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Best Thriller and Suspense Writing Prompts

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

Showing 74 prompts reset

This week's contest:
Win $250

Tension, Twists, and Turns with WOW!

184 contest entries /
90 stories

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View contest
Closes at 23:59 - Feb 27 EST

Write about two people whose dreams are somehow connected.

– 42 stories

Write a story about a character who believes their dreams predict the future.

– 38 stories

Your character sits down at their desk on a Monday morning and finds a completely unexpected email in their inbox. Write about what happens next.

– 24 stories

Write about a character who leads a secret double life outside of their day job.

– 16 stories

Write about a person or object vanishing into thin air.

– 44 stories

Write a story about a character who’s secretly nobility.

– 16 stories

Write a story about someone who starts noticing the same object or phrase wherever they go.

– 104 stories

Write about someone welcoming a stranger into their home.

– 158 stories

Write a near-future thriller where a piece of everyday technology has turned against your character — and only your character.

– 129 stories

Write about someone who doesn’t remember their past — and doesn’t want to.

– 204 stories

Write about someone keeping track of time with tally marks on a wall — until one day they discover that all the marks are gone.

– 132 stories

Write about a character who everyone thinks is guilty of something terrible, but isn’t.

– 179 stories

Write a thriller about someone who witnesses a murder… except there’s no evidence that a murder took place.

– 218 stories

Write about a character who can suddenly only “remember” their future, not their past.

– 129 stories

Write a post-apocalyptic thriller.

– 143 stories

Write about a character who’s stuck in an elevator when the power goes out.

– 251 stories

Write about someone who purposefully causes a power outage.

– 145 stories

Write a story told entirely through one chase scene.

– 141 stories

Write a story about a person waiting for an answer to a question.

– 170 stories

Write a story that takes place in a waiting room.

– 255 stories

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