Writing prompts help you overcome writer’s block while enhancing your skills. They’re great tools for people who want to become better writers, or need ideas to get the creative juices flowing.
Discover the best writing prompts to perfect your craft.
The Best Writing Prompts
We scoured Etsy (and the wider internet) to bring you 23 great writing prompt options.
Of course, people all write for different reasons, so we’ve split them into two major categories: journal writing prompts and creative writing prompts.
Whatever your writing needs, we’ve got the perfect prompts for you!
The Best Creative Writing Prompts
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Creative writing prompts enhance your storytelling abilities. They help you craft a better tale, either by providing a starting point for a new novel idea, or through writing exercises to help you hone your abilities as an author.
Here are our favorite creative writing prompts.
Hey folks! Transparency Disclosure- Some of the links in this article are affiliate links. That means I’ll receive a small commission if you decide to click on it and buy something. Don’t worry, it doesn’t cost you anything extra!
The Ultimate Creative Writing Prompts Bundle
We don’t mean to toot our own horns, but we really think our creative writing prompts are the best money can buy. In fact, we created them because we couldn’t find anything like them elsewhere on the web!
Our prompts are different because they provide more value. We don’t just offer a one-line story starter pack of simple exercises. We cover it all!
Each genre pack comes with warm-up exercises, simple prompts for enhancing your writing skills, and three full stories containing 10 prompts each. Each prompt targets a different aspect of storytelling, from building plot, to developing characters.
But that’s not all! Each story also has three additional prompts, designed to subvert your (and your reader’s!) expectations and change the way you think about writing.
Check them out at our store or on Etsy!
500 Creative Writing Prompts
I like this writing prompt printable bundle for the quantity. They may not be the best writing prompts (ours are clearly better!) but what they lack in quality they make up in quantity.
With this pack, you get 500 prompts spanning 25 genres. Start a fantasy novel one day, then switch to romance the next!
These writing prompts are perfect for people who struggle with writer’s block. It’s 500 fresh, unique ideas to get your juices flowing. However, they aren’t ideal for people who hope to refine their skills, as they don’t offer exercises to help you become a better writer.
Get 500 Creative Writing Prompts!
30 Day Writing Challenge Workbook
I love the 30 Day Writing Challenge Workbook because each day offers a wildly different type of prompt. You’ll find traditional story prompts, but you’ll also get poetry and letter writing prompts as well, which will expand your horizons and force you to think about the art of writing in different ways.
I also like that the creative writing prompts aren’t just simple story ideas. They go a little deeper, forcing you to think about why and how you are writing. They aren’t as deep as our prompts, but if you want a good variety of prompts for a low price, you can’t go wrong here.
Get the 30 Day Writing Challenge Workbook!
Fillable Novel Planner
If you’re writing a book, you need the Fillable Novel Planner. It contains over 400 pages dedicated to helping you outline your tale from start to finish. You’ll find character building worksheets, world building worksheets, plot planners, and more in this comprehensive planner.
The bundle also includes a section dedicated to plot, featuring a few story starter writing prompts for inspiration.
Although this planner is far more comprehensive than our bundle for outlining your story, our prompts are more in-depth. If you need help outlining your tale, get this, but if you want comprehensive prompts to help you refine your skills as a writer, get ours.
If you can’t decide, why not get both and use the planner to make the stories you created with our prompts come to life!
Get the Fillable Novel Planner!
Smutty Writing Prompts Bundle
The Smutty Writing Prompts Bundle offers something we don’t: SMUT! And lots of it!
As someone who doesn’t read much romance, I didn’t feel comfortable creating romance writing prompts. I can’t write smut, and that’s okay. Etsy seller WriterLifestyle can, and they’re helping you refine your smutty craft too.
The bundle is dedicated to writing steamy adult romance scenes that will captivate your audience. Whether you’re writing a full-on smut novel, or want to incorporate adult scenes in your work, this bundle will help.
Get the Smutty Writing Prompts Bundle!
AI Prompts for Writers
Etsy creator ZobaDepot is bringing writing prompts into the future. The bundle doesn’t offer creative writing prompts, instead, it provides over 200 chatbot prompts for writers using AI.
