112+ ‘Literature’ Writing Prompts
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4. Creature Chronicles
Your protagonist discovers that they can see and communicate with mythical creatures no one else can. Describe their experiences.
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Harlem Renaissance Lights
Bring to life a character deeply involved in the Harlem Renaissance, an intellectual, social, and artistic explosion centered in Harlem.
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Diary of the Subplot Character
Write a diary entry from an overlooked character’s perspective in a classic novel.
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The Hero’s Journey
For a well-known English literature character, rewrite a key section of their journey using modern settings and circumstances.
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Life Blossoms
Create a piece where a spring flower has strong symbolic significance – perhaps it’s a metaphor for a character’s personal growth or a wider societal issue.
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Friendship Garden
Describe what kind of plants would represent each of your friends in a ‘Friendship Garden’.
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The Missing Manuscript
Imagine a famous, believed-to-be-lost manuscript resurfacing after many years, leading to an intriguing mystery.
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Terra Incognita
Devise a whole new world, away from Earth, with its geographies, creatures, civilizations, and peculiar laws.
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Earth’s Testament
Visualize and describe a piece of literature where Earth is narrating its own story.
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Iago’s Deceit
Write a psychological profile of Iago from Shakespeare’s “Othello”, detailing his motivations and methods for manipulation.
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Ripped From The Pages
Create an origin story for your villain based on a book that greatly influenced their ideology.
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Whispers in the Wind
Write a story where the winds carry secret messages that only a chosen few can interpret.
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Inter-Race Relations
In a multi-cultural fantasy world, write a story about a dwarf and an elf working together to overcome a common threat.
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Cybernetic Dystopia
Write a fictional account about living in a dystopian society dominated by advanced technology and corporate power.
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Flash Fiction Future
Pen a prediction about the role and form of flash fiction in the literature of the future.
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Flash Fiction in Waiting Rooms
Imagine scenarios in which people utilize flash fiction in everyday life situations like in waiting rooms.
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The Origin of the Flash
Write a fictional historical account of how flash fiction was first conceived.
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Feast of the Gods
Develop a story centered around an extravagant meal where each dish is described vividly to stimulate the reader’s senses.
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Harlem Renaissance Herald
Write a series of diary entries from the perspective of an African American artist during the Harlem Renaissance.
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Lost in Words
Recount an experience where you found solace in books or literature during a tough time.
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The Distant Future: Earth 5000 AD
Project yourself five millennia into the future. What has become of Earth? How has climate change affected the planet and species?
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Gifts of the Past
Pen down a quote from a book you read in the past and describe how it’s influenced your life.
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Influential Characters
Discuss an influential character from real life or literature that inspired or shaped you in your formative years.
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Exploring Literature
Select a controversial novel and argue for or against its inclusion in a middle school curriculum.
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Emotional Colors: The Feelings Spectrum
Write about a particular color that you associate with a certain emotion. Explain why you make that connection.
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Singing with the Wind
Capture the bond between nature and music by writing a poem about wind as a song.
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Haunted House Homage
Write about an important event happening in the world’s most infamous haunted house, the Amityville Horror House.
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The Book I Never Understood
Write about a book that you had a hard time understanding, and what difficulties you faced while interpreting it.
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Pages From The Past
Choose a book that hails from a completely different era. Write about how the society, culture, and values depicted in it compare to that of the present era.
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Decoding The Author
If you could ask any author, living or dead, one question about their work, who would it be and what question would you ask?
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Letter to my favorite book character
Choose a favorite character from a book and write a letter to them expressing your thoughts, questions, or feelings.
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Gender Lens
Analyze a work of literature from the perspective of gender, exploring roles, stereotypes, or biases.
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Underdog Character
Discuss a character from literature who is often overlooked, but whom you believe deserves more attention.
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Adaptation Lens
Choose a book that has been adapted into a movie or a TV series and share your opinion on how well the adaptation was executed.
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Opinions on Classics
Write about a classic piece of literature that you either strongly agree or disagree with.
