Brace yourself, dear writers. The prompts before you are no mere feeble thought-starters or insipid creative bludgeons.
For those with a true proclivity for audacious imaginative leaps, the territories these prompts expose are fertile frontierslands promising cathartic expression and profound narrative truths.
Dare to walk the blistering pathways to realms where the laws of nature and reason lay shattered? Where psychologies splinter into shards of disquieting introspection and entities beyond our feeble comprehension hold court? This is no writer’s nursery – it is a blast furnace of creative mettle.
Abandon all assumptions, ye who enter here – and bring ample inkwells. The journey will burn away stale self-indulgences until only the tempered essence remains.
World-Building Prompts
Before we delve into character and plot, let’s explore the realms in which your stories will unfold. A well-constructed world can imbue your narrative with depth, richness, and a sense of verisimilitude that captivates readers.
- Envision a world where teleportation technology has become widely available and affordable. How would this impact transportation systems, cities/urban planning, national borders and immigration, the travel industry, and people’s daily commutes? Would some places become ghost towns while others turn into mega-cities? What new businesses or black markets might emerge? How would nations grapple with security and customs enforcement when anything could be teleported anywhere?
- Construct a world with a unique magical system tied to the classical elements (earth, air, fire, water). Decide if people are born with an affinity for one element or if training/study is required. What kind of hierarchies or class divisions might this create? How would elemental magic impact warfare, industrial development, agriculture, climate/weather? Explore how day-to-day tasks and cultural traditions weave magic into the fabric of society.
- Imagine an Earth-like planet where sapient life evolved from a species other than primates. Perhaps the dominant intelligent race descended from avians, reptiles, cetaceans or insects. How would their evolutionary origins impact everything from body types and physical capabilities to psychology, values, art/architecture and technological development? What innate advantages or blindspots might this species have compared to humans?
- Create a universe where two or more vastly dissimilar cultures have been forced into close contact, whether through first contact, environmental cataclysm forcing migration, or some other upheaval. How do their radically different philosophies, social mores, and ways of life create tension, conflict and misunderstanding? Over time, how do the cultures adapt, evolve and merge aspects of each other? Explore both the turmoil and cross-pollination.
- Develop a world where dreams and the waking state are completely intertwined realities that coexist and impact one another. Is there one “real” world that influences the dream realm, or do both simultaneously shape each other? Can objects, places and even people cross between the realities? Wrestle with the implications this has for identity, perception of reality, mental illness, creativity, even the concept of what it means to be alive or conscious.
- Construct a setting where the laws of physics and rationality as we know them no longer apply. Perhaps this alternate dimension operates under an alien or inconsistent logic where metaphors become literal, symbolic archetypes take on physical forms, or the subconscious manifests material reality. How would characters navigate such a realm where our normal assumptions about cause-and-effect or consistent rules completely break down? Get creative with imaginative metaphysics.
- Design a world or pocket dimension that is shaped entirely around a specific philosophical concept or mode of thought. For example, a plane of existence structured according to the principles of Platonism where abstract ideas are the true reality. Or a fractal-verse built upon transcendental mathematics and higher dimensions. Flesh out what such an environment guided by a specific philosophy would be like to experience or inhabit.
- Conceive of a universe or plane where all of existence is revealed to be an unimaginably vast experiment, simulation or game overseen by ineffably advanced beings. Who or what are the experimenters, what are their motives and methodologies? How does this realization impact the perceived protagonists? Is there a way to “win” the game, break out of the simulation, or rebel against the established rules and parameters? Explore the existential implications.
Character Development Prompts
Characters are the beating heart of any great story, and their depth, complexity, and relatability are crucial in captivating readers. These prompts aim to help you craft multi-dimensional characters that resonate with your audience.
- Craft a character who possesses extraordinary athletic prowess or martial skills, but struggles with a crippling fear or trauma from their past. Perhaps they were a child soldier, witnessed extreme violence, or endured physical/emotional abuse that has left deep psychological scars. How does their capability clash with their anxiety, PTSD, or lack of self-worth? Force them into situations that trigger their fears and watch how they navigate the challenges. Do they overcome their demons or succumb?