Writers who want to refine their prose, improve their characters, or tighten their style can input the prompts into an AI system like ChatGPT, and the output will, in theory, improve the writing.
Although I can see the use-case, I prefer writing prompts that help real people use their imaginations and become better writers through practice. However, I understand that AI may be the future, so I can’t exclude such a useful tool from the list of best writing prompts.
Get Your AI Prompt for Writers!
Creative Writing Prompts for Crime and Mystery Writers
I like the Creative Writing Prompts for Crime and Mystery Writers because they offer a tiny bit more than your typical prompt. Of course, they provide the traditional plot point story starters, but the bundle also includes sentence starters to help you with dialogue.
There’s a lot of content packed into this low-cost bundle, but the plots are so heavily focused on mystery and crime that writers exploring other genres may not get much use from them. However, if you’re a crime writer, these prompts are perfect!
Get the Creative Writing Prompts for Crime and Mystery Writers!
Free Creative Writing Prompts
Money is tight, so I understand not wanting to pay creators for their prompts.
You can find free creative writing prompts all over the internet. However, keep in mind that you’re sacrificing quality.
The free creative writing prompts I’ve found are wonderful story starters for when you’re out of ideas, but don’t offer much more.
Here are some options:
Filling the Jars
Julie from Filing the Jars wants to help you live your best life. She created a list of fifty free writing prompts, each helping you start a new tale. You’ll find one line story starters and story ideas in this list of prompts.
Writer’s Digest
Writer’s Digest offers a free list of 100 story ideas. The prompts have a title and a simple paragraph helping you get started.
The Mega Mom
The Mega Mom created a small but mighty list of creative prompts anyone can enjoy. Though they’re all simple story starters, the unique ideas can spark your imagination.
The Best Journal Writing Prompts
Prostock-studio via Shutterstock.com.
Creative writing is only half the battle. Many of us put away our stories when we get older, but focus on a different type of writing: journaling.
Journaling provides numerous benefits for health and wellness, but sometimes, writer’s block strikes here too, and we don’t know what to put in our journals.
Prompts can help.
Here are the best Journal Prompts you can find!
Ultimate Journal Prompts Super Bundle
Of course, we have you covered with our own Journal Prompts.
Our Ultimate Journal Prompts Super Bundle features over 200 journaling questions to help you dive deep into your psyche.
They’re separated into three major themes:
- Introspective prompts for when you need to embark upon a journey of self-discovery
- Money prompts to improve your relationship with money
- Fun & Quirky prompts which put the fun back into journaling
Of course, if you don’t want all 225, you can purchase any of the three sets individually as well in our shop.
We also offer a sneak peek of the type of journaling prompts you’ll find. Head to our article about journal prompts for a list of 30 free ones to get you started!
Get our Ultimate Journal Prompts Bundle on our Shop or on Etsy!
Self-Discovery Therapy Bundle
If you want more from journaling, like a deep, introspective look into yourself and exercises for reshaping how you think, you need the Self-Discovery Therapy Bundle.
Though a little pricey, the bundle features an insane amount of content. It’s over 1800 pages, filled with prompts and exercises to help you overcome challenges and improve your life.
Get the Self-Discovery Therapy Bundle!
Daily Journal Prompts
Build your journaling habit with one prompt for each day of the year. Etsy Creator BabySheepStudio offers 365 prompts, separated by month, to guide you through your year.
Each month offers a different theme based on the season. For example, January is about new beginnings and setting yearly goals, while December leans more toward reflection.
If you want a simple journal prompt for every day, start with these!
Get your Daily Journal Prompts!
Personal Growth Journal Prompts
The Personal Growth Journal Prompts are another great option for those who want a yearly journey. While the Daily Prompts above are themed based on the season, the Personal Growth prompts all related to self-improvement and personal development.
They’re also separated into 12 pages for each month, but you’ll find months dedicated to self-care and building confidence rather than the cycle of life and reflection.
Get the Personal Growth Journal Prompts!
