139+ ‘Deception’ Writing Prompts
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Z-Day Confessionals
Craft a monologue spoken by a character who has a harrowing secret connected to the zombie apocalypse.
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Perspective of the Republic
Write a political thriller detailing the manipulation and deception that led to the fall of the Jedi Order from the point of view of a Republic politician.
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The Motif of Masks
Create a character who wears a metaphorical mask to hide their true feelings, but has the mask slipping in certain circumstances.
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Dystopia Within Utopia
Write a story in a society that appears to be a utopia on the surface, but underneath, it controls and suppresses its citizens in horrifying ways.
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Monstrous Revelations
Draft a tale about being friends with an individual who is revealed to be a horrifying monster.
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The Anti-Damsel
Write about a conventionally “#damsel-in-distress” type character who turns out to be the puppeteer of the chaos.
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Secret Identity
Write about a protagonist who realizes they knew the culprit all along, but under a different identity.
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The Art of Deception
Write about a charming con artist who crafts a notorious pyramid scheme, beguiling unsuspecting victims into losing their money.
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The Double Life
Construct a story around a character who is leading a double life that they are desperately trying to hide from their romantic partner.
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The Breach of Betrayal
Create a suspenseful narrative where one partner is caught in a web of deception.
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Traitor in Disguise
An ally, a trusted friend, turns out to be a traitor, effecting a historical turning point.
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Clandestine Conspirator
Write about a villain operating behind the scenes, manipulating historical events for their personal gain.
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Double Life Dilemma
This story follows a vampire who attempts to lead a double life – one as a normal human and the other as an immortal creature.
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The Blood Drinker’s Deception
Craft a story about a vampire masquerading as a human doctor to hide their murderous activities.
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Hidden Scandals
Imagine a drama story involving high-status individuals and a series of unknown scandals.
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Web of Deception
Write a dramatic story where all major characters are hiding secrets from each other.
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Double Identity
Your main character finds out that they have a doppelgänger who is turning their life upside down.
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Trojan Horse
Create a narrative where the villain infiltrates the hero’s inner circle by pretending to be an ally.
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Dialogue Deception
Create a scenario where two characters understand a dialogue differently, leading to a significant misunderstanding.
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Cloaked Love
Create a narrative where an undercover agent falls in love with a member of the group they’re investigating.
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Web of Deceit
Your velvet-gloved detective must navigate through the web of lies spun by a close-knit family.
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A Lying Mirror
Write a story where a character believes a lie about themselves so deeply it has become their truth.
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Guardian of Secrets
Construct a narrative where the main character is compelled to reveal a deeply held secret.
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The Phantom’s Dance
Create a narrative for an adventurer who deceives a phantom to recover a cherished artifact.
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Sinister Secrets
Write about a character who constantly smiles and is excessively pleasant, but has a dark secret.
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Political Conspiracy
Craft a tale about a mysterious political conspiracy that shakes the very heart of a nation.
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The Secret Agent’s Lover
Your protagonist is an international spy who falls in love with their target. This dangerous romance shows both the allure and the risk of their chosen life.
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Secrets in the Basement
Write about finding a hidden room in your basement that contains a devastating secret.
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Magic Mirror’s Truth
Imagine that there’s a magic mirror in your story which shows not the physical, but rather the moral appearance.
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Undercover Love
What happens when your superhero falls in love with someone who despises their alter ego?
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Playing the Fool
Write a scene where the comic villain uses their perceived incompetence to their advantage.
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Devious Deception
Imagine a scenario where everyone around the main character seems to hide a secret.
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Double Life
Write about a character leading a double life and the dramatic irony that unfolds as the character’s loved ones remain unaware of it.
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Deception in the Dark
Write about a protagonist, an undercover detective, kidnapped by the very gang he was infiltrating.
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Grand Deception
Your protagonist is part of a team on a mission to steal a precious artifact from an impenetrable fortress, but they discover a shocking secret about the group’s real purpose.
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Shape-Shifter’s Conflict
Your main character, a shape-shifter, is in love with someone who fearfully despises shape-shifters.
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Undercover Agent
Write from the perspective of a covert operative needing to maintain a normal existence.
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Disguised Royalty
Imagine a story where a prince/princess disguises themselves as a commoner and falls in love.
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Red Riding Hood, P.I.
Retell the story of ‘Little Red Riding Hood’ as a film noir. Give the characters detective-story roles.
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Perception Deception
Your character can read minds but struggles with the woes of knowing everyone’s thoughts and intentions.
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Evil Twin
Spin a story about a person who discovers they have a doppelganger with sinister intentions.
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The Art of Deception
Write about a time Lando successfully deceived the authorities to achieve his objectives.
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Unreliable Narrator
Construct a story told by an unreliable narrator whose interpretations and explanations can’t be taken at face value.
