295+ ‘Essence’ Writing Prompts
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Rapid Fire
Write a story where the pace is highly accelerated, essential events happening within mere moments.
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Shelter From The Storm
Narrate an experience when you had to seek shade or shelter during a summer storm.
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Warmth of Indoor Retreat
Describe the warmth and coziness of being indoors on a chilly November night. Write about the sense of contentment this setting provides.
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Haunted Forest Whispers
A foreboding forest whispers cryptic clues to its secrets; write about brave explorers dictating and deciphering these clandestine murmurs.
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A Season in a Scoop
Describe experiencing the essence of summer through a single scoop of ice cream.
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Pieces of Memory
Create a collage of memories that you associate with the person or relationship that has caused your heartbreak.
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Blood as Life Essence
Describe a scenario where a vampire must negotiate their insatiable thirst for blood.
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Real-Life Role Model
Create a narrative around a real-life hero suitable for children’s literature, conveying their courageous acts and moral values.
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Earth Day Celebration Anthem
Imagine you are tasked with composing an anthem for Earth Day; write about the process.
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Fantastic Friends From Faraway
Imagine a new friend from a planet in a galaxy far far away. Write about who they are, what they look like, and how you met.
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Harmony of the Heartbeats
Compose a romantic duet for a couple expressing their deep love for each other on Valentine’s Day.
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The Essence of Giving
Write about a memorable gift you’ve given and the thought that went into selecting it.
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Icy Expressions
Compose a narrative where the protagonist is an artist specializing in ice sculptures.
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“Sibling Bond in a Snapshot”
Pick a photograph of you and your sibling(s) and write in detail about that moment, emotions, background narration.
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Unexpected Holiday Hero
Construct a tale of an everyday person who becomes an unlikely holiday hero.
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Life of a Paper Swan
Assume the role of one of Andersen’s paper swans from ‘The Brave Tin Soldier’. Narrate one day in its life.
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Embracing the Autumn Essence
Compile a list of things engrained in November that you’re grateful for.
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School’s Out Forever: The Series Finale
Imagine your school life was a television series and you’re the lead character. Write the final episode.
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Mystery-Unraveled Puzzle
Your challenge is to write a flash fiction story that begins with a mystery and abruptly ends with a solution no one saw coming.
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Emblem of Your Soul
Choose a symbol that represents you. Explain why you chose this symbol and how it reflects your character.
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Ghost in the Machine
You’re an artificial intelligence tasked with understanding humans. Write about your observations.
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Heirloom Heartbeat
Write about a family keepsake or heirloom that symbolizes love and its story within your family.
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Audience with Your Future Self
Present a list of questions you’d like to ask your future self. Include both personal and professional queries, as well as deeper existential ones.
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Shamrock’s Green Essence
Detail the symbolism of the color green with the shamrock and its importance in your life.
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Ancestors’ Tales
Choose a cultural legend, myth, or folktale from one of your parents’ ethnic backgrounds and work that into a modern narrative.
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Understanding Lent Traditions
Write about a specific Lent tradition you or your family observes and how it impacts you.
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Fragmented Memories
Pen down a memory where you can remember only flashes of scenes, not the whole event.
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Last Tango in the Rain
Narrate a tragic love story where the main characters part ways due to reasons beyond their control.
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A Virtual Vacation
Imagine you can use virtual reality to travel anywhere in the world or universe. Describe your ideal trip.
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Survivor’s Utopia
Envision life after surviving a global catastrophe, rebuilding a Utopian community from the ashes.
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Spirit of Survival
Concoct a tale wherein a group of survivors form a utopian society amidst chaos, and how it reflects on the inherent tenacity of human spirit.
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Backroads and Detours
Write about a time during your summer road trip where you deliberately chose to take a detour or use backroads.
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Phenomenology of Everyday Life
Describe an ordinary day in your life from a phenomenological perspective.
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Journey Within
Pen down your innermost thoughts, reflecting on the essence of your soul and its interaction with the surrounding world.
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Self-Love Mantra
Create a personal mantra for self-love and describe why these specific words resonate with you.
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Letter to Future Self
Write a letter to your future self a year from now, highlighting your current feelings, uncertainties, hopes, and fears.
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Uncharted Territories
Write about explorers who venture into uncharted territories in search of something valuable.
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Enter the Mundane
Describe an ordinary, seemingly uninspiring setting — like a laundromat, a grocery store, or a bus station — in such a way that it becomes extraordinary.
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Historical Collage
Select a historical time period and a separate real-world location, then blend them together to create an entirely new setting.
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Dream Destination
Choose an unfamiliar real-world location you truly wish to visit and describe this place as you would in the middle of a thrilling narrative.
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The Christmas Spirit Realm
What if the Christmas Spirit isn’t just an idea, but a whole magical world? Write a narrative about your journey there.
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The Farewell
Compose a flash fiction piece where the plot centers on a farewell conversation between two characters.
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Character Complexity
Draft a story from mainstream fiction where the character develops over time, before condensing it into a flash fiction where the character’s complexity has to be shown quickly and sharply.
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Cinematic Vs. Static Snapshot
Write a mainstream story with multiple scenes and then convert it into a flash fiction focusing on only one static snapshot of the most vital scene.
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The Length Matters
Write one story using conventional narrative standards and then rewrite the same tale as a piece of flash fiction.
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Autumn Rainbows
Describe the different colors you’ve seen in today’s autumn forest while taking a walk.
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Unveiling Santa’s Secret
Imagine discovering that Santa Claus is real and you’re chosen to help him one Christmas.
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Forebodingly Cryptic
Devise a title that may not directly hint at horror but has a cryptic, unsettling undertone.
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The Language of Love
Compose a poetic piece using symbolism to describe love in a unique and profound way.
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Fall Friendship
Imagine your best friend is a scarecrow in a pumpkin patch. How would you spend your day together?
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Delving into the Dirt
Reflect on the feeling of soil between your fingers, and how this connection with the Earth made you feel.