30 Short Story Prompts Guaranteed To Get Your Students’ Creating Juices Flowing

Introduction

As educators, we strive to inspire our students to explore their imaginations and creativity through writing. One of the best ways to achieve this is through thought-provoking and engaging short story prompts. Whether it’s for a creative writing class, English class, or simply for pleasure, these 30 prompts are guaranteed to get your students’ creating juices flowing and help them produce their best work yet!

1. A mysterious door appears in a student’s bedroom; where does it lead?
2. Life looks different from the perspective of an ant; describe its adventures.
3. A character discovers that they can control time, but only in unexpected ways.
4. Describe a world where everything is based on your favorite color.
5. Invent a new holiday and how it’s celebrated.
6. After a natural disaster, a group of friends must survive in their new environment.
7. An elderly person looks back on a life-changing event from their youth.
8. Write from the perspective of a ghost haunting an old mansion.
9. Describe the day when every electronic device suddenly stops working worldwide.
10. A young detective solves crimes by using his unique gift—talking to animals.
11. A group of teens stumbles upon an abandoned city, and realizes they’re not alone.
12. An aspiring artist accidentally enters the world within her drawings.
13. While wandering through the woods, a child encounters a magical creature in need of help.
14. A cloned human must navigate a society that sees them as an abomination.
15. A caterer learns they have remarkable culinary powers that result in unusual outcomes.
16. In the future, one final competition decides who will rule Earth.
17. An alternate history: What if dinosaurs still roamed the Earth?
18. Imagine a world where kindness is currency; describe someone trying to “get rich.”
19. A traveler encounters an enchanted island filled with peculiar secrets.
20. Your character wakes up one day to find themselves invisible; describe their adventures.
21. A time capsule, buried a hundred years ago, is opened – what’s inside?
22. Two people, who initially hate each other, are stranded on a deserted island.
23. A character discovers that they can communicate with plants; what do they learn?
24. In a world full of superheroes, your character believes they’re the only normal person.
25. A town wakes up one morning and discovers gravity no longer exists.
26. Write a tale about a forbidden friendship between an alien and a human child.
27. A character starts to notice that every day is repeating itself; nobody else seems to realize.
28. Describe the first time humans encounter beings from another galaxy.
29. On the brink of extinction, a species magically evolves overnight, surprising everyone.
30. When surefire lie detectors become commonplace, society undergoes radical changes.

Conclusion

These 30 short story prompts are bursting with potential for memorable tales that will keep your students engaged and entertained during the creative process. Encourage them to play with their ideas, develop their writing styles, and create vivid worlds full of relatable characters and fascinating events. By sharing these prompts with your students, you’re not only providing them with the tools to exercise their creativity but also giving them an opportunity for self-expression and exploration in the realm of their imaginations. Happy writing!