/r/WritingPrompts

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Writing Prompts. You're a writer and you just want to flex those muscles? You've come to the right place! If you see a prompt you like, simply write a short story based on it. Get comments from others, and leave commentary for other people's works. Let's help each other.

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    We are a subreddit dedicated to inspiring people to write! Find a prompt that moves you and respond with a story or a poem.

    FAQ »

    The subreddit where it's all made up and the points don't matter.

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    Friends in the End

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    Weekly Schedule

    Click features below for archives

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    Talking Tuesday (Tutoring) Magazine & Anthology Publishing pt 2
    Wednesday Wildcard Poetry Corner: Honor
    Thursday [TT] Theme Sunrise
    Fun Trope Friday Empathetic Environment & 2-Fisted Tales
    Saturday SatChat How Did You Find r/WritingPrompts?

    Rules & Guidelines

    Hover/tap for details

    Full Explanations »

    Commenting
    • < 1. Prompt responses must be good-faith attempts at new stories/poems (No AI)

    • 100 words minimum for stories, 30 for poems but include [Poem]
    • Write something new using the prompt for inspiration (No AI)
    • Plagiarism will result in a ban
    • No joke, copypasta, or AI-generated responses
    • For off topic/clarification, reply to sticky comment
  • < 2. No sexually explicit responses, hate speech, or other harmful content

    • Includes, but is not limited to, pedophilia, bestiality, incest, rape, violence against children, and explicit abuse or torture
    • Avoid racism and detailed uses of suicide, mental health stereotypes, and political debate
    • Use your best judgment, but mods have final say
  • < 3. Be civil in discussion, feedback, and critiques

    • Users are held to a higher standard here. Think before posting
    • Prompts are meant to inspire new writing. Responses don't have to fulfill every detail
    Submitting Posts
    • < 4. All submissions must be tagged at the beginning of the post, capitalized in square brackets

    • Click [tag] to filter. Click » for more detail
    • Prompt Posts (Inspire new writing)
    • WP - Writing Prompt: No restrictions (other than the rules of the sub) »
    • SP - Simple Prompt: Max 100 characters in the title (including the tag) »
    • EU - Established Universe: Based on existing fiction »
    • CW - Constrained Writing: Limitations or forced usage of words, letters, etc. (don't ask for less than 100 words) »
    • TT - Theme Thursday: Weekly themes announced Thursdays »
    • MP - Media Prompt: Audio or video »
    • IP - Image Prompt: A striking image or album »
    • RF - Reality Fiction: Things that have happened or could happen to unknown people »
    • Response Posts (Write based on prompts)
    • PM - Prompt Me: Answer prompts by other users (if answered prompts before) »
    • PI - Prompt Inspired: Stories inspired by prompts older than three days (include link and max 1 a day) »
    • Other Posts
    • OT - Off Topic: Not a prompt, but writing related, not for complaints regarding subreddit content, stories, or advertising without prior approval »
  • < 5. No recent reposts, even if changing small details

    • Search before submitting! (Popular ideas can cause floods)
    • Reposts are allowed, given time (around two weeks)
    • Don't take a recent prompt and change/invert small details
  • < 6. Prompt users in the title, but don't play writing games or commission stories

    • Prompt in the title and only use text for commentary or links for [IP]s and [MP]s. Avoid too many details
    • No requesting writing or editing services, or homework help
    • Don't post ads without getting permission in modmail first
    • Don't ask writers to pick titles or content from another sub or site
    • Prompts should not call for using autocorrect, autocomplete, or only emojis
  • < 7. Prompts will be removed if there's a high possibility for rule breaking responses

    • Avoid real-world drama (politics, recent tragedies, etc.)
    • Inspire an effort, avoid simple questions, "write anything", word games, fill-in-the-blanks, or "in X words or less"
    • Prompts must actually be a prompt, not just the suggestion of a genre or emotion
    • Don't ask for preexisting content (prompts are meant for new writing)
    • No sexually explicit themes, hate speech, or other harmful content (suicide, mental health stereotypes, violence against children, torture, etc.)
    • No troll, joke, poop, meme-based, or all CAPS prompts
    Community Guidelines
    • < 8. Keep it about the writing here, not competing or making money

    • Authors are allowed to link to a personal sub or profile, but don't link back here until the prompt is 24 hours old
    • Patreon and Paypal links are not allowed. Link to your sub or profile instead
    • Recording of other people's work must follow the guidelines in the FAQ.

    Rule breaking posts or comments may be removed without notice. Rule breaking may result in a permanent ban without prior warning.

    If you spot a violation, please use the Report button underneath the post. This is the best way to help! If you have an issue with other users, send us a modmail.

    All content is © by the original authors.

    Flair Filter

    Click on a link below to filter posts


    Prompt Posts (Inspire new writing)

    [WP] [SP] [EU] [CW] [TT] [MP] [IP] [RF]

    Response Posts (Write based on prompts)

    [PM] [PI]

    Other Posts

    [OT] [MOD]


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    /r/WritingPrompts

    18,214,298 Subscribers

    1

    [WP]Something sleeps deep within the bowels of a derelict Imperial Star Destroyer.

    1 Comment
    2024/07/27
    01:27 UTC

    1

    [WP] When a vampire kills a person by feeding on them entirely, their soul is trapped in the vampire’s body. When they eventually die, the souls are released as the bodies will typically have long since rotted away. Yours, however, hasn’t.

    1 Comment
    2024/07/27
    01:17 UTC

    2

    [WP] An ancient eldritch being reveals itself to humanity and gives every human the opportunity to bring people back from the dead for the exchange of another human life

    1 Comment
    2024/07/27
    01:09 UTC

    1

    [WP] Everyone remembers their past lives, the problem is that certain people want to continue a previous life.

