creative writing new beginnings

Fresh Beginnings: Creative Writing About a New Beginning

My name is Debbie, and I am passionate about developing a love for the written word and planting a seed that will grow into a powerful voice that can inspire many.

In every journey we take, there comes a time when we yearn for a fresh start—a chance to leave behind the burdens of the past and blaze a new trail towards the unknown. Whether it is a new job, a new relationship, or simply a new outlook on life, embarking on a new beginning fills us with a heady mix of excitement, trepidation, and hope. And what better way to explore and express these emotions than through the art of creative writing?

At its heart, creative writing serves as a powerful medium to capture the essence of new beginnings. It allows us to delve deep into our thoughts and emotions while weaving tales of transformation, growth, and personal triumph. Through the written word, we can give shape to the emotions that often elude us, articulating the profound impact that change can have on our lives.

Whether you are a seasoned writer or someone who has never put pen to paper, this article aims to inspire and guide you through the process of writing about new beginnings. We will explore various techniques and exercises that will help channel your creative energy, enabling you to craft compelling narratives centered around the magical concept of a fresh start.

Join us as we uncover the boundless possibilities of creative writing about new beginnings. From capturing the nervous anticipation of stepping into uncharted territories to experiencing the euphoria of finding oneself anew, we will delve into the myriad emotions associated with embarking on a fresh chapter in life. Whether you want to write a short story, a poem, or a personal reflection, this article will equip you with the tools to breathe life into your ideas and bring your words to the page.

Planning Your New Beginning: Setting Goals and Objectives

Embracing change: tapping into your inner creativity, exploring different writing styles: finding your voice, crafting compelling characters: bringing life to your story, unleashing the power of intriguing characters, creating captivating settings: transporting readers to a new world, mastering the art of plot development: unveiling a riveting narrative journey, polishing your prose: editing and revising for excellence, frequently asked questions, the conclusion.

Embarking on a new path in life can be both exciting and daunting. However, with proper planning and goal setting, you can navigate this new beginning with confidence. Setting clear and achievable goals is vital for staying focused and motivated along the way. Here are a few key steps to help you effectively plan your new chapter:

• Reflect on your priorities: Take the time to identify what truly matters to you in this new phase of your life. Consider your values, passions, and aspirations. By aligning your goals with your core beliefs, you can create a sense of purpose and fulfillment.
• Set SMART goals: Rather than vague objectives, formulate Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound (SMART) goals. Break them down into smaller, manageable steps to make them less overwhelming. This approach will enable you to track your progress and celebrate each milestone along the way.

Change is an inevitable part of life, and it can be both exciting and challenging. Embracing change with an open mind allows us to tap into our inner creativity, unlocking endless possibilities and personal growth. By adapting to change, we not only expand our perspective but also develop valuable skills that can shape our future success.

Here are a few key ways to embrace change and unleash your inner creativity:

• Embrace curiosity: Cultivate a sense of wonder and curiosity about the world around you. Ask questions, explore new ideas, and challenge your assumptions. Curiosity fuels creativity.
• Embrace discomfort: Stepping outside of your comfort zone is often necessary for personal growth. Embrace discomfort as a sign of progress and growth, knowing that some of the best ideas are born in times of uncertainty.
• Embrace failure: Fear of failure can prevent us from taking risks and trying new things. Shift your perspective and see failure as a learning opportunity. Embrace it, learn from it, and use it to fuel your next creative endeavor.
• Embrace collaboration: Seek out diverse perspectives and collaborate with others. Surrounding yourself with people who think differently can ignite your creativity and inspire fresh ideas .

Remember, change is not an obstacle but a catalyst for growth and innovation. By embracing change and tapping into your inner creativity, you can navigate life’s ever-evolving landscape with confidence and resilience.

When it comes to writing, finding your unique voice is essential. It allows you to express your thoughts and ideas in a way that is authentic and captivating. Exploring different writing styles is a fantastic way to discover which approach resonates with you the most. Here are some tips to help you on this exciting journey:

• Read, read, read: Dive into various genres and authors to expose yourself to a wide range of writing styles. Pay attention to their use of language, tone, and structure, and take note of what resonates with you.
• Experiment: Don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone and try different writing styles. Play with different tones, narrative techniques, and sentence structures. This experimentation will not only help you find your voice but also hone your writing skills.
• Reflect on your interests and experiences: Your unique voice often stems from your personal experiences and passions. Reflecting on your own life can provide you with the inspiration and content to create something truly authentic.

Finding your writing voice is a process that takes time and practice. Embrace the journey and don’t be discouraged if it takes a while. Remember that your writing style is an expression of who you are, so stay true to yourself and let your voice shine through.

Creating captivating characters is the key to immersing readers in your story and making them care deeply about its outcome. By crafting individuals who are relatable, multi-dimensional, and unique, you can bring your narrative to life and leave a lasting impact on your audience. Here are some tips to help you unleash the power of intriguing characters:

• Showcase Flaws and Vulnerabilities: Perfect characters may appear unattainable, which can alienate readers. Instead, develop flaws and vulnerabilities that make your characters relatable, allowing readers to connect with their struggles and cheer for their triumphs.
• Create Depth through Backstories: Develop rich backstories for your characters that explore their past experiences, motivations, and goals. A well-crafted backstory adds depth, providing insight into their actions and making them feel like real people.
• Embrace Unique Personalities: Give each character their own distinct personality traits, quirks, and mannerisms. Whether it’s a nervous twitch or a confident swagger, these small details add authenticity and make your characters stand out.

With these strategies, you can transform your characters from mere words on a page to unforgettable individuals that will resonate with your readers. Remember, compelling characters hold the power to breathe life into your story, making it an engaging and memorable experience for all who embark on the journey you’ve created.

Setting the Stage for Imagination

When crafting a captivating story, transport your readers to a new world through the power of vivid and enticing settings. A well-developed setting not only provides a backdrop for your characters but also serves as a compelling character itself. By immersing your readers in a richly described environment, you allow them to detach from their current realities and embark on a thrilling journey through their imaginations.

• Use sensory details: Engage your readers’ senses by describing the scenery, smells, sounds, and even tastes of your setting. These vivid sensory descriptions will evoke emotions and create a more immersive experience.
• Create a unique atmosphere: The ambiance of your setting should reflect the tone of your story. Whether it’s an eerie Gothic mansion or a cozy coffee shop , make sure the atmosphere serves to captivate your readers and enhance the overall mood.
• Introduce intriguing landmarks: Spark curiosity by incorporating interesting landmarks into your setting. Unusual buildings, mystical monuments, or hidden treasures can act as focal points that generate excitement and add depth to your fictional world.

Threading Reality with Fantasy

To fully transport readers to a new world, seamlessly weave elements of fantasy into the fabric of reality. By blending familiar details with fantastical elements, you create a setting that feels believable yet extraordinary, enticing readers to explore every nook and cranny of your imagined realm.

• Create believable rules: Even in a fictional world, consistency is key. Establish rules for how the setting operates, such as the behavior of magical creatures or the limits of supernatural powers. Consistency grounds your world in plausibility and helps readers become emotionally invested.
• Embrace cultural diversity: Just like our own world, your fictional setting should be filled with diverse cultures, traditions, and beliefs. This adds depth and realism, making your readers feel like they’ve truly stepped into an expansive and vibrant world.
• Uncover hidden secrets: Treat your setting as a character with hidden depths. Sprinkle tantalizing clues and secrets throughout the environment, challenging readers to uncover its mysteries. Whether it’s a forgotten door in a labyrinthine castle or a whispered rumor of buried treasure, these secrets will keep readers engaged and hungry for more.

Creating a compelling and well-crafted plot is the cornerstone of any captivating story. Whether you’re an aspiring author or a seasoned writer looking to enhance your storytelling skills, mastering the art of plot development is essential. In this section, we will explore the key elements and techniques that go into unraveling a riveting narrative journey that will leave your readers on the edge of their seats.

First and foremost, a successful plot requires a strong foundation. Building a solid framework ensures that your story flows seamlessly and engages readers from beginning to end. Start by outlining the main plot points in a linear fashion, from exposition to climax and resolution. This will allow you to map out the overarching structure and identify pivotal moments that drive the narrative forward. To add depth and complexity, consider incorporating subplots that intertwine with the main storyline, providing additional layers of intrigue. By carefully weaving these subplots, you can create a multifaceted world that keeps readers guessing and invested in the outcome.

Furthermore, the protagonist’s journey lies at the heart of an enthralling plot. It is crucial to develop a compelling protagonist with relatable flaws and aspirations. As the main driving force behind the narrative, their growth and transformation should be interwoven into the plot’s progression. Through a series of rising conflicts and challenges, the protagonist can overcome obstacles and evolve, captivating readers along the way. Don’t forget to include well-developed supporting characters who complement the protagonist and contribute to the overall narrative arc.

• Utilize suspense and foreshadowing to keep readers eagerly turning the pages.
• Balance the pacing by strategically alternating between moments of tension and calmness.
• Create unexpected plot twists that challenge readers’ expectations.
• Ensure there is a satisfying resolution that ties up loose ends and leaves a lasting impact.

In conclusion, mastering the art of plot development is about constructing a seamless and captivating narrative that takes readers on a thrilling journey. By establishing a strong foundation, incorporating compelling subplots, and focusing on the protagonist’s growth, you will create a plot that keeps readers hooked until the very last page. Remember, it is through the artful navigation of conflicts, suspenseful elements, and unexpected twists that your story will come alive, leaving a lasting impression on eager readers.

Once you have completed the exhilarating journey of writing, it’s time to shift gears and dive into the crucial stage of editing and revising. By meticulously fine-tuning your work, you can transform it into a polished gem that gleams with excellence. Here, we share some tried-and-tested strategies to help you refine your prose to perfection:

1. Take a break: Before you embark on the editing process, give yourself some distance from your writing. This break allows you to approach your work with fresh eyes and a renewed perspective, enabling you to spot errors and inconsistencies more effectively.

2. Structure and organization: Start your revision process by focusing on the overall structure and organization of your piece. Consider the flow of ideas, coherence in paragraphs, and logical transitions between sections. Use headings, subheadings, and bullet points to create a clear and readable structure. This will ensure that your readers can easily navigate through your content and grasp your main points with ease.

Q: What is “Fresh Beginnings: Creative Writing About a New Beginning” all about? A: “Fresh Beginnings: Creative Writing About a New Beginning” is an article that explores the process of writing creatively about new beginnings in various forms of literature.

Q: Why is creative writing about new beginnings important? A: Creative writing about new beginnings allows individuals to express their thoughts, emotions, and experiences related to starting over. It provides an outlet for self-reflection, personal growth, and exploration of new possibilities.

Q: What types of writing can be considered as creative writing about new beginnings? A: Creative writing about new beginnings can take several forms, including short stories, poetry, journal entries, personal essays, and even novels. Essentially, any form of writing that explores the theme of starting anew can be considered part of this genre.

Q: What are the potential benefits of writing about fresh beginnings? A: Writing about new beginnings can help individuals process their emotions, gain clarity about their experiences, and find catharsis. It can also foster resilience, inspire others, and serve as a source of inspiration for personal transformation.

Q: How can I start writing creatively about new beginnings? A: To begin writing creatively about new beginnings, start by reflecting on your own experiences and emotions. Consider the challenges you’ve faced, the lessons learned, and the hopes for the future. Then, choose a writing style that resonates with you and begin putting your thoughts into words.

Q: Are there any writing prompts available for creative writing about new beginnings? A: Absolutely! Some writing prompts that can inspire creative writing about new beginnings include: “Describe a time when you had to start over. How did it feel?”; “Write a poem about the excitement and uncertainties of a fresh beginning”; or “Imagine a character embarking on a new journey. What challenges do they face, and what do they learn?”

Q: Can beginner writers participate in this form of creative writing? A: Absolutely! Creative writing about new beginnings is open to writers of all levels. Beginners can start by journaling their thoughts or experimenting with shorter pieces such as flash fiction or micro-poetry. Writing workshops or online communities can also provide valuable feedback and support.

Q: Is there a specific process to follow while writing creatively about new beginnings? A: There is no one-size-fits-all process, as everyone’s creative journey is unique. However, it may be helpful to start by brainstorming ideas, creating an outline or structure, and then allowing the words to flow naturally. Remember, the most important part is to enjoy the process and be true to your own voice.

Q: Can writing about new beginnings be therapeutic? A: Yes, writing about new beginnings can serve as a form of therapy. It allows individuals to process complex emotions, find closure, and gain a new perspective on their experiences. Writing creatively about fresh starts can be a cathartic and transformative outlet for self-expression.

