10 of my favorite (recent) writing prompts:

thoughtful man with books at desk in night

I was never a big fan of writing prompts. The idea that I should write what someone else suggests instead of following my intuition bothered me. That’s a silly way to limit my creativity, and I’ve tried to embrace more writing prompts, lately. My latest example is a writing challenge that’s led to the creation of Torthal and my first short story set in that world.

Without a writing prompt I wouldn’t have launched a new round of world building. Nor would I have gotten back in touch with how much I enjoy that creative exercise. There is great value in writing prompts, even if you’re stubborn like me. I have to let go of some of my preconceived notions to let my creativity flourish.

To that end, I’m going to share a few of my favorite recent writing prompts. These are open ended to promote my creativity rather than channel it into a specific direction. I’ve put some of my favorite ideas in parentheses, but don’t let that hold you back, the point is to explore ideas you might not otherwise consider.

  1. Write about a ghost, or meeting a ghostly traveler. (The spookier the better!)
  2. Write about discovering a magical artifact. (An Indiana Jones style archaeologist, a find in a dusty attic, or random location.)
  3. Write about practicing a magical ability. (It could be in a school setting, with a personal tutor, or by themselves.)
  4. Write about fighting a supernatural entity. (A dangerous force, evil creature, or just about anything out of control that threatens people.)
  5. Write about hiding a magical trait. (Bursting into flames, turning invisible, shapeshifting – bonus points if it’s hard to control.)
  6. Write about a normal job with magic. (Magical ferryman, clean up crew, sky’s the limit.)
  7. Write about magical animals. (In the past, present, or future.)
  8. Write about someone who gains magical abilities. (New powers, an emerging trait they knew would come with age, or a total surprise.)
  9. Write about a mythological character in the modern world. (A god awakening in a remote location, a creature of myth who’s been hiding in plain sight, or some unique person who was misunderstood by the mythology of people in the past.)
  10. Write about exploring an unfamiliar magical location. (A secret garden, magical world, or whatever you can imagine.)

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