50 Awesome Short Story Writing Prompts that Aren’t Boring

There are various types of writing Prompts. According to Luc Writing Center, a prompt is made up of one to three sentences that raise an issue or ask a question that one has to respond. Teachers give most prompts to students as part of exams, or they can be given by parents when they want to improve their storytelling skills. Their depth differs across different students of different levels. Short story writing prompts are also referred to as narrative writing prompts, and they use phrases like “tell about,” “write a story of” or “tell what happened.”

Importance of Short Story Writing Prompts

According to Writers by Sea, there are various importances of using writing prompts, and they include:

• Help learners develop a habitual writing practice
• They help writers to go through a writing block. In case you are stuck, refer to the writing prompt.
• Helps in improving one’s creativity.
• If arranged with respect to a specific order of events, it helps a writer manage idea flow.

Different short story writing prompts can be classified according to the main base of their storyline and the same categories we shall use in this article.

Humor Short Story Writing Prompts

If you are a fan of comedy or stories full of jokes, here are some of the short stories you should consider.

1. Paul is a naughty boy who loves framing his friends. This time he took it to a higher level and took his father’s beer, blaming his mother for that.

2. You have been invited to be the opening master of ceremony in your school’s talent show. Write about five jokes you will tell.

3. You had crammed a prayer to deliver at your class’s annual party, and in the midst of it, you have forgotten the lines. Let us know what you will do.

4. The new school principal is ever serious. With your friends, you want to prank him so he can smile. Please tell us what you will do.

5. Your friend has visited you, and after an extended play, he takes a shower and sleeps on your couch. However, your other friends have decided to take him home without waking him up. How will you do it?

6. Your mum loves cooking while he is seated on a stool, and when she stands to pick an item from the drawer, your young brother picks it up without her knowledge. Explain what happens next when she falls to the floor.

7. Your new social media girl/boyfriend has invited you to supper. Upon reaching there, you find out it is your elder sibling who had a fake account. Tell us about what you will do.

8. You visited a foreign country and ordered something you did not understand from the menu, but you have to eat. Write about the experience.

Adventure Short Story Writing Prompts

Life is made of unpredictable occurrences and is full of full. These prompts help writers to know what to write as far as adventure is concerned.

9. Some species of animals are also becoming extinct. Choose an animal of your choice and write why you think it may no longer survive in years to come.

10. You have just finished high school and bought materials to join college. Abruptly your nation is under attack, and a decree is passed that all persons of your age must take up. How do you expect the situation to be.,

11. You are planning to make a trip to a foreign country as a group. Write about each role you would assign each of your friends.

12. Walking alongside the beach is what you like most. Tell me why you love it compared to mountain climbing.

13. When you visit the zoo, different animals seem to live peacefully. Tell a story of why you would prefer to keep glued to 2 animals of your choice.

14. Your dream is to get to the top of the tallest mountain in your country. What will you do to prepare?

Family/Friendship Short Story Writing Prompts

These are prompts that help you write about those who are close to you. They include:

15. One of your childhood friends, you have not been talking to each other after you fought. Now you’re the only students from your region to join a far-away university; guess what, you have been given the same room. Write about what you will do.

16. Your neighbors do not see eye to eye with your parents. However, you are best friends with one of their kids. Do you think that this will play a role in solving the conflict?

17. This academic year was among the most amazing in student enrollment. The school admitted six sets of identical twins. How do the other classes behave towards them?

18. You have not seen your parents for so long, and they suddenly show up when you are in class. What will you do?

19. When going through your parents’ drawers, you realize you were adopted from a foreign country. Tell a story about what you will do.

20. My young brother wants to introduce his Islamic girlfriend to my parents, who have very high reservations about the religion. Tell us a story of what will happen next.

Power Short Story Writing Prompts

These prompts give the writer the feeling that they are in charge of a given situation.

21. Your school principal has been given the power to be in charge for one day. Let us know some of the changes you would implement and why.

22. You learn that a terrorist group demands that you be exchanged with innocent lives due to your special computing skills. What will you do to ensure they do not use your skill to commit further atrocities?

23. As a local legislative assembly member, your vote is key in turning a new law on abortion. Tell us how you would take sides.

24. A lawyer is aware that his client may be jailed, but he is aware of what he can lie about, and has used this to let this client off the hook.