Q: Where can I find resources or workshops to further explore creative writing about new beginnings? A: There are many resources available to further explore creative writing about new beginnings. Look for local writing groups, join online writing communities, or seek out writing workshops and classes in your area. Additionally, numerous books and websites offer guidance and writing exercises specifically tailored to this genre.

In conclusion, exploring the theme of new beginnings in creative writing offers a fresh perspective and a chance for personal growth.

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150+ Story Starters: Creative Sentences To Start A Story

The most important thing about writing is finding a good idea . You have to have a great idea to write a story. You have to be able to see the whole picture before you can start to write it. Sometimes, you might need help with that. Story starters are a great way to get the story rolling. You can use them to kick off a story, start a character in a story or even start a scene in a story.

When you start writing a story, you need to have a hook. A hook can be a character or a plot device. It can also be a setting, something like “A young man came into a bar with a horse.” or a setting like “It was the summer of 1969, and there were no cell phones.” The first sentence of a story is often the hook. It can also be a premise or a situation, such as, “A strange old man in a black cloak was sitting on the train platform.”

Story starters are a way to quickly get the story going. They give the reader a place to start reading your story. Some story starters are obvious, and some are not. The best story starters are the ones that give the reader a glimpse into the story. They can be a part of a story or a part of a scene. They can be a way to show the reader the mood of a story. If you want to start a story, you can use a simple sentence. You can also use a question or an inspirational quote. In this post, we have listed over 150 story starters to get your story started with a bang! A great way to use these story starters is at the start of the Finish The Story game .

If you want more story starters, check out this video on some creative story starter sentences to use in your stories:

150+ Creative Story Starters

Here is a list of good sentences to start a story with:

• I’ve read about a million stories about princesses but never thought I could ever be one.
• There was once a man who was very old, but he was wise. He lived for a very long time, and he was very happy.
• What is the difference between a man and a cat? A cat has nine lives.
• In the middle of the night, a boy is running through the woods.
• It is the end of the world.
• He knew he was not allowed to look into the eyes of the princess, but he couldn’t help himself.
• The year is 1893. A young boy was running away from home.
• What if the Forest was actually a magical portal to another dimension, the Forest was a portal to the Otherworld?
• In the Forest, you will find a vast number of magical beings of all sorts. 
• It was the middle of the night, and the forest was quiet. No bugs or animals disturbed the silence. There were no birds, no chirping. 
• If you wish to stay in the Forest, you will need to follow these rules: No one shall leave the Forest. No one shall enter. No one shall take anything from the Forest.
• “It was a terrible day,” said the old man in a raspy voice.
• A cat is flying through the air, higher and higher, when it happens, and the cat doesn’t know how it got there, how it got to be in the sky.
• I was lying in the woods, and I was daydreaming.
• The Earth is a world of wonders. 
• The fairy is the most amazing creature I have ever met.
• A young girl was sitting on a tree stump at the edge of a river when she noticed a magical tree growing in the water.
• My dancing rat is dressed in a jacket, a tie and glasses, which make him look like a person. 
• In the darkness of the night, I am alone, but I know that I am not. 
• Owls are the oldest, and most intelligent, of all birds.
• My name is Reyna, and I am a fox. 
• The woman was drowning.
• One day, he was walking in the forest.
• It was a dark and stormy night…
• There was a young girl who could not sleep…
• A boy in a black cape rode on a white horse…
• A crazy old man in a black cloak was sitting in the middle of the street…
• The sun was setting on a beautiful summer day…
• The dog was restless…”
• There was a young boy in a brown coat…
• I met a young man in the woods…
• In the middle of a dark forest…
• The young girl was at home with her family…
• There was a young man who was sitting on a …
• A young man came into a bar with a horse…
• I have had a lot of bad dreams…
• He was a man who wanted to be king…
• It was the summer of 1969, and there were no cell phones.
• I know what you’re thinking. But no, I don’t want to be a vegetarian. The worst part is I don’t like the taste.
• She looked at the boy and decided to ask him why he wasn’t eating. She didn’t want to look mean, but she was going to ask him anyway.
• The song played on the radio, as Samual wiped away his tears.
• This was the part when everything was about to go downhill. But it didn’t…
• “Why make life harder for yourself?” asked Claire, as she bit into her apple.
• She made a promise to herself that she would never do it.
• I was able to escape.
• I was reading a book when the accident happened.
• “I can’t stand up for people who lie and cheat.” I cried.
• You look at me and I feel beautiful.
• I know what I want to be when I grow up.
• We didn’t have much money. But we knew how to throw a good party.
• The wind blew on the silent streets of London.
• What do you get when you cross an angry bee and my sister?
• The flight was slow and bumpy. I was half asleep when the captain announced we were going down.
• At the far end of the city was a river that was overgrown with weeds. 
• It was a quiet night in the middle of a busy week.
• One afternoon, I was eating a sandwich in the park when I spotted a stranger.
• In the late afternoon, a few students sat on the lawn reading.
• The fireflies were dancing in the twilight as the sunset.
• In the early evening, the children played in the park.
• The sun was setting and the moon was rising.
• A crowd gathered in the square as the band played.
• The top of the water tower shone in the moonlight.
• The light in the living room was on, but the light in the kitchen was off.
•  When I was a little boy, I used to make up stories about the adventures of these amazing animals, creatures, and so on. 
• All of the sudden, I realized I was standing in the middle of an open field surrounded by nothing but wildflowers, and the only thing I remembered about it was that I’d never seen a tree before.
• It’s the kind of thing that’s only happened to me once before in my life, but it’s so cool to see it.
• They gave him a little wave as they drove away.
• The car had left the parking lot, and a few hours later we arrived home.
• They were going to play a game of bingo.
• He’d made up his mind to do it. He’d have to tell her soon, though. He was waiting for a moment when they were alone and he could say it without feeling like an idiot. But when that moment came, he couldn’t think of anything to say.
• Jamie always wanted to own a plane, but his parents were a little tight on the budget. So he’d been saving up to buy one of his own. 
• The night was getting colder, and the wind was blowing in from the west.
• The doctor stared down at the small, withered corpse.
• She’d never been in the woods before, but she wasn’t afraid.
• The kids were having a great time in the playground.
• The police caught the thieves red-handed.
• The world needs a hero more than ever.
• Mother always said, “Be good and nice things will happen…”
• There is a difference between what you see and what you think you see.
• The sun was low in the sky and the air was warm.
• “It’s time to go home,” she said, “I’m getting a headache.”
• It was a cold winter’s day, and the snow had come early.
• I found a wounded bird in my garden.
• “You should have seen the look on my face.”
• He opened the door and stepped back.
• My father used to say, “All good things come to an end.”
• The problem with fast cars is that they break so easily.
• “What do you think of this one?” asked Mindy.
• “If I asked you to do something, would you do it?” asked Jacob.
• I was surprised to see her on the bus.
• I was never the most popular one in my class.
• We had a bad fight that day.
• The coffee machine had stopped working, so I went to the kitchen to make myself a cup of tea.
• It was a muggy night, and the air-conditioning unit was so loud it hurt my ears.
• I had a sleepless night because I couldn’t get my head to turn off.
• I woke up at dawn and heard a horrible noise.
• I was so tired I didn’t know if I’d be able to sleep that night.
• I put on the light and looked at myself in the mirror.
• I decided to go in, but the door was locked.
• A man in a red sweater stood staring at a little kitten as if it was on fire.
• “It’s so beautiful,” he said, “I’m going to take a picture.”
• “I think we’re lost,” he said, “It’s all your fault.”
• It’s hard to imagine what a better life might be like
• He was a tall, lanky man, with a long face, a nose like a pin, and a thin, sandy moustache.
• He had a face like a lion’s and an eye like a hawk’s.
• The man was so broad and strong that it was as if a mountain had been folded up and carried in his belly.
• I opened the door. I didn’t see her, but I knew she was there.
• I walked down the street. I couldn’t help feeling a little guilty.
• I arrived at my parents’ home at 8:00 AM.
• The nurse had been very helpful.
• On the table was an array of desserts.
• I had just finished putting the last of my books in the trunk.
• A car horn honked, startling me.
• The kitchen was full of pots and pans.
• There are too many things to remember.
• The world was my oyster. I was born with a silver spoon in my mouth.
•  “My grandfather was a World War II veteran. He was a decorated hero who’d earned himself a Silver Star, a Bronze Star, and a Purple Heart.
• Beneath the menacing, skeletal shadow of the mountain, a hermit sat on his ledge. His gnarled hands folded on his gnarled knees. His eyes stared blankly into the fog. 
• I heard a story about a dragon, who was said to be the size of a house, that lived on the top of the tallest mountain in the world.
•  I was told a story about a man who found a golden treasure, which was buried in this very park.
• He stood alone in the middle of a dark and silent room, his head cocked to one side, the brown locks of his hair, which were parted in the middle, falling down over his eyes.
•  Growing up, I was the black sheep of the family. I had my father’s eyes, but my mother’s smile.
• Once upon a time, there was a woman named Miss Muffett, and she lived in a big house with many rooms.
• When I was a child, my mother told me that the water looked so bright because the sun was shining on it. I did not understand what she meant at the time.    
•  The man in the boat took the water bottle and drank from it as he paddled away.
• The man looked at the child with a mixture of pity and contempt.
• An old man and his grandson sat in their garden. The old man told his grandson to dig a hole. 
• An old woman was taking a walk on the beach . The tide was high and she had to wade through the water to get to the other side.
• She looked up at the clock and saw that it was five minutes past seven.
• The man looked up from the map he was studying. “How’s it going, mate?”
• I was in my room on the third floor, staring out of the window.
• A dark silhouette of a woman stood in the doorway.
• The church bells began to ring.
• The moon rose above the horizon.
• A bright light shone over the road.
• The night sky began to glow.
• I could hear my mother cooking in the kitchen.
• The fog began to roll in.
• He came in late to the class and sat at the back.
• A young boy picked up a penny and put it in his pocket.
• He went to the bathroom and looked at his face in the mirror.
• It was the age of wisdom and the age of foolishness. We once had everything and now we have nothing.
• A young man died yesterday, and no one knows why.
• The boy was a little boy. He was not yet a man. He lived in a house in a big city.
• They had just returned from the theatre when the phone rang.
• I walked up to the front of the store and noticed the neon sign was out.
• I always wondered what happened to Mary.
• I stopped to say hello and then walked on.
• The boy’s mother didn’t want him to play outside…
• The lights suddenly went out…
• After 10 years in prison, he was finally out.
• The raindrops pelted the window, which was set high up on the wall, and I could see it was a clear day outside.
• My friend and I had just finished a large pizza, and we were about to open our second.
• I love the smell of the ocean, but it never smells as good as it does when the waves are crashing.
• They just stood there, staring at each other.
• A party was in full swing until the music stopped.

For more ideas on how to start your story, check out these first-line writing prompts . Did you find this list of creative story starters useful? Let us know in the comments below!

Marty the wizard is the master of Imagine Forest. When he's not reading a ton of books or writing some of his own tales, he loves to be surrounded by the magical creatures that live in Imagine Forest. While living in his tree house he has devoted his time to helping children around the world with their writing skills and creativity.

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• Creative journaling
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Great Story Beginnings

Story beginnings are important, and in terms of getting published, they’re THE most important part of a story. On this page, you'll learn how to start a story in a way that hooks readers and sets up the right expectations.

Skip to topic: - Facing the blank page - Hooking your reader - Conflict - Character arcs - Setting expectations - Examples   - Mistakes to avoid

How to write story beginnings

The beginning of a story is where the reader (or editor) decides whether to keep reading. The beginning also sets the reader's expectations for the story’s middle and ending.

But don't let the importance of your story beginning intimidate you or make it hard to start writing. Some writers freeze up at the sight of a blank page; they feel that everything has to be perfect right away. It doesn't. Remember: even though the beginning is the first part of your story most people will read, it doesn't have to be the first part that you write. And you can always go back and improve your beginning later.

Your first task is to get something—anything—onto that blank page. If it doesn't come out right, then let it come out wrong. No problem. You’ll fix it afterward.

Unless you're very lucky, the perfect story beginning may not occur to you until you're at the revision stage. Then it is time to turn the first page, the first paragraph, the first line of your story into an invitation that the reader can't refuse.

Hooking your reader

How can you capture the reader's attention right away? Here are some strategies to consider:

1) Make the reader wonder about something. For example, let's say you mention that your character is terrified of going to school that day, but you don't say why (yet). The missing information raises a question in the reader's mind and provokes curiosity. The reader will want to read on to find an answer to the question.

