24 Writing Prompts About Facing Your Fears
Fear – that feeling that can make your heart race and leave you a little shaky.
It’s been a part of us forever, and honestly, it’s kind of a great inspiration for writers. Fear makes for fascinating stories, whether we’re reading them or trying to write our own!
If you’re a writer looking for new ideas or just want to challenge yourself, these fear-based writing prompts are for you.
We will cover everything from facing your own worst nightmares to writing super creepy mysteries – it’s the perfect way to get your creative juices flowing.
So get ready to dive into the world of fear and see what kind of amazing stories you can come up with!
Writing Prompts About Fear
An Unexpected Courage: Imagine a time when you had to confront a deep-seated fear you have always carried around. Perhaps it’s acrophobia, the fear of heights, or maybe arachnophobia, an extreme or irrational fear of spiders. Write about the experience in vivid detail, focusing on the events leading up to the face-off, the moment itself, and the aftermath. What does this say about the power of human resilience?
Fear as a Guide: Imagine a scenario where you’re facing a monumental decision in your life, one that is particularly hard to make because it requires you to confront a fear you’ve avoided. It could be a career shift, a cross-country move, or ending a long-standing relationship. Discuss the process, how your fear played into your decision-making, and how confronting your fear altered your perspective.
A Childhood Monster: Every child has a monster under their bed or in the closet. Think about the fear you had as a child and write about finally confronting this fear. Did you stay up one night to catch this monster, or did a comforting adult help you see it wasn’t real? How did this shape your views on fear and courage as you grew up?
Teaching Through Fear: Consider an experience where you had to teach someone else to face their fear. This can be a child learning to swim despite their fear of water, or helping a friend overcome their fear of public speaking. Describe how you navigated through this situation and how it changed both you and the person you were helping.
A Fearful Journey: Write a story set during a journey that tests your fears. It can be as straightforward as a turbulent plane ride when you’re afraid of flying, or it can be more metaphorical, such as navigating a new city alone. How does this journey force you to face these fears? What do you learn about yourself along the way?
Fear in Love: Fear can often inhibit us in our personal relationships. Consider a time when you needed to face a fear to deepen a relationship – it could be fear of rejection, fear of vulnerability, or fear of commitment. Discuss the process of confronting this fear and the results of doing so. Did it strengthen the relationship? How did it change you?
Artistic Fear: Think about the fear related to creativity. It could be the fear of sharing your art, fear of rejection, or fear that you aren’t good enough. Write about a moment when you decided to face this fear head-on. What did you create? How did the reception (or lack thereof) affect you? How did it feel to overcome this fear?
Fear of Failure: Imagine being offered an opportunity that you’ve always dreamed of, but it comes with a high risk of failure. The fear of failing is standing between you and your dream. Write about the process of making a decision, the steps you took to overcome your fear, and the outcome. Whether you failed or succeeded, what did you learn from this experience?
Metamorphosis of Fear: Picture a scenario where a fear you had as a child has evolved into a different form in your adult life. How did you identify this transformation, and how does it affect you now? Maybe it’s the childhood fear of the dark turning into a fear of uncertainty. Write about your process of confronting this metamorphosed fear.
A Fearful Success: Imagine achieving something you’ve always wanted, but the success comes with a new fear – the fear of losing it all. This could be related to a new job, a relationship, or a lifestyle. Describe the steps you took to understand and overcome this fear. How has this changed your perspective on success?
Fear in Leadership: As a leader, you may sometimes need to face your fears to inspire others. Maybe it’s the fear of being judged, making wrong decisions, or not living up to expectations. Write about an incident where you had to demonstrate courage and confront your fears as a leader. What impact did this have on your team and your leadership style?
Fear of Change: Life often throws us into situations where change is inevitable. It could be moving to a new city, transitioning into a different career, or adjusting to a new lifestyle after a significant event. Write about an experience when you had to face your fear of change. How did you cope with it, and what lessons did it leave you with?
Facing Fear through Empathy: Consider a situation where you had to empathize with a person who fears something you do not. Perhaps it’s a friend with a fear of dogs or a family member with a fear of flying. Write about how empathizing with their fear gave you insight into your own fears and how to confront them.
Fear of Aging: The fear of getting older and facing mortality is a common fear among people. Write about an incident or phase in your life when you had to confront this fear. What was the triggering event? How did you come to terms with it? How has it changed your perspective on life and aging?
Fear and Self-Discovery: Explore a scenario where your fear led you to discover a significant truth about yourself. Perhaps you learned about your inner strength or discovered a new passion. Write about this journey of self-discovery and how your fear played a crucial role in it.
Fear of Disappointment: The fear of letting others down can be an enormous burden. Imagine a situation where you had to face this fear – perhaps a project at work, an event you were organizing, or a promise you had made. Discuss how you tackled this fear and what the experience taught you about yourself and others’ expectations.
Facing Fear through Kindness: Think about a time when you extended kindness towards someone who you feared or who represented something you were afraid of. It could be a new neighbor from a different culture, a co-worker with differing views, or a stranger with a challenging past. Write about how this act of kindness helped you overcome your fear and what it taught you about fear and prejudice.
Fear in the Wilderness: Imagine being stranded in a wilderness setting, which triggers your fear of the unknown, fear of wildlife, or fear of being alone. Write about your survival journey and how you faced these fears. How did your surroundings help or hinder your process of overcoming fear?
Fear of the Spotlight: Whether it’s presenting in a conference, performing on a stage, or being interviewed on live television, being in the spotlight can induce fear. Write about an occasion when you had to confront this fear. How did you prepare for it, and what was the experience like? How did it change your perception of public exposure?
Unexpected Hero: Consider a situation where you had to act heroically in an emergency, even though you were scared. It could be a car accident, a fire, or any life-threatening event. Describe the event, your feelings, and how you overcame your fear to take action. What changed in your life and your understanding of fear after this experience?
The Fear of Losing: Many people are afraid of losing – whether it’s in sports, games, business, or relationships. Consider a time when you were up against tough competition and the fear of losing was overwhelming. Write about how you confronted this fear, the outcome, and the aftermath.
Fear of the Future: With the rapid changes in technology and society, the future can seem daunting. Write about a time when you had to face this fear. Maybe you had to learn a new skill, adapt to a change, or make a decision about the future. How did you tackle this fear, and what impact did it have on your view of the future?
Fear of Illness: The fear of illness, whether it’s a fear of a specific disease or general health anxiety, can be life-altering. Write about a time when you had to confront this fear. It could be a personal health scare, a close family member’s illness, or overcoming hypochondria. How did you cope, and what has this taught you about health, life, and fear?
Fear of Saying No: The fear of saying no can stem from a variety of reasons, such as the fear of conflict, rejection, or missing out. Imagine a scenario where you had to say no despite these fears. How did you prepare yourself, what was the response, and how did this experience change your perspective on setting boundaries? Narrate an experience of overcoming the fear of saying ‘no’.
