850+ ‘Present’ Writing Prompts
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Phantom Memories
Write a tale about a zombie experiencing “phantom memories”, echoes from their past.
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Sci-Fi Scribe
Adopt the persona of a science fiction writer from the future, looking back on our present time.
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Gratitude Vision Board
Imagine your life five years from now in a perfect scenario. Now, express gratitude as though you’ve already achieved it.
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Current Event Tug-of-War
Choose a current event or issue and write two essays: one in support of it, and one against it.
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A Parade of Celebrations
Imagine your school decides to host a Celebration Parade featuring holidays and festivals from around the world. Which celebration would you choose to represent and why?
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The Locket’s Secret
An ancient locket purchased as a Valentine’s Day gift bestows a horrifying curse upon its recipients.
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Living in A Different Era
Imagine living in a past era of your culture and describe your typical day.
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Environmental Advocacy
Write a speech that you would deliver to your peers encouraging them to care more about the environment.
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Ancient Rituals Run Amok
Write a story wherein archaeologists find a site deep in the jungle where ancient rituals have accidentally been reactivated.
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Jane Austen In The Modern Age
Imagine what a Jane Austen character would be like in present day society.
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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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Bridging the Gap
Take a historical event that changed the rights of women and compare it to today. Write about the progress made and discuss continued challenges faced by women.
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Bill of Rights in Real Life
Discuss one of the amendments from the Bill of Rights and present a real-life scenario where it is at stake.
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Community Service
Describe a community service project that you would like to initiate in your neighborhood.
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Technological Time Capsule
You are tasked with creating a time capsule to be opened 500 years in the future. What items would you choose to represent our current relationship with technology?
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Planetary Pioneer
Imagine you are part of a team pioneering to inhabit a new planet. Describe your first day on this new world.
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The Unspoken Apology
Compose a monologue in which your character expresses regret and seeks forgiveness for a past action, something they can’t rectify.
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Living History
Travel in a time machine to a historical event that fascinates you. Narrate the event from your perspective as if you were present there.
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Past and Present Perspectives
Write about a childhood memory that you view differently now as an adult.
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The Cost of Urbanization
Describe a city you know well, focusing on its environmental issues related to urbanization.
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Unveiling the Past
Imagine a character with a past that they are determined to leave behind, but it continues to resurface in unexpected ways.
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Dreams and Aspirations
What were your childhood dreams? Describe these aspirations and compare them to where you are now.
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Haunted Heirloom
Create a story around an ancestral item that is haunted by a disgruntled ancestral spirit.
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Contemporary Resurrection
What would the resurrection of Jesus look like if it took place in the present day?
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Echoes From the Past
Conceive a narrative, wherein ancient supernatural artifacts speak to their contemporary holders.
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Fictional Saviors
Pick a fictional character from a book or movie you consider heroic and write their biography.
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Echoes of Love
Write about a breakup that occurred in the past and how it echoes into your character’s present.
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The Forgotten Christmas Gift
Imagine discovering a long-forgotten, unopened Christmas gift. Dive into its story.
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October Ghosts
Compose a letter to a figure from your past who has significantly influenced your present.
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Environmental Diplomacy
Imagine a UN conference on Earth Day where world leaders are discussing global environmental issues. Write a speech you would present as a leader.
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Relics of the Past
In your fantasy world, ancient artifacts hold the key to its history. Describe one such artifact and the truth it unravels.
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Icebound Entity
Investigate a scenario in which people are being possessed by an otherworldly entity trapped in a block of ancient winter ice.
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Understanding Emotional Trajectory
Chronicle a timeline of your emotional growth from childhood to the present day.
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Forgotten Murder
The protagonist discovers an old unsolved murder case in their relative’s dusty attic.
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A Toast to Murder
Craft a whodunit story revolving around an influential figure poisoned during a celebratory toast.
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Double-Edged Sword
Describe an investment banker who is actually a whistleblower, exposing financial crimes at the risk of his own comfortable lifestyle.
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Urban Spirit Guide
Craft a story about living in a contemporary city that has its own urban legends and spirits.
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Manifest Gratitude
Manifest your gratitude by drawing a roadmap of your life highlighting the most significant moments you’re grateful for.
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Battle of the Bound
Write a story about a war between witches and humans where the outcome of the war determines the future of magic.
