5,000 Writing Prompts
Page 17
Cape Cod Girls
The Seventh Solstice
Come In From The Rain
The Grave In The Woods
Wisteria Waltz
Once A Highwayman
Harmony And Cacophony
Please Leave
Moonlight Swim
A Harp Played By The Wind
Bad Girls Make Good Spies
The Bibliophile
The City We Left Behind
Mornings At Birdie’s
Step Aside
The Parrot In The Palace
Dreamers And Makers
Never Let Me Down
One Weekend In Autumn
Trick Or Trade
As Always, My Apologies
Champagne And Chocolates
Savage Force
Five Dogs, Two Houses
The Stars Above The Plains
The Patron Saint Of Irony
The Amethyst Key
Underground Bride
One Hundred Flights
The Vengeance Of A King
Sweet Like Mangoes
Appaloosa Canyon
Only On This Day
Ms. Worldwide
Lies I Believed As A Child
The Boy In The Powder-Blue Tux
Browser History
Waitressing For Rich People
Learning To Flirt
Starlink
The Lost Cello
200 Image Prompts
Images can serve as powerful symbols in writing. In fact, a whole school of poetry, called Imagism, developed around the idea of letting images speak for themselves. An image doesn’t have to be a symbol to be memorable, and even ordinary images can serve as triggers for creative thinking.
A grown woman sitting in a tree.
A plane writing a message in the sky.
A greeting card with part of the inside torn off—where the signature would be.
A woman cuddling a tiger cub.
Work boots or hiking boots caked with mud.
A keychain with a few dozen keys.
Camels and their riders trekking across the desert.
A hooded figure in the shadows.
A big bunch of balloons floating off into the sky.
Hands covered in oil.
Bare feet in the sand.
A boa constrictor coiled on the sofa.
Glitter in an hourglass.
Koi circulating in a pond.
A bonfire in the woods.
A row of test tubes.
Tools hanging on a pegboard.
An organ transplant cooler.
A shattered window.
A spun glass figurine.
A drink in a coconut, with a paper umbrella.
Snow in someone’s hair.
A bunch of fake flowers.
A dog’s wet nose, close up.
A Ouija board.
The blue flame of a gas stove burner.
A rifle hanging over a fireplace.
An eagle gliding over the river.
Illuminated windows of a tall hospital building, seen from the city street.
Someone jumping off the side of a cliff into the ocean.
A sofa covered with plastic.
A red–and-white striped barbershop pole.
A coffee can stuffed with coins and crumpled single dollar bills.
A hangman’s noose.
A child’s face covered with freckles.
A large cage.
A bathtub filled with milk.
A set of dumbbells.
A torn screen door.
A bottle of sunscreen.
A row of marching ants…indoors or outdoors.
A sponge floating in a bucket of dirty water.
A broken thermometer.
The view of the clouds from the cockpit of an airplane.
A pink canopy bed.
The rubble of a demolished building.
A smashed phone.
A poorly done tattoo.
The skull of a cow.
Palm trees swaying in a strong wind.
Pages of sheet music littering the floor.
A well-loved stuffed animal.
A telescope pointed out the bedroom window.
A daisy with half the petals pulled off.
Dry, cracked earth in a drought.
A chrysalis.
A bright red house amid a snowy white landscape.
A thermostat turned all the way up.
A starfish in the shallows.
A typewriter.
A wild animal’s eyes glowing in the dark.
The pupil of a human eye contracting.
A palm reading chart.
A forest floor covered with autumn leaves.
A lace sleeve.
An antique perfume bottle.
A crowd of people reaching their hands into the air.
Two men in suits standing in a cornfield.
A jeweled chalice.
A retainer.
A spacecraft sitting on the surface of a misty planet.
A guitar case.
A marble sculpture of two lovers.
A floor covered with packing peanuts.
A park bench under a streetlight.
A huge tree stump with many, many rings.
A sparkler.
A bin full of cans and bottles to be recycled.
A quartz crystal reflecting rainbow hues.
Smooth black stones in a riverbed.
A golden cross pendant on a chain.
A vase of dried, dead roses.
A tie-dyed tee shirt.
An emergency exit sign.
Cut-up credit cards.
A gold medal.
A chalkboard covered with equations.
Racks of clothing at a thrift store.