2) Start with a problem or conflict.  This could be a small problem; for example, your character is about to miss their bus home. Even a small problem gives your main character something to do and creates some activity and momentum right away.

3) Start at an exciting point in the story.  Don't be afraid to start your story right in the middle of the action. But provide enough clues to orient your readers and make sure they can follow what's happening.

Story beginnings and conflict

A traditional story plot is centered around a character struggling to overcome a problem or reach a goal. This struggle is the story conflict and gives the story momentum.

Readers turn pages to find out if the character will succeed or fail in their struggle.

The first part of a story sets up the main conflict.

Often, a novel opens with a character in their ordinary life before something happens to shake up the character's world.

For example, your character is nervously rushing to get ready for an important job interview when she gets a text message from a phone number she doesn't recognize. "Your husband doesn't love you," the message says. "He loves me." (The story conflict will center on the breakdown of the character's marriage. The text message just kicked it off.)

In a short story, you don't have much room, so you'll normally want to kick off the conflict right away. The first line of a short story might be:  Her phone pinged.

Or, even better: "Your husband doesn't love you."

Or, the short story might start weeks after the character received that text message. The tension has been building between her and her husband, and things have finally reached a breaking point. The first line of the story is: She hurled her wine glass against the wall.

If you're writing a novel, you have more room, so you might spend some time showing the character's marriage before it's shattered by the text message. Then, when the text message arrives out of the blue, readers will understand what it means for the character.

Tip: If you don't start the main story conflict right away, you can keep the reader's interest by introducing mini-conflicts. For example, before the main character gets the text message about her husband's affair, she might be worried she'll be late to her job interview. The opening line might be: I'll never make it, she thought, glancing at the oven clock.

Story beginnings and character arcs

Another job of your story beginning is to introduce your main characters.

When I say 'introduce', I DON'T mean writing a formal introduction like this:

Olga was an attractive 35-year-old bank teller with a warm, extroverted personality, though she could also be impulsive and had a quick temper that sometimes got her in trouble...

That kind of introduction is a bit boring, and it doesn't make readers feel like they know the character.

Instead, you can SHOW the character doing and saying things that reveal what they're like.

Does Olga have trouble controlling her temper? Instead of saying so, you can show losing her temper during a job interview, sabotaging her chances of getting the job.

Readers will get to know your character the same way we get to know people in real life—by watching them in action.

The first part of a story is a chance to show:

• character flaws that will cause the story conflict, or make it worse
• character strengths that will allow them to overcome challenges during the story
• aspects of the character (habits, behaviors, beliefs, ways of thinking) that will change by the story's end.

Stories are generally more satisfying when the character evolves or changes in some way over the course of events. There's a "Before" version of the character who enters the story conflict, and an "After" version who emerges.

During the beginning of the story, you can show a "Before" version of the character in a way that will stand in contrast with the "After" version.

Setting readers' expectations

So, we've already talked about several tasks of your story beginning, including hooking readers' interest, introducing your main character and their world, and setting up your story conflict.

You don't have to accomplish all of this in your opening line! But you can keep these tasks in mind as you're writing the first part of your story.

Another task of your beginning is to set readers' expectations for the rest of the story.

What kind of story is it going to be? If it's a horror novel, readers will read with one set of expectations, and if it's a romantic comedy they'll read with another.

Readers who believe they've signed up for a romantic comedy will be upset if all of the characters are brutally slaughtered by a serial killer.

Does your story take place in the real world, or in a version of the world where magic exists? If there's magic, what rules and limitations does the magic have?

Let's say you're writing a World War II novel. Your hero, an American spy, is captured by the Germans, but escapes by summoning a dragon and flying away on its back.

If the dragon rescue occurs on Page 1, that's fine.

Also fine if it occurs on Page 254 but readers have known all along that the hero is a famous dragon tamer.

On the other hand, imagine that the novel reads as a realistic portrayal of World War II until Page 254, when there's a surprise dragon rescue. Readers will feel betrayed, like you've switched the rules on them.

They won't believe in the dragon rescue because you haven't trained them to believe in it.

As a writer, you get to set the rules of the game. But readers want to understand the rules, or else the game doesn't feel fair.

Examples of story beginnings

Let's look at some examples of story beginnings and the work each one is doing.

Example: BELOVED

BELOVED by Toni Morrison is a novel about characters who are literally haunted by the trauma of slavery. Here are the first two sentences.

"124 was spiteful. Full of a baby's venom."

In the first pages of BELOVED, readers learn that 124 is a house belonging to a formerly enslaved woman in 1873 Cincinnati. The house is haunted by the ghost of the woman's dead child.

This story beginning:

• provokes curiosity
• establishes the rules of this story's world (ghosts exist).
• immediately set up conflict.

Example: ELEGY FOR APRIL

Here's the opening sentence of Benjamin Black's mystery novel, ELEGY FOR APRIL:

"It was the worst of winter weather, and April Latimer was missing."

In one sentence, Black both sets up the novel's atmosphere and lets us know what the story's going to be about. The novel's first pages show April's friend Phoebe searching for April in foggy weather. Phoebe's actions start the plot moving right away, while Black's evocative descriptions of the fog create a sense of mood. Black introduces characters important to the story by showing them in action.

Example: "Gryphon"

Charles Baxter's short story "Gryphon" is about an eccentric and possibly sinister substitute teacher who disrupts the main character's world. Here's the first line:

"On Wednesday afternoon, between the geography lesson on ancient Egypt's hand-operated irrigation system and an art project that involved drawing a model city next to a mount, our fourth-grade teacher, Mr. Hibler, developed a cough."

In one sentence, Baxter shows the main character's ordinary world before the substitute teacher disrupts it—and shows the event that will set the plot in motion: a cough, that will get worse and cause Mr. Hibler to stay home, setting the stage for the substitute teacher's arrival.

Example: KLARA AND THE SUN

Here's the first line of Kazuo Ishiguro's novel KLARA AND THE SUN:

"When we were new, Rosa and I were mid-store, on the magazines table side, and could see through more than half of the window."

This sentence provokes curiosity because it's strange. "When we were new." What does that mean?

Quickly, readers gather that the novel is written from the point of view of a robot named Klara in a future version of our world.

The opening pages show Klara's daily existence in the robot store before Klara is sold to a family and the story's real conflict begins.

Example: "Ship in a Bottle"

Elizabeth Strout's short story "Ship in a Bottle" is about an 11-year-old girl named Winnie, who is forced to choose sides in a conflict between her sister Julie and her mother, Anita. Here's the story's opening line (Anita is speaking to Julie):

"You'll have to organize your days," Anita Harwood was saying, wiping at the kitchen counter.

By starting with dialogue, Strout pulls us right into the scene. She also introduces the character of Anita, showing her trying to control Julie's life. And she immediately sets up the conflict between Anita and Julie.

Example: SPINNING SILVER

Naomi Novik's novel SPINNING SILVER is based on the fairy tale "Rumpelstiltskin". Here's the first sentence:

"The real story isn't half as pretty as the one you've heard."

The novel's opening page goes on to remind us of the traditional version of "Rumpelstiltskin". It lets us know what kind of novel this is going to be—a fairy-tale retelling. And it provokes our curiosity by hinting that the "Rumpelstiltskin" we know has been sanitized in some way. Now we're wondering what the REAL story is...

Mistakes to avoid

Here are some common problems to watch out for as you’re revising your story beginning:

1) Starting with background information. For example, inexperienced writers sometimes start out with little biographies of their main characters. These story beginnings feel a little bit like Wikipedia articles about people who don't exist. They are not very interesting to read. Don't feel like you have to provide all of the information upfront. You can start your story with a scene or action and gradually weave in background details when/if they become necessary for the reader's understanding.

2) Starting too early in the story. If your story seems to take a long time to get interesting, consider starting right at the interesting point. You might have to lop off a few pages. Don't feel bad about throwing away part of your draft—those pages you throw away are not wasted work. They are part of a necessary process of exploration that showed you where your story has to go.

TIP: Someone once said that most short story manuscripts can be improved by cutting the first page, and most novel manuscripts by cutting the first chapter. See if you can improve your beginning by cutting. 

3) Starting a different story. The creative process often leads writers down unexpected paths. You start out with a certain story in mind then are surprised at where it leads. As a result, the story's beginning (even if it seemed perfect when you wrote it) may not be an ideal fit with the rest of the story. When that happens, ask yourself: which version of the story do you like better? The version you started out writing? Or the version you ended up with? Based on your answer to this question, you know which part of the story you have to rewrite.

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Writing Prompt Story Starter: New Beginnings

Happy New Year, and welcome to the first Story Starter of 2021!

We’d like to wish all our readers and writers a happy, and healthy, year.

At this time of year, we often reflect on the year that’s past, and look to the year that’s ahead of us.

Thinking about times past, and times yet to come.

So, this week’s story starter is the image of Janus – in Roman mythology, the god with two faces who gives his name to January; one face looking to the past, the other to the future. He was the god of beginnings, and transitions, passages, gateways, and doorways.

The inspiration

New beginnings. Transitions. Resolutions. Hope, at the beginning of every New Year. This year especially.

Planning the year ahead. Looking forward to holidays, birthdays, anniversaries.

A blank calendar. I’m thinking of the poem “Promise” , by Jackie Kay , the Scots Makar, our national poet.

Remembering those we have loved. Meetings, and partings. “Life is made of ever so many partings welded together.” (Great Expectations) And yet – “The pain of parting is nothing to the joy of meeting again.” (Nicholas Nickleby.)

New Year traditions of old – when I was young, we went ‘first footing’ – visiting neighbours’ homes after the bells had rung in the New Year.  Back in the day, the ideal first foot for good luck was a dark-haired man, bearing gifts of coal, shortbread, salt, black bun, and a dram. These represented warmth, food and prosperity, the flavour of life, and good cheer.

Restrictions mean no first footing this year, or Hogmanay get-togethers. Staying in, instead of going out. Zoom calls.

This isn’t the first time festivities have been cancelled, of course. In 1640, Christmas was effectively banned in Scotland , and didn’t become a public holiday until as recently as the 1950s. Christmas was cancelled under Cromwell and the Puritans, too, in England and Ireland, until the Restoration in 1660. No carols , either – Christmas music, in all its forms, is something we’ve really missed this year.

The twelve days of Christmas. Epiphany. Taking the decorations down. And starting again.

Hope this helps inspire some new writing ideas. Best of luck!

Click here  to pick out another Story Starter from Lucy’s back catalogue.

Lucy Crichton

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Lucy Crichton Better known as “Fiction Editor Lucy”, I am always on the look-out for the very best short stories, poems and pocket novels. As well as sourcing enjoyable content, I enjoy working with our established contributors, encouraging new talent, and celebrating 155 years of “Friend” fiction!

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How to Start a Story: 10 Ways to Get Your Story Off to a Great Start

by Joslyn Chase | 0 comments

Perhaps you’ve heard the old publishing proverb: The first page sells the book; the last page sells the next book. I’m convinced there’s a mammoth grain of truth in that. The beginning and the end of any story are critical elements that you really want to nail. Today, we’re going to focus on how to start a story—in other words, how you can craft a spectacular beginning that will hold readers spellbound and get them to turn that first all-important page.

Whether you’re pitching to an agent, a publisher, or direct to the reader, your opening lines form the basis for how they’ll judge the rest of your story. You have about a sixty-second window of influence before that initial judgment solidifies. It follows that this is a good place to invest your time and effort.

Granted, a compelling opening is not an easy task to accomplish. Besides grabbing the reader's attention, you want to ground readers in a setting, establish voice, hint at theme, and introduce a protagonist readers can get behind. To do this, you need to answer specific questions for your reader, while at the same time planting others.

Story Revolves Around Questions

Cultivating questions for your reader is what keeps them turning the pages, but you’ll lose them if you don’t provide answers, as well. If you want your reader to commit to your story, it’s best to establish a few essentials right up front.

• Whose story is it? You’re asking your reader to spend serious time with your protagonist. They’ll want to know who they’ll be rooting for.
• What kind of story is it? Readers go into a book looking for a particular type of reading experience and you need to let them know they’ve come to the right place.
• When and where is the story happening? Setting is hugely important to selling your reader. I did a workshop with top editor Kristine Kathryn Rusch, and one of the most frequent critiques she gave writers was: “There’s no setting. You lost me on setting.”
• What’s the story behind the story? When readers think story, they think plot . Writers know the real story is internal—not what happens, but how those events affect the characters. While you won’t necessarily lay your hero open on the first page of your story, hinting at his internal struggle gets the reader on his side.
• Why should the reader care? The most glorious descriptions or action-packed drama won’t hook your reader if you don’t give them a reason to care about your character. Answering the four questions above will help do this, but you’ll need to give more.