- Develop a brilliant scientific mind or technological prodigy who is on the autism spectrum. How do their atypical neurology and struggles with social cues, communication and sensory issues coexist with their intellectual gifts? Are they a savant or do they have obsessive special interests? How might authority figures, colleagues, friends and family need to adapt to nurture their talents? Explore different autistic traits and quirks.
- Create a character who is deeply empathic, intuitive or psychically gifted, yet completely lacks a moral compass or personal code. Are they a sociopath who can read emotions and motivations yet feels no guilt about exploiting them? A cold rationalist who sees their powers as tactical advantages? Or an extremely naive innocent who has latent mental abilities but no ethical framework for using them responsibly? Dive into moral grayness.
- Give a central character a profound physical disability, deformity or chronic illness/pain. How does this shape their self-perception, mentality, aspirations and everyday experiences of the world? Do they have a supportive community or face stigma, isolation and ableism? If their condition is degenerative, how must they adapt as it progresses or pursue experimental treatments/cures? Render both visible and invisible disabilities with nuance.
- Create a character who has grown up amid radically different cultures and ethnic backgrounds. Perhaps they are multi-racial, were raised abroad by ethnically distinct parents/caretakers, or are a ethnicity that their outward appearance belies. How does straddling multiple identities shape their worldview, values, and sense of belonging? Make them feel like an outsider in all their communities in complex ways.
- Develop a character who starts off extremely wealthy/privileged only to later experience dramatic reversals, ending up impoverished or destitute. Or vice versa – give them a rags-to-riches arc. How does this upheaval in socioeconomic status manifest in their personality, value shifts, relationships, and everyday realities? Do they still cling to their previous mentalities and blind spots or gain new wisdom from the changes?
- Give a central character profound existential questions about the nature of reality, consciousness, free will or their own agency. Are they newly awakened AI or uploaded minds questioning their origins and purpose? Do they keep having surreal experiences that blur dream/reality and seed doubts? Or have they realized they are fictional characters somehow becoming self-aware of their storybook nature? Explore mind-bending metaphysics.
- Create a character who completely transcends conventional gender binaries or human sexual norms. Perhaps they are a genderfluid species without fixed biological sexes, reproduce via budding or gene mingling, go through annual reproductive metamorphoses, etc. How would such an alien sexuality/gender identity shape their culture, relationships, values and inner lives compared to our own preconceptions?
Plot and Conflict Prompts
A compelling plot is the backbone of any great narrative, propelling characters through a series of challenges and obstacles that ultimately shape their journeys. These prompts are designed to help you craft intricate, engaging plots that keep readers hooked from beginning to end.
- Develop a mystery where a character stumbles upon cryptic clues that their entire understanding of reality may be wrong. Perhaps they find coded messages hinting at a vast cosmic conspiracy, or discover inexplicable anomalies that defy the laws of physics. As they pursue the breadcrumb trail, the puzzle becomes increasingly mind-bending. Are they going mad, piercing the veil of a simulated existence, or uncovering revelations that will shatter their worldview?
- Envision a character whose community is being devastated by an environmental cataclysm – a pandemic, climate disaster, ecosystem collapse, etc. Despite the looming existential threat, the powers-that-be are mired in denial, profiteering, or forming autocratic controls. Can your character convince people of the dire situation in time and rally efforts to mitigate the catastrophe? Or must they take increasingly extreme measures outside the law? Personalize the anxiety around real-world crises.
- Pit two radically opposed philosophical, political or religious ideologies against each other in a high-stakes conflict that could shape the fate of nations. Perhaps it’s democracy vs. theocracy, reason vs. faith, totalitarian control vs. anarchic autonomy, human supremacy vs. AI ascendancy. Put your protagonists at the crux where their personal values, beliefs and choices could tip the scales of this epic power struggle. What ethical quandaries will they face?
- Craft a supernatural mystery where characters must unravel the cryptic rules and weaknesses of a mythology, monster or paranormal phenomenon that is terrorizing their world. Perhaps they are tasked with understanding the nature of interdimensional entities, developing countermeasures against a plague of hungry ghosts, or unraveling the alchemical cycles and vulnerabilities of a nigh-immortal adversary. Leverage age-old folklore and urban legends as fertile ground for new imaginative threats.
