50+ ‘River’ Writing Prompts
-
River Navigation Challenge
Your character is tasked to navigate a perilous river running through the jungle to reach an important destination.
-
Journey of a River
Write a descriptive piece illustrating the journey of a river from its source to the sea, highlighting the changes in the landscape and region it traverses.
-
Life of a River
Imagine you are a river flowing from a mountain to the sea, tell the tale of your journey.
-
Non-human Monologue
Create a story narrated entirely from the perspective of an inanimate object, pet or landscape.
-
Time-Travelling Souvenirs
Describe an object you’ve collected from your travels and imagine what it would say if it could narrate its own journey.
-
Revisiting Hallowed Hangouts
Write about your favorite childhood place and why it held such magic for you.
-
Wilderness as a Metaphor
Think of a personal challenge or problem you’re facing. Frame it as a wilderness expedition.
-
Shared by the Land
Provide a detailed observation of wildlife you’ve encountered in a wilderness setting.
-
The Talking River
Write a tale about a river that can talk and shares stories with the creatures around it.
-
A Year in Metaphors
Select a handful of metaphors that encapsulate who you want to become in the new year.
-
River of Resilience
Inspect your life’s victories and trials from the past year, then write a story comparing your journey to a river.
-
River of Resistance
Set your suspense story against the backdrop of the Underground Railroad in the American Civil War era.
-
River of Consciousness
Write a flash fiction piece in the stream of consciousness mode, focusing on the thoughts and reactions of your protagonist rather than the events happening.
-
Riverside Reverie
Write about an afternoon by a lakeside or a river that holds a special place in your memory.
-
River’s Journey
Trace the path of a river, from its origin in a small spring to its grand exit into the sea.
-
The Secret Life of a Raindrop
Chart the journey of a single raindrop as it falls in a tropical rainforest.
-
Enduring Symbol
Choose a common symbol found in many myths (a tree, a mountain, a river) and create your own myth explaining its significance.
-
Secrets of the Magical Landscape
Write about a land imbued with potent magic; every hill, river, and tree holds a peculiar power.
-
Map of the Mystical Land
Design a map for your fantasy world, then detail the characteristics each region.
-
The River’s Song
Pen down a narrative from the viewpoint of a river boat, highlighting its journey through the river.
-
River Marsh Adventure
You and your team of Pokemon are navigating through a perilous marsh, list out the problems you might encounter and how your Pokemon would handle them.
-
Taming the Swift Current
Write about a time when your thoughts or emotions felt like a rapid river, and how you managed it.
-
The River of Thoughts
Visualize your stream of consciousness as a river. Write about its flow, anything you notice about the shape or rhythm of it.
-
Journey through Nature
Imagine a journey through your favorite natural landscape and describe your experiences.
-
Personal Metaphor
Describe yourself as a metaphor, such as a tree, animal, or other object and elaborate why.
-
Redirect The River
Write about a stressful situation from your past but twist the narrative to reach a happy, stress-free ending.
-
Embodied Elements
Write a journal entry as though you are a specific element of nature, like a tree or a river.
-
The Relativity Of Time
Relate Jorge Luis Borges’ quote “Time is the substance I am made of. Time is a river which carries me along” to your personal understanding of time.
-
Legendary Landscapes
Detail a primary geographical feature of your world and its impact on the culture and people living there.
-
Voice of Nature
Write an essay from the viewpoint of a non-human entity in your local environment – like a tree, a river, or an animal.
