175+ ‘Backstory’ Writing Prompts
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Friends in Low Places
Write a backstory for your villain where they form a treasured friendship that influences their nefarious behavior.
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Sympathetic Motivations
Craft a backstory for a villain where their evil actions stem from a sympathetic situation or event.
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Snowflake Dreams
Compose a story in which every individual is a unique snowflake falling to the ground.
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Frankenstein’s Monster
Write a backstory for Frankenstein’s Monster that makes him the protagonist instead of the villain.
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Laughing Assassin
Write about a charismatic assassin who utters clever catchphrases before striking his targets.
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Mastermind Manipulator
Write about a villain who uses psychological manipulation to achieve his ends.
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Enchanted Artifacts
Write about a mystical artifact that possesses significant power. Explore how an ordinary boy/girl comes into possession of it and the consequences.
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Villain’s Motive Mystery
Write about your villain’s motivations, describing their history and influences.
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The Birth of Villainy
Draft a backstory for a villain, describing the series of events that led to their transformation.
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Breaking Down Narratives
Write about a popular fictional character and invent an entirely new backstory for them.
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Urban Legend Origins
Write a fictional narrative explaining the creation of a well-known urban legend or myth.
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Ticket Collector’s Tale
Write a story from the perspective of the Titanic’s ticket collector, detailing the passengers’ emotions as they board.
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Monstrous Origins
Create a backstory for a villain, revealing the true tragedy that led to his turn to darkness.
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Bunny’s Origins
Write the backstory of the Easter Bunny. How did he become the beloved icon of Easter?
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The Enemy’s Perspective
Narrate the epic saga of superhero-villain rivalry from the villain’s point of view.
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Plotting the Villain’s Backstory
Write from the antagonist’s perspective about their backstory and what made them turn into the ‘villain’.
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The Humanity Behind the Mask
Analyze the persona and real life of a superhero, and the influences that drive their actions.
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Behind the Mask
Write a backstory for a comic villain, exploring their journey to becoming the antagonist.
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The Lore of the Golden Wealth
Write a fictional tale that explores the origin story of the Pot of Gold in Irish folklore.
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Superpowered Origins
Explore the backstory of a superhero, delving into the origins of his/her power and the journey to accepting and honing these abilities.
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A Thousand Words
Write a piece based on a photograph or painting, capturing the essence of the subject, the emotions they evoke, and their potential backstory.
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Symbol of Strength
Describe a symbol, logo, or emblem that is part of your superhero’s costume. What does it represent and why is it significant?
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Midnight Mourner’s Curse
Write a ghost story about a vengeful spirit of a person who had been wronged in life seeking justice in death.
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Survivors in the Silent City
Imagine a group of survivors scavenging a large, silent city filled with danger.
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Mountain Outlaws
Write a story about a group of individuals stranded in the wilderness after their plane crashes.
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Haunted House Mystery
Imagine moving into a new house only to realize it is haunted. Create the backstory of the house and its spectral inhabitants.
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Threads of Endearment
Write about an article or object that you and your friend(s) share, like a friendship bracelet, matching shirts or a shared journal.
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Memento Mori
Pen a sinister story about a serial killer who leaves a unique signature at every crime scene.
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The Valentine’s Day Serenade
Craft the tale of a person who, mustering all their courage, serenades their secret love on Valentine’s Day.
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Before the Uprising
Create a backstory for the AI uprising, detailing the conditions and events that lead to the rebellion.
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New Beginnings Narrative
Write about a character embarking on a New Year’s journey, filled with resolutions and hope.
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Reimagine Santa’s Origin
Investigate the origins of Santa Claus and reimagine his story for a modern audience.
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Coffee Shop Encounter
Develop a dialogue between two strangers having a chance encounter in a coffee shop and discovering they knew each other in high school.
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The Royal Guardians
Explore the backstory of Queen Amidala’s handmaidens. How did she meet them and build a deep level of trust with them?
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The Origin of Queen Amidala
Describe, in detail, the early life of Queen Amidala before she was crowned Queen.
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The Ice Age Relics
Narrate an adventure where a polar expedition team discovers remnants of a lost civilization frozen in time.
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Forbidden Magic
Request authors to imagine a plotline where the use of a certain form of magic is forbidden in the fantasy world.
