline Chartrand

As a writing expert, Caroline R Chartrand has written numerous books across various genres, from memoirs to self-help guides. With a passion for history and literature, she has delved into the lives of some of the fascinating figures in history, uncovering hidden stories and surprising facts.

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25 Creative Writing Prompts to Ignite Your Creativity

Creative writing is a vast and dynamic field that offers a platform for individuals to express their ideas, emotions, and stories in an imaginative and original way.

It plays a crucial role in enhancing communication skills, fostering empathy, and also promoting a deep understanding of the human experience. If you’re not sure how to get started, consider these helpful writing prompts – let’s get creative!

The Importance of Creative Writing

In the realm of literature and beyond, creative writing holds a pivotal role. It not only allows for personal expression but also:

• fosters critical thinking
• enhances vocabulary
• improves writing skills
• conveys complex ideas and emotions
• serves as a therapeutic medium
• enhances empathy

From short stories and poetry to novels and screenplays, creative writing spans a wide array of genres and styles, and offers endless opportunities for exploration and expression.

In the professional realm, creative writing skills are highly valued. They can lead to various creative writing jobs in fields like publishing, advertising, journalism, and content creation. For those interested in pursuing higher education in this field, you might want to explore whether a degree in creative writing is worth it .

Understanding Creative Writing Prompts

When it comes to igniting creativity and fostering unique ideas, creative writing prompts play an invaluable role. They provide a starting point, a spark that can lead to a flame of inspiration for writers.

How Prompts Can Ignite Creativity

While creative writing is an exciting field, it can sometimes be challenging to kickstart the creative process. This is where creative writing prompts come into play. These prompts are designed to ignite the imagination and inspire writers to create original and compelling pieces.

They help to overcome writer’s block , encourage experimentation with different styles and genres. So, whether you’re a seasoned writer or a beginner, creative writing prompts can be an invaluable tool to spark creativity and enhance your writing skills.

What are Creative Writing Prompts?

Creative writing prompts are essentially ideas, questions, or topics that are designed to inspire and stimulate the creative writing process. They serve as a catalyst, helping to ignite the writer’s imagination and encourage them to explore new themes, concepts, or perspectives.

These prompts can take a myriad of forms. They might be a single word, a phrase, a sentence, or even an image. Remember, regardless of the format, the goal of a creative writing prompt is to trigger thought and also encourage writers to delve deeper into their creative psyche, producing unique and compelling pieces of writing.

For more understanding of what creative writing entails, read our article on what is creative writing .

Types of Creative Writing Prompts

There are various types of creative writing prompts, each tailored to stimulate different forms of writing, cater to various genres, or inspire certain ideas. For example, you might encounter:

• Fiction Writing Prompts : These prompts are designed to inspire stories. They might provide a setting, a character, a conflict, or a plot point to kick-start the writer’s imagination.
• Non-Fiction Writing Prompts : These prompts are geared towards non-fiction writing, such as essays, memoirs, or journalistic pieces. They might pose a question, present a topic, or propose a perspective for the writer to explore.
• Poetry Writing Prompts : These prompts are tailored for writing poetry. They could suggest a theme, a form, a line, or a poetic device to be used in the poem.
• Dialogue Writing Prompts : These prompts focus on conversations and are designed to inspire dialogue-driven pieces. They generally provide a line or a snippet of conversation to act as a starting point.
• Story Starter Writing Prompts : These prompts serve as the opening line or the first paragraph of a story. The writer’s task is to continue the narrative from there.

Understanding the different types of creative writing prompts is essential to making the most of them. For example, when you choose the right type of prompt, you target specific writing skills , push boundaries of creativity, and provide the necessary spark to bring your ideas to life.

25 Creative Writing Prompts

Using creative writing prompts is a great way to jumpstart your creativity and get the ideas flowing. Whether you’re a seasoned writer or a beginner, these prompts can help inspire your next piece. Here, we’ve broken down 25 prompts into five categories: fiction, non-fiction, poetry, dialogue, and story starters.

Fiction Writing Prompts

Fiction allows writers to flex their imaginative muscles. The following prompts can help to stir up new ideas for a unique storyline:

• Write a story where the main character finds an old, mysterious letter in the attic.
• Imagine a world where animals can talk.
• Create a tale where a character discovers they have a superpower.
• Write about a character who wakes up in a different era.
• Write a story set in a world where money doesn’t exist.

Non-Fiction Writing Prompts

Non-fiction writing can help you explore real-life experiences and lessons. Here are some prompts to get you started:

• Write about a time when you faced a significant challenge and how you overcame it.
• Describe the most influential person in your life.
• Share a moment when you learned a valuable lesson.
• Write about an unforgettable trip.
• Discuss a current event that has impacted you personally.

Poetry Writing Prompts

Poetry allows for artistic expression through words. These prompts can inspire new verses:

• Write a poem about a dream you can’t forget.
• Create a sonnet about the changing seasons.
• Write about an emotion without naming it directly.
• Craft a poem inspired by a piece of art.
• Pen a haiku about nature’s power.

Dialogue Writing Prompts

Dialogue writing can help you improve your dialogue creation skills. Try these prompts:

• Write a conversation between two people stuck in an elevator.
• Describe a heated argument between a character and their best friend.
• Create a dialogue where a character reveals a deep secret.
• Write an exchange between a detective and a suspect.
• Craft a conversation between two people who speak different languages.

Story Starter Writing Prompts

Story starters are great for sparking an idea for a story. Here are some to try:

• “When she opened the door, she couldn’t believe her eyes…”
• “He’d waited his whole life for this moment, and now…”
• “It was a town like no other, because…”
• “She was the last person on earth, or so she thought…”
• “The letter arrived, marked with a seal she didn’t recognize…”

These creative writing prompts are designed to challenge you and spark your creativity. Remember, the goal is not to create a perfect piece of writing but to ignite your imagination and hone your writing skills. Also, don’t forget, you can always revise and refine your work later .

For more on the art of writing, check out our article on what is creative writing .

Making the Most of Your Creative Writing Prompts

Now that you have a list of creative writing prompts at your disposal, it’s important to understand how to utilize them effectively. The value of a prompt lies not just in the initial idea it provides, but also in how it can be expanded and developed into a full-blown piece of writing.

How to Use Creative Writing Prompts Effectively

Using creative writing prompts effectively requires an open mind and a willingness to explore. Here are some strategies to make the most of your prompts:

• Brainstorming: Allow yourself to brainstorm ideas after reading the prompt. Jot down whatever comes to mind without self-judgment or censorship.
• Freedom: Give yourself the freedom to interpret the prompt in your own way. Remember, prompts are starting points, not rigid guidelines.
• Experimentation: Experiment with different genres, perspectives, and writing styles. A prompt can be turned into a poem, a short story, or even a script for a play.
• Consistency: Try to write regularly. Whether you choose to do this daily, weekly, or bi-weekly, consistency can help develop your writing skills.
• Reflection: Finally, reflect on the prompt and your writing. Consider what worked, what didn’t, and also what you would like to improve in your next piece.

In addition to this, check out our article on what is creative writing .

Tips to Expand on a Prompt

Expanding on a prompt involves transforming a simple idea into a fully developed narrative. Here are a few tips:

• Character Development: Flesh out your characters. Give them backgrounds, motivations, and flaws to make them more relatable and interesting.
• Plot Building: Develop a coherent plot. Consider the key events, conflicts, and resolutions that will drive your story forward.
• Show, Don’t Tell: Show the reader what’s happening through vivid descriptions and actions rather than simply telling them.
• Dialogue: Use dialogue to reveal character traits and advance the plot. Make sure it’s natural and adds value to your story.
• Editing: Finally review and revise your work. Look for areas where you can improve clarity, tighten your prose, and also eliminate any inconsistencies or errors.

Editor’s Note : Don’t get rid of old ideas or unfinished works – you never know when looking back over these might spark inspiration or two ideas might mesh to form something cohesive and new!

The Right Prompts Grow Your Skills

By using these strategies, you can take full advantage of creative writing prompts and improve your writing skills. So, whether you’re pursuing a career in creative writing or just looking for a new hobby, these tips can help you unlock your full creative potential.

For more insights on creative writing, check out our articles on creative writing jobs and what you can do with a creative writing degree and how to teach creative writing .

Also, don’t miss our master list of more than 250 journal prompts .

Brooks Manley

Creative Primer  is a resource on all things journaling, creativity, and productivity. We’ll help you produce better ideas, get more done, and live a more effective life.

My name is Brooks. I do a ton of journaling, like to think I’m a creative (jury’s out), and spend a lot of time thinking about productivity. I hope these resources and product recommendations serve you well. Reach out if you ever want to chat or let me know about a journal I need to check out!

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50 Creative Writing Ideas to Combat Writer’s Block

A lack of creative writing ideas often leads to a writer’s worst fear: writer’s block.

It’s so easy to fall into its clutches, spending hours at your laptop (or notebook or typewriter) writing sentence after sentence only to cross every one out. Or even worse—to sit an an empty page and write nothing at all. Sometimes it takes time and hard thinking to get out of the rut once you become stuck. Sometimes, however, it takes a little more than that. Sometimes it just might take some outside help.

It can be exceedingly difficult to find solid, mature creative writing ideas on the internet. If you Google “creative writing ideas,” most of what comes up is directed at children or casual writers looking to practice a hobby. But what about creative writing ideas for adults? What about when you have the dedication, passion, and experience with writing, but you just don’t have the  ideas ?

And if these don’t work, check out my other two posts on Writer’s Block (and second Writer’s Block article ).

The next time you’re at a loss for what to write about, try using these creative writing ideas and prompts below. Maybe you’ll be inspired enough to propel you straight out of your writer’s block, or maybe it’ll just be enough to get the gears turning in your head again.

50 Creative Writing Ideas (with Prompts) to Boost Your Inspiration

1. Try Writing Magical Realism

Write a story from a universe similar to this one but possessing one specific magical quality.

1. Write about two people who grow up together, eventually part ways, move to different sides of the country, and somehow still end up unintentionally running into each other very frequently for the rest of their lives.

2. Write about someone who is reincarnated over and over again and remembers all of his/her past lives, but no one else on earth remembers theirs.

3. Write about two people who are physically unable to be awake at the same time.

4. Write about a contract killer literally haunted by his first hit.

5. Write about a prophet who knows the exact day, time, and occurrence of his death years in advance.

6. Write about a character who can taste people’s emotions through the food they prepare.

7. Write about two people who dream about each other before they actually meet.

8. Write a post-apocalyptic story and explain only your main character’s coping mechanism: creating a fantasy world in his/her head and living there.

9. Write about a person who goes to the theater with friends multiple times but always sees a different movie than his/her friends see on the same screen.

10. Write about a person who grows a new finger every time he/she acts cruelly to someone.

If you want help writing your novel, I’ve got the best novel-writing guide in the universe:

12 Steps to Write a Bestselling Novel.

That link will give you advice on characters, plotting, point of view, and more.

2. Write from a Different Perspective

Use a voice and background different from your own to write something unfamiliar and fresh.

1. Write from the perspective of an advanced AI.

2. Write from the perspective of a person in the year 2550.

3. Write from perspective of a mythological siren stuck on the rocky shore of an ocean, trying to lure sailors to their deaths.

4. Write from the perspective of an “inside guy” (jury member, lawyer, judge, etc) during an important court case.

5. Write from the perspective of a family pet whose fate is decided when its owners split up.

6. Write from the perspective of a different gender when subjected to explicit sexual objectification.

7. Write from the perspective of an inanimate object in nature, like a rock or the wind.

8. Write from the perspective of someone with a chronic but not fatal illness (diabetes, OCD, Lyme disease, etc).

9. Write from the perspective of a blind person who comes home to find all the furniture in his/her apartment rearranged.

10. Write from the perspective of a fed-up guardian angel whose designated human is prone to self-sacrificial acts.

3. Write About What’s Around You

Get inspired by ordinary objects in your home.

1. Find a small object in your junk drawer (stapler remover, chewed-up pen cap, paperweight, etc) and write about how it could be used as a weapon to kill.

2. Imagine you have to hide documents essential to national security somewhere in your office or bedroom and write a story about wherever you think is the best place.

3. If the room you’re in has windows, write a story in which the room is exactly the same but with no windows, and vice versa.

4. Imagine you’re cleaning out your desk and find a secret message carved or written on the bottom of one drawer.

5. Open a book in your office, turn to a random page, blindly point to a word, and use it as the very first word of your story.

6. Find a photo of yourself and write a narrative about the photographer in that moment.

7. Pick a room in your house and recount a story, real or fictional, about how a particular object in that room came to be there.

8. Mentally (or physically, if you want to) rearrange all the furniture in your office or bedroom and write about how that changes the overall mood of the room.

9. Search your coat pockets for old recipes, notes, or trinkets and write a story centered around something you find. (If you find nothing, write about why you empty your pockets so frequently.)

10. Pick a small item from your desk drawer and write about a character who carries it around as a talisman.

4. Let Your Reading Inspire Your Writing

Use your favorite books as a launching pad to create something original.

1. Write a scene borrowing the protagonist of a book you’ve read, but cast as a different gender.

2. Research an author you enjoy, then combine his/her life with the life of a character from one of his/her books to create a new character.

3. Take a familiar scene from a book and rewrite it, adding yourself in as a character (spectator, narrator, background figure, etc).

4. Reset a scene from a book in a drastically different time period.

5. Write a different story using the same title as a familiar book.

6. If the book you’re using has a first person narrator, rewrite a scene either from the perspective of another character or in the third person.

7. Write about a fictional person who has an intense reaction (either positive or negative) to a book you’ve read.

8. Write a story using only words found in the first and last sentences of each chapter of a book.

9. Take a book you know well and write an alternate ending that is the exact opposite of the real ending (whatever you think “opposite” means).

10. If the book you’re using has a third person narrator, rewrite a scene in the first person (as one of the author’s characters or a new character).

5. Take a Plot and Write It Multiple Ways

Take a well-defined prompt and write it multiple times, each with a different ending.

1. Write about a Japanese steakhouse chef who accidentally cuts him/herself while cooking in front of a family.

2. Write about a painter who is commissioned by a family member to paint a dead man/woman using no pictures, only descriptions from other people.

