400 Writing Prompts: 16 Genres to Start Your BEST Story

100 Creative Writing Prompts for Writers

Because I am an improviser, I get my best writing done when I have some sort of suggestion to get me going. Just like using a suggestion from the audience can give improvisers the setup to begin a scene, a small kernel of an idea is all I need to nudge me in the direction of a productive first draft of a short piece of writing.

These ideas mostly come from a small notebook I carry around to jot down ideas whenever they come to me and would probably make no sense to anyone else if they read my notes—such as “that time I put a rubber chicken in my purse and brought it to school” or “letter to that annoying kid Byron in the line at Dollar Tree.” Or sometimes it’s an idea that I’ve been obsessing over recently.

One of my favorite things to do each week is to write the Tuesday writing prompts for WD, because I get to play the role of suggestion-giver for anyone who reads them. My hope is that my random ideas that make enough sense to share on the internet inspire WD readers the next time they are looking for something to get their creative juices flowing—whether that inspiration is for a new short story, the next plot thread in their novel, a comedy sketch, etc.

Thanks to all the WD readers who have voiced their love for these writing prompts in the comments and on Twitter, I’m encouraged to keep sharing new ideas here every week. Here are 100 suggestions to get you started on your next writing session.

Have you hit a wall on your work-in-progress? Maybe you know where you want your characters to end up, but don’t know how to get them there. Or, the story feels a little stale but you still believe in it. Adding a plot twist might be just the solution.

Non-Fiction Writing Prompts

I bet I know you.

You’re the type of person who has dreamed of writing a book for however many years, only held back by the lack of ideas – or good ideas, rather.

Or maybe you’re the type who has tons of ideas but aren’t sure if they’re worth pursuing .

It’s hard. I get it. A book is a big commitment and one you might actually want to go through with. But without having a clear idea of what to write about, that dream can seem too far out of reach.

But I’m telling you, it’s not.

In fact, using writing prompts can help you free your mind from its current constraints so you can explore ideas you might not have otherwise thought of yourself – in addition to a number of other benefits.

It’s one thing to use a writing prompt, it’s another to ensure that idea is actually a good one.

If you’re writing a nonfiction book, we have great ideas for you to focus on.

While reading these, note which ones cause you to pause and think – if only for a moment longer than the rest.

Those are the ideas to ponder and create a mind map for.

Here are a few writing prompts for a number of different broader categories that have proven to be prosperous.

Writing Prompts about Morals and Values

1. Write about a time when you were wrong and didn’t realize it for maybe years.
2. Consider morals and how one discovers what truly matters to them.
3. Portray the biggest value in your life.
4. Dissect the biggest problems in the world and how it impacts us every day.
5. Write about hidden problems in the world nobody is paying attention to.
6. Consider a time your morals were compromised and how it affected your life.
7. Write about a time your values were challenged and you had to face it.
8. Compare and the difference between a value and a moral.
9. Weigh societal values that actually negatively impact our lives.
10. Write about morals that have inadvertently negative impacts.
11. Spotlight an inner struggle between what’s morally right and what feels right.
12. Write about how to find what you value in life.
13. Write about what life would look life if morals were not in place.
14. Present ideas of values affecting your morals in life.
15. Expose popular moral dilemmas in the world.
16. Write about how morals and values differ within different cultures and regions.
17. Conflict arising from out a time when you had to debate morals and values.
18. Write about your idea of the best combination of morals and values.
19. Conflict you once endured because of mismatched morals.
20. Overcome doubting your morals and beliefs.
21. Write about how morals and values shape happiness in life.
22. The importance of matching morals and values in relationships.
23. Write about how to share your morals with others.
24. Open discussion on ways in which one can develop new morals and values.
25. Write about how our morals and values change as we grow up.

Tips for Expanding on these Morals and Values:

Writing Prompts about Health and Wellness

This is another book topic that has seen a rise in sales and engagement over the past few years. Society is starting to focus on health and well-being more so than many other important life ventures and now is the time to write about it!