10 Compelling Ways to Start a Story

You’ve got to command reader attention and answer some important questions, but what does that look like on the page? How do you structure your opening to accomplish those objectives?

Have you heard of modeling? Life coaches and success gurus talk about it a lot. It involves finding someone who’s wildly effective at doing what you want to do and studying their methods to duplicate their success. If in doubt, go to the opening pages of bestselling books in your chosen genre and see how the masters did it.

Beyond that, there are so many ways to go. Here are ten ways to start a story you might consider:

1. Strong Voice

Example: “Mae Mobley was born on a early Sunday morning in August 1960. A church baby we like to call it. Taking care a white babies, that’s what I do, along with all the cooking and the cleaning. I done raised seventeen kids in my lifetime. I know how to get them babies to sleep, stop crying, and go in the toilet bowl before they mamas even get out a bed in the morning.” The Help, Kathryn Stockett

Example: “I smiled when I saw the dead girl. Just for a moment. Reflex, I suppose.” The Snow Angel, Doug Allyn

2. Relevant Anecdote

Example: “When Ella Brady was six she went to Quentins. It was the first time anyone had called her Madam. A woman in a black dress with a lace collar had led them to the table. She had settled Ella’s parents in and then held out a chair for the six-year-old. ‘You might like to sit here, Madam, it will give you a full view of everything,’ she said. Ella was delighted.” Quentins, Maeve Binchy

Example: “I hope this video camera works. Anyway, this (click) is a blowup of a model’s eye, the bluest I’ve ever seen. The only other time I remember seeing that exact color of blue was the day my sister Nicole drowned. It was everwhere: in the water, in the sky, Nicole’s skin. Blue, I remember, and coughing.” Forgetting The Girl, Peter Moore Smith

3. Intriguing Mystery

Example: “Who am I? And how, I wonder, will this story end?” The Notebook, Nicholas Sparks

Example: “People’s lives—their real lives, as opposed to their simple physical existences—begin at different times. The real life of Thad Beaumont, a young boy who was born and raised in the Ridgeway section of Bergenfield, New Jersey, began in 1960. Two things happened to him that year. The first shaped his life; the second almost ended it.” The Dark Half, Stephen King

4. Uneasy Suspense

Example: “The smell of newly rotting flesh hit Jakaya Makinda. He stopped his Land Rover, grabbed his binoculars off the seat beside him, and trained them in the direction of the odor’s source.” Death in the Serengeti , David H. Hendrickson

I used this as an example of Uneasy Suspense, but Hendrickson kicked it off with a startling first sentence and infused it with setting, layering the effect.

Example: “Water gushed out of the corroded faucet into the chipped, porcelain tub, pooling at the bottom with a few tangled strands of long, brown hair. The water was easily 120 degrees. So hot that Katelyn Berkley could hardly stand to dip her painted green toenails into it. The scalding water instantly turned her pale skin mottled shades of crimson.” Envy, Gregg Olsen

5. Stirring Theme

Example: “I became what I am today at the age of twelve, on a frigid overcast day in the winter of 1975. I remember the precise moment, crouching behind a crumbling mud wall, peeking into the alley near the frozen creek. That was a long time ago, but it’s wrong what they say about the past, I’ve learned, about how you can bury it. Because the past claws its way out.” The Kite Runner, Khaled Hosseini

I used this excerpt as an example of stirring theme, but it is bursting with other elements and could be placed under setting, suspense, voice, character, world tilting off-center, and an enthralling first sentence.

Example: “Sometimes it’s overwhelming: the burden of knowing that the man you most admire isn’t real. Then the depression that you’ve fought all your life creeps in, the anxiety. The borders of your life contract, stifling, suffocating.” The Adventure of the Laughing Fisherman, Jeffery Deaver

This one’s got a pretty kicking first sentence, too.

6. Dynamic Setting

Example: “Out of a cloudless sky on a windless November day came a sudden shadow that swooped across the bright aqua Corvette. Tommy Phan was standing beside the car, in pleasantly warm autumn sunshine, holding out his hand to accept the keys from Jim Shine, the salesman, when the fleeting shade touched him. He heard a brief thrumming like frantic wings. Glancing up, he expected to glimpse a sea gull, but not a single bird was in sight.” Tick Tock, Dean Koontz

This is also a nice instance of uneasy suspense.

Example: “They were parked on Union, in front of her place, their knees locked in conference around the stick shift, Janna and Justin talking, necking a little, the windows just beginning to steam.” Shared Room on Union, Steven Heighton

7. Quirky or Startling Opening Sentence

Example: “The world had teeth and it could bite you with them anytime it wanted.” The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon, Stephen King

Example: “As soon as he stepped into the dim apartment he knew he was dead.” Garden of Beasts, Jeffery Deaver

Both of these examples also instill suspense, as they suggest danger and leave the reader anxious to find out more.

8. Compelling Character

Example: “First the colors. Then the humans. That’s usually how I see things. Or at least, how I try.” The Book Thief, Markus Zusak

What kind of character is this you ask yourself, compelled to go on.

Example: “Everyone knows this kid. He is dirty and dumb and sits in a corner, lonely, but not alone. His face has an involuntary twitch, and when he makes eye contact, his lids and cheeks squeeze his eyes shut. We call him Blinky. Blinky rolls with it, though, smiles big and toothy when kids shout his name across the schoolyard.” A Bottle of Scotch and a Sharp Buck Knife, Scott Grand

I chose this for character, but it’s got a big dose of voice in it, as well.

9. Tilting World

Example: “The ravens were the first sign. As the horse-drawn wagon traveled down the rutted track between rolling fields of barley, a flock of ravens rose up in a black wash. They hurled themselves into the blue of the morning and swept high in a panicked rout, but this was more than the usual startled flight. The ravens wheeled and swooped, tumbled and flapped. Over the road, they crashed into each other and rained down out of the skies. Small bodies struck the road, breaking wing and beak. They twitched in ruts. Wings fluttered weakly. But most disturbing was the silence of it all.” The Doomsday Key, James Rollins

Is there any doubt the world in this story is twisting off its axis?

Example: “On the afternoon I met my new neighbor, a woman others in the cul-de-sac would dub ‘Ramba,’ I wasn’t looking for trouble. In fact, I wasn’t looking for anything other than to enter my first full month of retirement with a small military pension and dreams of a hop to Florida or Hawaii once a year until my expiration date arrived.” Many Dogs Have Died Here, James Mathews

Nothing explicit occurs off the bat, but Mathews sets up for the punch. This poor sucker’s world is tilting.

10. Engaging Dialogue

Example: “'You look like crap, Pen.' Pendleton Rozier, my longtime mentor, opened the door wide, then coughed into the crook of his elbow. ‘If only I felt that good.’” Rule Number One, Alan Orloff

Example: “'Which is even weirder yet,’ Gowan said. ‘But that ain’t the best part.’ At approximately which point, Kramer didn’t want to hear any more. It had been a mistake to let Gowan get started. He went outside into the mild March evening to take a leak and get away from Gowan for a little while before hitting the sack. ‘Seriousy, I got the skinny on ‘em,’ Gowan said, unzipping and joining him at the edge of the porch.” Spring Rite, Tom Berdine

You’ll notice writing voice and character here, too.

Invest in a Great Beginning

Spending the time and effort to craft a superb opening for your story is a good investment. However, worrying over it can hold you up. If you’re spinning your wheels over how to start a story, just get something down and move on.

Then, when you’ve reached the end of your story and you have a better understanding of the theme, tone, and characters, you can go back and fine tune or start from scratch to design your perfect beginning.

Beautiful Bookends

In fact, doing so may afford you the opportunity to bookend your story with a beginning and ending that reflect on each other, enclosing your entire story in a nice, thematic package that’s very satisfying to readers.

For instance, my thriller novel Nocturne In Ashes opens with the protagonist, a concert pianist, bombing her comeback performance. Then at the end, after surviving a series of harrowing experiences and battling her inner flaw, she’s gained the confidence she needed and nails the Beethoven that was her downfall.

I’ve touched on some ideas to get you off to a great start, but there are many other types of openings to explore. If you’re having trouble, hit the library and see how others have done it. You’re sure to find something that works for your story. And have fun!

How about you? Do you struggle with how to start a story? What book openings have made an impression on you? Tell us about it in the comments .

Using one of the types of openings outlined above, write the beginning for a story idea you have in mind, or choose from one of these prompts:

Stella is nervous about meeting her ex-husband for dinner.

Darren takes his son on a hunting trip, determined to teach him how to be a man.

Cheryl wants to try out for the girls’ softball team, but the captain is her ex-best-friend.

Write for fifteen minutes and when you’re finished, post your work in the Pro Practice Workshop. And if you post, be sure to leave feedback for your fellow readers!

Joslyn Chase

Any day where she can send readers to the edge of their seats, prickling with suspense and chewing their fingernails to the nub, is a good day for Joslyn. Pick up her latest thriller, Staccato Passage , an explosive read that will keep you turning pages to the end. No Rest: 14 Tales of Chilling Suspense , Joslyn's collection of short suspense, is available for free at joslynchase.com .

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Journal Buddies Jill | July 8, 2024 December 27, 2021 | Writing

33 Wonderful Writing Prompts for Beginners

Writing prompts are perhaps the most valuable tool in any writer’s arsenal—and that is doubly true for beginning writers who are just starting out. Now, get to it and take a look and enjoy our wonderful writing prompts for beginners list shown below. You’ll be glad you did!

Why Use Our Writing Prompts for Beginners?

Every writer struggles with writer’s block from time to time. I mean, it can be a challenge to pull words seemingly from thin air. However, writing prompts can help break the loop of feeling like you have nothing to say.

You see…

Many new writers tend to have preconceived ideas about what writing is “supposed” to be—but prompts can show them that journaling is actually totally flexible and freeing.

A prompt gives the writer a direction to go in and allows you room to experiment and see where your pen takes you.

Writing prompts are especially helpful to beginning writers because they show students what is possible through journaling.

4 Tips to Help Beginners Get Started with Writing & Journal Prompts

Here are a few tips to help your beginning writers get started with writing prompts:

1. Answer a daily writing prompt. Regular, consistent journaling is key to developing good writing habits. Create a routine of having your students use a new writing prompt each day.

2. Write for a set period of time. We recommend having a regular time to journal each day, as well as a minimum writing time of 10-20 minutes (depending on the age and experience level of your students).

3. Be fun and flexible with your journal. Encourage students to treat their journals artistically! Students should feel free to show their creativity by decorating the covers of their journals, doodling in the margins, or pasting in photos or magazine clippings.

4. Try different types of writing prompts. Every writer responds differently to different types of writing prompts, so be sure to try a variety of styles with your students. Some kids will prefer writing short stories, while others will enjoy personal, self-reflective writing.

Ok… without further ado. Check out the 33 brand-new writing prompts for beginners below to get your students journaling!

33 Writing Prompts for Beginners

• What is something that you wish people understood better about you? Explain how this makes you feel.
• What is the happiest moment you’ve ever experienced?
• Write a short 100-word biography of yourself. Be as specific as possible.
• Imagine that you are asked to give a speech with a list of “rules for life.” What rules would you include? List three to five rules and explain why you believe they matter.
• How frequently do you use social media? How does it influence your perspective on the world?
• Are you excited to grow up and become an adult, or would you rather stay the age you are now? Why?
• What is the craziest thing you think you might see someday in the future? How old do you think you’ll be when it happens?
• What is the most important lesson you’ve ever learned from a friend or classmate? How did it impact you?
• Write a “recipe for happiness.” Be sure to include an ingredient list, measurements, and instructions!
• What is your favorite way to spend a rainy Saturday?
• Write a poem about the passage of time. Include a line that describes each year of school you have completed.
• Write about something you think is highly underrated.
• Write about something you think is highly overrated.
• What current event is most interesting or engaging to you? Explain why it has captured your attention.
• Describe what standing in the grass with bare feet feels like as though you were explaining it to someone who had never experienced it before.