3. Write about a group of truckers who all frequent the same truck stops and form a book club for when they see each other again.

4. Write about a seasoned model who shows up to her agency one day with inexplicable cuts all over her legs.

5. Write about two strangers who each grab one end of extremely rare record at the same time in a secondhand vinyl shop.

6. Write about a manic-depressive linguist who conveys his/her emotions to friends using words from other languages that aren’t translatable into English.

7. Write about a group of whalers who accidentally discover mermaids the size of blue whales.

8. Write about someone who mistakenly picks the lock to the wrong apartment at two in the morning when trying to get into a friend’s apartment.

9. Write about a strictly Shakespearian actor who loses all of his/her money and has to take modern comedic roles to stay afloat.

10. And finally: Write about a writer struggling with long-term writer’s block who desperately searches the internet for ideas and prompts.

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76 comments

oh my gosh this was really helpful – thank you! :))

SAME WITH ME. EVEN THOUGH I AM JUST 13 YEARS OLD, I AM CONSTANTLY SEARCHING FOR NEW IDEAS TO WRITE. THANKS SO MUCH.

YES THIS IS ALSO VERY HELPFUL WHICH IS WHY I AM WRITING IN CAPITAL LETTERS

Really helpful and cool, thank you!!!

YESSSSS!!!!!!

so helpful I really needed this

Super helpful

These were soooooooooooooooo random prompts! They didn’t help me at all! 🙁

well maybe you shouldn’t become a writter then because if you look it was helpful to the other writters boom .

i dont think this means they shouldnt be a writer, writers block can be really difficult to get over and maybe these ideas didnt help them get over it, i know they didnt help me yet ive been writing for nearly 5 years constantly. each author is different, so its great if it helped others but that doesnt guarantee itll help everyone

That’s really rude becoming a writer means working towards your goal. Some ideas don’t inspire some people. Progress takes work and the ability to write doesn’t come easy to some people. Who knows he/she could become a great writer. We just don’t know it. We choose are destiny.

what a geek

wow look at that. you are telling people off but you can’t spell the word writer! look into a dictionary.

Maybe you guys should be nice. It’s hard to be a writer, and putting other people down because they didn’t find anything helpful isn’t right. Please remember we all want to change the world.

I think random prompts are good prompts.

I agree. If they’re random that means that there’ more variety

keep looking, I’m sure there’s something there.

I think that it was the point tp be random ideas. I personally think that these were amazing ideas and I think you might need to try to be a bit more creative.

the point is to just getting you to write something versus nothing. So if you start getting your creativity flowing it will help you with your personal work.

Same I agree

I hope you come up with even better ones!

Same . It was like you have to find something and it takes ages

Honestly, I’ve been to 3 different sites before this one looking for some decent writing prompts. Don’t be fazed if they don’t help you 🙂

That’s fine, they might not help everyone! It also might not be what you’re used to, try writing with one of the prompts, if you don’t end up liking it, it’s still an exercise for your mind. Good luck!

Good fodder for insight, topics . Curious what other readers used these to for ??

Good ideas and it helped me!

Thank you so much for these! I usually see such generic prompts on other sites, but these were very original and inspiring! I would love more if possible 😉

love these ideas I would like more if possible!

This helped me with school a lot!!

I feel personally attacked by that last one.

“and finally…” LOL. Agreed

Ha- me too!

Thank You! Your ideas are really quite wonderful. 🙂

If these don’t help you, then try procrastination. You subconscious is working on your story, so when you sit down, it is so much easier to continue writing. (Works for me!)

Someone that has used one of these prompts should be super nice and let me read what they came up with. I’m super curious as to how some of you are using them.

I’ve only managed to use one so far, there are some very great prompts here.

I am 12 years old and I am confused on where my life is going… either a vet actor, or a book writer. I need advice from some adults.

dear ADVICE PLEASE [or anyone really] you should get to be whatever your heart desires. I think that you could be a vet or actor as well as an author. The world needs writers, so get out there and spread some joy! Oh btw, I’m sure we’re all on this site for the same reasons, but don’t give up on your writing dreams

I am using it for a random report I wanted to write about something. It was just kind of boring until I realized… there IS a positive side to COVID 19! I mean c’mon guys there is a positive side to everything so search for the positive sides not the negative ones. So the positive side was… WE COULD IMPROVE OURSELVES!!! Literally just by working on something we like during COVID 19 will make it seem better and BE better!! Some people had no time to improve because they were too busy with some other job but NOW.. We could spend our whole day on something we like and trust me it will benefit each and every one of you!!! ( And your day won’t be AS boring and sad because there WILL be something to do. There is always something to do!!! )

These are some helpful ideas but I don’t agree with a few but that doesn’t matter because some of them helped me. Anyway thank you for them!

Thanks this really helped as I had something set to write to so randomness helped!

These were helpful! ( And by the way…One of your probmpts scared me, I often dream about people sometimes and then meet them later. It’s very complicated about how and why. )

I want to read what other people wrote now

That last one had me cracking up.

i second that eva

Really good ones! the last one got me smiling!

Spider girl – why not all of them? You have a long life ahead of you and to only focus one career your entire life is dreary for some people such as myself. I have been a firefighter, preschool teacher, sales person, and am currently a writer and a music teacher.

they’re really good ideas, none of them really appealed to me specifically, but it seems like someone could still make a good story out of them! 🙂

THANKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This was exactly what I needed thanks so much

These have really have been a good use for me. I have been in a writer’s block for at least two weeks now and just by looking at some of these creative writing ideas, it has helped a lot. I know some of them may not appeal to all of you specifically, but it does give more confidence in your writing and your stories just by looking at some. For instance, if you were to look at one of the Magical Realism writing ideas, it could open a whole door to new writing possibilities. You can take one of the ideas and turn it into your own. You may not all agree that these ideas can help you, but it can definitely give you the confidence that you may lack when writing stories or maybe just inspire you. These ideas are helpful. Thank you!

Okay Hi, I was looking for a random prompt to write about, and I didn’t find one can anyone give me some ideas for one? I would be so grateful. Just for a little info, I am 13 and in 8th grade and just felt the need to start writing. Anyway, whoever sees this I hope you have a wonderful afternoon (or morning) Be safe throughout this week okay.

You could write about your dream for when you grow up. Like Martin Luther King Jr.

Thanks so much this helped

The 2nd one in the very first idea is one I think I’m going to use. Thanks so much!

omg this is fantastic…Thank you so much. I can relate to so many of these prompts but never really thought of them…

these were so good it inspired me to write:)

Thank you for this. I’ve been working on the same project for ages and this was a wonderful break from it.

Lot of love. Thank you. This is great help.

Wow! I could never have thought of these ideas even if I was given a million years. Thanks.

This took YEARS of me

This was so much help the thing is can you add some easy and fun ones?

This is very helpful thank you 🙂

These have been very helpful. Thank you so much for sharing these. The last one was hilarious and made me realize in many cases I was blocking myself, lol. It was great!

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most of these really did help me. I put them on to a word doc and kept going back on them and then went to different webs. now if I have writer’s block I have 64 pages of things to try.

I needed this

Some were a bit sus but ok

SOOOOOOOOOO HELPFUL!!!!!

Every writer NEEDS this book.

It’s a guide to writing the pivotal moments of your novel.

Whether writing your book or revising it, this will be the most helpful book you’ll ever buy.

When someone asks you “What is this book about?” , there are a few ways you can answer. There’s “ plot ,” which refers to the literal events in the book, and there’s “character,” which refers to the people in the book and the struggles they overcome. Finally, there are themes in literature that correspond with the work’s topic and message. But what is theme in literature?

The theme of a story or poem refers to the deeper meaning of that story or poem. All works of literature contend with certain complex ideas, and theme is how a story or poem approaches these ideas.

There are countless ways to approach the theme of a story or poem, so let’s take a look at some theme examples and a list of themes in literature. We’ll discuss the differences between theme and other devices, like theme vs moral and theme vs topic. Finally, we’ll examine why theme is so essential to any work of literature, including to your own writing.

But first, what is theme? Let’s explore what theme is—and what theme isn’t.

• Theme Definition

20 Common Themes in Literature

• Theme Examples

Themes in Literature: A Hierarchy of Ideas

Why themes in literature matter.

• Should I Decide the Themes of a Story in Advance?

Theme Definition: What is Theme?

Theme describes the central idea(s) that a piece of writing explores. Rather than stating this theme directly, the author will look at theme using the set of literary tools at their disposal. The theme of a story or poem will be explored through elements like characters , plot, settings , conflict, and even word choice and literary devices .

Theme definition: the central idea(s) that a piece of writing explores.

That said, theme is more than just an idea. It is also the work’s specific vantage point on that idea. In other words, a theme is an idea plus an opinion: it is the author’s specific views regarding the central ideas of the work. 

All works of literature have these central ideas and opinions, even if those ideas and opinions aren’t immediate to the reader.

Justice, for example, is a literary theme that shows up in a lot of classical works. To Kill a Mockingbird contends with racial justice, especially at a time when the U.S. justice system was exceedingly stacked against African Americans. How can a nation call itself just when justice is used as a weapon?

By contrast, the play Hamlet is about the son of a recently-executed king. Hamlet seeks justice for his father and vows to kill Claudius—his father’s killer—but routinely encounters the paradox of revenge. Can justice really be found through more bloodshed?

What is theme? An idea + an opinion.

Clearly, these two works contend with justice in unrelated ways. All themes in literature are broad and open-ended, allowing writers to explore their own ideas about these complex topics.

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Let’s look at some common themes in literature. The ideas presented within this list of themes in literature show up in novels, memoirs, poems, and stories throughout history.

Theme Examples in Literature

Let’s take a closer look at how writers approach and execute theme. Themes in literature are conveyed throughout the work, so while you might not have read the books in the following theme examples, we’ve provided plot synopses and other relevant details where necessary. We analyze the following:

• Power and Corruption in the novel Animal Farm
• Loneliness in the short story “A Clean, Well-Lighted Place”
• Love in the poem “How Do I Love Thee”

Theme Examples: Power and Corruption in the Novel Animal Farm

At its simplest, the novel Animal Farm by George Orwell is an allegory that represents the rise and moral decline of Communism in Russia. Specifically, the novel uncovers how power corrupts the leaders of populist uprisings, turning philosophical ideals into authoritarian regimes.

Most of the characters in Animal Farm represent key figures during and after the Russian Revolution. On an ailing farm that’s run by the negligent farmer Mr. Jones (Tsar Nicholas II), the livestock are ready to seize control of the land. The livestock’s discontent is ripened by Old Major (Karl Marx/Lenin), who advocates for the overthrow of the ruling elite and the seizure of private land for public benefit.

After Old Major dies, the pigs Napoleon (Joseph Stalin) and Snowball (Leon Trotsky) stage a revolt. Mr. Jones is chased off the land, which parallels the Russian Revolution in 1917. The pigs then instill “Animalism”—a system of government that advocates for the rights of the common animal. At the core of this philosophy is the idea that “all animals are equal”—an ideal that, briefly, every animal upholds.

Initially, the Animalist Revolution brings peace and prosperity to the farm. Every animal is well-fed, learns how to read, and works for the betterment of the community. However, when Snowball starts implementing a plan to build a windmill, Napoleon drives Snowball off of the farm, effectively assuming leadership over the whole farm. (In real life, Stalin forced Trotsky into exile, and Trotsky spent the rest of his life critiquing the Stalin regime until he was assassinated in 1940.)

Napoleon’s leadership quickly devolves into demagoguery, demonstrating the corrupting influence of power and the ways that ideology can breed authoritarianism. Napoleon uses Snowball as a scapegoat for whenever the farm has a setback, while using Squealer (Vyacheslav Molotov) as his private informant and public orator.

Eventually, Napoleon changes the tenets of Animalism, starts walking on two legs, and acquires other traits and characteristics of humans. At the end of the novel, and after several more conflicts , purges, and rule changes, the livestock can no longer tell the difference between the pigs and humans.

Themes in Literature: Power and Corruption in Animal Farm

So, how does Animal Farm explore the theme of “Power and Corruption”? Let’s analyze a few key elements of the novel.

Plot: The novel’s major plot points each relate to power struggles among the livestock. First, the livestock wrest control of the farm from Mr. Jones; then, Napoleon ostracizes Snowball and turns him into a scapegoat. By seizing leadership of the farm for himself, Napoleon grants himself massive power over the land, abusing this power for his own benefit. His leadership brings about purges, rule changes, and the return of inequality among the livestock, while Napoleon himself starts to look more and more like a human—in other words, he resembles the demagoguery of Mr. Jones and the abuse that preceded the Animalist revolution.

Thus, each plot point revolves around power and how power is wielded by corrupt leadership. At its center, the novel warns the reader of unchecked power, and how corrupt leaders will create echo chambers and private militaries in order to preserve that power.

Characters: The novel’s characters reinforce this message of power by resembling real life events. Most of these characters represent real life figures from the Russian Revolution, including the ideologies behind that revolution. By creating an allegory around Lenin, Trotsky, Stalin, and the other leading figures of Communist Russia’s rise and fall, the novel reminds us that unchecked power foments disaster in the real world.

Literary Devices: There are a few key literary devices that support the theme of Power and Corruption. First, the novel itself is a “satirical allegory.” “ Satire ” means that the novel is ridiculing the behaviors of certain people—namely Stalin, who instilled far-more-dangerous laws and abuses that created further inequality in Russia/the U.S.S.R. While Lenin and Trotsky had admirable goals for the Russian nation, Stalin is, quite literally, a pig.

Meanwhile, “allegory” means that the story bears symbolic resemblance to real life, often to teach a moral. The characters and events in this story resemble the Russian Revolution and its aftermath, with the purpose of warning the reader about unchecked power.

Finally, an important literary device in Animal Farm is symbolism . When Napoleon (Stalin) begins to resemble a human, the novel suggests that he has become as evil and negligent as Mr. Jones (Tsar Nicholas II). Since the Russian Revolution was a rejection of the Russian monarchy, equating Stalin to the monarchy reinforces the corrupting influence of power, and the need to elect moral individuals to posts of national leadership.

