Writing Prompts

Write a story or scene based on an alternative vampire that survives on something other than blood.

The person whom you or your character has been trying to talk to for ages finally answers the phone. Who is this person? Why were you or your character trying to track them down for so long? How does the phone conversation progress?

As your character watches the hibachi chef prepare their meal, something seems ... off. What is it?

Begin with something familiar from your own life—such as a past event, something you know how to do, a character inspired by someone you know, or a place from your life—and put it in a fictionalized scene or story.

Write a piece inspired by a potion.

A full moon looms in the air. What effect does it have on the Earth below?

Find a listing for a home for sale anywhere that piques your curiosity. Take a look at the photos. What type of story do you envision taking place inside this home?

Write about someone you see regularly but have never spoken to.

Describe a public place at the same time of day over several days.

Describe a task being done carefully, slowly, or repeatedly by someone else.

Retell a gospel story from the perspective of a background character.

Write a modern parable that begins with an ordinary task (laundry, commuting, cooking).

Describe how communication has changed in the last 20 years.

Explain pollution to a visitor from another planet.

Tell how to pack for a camping trip.

Explain how you would find a good restaurant in a place you are visiting for the first time.

Write a theological reflection on a door (or threshold).

Describe a broken object you’ve kept—and why.

Write about a piece of clothing as a form of testimony.

Describe a tool and what it demands of the one who uses it.

Write about a vessel (cup, bowl, bottle) as a metaphor for prayer.

Choose an object from nature and write as if it were a sacrament.

Some people are actively involved in promoting and supporting a cause, such as the release of international political prisoners or protecting the environment. Is there a cause you actively support? Write an essay convincing readers to support that cause.

Since the cloning of the sheep Dolly, there has been much debate over whether or not human beings should be cloned. How do you feel about this issue?

For centuries, people have wondered about the possibility of life on other planets in the universe. Do you believe extraterrestrial life exists? Write an essay persuading others to share your point of view.

If someone discovered a formula that would enable us to live forever, would that be a blessing or a curse? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

What would improve your hometown? Write an essay convincing town officials to make a change that would improve your neighborhood.

When we reflect upon our childhood, we often come back to a few key events that had a major impact on us. Tell about one of those defining events from your childhood.

Describe a time when you learned a valuable lesson from one of your parents.

Recall a time when you found yourself in a perilous situation. Tell the story of how you got into that situation and how you survived it.

Tell about a memorable experience you had when you were traveling.

Describe an experience that made you appreciate the natural world.

Tell about a time when you initiated change.

Describe a time when you realized that someone you admired was imperfect.

Describe a time when you learned something important about your family history.

Tell about a time when you first did something on your own.

Tell about a time when you left the safety of a place or situation to explore or try something new.

Describe a place where you regularly notice God—and a place where you don’t.

Describe what “peace” feels like in your body, not your mind.

Choose an object you use daily. Write about how it forms you.

Imagine your character is a child or camp counselor at a summer camp that is the setting of a horror-comedy movie. Write a letter home to family or friends from your character's perspective, telling your family about the strange happenings at camp.

Write a piece using the stream-of-consciousness technique.

Write a diary entry or a letter from your character's point of view.

Write a top 10 list in the voice of a character. Is your character a tween writing in their diary? A person making a bucket list? How about someone listing their greatest fears? What does the list they make say about the character?

Write an e-mail message to a company complaining about a defective product.

Write a poem that begins with an ordinary action (washing, walking, waiting).

Write a poem addressed to a biblical character—but set in the present tense.

Write a poem that uses only one-syllable words.

Write a poem shaped like a confession—but without naming sin.

Write a poem where silence is the central image.

Write a poem that uses light only once—and make it matter.

Write a hymn verse that begins with lament, not praise.

Write a hymn stanza meant for communion.

Write a call-and-response litany between fear and trust.

Rewrite a psalm in modern, concrete language.

Write a benediction that sounds like a promise and a warning.

Write a hymn verse rooted in a specific landscape you know well.

Write a call to worship addressed to people who are unsure why they came.

Write a call to worship rooted in a single image (light, breath, water, path).

Write a call to worship that includes creation as part of the congregation.

Write a prayer of confession that focuses on omission rather than commission.

Write a confession written for people who feel they have failed at faith.

Write a lament for a world that feels numbed rather than broken.

Write an intercessory prayer structured around the phrase “for those who…”

Write a prayer that names one specific injustice without becoming abstract.

Write a benediction that sends people into uncertainty rather than clarity.

Write a commissioning for ordinary vocations.

Write a liturgy shaped around a single verb (come, wait, listen, return).

Write a liturgy that moves from darkness to light.

Write a liturgy for a season of waiting (Advent, grief, transition).

Begin a new story by creating a character. What do they look like? How do they dress? Is there anything unusual about their appearance? Write a scene or story exploring your new character.

Begin a story or scene by envisioning the setting first. What is unique about this place? What does it look like? How does your character feel about this place?

Build a character's traits based on the meaning of their first or last name. You may have to consult a baby name website or Ancestry.com. Write a scene or story starring your new character.