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The Forgotten Object
Write about an object that, although forgotten, reappears and holds substantial power.
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Easter Eggs for Readers
Write a scene infused with hidden messages (Easter eggs) that only a keen reader or those who know the backstory could understand.
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Beneath the Waves
Imagine discovering an underwater city during a marine exploration. Write a news report about your exploration and findings.
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The Unassuming Sidekick
Write a story in which the least likely character is actually a superhero’s sidekick.
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Understanding Motives
Write about the backstory of your villain and the motivations that drive their actions.
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Touching upon Childhood Memories
Compose a moment where your character reminisces about their childhood.
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Creating Complexity
Write a story in which your main character is the villain, but make readers empathize with them.
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Sympathetic Shadow
Write about an antagonist who has compelling reasons for their actions, making readers empathize with them.
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Tragic Prologue
Pen a story that kicks off with the introduction of the villain, detailing their backstory or motive rather than starting with the protagonist.
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Christmas Ornament Enigma
Write about a mysterious Christmas ornament that appears on your Christmas tree which no one remembers buying.
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Cursed Clown Car
Write about a clown car at a circus that starts exhibiting strange, eerie behavior.
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Villains or Victims
Create a backstory for a villain that highlights their own victimhood and how it led to their villainous behavior.
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Personal Ties
The villain of the story is someone with whom the hero shares a personal history. Write a climactic confrontation between the two.
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An Unexpected Letter from the Snow Queen
Write a letter from the Snow Queen to Gerda, explaining her side of the story, her motives, and her feelings for Kai.
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Superpower Origins
Create a character in a graphic novel who suddenly gains superpowers. How do they react, and can they control these new powers?
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Voice of Vengeance
In a dialogue, let your villain reveal their motives rooted in past pain or injustice.
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The Ghost in the Mirror
Write about a character who faces their reflection every day, only to discover a ghost gradually appearing in the mirror.
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Echoes of the Past
Suppose you’re a ghost hunter exploring an abandoned building with a dark backstory; what kind of spirits do you encounter?
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Ice Architecture
Create a story around an ancient civilization that only built in ice and what remains of their icy edifices in modern times.
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Frost Maiden’s Tear
Write about a legendary tear-shaped jewel that’s said to be a tear of a powerful frost maiden.
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Forgotten Characters’ Stories
Choose a minor or overlooked character from a well-known fairy tale and write their story.
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Dreams and Destiny
Create a comprehensive backstory for a fairy tale villain, focusing on how their decisions resulted in their infamous role.
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The Missing Scientist
A renowned yet eccentric scientist disappears without a trace. Your character, a curious journalist, decides to find out why.
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The Easter Bunny Trademark Backstory
Craft an imaginative story about how the Easter Bunny began and earned its iconic role in Easter traditions.
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The Lost and Found
Create a story around an object you’ve found during spring cleaning that wasn’t yours.
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The Villain’s Backstory
Create an antagonist for your adventure story with a detailed past that humanizes them.
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Villain’s Birthright
Narrate the villain’s formative years, exploring key incidents that shape him/her into a ‘Wicked Villain’.
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The Code of Morality
Identify one moral, ethical, or emotional line that your villain simply cannot cross.
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Inventing Deities
Write about a god or goddess you created in your myth. What are they the deity of and what rituals are performed in their honor?
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Apparition Artifacts
Curate a collection of haunted artifacts that form the history and story of your haunted house.
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Chocolate Symphony
Craft a commercial about an extravagant box of chocolates, each with a different story to tell.
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Ghost Ship Adrift
Weave a tale around an ancient shipwreck or a ghostly seafaring vessel seen only under certain conditions.
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Wise Old Owl
Create a character sketch of an old, wise owl who serves as the advisor or mentor to other animals.
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Reliving Memories
Write a brief piece where your character reminisces about a significant event in their past.
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Sinister Beginnings
Write the backstory of your superhero’s arch-nemesis, focusing on the event or events that caused them to turn evil.
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Revealing A Hidden Past
Create a backstory for your villain character that reveals a traumatic or significant event that contributed to their villainous traits.
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The Heated Exchange
Write a short piece involving an argument between two characters, where every line of dialogue progressively reveals more about their conflict.