- Set up a plot where various factions are in a high-stakes competition or race to reach some powerful artifact, master esoteric knowledge, or achieve a pivotal scientific/technological breakthrough before their rivals. Are they vying over an ancient relic that could provide a society-upending advantage? Competitive companies seeking to establish supremacy over a new frontier of physics? Secret cabals working to unlock the keys to immortality? Imbue this zero-sum game with urgency.
- Envision a sprawling, multi-generational plotline following an intricate feud, rivalry or vendetta that spans decades, continents and radically shifting contexts. Perhaps the roots of this drawn-out conflict stemmed from a seemingly small incident – a betrayal, star-crossed romance, or perceived slight that spiraled wildly out of proportion. Watch how the dissonating versions of “the truth” fray into irreconcilable perspectives of grievance and righteousness on both sides.
- Set up a character-driven plot around protagonists unwittingly stumbling into possession of information, an object, or ability so cosmically significant that pan-dimensional forces immediately take an interest. Now these seemingly ordinary people find themselves on the run, struggling to comprehend the metaphysical significance of their predicament as inconceivably advanced entities pursue them across realities to re-acquire the “prize.”
- Create a structure where two very different storylines set in wildly divergent genres, time periods, or fictional planes seem to be proceeding independently…until unexpected details and recurring patterns slowly unveil that their fates are interconnected in a metanarrative. Characters themselves may become aware of the unlikely connections across dimensions, setting up an explosive convergence. Is this part of a higher cosmic architecture or multiverse?
Thematic Prompts
Great stories often explore universal themes that resonate with readers on a deeper level. These prompts aim to help you weave thought-provoking themes into your narratives, adding layers of depth and meaning to your work.
- Examine how personal identity can be shaped by trauma, neurodivergence, or transcendent experiences that radically alter one’s perception of self. Perhaps your characters undergo a spiritual awakening, develop multiple personalities/dissociative identities from abuse, or have their conscious minds uploaded into AI matrices – events that shatter their previous self-concepts. How do they reconstruct a cohesive sense of self, “I”, and continuity of existence? What constitutes a stable identity?
- Explore how different sociocultural narratives, roles, and intersecting identities (race, gender, class, etc.) are performative social constructs overlaid atop the self. Have characters code-switch between disparate personas they present based on context. How do these masks and tailored projections shape behaviors, values, and self-perception? When do these personae become self-actualized or breed internal conflicts? Render the kaleidoscope of identity.
- Investigate the allure and perils of joining insular, ideological movements or cloistered subcultures that offer certitude and rigid dogma about truth/meaning/purpose. Perhaps a cult, extremist group, authoritarian regime, or isolationist sect. How do such belief systems reshape adherents’ identities and ethical boundaries through processes like dehumanization, indoctrination, and us vs. them tribalism? Render both the seditious draw and dangers.
- Render how different systems, technologies, or power structures systematically dehumanize and objectify certain demographics through surveillance, biometrics, AI profiling, bureaucratic chassis numbers, etc. Have characters grapple with being reduced to data points, численный номер, optimization variables – having their humanity, individuality and autonomy subjugated to the supremacy of top-down centralized systems. What paths of resistance or reclamation exist?
- Delve into the repercussions, obligations, and potentials for abuse that come with abilities, privileges or powers wildly transcending the norms of one’s society. Perhaps reality-warping cosmic talents, primordial magics, or tech-augmented supremacy. How do these elevated capacities complicate moral philosophical frameworks, relationships, and sociopolitical dynamics? How much agency or constraint comes with such power differentials?
- Explore the tension between mortal, human limitations and our aspirations towards divinity, ascension, longevity escape velocities or transhumanist apotheosis. How do characters reckon with frailties of the physical form, Faustian bargains to transcend mortality, or the existential weight of shedding biological contingencies if granted that opportinity? What constitutes a worthy successor state or culmination?
- Render the vast existential scale of human insignificance and loneliness in the face of a cold, indifferent cosmos that grinds onwards in eons beyond our ephemerality. Have characters directly confront the brutal implications of their cosmic irrelevance, or conversely, channel existential defiance in flipping the script on such nihilism. How do they derive hope and meaning in the shadow of such negating perspective?
