by Bryn Donovan
“Just because you’re bitter doesn’t mean you’re smarter than everybody else.”
“That’s a discussion for another time.”
“Take it easy. There’s plenty to go around.”
“Are you embarrassed to be seen with me?”
“Yes, who’s this?... My worst enemy? I’m sorry, you’re going to have to be more specific.”
“He’s gone from normal crazy to off-the-rails crazy.”
“What are you talking about? I don’t have a sister.”
“You know who always wants more money? Rich people.”
“I don’t think that’s a good enough reason to bring someone back from the dead.”
“You’re the one who left. Not me.”
“It’s an acquired taste.”
“She’s not getting a dime out of me.”
“I didn’t even know you were in the country.”
“I know he’s the worst, but he’s still family.”
“Of course I’m scared. I’m not an idiot.”
“What do you mean you’ve never pumped your own gas?”
“I couldn’t sleep because of the crying in the next room.”
“Did you make that yourself?”
“You were in there so long I got worried.”
“Nobody ever suspects nurses.”
“It seems they got the translation wrong. What it really says is…”
“Don’t apologize. Of course you’re upset.”
“No, this isn’t the point of no return. That was a few points back.”
“Do you smell something?”
“It seemed like a good idea at the time.”
“What am I supposed to do with all these extra rubber duckies?”
“Make that whining brat shut up.”
“Once the spring snows melt, we shall know.”
“It was an insurance convention. Stuff happens.”
“I didn’t feel hurt. I didn’t feel anything.”
“You must be mistaken. No one’s lived there in thirty years.”
“In four minutes they’ll enter the atmosphere.”
“95 percent of this news program is filler, and the rest is lies.”
“I felt so dirty that I just wanted to die.”
“The website didn’t mention this part of the tour.”
“That’s going to cost you extra.”
“Who left this in the sink?”
“Don’t mix those two things unless you want to be throwing up all night.”
“Obviously, I look different from my last incarnation.”
“Apart from being grouchy all the time, I’m a really good husband.”
“Hang on, this is going to hurt. A lot.”
“I’m not sorry I did it, but it was a horrible experience.”
“Calling him mentally ill is an insult to mentally ill people.”
“You’ve never seen a horse quite like this one.”
“If you’re not having an affair with him, why did you call him sixty-eight times in two weeks?”
“I don’t know why I waited so long to do this.”
“Whatever you do, don’t open your eyes.”
“Am I free to go, officer?”
“I don’t want to do anything this weekend but sleep and eat ice cream.”
“In retrospect, drowning her was a mistake.”
“You cast a spell? What kind of spell?”
“If you don’t tell her, I will.”
“I’m the only one who gets to overrule. Now sit down or I’ll have you removed from this courtroom.”
“Can I pet the cows?”
“Quit whining. The woman won.”
“Eh, he’s a good kid, but he started hanging around in the wrong crowd, got caught up in some stuff.”
“What do you want?”
“What do you want?”
“This is definitely my worst birthday yet.”
“That’s not what your mom said.”
“I just think it’s weird that he never leaves his apartment.”
“She could change, but most people don’t.”
“I’ve got a choice here. I can be angry about this all day, or I can try to enjoy myself anyway.”
“You’re the laziest revolutionary ever.”
“She followed me into the casino screaming.”
“You’re never going to get a husband if you keep turning down proposals.”
“Who are you talking to?”
“Sorry about your car.”
“You throw this guy a lifeline and he tries to hang himself from it.”
“Everyone is calling me The Watcher, but I don’t know what I’m supposed to be watching, and at this point it seems awkward to ask.”
“Put it in a black duffel bag and bring it to the following address at 2 a.m.”
“I am the most humble person you are ever likely to meet.”
“Thank you in advance for your cooperation in this matter.”
“I’ve kept this baby alive for a full year now and I’m very proud of that.”
“She doesn’t have much to contribute besides enthusiasm.”
“This is why I don’t have a lot of friends.”
“I’ve figured out my life’s true purpose.”
“Human? Not anymore.”
“I would like to apologize for sending you that picture. It was meant for someone else.”
“Take me to the body.”
“I should have warned him, but I wanted to see how it would play out.”
