Here’s a list of ten new and fun writing prompts to help you come up with your next creative project, whether it be prose, poetry, or any other type of artistic expression you can think of! Be creative, get out there and experiment, and don’t be afraid to try new things!
1. Focus on a memory of a game you played as a kid. It could be chess, it could be paintball, or it could be Cowboys and Indians– anything where you really got into the game. Start by writing about the experience, and then make it real. You are the king, the soldier, or the intrepid native!
2. Think of a friend or a relative and then focus on something that always reminds you of them (their perfume, their sense of style, something they love to do) and then write a story centering around it.
3. Think of a memorable quote from a book, show or movie, remove it from its context, streamline/improve it, and then write a story around it using a completely different plot, completely different characters, and in a completely different world!
4. Pick up an object near you and look at it. Study it. Try to find some aspect of it that future generations might improve on it. Now imagine it’s your job to market this new and improved object
5. Choose a mythological tradition (Norse, Judeo-Christian, Greek, Roman, etc.) and look it up on Wikipedia, then follow links until you track down a specific god, goddess, angel or spirit that sounds particularly interesting. Write a story that includes this entity and incorporates elements of the mythology surrounding them in a way that preserves some of the ambiance and flavor that attracted you to him/her/it in the first place.
6. Pick three words that you like: a color, a place, and a name. Write a story using these three words in creative ways. (I.e. you can combine them, use them for section headings, use them as character names, etc. The possibilities are limitless!)
7. Go for a walk, and while you’re out, look for something interesting (it could be a car, a pamphlet, an unusual rock, a chicken, etc.) Think about it for a little while, follow that thought pattern and see where it takes you, then write about it.
8. Take a paper and pad somewhere where you can people watch (a park, a coffee shop, a restaurant) and write down quick notes about the people you see. Then– make up stories about them. What kind of life do they lead? What’s important to them? What do they come home to at night?
9. Think about a symbol. It can be a peace sign, a star, a flag, or anything else you’ve seen in the past. Consider what it means to you, and put those thoughts into words. Next, write a story using those words.
10. If you have a pet, (a cat, a dog, a snake, a chicken, etc.) study them. Look at their features, their eyes, and then write about them. Next, take it a step further and write a story where the main character is a person that has all (or some) of those features!
Also, if you’re looking for more inspiration, check out these fun and interesting links:
Religious imagery in fiction:
http://bardhaven.wordpress.com/2009/03/29/religious-fiction/
Pictures of Tokyo cityscape:
http://www.darkroastedblend.com/2009/03/bladerunner-tokyo-in-large-format.html
Fibers that produce power with the normal movement of blood through your body:
http://www.livescience.com/technology/090326-nano-power.html