1. Your struggle with an addiction of some kind and how you overcame it.
2. Write a book about your journey to become healthy.
3. What being healthy inside and out means to you.
4. How others can overcome unhealthy habits.
5. Create a book about the importance of mental health and wellness.
6. Write about how to form healthy habits.
7. How to find the best exercise type for your needs.
8. A book about the idea of self-care and what it means to you.
9. How to find health through personal reflection.
10. Write about the technicalities of being “healthy.”
11. The different ways in which someone can find health and wellness.
12. How others can affect your health.
13. Write about the impact of mental health on your physical health.
14. A specific form of exercise you’ve grown to love and why.
15. What it means to have overall life wellness.
16. The impact of who you surround yourself with on your mental health.
17. How learning can impact your health.
18. Dietary needs and how they affect your mental health.
19. Write about how to break unhealthy habits that drag you down.
20. How negativity can greatly impact your health.
21. Write about your ideal health and wellness system for long-term success.
22. A time when you had to overcome super unhealthy ways.
23. What you’ve learned about yourself through pursuing wellness.
24. How professional athletes approach health and wellness.
25. Societal standards of health and wellness.

Nonfiction Writing Prompts

1. Write about the biggest lesson you’ve learned in business.
2. Write about how you have failed in business, and how you overcame that failure.
3. Write about the biggest mistake you made in your industry, and what you learned about it.
4. Write about how your industry can impact lives across the world.
5. Write about the top authorities in your industry and what you can learn from them.
6. Write about how you got started in your industry, and how others can learn from your process.
7. Write about industry secrets that can help other people grow their authority.
8. Write about how businesses in your industry can maximize their profits.
9. Write about what you’ve learned in your industry, and educate readers on how to
10. Write about opportunities for innovation in your industry.
11. Write about the top qualities an authority in your industry must have to succeed.
12. Write about the top issues in your industry, and how readers can avoid them.
13. Write about how to empower others in your industry, and why it’s important.
14. Write about the future of your industry, and how readers can adapt to the changes.
15. Write about the history of your industry, and how it has shaped the present and how it will shape the future.
16. Write about a major time period in your industry’s progression, and the lessons from that time that can be learned and applied today.
17. Write about common fears in your industry, and how others can overcome them.
18. Write about the common stressors in your industry, and how others can manage this.
19. Write about a time when you had to start over in your career, and the lessons you learned that can help readers.
20. Write about how to generate ideas in your industry.
21. Write about how to be a better leader in the workplace.
22. Write about the importance of company culture, especially in our digital age.
23. Write about the secrets to sustainability in your industry.
24. Write about decision making in your industry, and how others can make better decisions.
25. Write about the habits of authority figures in your industry, and what others can learn from them.
26. Write about the failures of authority figures in your industry, and what others can learn from them.
27. Write about the successes of authority figures in your industry, and what others can learn from them.
28. Write about the key to productivity in your industry.
29. Write about the key to creativity in your industry.
30. Write about the key to working smarter in your industry.
31. Write about how to think big, and when to think small, in your industry.
32. Write about what you wish you knew now when you first started in your career.
33. Write about setting up a successful atmosphere to thrive in your industry.
34. Write about something big you accomplished in your career, and share your blueprint for success.
35. Write about developing a team, and how to successfully work with others.

6 Bonus Writing Tips to Power Up Your Passion and Sharpen Your Skills

1. Make Time to Write

If you’re not setting aside time to write, you may as well ignore every other piece of advice in this post. Make your writing time sacred and block it off in your calendar. Turn off your phone. Disconnect the internet, close your door, and write.

2. Set Writing Goals

Start with, say, a 300 or 500 word count in a daily session. Once you consistently reach this goal with ease, up the ante and shoot for more challenging targets. 1,000 words a session; 25,000 words a month, and so on. But make sure your goals are not overwhelming.

3. Pack Your Writing with a Powerful Punch

4. Harness the Power of Grammar

5. Copy Your Writing Heroes — Literally

6. Read Your Way to Writing Stardom

Read fiction and biographies, or read books, blogs and articles. But read in an active way. Stay alert to what grabs your attention and how the writer has crafted his words. Then consciously apply the best techniques to your own writing process.

Resources:

https://www.writersdigest.com/be-inspired/creative-writing-prompts-for-writers
https://self-publishingschool.com/writing-prompts/
https://selfpublishing.com/writing-prompts/
https://smartblogger.com/creative-writing-prompts/
https://www.thoughtco.com/writing-prompt-composition-1692451