“Thank God you’re here!”
“Give her a break. The afterlife can get really boring.”
“I said good day, sir!”
“I’m not sad and single. I’m fabulous and available.”
“Where am I?”
50 Topics for Arguments
All good stories have conflict, and that often includes characters arguing with one another. Antagonists fight with the heroes, allies have disagreements, and friends, family members, and couples have quarrels with one another. These can range from amusingly petty to deadly serious.
Choose any of these topics and write an argument between two or more characters.
directions, or the best route to take
household chores
an infidelity or a flirtation
whether to let a hostage go
where to go on vacation
who to spend the holidays with
how to spend the weekend
whether they should have a baby
what to name a baby
how a child should be disciplined
whether an employee should be fired
whether they should attack or retreat
whether someone behaved properly at a social event
how someone should dress
whether something is a justifiable purchase
a person’s bad grades
whether a law or rule is reasonable
what TV show or movie to watch
a person’s overeating
a person’s overspending
a person’s refusal to get necessary treatment
a person’s failure to honor a commitment
whether someone should be working harder
whether someone is working too much
whether someone is using a mean or disrespectful tone of voice
a person’s past history of abuse
a person’s current pattern of lying and secrecy
a person’s choice of romantic partner
a person’s choice in friendship
; whether to take out a loan
one person’s decision not to loan or give money to the other
a loan that was never paid back
a person’s decision to cut her hair…or grow out his beard
whether she’s a bad listener
whether someone should go to bed at a decent hour
who is the rightful heir to the throne
whether an ancient text should be taken literally
whether a prophecy is legitimate
whether a ritual is necessary
whether a TV series or a series of books has gone hopelessly downhill
whether to end a person’s artificial life support
who the better candidate is
where someone should go to college
whether an occupation is immoral
who’s going to take the dangerous mission
whether life is too hard for seeing-eye dogs and drug-sniffing dogs
what temperature the house or car should be
whether to move to another country
whether a photograph or video has been manipulated
exactly what happened on that particular night
50 Things Someone Can Ask
Questions and requests create innate tension in dialogue. Will the person get what they want, whether it’s a favor or a straight answer? Sometimes the asker is in a vulnerable position, and sometimes the person being questioned is.
I wrote these prompts in second person for the sake of clarity and brevity, but you’ll probably write in the voice of your character, not yourself.
Ask someone to crash on their couch.
Ask someone to take over flying the plane.
Ask God for a sign.
Ask someone for a little hint.
Beg someone to spare your life.
Beg someone to spare your friend’s or loved one’s life.
Beg someone to take your life.
Ask someone to give you a black eye.
Ask for a job.
Ask for a day off from work.
Ask for a raise.
Ask someone for a sizable amount of money.
Ask for forgiveness.
Ask how to atone for a grave misdeed.
Ask how to get on someone’s good side.
Ask someone to go on a road trip with you.
Ask someone to move to another country with you.
Ask someone why he sent the incriminating letters, messages, or texts he did.
Ask someone why a stolen item is in her possession.
Ask someone if the crime another person accused him of is true.
Ask a stranger a personal, inappropriate question.
Ask someone to look after your baby for a while.
Ask someone for an autograph.
Ask someone to consider plastic surgery.
Ask someone why he saved your life.
Ask someone to betray her leader.
Literally ask for the shirt off someone’s back.
Request an entrée that’s not on the menu.
Ask a merchant if she can procure an unusual item.
Ask someone to withdraw from a political race.
Ask someone to retreat in a battle.
Solicit advice on a quest.
Solicit advice on one’s love life.
Ask someone to tell a lie for you.
Ask someone to keep a secret.
Ask someone if he needs help.
Ask someone to stop talking.
Beg someone to be your mentor.
Beg for food.
Beg for medical assistance.
Ask someone on a date.
Ask someone if you can kiss her.
Ask someone to marry you.
Ask for a volunteer for a dangerous mission.
Ask someone for access to a restricted area.
Ask if the deceased had any enemies.
Plead with the hotel manager for someplace to stay even though there are no vacancies.
Ask Santa for something you’re highly unlikely to get.
Beg someone not to leave.
Ask someone to please go away.
