85+ ‘Tragedy’ 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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Eternal Love
Consider a scenario where a couple spending Valentine’s Day in a haunted estate are forced to confront ghosts trapped in a cycle of unending romance and tragedy.
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Curing the Wound
Write about a personal pain, trauma or a life-altering event and how you made peace with it.
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The Longest Goodbye
Write about a vampire who falls in love with a mortal knowing they will outlive their lover.
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Star Soldier’s Diary
Write about a war in a distant galaxy from the perspective of a common soldier stationed at the forefront.
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Innocent Catalysts
Write about a villain who never intended to become one, but circumstances and personal tragedy morphed them into adversaries.
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Tragic Backdrop
Create a villain whose tragic past mirrors that of the hero but whose post-tragedy decisions diverge significantly.
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The Tragic Catalyst
Write about a villain whose malevolent transformation was fuelled by an devastating personal tragedy.
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Sorrow of the Undead
Write about a vampire who begins to experience regret for the things he can never have – a normal life, a family, growing old.
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Monstrous Origins
Create a backstory for a villain, revealing the true tragedy that led to his turn to darkness.
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The Making of a Sidekick
Write about the moment your superhero’s sidekick decides to join the fight for justice.
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Scars of the Past
Write a story about a character who carries a tragic past and how it shapes their present.
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Playing with Fate
Write about a character who attempts to alter their predestined fate, only to be met with tragedy.
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Journey Through Genres
Opt for a genre that aligns with a phase or incident in your life and write your personal narrative in that style.
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Deflected Prophecy
Write about a character who is predicted to bring about a great change or tragedy, only to fundamentally avert the prophecy.
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Fatal Love
Write a story about a superhero who loses their love, and with them, their will to save the world.
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A Different Perspective
Tell the Star Wars saga from Darth Vader’s point of view, showcasing the story from his unique perspective.
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Portents and Predicaments
Write a short piece including a prediction, sign or portent that hint about an upcoming disaster or tragedy.
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Time’s Duality
Develop a narrative where a character is reliving the same day over and it ends tragic, however, the readers know that the character can only experience happiness on that day.
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Disappearance of the Sodder Children
Invent a disturbing narrative influenced by the real disappearance of the Sodder children.
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Titanic’s Unsung Heroes
Write a fictional account of the Titanic disaster, focusing on the story of an unknown hero.
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Sidekick’s Ordeal
Narrate a story of a sidekick who experiences a tragedy that their superhero mentor can’t reverse, leading the sidekick to question their allegiance.
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Lost City
Tell the tale of a vibrant, thriving city that experiences a devastating cataclysmic event causing its downfall.
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A Vow Interrupted
Use this tragedy prompt to tell a story of a wedding ceremony which was dramatically disrupted.
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Transplant Tragedy
In your story, a heart transplant recipient realizes he’s re-living the brutal murder of his donor.
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Echoes of A Forgotten Party
The mansion was renowned for its grand soirées once, but now the grand ballroom remains eerily quiet.
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Anakin and Padmé’s Forbidden Love
Write a tale exploring the private moments and secret conversations between Anakin Skywalker and Padmé Amidala.
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Birth of Darth Vader
Describe what you believe Anakin Skywalker’s transformation into Darth Vader felt like, from his perspective.
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Love Interlude of Jack and Rose
Write a tender interlude between Jack and Rose from Titanic during their voyage.
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Lost in Translation
Write a story where your villain’s actions are misinterpreted, leading to their villainous reputation.
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Desperate Survival
Create a suspenseful narrative where a character is fighting against time in a tragic, high-stakes situation.
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Messages from Beyond
Write about a character who receives cryptic clues from a deceased loved one, leading them into a web of suspense.
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Unseen Vendetta
Craft a suspense story where the suspense stems from a tragic event that formed an unseen vendetta.
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Lost In A Moment
Write a story where the protagonist is trapped in a suspenseful situation because of a personal tragedy.
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Love Altered By Time’s Whims
Envision a tale where two people in love are cursed to live in different time periods.
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Lady of the Moors
Unravel a haunting narrative about the ghost of a lady wandering in the bleak moors in her never-ending search for her lost lover.
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Echoes of the Past
Suppose you’re a ghost hunter exploring an abandoned building with a dark backstory; what kind of spirits do you encounter?
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Eternity’s First Sorrow
Compose a narrative about the first person your vampire character had to turn into a vampire.
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Turning Points
Write about the time after Qui-Gon Jinn’s death. How did Obi-Wan Kenobi handle his grief? And how did this affect his understanding of the Force?
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Terraforming Tragedy
Write a tale about an attempt to terraform a distant planet that has disastrous results for its indigenous species.
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After the Last Curtain Call
Describe the life of a great performer or artist after they have lost their gift.
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Unsung Tragedy
Craft a villainous character who believes themselves to be the protagonist, driven by a heartbreaking past or ideology.
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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 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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Motivation behind Malice
Describe the reason that motivates the villain to act with such cruelty and malice towards others.
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Defining Moments in Tragedy
Write a story that revolves around a community that has experienced an unforeseen catastrophe.
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Resurrected By Revenge
Create a narrative where the superhero’s path to justice is triggered by avenging a family tragedy.
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The Shapeshifter’s Curse
Describe a creature cursed with the ability to take on the form of anything it kills.
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Unforeseen Tragedy
Emulate an unexpected event that results in loss, causing your character to reevaluate their life and goals.
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Planet Disappearance
Massive planets are disappearing across galaxies and suspicions of galaxy exploitation lead to an intergalactic conflict.
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Sinister Beginnings
Write the backstory of your superhero’s arch-nemesis, focusing on the event or events that caused them to turn evil.
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The Wrongs of Righting Wrongs
Narrate a story in which your superhero turns their past tragedy into strength.
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Unexpected Stand-In
Write a story where a person falls in love with a human-sized puppet who they think is real.
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Dragon’s Reluctance
Imagine a world where dragons exist, but they have forsaken humans due to some past tragedy.
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Resilient Survivor
Pen down a narrative about a person who survives a natural disaster and becomes a beacon of hope for their community.
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Between Deck Planks
Describe the objects found in the nooks and crannies of your antique ship and invent their stories.
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Indomitable Presence
Describe an abandoned location your character(s) decide to explore, unaware a malicious spirit lingers there.
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Farewell Letter
You uncover a letter in the attic of your haunted house. It’s a suicide note from the original owner.
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From the Ashes
Reimagine a historical event of disaster or tragedy through the perspective of your favorite fictional characters.
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From Tragedy to Tyranny
Develop a villain who turns evil because of a specific tragic incident in their past.
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Birthed from Tragedy
Write about a hero whose powers are birthed from experiencing a personal tragedy.
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The Sacrificial Abyss
Write about a hero or heroine who must make a perilous journey into an abyss to make a monumental sacrifice.
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The Eleventh Hour Sacrifice
Craft a sequence where a main character makes a self-sacrifice to save others, leading to an unforgettable conclusion.
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The Forgotten Memory
Pen a story about a character who remembers only glimpses of a horrifying incident from their past.
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Archive of Recovery
Write about how the healing process after a family loss or illness looked for you and your family.
