Welcome to AutoCrit’s
120 Writing Prompts for Creative Minds
Enjoyed by authors of all kinds, writing prompts are a superb way
to kick-start your brain for some regular writing exercise.
Even if you don’t have a full story in mind, or feel stuck in a rut
with a current work in progress, prompts like the ones you’ll find
in this booklet can help lead you to new destinations or surprising
solutions.
Although we’ve split certain prompts into multiple genres, there’s
always the chance for a crossover. Perhaps add some comedy to
your horror, or sci-fi to your romance. Every prompt is open
enough to get you thinking of different ways to generate a story
from them, or infinite setups in which to place the required
descriptions and events.
No two authors will create the exact same story from a single
writing prompt. So let your mind fly in any direction it chooses.
Most of all... have fun and keep on writing!
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Romantic Writing Prompts
1. His eyes lit up as he smiled at her.
2. Why did she love his awkwardness?
3. The feel of silk.
4. Famous couples need their privacy, too.
5. “Are you embarrassed to be seen with me?”
6. Her name was Isabella, and I couldn’t take my eyes off her.
7. The secretary smiled.
8. What tragic past makes him so aloof?
9. A hidden letter reveals someone’s true feelings.
10. He looks like a model. He’s also a total nerd.
11. A chance meeting in tragic circumstances leads to love.
12. A thunderstorm ignites a close relationship.
13. Smudged makeup.
14. Sometimes a holiday makes everything right again.
15. “I wrote you a poem.”
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16. Sometimes first dates don’t go so well.
17. First love at an imaginary tea party.
18. Politicians on opposite sides of a war fall in love.
19. She’d never sounded so distant before.
20. She knew if she looked back, she’d never leave.
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Horror Writing Prompts
1. He’d always considered himself a strong public speaker – but
he’d never had to convince a crowd to spare his life.
2. He was certain he knew exactly which demon he was facing.
He was dead wrong.
3. The bed should have been empty. It wasn’t.
4. There were five reasons nobody went to that old place
anymore.
5. He knew going cold turkey would be hard – but not this
hard.
6. They’d been screaming non-stop for an entire week.
7. There it was again: the sound of breathing.
8. Twins linked by a dark secret.
9. I own an evil statue.
10. This was horrible. So why were they laughing?
11. A psychiatrist who actively makes his patients worse.
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12. If she moved, they’d hear her. If she didn’t move, they’d find
her.
13. “You’re not my usual dentist.”
14. Every hiding place was already taken.
15. It wasn’t the pipes that were groaning.
16. Why does the damp on the wall look like... faces?
17. There wasn’t supposed to be a door here.
18. The last time I ever tried hitchhiking.
19. The snow turned red.
20. It was getting harder to breathe. We could all feel it.
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Mystery Writing Prompts
1. What was it about the bracelet he wore that made her
uncomfortable?
2. The USB flash drive had disappeared.
3. They call him Nick – but that’s not his real name.
4. What did the hacker find that shocked him so much?
5. Something had been ripped from the dead man’s lapel.
6. A detective overhears a startling conversation.
7. A secret hidden inside a watch.
8. She had lied – but for good reasons.
9. Why was someone who died twenty years ago seen in a
photo taken yesterday?
10. Was the child the real target?
11. Why were specific names on the list crossed off?
12. It looked like someone had been searching the house.
13. The money was gone. All that was left was a handwritten
note.
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14. She claimed to be his daughter, but something felt off.
15. There’s a hidden room behind the pantry wall.
16. I’ve watched him for weeks. I know he did it.
17. A body washes up near a beautiful seaside resort.
18. There’s an unexpected reason behind the string of bank
robberies.
19. A prosecutor becomes convinced the defendant is innocent,
but nobody else believes them.
20. Why is this town so silent about its history?
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Sci-Fi Writing Prompts
1. They never thought they’d find it, but there it was: a new
universe.
2. A race against time in zero gravity.
3. Describe the emotions felt as the first person to set foot on a
new planet.
4. A rogue AI goes haywire.
5. His newly augmented arm felt... strange.
6. Interdimensional travel as a daily commute.
7. Our xenobiologist had a rough day today.
8. What’s so special about this new ship’s hyperdrive?
9. Can changing the future affect the past?
10. Nobody knew he was a clone.
11. Androids go on strike.
12. Recorded dreams reveal a shocking secret.
13. Are these implants safe?
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14. “Look, there’s no such thing as time travel.”
15. A computer virus infects humans.
16. “See this amazing species, live. For one night only!”
17. A science fiction film set is invaded by aliens.
18. Never open the window on a space cruiser.
19. A rescue team discovers the mind-boggling reason for a
distress beacon’s activation.
20. The scientists agreed that the public shouldn’t know.
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Fantasy Writing Prompts
1. “The battle is lost! Sound the retreat!”
2. The girl had a very strange beast for a companion.
3. Forging a sword for a special purpose.
4. The tower went silent ten years ago. That’s all anyone knew.
5. A clockwork contraption hides a magical secret.
6. The arrow pierced her shoulder, but she fought on.
7. They always underestimated our kind.
8. A shy mage comes out of his shell.
9. It shouldn’t have been possible to open portals inside this
hall.
10. The staff glowed with a fiery light.
11. “Cook without magic? Preposterous!”
12. How does it feel to fight in heavy armor?
13. “Can you believe it? The damned faeries turned me into this!”
14. Something strange happens after death in this land.
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15. Lance training wasn’t going well.
16. A magical gauntlet falls into the wrong hands.
17. What could possibly frighten a dragon so much?
18. It was short one ingredient, but the concoction still worked...
sort of.
19. A troll... in a suit?!
20. Describe seeing a spellcaster in battle for the first time.
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General Writing Prompts
1. She woke to the aroma of pancakes and fresh coffee.
2. Describe an exciting day from a child’s perspective.
3. The feeling of utter disbelief.
4. The phone wouldn’t stop ringing.
5. It was summer, but still the rain fell.
6. I’m not an airline pilot anymore.
7. He stood there and watched the door close behind her.
8. He stared at the table and fought back tears.
9. The car came screeching to a halt.
10. The student becomes the teacher.
11. “Seriously, you won’t find a better deal than this.”
12. He woke up somewhere different each morning.
13. This prison inescapable... or so they say.
14. Fond memories arrive while unpacking boxes.
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15. Describe the sights, sounds, and smells of a bustling food
market.
16. The ice cream there was wonderful.
17. Drifting away with the music.
18. “It’s so cute!”
19. The first day of a new job.
20. The smell of smoke drifted on the wind.
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