50 Things Someone Can Explain
Write a paragraph or two in your character’s voice explaining one of the following things. Keep in mind that your character may actually be giving terrible advice or an irrational explanation.
Why one shouldn’t cremate a dead body.
How he got that scar.
Why she chose that tattoo.
Why he seemed to have dropped off the face of the earth for the past ten years.
What makes rain in the country so dangerous.
Why she moved to the city.
Why he left his job.
Why she applied for this job.
Why one should always choose the middle seat in an airplane.
Why she dropped out of college.
Why he started college at the age of seventy.
Why she went on a cruise alone.
Why he did his own investigation of the murder.
Why she gave a car to a stranger.
Why there’s a huge crater in the center of the metropolis.
Why she defected from the army.
Why they always eat oysters on Fridays.
Why there’s a second moon now.
Why he lives on a boat.
Why nobody called the police.
Why he refused to pay for his son’s college education.
Why she attempted to climb Mount Everest.
Why humans ignored climate change.
Why they went deep into credit card debt again after digging out of it.
Why he missed his flight.
How the small town’s festival got started.
How to steal a diamond necklace.
How to crash a wedding reception.
How to avoid being taken advantage of in a divorce.
How to get a promotion without working hard.
How to quit drinking.
How to save the horses when a wildfire is headed toward the ranch.
How to get a great bargain on a used car.
How to get rich quick.
How to be a good girlfriend or boyfriend.
How to turn a regular stick into a magic wand.
Why he’s digging up a grave.
Why she let everyone think she was unable to speak.
Why he has a map of various warehouses.
Why she leaves her Christmas tree up all year.
Why he refuses to own a microwave.
Why she gained a hundred pounds.
Why someone else described him as a sociopath.
Why a certain person who everyone admires is actually a terrible person.
Why they need to stage an intervention.
Why he fired the actor from his play or movie.
Why he adopted ten stray cats.
Why the marriage was over before they even went on their honeymoon.
How saying a prayer changed everything.
How she made a fresh start.
OTHER FICTION PROMPTS
This section invites you to draw inspiration from disparate and unusual sources: made-up titles, images, sounds, Tarot cards, particular types of scenes, and more. The more frequently you write, the easier it will be to get inspired, even from the most random things you read and experience.
100 Title Prompts
These are all titles that I’ve invented. At the time of editing this book, we couldn’t find any of them being used as actual fiction titles, but we could’ve mi
ssed one, and I know that this could change at any time.
I think the best way to use them as writing prompts is to do some fast writing. Pick one, maybe set a timer for five minutes, and as quickly as you can, write out a beginning or a scene from a short story or novel with that title.
I doubt you’ll wind up using one of these for a title of a finished story, but I totally approve of doing so!
What We Did In London
That’s Where You’re Wrong
Run the Table
The Soldier On The Bridge
Single Serving
Like Heroes Often Do
The Odor Of Salt
Music Box Magic
She Whose Opportunity Escapeth Her Not
Ammo And Diesel
Café Afternoons
Shopping For Souvenirs
The Raven And The Rattlesnake
The Glittering Realm
Perfect Skin
Firefly Season
Better Enemies
The Sunflower State
My Proudest Moment
Satin And Smoke
Everything I Wanted To Forget
A Serenade At Sea
Search History
A Fairy In New York
Letter From The Admiral
Bourbon And Suede
Call Me When You Get There
An Undisclosed Affair
The Eighth Of September
Turn Off The Lights
Barefoot June
The Devil And His Brother
Meeting On The Mezzanine
Well, Actually
When The Dead Return
The Lamplighter’s Oath
Mortal Honor
It Happened At The Tulip Festival
Extra Large Supreme
Trainhopping
By A Bad Road
The Alien In The Archives
Current Address
Shameless Flattery
Sparkling Sands
The Winery Diaries
Dangerous If Provoked
The Umbrella Code
Songs For An Irish Wake
Lavender Tresses
The Old Log Cabin
Smash And Grab Job
All Souls’ Eve
My Favorite Taboo
Alabama Killer
The Lucky And The Brave
Fringe Element
A Handful Of Violets
By The Lightning We Lost Our Sight