Theme Examples: Loneliness in “A Clean, Well-Lighted Place”

Ernest Hemingway’s short story “A Clean, Well-Lighted Place” is concerned with the theme of loneliness. You can read this short story here . Content warning for mentions of suicide.

There are very few plot points in Hemingway’s story, so most of the story’s theme is expressed through dialogue and description. In the story, an old man stays up late drinking at a cafe. The old man has no wife—only a niece that stays with him—and he attempted suicide the previous week. Two waiters observe him: a younger waiter wants the old man to leave so they can close the cafe, while an older waiter sympathizes with the old man. None of these characters have names.

The younger waiter kicks out the old man and closes the cafe. The older waiter walks to a different cafe and ruminates on the importance of “a clean, well-lighted place” like the cafe he works at.

Themes in Literature: Loneliness in “A Clean, Well-Lighted Place”

Hemingway doesn’t tell us what to think about the old man’s loneliness, but he does provide two opposing viewpoints through the dialogue of the waiters.

The younger waiter has the hallmarks of a happy life: youth, confidence, and a wife to come home to. While he acknowledges that the old man is unhappy, he also admits “I don’t want to look at him,” complaining that the old man has “no regard for those who must work.” The younger waiter “did not wish to be unjust,” he simply wanted to return home.

The older waiter doesn’t have the privilege of turning away: like the old man, he has a house but not a home to return to, and he knows that someone may need the comfort of “a clean and pleasant cafe.”

The older waiter, like Hemingway, empathizes with the plight of the old man. When your place of rest isn’t a home, the world can feel like a prison, so having access to a space that counteracts this feeling is crucial. What kind of a place is that? The older waiter surmises that “the light of course” matters, but the place must be “clean and pleasant” too. Additionally, the place should not have music or be a bar: it must let you preserve the quiet dignity of yourself.

Lastly, the older waiter’s musings about God clue the reader into his shared loneliness with the old man. In a stream of consciousness, the older waiter recites traditional Christian prayers with “nada” in place of “God,” “Father,” “Heaven,” and other symbols of divinity. A bartender describes the waiter as “otro locos mas” (translation: another crazy), and the waiter concludes that his plight must be insomnia.

This belies the irony of loneliness: only the lonely recognize it. The older waiter lacks confidence, youth, and belief in a greater good. He recognizes these traits in the old man, as they both share a need for a clean, well-lighted place long after most people fall asleep. Yet, the younger waiter and the bartender don’t recognize these traits as loneliness, just the ramblings and shortcomings of crazy people.

Does loneliness beget craziness? Perhaps. But to call the waiter and old man crazy would dismiss their feelings and experiences, further deepening their loneliness.

Loneliness is only mentioned once in the story, when the young waiter says “He’s [the old man] lonely. I’m not lonely. I have a wife waiting in bed for me.” Nonetheless, loneliness consumes this short story and its older characters, revealing a plight that, ironically, only the lonely understand.

Theme Examples: Love in the Poem “How Do I Love Thee”

Let’s turn towards brighter themes in literature: namely, love in poetry . Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s poem “ How Do I Love Thee ” is all about the theme of love.

Themes in Literature: Love in “How Do I Love Thee”

Browning’s poem is a sonnet , which is a 14-line poem that often centers around love and relationships. Sonnets have different requirements depending on their form, but between lines 6-8, they all have a volta —a surprising line that twists and expands the poem’s meaning.

Let’s analyze three things related to the poem’s theme: its word choice, its use of simile and metaphor , and its volta.

Word Choice: Take a look at the words used to describe love. What do those words mean? What are their connotations? Here’s a brief list: “soul,” “ideal grace,” “quiet need,” “sun and candle-light,” “strive for right,” “passion,” “childhood’s faith,” “the breath, smiles, tears, of all my life,” “God,” “love thee better after death.”

These words and phrases all bear positive connotations, and many of them evoke images of warmth, safety, and the hearth. Even phrases that are morose, such as “lost saints” and “death,” are used as contrasts to further highlight the speaker’s wholehearted rejoicing of love. This word choice suggests an endless, benevolent, holistic, all-consuming love.

Simile and Metaphor: Similes and metaphors are comparison statements, and the poem routinely compares love to different objects and ideas. Here’s a list of those comparisons:

The speaker loves thee:

• To the depths of her soul.
• By sun and candle light—by day and night.
• As men strive to do the right thing (freely).
• As men turn from praise (purely).
• With the passion of both grief and faith.
• With the breath, smiles, and tears of her entire life.
• Now in life, and perhaps even more after death.

The speaker’s love seems to have infinite reach, flooding every aspect of her life. It consumes her soul, her everyday activities, her every emotion, her sense of justice and humility, and perhaps her afterlife, too. For the speaker, this love is not just an emotion, an activity, or an ideology: it’s her existence.

Volta: The volta of a sonnet occurs in the poem’s center. In this case, the volta is the lines “I love thee freely, as men strive for right. / I love thee purely, as they turn from praise.”

What surprising, unexpected comparisons! To the speaker, love is freedom and the search for a greater good; it is also as pure as humility. By comparing love to other concepts, the speaker reinforces the fact that love isn’t just an ideology, it’s an ideal that she strives for in every word, thought, and action.

“Theme” is part of a broader hierarchy of ideas. While the theme of a story encompasses its central ideas, the writer also expresses these ideas through different devices.

You may have heard of some of these devices: motif, moral, topic, etc. What is motif vs theme? What is theme vs moral? These ideas interact with each other in different ways, which we’ve mapped out below.

Theme vs Topic

The “topic” of a piece of literature answers the question: What is this piece about? In other words, “topic” is what actually happens in the story or poem.

You’ll find a lot of overlap between topic and theme examples. Love, for instance, is both the topic and the theme of Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s poem “How Do I Love Thee.”

The difference between theme vs topic is: topic describes the surface level content matter of the piece, whereas theme encompasses the work’s apparent argument about the topic.

Topic describes the surface level content matter of the piece, whereas theme encompasses the work’s apparent argument about the topic.

So, the topic of Browning’s poem is love, while the theme is the speaker’s belief that her love is endless, pure, and all-consuming.

Additionally, the topic of a piece of literature is definitive, whereas the theme of a story or poem is interpretive. Every reader can agree on the topic, but many readers will have different interpretations of the theme. If the theme weren’t open-ended, it would simply be a topic.

Theme vs Motif

A motif is an idea that occurs throughout a literary work. Think of the motif as a facet of the theme: it explains, expands, and contributes to themes in literature. Motif develops a central idea without being the central idea itself .

Motif develops a central idea without being the central idea itself.

In Animal Farm , for example, we encounter motif when Napoleon the pig starts walking like a human. This represents the corrupting force of power, because Napoleon has become as much of a despot as Mr. Jones, the previous owner of the farm. Napoleon’s anthropomorphization is not the only example of power and corruption, but it is a compelling motif about the dangers of unchecked power.

Theme vs Moral

The moral of a story refers to the story’s message or takeaway. What can we learn from thinking about a specific piece of literature?

The moral is interpreted from the theme of a story or poem. Like theme, there is no single correct interpretation of a story’s moral: the reader is left to decide how to interpret the story’s meaning and message.

For example, in Hemingway’s “A Clean, Well-Lighted Place,” the theme is loneliness, but the moral isn’t quite so clear—that’s for the reader to decide. My interpretation is that we should be much more sympathetic towards the lonely, since loneliness is a quiet affliction that many lonely people cannot express.

Great literature does not tell us what to think, it gives us stories to think about.

However, my interpretation could be miles away from yours, and that’s wonderful! Great literature does not tell us what to think, it gives us stories to think about, and the more we discuss our thoughts and interpretations, the more we learn from each other.

The theme of a story affects everything else: the decisions that characters make, the mood that words and images build, the moral that readers interpret, etc. Recognizing how writers utilize various themes in literature will help you craft stronger, more nuanced works of prose and poetry .

“To produce a mighty book, you must choose a mighty theme.” —Herman Melville

Whether a writer consciously or unconsciously decides the themes of their work, theme in literature acts as an organizing principle for the work as a whole. For writers, theme is especially useful to think about in the process of revision: if some element of your poem or story doesn’t point towards a central idea, it’s a sign that the work is not yet finished. 

Moreover, literary themes give the work  stakes . They make the work stand for something. Remember that our theme definition is an idea plus an opinion. Without that opinion element, a work of literature simply won’t stand for anything, because it is presenting ideas in the abstract without giving you something to react to. The theme of a story or poem is never just “love” or “justice,” it’s the author’s particular spin and insight on those themes. This is what makes a work of literature compelling or evocative. Without theme, literature has no center of gravity, and all the words and characters and plot points are just floating in the ether. 

Should I Decide the Theme of a Story or Poem in Advance?

You can, though of course it depends on the actual story you want to tell. Some writers certainly start with a theme. You might decide you want to write a story about themes like love, family, justice, gender roles, the environment, or the pursuit of revenge.

From there, you can build everything else: plot points, characters, conflicts, etc. Examining themes in literature can help you generate some strong story ideas !

Nonetheless, theme is not the only way to approach a creative writing project. Some writers start with plot, others with character, others with conflicts, and still others with just a vague notion of what the story might be about. You might not even realize the themes in your work until after you finish writing it.

You certainly want your work to have a message, but deciding what that message is in advance might actually hinder your writing process. Many writers use their poems and stories as opportunities to explore tough questions, or to arrive at a deeper insight on a topic. In other words, you can start your work with ideas, and even opinions on those ideas, but don’t try to shoehorn a story or poem into your literary themes. Let the work explore those themes. If you can surprise yourself or learn something new from the writing process, your readers will certainly be moved as well. 

So, experiment with ideas and try different ways of writing. You don’t have think about the theme of a story right away—but definitely give it some thought when you start revising your work!

Develop Great Themes at Writers.com

As writers, it’s hard to know how our work will be viewed and interpreted. Writing in a community can help. Whether you join our Facebook group or enroll in one of our upcoming courses , we have the tools and resources to sharpen your writing.

Sean Glatch

18 comments.

Sean Glatch,Thank you very much for your discussion on themes. It was enlightening and brought clarity to an abstract and sometimes difficult concept to explain and illustrate. The sample stories and poem were appreciated too as they are familiar to me. High School Language Arts Teacher

Hi Stephanie, I’m so glad this was helpful! Happy teaching 🙂

Wow!!! This is the best resource on the subject of themes that I have ever encountered and read on the internet. I just bookmarked it and plan to use it as a resource for my teaching. Thank you very much for publishing this valuable resource.

Hi Marisol,

Thank you for the kind words! I’m glad to hear this article will be a useful resource. Happy teaching!

Warmest, Sean

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What is Theme? A Look at 20 Common Themes in Literature | writers.com

Hello! This is a very informative resource. Thank you for sharing.

farrow and ball pigeon

This presentation is excellent and of great educational value. I will employ it already in my thesis research studies.

John Never before communicated with you!

Brilliant! Thank you.

[…] THE MOST COMMON THEMES IN LITERATURE […]

marvellous. thumbs up

Thank you. Very useful information.

found everything in themes. thanks. so much

In college I avoided writing classes and even quit a class that would focus on ‘Huck Finn’ for the entire semester. My idea of hell. However, I’ve been reading and learning from the writers.com articles, and I want to especially thank Sean Glatch who writes in a way that is useful to aspiring writers like myself.

You are very welcome, Anne! I’m glad that these resources have been useful on your writing journey.

Thank you very much for this clear and very easy to understand teaching resources.

Hello there. I have a particular question.

Can you describe the exact difference of theme, issue and subject?

I get confused about these.

I love how helpful this is i will tell my class about it!

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Top 100 Short Story Ideas

by Joe Bunting | 128 comments

Do you want to write but just need a great story idea? Or perhaps you have too many ideas and can’t choose the best one? Well, good news. We’ve got you covered.

Below are one hundred short story ideas for all your favorite genres. You can use them as a book idea, as writing prompts for writing contests , for stories to publish in literary magazines , or just for fun!

Use these 100 story ideas to get your creative writing started now.

Editor’s note: This is a recurring guide, regularly updated with ideas and information.

If you're in a hurry, here's my 10 best story ideas in brief, or scroll down for the full version.

Top 10 Story Ideas

• Tell the story of a scar.
• A group of children discover a dead body.
• A young prodigy becomes orphaned.
• A middle-aged woman discovers a ghost.
• A woman who is deeply in love is crushed when her fiancé breaks up with her.
• A talented young man's deepest fear is holding his life back. 
• A poor young boy or girl comes into an unexpected fortune.
• A shy, young woman unexpectedly bumps into her soulmate.
• A long journey is interrupted by a disaster.
• A young couple run into the path of a psychopath.

Why Creative Writing Prompts Are Helpful

Below, you'll find our best creative writing prompts and plot ideas for every genre, but first, why do we use prompts? Is it just a waste of time, or can they actually help you? Here are three reasons we  love writing prompts at The Write Practice:

1. Practice the Language!

Even for those of us who are native English speakers, we're all on a language journey to go from beginners to skilled writers. To make progress on this language journey, you have to practice, and at The Write Practice, believe it or not, we're really into practice! Creative writing prompts are easy, fun ways to practice.

Use the prompts below to practice your storytelling and use of language. The more you practice, the better of a writer you'll become.

2. When you have no ideas and are stuck.

Sometimes, you want to write, but you can't think up any ideas. You could either just sit there, staring at a blank page, or you could find a few ideas to help you get started. Even better if the list of ideas is curated from our best plot ideas over the last decade that we've been publishing lessons, writing exercises, and prompts.

Use the story ideas below to get your writing started. Then when your creativity is warmed up, you'll start to come up with your own ideas!

3. To develop your own ideas.

Maybe you do have an idea already, but you're not sure it's good. Or maybe you feel like it's just missing some small piece to make it better. By reading other ideas, and incorporating your favorites into your   story, you can fill your plot holes and generate creative ideas of your own.

Use the story ideas below to develop your own ideas.

4. They're fun!

Thousands of writers use the prompts below every month, some at home, some in classrooms, and even a few pros at their writing “office.” Why? Because writing prompts can be fun. They get your creativity started, help you come up with new ideas of your own, and often take your writing in new, unexpected directions.