    1 Comment
    2024/07/27
    00:54 UTC

    1

    [WP] As a psychic, you don't try to mindread your friends. But with them being so coy and sweet around each other yet never an official confession, you decide to listen to their literal thoughts, play chaperone to watch... And matchmake.

    1 Comment
    2024/07/27
    00:42 UTC

    4

    [WP] You sign up for a ghost to be your bodyguard, help them pass on, everyone gets it. You didn't expect a ghostly glam rockstar with half their face gone kicking a burglar's ass, but here we are.

    1 Comment
    2024/07/27
    00:39 UTC

    12

    [WP] You are a rookie hero. While a dangerous supervillain was preoccupied, rival villains kidnapped his wife. You were the only hero willing to help get his wife to safety. The terrifying supervillain now wants to thank you in person.

    1 Comment
    2024/07/27
    00:07 UTC

    4

    [WP] an archeologist stumbles upon the ancient tomb of a long forgotten king who is said to have simply vanished over 1,000 years ago until she opens the tomb to find the still alove and young king sipping tea and reading a book inside his own tomb

    2 Comments
    2024/07/26
    23:34 UTC

    0

    [WP] You have found an old container in the former home of Nostradamus. It contains a prediction that is unlike any other.

    1 Comment
    2024/07/26
    23:33 UTC

    3

    [WP] When your childhood friend and most trusted advisor described you as a puppet ruler you thought they had been joking. Only to realize as they pulled the voodoo doll from their pocket crafted in your image that they meant that quite literally.

    1 Comment
    2024/07/26
    23:26 UTC

    1

    [WP] "Nobody ever suspects the sand!"

    2 Comments
    2024/07/26
    23:19 UTC

    3

    [WP] "Huh, guess morality really is a product of natural selection," the researcher remarked as he saw the alien species tear itself apart.

    1 Comment
    2024/07/26
    23:02 UTC

    2

    [SP] "I probably shouldn't ask, but - just WHY were you bathing in hot dog water?"

    3 Comments
    2024/07/26
    22:43 UTC

    0

    [SP] "Fruit Loops and chocolate milk. REALLY healthy breakfast, that is."

    2 Comments
    2024/07/26
    22:42 UTC

    4

    [SP] A patient "wakes up" during a surgical procedure they don't remember signing up for (i.e. anesthesia awareness)

    1 Comment
    2024/07/26
    21:19 UTC

    13

    [WP] The infomercial host stared into space. The co-host repeated her question, "Bob? I asked 'Can this deal get any better?'" The host simply thought for a moment and said, "No... no, I don't think it can..." Two days later, every major economic system collapsed due to the greatest deal ever.

    1 Comment
    2024/07/26
    21:12 UTC

    2

    [WP] Your powers came out of nowhere, and destroyed your life. People were terrified of you, and you hated yourself. Those that arrived promised no one would hurt you, but special forces start to point their guns at you. “Why me?” You think. “Why me!?”

    1 Comment
    2024/07/26
    21:09 UTC

    2

    [WP] “It hurts man. Being called a monster of the seas because you are blind and huge.”

    1 Comment
    2024/07/26
    21:08 UTC

    18

    [WP] You’ve been fighting your supervillain nemesis for years when you finally noticed something. They’re violently incapable of swearing. Or using any kind of foul language. At all.

    1 Comment
    2024/07/26
    20:37 UTC

    1

    [WP] my king we finally found the princess after she was tossed to a magic portal by the evil sorceress when she's young, but unfortunately she refused to come with us saying she has a duty as a captain of the United federation of planets and saying words that we don't understand like post scarcity.

    1 Comment
    2024/07/26
    20:16 UTC

    0

    [WP] Your world has big problems that are solved by Chosen Ones who are oh-so special and Unique. You’re not one of them.

    1 Comment
    2024/07/26
    20:06 UTC

    0

    [WP] You meet a genie that grants not three wishes, but one dream.

    2 Comments
    2024/07/26
    20:03 UTC

    9

    [SP] "So what flavour do you want - orange, lemon, lime, or zombie snail?"

    3 Comments
    2024/07/26
    19:48 UTC

    4

    [SP] "I thought this was going to be relaxing vacation. I was sorely mistaken."

    1 Comment
    2024/07/26
    19:43 UTC

    3

    [WP] A human ends up inadvertently recreating the events of the Odyssey as they try to get rid of a group of bugs that have gotten into their house.

    1 Comment
    2024/07/26
    19:40 UTC

    0

    [EU] There is a small village in a fantasy world, there the people looks and behave similar to hobbits. They dont like the outside world or adventure. Every single one has the power of a god, but they have no interest in helping. Once upon a time..

    1 Comment
    2024/07/26
    19:25 UTC

    10

    [WP]You are a prepper. The end of human civilization as we know it just happened, and you find out everything you learned preparing for this moment...is completely useless

    1 Comment
    2024/07/26
    19:14 UTC

    2

    [WP] You are lightyears away from earth, after what you can only call an involuntary intergalactic journey/forced abduction. And yet among all these unfamiliar things and beings the only thing you can recognize is this advertisement from a brand back on earth.

    1 Comment
    2024/07/26
    19:12 UTC

    76

    [WP] "It's fine," you say, pulling the knife from your chest and dabbing at the blood on your shirt. "Believe it or not, this happens more often than you'd think."

    8 Comments
    2024/07/26
    19:10 UTC

    28

    [WP] You are the village's local angel-harvester or angel-butcher, someone trained to scavenge the organs of dead celestials fallen from the sky. Today, you have encountered something that none of your profession's textbooks have ever mentioned: a still-living angel fallen from the sky.

    7 Comments
    2024/07/26
    19:05 UTC

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