One good prompt could be 'Imagine a world where time runs backwards in a novel. How would the characters' lives be different?'. This can lead to really unique storylines as it flips the normal concept of time.
One good prompt could be 'The time when a family member surprised us all.' Another could be 'A family vacation that changed everything.' And 'The family heirloom and its story.'
One way to start is to introduce the family members involved. 'My parents, my siblings and I were all excited as we set off on our family vacation. We had planned this for months, and the day had finally arrived. We were headed to a small cabin in the mountains, and little did we know the adventures that awaited us there. The car was filled with our laughter and the smell of freshly made sandwiches for the journey. As we drove further away from home, the anticipation grew, and we couldn't wait to reach our destination and start exploring the beautiful nature around the cabin.'
One creative prompt could be to imagine you are a peasant during the French Revolution. Describe your daily life, the fear of the guillotine, and how the political unrest affects you. This allows for a vivid exploration of a historical event from an ordinary person's perspective.
One great free write prompt for fiction could be 'A character discovers a mysterious door in an old attic.' This immediately sets a scene full of potential. The character could be anyone - a curious child, an old homeowner, or a nosy neighbor. And the door? It could lead to a magical world, a time - locked room filled with secrets from the past, or a portal to another dimension. It gives the writer a lot to work with in terms of creating a story.
Just pick a prompt like 'A family argument and how it was resolved.' Then start thinking about the real events in your family related to it. Recall the feelings, words, and actions. And start writing or telling the story.
Some of the best story prompts for writing fiction are those that can create immediate conflict. For example, 'Two people who must share a secret but don't trust each other'. This can lead to a lot of tension and drama in the story. 'A character trapped in a place they can't escape' is also a strong prompt. It forces the writer to think about how the character will deal with the situation, what their internal thoughts are, and how they might attempt to break free. And prompts that deal with moral dilemmas, like 'A decision between saving a loved one or doing the right thing for the many', can result in very thought - provoking fiction.