Are you writing a book that belongs to the creative nonfiction genre? Do you need some inspiration? Check out the 31 writing prompts for creative fiction we’ve included for you below:
General Creative Nonfiction Prompts
1. Describe the first time you went on a date.
There are a couple of ways you can approach this prompt. You can describe the date itself from the moment it started to the moment it ended. Alternatively, you could describe the lead-up to the date: getting ready, traveling to the venue, seeing the date arrive. In either case, focus on the feelings you had at each stage.
2. Write about going for your very first job interview.
Similar to the date prompt above: focus on getting to the interview rather than the interview itself. Include details about preparing, traveling, waiting to go in. Don’t include the actual interview, as what’s important are your feelings leading up to it. The most you should include is a final line saying whether you got the job and why.
3. Think of the first time you experienced failure.
Rather than focus on what you failed at, focus on how it felt to fail. Did you expect it? Did you learn something from it? What did you do after that moment?
4. Have you ever worked hard for something?
For this prompt, consider a project (no matter how small) that you invested time into. Maybe you ran a marathon, cooked your first big family dinner, or sewed something for the first time. Focus on the process as well as how you felt once you finally completed it.
5. Write about a time you stood up for something or someone.
Have you ever helped someone escape an uncomfortable situation? You can describe stopping a bully at school or keeping a friend from making a mistake. Remember to focus on your actions, including why you chose to stand up for that person, and the significances of your interjection afterwards.
6. Imagine you can only keep five items.
Pretend your house is on fire and choose the five items you would save. Describe not only the items themselves, but also highlight why they have so much more significance than every other item you own. What would they bring you when the dust settles that the other items wouldn’t?
7. Define what love means to you.
You can be as academic as you want with this prompt, but remember to explain how you see love in your everyday life. Delve into why you feel that way about love, who taught you those things, and how you express that love (or plan to) to your loved ones every day.
8. Write about a time you were running late.
This is less about the reason you were late and the actual journey of getting to where you were going. Go into as much detail as you can about all the things stopping you from being on time and end with what happened when you finally got to your destination.
9. Describe getting your first (or favorite) pet.
This should end with you getting the pet, so start as far back as you need to give the situation context. What events led you to getting that pet? Why was that pet so important at that time?
10. What celebration has special meaning to you?
This event doesn’t have to be special to you; as in, this doesn’t have to be your birthday or anniversary. This could be someone else’s birthday, your parents’ anniversary, or even a national holiday. Just describe the event itself and what makes it so special to you.
11. Write about your biggest fear as a child.
Don’t just describe the fear. Describe the events that led to that fear manifesting. Describe how you dealt with it or how it affected your childhood. You could even consider whether it has impacted your current life in any way.
12. What if you could visit your younger self?
For this one, focus on the meeting, not the process of getting there. Describe the exact moment you would visit and why that moment is so important for you to revisit. Narrate what you would say to yourself and how your younger self might respond.
13. Describe a time you felt like an outsider.
While the emotions are the most important element of this creative nonfiction piece, so are the reasons you were outcast in the first place. Include things like how old you were, who made you feel like an outcast, and why. Finish with how you recovered from the situation or what you might have learned.
14. Tell the story of a family heirloom.
Is there an item or even a name that is important to your family? Tell its origin story. Begin with where it came from and how it got to where it is now. Be sure to delve into what is so important about this object or name and why your family continues to treasure it.
15. Write a story about visiting your favorite restaurant.
You really want to focus on the sensory details in this piece, as the key should be highlighting what makes it your favorite place to eat. Be careful not to overdo it, though; you might run the risk of sounding like an advertisement or a review piece.
Travel Writing Prompts
16. Write about the first time you had to take public transportation.
Did you take a plane, train, or bus? Describe the journey from start to finish. Be sure to include what it was like getting on board, what it looked and felt like, what you saw from the window, and what it was like when you finally disembarked.
17. When was the first time you travelled for vacation?
Begin your story with deciding where to go (including why you chose that destination) and finish with arriving. The focus should be on the journey, not the destination.
18. Write about a time you visited a famous landmark.
Have you ever seen Mount Rushmore, the Eiffel Tower, or some other famous place? Describe the experience: what did you feel when you first arrived, what did you do while you there, how did you feel as you left?
19. Have you ever been to a theme park?
You could write this about your first visit to a theme park or your favorite, but be sure to highlight the sensory details of the experience. What did it sound like, smell like and feel like as you walked around the park? What rides did you ride and how did you feel waiting in the line to get on? Finish with explaining whether you plan to return and why.
20. Describe moving out of your family home for the first time.
To make this a ‘travel writing’ prompt, don’t focus on the packing and whatnot. Write about the actual journey from your family home to your new home. Explore all the emotions you have about the move through watching the world go by as you travel, regardless of whether you drove yourself or not. End with the way you felt opening your new front door.
Nature Writing Prompts
21. Describe what it looks like outside the window at this very moment.
Put yourself outside and imagine what you might be experiencing in that scene. Really delve into how your skin might feel in the weather, what you might hear happening around you, how it might smell if you’re near any buildings or forestry. Write so that your reader can be you in that moment.
22. Go for a walk and write about it.
Write about everything you experience from the start of your walk to its end. Use sensory details to put your reader on the walk with you. Don’t forget to include what you are thinking and feeling.
23. Watch the clouds one day and describe them.
This goes beyond just describing the clouds as you see them. Become a child again and describe them as you might imagine them. Do they have shapes? Is there a story or a scene acted out as they pass by? What memories do they bring up for you?
24. Pretend to be a leaf caught in the wind.
Start with being lifted into the air and describe how the world might look by as you flit through it with no ability to stop. Include the emotions you might have witnessing different scenes. End with describing the place you end up and what you might have learned or discovered about yourself on the journey.
25. Describe your favorite season of the year.
Don’t just explain what season it is and why you like it. Describe all the elements of that season and all the things that add to why it is your favorite. Include memories the season triggers for you and why those memories are so important to you.
Auto-/Biography Prompts
26. Write a story about your biggest hero.
To make this truly creative, tell the story of why you chose them as your hero. What did they do that made them stand out to you so definitively? Why did they have such an impact on you where others did not?
27. Interview an aging relative and write their story.
Choose someone who has experienced something exciting or different and ask specific details about their experience. Write the narration from their point of view but in the third person, like you were writing a fiction story. Give as many contextual details as you can (time period, relationship, etc.) but include their feelings and emotions throughout, as well.
28. Describe your very first memory.
Write the memory in as much detail as you can. How old were you? Where were you? Why is this moment so important to your life that you remember it?
29. What did you want to be when you grew up?
Describe your most persistent childhood dream job. Start with the reason you chose that job and include how you worked toward that job and whether you actually achieved it. If you didn’t, end with what made you give up the dream. Remember that the dream job is less important than the reason you chose that job in the first place.
30. Did you have a memorable teacher?
This could be about your favorite teacher or your most hated teacher. Tell the story of the event that made them memorable to you. Don’t forget to end with how their impression has impacted the rest of your life.
31. Write your own obituary or eulogy.
What do you think people will say about you when you are no longer around to hear them? Choose someone close to you and take on their persona. Focus on what they might say about your life and contributions so far. How would they view you? How would they celebrate you and your life?