Writing Prompt Generator
Get a random story idea, first line, or character to write about. Pick a genre, set a timer for a writing sprint, and keep the prompts you like.
How to use the writing prompt generator
- Pick a genre and type. Leave both on Any for a surprise, or choose fantasy, mystery, sci-fi, and more.
- Get your prompts. Generate one or several, and tap the ones you like to keep them.
- Set a writing timer (optional). Switch to "One prompt" and pick 5, 10, 15, or 30 minutes for a writing sprint.
- Write. Do not wait for the perfect idea. Start with the prompt as it is and change it as you go.
Three kinds of random prompts
Story ideas
A situation with a problem built in. Your job is to find out what happens next.
First lines
The opening sentence of a story. Copy it as your first line and keep going.
Characters
A person with a want and a complication. Put them somewhere and let them make a choice.
Writing prompts by genre
One story prompt from each of the 11 genres. The generator has 400 in all, 113 of them written for kids.
Fantasy
The bridge troll had collected tolls for four hundred years, and this was the first time anyone had paid him in a currency he didn't recognize.
Sci-fi
The lottery for the last seats on the evacuation ship is drawn on a Tuesday, and the winner gives her ticket to a stranger on the train home.
Mystery
A retired crossword editor notices that someone in her apartment building is leaving coded messages in the shared laundry room's lint trap.
Horror
Snow falls on a mountain town and never melts, and the footprints that appear in it each morning lead from the forest to the schoolhouse door.
Romance
Ezra rewrites the endings of romance novels to make them sadder for a literary publisher, and he has started secretly writing happy ones at night.
Adventure
Our boat had exactly enough fuel to reach the island or to turn back, and the captain left the choice to the youngest person aboard, which was me.
Historical
Mae is a 1920s switchboard operator in Chicago who overhears a call that could ruin the town's most beloved family, and must decide whether to repeat it.
Realistic
Walt, the high school custodian who quietly fixes every broken locker, is about to retire, and the students have no idea how much he has done for them.
Humor
A boy's science fair project, a talking volcano, keeps giving the other contestants unwanted advice about their projects.
Dystopian
Citizens are ranked by their daily step count, so when a man who has never once taken an elevator is discovered, he becomes a celebrity he never wanted to be.
Fairy tale
Old Mother Quill is a witch who grants wishes only to people who can make her laugh, and she hasn't laughed in ninety years.
Tips for writing from a prompt
- Set a short timer. Ten minutes of fast writing beats an hour of planning.
- Change one detail. Swap the setting, the time period, or who tells the story to make the prompt yours.
- Start in the middle. Open on the moment things go wrong, not on the character waking up.
- Track your sprints. Paste your draft into the essay word counter to see how much you wrote.
Related tools
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of prompts does it give?
Story ideas (a situation with a problem), first lines (an opening sentence to continue), and characters (a person with a want and a complication).
Which genres can I pick?
Fantasy, sci-fi, mystery, horror, romance, adventure, historical, realistic, humor, dystopian, and fairy tale.
Are there writing prompts for kids?
Yes. Turn on "Kid-friendly only" for 113 prompts written for young writers, about ages 8 to 12.
How do I do a writing sprint?
Tap "10-minute sprint". It shows one prompt and starts a 10-minute timer. Write without stopping until it ends.
Can I use the prompts for my own stories?
Yes. The prompts were written for wordcounter.ai and you are free to use them in anything you write.
How many prompts are there?
400 prompts across 11 genres.
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