Piles of dirty laundry.
A painted fan.
A long chain ending in a broken shackle.
Someone in a parachute descending to earth.
Ticket stubs.
An ancient Egyptian sarcophagus.
A big spider in the bathtub.
A windmill.
A superhero costume.
A dog wearing a cone.
A teacup turned upside down.
A fork in the road.
Toadstools growing in an indoor location.
Long fingernails with chipped polish.
A boat decorated with Christmas lights.
A mobile over a crib.
A box filled with electrical cords and cables.
A frozen fountain.
Eggs in a nest.
A rusted cannon.
An army marching in formation.
A wig on a wig stand.
A bicycle on a roof.
A souvenir thimble.
An antique Christmas ornament.
A figurine of a saint.
A charm bracelet with many charms.
Soldiers in uniform standing on a street corner.
A sand castle.
A propane tank.
A plastic dinosaur.
A school of swimming jellyfish.
A paint can overturned on the floor, with a big puddle of paint.
A toe ring on a middle toe.
A solar eclipse.
A shopping cart filled to the brim with only one item.
A two-headed snake.
A ballerina tutu.
Birds
on a telephone wire.
Used paintbrushes in a coffee can.
Velvet curtains drawn across a stage.
Ready-to-assemble shelves that still need to be assembled; instructions and pieces strewn across the floor.
A crash test dummy.
A baby hedgehog.
Lemons floating in a swimming pool.
A lizard in the bathroom.
Hair dyed bright turquoise.
A vintage trailer.
A freeway with traffic at a standstill.
Banners of papel picado (colorful tissue paper cut into intricate designs; a Mexican folk art and traditional decoration).
A puzzle piece on the floor.
A bedraggled horse.
A toddler in a snowsuit.
A set of barbells.
A huge bruise on a leg.
A word traced onto a filthy car.
Shipping boxes with bubble wrap.
A machete.
A stone wall.
A hornet’s nest.
A ballcap.
A Mardi Gras mask.
The fossilized tooth of a saber-tooth tiger.
A man carrying a surfboard on a New York subway.
A rusted bed frame; no mattress.
Two hummingbirds fighting.
Blue veins showing through white skin.
Beet juice on a cutting board.
A smashed tomato on the pavement.
A lighthouse.
A row of parked motorcycles.
A sparkling chandelier.
A pair of cowboy boots.
A car skidding on the ice.
Dandelions gone to seed.
A refrigerator door covered in magnets, children’s art, coupons, and more.
A sweater with an elaborate pattern.
Seaweed on the beach.
A canned ham.
A pair of boxing gloves.
A dance floor that lights up.
A pinball machine.
A walking stick with a brass mermaid handle.
A makeup case filled with cosmetics and brushes.
A zebra skin rug.
A paper clip bent out of shape.
A dentist’s chair.
A stack of soda cans.
A sunrise in the rearview mirror.
Frozen pizzas from a crashed semi truck spilled all over the road.
A pineapple.
A woman with a bandana obscuring most of her face.
A neon sign advertising foot massages.
Sun streaming through lace curtains.
An earring near the shower drain.
A snow globe.
A bag of French fries on the edge of a bathtub.
A woman with a shaved head.
Soap bubbles floating on the breeze.
A night landscape seen through cracked eyeglasses.
A cozy interior seen through fogged eyeglasses.
A baby wearing sunglasses.
A magnifying glass.
A car decorated with balloons, tin cans, and “Just Married” signs.
A jet leaving a trail in the sky.
Muddy footprints on the carpet.
A throng of marathon runners.
A snowflake on an eyelash.
A raindrop on a leaf.
Children’s chalk drawings on a sidewalk or driveway.
An origami fox.
A half of a walnut.
50 Prompts Based on Sounds
Write a scene that features a warning siren of some kind.
Write a scene that features the sound of thunder.
Write about a character who’s thrilled when she hears a certain sound.
Write about a character who’s furious when he hears a certain sound.
Write about a character who’s terrified when she hears a certain sound.
Imagine someone who has a noisy neighbor at home or at work, and write about the situation.
Describe a character’s voice from another character’s point of view.
Describe the sounds at an airport, and set a scene there.
Describe the sounds on a street in a past century, and set a scene there.
