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Best Thriller and Suspense Writing Prompts

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

Showing 74 prompts reset

This week's contest:
Win $250

Once Upon a Place with Sarah Jaffe

18 contest entries /
11 stories

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View contest
Closes at 23:59 - May 02 EST

Write a short story where the protagonist has a doppelgänger.

Thriller and Suspense

Your fingers tensed around the object in your pocket, ready to pull it out at a moment's notice.

Thriller and Suspense

You're sitting by a window watching the flakes slowly and silently fall. Suddenly, you see something outside that snaps you out of your reverie.

Thriller and Suspense

You're at a huge store scouting out Black Friday deals. You start to notice that all the security cameras in the store seems to be following your each and every move.

Thriller and Suspense

You work for the CIA who send you undercover in the FBI, who send you undercover in MI6, who send you undercover in the CIA, who are very confused that you are back after only two weeks.

Thriller and Suspense

A terrorist group has been infiltrated by so many agencies that it is now run by spies, unbeknownst to the spies themselves. This fact becomes apparent to an actual extremist who joins their ranks.

Thriller and Suspense

Ever since childhood, a dark figure no one else can see has been following you around, whispering in your ear. Today you see it lying a few feet away, screaming and asking you to run.

Thriller and Suspense

You've lived an average life up until today, your 20th birthday. You just found out your dad is the runaway son of a doting criminal warlord, and your mom is the daughter of an equally doting secret agent. Both family businesses are looking to make you the next heir.

Thriller and Suspense

You wake up in a jail cell, crusted blood covering your hands. You have no idea how you got there. The cell door clangs open, and an officer walks you to an interrogation room where two detectives wait to question you.

Thriller and Suspense

You find a hand-written note on your windshield that says Drive west for 100 miles.

Thriller and Suspense

The morning after a blizzard you make your way outside and slowly start to realize everyone has disappeared.

Thriller and Suspense

She has been walking for hours. Her feet are starting to bleed. But she can’t stop moving… she can’t let him find her again.

Thriller and Suspense

As you're browsing through a rack of sweaters, someone approaches you and says, I need you to listen to me very carefully.

Thriller and Suspense

Guard this with your life.

Thriller and Suspense

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RBE | Illustrated Short Stories | 2024-06

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