Inspiration, Prompts and Stories

A source of inspiration for writers and artists.

[plotsandpromptsforall]

I’ve decided to start fresh and moved too @funpromptsforall sorry about the low activity lately hopefully I will be able to be more active on my new account, from now onwards

[plotsandpromptsforall]

I've decided to start fresh and moved too @funpromptsforall sorry about the low activity lately hopefully I will be able to be more active on my new account, from now onwards

[allthingsprompting]

Get rid of your dialogue tags, not just “said”.

I see everywhere, “don’t use ‘said’ use _____!”, “100 words to use instead of ‘said’!”, etc. This needs to stop. First of all, do you know why “said” is used so often? Because it’s easy to ignore, when you’re reading at 300 words per minute, skipping over “said” is a lot easier than “inquired” or “demanded” or any other annoying verb.

I’m not saying you should use “said”, I’m saying you shouldn’t use any of it.

One argument against “said” is that it doesn’t give details about the speakers state of mind. 

“Good morning.” A said.

“Good morning.” B said.

“Good morning.” C said.

But tell me, do you honestly think this is better?

“Good morning.” A yelled.

“Good morning.” B shuddered.

“Good morning” C muttered. 

All of these can be misunderstood, is A angry? Is A deaf? Is B cold? Is B afraid of A?

Don’t get me started on adverbs. No. Is this better?

“Good morning.” A yelled angrily.

“Good morning.” B shuddered fearfully.

“Good morning.” C muttered distractedly.

It all sounds abhorrent! All three of the above examples don’t follow the Show, Don’t Tell. Don’t tell your readers characters emotions, show them through actions and imagery. 

A had a nasty scowl on his face, his eyes glazed over with fury. “Good morning.” His roar echoed through the room, shaking with wrath.

B flinched. His eyes were wide, like a deer caught in headlights. He meekly opened his mouth, “Good morning” his voice had a nervous tremor and his eyes were glued to the floor. 

C was flipping through his phone, not aware of the tension in the room. “Good morning.” His eyes never wavered from the screen, displaying much more interesting things. 

Of course there are exceptions. There are always exceptions, but next time you find yourself using said, don’t replace it with a longer, fancier word. Describe the character, how do they look when they’re saying it? How do they sound? What are they doing? Are they saying or doing anything plot relevant? No? Make them. There’s nothing I hate more than small talk in literature, if they’re not talking about something important, make them do something important. 

[storysparksblog]

A Trip To The Museum

Today, I saw so much pain and vulnerability. Pride and triumph. I saw the human condition trapped in glossy sheets of paper and golden frames. Bleeding through broken paint on a white dress. Souls trapped in the wings of a Phoenix. I saw vibrant expression and pale indifference. The swirling intricacies of the human mind battling against the harsh strokes of those lost. Today, I saw history through the eyes of the world and it was beautiful.

~ from the mind of my alter-ego Sophia Sparks

[writing-prompt-s]

You are cursed with the ability to feel others emotional and physical pain when you two touch. You accidentally touch the new girl in school and black out.

[plotsandpromptsforall]

1. “I do everything around here so that you can fulfill your dream of being a ______________”

2.Either you go to rehab or move out,it’s up to you”

3You woke up the kids late last night, telling them that you had found a ‘portal’ to Narnia under the kitchen sink” 4.Did you just get in?” “ No, I was hiding under the kitchen sink for the past several hours” 5.A person starts a self help group or movement w good intentions but it starts turning cultish. 6. “Use tequila and red underwear like everyone else”

[plotsandpromptsforall]

Romance Writing Prompts 1. A man is transported, via a portal, to a fantasy type world, where most of the human societies\tribes are matriarchal. His eventual love interest is from one of these societies. 2. A divorced woman, who only gets to visit her kids twice a week because of____________, makes a deal to do a marriage of convenience with a well off guy, who wants the marriage of convenience because he needs______________. He promises to help her, financially and otherwise get increased custody of her kids. Feelings ensue. 3. A peace corps volunteer goes abroad to her assignment and falls in love with a local. She brings him back to the US and marries him. However, it is not smooth sailing all the way. 4. A skeptic, who does not believe in psychics, falls in love with a psychic, who is the real thing. 5. the same premise as # 4 but the psychic and the skeptic host a radio show, podcast, or TV show together. note- feel free to change the genders on these prompts if you decide to use them.