365 Journal Prompts Template Bundle
The 365 Journal Prompts Template Bundle is similar to the Personal Growth Journal Prompts. It includes 365 prompts separated into calendar months, with each month dedicated to a different area of self-improvement.
However, the format is different. Here, you’ll find the prompts in a calendar template, whereas in the above, you get a list.
Everyone likes something different from the actual journal questions, so I can’t comment on which has “better” prompts, but the calendar format makes it a little easier to use.
Get the 365 Journal Prompts Template Bundle!
500 Journal Prompts
I love the dynamic style of the 500 journal prompts. While most of the products on the list offer a simple list of prompts, creator SAYYESSelfcare incorporated an engaging layout into many of the questions.
Although 10 pages of prompts are in list form, the bundle features other pages with charts and drawings, to help keep you engaged on your journey. As a bonus, the bundle also includes some habit tracking pages, making it a little more robust than your traditional bundle of prompts.
Journaling Prompts Mega Bundle
The Journaling Prompts Mega Bundle promises MEGA, and it delivers. It contains over 50,000 prompts! How they put that all together, I’ll never know!
A unique feature of the Journaling Prompts Mega Bundle is that it comes in a fillable format, so you can journal digitally rather than print out the pages if you wish.
The mega bundle is geared towards therapists helping clients through therapy, but there’s no rule stating regular people can’t purchase the prompts and explore the content on their own.
Get the Journalling Prompts Mega Bundle!
Difficult Questions Journal Prompts
If you want to dig deep within yourself, you should check out the Difficult Questions Journal Prompts. Here, you’ll find 300 prompts designed to help you challenge yourself and fix your life.
The questions assist with shadow work, helping you discover the parts of yourself you try to keep hidden, while others seek to help you forgive your past mistakes and move forward with your life.
If you’re ready for a tough journey of introspection, you should get these journal prompts.
Get the Difficult Questions Journal Prompts!
Free Journal Prompts
While I encourage paying for journal prompts to support the creators who worked so hard to make them, I get that not everyone can afford it.
Here are the best free journal prompts.
Self-Improvement Journal Prompts
Blogger Her Better Space offers a free list of 80 journal prompts all geared toward self-improvement. In addition, the article outlines some tips to get started on your journaling adventure.
Day One App
The blog for Day One App offers 500 free journal prompts to help people get started with journaling. Of course, they’re end goal is to get people to download their journaling app, but you don’t need to download to use their prompts for free.
Psych Central
The therapy resource Psych Central offers 65 free journal prompts for self-discovery. The prompts are broken down into categories such as Love & Relationships and Work & Career, so you can focus on the areas of your life where you need the most improvement.
The Best Writing Prompts for Children
Alena Ozerova via Shutterstock.com.
Kids need writing prompts too!
If you’re looking for the best writing prompts for your children, explore these three great options.
Creative Writing Prompts for Kids
These simple story starters are ideal for elementary school children trying to write their first stories. They’re fun stories about space and animals that will make kids want to write!
Because they’re geared towards children, you won’t find writing exercises or in-depth ideas about character development or plot, but the goal here is to inspire children to write, not to enhance their skills.
Get the Creative Writing Prompts for Kids!
Writing Prompts for Children 6-10
Young children only need a little motivation to write, and these prompts get them on the right track. They’re almost like journaling prompts designed to turn daily writing into a habit, asking kids to write about their favorite month or their home towns.
Because these prompts are geared towards young children, they aren’t as imaginative as the creative writing prompts for kids, but they will help motivate your kids to write more, which is sometimes all you need.
Get the Writing Prompts for Children 6-10!
Monthly Writing Prompts for Kids
If I were a kid, I’d love the Monthly Writing Prompts, if only for their engaging layout and design. The bright colors and accessible chart format make it easy and fun for even the most easily distracted children.
I also like how the prompts are separated by month, providing unique designs across the seasons. The prompts themselves cover everything from story ideas to journal entries, providing a variety of ways for kids to express themselves.
Get the Monthly Writing Prompts for Kids!
Better Writing Awaits
Whether you want to boost your skills as a creative writer or get introspective with journaling, writing prompts can help.
Grab your favorite bundle and get to work!