Use the plot ideas to have more fun with writing!

How to Write a Story

One last thing before we get to the 100 story ideas, let’s talk about how to write a great short story . (Already know how to write a great story? No problem. Just skip down to the ideas below.)

• First, read stories. If you’ve never read a story, you’re going to have a hard time writing one. Where do you find great stories? There are a lot of places, but check out our list of  46 Literary Magazines  we’ve curated over here .
• Write your story in a single sitting. Write the first draft of your story in as short a time as possible, and if you’re writing a short story , try to write it in one sitting. Trust me, this works. Everyone hates being interrupted when they’re telling compelling stories. Use that to your advantage and don’t stop writing until you’ve finished telling yours.
• Read your draft. Read your story through once, without changing anything. This will give you a sense of what work it needs going forward.
• Write a premise. After reading your first draft, get your head around the main idea behind your story by summarizing your story in a one sentence premise. Your premise should contain four things: a character, a goal, a situation, and a special sauce. Not sure what that means or how to actually do that? Here’s a full premise writing guide .
• Write, edit, write, and edit. Good writing is rewriting. Use your second draft to fill in the plot holes and cut out the extraneous scenes and characters you discovered when you read the first draft in step #2. Then, polish up your final draft on the next round of edits.
• Submit! Real writers don’t keep their writing all to themselves. They share it. Submit your story to a literary magazine , an anthology series , enter it into a writing contest , or even share it with a small group of friends. And if it gets rejected, don’t feel bad. You’ll be in good company.

Want to know more? Learn more about how to write a great short story here .

Our 100 Best Short Story Ideas, Plot Ideas, and Creative Writing Prompts

Ready to get writing? Here are our 100 best short story ideas to kickstart your writing. Enjoy!

10 Best General Short Story Ideas

Our first batch of plot ideas are for any kind of story, whether a spy thriller or a memoir of your personal life story. Here are the best story ideas:

• Tell the story of a scar, whether a physical scar or emotional one. To be a writer, said Stephen King, “The only requirement is the ability to  remember every scar .”
• A group of children discover a dead body. Good writers don’t turn away from death, which is, after all, the  universal human experience. Instead, they look it directly into its dark face and describe what they see on the page.
• A young prodigy becomes orphaned. Orphans are uniquely vulnerable, and as such, they have the most potential for growth.
• A middle-aged woman discovers a ghost. What do Edgar Allen Poe, Ron Weasley, King Saul from the Bible, Odysseus, and Ebenezer Scrooge have in common? They all encountered ghosts!
• A woman who is deeply in love is crushed when her fiancé breaks up with her. “In life every ending is just a new beginning,” says Dakota Fanning’s character in Uptown Girls.
• A talented young man’s deepest fear is holding his life back. Your character’s biggest fear is your story’s secret weapon. Don’t run from it, write about it.
• A poor young boy or girl comes into an unexpected fortune. Not all fortunes are good. Sometimes discovering a fortune will destroy your life.
• A shy, young woman unexpectedly bumps into her soulmate (literally bumps into him). In film, this is called the “meet cute,” when the hero bumps into the heroine in the coffee shop or the department store or the hallway, knocking her books to the floor, and forcing them into conversation.
• A long journey is interrupted by a disaster. Who hasn’t been longing to get to a destination only to be delayed by something unexpected? This is the plot of  Gravity ,  The Odyssey , and even  Lord of the Rings .
• A young couple run into the path of a psychopath. Monsters, whether people who do monstrous things or scaly beasts or a monster of a natural disaster, reveal what’s really inside a person. Let your character fall into the path of a monster and see how they handle themselves.

Now that you have an idea, learn exactly what to do with it.  Check out my new book The Write Structure which helps writers take their ideas and write books readers love. Click to check out  The Write Structure  here.

More Short Story Ideas Based on Genre

Need more ideas? Here are ideas based on whichever literary genre you write. Use them as character inspiration, to start your own story, or borrow pieces to generate your own ideas. The only rule is, have fun writing!

By the way,  for more story writing tips for each these plot types, check out our full guide to the 10 types of stories here .

10 Thriller Story Ideas

A thriller is any story that “thrills” the reader—i.e., gets adrenaline pumping, the heart racing, and the emotions piqued.

Thrillers come in all shapes and forms, dipping freely into other genres. In other words, expect the unexpected!

Here are a few of my favorite thriller story ideas :

Rosa Rivera-Ortiz is an up-and-coming lawyer in a San Diego firm. Held back by her ethnicity and her gender, she works twice as hard as her colleagues, and she’s as surprised as anyone when she’s requested specifically for a high-profile case. Bron Welty, an A-list actor and action star, has been arrested for the murder of his live-in housekeeper. The cop heading the case is older, ex-military, a veteran of more than one war, and an occasional sufferer of PTSD. Rosa’s hired to defend the movie star; and it seems like an easy win until she uncovers some secrets that not only make her believe her client is guilty, but may be one of the worst serial killers in the past two decades… and he knows she found out .

It’s the Cold War. Sergei, a double-agent for the CIA working in Berlin, is about to retire when he’s given one final mission: he’s been asked to “defect” to the USSR to help find and assassinate a suspected double-agent for the Kremlin. Sergei is highly trusted, and he’s given to understand that this mission is need-to-know only between him and very few superior officers. But as he falls deeper into the folds of the Iron Curtain, he begins to suspect that his superior officer might just be the mole, and the mark Sergei’s been sent to kill is on the cusp of exposing the leak.

It is 1800. A lighthouse on a barren cliff in Canada. Two lighthouse keepers, German immigrants, are alone for the winter and effectively cut off from the rest of the world until the ice thaws. Both Wilhelm and Matthias are settled in for the long haul with warm clothes, canned goods, and matches a-plenty. Then Wilhelm starts hearing voices. His personal belongings disappear from where he’d placed them, only to reappear in strange spots—like the catwalk, or dangling beneath the spiral stair knotted in brown twine. Matthias begs innocence. Little by little, Wilhelm grows convinced that Matthias is trying to convince him (Wilhelm) to kill himself. Is the insanity real, or is this really Matthias’ doing? And if it is real, what will he do to defend himself? There are so many months until the thaw. 

20 Mystery Story Ideas

Enjoy a good whodunit? Then you’ll love these mystery story ideas .

Here are a few of my favorites:

Ever hear the phrase, “It is not who fired the shot but who paid for the bullet?” This is a philosophy Tomoe Gozen lives by. Brave and clever, Tomoe follows clues until she learns who ordered the murder: Emperor Antoku himself. But why would the emperor of Japan want to kill a lowly soldier?

Mystery writer Dan Rodriguez takes the subway every day. Every day, nothing happens. He wears earbuds and a hoodie; he’s ignored, and he ignores. Then one evening, on his way home from a stressful meeting with his publisher, Dan is startled out of his funk when a frantic Middle-Eastern man knocks him over at a dead run, then races up the stairs—pursued by several other thugs. The Middle-Eastern man is shot; and Dan discovers a mysterious package in the front pocket of his hoodie. What’s inside, and what does he need to do to survive the answer?

A headless corpse is found in a freshly-dug grave in Arkansas. The local police chief, Arley Socket, has never had to deal with more than missing gas cans and treed cats. His exploration of this weird murder digs up a mystery older than the 100-year-old town of Jericho that harkens all the way back to a European blood-feud.

20 Romance Story Ideas

Ready to write a love story? Or perhaps you want to create a subplot with a secondary character? We've got ideas for you!

Hint: When it comes to romance, a sense of humor is always a good idea. Have fun! Here are a few of my favorite love story ideas :

She’s a cop. He’s the owner of a jewelry store. A sudden rash of break-ins brings her to his store over and over and over again, until it becomes obvious that he might be tripping the alarm on purpose—just to see her. That’s illegal—but she’s kind of falling for him, too. Write the moment she realizes she has to do something about this crazy illicit courtship.

Colorado Animal Rescue has never been more challenging than after that zoo caught on fire. Sally Cougar (no jokes on the name, or she’ll kill you) tracks down three missing tiger cubs, only to find they’ve been adopted by millionaire Bryce Champion. Thanks to an antiquated law on the books, he legally has the right to keep them. It’s going to take everything Sally has to get those tiger cubs back.

He’s a museum curator with a fetish for perfection. No one’s ever gotten close to him; how could they? They’re never as perfect as the portraits, the sculptures, the art that never changes. Then one day, an intern is hired on—a young, messy, disorganized intern, whose hair and desk are in a constant state of disarray. The curator is going half-mad with this walking embodiment of chaos; so why can’t the he stand the thought of the intern leaving at the end of their assistantship?

20 Sci-Fi Story Ideas

From the minimum-wage-earning, ancient-artifact-hunting time traveller to the space-exploring, sentient dinosaurs, these sci-fi writing prompts will get you set loose your inner nerd.

Here are a few of my favorite sci-fi ideas :

In a future society, neural implants translate music into physical pleasure, and earphones (“jacking in”) are now the drug of choice. Write either from the perspective of a music addict, OR the Sonforce agent (sonance + enforcer) who has the job of cracking down.

It’s the year 5000. Our planet was wrecked in the great Crisis of 3500, and remaining human civilization survives only in a half dozen giant domed cities. There are two unbreakable rules: strict adherence to Life Quality (recycling doesn’t even begin to cover these laws), and a complete ban on reproduction (only the “worthy” are permitted to create new humans). Write from the perspective of a young woman who just discovered she’s been chosen to reproduce—but she has no interest in being a mother.

So yeah, ancient Egypt really was “all that” after all, and the pyramids turn out to be fully functional spaceships (the limestone was to preserve the electronics hidden inside). Write from the perspective of the tourist exploring the ancient society who accidentally turns one on.

20 Fantasy Story Ideas

Need a dose of sword-in-the-stone, hero and/or heroine packed coming-of-age glory?  We love fantasy stories!

Here are a few of my favorite fantasy story ideas:

Bored teenaged wizards throwing a graduation celebration.

Uncomfortable wedding preparation between a magic wielding family tree and those more on the Muggle side of things.

A fairy prince who decides to abandon his responsibilities to become a street musician.

Just try to not have fun writing (or even just reading!) these fantasy writing prompts.

The Secret to Choosing the Best Story Idea

Stories, more than any other artistic expression, have the power to make people care. Stories have the ability to change people’s lives.

But to write a great story, a life-changing story, don’t just write about what your characters did, said, and saw. Ask yourself, “Where do I fit in to this story? What is my personal connection to this story?”

Robert Frost said this:

If you can connect your personal story to the story you’re writing, you will not only be more motivated to finish your story, you might just be able to change the lives of your readers.

Next Step: Write Your Best Story

No matter how good your idea, writing a story or a book can be a long difficult process. How do you create an outline, come up with a great plot, and then actually  finish  it?

My new book  The Write Structure  will help. You'll learn how to take your idea and structure a strong plot around it. Then you'll be guided through the exact process I've used to write dozens of short stories and over fifteen books.

You can learn more about   The Write Structure  and get your copy here.

Get The Write Structure here »

Have a great short story idea?  We'd love to hear it. Share it in the comments !

Choose one of these ideas and write a short story in one sitting (aim for 1,000 words or less!). When you're finished, share your story in the practice box below (or our latest writing contest ) for feedback from the community. And if you share, please be sure to comment on a few stories by other writers.

Joe Bunting

Joe Bunting is an author and the leader of The Write Practice community. He is also the author of the new book Crowdsourcing Paris , a real life adventure story set in France. It was a #1 New Release on Amazon. Follow him on Instagram (@jhbunting).

Want best-seller coaching? Book Joe here.

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200 Common Themes in Literature

Sarah Oakley

Table of Contents

What is the theme of a story, common themes in literature, universal themes in literature, full list of themes in literature, theme examples in popular novels.

The theme of a novel is the main point of the story and what it’s really about. As a writer, it’s important to identify the theme of your story before you write it.

Themes are not unique to each novel because a theme addresses a common feeling or experience your readers can relate to. If you’re aware of what the common themes are, you’ll have a good idea of what your readers are expecting from your novel .

In this article, we’ll explain what a theme is, and we’ll explore common themes in literature.

The theme of a story is the underlying message or central idea the writer is trying to show through the actions of the main characters. A theme is usually something the reader can relate to, such as love, death, and power.

Your story can have more than one theme, as it might have core themes and minor themes that become more apparent later in the story. A romance novel can have the central theme of love, but the protagonist might have to overcome some self-esteem issues, which present the theme of identity.

Themes are great for adding conflict to your story because each theme presents different issues you could use to develop your characters. For example, a novel with the theme of survival will show the main character facing tough decisions about their own will to survive, potentially at the detriment of someone else they care about.

Sometimes a secondary character will represent the theme in the way they are characterized and the actions they take. Their role is to challenge the protagonist to learn what the story is trying to say about the theme. For example, in a novel about the fear of failure, the antagonist might be a rival in a competition who challenges the protagonist to overcome their fear so they can succeed against them.  

It’s important to remember that a theme is not the same as a story’s moral message. A moral is a specific lesson you can teach your readers, whereas a story’s theme is an idea or concept your readers interpret in a way that relates to them.

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Common literary themes are concepts and central ideas that are relatable to most readers. Therefore, it’s a good idea to use a common theme if you want your novel to appeal to a wide range of readers.  

Here’s our list of common themes in literature:

Love : the theme of love appears in novels within many genres, as it can discuss the love of people, pets, objects, and life. Love is a complex concept, so there are still unique takes on this theme being published every day.

Death/Grief : the theme of death can focus on the concept of mortality or how death affects people and how everyone processes grief in their own way.

Power : there are many books in the speculative fiction genres that focus on the theme of power. For example, a fantasy story could center on a ruling family and their internal problems and external pressures, which makes it difficult for them to stay in power. 

Faith : the common theme of faith appears in stories where the events test a character’s resolve or beliefs. The character could be religious or the story could be about a character’s faith in their own ability to succeed.

Beauty : the theme of beauty is good for highlighting places where beauty is mostly overlooked by society, such as inner beauty or hard work that goes unnoticed. Some novels also use the theme of beauty to show how much we take beauty for granted.

Survival : we can see the theme of survival in many genres, such as horror, thriller, and dystopian, where the book is about characters who have to survive life-threatening situations.