[plotsandpromptsforall]

1. Two rival youtubers or podcasters, with a well known rivalry, meet and eventually fall for each other. 2. a person,who does ______youtube videos or podcasts suddenly becomes famous. How will they deal with fame and fortune? 3. “ Why are you humoring _________ on ___________?” “ It makes _________ happy” “ But ____________________” 4. A struggling and aspiring stand up comedian gets the ability to see the spirit of a famous dead stand up comedian, who offers to help the former w/ their routine. Will they take the offer? 5. After being in a coma, a person becomes an empath. Soon after coming home, the person senses that one of the neighbor’s kids is a budding psychopath or sociopath. Then, pets in the neighborhood or building start disappearing. 6.” Most people have to deal with family members or friends joining a cult, but I have to deal with my _____________ being the leader of one” 7. “ You spend more time making those youtube videos, than you do with the kids”

[simplewritingtips]

More Dialogue Prompts

“You expect me to walk home with you dressed like that.”

“Pickles make anything better. Anything.”

“Please don’t tell me you got arrested again.”

“Sometimes you need to make your sarcasm a little more clear.”

“I wouldn’t do that even if you paid me a million dollars.”

“I must have been an awful person in my past life.”

“You look hot in plaid.”

“Don’t move. I think this room is bugged.”

“It’s positive.”

“I don’t hate you. It’s just that if you were on fire I wouldn’t piss on you to save your life, is all.”

“Oh, God. That’s your “I did something bad” face.“

“This. Never. Happened.”

“Can you please be happy for me for five minutes?”

“Innocent until proven guilty.”

“You’re going to regret this.”

“Frankly, my dear, I do give a damn.”

“Prison was made for people like you.”

“I am the stupidest person alive.”

“You know we can’t do this. I’m your boss, for crying out loud.”

“She has your cheekbones.”

“That wasn’t my fault. That’s on you.”

“Time travel isn’t as it’s portrayed in the movies.”

“Surprise! I’m dumping you!”

“Walk out this door and we’re through.”

“We’re not alone.”

“Swear to me that this meant nothing to you.”

“His last words were a blessing and a curse. Literally.”

“You carry that damn blanket everywhere.”

“For the hundredth time, I am not your babysitter.”

“Old age seems to get the better of us.”

“I wish I could forget I ever met you.”

[writing-challenges-and-prompts]

Writing Prompt: Three Things

a screwdriver, a box of tissues, a jar of peanut butter

[storysparksblog]

Hide and Seek (October 25th)

One, two…

The countdown begins.

Three, four…

Have you hidden all of your sins?

Five, six…

The dark can’t protect you

Seven, eight…

From everything you thought no one knew.

Nine, ten…

Your heart beats so loud

Eleven, twelve…

It could be heard in the largest crowd.

Thirteen, fourteen…

Have you found your place?

Fifteen, sixteen…

Where you can keep everything, even your face

Seventeen, eighteen…

Hidden, leaving not even a crumb

Nineteen, twenty…

Because ready or not, here I come.

~ from the mind of my alter-ego Sophia Sparks

(Day Twenty-Five of Spooky Story Month)

[lazy-writing-prompts]

Lazy Writing Prompt #351

“Why don’t you trust me?”

“You’re a survivor.”

“Yeah, so are you.”

“And I know what must be done to stay alive. To survive.”

[plotsandpromptsforall]

<b>Picture Prompt 38</b>

[falling-rivers]

This reminds me of Nicola when she was younger and now I think I need a flash fiction about Jonas and her and how much Jonas truly cared for her when she was young.

[falling-rivers]

Nicola twirled around the room, the white frill of the lace in the new dress swishing around her knees.

“Where’d you find it?” she asked, her innocent green eyes peering up at Jonas.

“Uh, in an old cupboard,” Jonas lied. He’d formed a nasty habit over the last several months of raiding the dressers of his victims after he’d fed—every night. The white dress had been tucked away neatly in the back of the dresser he’d searched the night before, but Jonas hadn’t found any evidence of children aside from the dress within the house, so he was certain it wouldn’t be missed.

