Creative Writing

Welcome to the Prompts Page!

This page contains several prompts that might help when writing. They include prompts for character names, setting, first words, and events. These prompts may be used to help a writer get started with a novel, start or end scenes/chapters, and more.

Visit this page and use a prompt at any time during writing. All the prompts are only suggestions. No writer is required to follow them.

Tips:

• Use "Jesse" or any other name as a placeholder. "Jesse" was literally the first name I thought of, so I used it for this prompt.
• Use the name of an object near you (ex. TV, Sink, etc.)

Build it in to the story!

• Prompt 1: Is your reaction, "I don't want to use ___ for a name"? Build that into the plot:
  • Does the character dislike their name and want to change it?
  • Is Jesse their real name, or was it given to them somehow?
  • Is the character designated something like J-3553, but they prefer Jesse?

• Prompt 2: Quick - your character needs a fake name and makes one up using objects nearby. Build this into the plot by having your story answer the questions below:
• Example: Character A is in a diner and needs a fake name. Character A looks around the diner, panics, and says, "My name is... Toaster... Sink.. Dishes? Yeah! I'm Toaster Sink-Dishes, that's totally a real name!"
  • Why does the character need a fake name?
  • The character has to remember to respond to the name! How much trouble does this cause?
  • Is this "totally a real name" a name that a character really could be named in the story? ("No way! My cousin's named Toaster, too!")
  • Or do other characters have a hard time believing that name, wonder about it, etc.?
  • Or do the other characters 100% believe that's "totally a real name", but Toaster is confused by how many people believe it?

Writing Prompts:

Prompt 1: Pick a setting. If needed, close eyes and point to a setting.

Prompt 2: Are you tired of the setting for your story? In the first rough draft you can change it and don't even need a reason!

• Ex. "And then the writer got tired of the setting and made the character go to (insert new setting here)." Remember to leave a note to yourself to fix this part in the second draft.