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Dear Book Character
Write a letter to a character from a book you’ve read recently. You can ask questions or share your thoughts.
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Lessons from Unlikable Characters
Write about a character from a book you read this year who you initially disliked but grew to understand. What lessons did you learn from this character’s transformation and development?
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The Power of Settings
Reflect on a significant setting from one of your favorite books this year. How did this setting shape the course of the story and your understanding of the themes and characters?
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Characters that Resonate
Choose a character from one of the best books you read this year who you strongly identify with. Write about why you connect with this character and what you learned from their journey.
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Book Lessons in Real Life
Write about a lesson you learned from your favorite book of the year and how you applied it in real life.
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Storytelling with Animals
Write a story based on talking animals wherein each animal represents a different characteristic or value.
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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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Birthday Letters to Shakespeare
Pen a letter to William Shakespeare; express what his work means to you or ask him the questions you’ve always wanted to.
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Impact of Literature in Society
Write a research paper on a specific piece of literature and analyze its impact on contemporary or historical society.
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Nightmarish Doppelgänger
Your protagonist begins to see an exact, yet clearly more sinister, version of themselves.
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Haunted Annals of the Library
Recount a tale about an ancient library frequented by the ghosts of famous historical authors.
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Black Expression
Reflect on a piece of black literature or a significant black author and how their work affected you.
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Unconventional Heroes
Craft a story about a protagonist whose physicality doesn’t match the typical “hero” image.
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Ghosts of Christmas Past
Write a ghost story set during the holiday season, where the ghost turns out to be a positive force.
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Cozy Apocalypse
Write a story about an apocalypse that isn’t frightening, but rather cozy and quiet.
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Tree of Creativity
Write about a special tree that grows fruits symbolizing different genres of creativity.
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Genre Jigsaw
Examine different genres of literature, classifying them according to their characteristics, and provide examples of each.
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Books That Shaped You
Write about a book you read in the past that significantly affected your perspectives or beliefs.
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Classical Romance Tales
Pick a love story from a classical literature spanning different cultures and write it in your perspective.
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Legally Sound Revenge
Craft a case against a famous literary villain, using their own fictional actions as evidence.
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The Secret Society of Paperback Books
Your collection of books comes alive every evening and each character comes out to socialize. What kind of stories would they share?
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Midnight in Paris
Imagine a literary scholar who is unexpectedly pulled into a world of spies while researching in Paris.
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The Hero’s Journey
Think about a time in your life when you faced a challenge and overcame it, casting yourself as the ‘hero’.
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Hidden Identity
Write a story where your leading character discovers they are not who they thought they were.
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Adventure with Animal Heroes
Write about a favorite animal character from a childhood book or TV show and the adventures you would have dreamed about having with them.
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Alien Romance: Renaissance Period
Write a story where a humanoid alien and a young member of a Renaissance court fall in love.
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Haunted Mirror
Create a ghostly character that only exists in mirrors and describe how it influences the world around it.
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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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The Hidden Inclusivity
Discuss several ways fanfic generators promote inclusivity among less-represented writers and readers.
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Opulent Imperiums Clashing
Write a narrative in which the rulers from two different fantasy kingdoms are forced into an alliance.
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A Different Dimension
Pick a favorite character from literature and write a spin-off in an alternate universe.
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Unexpected Heroine
Write a Jane Austen “Pride and Prejudice” fanfic where Mary Bennet, the overlooked middle sister, becomes the story’s heroine.
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Anime’s Impact on Literature
Explore how anime has inspired or impacted literature, including young adult or fantasy novels.
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Anime Reality Bubble
Create a narrative where the characters are only partially aware they live inside an anime.
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Invisible Influence
Write about a person in your life you’ve never met but who has greatly influenced you
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Unveiling Inner Artist
Describe a piece of art, music, or literature that deeply moved you, then imagine creating something that induces similar feelings in others.
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Fictional Autopilot
Imagine that you are a fictional character for a day. How does that character go through their typical activities and how it’s different from yours?