Identity : there are so many novels that focus on the common theme of identity because it’s something that matters to a lot of readers. Everyone wants to know who they are and where they fit in the world.

Family : the theme of family is popular because families are ripe with opportunities for conflict. The theme of family affects everyone, whether they have one or not, so it’s a relatable theme to use in your story.

Universal themes are simply concepts and ideas that almost all cultures and countries can understand and interpret. Therefore, a universal theme is great for books that are published in several languages.

If you want to write a story you can export to readers all over the world, aim to use a universal theme. The common themes mentioned previously are all universal literary themes, but there are several more you could choose for your story.

Here are some more universal literary themes:

Human nature

Self-awareness

Coming of age

Not all themes are universal or common, but that shouldn’t put you off from using them. If you believe there is something to be said about a particular theme, your book could be the one to say it.

Your book could become popular if the theme of your book addresses a current issue. For example, a theme of art is not as common as love, but in a time when AI developments are making people talk about how AI affects art, it’s a theme people will probably appreciate.

Here’s a full list of themes you can use in your writing:

Abuse of power

American dream

Celebration

Change versus tradition

Chaos and order

Circle of life

Climate change

Colonialism

Common sense

Communication

Companionship

Conservation

Convention and rebellion

Darkness and light

Disappointment

Disillusionment

Displacement

Empowerment

Everlasting love

Forbidden love

Forgiveness

Fulfillment

Gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender rights

Good vs evil

Imagination

Immortality

Imperialism

Impossibility

Individuality

Inspiration

Manipulation

Materialism

Nationalism

Not giving up

Opportunity

Peer pressure

Perseverance

Personal development

Relationship

Self-discipline

Self-reliance

Self-preservation

Subjectivity

Surveillance

Totalitarianism

Unconditional love

Unrequited love

Unselfishness

Winning and losing

Working class struggles

If you’ve decided on a literary theme but you’re not sure how to present it in your novel, it’s a good idea to check out how other writers have incorporated it into their novels. We’ve found some examples of themes within popular novels that could help you get started.

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

The Great Gatsby is famous for the theme of the American dream, but it also includes themes of gender, race, social class, and identity. We experience the themes of the novel through the eyes of the narrator, Nick Carraway, who gradually loses his optimism for the American dream as the narrative progresses.

Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare

It’s well known that Shakespeare was a connoisseur of the theme of tragedy in his plays, and Romeo and Juliet certainly features tragedy. However, forbidden love and family are the main themes.

Charlotte’s Web by E. B. White

Charlotte’s Web is a classic children’s book that features the themes of death and mortality. From the beginning of the book, the main characters have to come to terms with their own mortality. Charlotte, the spider, does what she can to prevent the slaughter of Wilbur, the pig.

Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell

George Orwell’s novel, Nineteen Eighty-Four , focuses on themes of totalitarianism, repression, censorship, and surveillance. The novel is famous for introducing the concept of Big Brother, which has become synonymous with the themes of surveillance and abuse of power.

A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin

The fantasy novel, A Game of Thrones , is popular for its complex storylines that present themes of family, power, love, and death. The novel has multiple points of view, which give an insight into how each main character experiences the multiple themes of the story.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

The Hunger Games is a popular teen novel that focuses on themes of poverty, rebellion, survival, friendship, power, and social class. The novel highlights the horrifying consequences of rebellion, as the teenage competitors have to survive the Hunger Games pageant.

Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel

Wolf Hall features themes of power, family, faith, and a sense of duty. It’s a historical novel about the life of Oliver Cromwell and how he became the most powerful minister in King Henry VIII’s council.

As you can see, the literary theme of a novel is one of the most important parts, as it gives the reader an instant understanding of what the story is about. Your readers will connect with your novel if you have a theme that is relatable to them.

Some themes are more popular than others, but some gain popularity based on events that are happening in the world. It’s important to consider how relevant your literary theme is to your readers at the time you intend to publish your book.

We hope this list of common themes in literature will help you with your novel writing.

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Posted on Jun 30, 2021

12 Common Themes in Literature Everyone Must Know

By nature, literary themes are broad and universal. It’s no wonder, then, that certain themes come up again and again across the spectrum of literature, from novels and short stories to poetry and creative nonfiction . That’s not to say that works which share a common theme tackle it in the same way — indeed, the beauty of themes in literature is that they can be approached from multiple perspectives that offer different thematic statements (in other words opinions on said themes).

Here, we’ll be focusing on broader thematic concepts, with some examples of how themes are being used. Whether you’re looking to identify common themes or searching for the right kind of inspiration for your next writing project, this list is just what you need. 

Like you might see anytime you turn on the news, power (or the desire for it) makes people do crazy things. This is naturally reflected in fiction. From dystopias (Suzanne Collins’s The Hunger Games trilogy, for example) to fantasy (like that other famous trilogy The Lord of the Rings , or that little-known series by George R. R. Martin called A Song of Ice and Fire ) and classics like George Orwell’s Animal Farm , the concept of power has fueled countless literary projects. Sometimes the focus is power’s corruptive abilities, sometimes it’s the exchange of power between oppressive states and individuals, sometimes it’s simply the power of dreams. Regardless, the element of power remains central.

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Family relationships and dynamics make for the most interesting and complex sources of conflict in literature . From intergenerational epics like Min Jin Lee’s Pachinko and Gabriel García Márquez’s 100 Years of Solitude to contemporary novels like Karen Joy Fowler’s We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves , books have always asked what the meaning of a family is, and will continue to highlight both the dysfunctional and wholesome relationships within them. 

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3. Identity 

Questions of identity and the labels that come with them are powerful animating forces in much of literature. From representing one’s ethnic or racial identity (Brit Bennet’s The Vanishing Half and Jhumpa Lahiri’s The Namesake , for example) to gender identity (e.g. George by Alex Gino) and mental health diagnoses like in Sylvia Plath’s The Bell Jar , who we are is one of the fundamental questions we must face. For some writers, literature is a place to try and answer that question for themselves or the group they identify with; for others, it’s a place to dismiss the need for labels and embrace a self that exists at the intersections of various groups. This is also a theme connected to the way society impacts the way we perceive ourselves and others. 

🏳️‍🌈 Check out some more book recommendations about queer identity over on our list of the best LGBT books !

4. Loneliness 

Is there anything more writerly (or typically associated with writerliness, anyway) than the image of a lone, isolated scribe visible inside a lit window at night, typing away into the dark? Or (let’s face it) the loner in school, symbol of misfits all over? From the famous alienated high schoolers in The Perks of Being a Wallflower and Catcher in the Rye to more recent bestsellers like Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine , there’s no shortage of loners, isolated misfits, or content-to-be-alone introverts in literature. Whether the theme is used to show that human nature is inherently lonely, to criticize dependence, or to argue that loneliness is a societal privilege ( A Room of One’s Own -style), these are stories that never fail to be deeply affecting.

5. Friendship 

Friends, it’s often said, are the family we choose for ourselves — and the bonds we have with them are just as complex, potentially tense, or heart-warming as familial bonds. Childhood friends are often at the heart of children’s classics like The Secret Garden or Charlotte’s Web . In books for young readers, friendship is commonly praised for its selflessness and camaraderie. It remains a common theme for books that deal with young adulthood, coming-of-age narratives, and even later life, as titles like Teddy Wayne’s Apartment , Zadie Smith’s Swing Time , Hanya Yanagihara’s A Little Life and Carolina de Robertis’ Cantoras show. In such stories, friendship is also thematized for its absence, its tensions, shortfalls, and failings. No single friendship is the same, and the same is true of their literary representations.

🎉 To discover more books, head to Reedsy Discovery , our dedicated platform for readers and reviewers!

6. Free will vs. Fate

A common type of conflict as well as a literary theme, the friction between one’s ability to determine their own future and their externally determined fate can be found in many enduring classics, especially plays! From the ancient Greek play Oedipus Rex , Shakespeare’s Macbeth and Christopher Marlowe’s Doctor Faustus to beloved children’s series Harry Potter and Haruki Murakami’s Kafka on the Shore , the tension arising from the sense of external expectations and pressures and the notion of self-fulfilling prophecies is, ahem, fated to be a part of literature forever.

Fate is often what knocks at the door of the hero in the first act of a novel. Learn about the 3-act story structure in our free course. 

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Hope springs in the most unlikely places — and for books, that often means stories of loss, despair, or disaster. Memoirs of suffering or hardship, like Paul Kalanithi’s When Breath Becomes Air , tend to end on a note of hope, whereas stories about social issues like racism or climate change also tend to locate reasons for optimism. Examples here include Angie Thomas’s The Hate U Give , Richard Powers’ The Overstory , and Ruth Ozeki’s A Tale for the Time Being .

📚 Our list of the best memoirs is sure to find you some more hopeful books to read.

* Sighs in lovestruck ❤️ * Ah, yes. Romance is yet another of those undying forces that has sustained works of literature since the beginning of time, and it’s not about to stop. From literary fiction and classics like Romeo and Juliet to YA heartwarmers like Rainbow Rowell’s Eleanor and Park and Casey McQuiston’s Red, White, and Royal Blue and epic historical fiction like Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander , romantic love (or the heartbreak resulting from the lack of it) lies at the center of books from more genres than just romance. Some authors use this theme to write delightfully comforting works that offer readers an escape from their routine, while others ask what it means to be dependent on another person, or observe the changing dynamics within a relationship. Whatever the overarching opinion, stories that focus on love promise to be deeply emotionally resonant.

From war poets like Siegfried Sassoon and Wilfred Owen who wrote about the toll of World War I to modern novels exploring its emotional and social consequences (e.g. Pat Barker’s Regeneration trilogy and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Half of a Yellow Sun ), violence and conflict works could constitute an entire genre of fiction in themselves. 

10. Childhood

Our childhood years might not necessarily define us, but they’re still pretty integral in terms of changing who we want to be. So whether it’s to look back at our childhoods with nostalgia, to acknowledge the bitter realizations that followed it, or to simply consider the point of view of a child, childhood keeps coming back as a prevalent theme in literature — and three examples that do just these things are Little Women by Louisa May Alcott, The Red Pony by John Steinbeck, and Room by Emma Donoghue.

11. Coming of age

Entering adulthood is another period that brings many changes, and so the time during which people come of age tends to be a common theme. In books as varied as Jane Austen’s Emma , Jeffrey Eugenides’ Middlesex , and Elena Ferrante’s My Brilliant Friend , growing up, maturing, and coming into your own are thematized to show the uncertainty and empowerment that comes with this stage of life. 

💡 Head to our list of the 70 best coming-of-age books for more examples!

12. Environment and climate change

Unfortunately, the planet is warming up. And as the planet’s temperature grows, so do concerns about our future as a species — which leads to an increased prevalence of the environment or climate change appearing as core themes in literature. Now that ecofiction and “cli-fi” are becoming more popular, books like Barbara Kingsolver’s Flight Behavior , John Lanchester’s The Wall , and Dr Seuss’s The Lorax will see their themes discussed more than ever. 

Test your theme-detecting skills!

See if you can identify five themes from five questions. Takes 30 seconds!

We hope this list has been handy! Remember that your own book doesn’t need to tackle a new-found, unbelievably novel theme to have merit: as long as you approach a theme in a fresh way, it’s completely natural for others to have discussed it before you. 

If you're a writer who wants to start working themes into your stories, be sure to check out the final section of this guide.

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Mastering Thematic Writing: 7 Awesome Essential Techniques 🌟✍️

Table of Contents

Thematic writing stands as a cornerstone in the realm of creative storytelling, offering depth and substance to literary works. It involves weaving central themes – universal ideas, messages, or morals – into the fabric of a narrative. This technique enriches a story, transforming it from a simple sequence of events into a resonant piece that engages readers on a deeper level. As we explore the intricacies of thematic writing, we uncover how themes not only drive the narrative forward but also impart lasting impressions on the audience.

The power of thematic writing lies in its ability to connect with readers beyond the surface plot. Themes act as the soul of a story, offering insights into the human experience, societal norms, and emotional landscapes. Whether it’s exploring the complexities of love, the struggles of identity, or the nuances of morality, thematic writing elevates the narrative, making it relatable and thought-provoking. This connection is what turns a good story into a memorable one that lingers in the minds of readers.

Incorporating themes effectively, however, is a skill that requires both subtlety and intention. A well-crafted theme should feel organic, seamlessly integrating into the story’s characters, settings, and plot lines. It should not overpower the narrative, but rather complement it, allowing readers to naturally infer and reflect upon the underlying messages. Thematic writing, when done right, can turn a narrative into a mirror reflecting the larger world, encouraging readers to ponder and engage with the text on a deeper level.

As we delve deeper into the elements of thematic writing, we’ll explore various techniques and strategies to infuse themes into narratives gracefully. From the initial conceptualization of a theme to its development throughout the story, each step in thematic writing is a careful balancing act – maintaining narrative flow while ensuring the theme’s presence is felt throughout. For writers looking to enhance their storytelling, mastering thematic writing is not just a skill but an essential tool in their creative arsenal.

Understanding Themes in Writing

Themes are the backbone of any compelling narrative, serving as the underpinning ideas or messages in thematic writing. A theme in literature is essentially the central topic or concept around which the story revolves. It goes beyond the plot to explore broader subjects, such as love, freedom, identity, or morality. These themes are pivotal in giving a story depth and meaning, allowing readers to connect with it on a personal and emotional level.

In thematic writing , identifying and developing your theme requires thoughtful consideration. Start by contemplating what you want your story to convey. Are you exploring the complexities of human relationships, or perhaps commenting on societal issues? The chosen theme should resonate with your intended audience and be relevant to their experiences or interests. It’s this relevance that helps to engage readers and encourages them to reflect on the broader implications of your story.

The implementation of themes in writing should be subtle and nuanced. Rather than explicitly stating the theme, it should be woven into the narrative through character development, dialogue, and plot progression. For instance, if your theme is about the pursuit of freedom, show how your characters experience, struggle, and react to issues related to freedom. This approach allows readers to infer the theme through the unfolding story, making the reading experience more engaging and thought-provoking.

