104 Of The Best Short Story Ideas And Prompts To Grab Your Readers

best short story ideas

So, you want to write a short story — and not just a mildly entertaining short story but one your readers can’t put down until they’ve finished it.

You want a story that gets reactions like “Wow!” and “How did you do that?” and “Do you have more like this?”

What writer doesn’t want that kind of reaction, right?

And since short stories are short, you have less time to wait for your readers’ reactions — but you also have less time to grab their attention.

That’s why a great topic is worth its weight in gold when it comes to writing these little gems.

Even with the challenges inherent to short story writing, you’ll most likely finish a short story in far less time than you would a novel.

So, you’ll get to explore more story topics in less time than if you were writing longer works.

But how do you generate short story ideas that are worth the time you’ll invest in crafting a short story your readers will love?

If you’ve been writing for long enough, you already know good story ideas are everywhere, and you might even have some in mind as you read this.

But which of those ideas should be on your shortlist for story writing projects?

And if you don’t have any great ideas at the moment, where do you get some?

Read More

55 Of The Best Young Adult Creative Writing Prompts

young adults standing together ya writing prompts

You’re looking for some creative story ideas for teenagers, maybe because you want to write YA fiction, or maybe because you know someone else who does.

Welcome to our inspired collection of 55 writing prompts for young adults. 

You’ll find a variety of characters and scenarios to play with. Choose from different themed groups to find your next story idea more quickly. 

Start with one that feels personal to you. Then make it familiar to your reader. 

Read More

How To Write Blackout Poetry To Restore Your Creative Energy

What on earth is blackout poetry?

And how can it stoke the creative fire within you?

And what if you’re not really “the poetic type”?

Good news! Even if you’ve never met a poetry assignment that didn’t fill you with dread, you’re about to learn something that will change the way you think of poetry.

This is something you can do to de-stress and restore your energy, even while you’re tricking yourself into doing something creative.

And all you need are someone else’s words and something to write with.

Read More

Can You Start A Sentence with And or Other Conjunctions?

You’re starting a sentence with and, and your detail-oriented friend suddenly erupts with “Pssh! You can’t start a sentence with a conjunction!” 

Strange. You weren’t aware starting sentences with conjunctions was verboten.

Even your English teacher did it. So, it must be okay, you argue. 

“Nope. It’s not correct,” your friend insists. Except your friend is WRONG! 

Okay, that was a sweeping generalization (much like what your friend said).

But there are plenty of situations where it’s completely fine to start a sentence with and. 

You’ve heard the expression, “Pause for effect”?

Read on to see how that applies.

Read More

First Line Generator: 101 Sentences To Get You Started Writing

woman writing first line generator

Sometimes, the muse speaks through creative writing prompts.

And sometimes all you need is a single sentence to get you started on your next epic story.

Among the one sentence prompts you’ll find below, you’re sure to find at least one first line generator for a story you’ll love writing.

So, whether you’ve got a first name already picked out for your next main character or you’re starting with nothing but the will to write, enjoy the prompts below.

Read More

11 Creative Writing Exercises To Awaken Your Inner Author

creative writing exercises

I believe there’s a writer inside of all of us.

Even if you don’t think you write well, you do have something to say.

You have a story to tell, knowledge to impart, and experiences to share.

You’ve lived a full life that’s packed with observations and adventures, and you shouldn’t exit this Earth without chronicling them in some way.

Whether you write fiction or non-fiction, your life is the laboratory for creating a great book or story.

If you can talk, you can write — even if you need to brush up on grammar and spelling. You’ll naturally become a better writer the more you write.

You’ll learn how to organize ideas, make smooth transitions, and expand your vocabulary.

Reading also improves your writing, so if you have the tiniest desire to write well, read a wide variety of books in different genres.

You can accelerate your writing competence with some simple writing exercises.

Read More