short story prompts for adults

Once upon a time, in a far - off land, there was a young girl named Lily. One day, she found a mysterious map in her attic. The map led her to an enchanted forest. There, she met a talking fox who became her guide. They journeyed through the forest, facing challenges like crossing a river on a rickety bridge and avoiding thorny vines. Eventually, they reached a hidden cave filled with glittering jewels and a magic wand. With the wand, Lily was able to bring peace and prosperity to her village.

A mysterious old house on a hilltop could be a great prompt. You can build a story around who used to live there, what secrets it holds. Maybe there are strange noises coming from it at night and a curious kid decides to investigate.

A time - traveling device that malfunctions. The protagonist might end up in a completely unexpected era, facing challenges like fitting in, finding a way back, and dealing with the historical events that are happening around them.

A prompt like 'Imagine a world where people can communicate only through music. Write a short story set in this world.' In this world, emotions, ideas, and stories are all conveyed through melodies and rhythms. A character might struggle to express their love through the right musical notes, creating a poignant and unique story.

A mysterious old house at the end of a desolate street. You can start with a character being drawn to it out of curiosity, and then strange things start to happen, like hearing unexplained noises or seeing shadowy figures.

One benefit is that they can overcome writer's block. When you don't know what to write, a short story prompt gives you a direction. Another benefit is that they can inspire creativity. They present a unique situation that you can build on in many different ways. For example, a prompt about a magic portal can lead to countless stories depending on how you develop it.

Good prompts for short stories include 'A broken - down car in the middle of nowhere'. This might lead to a story of survival, self - discovery, or an encounter with unexpected help. 'A photograph that shows a different time and place' can inspire a story about memories, nostalgia, or time travel. Also, 'A magic potion that has an unforeseen side effect' which can result in all kinds of creative and wild short story ideas.

In a post - apocalyptic world, a group of survivors huddled in an abandoned factory. Among them was a young woman named Eve. One day, they ran out of food. Eve volunteered to go on a scavenging mission. She set out into the desolate city, filled with crumbling buildings and rusted cars. She found a supermarket that still had some canned goods. But on her way back, she was chased by a group of bandits. She managed to outrun them and return to the factory, saving the group from starvation for a while.

A character who wakes up one day with a strange power. For example, the ability to read people's thoughts. This could lead to various interesting situations, such as accidentally discovering a conspiracy.

Well, with short story prompts for fiction, you should consider it as a springboard. If the prompt is about a time - traveling event, start imagining the character who experiences it. Is it a scientist? A regular person? Then, think about the rules of time travel in your story. How does it affect the character? What is the character's goal in this time - traveling journey? You can also add sub - plots related to the character's personal life before and after the time - travel.