Best Fiction Writing Prompts

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The best fiction writing prompts

For many people, a blank page is a just a piece of paper. But for writers who dream about writing a short story or novel, it's something much worse: it's a chilling omen of writer's block.

That's how creative writing prompts can help—especially for a fiction writer. Writing prompts give you the story ideas so that you're left with the time and energy to bring those stories and characters from your own imagination to vivid life. Best of all, they come in all shapes, sizes, and genres, from mystery prompts about a death in a haunted house to romance prompts about a meet-cute in the city. Feel free to scour this directory for the fiction writing prompts you need to write your book!

If you're looking to cut to the chase, here's a top ten list of fiction writing prompts:

If you're interested in learning how to write fiction, check out our free resources on the topic:

Develop a Writing Routine (free course) — Ask any published author, and they’ll tell you that only 20% of getting a book published is talent. The other 80% is commitment is simply sitting down every day and committing yourself to putting words on paper. This ten-day course will show you how to create a writing routine that helps you accomplish just that.

Begin your novel today (blog post)— Once you’ve got a writing routine now, all that’s left is the hard part: actually writing the book! That's where this blog post comes in handy.

How to Write a Short Story That Gets Published (free course) — Thinking about trying your hand at short stories? Laura Mae Isaacman, a full-time editor who’s worked with authors like Joyce Carol Oates, teaches this course that’s all about short stories. She’ll cover the entire process, from writing the story to actually getting it published.

Ready to start writing? Check out Reedsy’s weekly short story contest, for the chance of winning $250! You can also check out our list of writing contests or our directory of literary magazines for more opportunities to submit your story.

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