The best thematic writing leaves room for interpretation, inviting readers to derive their own meanings and conclusions. While the writer might have a specific message or idea they wish to convey, readers’ perspectives and life experiences will color their understanding of the theme. This open-ended nature is what makes thematic writing so powerful and enduring, sparking discussions and debates long after the story is read.

Developing Your Theme: Starting Points

The journey of thematic writing begins with choosing a theme that not only interests you as a writer but will also resonate with your audience. When selecting a theme, consider topics that are universally relatable, such as human struggles, ethical dilemmas, or personal growth. These themes often strike a chord with a wide range of readers and provide a fertile ground for rich storytelling.

Once you have identified your theme, the next step is to develop it throughout your narrative. This development starts with the creation of characters and settings that reflect and explore your chosen theme. For example, if your theme revolves around the concept of betrayal, your characters’ experiences, actions, and choices should revolve around this idea, either as perpetrators, victims, or witnesses of betrayal. Similarly, the setting can be used to reinforce the theme, such as a backdrop that echoes the sense of deceit or mistrust.

An effective technique in thematic writing is to use multiple characters or subplots to explore different facets of the same theme. This approach not only adds complexity to your narrative but also allows for a more nuanced exploration of the theme. For instance, different characters can represent various aspects of bravery or sacrifice, providing a richer, more rounded exploration of these concepts.

Remember, the theme should evolve naturally as your story progresses. It should be interwoven with the narrative arc, emerging gradually through the characters’ journeys and the unfolding plot. Avoid being too heavy-handed or didactic, as this can detract from the story’s impact and leave little room for readers to form their own connections and interpretations.

Character and Theme: An Interwoven Relationship

In thematic writing, characters are not just protagonists or antagonists; they are the vessels through which themes are conveyed and explored. A well-developed character who faces challenges, makes choices, and undergoes transformation can effectively embody the story’s central theme. The key is to create characters whose personal journeys and conflicts are deeply intertwined with the thematic elements of the story.

For example, if your theme revolves around the struggle for identity, your characters should grapple with questions and challenges related to this theme. Their actions, decisions, and growth throughout the story should reflect and inform the reader about aspects of identity. This could be through their dialogue, their relationships with other characters, or their internal monologues.

Another important aspect of thematic writing is the use of contrasting characters to highlight different perspectives on the same theme. By showcasing diverse responses and viewpoints, you can deepen the readers’ understanding and engagement with the theme. For instance, in a story exploring themes of morality, different characters might embody various moral beliefs or ethical dilemmas, providing a broader, more complex view of the theme.

Lastly, consider the symbolic potential of your characters in reinforcing the theme. Characters can sometimes symbolize larger ideas or concepts related to the theme. For example, a character might represent hope in a story themed around despair. However, it’s important to balance symbolism with realism to ensure your characters remain relatable and believable.

In thematic writing, when characters are crafted with care and depth, they become powerful tools for expressing and exploring themes. Their journeys, conflicts, and transformations are what make the theme resonate with the reader, turning a simple story into a meaningful and memorable narrative.

Setting and Atmosphere: Building Thematic Depth

In thematic writing, the setting and atmosphere are more than just backdrops for action; they are integral in establishing the mood and reinforcing the theme of your story. The setting – whether it’s a bustling city, a tranquil countryside, or a futuristic world – can significantly influence the narrative and the thematic message you wish to convey. For example, a story exploring isolation might be set in a remote, desolate landscape, mirroring the protagonist’s emotional state.

Creating an atmosphere that complements your theme requires careful selection of details. Descriptive language that appeals to the senses can immerse readers in the environment, making the setting a living, breathing element of the story. If your theme revolves around nostalgia, for instance, descriptions of familiar, sensory-rich scenes can evoke a sense of longing and reminiscence. The key is to choose details that resonate with the theme and enhance the emotional impact of the narrative.

Weather and time are also powerful tools in thematic writing. A story about hope overcoming despair could be set against the backdrop of a harsh winter giving way to spring, symbolizing renewal and optimism. Similarly, the time of day or year can be used metaphorically to reflect the story’s underlying themes, such as twilight to signify transition or endings.

Moreover, the setting can act as a metaphor for your theme, subtly reinforcing the story’s message. An old, decaying building in a story about the passage of time or the decline of tradition can add thematic depth, making the environment an active participant in the narrative. It’s these intricacies in the setting and atmosphere that can turn a straightforward story into a rich tapestry of thematic storytelling.

Plot and Theme: Crafting a Cohesive Narrative

In thematic writing, the plot serves as the vehicle through which the theme is delivered. A well-crafted plot is not only engaging and suspenseful but also seamlessly interwoven with the story’s thematic elements. When developing your plot, consider how each event, conflict, and resolution reflects and explores the central theme. For instance, a plot centered around a moral dilemma can effectively illustrate themes of ethics and integrity.

The structure of your plot should also complement the theme. If your theme revolves around chaos and unpredictability, a non-linear plot with unexpected twists can mirror this concept. Conversely, a theme focused on order and destiny might be best served by a more linear, predetermined plot structure. The key is to align the progression of your plot with the thematic message you aim to convey.

Subplots can enrich thematic writing by offering alternative perspectives or highlighting different aspects of the main theme. For instance, a primary plot about redemption can be complemented by a subplot exploring forgiveness, adding layers to the overall theme. However, it’s crucial to ensure that subplots enhance rather than detract from the main narrative and theme.

Challenges and conflicts within the plot are particularly effective in thematic writing. They not only drive the narrative forward but also provide opportunities for characters to confront and grapple with the thematic elements of the story. The resolution of these conflicts should ideally offer insight or commentary on the theme, leaving the reader with a deeper understanding or a new perspective on the central idea.

The Ghostwriting Perspective in Thematic Writing

Ghostwriting in thematic writing presents a unique challenge – to capture and convey the theme as envisioned by the original author. A ghostwriter must immerse themselves deeply in the intended theme, understanding its nuances and how it interplays with characters, setting, and plot. This requires not only a mastery of writing skills but also an ability to adapt one’s style to suit the thematic vision of the story.

In thematic writing, a ghostwriter often collaborates closely with the author to ensure the theme is articulated effectively. This collaboration might involve detailed discussions about the theme’s significance, its representation in the narrative, and how it resonates with the target audience. The ghostwriter’s task is to then weave this theme into the story seamlessly, maintaining consistency and depth throughout the narrative.

One of the key skills in ghostwriting for thematic writing is the ability to maintain subtlety. The theme should be inherent in the story without being overly explicit or preachy. It requires a delicate balance of showing versus telling, allowing the theme to emerge naturally through the progression of the plot and the development of characters.

Furthermore, ghostwriting in thematic writing often involves researching and understanding various perspectives related to the theme. Whether it’s a historical setting, a complex moral issue, or a particular emotional experience, a ghostwriter needs to bring authenticity and credibility to the narrative. This depth of understanding enriches the thematic elements of the story, making it more impactful and engaging for the reader.

Thematic Symbols and Motifs

In thematic writing, symbols and motifs play a critical role in deepening the narrative’s thematic elements. A symbol is a tangible object or action that represents something abstract, providing a more profound meaning to the theme. For instance, a recurring storm could symbolize chaos in a story about internal struggle. Similarly, motifs, which are recurring symbols or thematic elements, reinforce the central theme and create a richer narrative tapestry.

The effective use of symbols in thematic writing involves thoughtful selection and consistent integration. The key is to choose symbols that are not only relevant to the theme but also resonate with the reader. For example, in a story exploring themes of freedom, birds flying freely could serve as a powerful symbol. These symbols should be woven into the narrative subtly, appearing at key moments to remind readers of the underlying themes and to add depth to the storytelling.

Motifs strengthen the theme by providing a thread of continuity throughout the story. They can be images, sounds, actions, or even words that recur at different points in the narrative. For instance, in a story about the passage of time, the motif of a ticking clock could appear in various forms, reminding the reader of the ever-present theme. The repetition of these motifs helps to reinforce the theme and can lead to a more profound understanding of the narrative.

In thematic writing, symbols and motifs are more than decorative elements; they are essential tools that add layers of meaning to the story. They help to create a more immersive and emotionally resonant experience for the reader, making the themes of the story more impactful and memorable.

Concluding with Impact: Memorable Endings

The conclusion of a thematic story is where the narrative comes full circle, leaving a lasting impact on the reader. In thematic writing, the ending should not only resolve the plot but also leave the reader with a deeper understanding or a new perspective on the theme. Crafting a conclusion that resonates with the theme can elevate the entire narrative, making the story linger in the reader’s mind.

A powerful ending often involves a twist or revelation that sheds new light on the theme. This doesn’t necessarily mean a dramatic plot twist; it could be a subtle shift in the character’s perspective or a quiet moment of realization. The key is that this revelation feels earned and true to the story, providing a satisfying closure that aligns with the thematic journey.

Another effective technique in thematic writing is the echo ending, where the story concludes by harkening back to the beginning. This can be a repeat of the opening scene, a recurring motif, or a line that gains new meaning in the context of the story’s resolution. This type of ending reinforces the theme and gives a sense of completeness to the narrative.

It’s also important to consider the emotional impact of your conclusion. Whether it’s hope, sorrow, relief, or contemplation, the ending should evoke emotions that align with the theme. An emotionally resonant ending can make the theme more impactful, ensuring that the story stays with the reader long after they’ve finished reading.

Conclusion: The Infinite Potential of Thematic Writing

Thematic writing, with its ability to weave profound messages into the fabric of a narrative, offers endless creative possibilities. Throughout this exploration of thematic writing techniques – from developing themes and characters to using symbols and crafting impactful endings – it’s evident that themes are the lifeblood of meaningful storytelling. They transform simple narratives into reflections of the human experience, resonating deeply with readers and inviting them to ponder the larger questions of life.

The power of thematic writing lies in its versatility. Whether you are crafting a short story, a novel, or a piece of creative non-fiction, the integration of themes can elevate your work from mere entertainment to a work of art that enlightens and inspires. Themes provide a way for writers to connect with their readers on a deeper level, sharing insights, challenging perceptions, and evoking a range of emotions.

In the world of literature, thematic writing holds a special place. It encourages writers to delve deeper into their creative minds, exploring ideas and concepts that are universally relevant and timeless. For readers, thematic stories offer a rich, immersive experience that goes beyond the surface level, providing food for thought and stirring the soul.

In conclusion, thematic writing is not just a technique; it’s a powerful tool for storytelling. By mastering the art of weaving themes into narratives, writers can create stories that are not only captivating and enjoyable but also meaningful and enduring. The journey of thematic writing is one of exploration, discovery, and profound expression, offering a canvas for writers to leave their mark on the world of literature.

Takeaway Thematic writing is a powerful tool that adds depth and richness to literary work. Mastering this skill allows writers to craft stories that not only entertain but also provoke thought and evoke emotion. Whether it’s through character development, setting, plot, or symbolism, themes offer a way to convey messages and ideas that resonate with readers. As writers navigate their creative journey, the ability to weave themes seamlessly into their work can transform their storytelling, making their narratives more meaningful and impactful.

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10 thoughts on “ Mastering Thematic Writing: 7 Awesome Essential Techniques 🌟✍️ ”

So powerful! I would definitely want to write something like this in the future. It’s sounds so challenging tho!

I may need to learn more and apply thematic writing into the stories I write.

Thank you for sharing this article with us. I really enjoyed reading it.

I haven’t incorporated this kind of writing into my writing for a while. It is good to know how to put together good thematics in a piece.

Hhhmmm….this may be the trickiest writing tool I may encounter. The thinking and planning alone that is involved, may not be successful with me since I prefer short writings. I look forward to giving it a try, though.

I couldn’t agree more with this! Thematic writing is an essential tool for writers to connect with their readers on a deeper level. By skillfully weaving themes into their work, writers can create stories that entertain and convey powerful messages. It’s incredible how themes can add so much depth and richness to literary works, making them more meaningful and impactful for readers. I believe that mastering this skill is essential for any writer who wants to make a lasting impact on their audience.

Always lovely to read your posts! You provide a lot of great information and it is always nice to learn something new.

I love the experience of writing for the reader’s attention. And I love reading books authored by writers who do this well. Thematic writing is the meat of any book.

I always learn so much about writing when I visit this site. Although I’m not a writer – the articles here help me appreciate the authors I do read.

Thank you for another great read. I’ve been toying with writing a book for years, and your posts have made me think I might be able to do it!

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What is a Theme?

Theme is personal.

What is a theme is a question I am asked frequently. Particularly by younger visitors to this site.

The whole area of theme can be confusing, with some people mixing up the idea of theme with plot.

Many people read books that explore specific themes over and over again, sometimes without realizing it.

They do this because the themes mean something to them on a personal and emotional level.

In other words, they are fully engaged in following the characters as they progress through the story.

This is why it is so important that writers understand how theme affects their work.

People tend to choose books and films based on themes – whether they are conscious of it or not.

LOVE OR REVENGE?

You might hear someone saying they enjoy love stories and revenge stories etc.

Experienced writers can build a large fan-base of readers who relate to the particular themes they explore in their stories.

WHAT IS A THEME?

One of the biggest areas of confusion is the difference between theme and plot.

For example, the plot of a novel about marital breakdown may concern secret affairs between neighbours, but the theme may be betrayal, love, loneliness etc.

Another story might describe the actions of passengers in a plane crash but the theme could be loss, survival etc.

Stories can have more than one theme. The story about a plane crash could involve many themes. Was the plane sabotaged by the pilot’s friend? Then betrayal would be a theme here.

If the pilot survives and returns to deal with his friend then you could be dealing with the theme of revenge.

In the same example, there could be two newlyweds who find their love tested during their ordeal? Then the theme could be love.

There are more examples of theme here.

The plot is what the story is about, and the theme is how the meaning of a story is defined.

In the above example, the story remains the same but the themes have infinite and varied possibilities.

As an author, or writer, you do not explicitly tell the reader what the themes are in your story – this would detract from the reading experience.

SHOW DON’T TELL

You don’t want to tell your readers what the story is you want to show them.

However, you would mention the themes in your synopsis, tag-line, or on the blurb on the back of your book.

Theme can be an important selling point as readers choose themes which appeal to them.