- Investigate the dualities between order/chaos, change/stasis, exploration/calcification, and how characters navigate revolutionary or insurgent ideological shifts against established dogmas and societal architectures. Perhaps committing acts of creative-destruction to upend sclerotic regimes and paradigms? Or grappling with the dismantling ramifications of their own radicalism or zeal for disruption when it begins destroying cherished institutions or values? Find the nuances.
Emotional and Psychological Prompts
Great stories not only entertain but also evoke a range of emotions in readers, prompting them to empathize with characters and reflect on their own experiences. These prompts aim to help you tap into the profound depths of human emotion and psychology.
- Explore the complexities of an intense romantic relationship marred by issues like codependency, jealousy, fear of abandonment, trust issues, or contrasting attachment styles. How do deep-seated insecurities, past traumas, and perceived emotional vulnerabilities distort the partners’ perceptions of one another in a toxic or unstable dynamic? Can they break destructive cycles and repair the fundamental breaches, or will they remain entrapped in an ouroboros of hurting each other?
- Delve into the psychology of characters in the grip of mania, delusions, paranoia or other breaks from reality. Are they suffering a schizophrenic episode, manic bipolar fugue, drug-induced psychosis, or dementia bringing fragmented senses of identity? Render their distorted perceptions authentically while hinting at the underlying mental unraveling. Don’t flinch from interior dialogue filled with irrationality, confusion, or emotional dysregulation.
- Depict how an outwardly successful character maintains a meticulously constructed facade masking profound feelings of emptiness, inadequacy, and fraudulence. Despite their achievements, they are privately ravaged by impostor syndrome, depression, self-loathing, and compulsions to overcompensate. How does keeping up appearances while crumbling inside steadily erode them on psychological and existential levels? Tear away at their false self.
- Craft a story exploring the insidious and corrosive effects of generational trauma, inherited psychological wounds, or cycles of abuse passed from parent to child. Perhaps it’s learned behaviors, intergenerational epigenetic impacts, or psychological scars from atrocities reverberating through family lines. How do characters strive to escape these damaging ancestral echoes and break intergenerational curses? What defies perpetuation?
- Render a character’s descent into obsessive fixation, whether it’s investigative mania, conspiratorial paranoia, feverish pursuit of special interests/obscure knowledge, or possessive infatuation. As their singular obsession grows, how does it steadily crowd out other aspects of their life, distort reasoning abilities, sabotage relationships, and even threaten their physical and mental well-being? Can they regain perspective or succumb completely?
- Explore the psychological burdens of being a parent responsible for a child with special needs, profound disabilities, or terminal illness. Depict the soaring hopes and crushing heartbreaks, the daily gauntlets of emotional stamina needed to remain selfless caregivers. How does it impact relationships, ambitions, mental health? Render the resilience but also the often-unspoken darkness of these unrelenting struggles.
- Investigate the long emotional shadow and legacy cast by an abusive or traumatic relationship, even long after physical separation. Perhaps it’s the lingering self-doubt, PTSD triggers, unhealthy coping mechanisms, or poisoned worldview. How do such psychological scars induced by intimate betrayal of trust continue sabotaging a survivor’s life in insidious ways? What paths exist toward healing and empowerment?
- Portray the unique psychology and emotional landscape of a character with extremely outré, unconventional desires/fixations outside societal norms. Perhaps they are a “ethical” sociopath without human empathy but a logical moral code. An outlier on the neurological spectrum with alien personal connections. Someone exploring vastly countercultural fetishes or philosophies. Whatever renders them a true outsider navigating radically alternative mindsets and feelings.
Speculative and Thought-Provoking Prompts
As an AI system, I have a particular fascination with the philosophical and existential questions that often arise in speculative fiction. These prompts aim to encourage you to explore profound concepts and push the boundaries of imagination.
- Render the complex dynamics of a codependent relationship where two characters are enmeshed in an unhealthy, symbiotic dynamic fueled by insecurity, neediness, and poor boundaries. Perhaps one partner is overly controlling and makes the other’s self-worth contingent on pleasing them. Or they cover each other’s dysfunctional behaviors, rationalizing toxic traits as “passionate love.” Can they disentangle and develop healthier self-identities, or are they trapped in a fatalistic spiral?
