Are you writing a family drama novel?
If you are, then in this article, we’ve included 21 original family drama writing prompts to give you some great ideas for your story.
Family Secrets
1. Family heirlooms hold more than sentimental value.
The main character discovers a family heirloom. Maybe they were cleaning out the old attic or they were willed the heirloom by a late great aunt. The heirloom reveals somehow a negative history to the family, one they would rather forget.
2. Pictures are worth much more than a thousand words.
While flipping through an old photobook, the main character realizes there are people they don’t recognize in a lot of the photos. Questioning the family about these people brings no answers and a lot of conflict. Who are these people and where are they now?
3. A family member finds out they were adopted.
While clearing out some paperwork, the adult main character discovers they were adopted. The story is about them deciding how they feel about never being told. They could also be struggling with finding their birth family.
4. Two families discover they share the same parent.
When two children meet at a summer camp, they discover they share the same parent. The story is about the two families coming together and trying to reconcile being the ‘secret family’ from the other one.
5. An anonymous letter exposes a family secret.
An anonymous letter is delivered that details a dark family secret about one of the parents, one which would bring harm to the family. How are they to deal with it? How can they stay safe?
6. Not everyone is who they say they are.
It’s discovered that one parent was escaping their previous life in organized crime before meeting their current partner. When their old life comes back to haunt them, the rest of the family struggle to reconcile who they know with who the parent originally was.
7. Two families discover their children were switched at birth.
The main character does a DNA kit to identify their heritage but ends up discovering they aren’t related to the rest of their family at all. Further investigation reveals a switch at the hospital at birth. The story becomes about how both families deal with raising someone they love but isn’t technically ‘theirs.’
Family Reunions
8. Death brings out the worst in families.
Extended family members return to attend the last surviving grandparent’s funeral. All the old tensions arise between the different members, exploring their love and hatred for each other. This can be made even more dramatic by having them fight over the inheritance.
9. Family come together to save what they love most.
When the family estate is at risk of foreclosure, estranged family members return to decide whether to save it or sell it. They overcome all the personal issues that pushed them apart in the first place and come to a unanimous decision.
10. A war veteran returns to their family a different person.
A war-torn veteran returns home to their family but they can’t get over everything they saw and dealt with. The rest of the family struggle to empathize and help the veteran deal with their trauma, straining the family relationships.
11. A lost family member is found.
A family member is found after going missing 23 years ago when they were a child. The family must get reacquainted with each other, becoming a family again in spite of whatever trauma took place.
12. A long-awaited wedding highlights long-subdued family tension.
When the baby of the family finally gets married, the older siblings return to be in the wedding, bringing all their tensions with them. Their disagreements (including of the person their sibling is marrying) risk canceling the wedding entirely.
13. Discovering a long-lost parent can be surreal.
The main character grew up in a single-parent household. After a decade-long search, they finally find their other parent and reach out to them. Will they build a relationship with each other?
14. A long-standing tradition brings a family together reluctantly.
A family returns for an annual tradition after not really seeing or speaking for the previous year. One member announces they won’t be returning the next year, causing disagreements and discussions of whether the tradition is worth adhering to anymore.
Family Disputes
15. One family member is dying but another one can save them.
One family member is discovered to need a new organ. The only person capable of saving them is the youngest sibling. However, it will cause them irreputable harm, and they really don’t want to do it. Should they do it anyway?
16. Faith can divide as much as it can support.
One member of a very religious family chooses to leave the religion and pursue a radically different path. The story becomes about whether they should remain part of the family or whether the family should open themselves up to new ideas.
17. Children are often stuck in divorcing parents’ crossfire.
Two parents decide to divorce and cannot agree on custody terms. Their fight gets dirty and mean. The story becomes about the impact of their methods not only the children’s mental health, but the extended family’s loyalties, as well.
18. Love is supposed to conquer all.
A family member comes home from being away and introduces their fiancé, who is a different class/race/culture. This causes some of the family not to respond so positively and conflicts arise among all the members of the family about whether the marriage should go ahead. Should who someone loves really make a difference if they’re happy?
19. A family member lies in a coma: is it better to let go or move on?
One family member suffers a serious accident and is in a coma they will never wake from. The rest of the family must decide whether to let them go or fight to keep them alive. To make this more emotionally charged, make the person in the coma a child.
20. Blending two families has some growing pains.
When two people get married, their children all move into the same house. The families have very different personalities and ways of doing things. The drama comes from them learning how to work together and love each other as stepfamilies.
21. Drugs hurt more than the drug user.
A family member overdoses on drugs and gets arrested for dealing drugs locally. The family must decide whether to support them and help them recover or allow them to remain in prison. Conflicting viewpoints cause rifts but a decision is reached at the end.
Do you need more writing prompts? Take a look at the articles below:
31 Science Fiction Writing Prompts
11 Young Adult Writing Prompts