Instead of being told what the story is the reader, or viewer will learn almost subconsciously from following the character’s experience.

Sometimes readers relate to a particular theme without actually identifying why that is.

The theme could be related to something from their childhood years. 

It could be an incident or even a trauma.

Often it is something they have never consciously thought about.

CAN YOUR AUDIENCE RELATE TO YOUR THEME?

If nobody can relate to the experiences of the characters in your story, then frankly, nobody will care.

This applies to film and television too.

Caring about what happens to your characters is what engages your reader or viewer.

This is what makes them keep reading, or watching.

CHOOSE YOUR STORY THEMES WISELY

No matter how cleverly plotted the events in your story are, they must relate to a widely understood or universal theme.

The reason theme is so important is because this is how a story relates to real human experience. There is more information about choosing your theme here.

HUMAN EXPERIENCE IS WHAT MATTERS

Without a theme, a story is just a list of events. In a successful work, theme and story influence each other and overlap.

In my own work, I am aware that I have returned to explore certain themes several times.

Survival, love, friendship and freedom are among the themes explored in my book Piggy Monk Square.

The best stories are the ones we remember long after reading.

The stories we remember longest tend to be ones that explore the grey and complex areas in the thematic landscape.

Good stories explore questions where there can seem to be many answers – they engage us and make us think.

Stories like this allow your audience to explore the trials and tribulations of your characters while simultaneously absorbing the various consequences for the human condition.

These stories make your readers think.

If you have succeeded in making your readers think, then your story has succeeded on a very important level.

Best of luck with your writing .

P.S. All the information, exercises and tips on this site are free to you and that liking, sharing or commenting help to support this site.

I love helping writers, but there are costs involved for me. So if you find this helpful –  please use the donate button below.

You can make any donation – large or small to help keep this site going.

Another great way to show your support and make your writing great is to buy and review my book.

You won’t be sorry because Practical Creative Writing Exercises is packed full of inspiring exercises to get your ideas flowing in minutes.

Never Be Stuck Again!

  get ebook from amazon.com ,  get ebook from amazon.co.uk, get paperback from amazon.com, get paperback from amazon.co.uk, share this:, 5 responses to what is a theme.

Hmm it looks like your site ate myy first comment (it wwas super long) so I guess I’ll just sum it up whwt I wrote and say, I’m thoroughly enjoying your blog. I too am an aspiring blog writer but I’m still new to tthe whole thing.

Do you have any helpful hintrs for rookie blog writers? I’d redally appreciate it.

Hi Kindrea, Thanks for your comments and I am so glad you like the site. I would advise you to make appointments in your diary and write as much as you can. Best wishes, Grace

It is eye-opening to me as to what a theme is. Thank you.

thnx a lot after reading your Article i have made changes in my site and keep doing hard work

I’m thoroughly enjoying your blog. I too am an aspiring blog writer but I’m still new to tthe whole thing.

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65 Fall Writing Prompts: Inspire Your Creativity with Cozy Ideas

By: Author Paul Jenkins

Posted on April 9, 2023

Categories Writing , Inspiration

As the leaves change colors and the air turns crisp, it’s the perfect time to inspire creativity through writing. Fall brings many themes and opportunities for writers to explore new ideas and embark on unique adventures. This article presents 65 fall writing prompts designed to spark the imagination and ignite the creative fire within.

From exploring the beauty of nature to delving into the spookiness of Halloween, these writing prompts cover a wide range of topics suitable for writers of all ages and skill levels. By tapping into the magic of the season, these prompts aim to provide a springboard for seasoned writers and beginners alike, helping them create engaging and memorable stories.

Whether using these prompts for a personal journal, a classroom assignment, or even as part of a writing group, they provide an excellent starting point for crafting captivating narratives, honing one’s writing skills, and embracing the enchanting spirit of the fall season.

A Crisp Autumn Day

Fall offers a brilliant canvas of colors, cool breezes, and a sense of rejuvenation, perfect for sparking creative writing ideas. Authors can use the season’s beauty to inspire their writing as the leaves change and the days grow shorter. Here are a few prompts centered on a crisp autumn day:

• Describe: Ask the writer to describe the sights, sounds, and smells they associate with a crisp autumn day. This exercise can help writers explore their sensory perceptions and create vivid imagery.
• Character Walk: Have the writer create a character and take them on a walk through a park or forest during fall. Encourage them to detail their character’s reactions to the environment, the crunch of leaves underfoot, and encounters with other people or animals.
• Dialogue: Present the writer with two or more characters conversing on a crisp autumn day. It could be friends discussing their favorite fall traditions or strangers sharing their thoughts about the season. The goal is to practice writing engaging and authentic dialogue.
• Seasonal Shift: Invite the writer to explore the idea of change by composing a piece about a character experiencing a significant life event during autumn. This could be a physical or emotional transformation, highlighting the theme of change that the season embodies.
• Poetic Inspiration: Encourage the writer to craft a poem centered around a crisp autumn day, using the season’s inherent beauty and wonder to fuel their creativity.

By utilizing these writing prompts centered on a crisp autumn day, writers can further develop their descriptive, narrative, and observational skills, all while savoring the season’s beauty.

Nature’s Awe

Experiencing the beauty of fall depends mainly on the wonders manifested through nature. In this section, we explore various awe-inspiring aspects that this season has to offer.

The Last Leaf on the Tree

As autumn progresses, one can’t help but notice the last stubborn leaves clinging to the trees. Despite their isolation, the resilience of these leaves can serve as an inspiration and a writing prompt for exploring themes of perseverance and loneliness.

The First Time Experiencing Fall Colors

There’s something truly magical about witnessing the vibrant colors of fall foliage for the first time. The burst of oranges, reds, and yellows can evoke a sense of wonder and curiosity, making it a perfect subject for reflection and creative writing.

The Sounds of Leaves Crunching Underfoot

As they walk through a carpet of fallen leaves, the sound of leaves crunching underfoot provides an unmistakable auditory signature of the season. This sensory experience can be a noteworthy starting point for crafting descriptions of the fall atmosphere and exploring themes of change and decay.

The Unique Colors of Trees Lining The Street

Tree-lined streets showcase the celebration of colors during the autumn months. Each tree boasts its distinctive hues, creating a palette of undertones and pigments that are nothing short of awe-inspiring. Writers can draw inspiration from these unique and diverse shades to create vivid imagery in their stories.

The First Frost Painting the Ground

The onset of the first frost marks a pivotal transition from fall to winter. The delicate traces of frost on the ground and leaves contrast the warm tones that cluster around them. Writers can use this duality to explore deeper life, death, and transformation themes.

Autumn Foliage

The changing colors of the leaves make for a stunning visual experience, and the spectrum of shades represents the beautiful diversity of the season. Experimenting with these colors in writing through descriptive language or metaphor can enrich storytelling and evoke emotions in the reader.

Migration of Birds Heading South

The sight of vast flocks of birds migrating to warmer destinations can be both mesmerizing and bittersweet. This natural phenomenon symbolizes the ephemerality of the season and the inevitability of change. As a writing prompt, it enables authors to explore departure, adaptation, and interconnectedness themes.

Mysterious Moments

Fall is a season of change, transformation, and mystery. As the days grow shorter and the leaves change color, the atmosphere seems to shift, inviting eerie and unexplained occurrences. Writers can find inspiration in the shadows of autumn by exploring Mysterious Moments. This section offers four subtopics to ignite the creative spark.

A Mysterious Letter Found in A Pile of Leaves

Imagine a character stumbling upon a mysterious letter hidden within a pile of colorful fall leaves. The letter’s contents could reveal a long-lost secret, a treasure map, or an unexpected confession. This prompt invites writers to explore the implications of such a discovery and their character’s reaction to it. The letter could be addressed to the protagonist, or it could be an accidental finding that unlocks a new mystery.

A Secret Hidden Beneath the Fallen Leaves

What if something significant is concealed beneath the scattered leaves of autumn? Exploring this theme, writers can develop a compelling story about secret objects, hidden passageways, or buried evidence. How do the characters uncover the secret, and what consequences follow? Use the autumn setting to create a suspenseful atmosphere and an intriguing plot.

An Abandoned Cabin Discovered in The Woods

The image of an isolated, abandoned cabin nestled in the woods captures a sense of mystery and untold stories. Writers can use this setting to develop a narrative of intrigue or horror. Perhaps the cabin conceals incriminating evidence or once belonged to a notorious hermit with a sinister past. The characters may be drawn to the cabin by curiosity or necessity, only to find themselves entangled in its haunting history.

An Eerie Legend about The Harvest Moon

The Harvest Moon, with its large, glowing presence, has long been a source of myth and superstition. Writers can explore the autumn moon’s lore, creating eerie legends and tales of supernatural encounters. Characters might find themselves facing prophetic visions, encounters with mythical creatures, or harrowing experiences under the spell of the moonlight. Use the hypnotic allure of the Harvest Moon to create a memorable and chilling narrative.

Cozy Experiences

Fall is a magical time when the warmth of cozy experiences fills our days. Here are some writing prompts inspired by the cozy moments autumn brings.

A Cozy Evening by The Fire

Imagine sitting by a crackling fireplace, the fire’s glow reflecting on loved ones’ faces. Write about the conversations shared, the aroma of hot cider filling the air and the feeling of contentment that envelops you.

The Warmth of A Favorite Fall Sweater

Picture pulling out your favorite fall sweater from the back of your closet. Describe how its warmth hugs you like a familiar embrace, and share the associated memories. How has the sweater changed over the years, and what moments in your life does it represent?

A Rainy Autumn Day Spent Indoors

Envision waking up to the gentle sound of raindrops tapping against your window. Describe the comfort of staying indoors, tucked under a warm blanket with a hot beverage. Write about the activities you enjoy on a rainy autumn day, whether watching movies, crafting, or simply relaxing and listening to the rain.

A Cozy Bookstore with A Fall Reading Nook

Picture walking into a cozy bookstore, the scent of old books mingling with the hint of pumpkin spice. Write about discovering a hidden reading nook, its warm and inviting atmosphere drawing you in. Describe the feeling of being surrounded by books and the sense of adventure in choosing your next read on a crisp autumn day.

Delectable Scents and Tastes

The scent of cinnamon and apples filling the air.

In the fall, the aroma of cinnamon and apples swirls through kitchens, evoking feelings of warmth and comfort. As families gather to prepare seasonal dishes, these fragrant ingredients make their way into many recipes.

The Taste of A Perfectly Baked Pumpkin Pie

One of the quintessential fall treats is the pumpkin pie. Combining a flaky crust, creamy filling, and gentle spices creates a sensory experience that embodies the season’s essence.

Memories Evoked by A Warm Mug of Apple Cider

A steaming mug of apple cider not only offers warmth during crisp autumn days and invokes memories of falling leaves, cozy sweaters, and family gatherings. The sweet and tangy flavors underscore many cherished fall moments.

A Favorite Fall Recipe Passed Down Through Generations

Many families treasure a favorite fall recipe passed down through generations, whether a hearty soup, a spiced cake, or a unique twist on classic dishes. These recipes not only delight palates but also strengthen family bonds.

The Quest for The Perfect Pumpkin Spice Latte

Fall sees the return of the beloved pumpkin spice latte. Fans eagerly anticipate the arrival of this seasonal beverage, searching for the perfect balance of rich espresso, warm spices, and creamy pumpkin flavors in their quest for the ultimate autumn indulgence.

Family Traditions and Memories

A heartwarming thanksgiving memory.

It was a Thanksgiving to remember when the entire family gathered at Grandma’s house. The air was filled with the aroma of freshly baked pumpkin pies, and the playful laughter of the little ones echoed throughout the home.

As the family sat around the dining table, they shared their cherished memories from previous years. Stories of love, togetherness, and resilience brought warmth to the hearts of everyone present.

A Day in the Life of A Scarecrow

In a quiet field, surrounded by pumpkin patches and golden corn stalks, a scarecrow diligently protected the crops from pesky intruders. It watched as the sun rose and set, even during the nights when the wind blew cold.

Even though it remained stationary, the scarecrow was a silent witness to the annual harvest, countless conversations of passing farmers, and the changing colors of the leaves on nearby trees.

A Family’s Annual Apple Picking Tradition

As the leaves began to change color every year, the family eagerly awaited their annual apple-picking outing. They would trek to their favorite orchard with baskets, ready to pick the ripest, juiciest apples.

• Apples are picked for homemade pies.
• Apples are eaten right from the tree.
• Apples to share with friends and neighbors.

It was a day full of laughter, bonding, and appreciation for the gifts of nature.

A Treasured Fall Memory from Childhood

Tommy could never forget the one fall day he spent playing in a giant pile of leaves with his childhood friends. He held onto this cherished memory forever, from tossing them into the air and the joyful squeals as they blanketed the children to the sense of accomplishment after raking the entire yard.

The Long-Awaited Return of A Beloved Autumn Tradition

The town folk reveled in the yearly return of their beloved fall festival. Children would delight in hayrides and pumpkin carvings each year, while adults would indulge in hot apple cider and homemade pumpkin pie.

It was a time of celebration, unity, and gratitude for the bounty of the harvest season.

A Nostalgic Visit to Your Childhood Home during Autumn

As they returned to their childhood home, the memories of autumn’s past came flooding back; the crunch of fallen leaves underfoot and the crisp fall air carrying the scent of burning wood from a nearby chimney.

The family drove along the familiar streets, admiring the vibrant red, orange, and gold hues adorning the trees. It was a journey back in time, providing comfort and reminiscence on the season’s beauty.

Spooky Tales and Legends

As the leaves change colors and the air turns crisp, it’s the perfect time to dive into chilling stories and eerie legends.

The Chilling Story of A Haunted Hayride

During an evening in autumn, a group of friends embarks on a supposedly simple hayride, unaware of the terror that awaits. As they travel through the dark, twisted woods, they encounter spine-tingling sights and supernatural phenomena, testing their courage and causing them to question their reality.

The Origin of A Spooky Halloween Legend

Unveiling the origin of a chilling Halloween legend, the mysterious tale told by a grandmother becomes a haunting exploration of a small town’s dark past. As the story unfolds, riveting details emerge, providing insight into the eerie events that shaped the town’s unique customs and traditions.

