Menu

More apps built by Reedsy

Assemble a team of professionals

The writing app for authors

Writing courses, events and memberships

Get your book reviewed

Weekly writing prompts and contests

Menu
Prompts
Contests
Stories
Blog
Directory
Weekly Prompts Contest
Reedsy Literary Prize
Magazine
FAQ

Best Sad Writing Prompts

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

Showing 52 prompts reset

This week's contest:
Win $250

Tension, Twists, and Turns with WOW!

118 contest entries /
61 stories

--

days

--

hours

--

mins

--

secs

View contest
Closes at 23:59 - Feb 27 EST

Write a story that either starts or ends with someone (or something) saying, “Please, don’t do it.”

– 94 stories

Write about an apartment building being demolished.

– 42 stories

Write a story involving a noise complaint.

– 41 stories

Write about two neighbors who cannot stand each other.

– 42 stories

Start your story with two people sitting in a movie theater, waiting for the lights to come back on.

– 70 stories

Write about someone who has been nominated for a prestigious award, but isn’t sure they deserve it.

– 23 stories

Write a story that spans a month during which everything changes.

– 131 stories

Write about someone who grew up in a bunker, and lockdown life is all they’ve ever known.

– 81 stories

Write about someone who discovers the only family member they have left has just betrayed them.

– 159 stories

Write about someone who decides it’s time to cut ties with a family member.

– 259 stories

Write about two people who just can’t seem to understand each other, no matter how clearly they think they’re speaking.

– 79 stories

Write about a character who’s so afraid of making the wrong choice that their indecision ruins the very thing they were hoping to keep safe.

– 84 stories

Write about someone who’s so obsessed with a goal that it leads to the destruction of their closest relationship.

– 154 stories

Write about someone telling their family they won’t be continuing the long-standing family business.

– 174 stories

Start your story with the line, “This was supposed to be the happiest day of their lives,” and end it with, “By then it was too late.”

– 130 stories

Write a story that feels lonely, despite being set in a packed city.

– 230 stories

Write a story inspired by this quote from Ally Condie: "Growing apart doesn't change the fact that for a long time we grew side by side; our roots will always be tangled. I'm glad for that."

– 159 stories

Write a story about someone who loses their cat.

– 62 stories

Write about one character’s fundamental misunderstanding of another character’s job.

– 23 stories

Someone in the story has a lot of hard lessons to learn.

– 35 stories

How to Write a Novel

Join Tom Bromley for a writing master class and finish your first draft in 3 months. Learn more →

How to Write a Novel

We made a writing app for you

Yes, you! Write. Format. Export for ebook and print. All for free.