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Best Dramatic Writing Prompts

Join our ongoing contests and win up to $1,500. Flex those creative muscles with these writing prompts.

Showing 239 prompts reset

This week's contest:
Win $250

In Real Time

62 contest entries /
21 stories

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Closes at 23:59 - Sep 04 EST

Center your story around an important message that reaches the wrong person.

– 29 stories

Center your story around a mix-up that leads to huge (or unexpected) consequences.

– 38 stories

Write a story about someone who tries to fix a mistake but ends up making things worse.

– 17 stories

Write a story about someone who trusts or follows the wrong person.

– 49 stories

Center your story around a crazy coincidence.

– 35 stories

Write a story with a character making excuses.

– 58 stories

Write a story about someone seeking forgiveness for something.

– 74 stories

Center your story around someone finding acceptance.

– 58 stories

Write a story where someone must make a split-second decision.

– 37 stories

Write about a character trying to hide a secret from everyone.

– 56 stories

Situate your character in a hostile or dangerous environment.

– 80 stories

Center your story around a character who has to destroy something they love.

– 67 stories

Write about a character doing the wrong thing for the right reason.

– 77 stories

Center your story around someone who’s at a loss for words, or unable to speak.

– 73 stories

Start or end your story with someone looking out a car or train window.

– 87 stories

Center your story around someone who realizes they’ve left something behind.

– 50 stories

Center your story around a character who successfully — or unsuccessfully — escapes their fate.

– 77 stories

Write a story that keeps a key detail hidden from the reader until the very end.

– 65 stories

Write a story in which a character discovers that a truth they've believed their whole life is either false or not the whole story.

– 68 stories

Write your story as text messages or an online conversation between two characters — and at least one of them isn’t who they say they are.

– 28 stories

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