How do you feel about creative writing prompts? I always enjoy a little challenge, and whenever we feel a little stuck in knocking creativity free, a writing prompt can be the jump-start we need.
However, in this creative writing prompts list I’ve taken my own approach. I believe fiction writing encompasses many aspects, so instead of including only classic fiction writing prompts, I’ve made this list a well-rounded experience.
There are four categories. . .
- Fiction Writing
- Writing Mindset
- Writing Life
- Author Platform
My mission with this 31 Creative Writing Prompts Challenge is to expand your normal writing practices, touch on some essential skills of being a writer, and to have fun, of course!
How to Use the Creative Writing Prompts List
You can use this list however you like. Go down the list as it is organized, pick and choose at random, or alternate between categories each day—do what feels exciting to you.
To reduce overwhelm though, I recommend picking only one a day.
As a companion to this blog post, I’ve created the 31 Creative Writing Prompts Challenge checklist. You can have this pdf bad boy absolutely free!
Just fill out the form below and I’ll send the free checklist your way!
Not only will you get this free pdf, but you’ll gain access to my Resource Library stocked with helpful goodies designed for fiction writers, a weekly encouraging newsletter, bonus content, special offers, updates, and more awesomeness! I’d love to see you inside.
Let’s get to it!
31 Creative Writing Prompts
8 Fiction Writing Prompts:
1. Pick a writing prompt from Pinterest, set your timer for fifteen minutes, and write a piece of flash fiction.
- Check out my Writing Prompts board on Pinterest.
2. Pick a prompt and choose a piece of writing advice from a famous author. After you set your fifteen-minute timer, write flash fiction using the writing advice.
- Try out one of these writing style tips from famous authors: “11 Writing Style Tips You Can Implement Today.”
3. Go to a park or settle in some cozy nook in your house, and write a journal entry about what you see in your character’s perspective/mindset.
4. Go through your character list and set character motivations.
- Learn about character motivations: “Why does character motivation matter? (and some tips on how to nail it in your writing)”
5. Go through your story’s settings and list the five senses.
- Some tips about writing story settings: “The Ultimate Guide to Writing the Setting of a Story.”
6. Go through your first scene (or a scene of choice that you feel needs work) and spice up your descriptions. Practice thinking in your POV character’s perspective.
- Post on how to write better scene descriptions: “How to Write Effective Descriptions and Nail Your Scene’s Settings.”
7. Dialogue Workshop! Imagine a conversation your character has within your story, or a random encounter like she’s ordering coffee from the barista at her local coffee shop.
Next, write it down, but only with dialogue—no dialogue tags or descriptions. Use dialogue to indicate your characters’ mood, emotions, and who is talking.
- Tips on how to write realistic dialogue: “How to Write Realistic Dialogue: Drafting and Editing.”
8. Write a short scene from your current work-in-progress (something a couple paragraphs long), and edit with the intent to use as few words as possible while maintaining the integrity and vibrancy of the text.
- Read more about this in writing style tip #1: “11 Writing Style Tips You Can Implement Today.”
8 Writing Mindset Prompts:
1. Do a possibility brainstorm of what is keeping you from writing on a daily basis.
How to Do a Possibility Brainstorm:
Set your timer for ten minutes, and write down whatever comes to your mind in relation to solving the focus of your possibility brainstorm.
Write the outlandish ideas and the mundane. The ideas you don’t think are right or fit you, and the ones you absolutely love. There are no rules!
2. Do a possibility brainstorm on what you can do to overcome the obstacles keeping you from writing.
3. Journal about a fear you have concerning writing. Try to find the why behind the fear and how you could work through the fear instead of ignore it.
- Mindset techniques to help us write through fear (and some inspiration for this prompt): “How to Keep Writing in the Face of Fear.”
4. Journal about all the reasons why you love writing. How does it make you feel?
5. Journal about a second fear or obstacle you have in regards to getting the words flowing. The why and a solution.
6. Reframe a negative thought you have about your writing. For example, change “my writing is crap” to “my writing could use some polish, but there are some good elements in here, too.” Or change “I can’t do this” to “I can do this.”
7. Are you living by surviving or are you living for living? If you feel like you’re stuck in a survival mindset, spend some time today pondering why that is. What is one thing you could do today that would make you feel alive? Give it a shot.
8. Practice abundance mindset. Our default mindset is usually a scarcity mindset, which means we see limitations.
Some examples of scarcity are running out of creativity, there isn’t enough money, you feel like everyone and everything has control of your life.
Abundance is the opposite. There is limitless creativity available to you. There is always a way to make more money (and the money you do have will be enough to meet your needs). You accept responsibility for everything you have in life (good and bad) so you have the power to make your own choices.
Try it out for the day.
8 Writing Life Prompts:
1. Plan how many days a week you will write and for how long.
- Information on writing schedules: “How to Create a Fiction Writing Schedule.”
2. Plan what time slot you will commit to writing each day a week.
- Don’t have time to write? This may help: “How to Find Writing Time in a Busy Schedule.”
3. Try out a writing routine. Grab your beverage of choice, prepare a yummy snack, play your favorite music, do a happy dance before you sit to write. Plan actions to do which will let your mind know it’s time to write.
- How to create a writing routine: “How to Make Your Own Writing Routine and Why You Should.”
4. Choose one creative project to focus on this month.
5. Make a list of all the tasks you need to complete for planning, writing, or editing your one project.
- The free version of Asana could work dandily for this: Asana, the online project schedule.
6. Self-Care day. Do what makes you relax. Drink Water. Read. Take a walk. Pray. Let some sun shine on your soul.
- More ways to take care of yourself: “5 Acts of Self-Care Writers Should Practice Daily.”
7. Create a healthy morning routine for yourself.
8. Set attainable goals for the day, follow through, and then practice being okay with the work you get done.
7 Author Platform Prompts:
1. On your preferred social media account find a writer you admire and follow them.
2. Look up a relevant hashtag on your preferred social media account, and comment on a few posts. Try hashtags like #amwriting, #writingcommunity, #aspiringauthors, etc.
3. Create an Author/Writer social media account.
4. Write an honest book review. You can post on Amazon, Goodreads, and even share it on your social media account.
5. Choose three of your favorite books and notice the publisher’s name. It’s never too early to familiarize yourself with publishing houses or the independently published authors.
6. Do you know a published author? Reach out to them and see if they’re willing to give you any advice about writing. Pro Tip: Read some of their writing first so you can start the conversation off by sharing how much you love their work.
7. Genre research. Do you know what genre your story is? Conduct a little research.
- Do this by following the instructions of Author Thing #8: “10 Things Writers Can Do Now to Become an Author Later.”
Enjoy the Challenge!
Four years ago I joined a similar writing prompt challenge, and it helped my writing a lot. I hope this challenge can do the same for you.
Don’t forget to download the 31 Writing Prompts Challenge checklist.
I wish you great luck with this challenge!
Talk with you soon,
Sarah
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S.J. Siedenburg is a thriller & fantasy novelist, an editor, and a bibliophile with a passion for stories and helping writers finish their novels. She’s the author of the guidebooks Character Presentation, Before the First Draft, and the How to Write a Novel online course. Six of her short stories have been published through writing contests. Sarah lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and their Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.
“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” —John 1:5