“It’s pretty,” Cola murmured, glancing down at it again. Her hands bunched up the fabric around the skirts a little, and she wiggled her toes.

“Yes, it is,” Jonas agreed. She almost looked like an angel in the dress.

Nicola glanced back up at Jonas again. “Was it for another little girl you knew?” she asked.

Jonas bit back a swear at how smart the girl was. “No,” he lied. “The family that lived here before us must have left it behind.”

Nicola was so innocent, so naïve, that she believed his every word, grinning. “I’m going to go see if I can find the puppy from yesterday,” she told him.

Jonas opened his mouth to tell her not to, but stopped. She would only be a child for so long, and he didn’t want to steal away any more of those precious childhood moments of hers than he had to.

He pulled a chair out from the wooden table and sat. His throat felt dry, and he could feel his fangs poking against the inside of his lip.

He hadn’t exposed her to his other, darker side. The childlike glee in her eyes, in her smile, in her words … it would kill the innocence she clung to so desperately if she found out.

He’d already tried to keep the brown-eyed gaze of hunger from her, knowing it would only frighten her to find that her new friend and guardian was not all that he appeared to be.

[itsaconquestofimagination]

Halloween Prompts

Because as a spooky bitch, I love spooky things. 

I told you guys I’d do something fun for October though! Since I slacked so incredibly on those drabbles, I thought I’d make it up to you guys and post this list! So feel free to request these (multiple numbers will be accepted) with a Star Wars character (or the Solo triplets) and I will gladly fill your request!

Trick-or-Treat and Costume Themed:

1.  “We should do a couples costume.”

2. “Who ate all my candy?!!”

3. “You’re too old to go trick-or-treating.”

4. “What God-awful demon possessed you to wear that?”

5. “I know the neighborhood by heart, which also means I know exactly which houses give out the King Size bars.”

6. “That costume really is convincing. You might terrify a few too many children.”

7. “I hate costumes, just get me a shirt.”

8. “I will dress up as literally anything else, but don’t make me wear this..”

9. “Look, I dressed up as you.”

10. “Oh we’re going all the way around. I want this sack to be filled to the brim with sugar.”

11. “Well, they were out of mens costumes so…”

12. “And…what are you supposed to be?”

13. “I thought you agreed I should wear this costume to the party tonight?” “Oh I agreed to you wearing it tonight, but I had no party in mind”

14. “Shit we’re out of candy, and those kids are on their way.”

15. “Come on, just let me scare a few trick-or-treaters.” “You’re going to horrify them!” “It’ll build character.”

Paranormal:

16. ”If you say let’s split up, I swear to God.”

17. “Did you hear that?”

18.  “I swear I saw that move!“

19.  “Hey, this isn’t funny.”

20. “We shouldn’t be in here.”

21. “Oh my gaud, I think the crystal ball is working. The spirits are telling me you’re a dumbass.”

22. “Anybody else notice the small child staring at us?”

23. “The house is not haunted.”

24. “Why are you so determined to see this ghost anyway?”

25. “Why the hell did you bring a ouija board? You know how I feel about that shit.”

26. “I dare you to go down there.”

27. “Mmm, I appreciated that little murmuring you did in my ear.” “….That wasn’t me.”

28. “Is it just me or did it just get really cold in here?”

29. “That wasn’t there before.”

Monsters:

 30. “H-holy shit, why-why is there no reflection?”

 31. “The moon looks beautiful tonight.”

 32. “What are you?!”

 33. “No, don’t come any closer!!“

 34. “Take off that mask….that is a mask right?”

 35. “I thought I saw…nevermind.”

 36. “I am centuries old. You need to do more than that to get rid of me.”

37. “Just one bite.”

38. “HOLY MOTHERF- IT BIT ME!”

39. “Lock the doors!”

40. “What’s that in the water?”

41. “We aren’t all that bad.”

42. “No! I can’t shoot you!”

43. “Do you know what I am?”

44. “You look good enough to eat.”

45. “You humans are always so gullible.”

46. “Nobody’s ever gotten past that cove.” “Why?” “Have you not heard the tale?”