• What is your favorite word? Try not to think too hard about your answer and go with your gut! Then explain why it appeals to you.
• What would you do if you had the ability to communicate with animals?
• Write a short story about a teenager who wakes up on their 16th birthday to a magical surprise.
• What are you most looking forward to right now?
• Do you feel like the adults in your life understand the issues you face? Why or why not?
• If you had to describe your family in just three words, what would they be? Explain why you chose each word.
• Write a short story about the most vivid dream you have ever had.
• What are you thankful for? Write about one specific thing you are grateful for or make a long list of all the things you appreciate!
• Write a poem based on your favorite movie.
• If you could ensure that you would remember every detail of one memory forever, what would it be? Why?
• If you could forget one memory forever, what would it be? Why?
• Imagine that you and several classmates get trapped in the school overnight. Do you try to escape or take the opportunity to cause a little mayhem?
• Write a letter to your future 45-year-old self.
• What is the first thing you notice when you meet a new person? What do you think people notice first about you?
• Write a short story about an eerie portal to another world.
• Do you believe that nature or nurture has more of an impact on a person’s development? Why?
• Make a list of things that would be on your “bucket list.” Then choose one and explain why you chose it.

We hope your beginning writers have found inspiration in this list of writing prompts for beginners that can be used as creative writing prompts, journal entries, story starters, or even the start to a novel! Regular writing exercises will always result in increased writing skills.

More Resources for Beginners

• How To Journaling Guide for Beginners
• Journal Writing Examples + 10 Bonus Prompts
• Writing Skills: Advice for Writers
• 50 Easy Journal Prompts that Make Journaling a Breeze

Until next time, happy writing…

If you enjoyed these Writing Prompts for Beginners, please share them on Facebook, Twitter, and/or Pinterest. I appreciate it!

Sincerely, Jill journalbuddies.com creator and curator

PS – take a look at these Kid-Friendly Writing Warm-Ups !

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70 Opening Paragraph Examples to Kickstart Your Story

Starting a fiction story is no small task. It's often said that the beginning is the most important part of any tale. Yet crafting that perfect opening paragraph or sentence can sometimes feel elusive, even to the most seasoned writers. It's a delicate balance, introducing a new world and its inhabitants in a way that is both engaging for readers and true to the narrative that follows.

To assist with this, we have created 70 opening paragraph examples. Here, you'll find starting paragraphs for fiction genres including fantasy, horror, mystery, romance, science fiction, thriller and suspense, and western. Each example offers a potential pathway into a narrative, providing a foundation that you can build upon to craft your own unique tale.

Please note that this material is copyrighted by ServiceScape and is designed to be used for writing inspiration. We encourage you to use our ideas as fertile ground to grow your own unique stories. Should you find one of our example opening paragraphs to be the perfect launchpad for your next tale, there's no need to credit us — although we'd certainly appreciate it. A simple link to ServiceScape is enough.

One caveat: Please do not publish our example opening paragraphs as-is, in their entirety without attribution. This is not the intended use.

As you explore the various ways to start a story, we hope you find the inspiration you're seeking. Happy writing!

• The sky tore open with a roar, signaling the arrival of beings of light in the medieval world of Elarion. These warriors, with their electrifying presence, brought with them the promise of change, merging realms and forging unexpected alliances in a world that had known only traditional bounds until now.
• Thalia stood amidst figures draped in twilight hues, ready for the celestial conference — a gathering rooted in ancient magic, where dreams and fears intermingled. She was a young delegate with old eyes, prepared to share and receive wisdom in dialects forgotten by time. It was a meeting of minds, of secrets whispered in the canvas of the night, inviting the brave to witness and listen.
• "Curiosity, they often told me, is a dangerous thing, Cray," the wind seemed to whisper as young Cray ventured deeper into the realms of his dreams, far beyond the reality known to the villagers. Guided by whispers and the glow of moon-soaked stones, he found himself approaching the ancient door that stood at the world's end — the gateway to mysteries untold.
• Lord Draven sat alone in his study, poring over ancient texts. The castle that housed generations stood tall, but as he thought about his impulsive heir, Callum, the walls seemed to close in on him. The long lineage of wisdom seemed threatened, and as twilight descended, Draven wondered if his legacy would find a respectful steward in the young man or face ruin.
• Young Onar lay in bed, lost in dreams fueled by the elders' tales of golden trees and wandering islands in an endless sea. His deep blue eyes saw more in the dream realm than in the waking world — mermaids singing in distant waters, seashells whispering secrets. He awoke with a determination to unravel the mysteries that danced on the edges of his dreams.
• With a heavy heart, Ser Delan meandered through the courtyard littered with memories of a happier time. It had only been hours since the dreadful news reached him — the northern lands had fallen. Anger, sorrow, and a whisper of hope fought within him as he grappled with the shocking turn of events, trying to formulate a pledge of vengeance amidst the ruins of his homeland.
• In the heart of the untouched forest, the Stoneborn were awakening — elemental beings birthed from the earth itself. Somewhere nearby, a deer raised its head, sensing the shift in the world's equilibrium. It was a quiet yet profound change, a rebirth dictated by an ancient pact forged to preserve the balance between man and nature.
• Beatrice walked with determination, her senses alive to the magical pulses of the city that breathed around her. Lanterns glowing softly guided her through streets rich with secrets and untold stories, whispering to her of alliances to be forged in the heart of the night. It was a path laden with promises, each step bringing her closer to the unseen spirits eager to connect.
• In the silent streets of the sleeping town, a celestial creature roamed — a rare sight, with feathers that bore the depth of night skies and eyes that held galaxies. To a watching cat, this being was an enigma, a creature of starlight and cosmic dreams, and to those who would witness its path, a promise of stories spun from the grand tapestries of the cosmos.
• Meriel felt a hand on her shoulder, breaking her trance. She found herself amidst the villagers under the glow of twin moons, watching figures in maroon cloaks emerge from the forest. An initiation — the Breaking — was underway, and the deep voice that spoke next hinted that her life was about to take a turn: "Fate, untethered, seeks the brave."
• Sam Berringer hurried down Harrowville's main street, an unsettling energy urging him forward. The children, the elderly — everyone felt it, a prelude to catastrophe. As the sun arched toward the west, he couldn't shake off the fear gnawing at him, a fear of the irreversible change that would come with the sunset.
• Alma stood frozen in front of her peculiar house — the one that leaned to one side just a little too much. It had whispered secrets to her in the still of the night for as long as she could remember. But today, as she approached it, it seemed almost like it was trying to scream something terrible, something dark.
• Young Thomas Kale found himself tracing back to the early moments of his morning, before the sky had clouded over with a foreboding atmosphere that seeped into Lakeshire's streets. His mind raced through recent memories, trying to pinpoint when exactly the world had tilted from comforting familiarity into chaotic, swirling danger.
• Lestra moved briskly through the rooms, the heavy history of New Orleans surrounding her in whispers of past and present mingling uncomfortably. The old home was more alive today, more demanding. She paused, realizing the house wasn't just a repository of long-buried family secrets; it had become a character in the unfolding drama, urging her to unearth truths tied to the land's very soil.
• Ashton Creed stared at the grotesque shapes taking over his once beautiful garden. The weird, twisted faces emerging from the petals were unlike anything he had ever seen. With a sudden chill, he realized this wasn't just an anomaly; it was a horrifying invitation to a reality he had never anticipated, where the natural order of things was breaking down.
• Eleanora wandered the forbidden areas of Eldridge, a place cloaked in tales and whispered fears. As she ventured deeper, the unspoken rules that kept others at bay seemed insignificant, a foolish barrier between her and the truth. The quiet bravery blossoming within her spurred her on, ready to pull back the curtain and expose whatever darkness lurked there, waiting.
• Gregory found himself in a world where rain carried the smell of decay, a stark departure from the town he knew just yesterday. The change was grotesque, impossible, and yet it was happening right before his eyes. A sense of duty overcame him, a resolve to trace this terror to its source, though every step forward felt like a step into the unknown.
• The world blurred at the edges as Martha Cray found herself unable to discern reality from illusion. Every step forward felt like a journey into the unknown, questions multiplying with each heartbeat. Yet deep within her, a fire burned, a desire to untangle the knot of confusion and fear that wound tighter with every passing moment.
• Ember Hollow was engulfed in an all-consuming obsession that masked itself as love. As the residents succumbed to overpowering desires, it was as if a dark spell had been cast over the town. The air crackled with passion and danger, a looming darkness turned love grotesque, threatening to transform affection into a force voracious and uncontrollable.
• Reverend David Amery stood silent in the chapel, holding a child that seemed to be both a beacon of hope and a harbinger of doom. He felt a chilling premonition, an unraveling future where heavenly battles between good and evil threatened to spill into their world, centered around this innocent being cradled in his arms. The burden of what to do next weighed heavily on him, every choice carrying a shadow of peril.
• The gunshot echoed, a stark interruption in the early morning quiet. Inspector Devereux turned sharply, heart pounding in his chest, knowing that a life might have just been irrevocably altered. In the square, faces emerged from windows, all drawn to the sudden burst of violence that intruded upon their morning routines.
• Inspector Ainsley stood rooted to the spot, the whispers of a secret echoing in the halls of the great London institution that had stood for centuries. A whispered rumor about a lost artifact that was believed to be a mere myth. The inspector's mind raced, filled with questions — who had taken it, why now, and what dark secrets would it unveil?
• Dublin seemed like a different city in Kilroy's childhood memories. As a child, the streets had been wider, the sky bluer, and dreams bigger. Now as Detective Kilroy stood there, a surreal feeling engulfed her, as if she was meeting an old friend after many years. The city whispered old secrets in her ears, luring her into a maze of past and present.
• Oxford was a place of academic rigour and tradition, unchanged in many ways since its foundation. Yet, for Professor Thurgood, the landscape had altered subtly overnight. The walls seemed to speak of something sinister, a dark underbelly that was gradually coming to the surface, promising to change the university and its inhabitants forever.
• Los Angeles lay sprawled under a sun that seared unkindly, a city of extremes where dreams either blossomed wildly or withered mercilessly. Detective Hale breathed in the acrid air, feeling it resonate with the city's pulse of desperation and unspoken desires. It was a place of contrasts, and something in the atmosphere that day spoke of changes on the horizon, of simmering tensions reaching a boiling point.
• "You know, I used to be someone else," Vanessa murmured to herself as she navigated through a world of wealth and detached smiles. Her voice carried a weight of sadness, a longing for simpler times before deceit and hidden agendas became her daily currency. As she uttered those words, it was as if she was preparing herself, steeling herself for the path that lay before her, a path paved with secrets, betrayals, and perhaps, a chance for redemption.
• The siren wailed urgently, breaking the deep silence of the night as Detective Rawlins sped through the city streets, the grim reflection of neon lights flashing across his stern face. His heartbeat echoed in his ears, a frantic drum heralding a plunge into the chaotic underbelly of a city burdened with secrets and sins that were about to spill into the harsh light of day.
• A scream reverberated through the cold streets of Boston, where history met modernity at every corner. Detective O'Sullivan raced toward the source, his mind filled with dreadful possibilities. The city seemed to hold its breath, awaiting the revelation of a mystery that promised to expose the sins of the present intertwined deeply with echoes of the past.
• Jack Tracer could still hear the optimistic words of his younger self as he looked out over the roads stretching into the horizon, a beacon of endless possibilities. But the roads were different now, marked with signs of conflict and betrayal. Tracer knew that the vibrant pulse of America he had once felt had transformed into something more sinister, pulling him into a vortex of dark secrets that lay hidden in the depths of human souls.
• In Mississippi, a courtroom buzzed with tense energy, a microcosm of a world teetering between justice and corruption. Elias Harper stood there, a young lawyer on the cusp of unraveling a tangled web woven from power and greed, grounded by a steadfast belief in justice. As he looked around, he knew that the path that awaited him was fraught with moral dilemmas and truths that could shake the foundations of the society he was a part of.
• Maeve Delaney sprinted between the rows of grapevines, her heart pounding in time with her swift footsteps. The phone call had come at the worst possible moment, a harbinger of change right as she had begun to find peace amidst the ancestral vines.
• It was amidst the laughter and swirling aromas of the bustling room that Jamison's gaze locked with that of a stranger—a stranger who somehow seemed familiar. Every fiber of his being urged him to find out who she was, to unearth the secret stories that lived within her alluring gaze.
• Lady Daphne found herself lost in the echoing halls of grandeur, a relic from a past age thrust into the modern whirlwind of the London season. As she maneuvered gracefully through the lively corridors, whispers of her hidden, youthful liaisons with a past love reverberated in her heart, a secret key to understanding her present self.
• The morning embraced Loretta with a kiss of warm sun as she stepped out into the post-reconstruction Georgia. She bore in her veins the dreams and aspirations of generations, and today was a testament to the unfettered spirit of resilience and change that echoed through the mighty oaks dotting the landscape.
• Elara wandered the quaint streets of the seaside town, a place where the cobblestone paths narrated stories of countless lives intertwined in a rich tapestry of human experiences. Each step she took was guided by an unwavering empathy, an open heart ready to receive the myriad currents of romance that flowed through the town's veins.
• "I've always felt somewhat apart from all this," Miss Elspeth Harrington mused aloud, her sharp eyes dissecting the kaleidoscope of romantic entanglements that painted her village in vibrant hues of emotion. Despite her rationality, a quiet hope whispered within her, suggesting the possibility of a connection that was truly her own.
• John found himself on the North Carolina shore with no memory of how he arrived. The waves gently lapped at his feet, as if trying to soothe the raw, unyielding pain that enveloped him, reminding him of the love lost and the void it left behind—a gaping wound that yearned for healing and redemption.
• "Why am I here?" Olive asked herself as she ventured into the realm of love, a landscape fraught with uncertainty and juxtaposed realities. Her cynicism danced with hopeful romanticism, promising adventures that defied the logic she held so dear, yet irresistibly pulling her into a whirlpool of the extraordinary and the mundane.
• As Miss Amelia Cavendish sat in the meticulously arranged parlor of the Fairbrook estate, memories of secret meetings in the dawn's early light flooded back, shaking the foundations of her meticulously built world. Hidden desires, once locked away, surged forward, compelling her to question the stringent rules of society that confined her.
• In a bustling café bathed in golden afternoon hues, Elara found herself at a pivotal crossroads in her life—a divergence between the predictable and the unknown. Each patron carried stories untold, lives unfolding in synchronous harmony, setting the stage for encounters both ephemeral and potentially life-altering as she navigated the modern world of digitalized romances and fleeting connections.