The Creatures That Come Out When the Nights Grow Longer

Longer nights invite shadowy creatures to the surface, causing terror and wonder among the town’s inhabitants. These entities turn daily life into a nightmare, from sinister whispers in the woods to mysterious sightings. Intriguing encounters lead to suspenseful tales that leave a lasting impact on all who hear them.

A Paranormal Investigation of A Haunted House

A paranormal research team embarks on a thrilling adventure, investigating a seemingly haunted house on the outskirts of town. They reveal hidden secrets lurking within the walls using state-of-the-art equipment and trusted intuition, providing chilling evidence of the supernatural.

A Ghost Story Told Around A Crackling Campfire

As flames dance and flicker at night, friends gather around a glowing campfire, each sharing their most terrifying ghost stories. The shadows seem to come alive as each spine-chilling tale unravels, echoing into the darkness and sending shivers down their spines.

An Unforgettable Experience at A Haunted House Attraction

Manmade thrills bring a group of friends to a famous haunted house attraction, curious to discover the carefully crafted scares lurking within. Navigating through dimly lit corridors and hidden passageways, they confront their deepest fears, creating a memorable and frightening experience they won’t soon forget.

A Spooky Experience during A Moonlit Hayride

Navigating under the watchful gaze of the moon, a family embarks on a magical hayride through a moonlit pumpkin patch. Amid the full moon’s glow, eerie events unfold, casting an eerie ambiance that transforms the tranquil setting into a chilling experience.

A Creature That Only Emerges during The Harvest Season

Descending upon the town only during the bountiful harvest season, a mythical creature torments the community with its enigmatic presence. As the townsfolk scramble to decipher the beast’s motives and origin, they realize they are at the mercy of an ancient power that has been awakened.

Adventures and Challenges

The beauty of fall offers endless possibilities for writing prompts related to adventures and challenges. This section will explore twelve unique sub-sections, each with its tale to tell.

A Fall Festival Gone Wrong

As the town excitedly prepared for its annual fall festival, unexpected obstacles caused the event to worsen. With teamwork and determination, the community worked together to overcome these challenges and create a memorable fall festival for all.

A Magical Transformation Caused by The Autumn Equinox

The arrival of the autumn equinox brought an unexpected magical transformation that altered the lives of those who witnessed it. As the season changed, so did the destinies of those who experienced the extraordinary power of fall magic.

A Stranger That Arrives in Town with The First Gust of Fall Wind

A mysterious stranger arrived on the first gust of fall wind, bringing secrets and intrigue to a small town. This enigmatic figure not only changed the lives of the town’s residents but also uncovered hidden truths long buried beneath the autumn leaves.

A Touching Story of A Fallen Leaf’s Journey

A single fallen leaf embarks on a remarkable journey across the forest floor, influenced by the gentle winds and creatures it encounters. Along the way, the leaf discovers the interconnectedness of nature and the importance of change and growth.

A Lost Child Found in A Corn Maze

A celebration at a corn maze unexpectedly turns into a search and rescue mission when a child is found missing. As time passes, the community must unite and navigate the labyrinth to save the lost child and bring them home safely.

An Unexpected Encounter during A Hike through The Fall Foliage

A hike through the vibrant, changing foliage leads to an unexpected encounter with a peculiar individual. This stranger’s tale, forever intertwined with the beauty and mystery of the fall season, serves as an important lesson for those who cross their path.

A Forest with Trees That Never Lose Their Leaves

Deep within an ancient forest lies a grove of trees that never shed their leaves, maintaining their vibrant hues throughout the year. The secret behind this everlasting autumn is revealed when a group of curious explorers stumbles upon this enchanted place.

The History of A Town’s Annual Harvest Festival

The rich history of a town’s annual harvest festival is brought to life through tales of its origins and traditions. This narrative pays homage to the generations that have cultivated and maintained this beloved event, honoring their dedication to the celebration of the fall season.

A Fall Thunderstorm That Brings An Unexpected Twist

A sudden thunderstorm brings an unexpected twist, transforming a sleepy town into a setting for adventure and self-discovery. As the storm rages, residents come together to face the challenges ahead, finding strength and camaraderie as they weather the storm together.

A Camping Trip Surrounded by The Vibrant Colors of Autumn

A seemingly idyllic camping trip, surrounded by the vibrant colors of autumn, is filled with unexpected challenges and unforeseen obstacles. The campers must use their wit and resourcefulness to overcome these hurdles, learning valuable lessons about themselves and the beauty of nature.

A Time When An Unexpected Challenge Threatened the Harvest

A community fights to save their beloved harvest as an unforeseen challenge threatens to devastate their annual celebration. Through perseverance and the determination to protect their way of life, they rally together and overcome adversity in the true spirit of the fall harvest.

A Fall Storm That Leads to An Unexpected Adventure

A mighty fall storm brings about an unexpected adventure for an unlikely group of friends as they face the ferocity of nature. As winds howl and leaves dance through the air, their courage and resiliency are tested, unveiling their true character amid the storm.

Inspirational Moments

The beauty of a foggy morning in the woods.

She awoke to a dense fog surrounding her cabin in the woods. As she stepped outside, she marveled at how the fog softened the fall colors, creating an ethereal landscape. The misty morning brought a sense of peace and serenity that inspired her.

A Moment That Changed Everything During A Football Game

During a crucial high school football game, the lead player felt an unshakable determination to secure victory. In the final moments, his team was down by a few points. Against all odds, he executed a brilliant play that won the game, forever changing his teammates’ perspectives on what they could achieve.

A Reflection on The Changing Seasons of Life

As he walked through the park, the man couldn’t help but notice the vibrant fall leaves surrounding him. They reminded him of the changing seasons of life and how each stage, like the leaves, brought its unique beauty and challenges.

A Bittersweet Goodbye to Summer

As the summer sun set for the last time, she couldn’t help but feel a mixture of emotions. The bittersweet goodbye to warm days and outdoor adventures was juxtaposed with the excitement of cozy autumn evenings.

The Love Story of Two Pumpkins in A Pumpkin Patch

Among the rows of a pumpkin patch, two pumpkins found themselves growing side by side. As they grew, so did their love for one another. Their unique love story captivated those who stumbled upon the pair, entwined amongst the vines.

A Friendly Rivalry Between Two High School Football Teams

Year after year, two high school football teams met on the field to compete in a friendly rivalry. Though the competition was fierce, it fostered camaraderie, respect, and a shared love for the game that spanned generations.

A Forbidden Romance Blossoming Beneath The Harvest Moon

Under the glow of the harvest moon, two young lovers from feuding families met in secret. Fueled by the intensity of their passion and the risk of discovery, their forbidden romance blossomed amidst the autumn chill.

An Unplanned Road Trip to See the Fall Colors

On a whim, three friends embarked on an unplanned road trip to witness the glory of the autumn foliage. Along the way, they encountered breathtaking views, shared laughter, and made memories that would last a lifetime.

If you’re looking to inspire your students’ writing and creativity, turn to these fun and exciting writing prompts. Perfect for overcoming writer’s block or even starting a brand-new short story in a different narrative, creative writing prompts can help students begin a new piece with confidence.

Plus, these story starters can also encourage students to explore different genres while honing their writing skills. There are a lot of ways you can use writing prompts in your classroom. Try: 

Reading a book in a genre, then having students use a story starter in that same genre. 

Starting off class with 10 minutes of writing, using one of the prompts below. If you'd like, you can ask a volunteer to share their story! Students may be surprised by the variety of stories that are written based on the same prompt. 

Using these prompts as an introduction to a creative writing unit. 

Providing fast finishers with a way to stay busy — and have fun. 

Using story starters to encourage students to write at home.

Adventure Story Starters 

Take inspiration from classics like Treasure Island and newer popular series like The Bad Guys to explore how to write thrilling adventure stories. And to encourage students to begin writing their own adventure-focused stories, share these creative story starters: 

You’re part of a pirate crew in search of a long-lost storied treasure trove. What is happening on the ship and where do you find the treasure? 

You get the chance to use a time machine to meet one historical figure of your choice. Who do you go meet, and what will you do to explore that time period?

You receive a fortune in a fortune cookie that changes the course of your life. What does the fortune say, and what happens when it comes true?

Get students excited about adventure stories with these great books: 

Fantasy Story Starters 

Have fans of dragons, unicorns, wizards, and other mythical creatures in class? Encourage them to give fantasy writing a shot. 

You’re on a quest through a hidden underground world that no one else has ever seen. What magical creatures do you come across? What do they look like, and how do they act? 

There is a witch who lives in a nearby legendary haunted house. She puts a hex on you that needed to be broken by the time the clock struck midnight the next night. What kind of hex is it, and how do you break it? 

You stumble into an enchanted forest. How did you find it, and what do you discover in it?

Check out these fun fantasy titles for more inspiration:

Sci-Fi Story Starters 

Kids interested in STEM concepts will love science fiction! Try these prompts to see how your students combine science with their wildest imaginations. 

• You’re the first person to ever set foot on Mars. What is it like? What do you explore first? 
• You and your friend have the same dream in the middle of the night about a prophecy that involves another dimension. What is the prophecy, and what is this other dimension? What do you and your friend have to do to reach and alter this dimension?
• After NASA discovers a whole new world of giants in a nearby nebula, they send a team of scientists through a wormhole to study them. You are one of the scientists on board. What does the journey feel like? What do the giants look like in this world? 

Plus, find great kid-friendly sci-fi here:

Genre Scrambler Story Starters 

Have some fun with genre studies by combining them! Try these prompts to get started:

• You are on an expedition in the Arctic and discover a new species of animals living in the harsh climate that no one has ever seen before. What kind of species is it, and what characteristics do they have? 
• You’re walking home from school and notice that the front door of a neighbor’s house is wide open, and no one is in sight. The old man who normally lives there is nowhere to be found. Curious, you go into the house and find that everything is fake: the furniture, the food, the technology, etc. In fact, the whole property is made of plastic, even the grass and trees! What happened to the old man who lives here? Why does this house exist, and why is everything fake? 
• You are a child living in the early 1800s in an unnamed country when an asteroid hits, releasing aliens that want to make contact with your leaders. What do these aliens want? How does everyone react?

Shop popular books of all genres that will inspire young writers below! You can find all books and activities at The Teacher Store .

Craft the perfect creative writing prompt from Microsoft Designer's AI images

march 22, 2024

by Monica Jayasinghe

Hello, fellow educators! I recently discovered an exciting way to create engaging writing prompts for my students using AI and Microsoft Designer . The results were amazing, and I can't wait to share this fun and innovative approach with you!

Describing the Vision:

To get started, head over to Microsoft Designer . We'll use the power of AI to generate an image that will serve as the foundation for our writing prompt.

We'll use Image Creator , where you can describe the image you want to create. The goal is to generate an image that will capture your students' imagination and inspire them to write.

For this example, I entered the prompt, A spacecraft landing near a house, futuristic, mysterious.

Choose the image you want to work with

Once you select Generate , Microsoft Designer will provide you with a variety of AI-generated images. Since we're creating a writing prompt, look for an image that has space for adding instructions and is easy to read.

You'll be amazed by the number of options available! When you find an image you like, click on it and select Edit image .

Customize the image

After selecting your preferred image, it's time to customize it.

• Click on Resize in the top panel and adjust the dimensions to match a PowerPoint slide. This will ensure that the image fits perfectly when you're ready to present it to your students. You can also align the image anywhere on the page to create the perfect composition.
• In the box labeled AI tools , you'll see additional customization options. Consider playing with the filters to update the mood and color scheme of your image.

Add instructions and text

To make the writing prompt clear and easy to read, click on the existing text and customize it. To add a heading, click on Text in the left panel. The right panel will populate with even more ideas you can use.

In this example, I changed the color to white and added a story starter.

Engage your students

The possibilities for using AI-generated images as writing prompts are endless! Here are a few options:

Get inspired by the artwork

The most obvious way to use these images is as direct inspiration for student writing. Generate a bold, fantastical, emotional, or silly image and have students write a story about what's happening in the image.

Try this prompt: A whimsical classroom under the sea. The teacher is a wise old octopus. The classroom is decorated with shell desks and seaweed streamers .

Bring stories to life

Another great idea is to take an excerpt from a story you're reading in class and use the AI to generate an image that matches that specific part of the story. This will spark engaging discussions among your students and bring the story to life in a whole new way.

Bring units to life

Why stop at a story? You can also generate images that fit the theme of a unit you're working on, whether you're exploring weather patterns or reliving life on the Oregon Trail.

Consider setting aside some time each day or week for students to free write or journal. Kick off the writing session with an AI-generated image, then throw on some light classical music and let them write. Mix up the kind of images you show them, from lush landscapes to abstract pop art, and see what it inspires.

Try this prompt: An abstract painting in vivid colors

You can even include animated options. After you generate your image in Microsoft Designer, select the image and Create Design . In the right-hand panel that appears, you'll see several design options. Usually, one or more of these options will be animated. Select the animated option and add it to your PowerPoint!

Accessing your AI-generated images

One of the best features of Microsoft Designer is that all the images you create using AI are saved in the My Media section. This means you'll never lose your creations and can easily access them whenever you need them.

This feature enables educators to curate a collection of visuals for various writing themes, be it aliens, dragons, or any other imaginative scenario.

Wrapping up

Microsoft Designer is a game-changer for educators looking to inspire their students' creativity. The AI-generated images, customization options, and easy access to your creations make this a powerful tool for any classroom.

Head over to designer.microsoft.com today and start creating unforgettable writing prompts!

Related topics

Informal Creative Writing for Adults

Upcoming dates

• Monday, April 8, 2024, 4 - 5 PM
• Monday, April 15, 2024, 4 - 5 PM
• Monday, April 22, 2024, 4 - 5 PM
• Monday, April 29, 2024, 4 - 5 PM

This is an informal  creative writing workshop for adults . Writing prompts will be provided at the beginning of the 1 hour program to help your ideas to flow. But you may start writing with your own prompt or own creative idea(s). This will be a space for all writing levels to come together to peacefully write and share ideas, ask for feedback, etc. Writing materials will be provided. Please be aware this is not an instructional program. Please view flyer for more information. Thank you.

• Audience: Adults, 50+