47. “I thought I was the only one.”

48. “Would you like to join me?”

49. “…Sarcophagus’ aren’t supposed to open…right?”

50. “What the hell is it doing?”

51. “Get away from me!!”

52. “I suppose my secret’s out.”

53. “Don’t go out there. Especially once the sun goes down.” “Why not?” “You don’t wanna know.”

54. “Come closer.”

55. ”I just want to be normal again.”

Other:

56. “Trust no one tonight.”

57. “What are you doing out here?”

58. “Making out in a graveyard?”

59. “Did you seriously injure yourself carving a pumpkin?”

60. “There are some things about Halloween you don’t understand.”

61. “He’s gonna get you! He’s gonna get you!!”

62. “Humans are idiots.”

63. “I’m the tall dark stranger your parents warned you about.”

64. “How did you do that?”

65. “Why don’t you just take your broomstick and shove it?”

66. “You did this!!”

67. “This is disgusting.”

68. “There will be a lot of screaming tonight.”

69. “Can’t you like wiggle your nose or something and everything works out?”

70. “I hate Halloween.”

71. “I’m scared.”

72. “If you can’t wake up from the nightmare, maybe you’re not asleep.”

73. “Do you think keeping your eyes shut will keep you safe?”

74. “You don’t feel it yet…but you will. Soon.”

75. “What did you do to me?!”

76. “Somebody’s watching us.”

77. “The legend said it only goes after virgins…so sucks for you I guess.”

78. “Y-your eyes, what’s happening to your eyes?”

79. “Feed me.”

80. “I just found out my best friend and love of my life isn’t human and you’re criticizing me for being shocked?!”

[corvidprompts]

“Oh dear, Thats- a lot of blood.”

“It’s cool, most of it is mine.”

“Somehow I don’t feel reassured.”

[storysparksblog]

The Mist Rolls In (October 22nd)

The mist rolls in and everything becomes tainted by the cold, deadly hand of night.

They wait for me. I can hear them. I can feel their ugly eyes upon me. But I can’t see them.

I plunge on through these desolate woods, my heart hammering so violently, it’s hard to breathe. Every corner I round has me gasping, a painful burn building and scratching the inside of my throat. The trees are endless. The woods are a maze that will become my tomb.

They move closer. So close but I keep going.

Rain pours from the heavens, clouding my vision and sinking my feet deep into the damaged earth. Pulling me closer and closer to Hell.

“We know what you did, Sarah,” I hear their merciless whispers. “Did you think we were just going to let you get away?”

Something tears in my chest, burning my very core. They awaken the creature within me I have denied so vehemently I lulled myself into a false sense of security. But it’s too late now. They’ve found me.

I fall to the ground and cower. A fear greater than Them choking me. I wrap my arms tightly around myself and clutch tightly as if I can keep it inside.

I lose myself.

~ from the mind of my alter-ego Sophia Sparks

(Day Twenty-Two of Spooky Story Month)

[nadiahilker]

halloween prompts

mortal enemies accidentally showing up in matching costumes every fucking year

we team up for the couples contest every year as friends but this year you’re with someone else and i’m definitely Not Jealous and definitely Not Realising Feelings

i love halloween and you hate it so a) how will we raise the children and b) don’t think for a second you’re getting out of the skit i have planned for the trick or treaters

we hate each other but we were invited to a mutual friend’s party and were warned to be civil so you complimented my costume and fuck you, i haven’t changed yet

strangers who hooked up at a party while in costume but tbh i might be in love with you so i’m gonna walk this earth looking for the right woodland nymph 

or, we’re in costume and i know exactly who you are but pretend i don’t so i have an excuse to make out with you just once 

you’re a cop here to break up the party but i thought it was a costume and may have made some inappropriate suggestions regarding your handcuffs

i’m sick on halloween but told you to go have fun at the party anyway but instead you surprised me with a blanket fort, tons of candy and all my favourite scary movies 

i’m the only one who gets your costume and apparently that makes you wanna rip my clothes off

we’re secret friends with benefits and you accidentally wore my shirt to to the party so you’re pretending you came as me and it turns out your impression of me is on point and you know me better than you know myself are you sure you’re not in love with me??