Science fiction

• "What did it say?" Elira rushed towards the eldest, her heart beating in harmony with the grand hall's pulsating rhythm. Each person here was a walking library, with minds rich in lifetime-cultivated knowledge, and it was in this cacophony of wisdom and curiosity that young apprentice Elira was about to dive deeper than ever before.
• Dr. Kael's breath caught as he lifted the prism, galaxies swirling within it, whispering the secrets of the universe. In the solitude of the Intergalactic Archive, surrounded by ancient relics of knowledge, Kael faced a mystery that beckoned him into a complex dance with the celestial unknown.
• Xan couldn't shake the vision from last night, the luminescent plants weaving tales of distant worlds through their ethereal glow. In the comet's subterranean tunnels, where Xan tended to his garden, he was beginning to unlock the secret language of the cosmos, and today, the plants seemed to be urging him on a journey unlike any before.
• Aria Sandoval felt the pulse of a thousand worlds bearing down on her as she orchestrated the symphony of diplomacy that held the United Interstellar Communities together. With every gesture and word chosen with meticulous care, she was a conductor for peace, wielding strategy and empathy in equal measures.
• The lost era summoned him, acting as a beacon from a time when harmony and light graced the world. As Professor Mallick gazed through his newly invented tool, glimpses of the distant past unveiled themselves, pulling him into an obsession with understanding the beauty that once was.
• Taelia felt the ancient song resonate in her bones, a harmony forged from the whispers of the trees and the gentle murmurs of the river. As she ventured deeper into the forest towards the old world-tree Yorlin, the young seeker grasped at the tendrils of knowledge flowing through the interconnected dance of life unfolding before her.
• Dr. Lin stood at the threshold of the physical and the abstract, lost in the fluid dance of geometric patterns and swirling equations. This was the underlying narrative of the universe, a mathematical tapestry waiting to unravel its greatest secrets under Lin's eager gaze.
• "This isn't real," Detective Calder muttered, stepping through the shattered boundaries between the real and the surreal. In a world fractured into countless realities, each case became a mind-bending journey into human consciousness, a labyrinth where dreams held more weight than reality.
• The city whispered stories to Ansel as he wandered its living streets, where buildings breathed and paths pulsed with life. Every element shared secrets, weaving tales of wonder from sunlight and leaf whispers, kindling the young boy's sense of fascination and urging him to look deeper, to see the magic in the everyday.
• "Ready?" The virtual landscape stretched infinitely before Alias, a realm forged from codes and streams of data. With each digital spell cast, she unraveled the virtual world's closely guarded secrets, a hacker embarking on quests filled with hidden knowledge, and mysteries waiting to be unearthed.

Thriller and suspense

• Mitch Rapp's heart pounded in his chest as he stepped into the desolate place that barely clung to hope. Every step was both a discovery and a threat, guided only by skills forged in unseen battlefields. The small town stretched before him, its troubles hiding behind forlorn structures. Mitch was ready to unearth every one of them.
• Lily paused, the too-bright day casting deep shadows that clashed with the smiles of the overly joyous people around her. The uneasy feeling grew with each step, fueled by a deep-seated intuition that recognized the deceit permeating the air, masked by pristine houses and manicured lawns. The apparent perfection held a secret, and she was determined to unravel it.
• The only sound disturbing the silent, fog-swathed morning was Thomas Elster's footsteps. As he ventured deeper into the obscured streets, memories from past mornings crowded in, each one revealing a hidden cruelty, a secret kept in daylight's shadow. Each step forward was a step back in time, preparing him to reveal yet another tale hidden in the cracks of daily life.
• Below the rush of Cyan's breath and pounding heart lay a city struggling under the weight of corruption. Each leap across the rooftops became a statement, a rebellion against the darkness festering below. Every painful inhalation was a testament to her determination to cleanse the place, regardless of the personal cost.
• Eli Doyle was a shadow in a crowd of substance, moving with a purpose only he understood, with every heartbeat echoing concealed danger and impending action. The vibrant city beat rhythmically around him, unaware of the perilous dance about to unfold as Eli maneuvered closer to the epicenter of chaos.
• "You wouldn't believe the stories these trees could tell," David Hunter whispered to himself, moving deliberately through the whispering forest. Each step forward was accompanied by the soft chorus of leaves sharing tales of a nation in distress, a world on the verge of chaos. David was a solitary figure in a living, breathing repository of secrets, ready to stand against the shadows threatening to engulf everything.
• In the heart of the operations room, Admiral Sarah Jennings surveyed the geopolitical landscape displayed on digital maps. The world resembled a chessboard of shifting alliances and burgeoning rivalries. Sarah stood firm, a beacon of resolve, prepared to steer her nation through the tumultuous waters that lay ahead.
• In a room heavy with the weight of history, Professor Adrian Kane felt a pull towards the ancient texts that promised hidden truths. The boundary between science and mysticism blurred as he delved deeper, ready to uncover knowledge that might alter the very fabric of human understanding.
• Darkness fell, casting the city into a world of shadow and mystery where Jaden found himself an unwilling hero. A silent battle raged in the hidden corners of the night, a conflict of good against evil that beckoned him, drawing him deeper into its ancient, cosmic pulse.
• The message pierced the tranquility of Alex's Sunday morning with cold, sharp words slicing through the screen and shattering the illusion that held his life together. Suddenly, he found himself on the brink, facing shadows from his past that threatened to engulf the life he had so carefully built, revealing dark secrets eager to flood into the light.
• As Jedediah trod upon the undisturbed soil, the grandeur of the landscape lay before him, a tapestry woven from golden grasses and deep crimson canyons. Yet, a deeper purpose fueled his steps: a secret nestled in the heart of the untamed land, ancient and waiting to be unraveled.
• In the heart of the Texas plains, whispers of change caught on the wind traveled from person to person, stitching a thread of fragile hope across weary hearts. As evening descended, stretching shadows across the land, it became a visual echo of the hopes and dreams nestled in the souls of the toiling populace, each one harboring a tender wish nourished by the day's end.
• Amid the wild frontier, a group of unlikely companions formed — a lawman hardened by time, a naïve young cowhand, a native steeped in wisdom, and a madam with eyes that bore untold stories. Though their paths were distinct, they began to entwine, pulled together by the strings of a fate yet unrevealed.
• Under an unyielding sky, a determined band pushed forth, each step echoing with hopes and dreams yet unfulfilled. Driven by a shared vision of what lay beyond the horizon, the beating of hooves against the earth marked their united rhythm, a heartbeat of collective ambition and raw, unyielding determination.
• From above, a lone vulture surveyed the ever-changing narratives below, a dance of tiny figures drawn on the vast canvas of the earth. A sense of mounting tension permeated the air, hinting at unfolding dramas, with lives on the verge of collision in the ruthless theater of survival.
• As darkness embraced the world, a group of weary souls gathered around a flickering campfire, the moon casting a silent witness to their shared solitude. Among them, a figure stood poised, embodying a resolve forged from the day's labor, eyes fixed on the dark expanse, ready to guide them through the uncertainties that awaited with the dawn.
• In a land that demanded sacrifice, dreams forged from resilience blossomed stubbornly. Individuals from different walks of life united, driven by a shared longing for warmth and community, building bonds stronger than the harsh conditions of the frontier, their collective will inscribing a narrative of hope upon the unforgiving canvas.
• The wild lands bore silent testimony to the lives that ventured through its expanses, a vibrant backdrop awaiting new stories to grace its surface. It held both potential and peril, a vast stage ready to play host to tales of courage, loss, and unexpected bonds forged in adversity.
• Pastor Grey stood contemplating the essence of the frontier, a realm that sculpted both brutality and kindness from those who dared to call it home. Guided by deep-seated conviction, he embraced his mission to foster a community that thrived in harmony with the untamed spirit breathing life into the west.
• Ember Creek vibrated with the tenuous dance between hope and despair, a pulsating rhythm guiding the lives of its denizens. At its helm, Sheriff Hannah Callahan bore witness to the simmering pot of dreams and secrets, her vigilant presence a grounding force in a place teetering on the precipice of change, nurturing the spark of potential residing in every heart.

Header image by michaklootwijk .

25 Story Starters for Writing Fiction

by Melissa Donovan | May 23, 2023 | Fiction Writing Prompts | 3 comments

Get creative with these story starters.

Are you a storyteller? Do you want to be a storyteller?

If you’re interested in writing flash fiction, short stories, or novels, then you’re going to need lots of ideas, especially if you want to write professionally.

Some of us have too many ideas; others don’t have enough ideas. Maybe we have a solid idea for a story, but something’s missing. We need to spice it up by adding subplots or characters. Maybe the setting or story world isn’t rich enough. Perhaps your story lacks theme.

Story starters are a great way to get ideas for writing stories, but they can also be used to generate ideas for improving stories that are already in the works.

Story Starters

Today, I’d like to share twenty-five story starters. You can use these story starters to inspire a new story or to breathe new life into a story you’re already working on. Use them to write whatever you want — flash fiction, short stories, or a novel.

