50 Best Narrative Writing Prompts
Hey there, fellow story lovers and writers of all kinds!
Feeling stuck in a writing rut?
Well, buckle up because we’re about to blast you out of it with some of the coolest story prompts ever!
We’re talking mind-blowing worlds, imagination explosions, and tales that will leave you saying “whoa!”
This isn’t your average snooze-fest writing prompt list.
We’re here to turn that blank page into your personal writing playground, and your words into the magic paint that crafts unforgettable stories.
So, get ready to unleash your inner writer and let’s have some fun!
50 Best Narrative Writing Prompts
Imagine you’re a mountaineer stranded in a cabin during a ferocious blizzard. Your radio equipment is broken, and the only company you have is a wounded, wild animal that sought refuge in your cabin. Discuss your character’s internal struggle between loneliness, the survival instinct, and the developing bond with an unexpected companion.
Write a story that captures this journey of survival, fear, and friendship.
Your character discovers an old, unread letter while cleaning the attic. It’s from their childhood best friend, who disappeared under mysterious circumstances decades ago. The letter holds startling revelations about their past and the truth about their friend’s disappearance.
Write a narrative that unravels this decades-long mystery and how it impacts your character’s present life.
Your character moves into a new neighborhood and soon becomes intrigued by their eccentric, reclusive next-door neighbor. Rumors abound that the neighbor is a genius inventor who hasn’t left his house in years. One day, the neighbor unexpectedly reaches out for help.
Write a story about the ensuing relationship and the secrets unveiled in the process.
Upon the passing of a beloved grandmother, your character inherits an antique locket. Inside the locket, they find a cryptic clue that leads to a family secret buried for generations.
Write a story tracing your character’s journey as they unravel the hidden secret behind this treasured heirloom.
Your character is an ordinary person with a secret identity – they’re the unseen hero who performs acts of kindness around town, anonymously. One day, a curious teenager is on the brink of discovering their secret.
Write a story detailing how your character navigates this predicament and impacts the town.
While at a coffee shop, your character accidentally picks up someone else’s drink. Surprisingly, the other person has the same uncommon name as them. This unusual coincidence leads to an extraordinary connection and a shared destiny.
Write a narrative exploring this chance encounter and the relationship that develops.
Your character returns to their abandoned childhood home, leading to a flood of forgotten memories. As they explore the house, they begin to recall an old mystery from their past that was never solved.
Write a story that delves into this resurfacing past and how your character deals with it.
Due to an unexpected turn of events, your character, a librarian, becomes the mayor of their small, eccentric town. They have to navigate politics, quirky townsfolk, and a town secret only the mayor is privy to.
Write a narrative that recounts their comedic and heartfelt journey in an office they were never prepared for.
Every day for a week, your character finds a beautifully wrapped gift on their doorstep with no return address. Each gift seems to be eerily relevant to the challenges they’re currently facing.
Write a story unraveling the mystery of the unknown benefactor and how these gifts change your character’s life.
Your character finds an old diary describing a voyage on a ship that vanished and was never found. The diary belongs to an ancestor, and the final entries suggest a spectacular discovery.
Write a narrative that follows your character’s quest to trace the ship’s journey and unearth the long-lost discovery.
While packing to move, your character discovers a sealed envelope containing a love letter they wrote in high school but never delivered. The letter was intended for their now best friend.
Write a story detailing their dilemma about whether to reveal this long-kept secret and the consequences that follow.
Your character, who is a twin, starts noticing uncanny parallels in their life events, even though they live in different countries. These synchronicities spark an exploration of their unique bond.
Write a narrative delving into the interconnected lives of these twins and how they navigate these strange coincidences.
Your character, a librarian, starts noticing strange occurrences in the library after dark – books rearranging themselves, whispers in the aisles, pages rustling. The local lore suggests it might be the ghost of the library’s founder.
Write a story about your character’s quest to communicate with this spectral presence and what they discover in the process.
At their 20-year high school reunion, your character bumps into their first love, whom they haven’t seen since graduation. Old feelings resurface, stirring a whirlwind of emotions.
Write a narrative about the complexities of rekindled romance and the choices your character has to make.
Your character, a thrifty flea market enthusiast, buys an old suitcase that contains a wealth of rare coins. As they start to explore this unexpected fortune, they learn the coins may be tied to a notorious unsolved crime.