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Doppelgänger Danger
Write a thrilling murder mystery involving a victim’s evil doppelgänger who emerges after their death.
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The Karma Cruise
Write a suspense story where a murderer becomes the hunted onboard a cruise filled with victims’ revenge-driven family members.
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disLIKEst THOU
Write about a social media feud between two well-known influencers in the fashion industry who constantly misunderstand each other’s posts.
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Rain that Spells Truth
Write a story set in a world where raindrops hold spells, each spell carrying the power to unveil the hidden truth of one specific thing.
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Deception Of Love
A character falls in love with someone who, they later discover, has been deceiving them.
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Hidden Affection
A character is secretly in love with their best friend, who is engaged to someone else.
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Two Faced Truth
Write about a detective who has been assigned to investigate a crime committed by their twin, without knowing their sibling’s involvement.
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Unveiling the Wolf
Write a story where a character introduced initially as benign or even friendly, over time, progressively peels back their façade to reveal their villainy.
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Master of Deception
Create an elegant, multi-layered hoax that tricks even the most clinical investigators.
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Heist of Untraceable Artifacts
Describe a high-stakes, international art heist without getting caught.
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The Unknown Carrier
Write about a regular person unknowingly carrying a top-secret message around the world.
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The Unsuspected Romance of Spies
In a world of espionage, two rival spies find themselves falling for each other.
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Hidden Identities
Depict a character who’s living a double life, balancing a façade and their true self.
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Sinister Sesame Street
What if Sesame Street wasn’t a safe and educational haven for children, but a haunted street full of otherworldly terror lurking behind every corner.
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Shattered Illusions
Detail a villain who believes they are doing the right thing, only to discover that they’ve been misled or mistaken.
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Civil War Fangs
Craft a tale set during the American Civil War where vampires agitate and escalate the conflict to ensure a steady flow of human victims.
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Toxic Love
Sketch a picture of a lover’s fatal end, poisoned by his beloved, focusing heavily on his writhing death throes.
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Dialogue of Deception
Write a conversation where your villain skillfully avoids revealing their true motive, but there are hidden clues.
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Cruel Cunning Charmers
Write a dialogue between your villain and another character where the villain sweet talks their victim into their trap.
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Unforgettable Prankster
Write about the most memorable April Fool’s Day prank you’ve ever played on someone.
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Shadowy Silhouettes
Outline a character who appears to be one thing, but by the end of the story, is revealed to be something else entirely.
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Serendipitous Deception
Write a story where you unintentionally betray someone you care about and the process of making amends.
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Shattered Trust
Reflect on an incident in your past when someone you trusted deeply, did not live up to your expectations.
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Corporate Misdoings
Develop an argument against a fictitious corporation with unethical business practices.
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Secret Sith Chronicles
Craft the narration of a Sith Lord’s personal diary, filled with dark secrets and schemes.
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Uncovered Lies
Your character is living a comfortable life when they discover it’s rooted in deception.
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Princess in Disguise
Imagine a princess who hides her identity and lives among the common folk. Detail her reasons, experiences, and journey.
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Hidden Loyalties
Create a narrative revolving around a spy who must play for both sides in the cold war.
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The Cursed Marshmallow
A seemingly innocent bag of marshmallows turns a fun-filled campfire evening into a night of living nightmare.
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Trace of Betrayal
Devise a narrative where the protagonist’s closest confidante betrays them in the most unimaginable way.
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Decaying Mirror Mansion
Design a chilling scenario based on a mirror-filled mansion where the mirrors do not reflect what’s on the other side.
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The Illusionist’s Trick
Devise a mystery where a renowned magician’s most famous trick ends in an unexpected tragedy.
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The Burgled Baker
Dissect the seemingly minor crime of a baker’s stolen recipe that spins into a larger conspiracy.
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Memory Distortion: Reality Vs Illusion
Devise a detective adventure story where the detective can’t rely on their perfect memory, as it begins to blur with illusions.
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The Shadows of the Forgotten Circus
Based on a detective’s journey to crack the cryptic mystery involving a derelict circus and its forgotten performers.
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The Unknown Letter
A character receives an anonymous letter that leads them on a mysterious journey.
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Enigma at the Manor
A wealthy man mysteriously disappears during a party at his estate, and everyone is a suspect.
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Deception in Disguise
Write a story about a seemingly perfect suburban neighborhood that hides a dark secret.
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Tale of the Unwitnessed Crime
Write a story around a crime scene where no one saw or heard what happened.
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Hidden Agenda
Create a character who, on the surface, has a normal job but secretly works as a corporate spy.
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Caught in the Crossfire
A trusted friend is revealed to be an enemy. How does your protagonist deal with it?
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Hard-Hitting Interview
Write an intense dialogue between a relentless journalist and a guarded, high-profile individual.
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Accidental Celebrity
Imagine your character has mistaken a stranger for a celebrity, leading to a series of comical adventures.