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Historic Scraps
Choose a newspaper scrap or magazine clipping that you have saved at your home. Write about the event in the clip from an alternative perspective.
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The Clown of Shadows
Pen down a story about a villain who is a rogue circus clown, with a dark sense of humor.
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Transcendent Tyranny
Write about a villain who aims to harness time travel, potentially altering history to favor their reign.
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Behind the Mask
Devise a villain who hides their malevolent nature under the guise of a helpful, caring persona.
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The Veil of Humanity
Imagine a vampire who desperately tries to retain their humanity despite their monstrous transformation.
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The Love Prophecy
A long-forgotten prophecy resurfaces, marking Valentine’s Day as the arrival date of a destined pair of lovers.
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Show and Tell
Bring an object that is meaningful to you, create a drawing of it, and write a descriptive piece about the object.
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Era of Impact
Write about a major historical event taking place in your hometown, with you as an eye witness.
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Time Capsule Wonders
Imagine you found a Time Capsule from the past. Detail what items you find in it and tell the story of the person who buried it.
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The Power of Places
Describe an intense interaction between two characters set in a very specific place. Make the place as vivid as the drama.
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Visions of Future Fear
Imagine a ‘ghost’ from your future, something you fear may come to haunt you.
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Spectral Relationships
Reflect on a relationship in your life that feels akin to a ghost – present but not fully tangible.
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Phantoms of Potential
Imagine yourself as a ‘ghost’ observing your present life from an outsider’s perspective.
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Echo of War
Write a story from the perspective of a war veteran experiencing a series of vivid war flashbacks.
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Unveiling Hidden Secrets
Write a story about a character uncovering a hidden secret about a loved one through a series of flashbacks.
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Swapped Destiny
Write about a character who discovers they were switched at birth with a prince or princess.
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Pet for Christmas
Narrate an incident where a stray animal finds its way to your home on a Christmas day.
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Forgotten Kingdom
Create a tale about an adventurer who stumbles upon an ancient and forgotten kingdom.
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Growth and Change in Family Dynamics
Reflect on how your perception of your family has changed from childhood to now.
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Alien Lifeforms Within
Ponder over moments where you felt the need to change or hide parts of your authentic self to fit in.
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Comforting Lullabies
Write about a specific song, rhyme, or lullaby from your childhood that provided comfort in difficult times.
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Chronicles of the Ancient War
Write about an ancient war that shaped the enmity or alliance between dwarves and elves.
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Balancing Academics and Play
Detail your experiences balancing your academic responsibilities with recreation time in the 7th grade.
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Ancient Snowfall
Describe a prehistoric event that caused a constant snowfall burying everything in its path.
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The Forgotten Love Letters
Write a story about someone who discovers an old trunk filled with love letters in their new home’s basement.
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Unearthed Love Letters
An ancient, haunted love letter is found on Valentine’s Day, stirring the ghost of a heartbroken lover.
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Echoes of the Past
Write a contemporary story where a protagonist discovers their lineage linked to the Trail of Tears.
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Travels Past, Future, and Present
Reflect on where you’ve been, where you are, and where you hope to go.
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Time Traveler’s Memoir
Write a letter from your future self to your present self, detailing how you’ve healed from this heartbreak.
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Treaded Eternity
Design a story where deceased souls must time travel to atone for their sins in life before they can pass on.
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Grandfather Paradox
Write a story in which a time traveler meets his own grandfather back in time and their actions directly impact the present.
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Echoes of the Forgotten
Write a story where the whole town magically travels 200 years into the past, and they must face the horrifying realities of the times.
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The Reversal Relic
Write a story about an artifact that hurls anyone who touches it back in time, forcing them to confront horrifying events.
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Temporal Monstrosities
In your story, the protagonist must combat horrifying, time-displaced creatures that have invaded the present time.
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Time Cops
Your protagonist is part of a special task force that goes back in time to prevent crimes that have yet to happen.
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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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The Forgotten Memory
You suddenly recall a forgotten childhood memory which reveals a shocking truth.
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Unexpected Gratitude
Choose an episode in your life which was challenging or painful but ultimately led to personal growth or unexpected thankfulness.
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Blood Curls and Fangs
In a modern setting, narrate a night where an ordinary individual bumps into a legendary creature with fangs.
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Echoes of the Past
Place yourself in the rotting shoes of a former leader figure, now a zombie, surveying the rubble of the city that was once under your care.