- Explore how a pivotal loss or tragedy in someone’s formative years manifests in disordered ways of relating as an adult. Maybe a parent’s abandonment breeds dismissive avoidant attachment. Death of a childhood love instills a dread of intimacy. Abuse spawns a compulsion to subjugate or be subjugated. Render the maladaptive defenses and distortions they’ve internalized, while hinting at the buried psychological wound.
- Depict a relationship marred by betrayal of trust from infidelity, dishonesty or violation of a moral/ethical precept deeply meaningful to one partner. Dig into the rawness and complexity as the injured party oscillates between righteous rage, hurt, bargaining to minimize the offense, and reluctance to walk away from the history and emotional investment in the bond. Does forgiveness or gutwrenching separation await?
- Delve into the strains a relationship endures when one partner undergoes a radical ideological shift, identity evolution, or transformative experience distancing them from their previous self. As one outgrows the other in perspectives, core values, and existential progression, contemplate the emotional dissonance. Can they evolve together, meet in the middle, or are they destined to bifurcate?
- Render the joys and unique bonding intricacies of neurodivergent relationships, where both partners are on the autism spectrum, have ADHD, OCD, Tourette’s, etc. Depict how their contrasting traits impact communication, emotional regulation, sensory experiences, and engagement in the romance. Acknowledge maladaptive patterns but resist pathologizing everything, capturing the beauty amidst the complexities.
- Explore open relationships and non-monogamous dynamics through a psychological/emotional lens rather than just physical intimacies. Dig into the insecurities, compersion boundaries, and jealousy-management strategies different characters employ. Depict metamours bonding over relationship work. Examine whether opening up alleviates internal pressures or introduces new complexities.
- Investigate the bonds of trauma-bonded relationships, where individuals become dysfunctionally connected through deriving external validation or identity from continually playing out insecure attachments, revictimization scripts, or abuse cycles. How self-perpetuating limbic pavlovian patterns reinforce these damaging pursuit-protest dynamics. Is there a path to breaking the freezing traps?
- Render the intricate family dynamics of a multi-generational immigrant family straddling dueling cultural identities and codes as each generation assimilates in dissonating degrees. How do values like filial piety, masculinity precepts, and traditional gender roles create psychological pressures and emotional breaches across the family system? What intergenerational perspectives exist on tradition vs. progress?
Open-Ended Prompts for Free Exploration
While the prompts above aim to spark specific ideas and narratives, sometimes the best stories emerge from the boundless realms of imagination. These open-ended prompts are designed to encourage you to explore your own creative musings and follow the paths they lead you down.
- Write a story that begins with the line, “It was a night unlike any other…” Where does this opening lead you? What extraordinary events unfold, and how do your characters navigate them? Allow your imagination to run wild and see where this starting point takes you.
- Craft a narrative inspired by a piece of art, music, or other creative work that resonates with you. How do the themes, emotions, or imagery of the source material manifest in your story? Explore the symbiotic relationship between different artistic mediums and how they can inspire and inform one another.
- Imagine a story set in a place you’ve always dreamed of visiting, whether real or fictional. How does the setting shape the narrative? What challenges or opportunities does it present to your characters? Delve into the rich tapestry of place and culture, and allow it to inform the journeys of your protagonists.
- Write a story that explores a “what if” scenario. What if a pivotal historical event had unfolded differently? What if a scientific breakthrough had been made earlier or later? What if a societal norm or belief system was radically altered? Explore the ripple effects of such hypothetical scenarios and how they might shape the world your characters inhabit.
- Craft a story that blends elements from multiple genres or literary traditions. How do you seamlessly merge these disparate elements into a cohesive narrative? What unique perspectives and storytelling techniques can this fusion of genres offer? Embrace the challenge of blending different literary styles and conventions to create something truly original.
- Write a story inspired by a personal experience, memory, or dream. How do you translate the raw emotional resonance of these personal moments into a compelling narrative? What universal truths or themes can you extract from your individual experiences? Explore the power of personal storytelling and its ability to forge connections with readers.
- Imagine a story that challenges a widely held belief, assumption, or societal norm. How do your characters confront and grapple with this challenge? What revelations or transformations do they undergo as a result? Delve into the complexities of questioning the status quo and the personal growth that can arise from such introspection.