15 Unique Writing Prompts To Spark Your Creativity

Hey! Welcome back. With Camp NaNoWriMo just around the corner it’s a great time to give your creativity a jump start. If you haven’t come across Camp NaNoWriMo before, it’s an event run biannually (April and July) where you aim to write a novel in a month (while National Novel Writing Month is held annually every November). Camp NaNoWriMo is a virtual retreat where you gain access to writing counsellors, inspiring activities and other writers who are also taking on the challenge. Writing a novel in a month can be daunting, so if you feel this goal is out of your reach you are able to set your own word-count goal, continue working on a manuscript you have started, or kick off something new (I see you hiding over there new idea, come on out, let’s tango). With close to 800,000 novelists taking part, and almost 400,000 completed novels, the formula works. You can find out more and sign up here (this is not an affiliate link).

To help you get prepared I’ve compiled 15 unique writing prompts. Whether you already have a project in mind or you’re still searching for a fresh idea, these writing prompts will help you get your pen to paper, or fingers to keyboard. They can be applied to any genre and you don’t have to use the exact wording; take whatever element of the prompt you like and aim to write approximately 100-200 words at a minimum. Alternatively, you can set a timer for 15-20 minutes. If inspiration hits and you end up writing more words or for a longer period, awesome! If not, those 100-200 words or 15-20 minutes of writing will help you develop a healthy writing habit. Don’t forget to download your free writer’s planner to keep track of your work!

Writing Prompts

• She twirled in front of the mirror, the black pseudo wedding dress adorned with crystals shimmering in the daylight that streamed through the window. She couldn’t wait to see her ex-fiancé’s face when she walked down the aisle instead of his now deceased bride.

• The meat pie had a strange taste, the texture lumpier then an average pie. She couldn’t put her finger on what was different about the smell either. Taking another bite, she looked out the café’s window and across the road at the old graveyard.

• ‘Top of the morning to you love,’ the leprechaun sitting on top of her toilet cistern grinned. She groaned and rested her head back against the cold bathroom tiles, promising herself she’d never drink again.

• She was half way through her regular morning jog when the white poodle dashed out from the hedges of the mansion. She stopped as the dog sniffed at her feet. Bending down, she patted its head and the dog cried out in perfect English, ‘help me!’

• ‘What’s your problem? You ain’t never seen a unicorn defend itself before?’

• She stared at the apple; round, firm and a shade of pink she didn’t think existed in nature. Making sure no one was looking, she reached up to grab it but hesitated. Surely one bite wouldn’t hurt, right?

• She made her way through the crowds as the paparazzi snapped away. She could see the man approaching from the corner of her eye but it was too late. The can was flung and the red paint landed all over her.

• After she was finished rereading the letters, she slid them back inside their envelopes and placed them in her bottom drawer beside the two carat ring.

• From across the throne room she caught her brother’s eye. Sitting on the throne, he looked every inch the king his subjects believed him to be. Too bad the real king was tied up and gagged in their attic.

• They’d been arguing for almost an hour when someone knocked at her door. She put her finger to her lips before she opened it. ‘It’s a beautiful day, you shouldn’t be cooped up in your room all by yourself,’ her mother said.

• The little girl cocked her head to one side and the older woman smiled. She reached for the child’s hand, only to have the girl clamp her mouth around the woman’s wrist. The woman screamed as rows of small, sharp teeth dug deep and the little girl’s eyes turned red.

• The sun was starting to peak over the horizon when the hot air balloon shuddered. The helium was running out.

• ‘I think we should take a break,’ he told her. He knew he was breaking her heart but don’t hate the player and all that. ‘Finally,’ she replied.

• ‘I don’t know how much clearer I can be, Officer. The dog and the cat were arguing and next thing I know the cat pulls a gun out and starts firing.’

• She licked her lips, satisfied with a meal for the first time since she’d been rescued from the avalanche. What was it about human meat that tasted so much better than everything else?

Which of the above writing prompts will you be using? What genre are you planning on tackling? Let me know which you choose and what ideas they lead you to! I would love to know how you apply them.

Until next time,

Nathalie