Writing Prompts

[Alex Ayres]

I get writing prompts e-mailed to me every week. Just realized I could post them here in case any one is interested. Would be cool if you posted your finished product. But hey, some of us write for ourselves and that's cool, too.

[Alex Ayres]

Twist of fate

Goosebumps author R.L. Stine once said, “Every story ever told can be broken down into three parts. The beginning. The middle. And the plot twist.”

Some plot twists are so mind-bending that they've become legendary: Fight Club, The Sixth Sense, The Empire Strikes Back, to name a few.

This week, your challenge is to write a story featuring one of these five types of plot twists. (Or hey, feel free to combine more than one if you want!)

"It Was Me All Along." In which the protagonists’ worst enemy is actually themselves.

"Love The Way You Lie." In which it’s revealed that the narrator has been unreliable all along.

"I Dreamed A Dream That This Dream Was Fake." In which the entire story turns out to be all a dream.

"Invisible Good People." In which someone who seems “off” turns out to actually be good.

"Gasp Factor." In which the twist is an unexpected plot event that attempts to accomplish one objective only: make the audience gasp.

[Alex Ayres]

Halloween themed:
You have a few friends over for a Halloween party. You've just finished watching a scary movie when the power goes out and the door is slammed open. What happens next?

Time to find a Halloween costume! Write a comedy about the shopping experience.

There's a house that gives out candy. There's a lighted path leading to the front door but everyone is scared to go to the door. Why? What are the rumors?

Your crush is throwing a Halloween party. While there, you take a few too many sips of spiked apple cider. How does the party unfold?

It's Halloween but you and your friends aren't trick-or-treating. Instead, you decide to play a game of truth or dare. When it's your turn, you choose dare, but you regret it immediately.

[Alex Ayres]

1. Write a story that includes a character hearing their fate by a fortune teller.

2. In the first sentence of your story, have the narrator tell us exactly what's going to happen — but not how it will happen.

3. At some point in the story, have a character casually say something that hints at the ending.

4. Write a story where the weather, atmosphere, or setting reflects the outcome of the story. (For example, if it's a happy ending the weather might be sunny; if it's a sad ending, the story might be set in a deserted town).

5. At the start of your story, mention an object that doesn't seem important. By the end of the story, have this object play a surprisingly key role.