Write a story about their moral quandary and the repercussions of their discovery.
After decades of correspondence, your character decides to meet their pen pal who lives halfway across the world. The meeting reveals unexpected truths about their friend’s life that they never shared in their letters.
Write a narrative about this journey of discovery, the power of friendship, and the reality behind perceived lives.
While rummaging through their attic, your character finds a forgotten masterpiece signed by a famous but reclusive artist. As they investigate its origin, they uncover a connection between the artist and their own family.
Write a story that reveals the hidden threads connecting the artist, the masterpiece, and your character’s family.
Your character moves to a coastal town with an abandoned lighthouse. There are eerie stories about its former keeper who vanished without a trace. Driven by curiosity, your character decides to uncover the truth.
Write a narrative about the secrets unearthed and how it changes your character’s perspective on their new home.
Your character inherits their grandparent’s recipe book, filled with notes and annotations. Each recipe triggers vivid memories and secrets about their grandparent’s past, including a mysterious life they led before becoming part of the family.
Write a story that unfolds through each recipe, revealing the grandparent’s secret past and its impact on the present.
Every year, your character’s neighborhood has a tradition of burying a time capsule, filled with objects that represent current events and personal moments. During this year’s event, they discover a capsule from 30 years ago, containing a disturbing prophecy that appears to be coming true.
Write a story that follows your character as they try to prevent the foretold events from happening.
Your character starts seeing their childhood imaginary friend again, despite being an adult. This friend seems to hold the keys to resolving unresolved issues from their past.
Write a narrative about their journey to confront these buried emotions and how it helps them in their current life.
Your character, an antique store owner, discovers a hidden room filled with items from a single, unknown person’s life. Intrigued, they decide to investigate this person’s identity and the reason behind their forgotten belongings.
Write a story about the mystery unraveled, the insights gained about this stranger’s life, and how it impacts your character.
Your character buys a second-hand book and finds a cryptic message written in the margins. The message hints at a secret location and a treasure hidden there.
Write a narrative about the adventure your character embarks on to decipher the clues and find the hidden treasure.
An old typewriter is gifted to your character by a stranger. When your character starts typing, the typewriter starts producing sentences on its own, seemingly narrating future events.
Write a story about the character’s struggle to understand the source of these predictions and how it affects their life decisions.
A mysterious family heirloom, a globe, has been passed down through generations. Your character discovers that the globe is more than just a decorative piece—it’s a puzzle that, once solved, reveals a secret compartment containing a map and a riddle.
Write a narrative detailing your character’s quest to decode the riddle and uncover the family secret.
Your character buys a journal from a thrift store, which turns out to be a former psychologist’s notes on an intriguing patient. As they dive deeper into the journal, they begin to question their own perceptions of reality.
Write a story about their struggle to separate fact from fiction and the life-altering decisions they make as a result.
Your character, a linguist, discovers that their late grandparent was the last known speaker of a now-forgotten language. They embark on a mission to learn and revive the language, uncovering family history and ancestral stories along the way.
Write a narrative about their journey of cultural rediscovery and how it influences their identity.
Your character unexpectedly inherits a large, secluded estate from a person they have no recollection of. As they explore the property, they encounter strange occurrences that suggest the house might be haunted by the previous owner.
Write a story about their encounters with the supernatural and the hidden history of their mysterious benefactor.
A construction project in your character’s backyard leads to the discovery of an entrance to a vast, underground society. This hidden civilization has its own rules, customs, and people.
Write a narrative about your character’s navigation through this new world and their attempts to bridge the gap between the two societies.
Your character receives a seemingly ordinary music box as a gift. However, this music box has not played a tune for decades. One silent night, it starts playing an enchanting melody that only your character can hear.
Write a story about how this melody guides your character towards significant moments in their life and the resulting transformation they undergo.
Your character moves into a new house and discovers a hidden, overgrown greenhouse in the backyard. When they start taking care of it, they find that the plants growing there have unusual properties.
Write a story about your character’s exploration of these magical plants and the effect they have on their life and the world around them.
During a beach vacation, your character discovers a vintage locket washed ashore. Inside it, there’s a photo of a person who looks eerily similar to them. This discovery triggers a quest to find out the connection.
Write a narrative about the unraveled mystery, your character’s exploration of their lineage, and the impact it has on their identity.
