10 Easy Writing Prompts to Spark a New Idea

Writing prompts are a fun, easy way to spark a new idea. You can use a prompt to focus your writing, practice your skills or come up with new content ideas.

A writing prompt could be a single word, like “beach” or “magic”, or it could be a feeling, daily writing exercise or memory that sparks inspiration.

You can use your writing prompt however you want – feel free to go wild! Your prompt could be the spark that gets you started or it could be the entire focus of your piece.

10 writing prompts to spark a new idea

Whether you’re struggling for inspiration or you’re looking for a fun writing activity, I can help! Let’s take a look at 10 easy writing prompts to spark your next project.

1. Object transformation

Choose a random everyday object and use it as the focus of your story. You could transform your object into something magical – or just use it as a starting point.

Look around the room you’re in right now and choose your object. It could be a pen, a glass, a pencil case, a photo frame, a coat or a water bottle.

This writing prompt pushes you to think about ordinary things in extraordinary ways – and it should get your creative juices flowing.

2. The one that got away

Use “The one that got away” as the starting point for a story. You could write about someone in your past – or just make it up!

Create a character who’s still thinking about the one that got away. How does she feel? What does she do? Maybe she re-connects with her ex-boyfriend and it teaches her something new.

It doesn’t have to be about yourself, or even about love. Feel free to get as imaginative as you like with it.

3. Use an old photo

Get out an old photo to use as the basis for your story. You could use a photo of you as a child or an old family photo.

Why not take inspiration from a photo of your grandma as a young woman? Or you could look through some old memorabilia.

You can invent a past for your character, or write a creative non-fiction piece about how the photo makes you feel. Use the photo as a starting point to explore and create.

4. Word association

Pick out 5 random words and write a story that connects them all. This is a great way to practice and challenge your writing, especially if you regularly write for your job.

If you’re used to writing articles for magazines, creating a story from a set of completely random words is a great test. It’s something a bit different – and it will take you to surprising places.

Looking for more? Check out my blog post for 5 tips to get out of a creative rut.

5. My first time

This was one of the first writing tasks in Jessica Rose Williams’ class. You could write about your first date with your husband, your first kiss, your first job… Anything!

Use the idea of doing something for the first time to drive your story and get inspired.

6. Rewrite a classic scene

Take a scene from a fairytale or popular story – and rewrite it differently! You could change the story to a different genre or choose to focus on a different perspective.

Why not rewrite ‘Cinderella’ from an ugly stepsister’s point of view? Or change the ending of ‘Romeo and Juliet’? There are so many ways to give your creativity a boost!

This is a fun exercise to help you think about the role of genre, tone and perspective in your creative storytelling.

7. It was the best day of my life

Use this easy writing prompt to write a short story or creative non-fiction piece. You could write about:

• The birth of your first baby
• The day you met the love of your life
• A day out with your friends or family
• Your wedding day

Use your imagination or write up a diary entry about something great that’s happened in your life. Let the prompt take you to unexpected places!

8. Once upon a time…

Use “Once upon a time” as a starter for a new story. You could rewrite a classic fairytale or just use the prompt to anchor your piece.

I recently tried out this writing prompt. I couldn’t connect to one of the characters in my writing, so I used the line “Once upon a time” to start a short piece from her point of view.

It really helped me understand her backstory, which leads me to my next point…

9. Switch perspective

Give the mic to someone else! If you’re working on a book idea, try writing from a different person’s perspective, just for fun. This can help you work out any kinks in your character-building or just get your creative juices flowing.

If you tend to write your stories from a woman’s point of view, try making your main character a man. Or get into the mind of someone older than you. It’s all about exploring different thoughts and feelings in your writing!

10. Truth or dare

Write a story using the prompt “Truth or dare”. You could write about a character who reveals a secret or imagine a teenage party scene. Use your own experiences to inform the story or just let your imagination run free. It’s all up to you!

Looking for more? Check out my ebook ‘The Art of Blog Writing’ – all about writing great content for yourself and your blog.

Do you have any easy writing prompts? What is your favourite way to get writing? Do you use writing prompts for inspiration?

Let me know all your thoughts in the comments below 🙂

Happy reading x