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Best Mystery Writing Prompts

Join (probably?) the world's largest writing contest. Flex those creative muscles with weekly writing prompts.

Showing 89 prompts reset

This week's contest:
Win $250

Once Upon a Place with Sarah Jaffe

87 contest entries /
53 stories

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View contest
Closes at 23:59 - May 02 EST

20 years after your daughter was abducted a detective finds you to reopen the case. The detective turns out to be your daughter.

Mystery

You are the world's greatest detective. With your near superhuman intellect, you have never failed to solve a case before. One day, you finally meet your match: a criminal so unbelievably stupid that you cannot possibly comprehend and predict what he's going to do next.

Mystery

A genius serial killer has been killing successfully for a decade. His only weakness is that he can never, ever lie. He finally gets caught and is facing trial for all murders in court. Yet, he walks, acquitted of all charges.

Mystery

You're shaking hands with a stranger at a networking event when you ask for their name. I have no name, they reply.

Mystery

The first day you opened your own office as a private investigator, you didn't expect it to be busy. You were wrong.

Mystery

The detective didn't realize they were being foiled by a competiting detective.

Mystery

Write a story about a character waking up to the best news of their life.

Mystery

Write a story about a character waking up to something completely absurd.

Mystery

As you're paying for your groceries, you mention to the clerk, There's a mess in aisle 16. They give you a puzzled look and reply, There is no aisle 16.

Mystery

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