Your character comes across a quaint little shop on their street that wasn’t there the day before. The shopkeeper offers them an item that seemingly fulfills their deepest desire. But there’s a catch.
Write a story about how your character deals with the consequences of their wishes coming true in unexpected ways.
Your character finds an old, hidden photograph of their parents with a stranger who looks strikingly similar to them. This revelation sets your character on a journey to uncover their family’s secret past.
Write a narrative about your character’s uncovering of the truth and how it affects their relationship with their family.
Your character comes into possession of a diary that predicts their life one day in advance. Initially, it seems a blessing, but they soon realize it’s more of a curse.
Write a story about the challenges of knowing the future and how your character navigates the paradox of free will and destiny.
Your character, an artist, receives an enchanted paintbrush. Everything they paint with it comes to life, but not always in the way they intend.
Write a narrative about their creative and chaotic experiences, exploring the unexpected complications and joys of their newfound power.
Your character starts an anonymous podcast to share their thoughts and feelings. Unexpectedly, the podcast becomes a hit, touching the lives of many listeners. One day, a listener who was deeply affected by the podcast moves into their town.
Write a story about how the podcast’s popularity changes your character’s life and the choices they make when their anonymity is at risk.
Your character purchases an antique mirror from a yard sale. This mirror, however, has a unique quality: it reflects scenes from different historical periods instead of the person standing before it.
Write a story about your character’s exploration of these historical periods and the lessons they learn from the past.
Your character returns to their old boarding school as a teacher, only to find a letter they had written to their future self back when they were a student. The content of the letter pushes them to confront their past.
Write a narrative detailing their journey to reconcile with their past and how it changes their approach to teaching.
Your character forms an unlikely friendship with a homeless person they meet in the park. This friendship provides a new perspective on life, social issues, and the true meaning of wealth.
Write a story about their shared experiences, the wisdom they gain, and the impact of this unusual friendship on their life.
In a future where everything is recorded and nothing is forgotten thanks to advanced technology, your character struggles with a fading memory of an important event that somehow escaped the digital record.
Write a narrative about your character’s pursuit of this elusive memory and the stark contrast between human memory and digital recall.
To escape the hectic pace of modern life, your character decides to live like the Amish for a year. No technology, no modern conveniences, just a simple life.
Write a story about the struggles, insights, and transformations they experience during this year.
Your character, now an adult, revisits a video game they used to play as a child. Surprisingly, they find themselves able to enter the digital world of the game.
Write a narrative about their adventures in the gaming world and how this virtual experience influences their real life.
In an age of augmented reality (AR), your character falls in love with an AI entity within the AR interface. This unusual love story unfolds in a world where the lines between reality and digital are blurred.
Write a story about their unique relationship, exploring the concept of love in a digital age.
Your character discovers an ancient instrument belonging to their ancestors in the attic. The instrument awakens a deep passion for music and a connection to their ancestral roots.
Write a narrative about their journey of learning to play the instrument, rediscovering an almost lost art form, and the transformation it brings about in their life.
Your character stumbles upon a time machine at a garage sale. They decide to take the risk and travel to different eras, only to realize that each trip alters something in their present life.
Write a story detailing the ethical dilemmas, the exploration of different periods, and the consequences of their time-traveling adventures.
Your character does a good deed, thinking it went unnoticed. However, it creates a domino effect of kindness in their town.
Write a narrative that follows the ripple effect of this single act of kindness and how it eventually comes back to your character in an unexpected way.
After moving to a small, rural town, your character learns about a local tradition that has been forgotten over the years. They take it upon themselves to revive the tradition, facing resistance and unexpected support along the way.
Write a story about the revival of the tradition and the impact it has on the community and your character’s life.
Your character, a hard-headed skeptic, witnesses an inexplicable miracle that challenges their belief system. This event triggers a profound change in their outlook on life.
Write a narrative about the journey of transformation, the struggles with self-doubt, and the final acceptance of the miraculous.
Your character inherits a mysterious device from a long-lost relative who was an inventor in the 19th century. The device, once they figure out how it works, changes their understanding of history and science.
Write a story about the unraveling of the device’s secrets, the revelations about their ancestor, and the character’s struggle to protect the powerful invention.
In case you want some more amazing narrative writing prompts, we have this exclusive list for you.