25. You have used all your savings to buy a real investment plan only for a new realtor starting to rent houses that are cheaper than your project. What will you do to overcome this competition?

26. Your city requires serious levels of refreshments. Citing one example tells a story you would refurbish if you were elected the mayor.

27. You plan to run in the forthcoming student politics; write about the position you will vie.

They help the writer to tell stories of love. Some are:

28. Joseph has been one of the best defense lawyers in your city and is working on a murder case. As the case goes on, he starts developing feelings for the prosecutor. Should he stick to professional ethics or let love glow?

29. You have been on the dating app Tinder for some time and met a person you thought would be your soulmate. Upon physically meeting them, you realize that you do not have feelings for them.

30. Grace and Christine have a secret relationship in their only-girls Christian school. The relationship has been discovered, and they are about to be expelled from school. Tell how they should present the news to their parents.

31. Rachael, a nurse, has been single for more than five years and is starting to fall in love with one of her patients, Joseph.

32. First date meetings are always filled with tension on how to start a new conversation. Tell a story about how this once happened to you.

Imaginative Short Story Writing Prompts

Stories need not be about the truth alone; they can involve some elements of imagination. These prompts encourage the writer to create non-existing worlds and talk about them.

33. imagine that the country’s president has visited your school, and you are appointed to take him through the school compound. On the way, he tells you to choose a story you want them to narrate to other students. Which one will you choose?

34. Imagine that you have been given a ticket to attend one of the competitions you have always looked up to. Tell a brief story of why you love it and what you expect.

35. You have been the only child of your parents. Upon reaching school, you realize your parents have adopted a new sibling. They give you the chance to give them a new name. Imagine a good name and offer a brief story about your name choice.

36. Imagine that you have been given a chance to change one law in the country. What law will you change, and what convincing story will you tell people about your choice?

37. Imagine that your teacher requests you choose the best animal story to tell your class. Briefly write to them, giving a simple overview of the story.

Fantasy Short Story Wring Prompts

There lies a thin line between imagination and fantasy. Whereas both involve wishful thinking, fantasy is made of things that may never actually happen.

38. There are always conflicting stories about the origin of vampires. Tell a story you have ever heard about them.

39. What if all animals fly? What are the animals you wished it flew? Tell a story about your interaction with the animal.

40. You have gone hunting and realize that some are changing positions. Tell your friend what you will do.

41. For so long, you doubted the Gospel that people become spirits when they die. On your way to the market, you meet with one of your uncles who died years ago. What will you do?

42. Imagine all animals have tails, and we humans are given a chance to choose the size of our tails.

43. As the Earth continues to orbit, it may collide with another planet that has deviated from the original orbit circle. Tell a story of what we should do.

44. Take a situation where you could have a personal conversation with your car. What type of conversation will you have and why?

Short Story Start Writing Prompts

Sometimes you may be stuck and do not know how to start a story. It would help if you had some prompts from which you could build your story. Some of them are as below:

45. On my way to the market, I met Tom crying. Upon asking, he told me that his parents had been involved in an accident and he was…

46. Our class teacher is having a birthday, and we would like to surprise her by giving her some gifts. My classmates requested me to write a short story about her…..

47. During the holidays I must visit my grandparents because when I visit, they must tell me a story. This year my grandmother promised me that she would tell me about….

48. Being a doctor can be one of the most challenging jobs ever. When I talk with them, they always tell me that…

49. My greatest wish is to see everyone have a house in our village. I am deciding to do so by…

50. I always have a story about why I like a particular subject. My story on Mathematics is…..

In Conclusion

As discussed above, writing prompts can help you start your writing effectively. They provide you with a more specific guideline on how you should tell your story. Ensure you use all the 50 short story prompts provided here to improve your writing ability in different areas. Kindly note that each short story prompt type is helpful in a specific way. Before assigning them to any child, ensure that they have the capability of exploiting the story. These prompts may also be used in other scenarios as supplements or compliments of other types of writing prompts. Next time you look for writing prompts, just come to us, and we will guide you further.

You can also read:

• 50 Awesome Memoir Writing Prompts
• 50 Awesome Dialogue Writing Prompts
• 50 Awesome Persuasive Writing Prompts