• We all know about conspiracy theorists. They believe the moon landing was a farce. Come up with a new conspiracy that theorists rally around. The public thinks they’re crazy, but are they?
• The world is run by politicians, but sometimes, ordinary people get caught up in political drama and intrigue. What happens when a bike messenger, a restaurant server, and a daycare teacher get unwillingly drawn into the affairs of state?
• Technology has developed at a splitting speed over the past century. Before we know it, every house will be equipped with a robot and a virtual reality system. But what happens when a couple of kids venture into the wrong area of the virtual reality and get stuck there?
• Witnesses to crimes can find themselves in grave danger, which is why there are protection programs for such persons. But what if the witness decided to join forces with the prime suspect? What does the witness get in exchange for false testimony that acquits a terrible criminal?
• Take a look at the world we live in. In some places, life is pretty good. But in other places, life is difficult for most people, especially where there’s a lot of inequality, poverty, and oppression. What if an oppressive culture used war or the media to spread itself around the globe? What would that look like, and would we ever overcome it?
• After a family moves into a new house, one of the kids looks for a hiding place to stash some secret belongings and discovers a panel at the back of a closet. Assuming it leads to the attic, the kid removes the panel only to find a window that looks into a world populated with magic and monsters.
• Two politicians are in a heated race to win a critical election (governor, president, etc.) and through negative campaigning have become arch enemies. But their kids go to the same college and have fallen in love. What happens when the relationship is revealed in the media?
• All the evidence in a brutal, premeditated murder points to one primary suspect, including footage from security cameras. The problem is that there’s no motive, and the alleged killer insists on his or her innocence. Who committed this heinous crime?
• While working on a more fuel-efficient space shuttle that will transport tourists to and from the moon, one engineer stumbles into a way to make faster-than-light (FTL) engines a reality.
• A stranger comes to a small town that hasn’t seen a new resident since the town’s youngest child was born sixteen years ago. The stranger rarely leaves his or her formerly abandoned home except to buy groceries and strange supplies from the local home improvement store, and the townspeople think something’s not right.
• Step back in time hundreds — or perhaps thousands — of years. The leader of a small tribe is butting heads with the tribe’s healer. Meanwhile, a powerful neighboring tribe is infiltrating their territory.
• Inspired by Jurassic Park , a biological engineer is committed to recreating dinosaurs. While researching ancient dinosaurs, the scientist stumbles into evidence that fire-breathing dragons once soared over the land and decides to recreate those instead.
• While representing an accused killer, the attorney falls in love with the client, partially because he or she believes the accused is innocent.
• Teenagers love to rebel and experiment. But what happens when one teenager’s antics end up on video and go viral? Bullying and humiliation ensue.
• After working hard for decades, the main character has finally managed to retire and purchase a condo on a small, tropical island, where he or she intends to write a novel. But strange things start happening — things go missing, there are creepy noises, and our character feels like he or she is constantly being watched.
• For centuries, humans have wondered if we are alone in the universe. The answer finally comes when aliens arrive. But it’s a time when tensions are high between the nations of Earth. Will humanity unite, or will some nations form an alliance with the aliens?
• A young couple believes their fairy tale has finally come true and they will live happily ever after. They are recently married, have good jobs, just bought a home, and there’s a baby on the way. But the fairy tale seems to unravel as secrets and lies begin to surface.
• When a foreign operative embedded in the CIA disappears with loads of government secrets, all hell breaks loose. But is this operative truly a foreign spy, or is it a citizen intent on blowing the cover off of government corruption?
• A mid-sized tourist plane crashes on a remote deserted island, killing all but a handful of survivors. Rescue is on the way until a devastating storm arises, barring access to the island. Now these urbanites must learn to live off the land and with each other.
• After serving a ten-year sentence for a heinous crime she didn’t commit, a former college student gets a new identity and becomes a private investigator intent on exonerating herself.
• A group of teenagers spends a summer day on a scavenger hunt in the woods just outside of town. When they reconvene to name the winner of the hunt, one of them doesn’t show up and cannot be found.
• When a kid finds out both parents are out of work and the family might have to move in with the grandparents, he or she decides to solve the problem by starting the modern version of a lemonade stand — an online enterprise.
• One couple’s nasty divorce leaves their two young children in the custody of their grandparents. Will the couple put aside their differences to get their children back?
• Dreams come true when a foster child is finally adopted. But the child’s new family is filled with secrets, and he or she begins to suspect that it wasn’t a chance adoption after all.
• The main character receives a strange inheritance from an unknown deceased relative: a key ring with no keys on it. Unusual events occur whenever the key ring is present.

Have you ever used story starters or writing prompts? Where do you find inspiration for writing fiction? Share your thoughts and experiences by leaving a comment, and keep writing.

I’ve never used story prompts, but some of these might give me inspiration to try some.

I always thought needing prompts to write a story was lame. I recently enrolled in a creative writing course and now sing the praises of writing prompts. They can really help out when you are learning the craft or just plain stuck. Some of the prompts here are pretty interesting, I may have to use a few of them.

I’m glad you came around on using prompts. They can be a lot of fun.

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Writers' Treasure

Effective writing advice for aspiring writers

Creative Writing 101

Creative writing is any form of writing which is written with the creativity of mind: fiction writing, poetry writing, creative nonfiction writing and more. The purpose is to express something, whether it be feelings, thoughts, or emotions.

Rather than only giving information or inciting the reader to make an action beneficial to the writer, creative writing is written to entertain or educate someone, to spread awareness about something or someone, or to express one’s thoughts.

There are two kinds of creative writing: good and bad, effective and ineffective. Bad, ineffective creative writing cannot make any impression on the reader. It won’t achieve its purpose.

So whether you’re a novelist, a poet, a short-story writer, an essayist, a biographer or an aspiring beginner, you want to improve your craft. The question is: how?

When you write great fiction, poetry, or nonfiction, amazing things can happen. Readers can’t put it down. The work you wrote becomes a bestseller. It becomes famous. But you have to reach to that level… first .

The best way to increase your proficiency in creative writing is to write, write compulsively, but it doesn’t mean write whatever you want. There are certain things you should know first… it helps to start with the right foot.

To do exactly that, here we have a beginners’ guide from Writers’ Treasure on the subject:

• An Introduction to Creative Writing
• How to Get Started in Creative Writing in Just Three Steps
• Creative Writing vs. Technical Writing
• Fiction Writing 101: The Elements of Stories
• Poetry Writing: Forms and Terms Galore
• Creative Non-Fiction: What is it?
• Tips and Tricks to Improve Your Creative Writing
• Common Mistakes Made by Creative Writers

For novelists: do you want to write compelling opening chapters?

Are you an aspiring novelist? Will your novel see the light of day? For that, you will need to make the first chapter of your story as compelling as possible. Otherwise, readers won’t even pick up your novel. That chapter can be the make-or-break point that decides whether your novel is published or not. It’s because good editors know how you write from the first three pages… or sometimes even from the opening lines.

To solve this problem, I created a five-part tutorial on Writing Compelling Opening Chapters . It outlines why you need to write a compelling opening chapter, my personal favourite way of beginning it, what should be told and shown in it, general dos and don’ts, and what you need to do after having written it. Check it out for more.

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Sometimes you reach that stage when you outgrow the beginner stage of writing but feel that you’re not yet an expert. If I just described you, no worries– Writers’ Treasure’s writing tips are here. Whether you want to make your writing more readable, more irresistible, more professional, we’ve got you covered. So check out our writing tips , and be on your way to fast track your success.

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8 Tips for Getting Started With Creative Writing

Written by MasterClass

Last updated: Sep 19, 2022 • 11 min read

Outside the world of business writing and hard journalism lies an entire realm of creative writing. Whether you’re brand-new to the craft, a nonfiction writer looking to experiment, or a casual creative writer wanting to turn into a published author, honing your creative writing skills is key to your success.

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Last updated on Dec 23, 2022

Creative Writing: 8 Fun Ways to Get Started

About the author.

Reedsy's editorial team is a diverse group of industry experts devoted to helping authors write and publish beautiful books.

About Savannah Cordova

Savannah is a senior editor with Reedsy and a published writer whose work has appeared on Slate, Kirkus, and BookTrib. Her short fiction has appeared in the Owl Canyon Press anthology, "No Bars and a Dead Battery". 

Creative writing is a written art form that uses the imagination to tell stories and compose essays, poetry, screenplays, novels, lyrics, and more. It can be defined in opposition to the dry and factual types of writing found in academic, technical, or journalistic texts.

Characterized by its ability to evoke emotion and engage readers, creative writing can tackle themes and ideas that one might struggle to discuss in cold, factual terms.

If you’re interested in the world of creative writing, we have eight fantastic exercises and activities to get you started.

1. Use writing prompts every week

Coming up with ideas for short stories can be challenging, which is why we created a directory of 1700+ creative writing prompts covering a wide range of genres and topics. Writing prompts are flexible in nature, they are meant to inspire you without being too constrictive. Overall, they are a great way to keep your creative muscles limber.

If you’re struggling for motivation, how does a hard deadline and a little prize money sound? Prompts-based writing contests are a fantastic way to dive into creative writing: the combination of due dates, friendly rivalries, prize money, and the potential to have your work published is often just what’s needed to propel you over the finish line. 

We run a weekly writing contest over on Reedsy Prompts , where hundreds of writers from all around the world challenge themselves weekly to write a short story between 1,000 and 3,000 words for a chance to win the $250 prize. Furthermore, the community is very active in providing constructive feedback, support, and accountability to each other 一 something that will make your efforts even more worthwhile.

Take a peek at our directory of writing contests which features some of the most prestigious open writing competitions in the world. 

2. Start journaling your days

Another easy way to get started with creative writing is to keep a journal. We’re not talking about an hour-by-hour account of your day, but journaling as a way to express yourself without filters and find your ‘voice in writing’. If you’re unsure what to journal about, think of any daily experiences that have had an impact on you, such as… 

Special moments . Did you lock yourself out of your house? Or did you catch a beautiful sunset on your way back from groceries? Capture those moments, and how you felt about them.

People . Did you have an unusual exchange with a stranger at the bar? Or did you reconnect with someone you haven’t seen in years? Share your thoughts about it.

World events . Is there something happening in the world right now that is triggering you? That’s understandable. You can reflect on it (and let some steam off) while journaling.

Memories . Did you go down memory lane after a glass of wine? Great, honor those memories by trying to recollect them in detail on paper so that they will always stay vivid in your mind.

Life decisions . Are you having an existential crisis about what to do with your life? Write down your thought process, and the pros and cons of the possible decisions in front of you. You’ll be surprised to discover that, not only is it a great creative writing exercise, but it can also actually help you sort your life out! 

If you struggle to write consistently, sign up for our How to Write a Novel course to finish a novel in just 3 months.  

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3. Create an anonymous social media account

Like anonymous blogging, an incognito Twitter account sidesteps the pressure that comes with attaching your name to your work. Anonymously putting tiny stories out into the ether gives you the freedom to create without worrying about the consequences — which is great, so long as you don’t use it as an opportunity to troll people or spread conspiracy theories. 

You could use the anonymous account in different ways. For example, you could…

• Tweet from unique perspectives (e.g. a dog observing human behavior );
• Create a parody account of real or fictional people (e.g. an English poet from the Middle Ages );
• Challenge yourself to write tiny flash fiction stories that fit into Twitter threads.

Just remember, you’re not doing this to fool anyone into thinking that your account is real: be a good citizen and mark yourself a fiction account in your bio. 

But if you’re not really a social media kinda person, you may enjoy our next tip, which is a bit more on the analog side.

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4. Find an old photo and tell its story

Find a random old photo — maybe on the web, maybe from a photo album in a yard sale — and see what catches your attention. Look closely at it and try to imagine the story behind it. What was happening? Who are the people in it and how are they really feeling? Do they share a relationship, and of what kind? What are their goals and dreams?

In other words, bring the photo to life with your imagination. Don't be afraid to take artistic license with your story, as the goal is to be creative and have fun while writing. 

How do you know it’s creative writing?

5. Create a character from a random name

Just as our universe started from a few simple elements, you can create a character from a few basic information, like their name, culture, and gender. Reedsy’s handy character name generator can help you with that, offering random names based on archetypes, Medieval roots, fantasy traits and more. A few examples? A Celtic heroine named Fíona O'Keefe, a hero’s sidekick named Aderine, or a Korean track star named Park Kang-Dae.

Once you've chosen their name, begin to develop their personality. Set a timer for 5–10 minutes and write anything that comes to mind about them. It could be a page from their FBI dossier, a childhood diary entry, or simply a scene about them boiling an egg.

Just ‘go with the flow’ and don’t stop writing until your time is up. Repeat the process a few times to further hone the personality. If you like what you end up with, you can always go deeper later by creating a character bible . 

If a stream-of-consciousness exercise is not your thing, you can try to imagine your character in a specific situation and write down how’d they respond to it. For example, what if they were betrayed by a friend? Or if they were elected in power? To help you imagine situations to put your character in, we made a free template that you can download below. 

FREE RESOURCE

Reedsy’s Character Questionnaire

40 questions to help you develop memorable characters.

6. Construct a character by people-watching

People watching is “the action of spending time idly observing people in a public place.” In a non-creepy way, ideally. Sit on a bench on a public square or on a road-side table at your favorite café, and start observing the people around you. Pay attention to any interesting quirks or behaviors, and write it down. Then put on your detective’s hat and try to figure out what that tells you about them.

For example, the man at the table next to you at the restaurant is reading the newspaper. His jacket and hat are neatly arranged next to him. The pages make a whipping sound as he briskly turns them, and he grimaces every time he reads a new article. Try to imagine what he’s reading, and why he’s reacting the way he is. Then, try to build a character with the information you have. It’s a fun creative exercise that will also, hopefully, help you better empathize with strangers. 

7. “Map” something you feel strongly about into a new context

Placing your feelings into new contexts can be a powerful creative writing exercise. The idea is to start from something you feel strongly about, and frame it into a completely different context. 

For example, suppose your heart is torn apart after you divorce your life-long partner: instead of journaling or crafting an entire novel  about it, you could tell a story about a legendary trapeze duo whose partnership has come to an end. If you’re struggling with politicking and petty power dynamics at the office: what if you “mapped” your feelings onto an ant who resents being part of a colony? Directing your frustration at a queen ant can be a fun and cathartic writing experience (that won’t get you in trouble if your co-workers end up reading your story).   

8. Capture the moment with a haiku

Haikus are poems from the Japanese tradition that aim to capture, in a few words, daily moments of insight (usually inspired by nature). In a nutshell, it’s about becoming mindful of your surroundings, and notice if you can see something in a new or deeper way 一 then use contrasting imagery to express whatever you noticed. 