Write a scene that includes the sounds of modern-day city traffic.
Write a scene that includes the sound of a waterfall.
Write a scene that begins with the sound of a doorbell ringing.
Write a scene that ends with the sound of church bells ringing.
Imagine a situation in which champagne corks are popping, and write about it.
Imagine a situation in which guns are firing, and write about it.
Write a scene in which a rooster is crowing. Make it in a place where no one would expect to hear a rooster.
Most people consider this to be a pleasant sound—but your character hates it.
Most people consider this to be an irritating noise—but your character loves it.
Write a conversation in which people have to shout over the noise.
Write a conversation in which people have to whisper.
Write a scene that features an automated voice.
Write a scene that features the sound of breathing.
Write a scene that plays out in complete silence.
A character is trying to keep someone else from noticing certain sounds.
These sounds make it clear that your character is home. Describe them.
No one would ever expect these sounds to be coming from your character’s apartment. What’s going on?
Imagine a situation in which fireworks are exploding, and write about it.
Imagine a situation in which autumn leaves are crunching underfoot, and write about it.
This cheerful sound is the backdrop to a dire situation.
This serious sound is the backdrop to a pleasant or hilarious situation.
Write a scene in which someone’s phone rings at a wildly inopportune time.
Write a scene that features booing and heckling.
Write a scene that features cheering and a standing ovation.
Include a dog, wolf, or coyote howling in a scene.
Include the chirping of crickets or the droning of locusts in a scene.
Describe the sounds at a busy diner and set a scene there.
Describe the sounds at a seashore and set a scene there.
A voicemail or recording rocks your character’s world.
The voice over the intercom says something highly unusual.
Radio static or a garbled recording makes a message difficult for your character to understand.
One character is able to hear something that the other characters can’t.
Describe how it sounds when creatures of another species talk to one another.
Write a scene that features the sounds of a gym or locker room.
Write a scene that features the sounds of an elevator.
Include the squeaking of a Styrofoam cooler in a scene.
Include the sound of breaking icebergs in a scene.
Describe the sounds at a nightclub and set a scene there.
Describe the sounds on a construction site and set a scene there.
Write a scene in which a character mistakes one noise for another.
Write a scene in which someone hears a sound they have never heard before in their lives. What does it turn out to be?
50 Prompts Based on Smells
Most writers tend to under-utilize the sense of smell in their writing. This sense is strongly linked to the part of the brain that stores memories, and smells can elicit strong emotional resp
onses.
A character encounters a smell that transports him back to another time in his life.
Include the scent of clean laundry in a scene.
Include the scent of limes in a scene.
Write a scene that includes the smells of spring.
Write a scene that includes the smells of a summer vacation.
Write a scene that incorporates the smell of gasoline.
Write a scene that incorporates the smell of formaldehyde.
A character loves the way someone else smells.
A character hates the way someone else smells.
Write about your character’s associations with the smell of vanilla.
Write about your character’s associations with the smell of baby powder.
Write a scene that incorporates the smells of a beauty salon.
Write a scene that incorporates the smells of a sickroom.
A character encounters a smell that confuses her.
A character encounters a smell that infuriates him.
Write a scene that includes the smell of apples.
Write a scene that includes that new-car smell.
Include scented candles in a scene.
Include the scent of burning or melting plastic in a scene.
Write a scene that takes place in a greenhouse filled with flowers.
Write a scene in which barnyard smells feature prominently.
A character notices a smell that fills him with dread.
A character notices a smell that makes her expect something good.
Use the smell of blue cheese in a scene.
Use the smell of menthol in a scene.
Write a scene that includes the smell of dirt.
Write a scene that includes the smell of something from another planet.
A character encounters a smell that makes her stomach growl.
A character encounters a smell that makes his stomach turn.
A character encounters a smell that makes her eyes water.
Include the smell of movie popcorn in a scene.
Include the smell of money in a scene.
Write a scene that incorporates the smells of Christmas.
Write a scene that incorporates the smells of a state fair.
A character asks someone else about a smell.
A character attempts to remove or mask a smell.
Write a scene that incorporates the smells of a grade school building.
Write a scene that incorporates the smells of a frat house.
A character encounters the familiar smells of the place where he works.
A character encounters smells that are exotic to her.
Include the scents of a bakery in a scene.