#story ideas
1. a lantern, a boat, a foggy night
2. a new planet, a government with a shady side project, a wayward pilot
3. a tense family reunion, a book deal, a painting
4. a sick child, a car, a town deep in the mountains
5. a reserved and mysterious neighbor, a pet bird, a town mystery
6. a party, a proposal, a stamp
7. a diary, a suitcase, a ticket out of the city
8. a clock that’s never right, a forest, a cottage
9. a mad scientist, a swing set, a window
10. a bus ride, headphones, time travel
“The great thing about this life of ours is that you can be someone different to anybody.”
—Jennifer Niven, All The Bright Places
Story Prompt 1
A young girl commits a series of crimes. The police, nor investigators can figure out it was her or that the crimes are linked. She turns herself in. They called her the greatest serial killer in the world.
After a few years it happens again, and they aren’t able to figure out who it was. They ask her for help, and she obliged by giving them tips here and there. After a while, she gets annoyed and solves it herself. She figures out who it was in a fraction of the time it took for them to link two of the murders.
“Why did you do it only to be the good guy in the end?”
“You have to become the worst monster of them all to find the monsters.”
4 TOP TIPS for Relatable Characters:
▪️Give them GOALS:goals drive your characters forward and the sooner you establish their goals the better off your story.
Goals can be anything from sadness, wanting to win an award, trying to overcome anxiety, wanting to open their own restaurant etc.
▪️make them FAIL:if the guy gets the girl by chapter 3 it doesn’t make for a good story. There has to be struggle, conflict, and failure.
▪️Make them VULNERABLE:everyone has flaws. If you make your character flawless then you risk your readers not being able to relate. The vulnerability can be something secret and buried deep within like past hurt that shows up in the form of jealousy and so on.
Vulnerabilities can be an addiction, lust for power, vanity, anger, anxiety, dishonesty, etc.
▪️Give them FEARS:fear is one of the most relatable traits and can range from fear of dying, fear of certain insects, fear of the dark, fear of falling in love, the list goes on.
Also, your characters’ fear more than likely will tie into their goals. Their fears will prevent them from reaching their goals or be the very problem their trying to overcome. This makes for a good read☺️
Check out these books for more “character” ideas and help:
Writing Prompt #1962
And, just as luck would have it, one final problem and distraction right before everything was almost ready to go.
Writing Prompt #1961
“We didn’t all get to grow up with sunshine and rainbows.”
“I didn’t mean to offend, I was just—”
“Just assuming you and I are even close to the same. But we aren’t.”
Writing Prompt #1960
“You thought you could get rid of me that easily? You said it yourself; I’m a parasite. A leech. I’m going to stay until I bring us both down to our knees.”
Writing Prompt #1959
“I’m done playing nice, little heroes.” The villain straightened his back, and wiped the blood from his lip. “So this is your final warning; turn around, go home, and let me finish my business.”
Writing Prompt #1958
“Well, do you have any bright ideas?”
“Do the usual prerequisites apply? No major crimes or false identities?”
“Yep.”
“Then I’ve got nothing.”
Writing Prompt #1957
It was the same trip we made every Friday evening; a short walk from the apartment to the ice cream parlor, chatting and watching the sun set in the park. It was simple, and easy, but for some reason, she seemed nervous tonight.
Writing Prompt #1956
“A fellow came by looking for you. Red hair, deep scowl. I told him I had no clue what he was talking about.” She leaned across the counter, voice low enough that only the two of us should hear. “What should I tell him if he comes back?”
Writing Prompt #1955
It wasn’t that he like to over-commit; he just had an incredibly difficult time saying no to people.
Writing Prompt #1954
“Well, this didn’t go quite as planned,” the woman declared, frowning at the cell bars in front of her.
#Writing Prompt 1972
“Well what’s the problem? Aside from the obvious.”
“I think it doesn’t need another problem in addition to being illegal!”
Writing Prompt #1971
It was a city of liars, cheaters, and the worst people I had ever encountered, and I never wanted to leave.
Writing Prompt #1970
“Well it could’ve gone better.”
“I don’t think it could’ve gone worse!”
Writing Prompt #1969
It was devotion that kept them together, plain and simple.
Writing Prompt #1968
“What do you expect to do? We won’t stand behind you any more. You’ll be alone.”
“I won’t be alone. I’ve got other people. You aren’t my whole world anymore.”
Writing Prompt #1967
She came to in a land of swirling color—impossible pastel blues and pinks and purples made up the skies, shifting with each second that passed.
There was no sound here. No, there wassound, but it only came through in a dull haze.
Everything…felt like a dream.
Writing Prompt #1966
Even now, I held onto that brief hope, that somehow, everything was going to be okay.
Writing Prompt #1965
“Any other bright ideas?”
“I didn’t have any in the first place, so honestly, we’re already scraping the bottom of the barrel.”
Writing Prompt #1964
“Forgiveness? You can’t be serious, right? There’s only one proper form of penance for you, my dear, and it does not involve forgiving.”