Here’s an example:

Bright orange bicycle

Speeding through the autumn leaves

A burst of color waves

It may sound a bit complicated, but it shouldn’t be 一 at least not for the purpose of this exercise. Learn the basics of haiku-writing , then challenge yourself to write one per day for a week or month. At the end, you’ll be able to look back at your collection of poems and 一 in the worst case scenario 一 revisit small but significant moments that you would have otherwise forgot about.   

Creative writing can be any writing you put your heart and soul into. It could be made for the purpose of expressing your feelings, exploring an idea, or simply entertaining your readers. As you can see there’s many paths to get involved with it, and hundreds of exercises you can use as a starting point. In the next post , we’ll look more in detail at some creative writing examples from some fellow authors. 

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The Practice of Creative Writing

Psychology in Everyday Life

A guide for students fourth edition | ©2021 heather sellers.

ISBN:9781319321161

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Be bold. Write well. Have fun.

When it comes to writing, The Practice of Creative Writing has a simple message: you can do this, and it’s worthwhile to try. Designed for students in the introductory course, The Practice of Creative Writing teaches writers how to trust their own voice, experiment with form, and develop a writing process that allows them to spend more productive time at the desk.   Rather than locking into one genre early, writers are encouraged to work among and in between genres and to focus on creating a writing practice that privileges close observation, patience, and techniques of pattern, energy, and shape. Heather Sellers, who writes in multiple genres herself, has developed a lively, welcoming, student-centered approach that teaches creative concentration, close reading, and generating pages. She provides opportunities to be playful and to experiment at the same time that she teaches students the importance of discipline, form, and craft. Heather Sellers is a certified online instructor, and The Practice of Creative Writing is designed to be used in traditional face-to-face classrooms or in online education. Each chapter begins with objectives for that module. Prompts and writing practices are carefully sequenced. Every chapter ends with both genre-specific writing projects alongside hybrid and experimental prompts. The readings included in this new edition invite students to experience an even wider range of innovative and new literatures.  A new chapter on creative ways to approach revision as a shaping practice engaged throughout the writing process helps students work harder on their writing.

New to This Edition

"The Practice of Creative Writing stands out as an inspiring, engaging, and useful text for beginning creative writers. Heather Sellers manages to introduce core concepts and literary techniques with an emphasis on practice that is integral to building a multi-genre course without being overly prescriptive. Instructors can choose from a variety of contemporary literature selections and provide students with the models, writing prompts, and exercises that help them grow as creative writers." — Kathleen McCoy, Adirondack CC, Queensbury "The Practice of Creative Writing by Heather Sellers is the most useful creative writing textbook on the market. It addresses student writers in an amiable, colloquial way and makes complex ideas about writing craft simple and approachable. The book is an enthusiastic invitation to students to engage the exciting, infinite possibilities of the art of creative writing." — Scott Ward, Eckerd College "This text helps students think outside the boxes of genre to instead focus on the building blocks of creativity and the nuances of form and technique. By teaching writers to analyze literature as a careful balance of image, tension, energy, pattern, and insight, they can in turn understand how to employ the same elements in their own work in order to engage and move their readers." — Dr. Courtney Huse Wika, Black Hills State University "Sellers text is very student friendly. It successfully helps the beginning creative writer into the writing field by making solid comparisons to other art fields they may be familiar with and utilize. It talks about writing in practical terms while not dazzling readers with literary terms for the sake of labelling." — Joyce Kessel, Villa Maria College, Buffalo "This is my go-to text in intro to CW. Ive adopted it; Ive recommended it. Its a perfect balance of wit, humility, and intellect. Behind the words, you sense a real person--a writer--not a corporate shadow. Heather Sellers walks readers through the intricacies of creative writing with a lovely balance of humor and rigor." — Jeffrey Newberry, Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College "I really think this is an incredibly adroit text in that the writer writes with her audience well in mind. This responsiveness spans many aspects of the book, its structure, its content, its voice and style, even down to paragraph structure. There are many repetitions in the chapter sections and this great; when students don’t know how to read for main ideas, the repetitions aid in reinforcing their learning. The volume begins with students’ reading a graphic comic, something with which they are familiar, and then moves to approaching literary texts, something with which they are less familiar. It draws many analogies using music, again, something that students both know and care about. On these rhetorical levels, this is probably the best introduction to creative writing I’ve even read and used, and I’ve been teaching creative writing for 26 years." — Scott Ward, Eckerd College "The literary selections are outstanding, representing a multicultural array of authors with contemporary relevance, high interest, and a mix of well-known and lesser known writers." — Kathleen McCoy, Adirondack CC, Queensbury "I generally dont use or like textbooks, but this textbook caught my eye. This is largely because the author approaches creative writing like a practicing artist might, coaching students towards their best and deepest selves, offering surprising insights and exercises, building their close-reading muscles, encouraging honest and specific images and sentences. I love this about the book, and this is what distinguishes it for me." — Maria Brandt, Monroe CC "The Practice of Creative Writing stands out from other creative writing textbooks because it focuses on critical craft principles - such as the use of sensory detail, writing to communicate tension and insight, and revision practices - over a rigid focus on form or progressing through forms. It allows the instructor the freedom to pair the textbook with as few or as many forms as they want to assign in their creative writing classes." — Martha Webber, Cal State Fullerton "This is a creative writing textbook written by an accomplished and articulate WRITER, who understands the writing process and uses a teachable, effective approach for introducing students to writing in multiple genres." — Patricia Francisco, Hamline University, St. Paul "Heather has selected an awesome collection of creative works that exemplify a variety of forms. A number of these shorter/quicker forms (e.g., flash fiction), are great for getting novice creative writers acclimated to the depth and temperature of the water." — Bill Gary, Kentucky Community & Technical College System "This book takes a "personal trainer" approach to the practice of writing. It is a gentle, encouraging voice in the writers ear." — Robert Cowser, St. Lawrence University

Fourth Edition | ©2021

Heather Sellers

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Fourth Edition | 2021

Table of Contents

Heather Sellers is professor of English in the graduate and undergraduate writing programs at the University of South Florida, where she was honored with a university-wide teaching award. She offers courses for creative writers in hybrid and experimental writing, fiction, memoir, essays, and poetry as well as a course for teachers of creative writing. Born and raised in Orlando, Florida, she earned her PhD in English/Creative Writing at Florida State University. She has taught at New York University, the University of Texas–San Antonio, St. Lawrence University, and for almost two decades, Hope College, where she was elected Professor of the Year. A recipient of a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship for Fiction and a Barnes and Noble Discover Great New Writers award for her short story collection Georgia Under Water, she has published widely in a variety of genres. Her work appears in the New York Times; The Pushcart Prize anthology; The Best American Essays; O, the Oprah Magazine; Good Housekeeping; Reader’s Digest; Parade; Real Simple; On the Seawall; Adroit; Longreads; Creative Nonfiction; and frequently in The Sun Magazine. Her memoir You Don’t Look Like Anyone I Know: A True Story of Family, Face Blindness, and Forgiveness was a Michigan Notable Book of the Year and Editor’s Choice at The New York Times Book Review. Other publications include Drinking Girls and Their Dresses: Poems; and Spike and Cubby’s Ice Cream Island Adventure, a children’s book. She lives in Saint Petersburg, Florida. Her website is heathersellers.com .

Fourth Edition | 2021

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Chapter 9: Shape

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Mikhail Lomonosov

Born: Denisovka, Archangelsk Province - 19 November 1711 Died: St. Petersburg - 15 April 1765

Mikhail Lomonosov was the great polymath of the Russian Enlightenment. Born in the deepest provinces of Northern Russia, he managed to gain a first-class education through a combination of natural intelligence and sheer force of will, and went on to make significant advances in several fields of science, as well as writing one of the first Russian grammars, several volumes of history, and a great quantity of poetry. In short, he was instrumental in pulling Russia further into the modern world, and in helping to make St. Petersburg a centre of learning as great as almost any in Europe.

Lomonosov was born in the village of Denisovka (now Lomonosovo), a village about 100 kilometers south-east of Arkhangelsk on the Severnaya Dvina river. His father was a peasant fisherman who had grown rich transporting goods from Arkhangelsk to settlements in the far north. His mother, the daughter of a deacon, died when he was very young, but not before she had taught him to read. From the age of ten, he accompanied his father on voyages to learn the business.

In 1730, however, determined to study, he ran away from home and walked over 1 000 kilometers to Moscow. Claiming to be the son of a provincial priest, he was able to enroll in the Slavic Greek Latin Academy, where he studied for five years before being sent on to St. Petersburg's Academic University. The following year (1736), he was a select group of outstanding students sponsored by the Academy of Sciences to study mathematics, chemistry, physics, philosophy and metallurgy in Western Europe. Lomonosov spent three years at the University of Marburg as a personal student of the philosopher Christian Wolff, then a year studying mining and metallurgy in Saxony, and a further year travelling in Germany and the Low Countries. While in Marburg, he fell in love with and married his landlady's daughter, Elizabeth Christine Zilch.

Due to lack of funds to support his young family, Lomonosov returned to St. Petersburg at the end of 1741, and was immediately appointed adjunct to the physics class at the Academy of Sciences. In 1745 he became the Academy's first Russian-born Professor of Chemistry, and in 1748 the first chemical research laboratory in Russia was built for him.

Throughout his career at the Academy, Lomonosov was a passionate advocate for making education in Russia more accessible to the lower ranks of Russian society. He campaigned to give public lectures in Russian and for the translation into Russian of more scientific texts. In this, he found himself in conflict with one of the founders of the Academy, the German ethnologist Gerhard Friedrich Miller (whose views on the importance of Scandinavians and Germans in Russian history Lomonosov also hotly disputed). By composing and presenting at an official Assembly of the Academy in 1749 his ode to the Empress Elizaveta Petrovna, Lomonosov gained considerable favour at court and a powerful ally in his pedagogical endeavours in the form of Elizaveta's lover, Count Ivan Shuvalov. Together, Lomonosov and Shuvalov founded Moscow University in 1755. It was also thanks to Shuvalov's influence that the Empress granted Lomonosov a manor and four surrounding villages at Ust-Ruditsa, where he was able to implement his plan to open a mosaic and glass factory, the first outside Italy to produce stained glass mosaics.

By 1758, Lomonosov's responsibilities included overseeing the Academy's Geography Department, Historical Assembly, University and Gymnasium, the latter of which he again insisted on making open to lowborn Russians. In 1760, he was appointed a foreign member of the Swedish Royal Academy of Sciences, and in 1764 he was similarly honoured by the Academy of Sciences of the Institute of Bologna. The same year, he was granted by Elizaveta Petrovna the rank of Secretary of State. He died 4 April 1765, and was buried in the Lazarev Cemetery of St. Petersburg's Alexander Nevsky Monastery.

Much of Lomonosov's work was unknown outside Russia until many years after his death, and even now it is more the extraordinary breadth of his inquiry and understanding, rather than any specific grand advancements in a particular field, that make him such a seminal figure in Russian science. Among the highlights of his academic career were his discovery of an atmosphere around Venus, his assertion of the Law of Conservation of Mass (nearly two decades before Antoine Lavoisier), and his development of a prototype of the Herschelian telescope. In 1764, he arranged the expedition along the northern coast of Siberia that discovered the Northeast Passage between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. His works also contained intuitions of the wave theory of light and the theory of continental drift. He made improvements to navigational instruments and demonstrated the organic origin of soil, peat, coal, petroleum and amber. Without knowledge of Da Vinci's work, he developed a working prototype of a helicopter.

He wrote the first guide to rhetoric in the Russian language, and his Russian Grammar was among the first to codify the language. His Ancient Russian History compared the development of Russia to the development of the Roman Empire, a theme that would become increasingly popular in the 19th century. His poetry was much praised during his lifetime, although it has been largely ignored by posterity.

Lomonosov is remembered in central St. Petersburg in the names of Ulitsa Lomonosova ("Lomonosov Street"), Ploshchad Lomonosova ("Lomonosov Square") and the adjacent bridge across the Fontanka River. During the Soviet Period, his name was given to the Imperial Porcelain Manufactory, and hence to the nearby metro station, Lomonosovskaya. The Soviets also renamed the suburban town of Oranienburg as Lomonosovo. In 1986, a magnificent monument to Lomonosov was unveiled in front of the Twelve Colleges, the main campus of St. Petersburg State University, acknowledging the enormous debt that institution owes the great polymath who is rightfully considered the father of Russian science.

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