Random Prompt Generator
Story starters, settings, plot twists and dialogue prompts at the press of a button.
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Stuck on what to write? This random prompt generator mixes characters, places, problems and twists into thousands of writing prompts. Pick the type of prompt and a genre, then keep generating until one sparks an idea.
Types of prompt
- Story starters give you a character, a place and a problem.
- Setting prompts ask you to describe a place in detail.
- Plot twists add a surprise to shake up your story.
- Dialogue prompts give you an opening line to build a scene around.
- Scenarios put a character in a situation and ask what they do next.
How to use the prompts
- Choose one or more prompt types, and a genre if you like.
- Press Generate prompt until something catches your interest.
- Set a timer for 10 or 15 minutes and write without stopping.
- Lock a prompt you like and use History to find earlier ones.
Ideas
- Daily journaling and writing practice.
- Classroom warm-ups. Share the link so the whole class gets the same prompt.
- Tabletop roleplaying hooks for your next session.
- NaNoWriMo and other writing challenges.
Want a character to go with your prompt? Try the random character generator.
Keep, copy and share your prompts
Every result has a lock button. Locked results stay put when you generate again, so you can keep the prompts you like and reroll the rest. The history panel keeps your earlier results, and the back arrow takes you to the previous set if you generated one time too many.
Use Copy to copy the results as a plain list, CSV or JSON, or download them as a file. Share copies a link that shows exactly the same results to whoever opens it, which is handy for games, classes and group chats.
Getting the most out of a prompt
A prompt is a starting point, not a rule. If one part of it grabs you and the rest doesn’t, keep the part you like and change the rest. Try setting a timer for ten or fifteen minutes and writing without stopping or editing. Speed keeps your inner critic quiet and often leads somewhere you would not have planned. If you’re stuck halfway through, generate a plot twist and see what it does to your story.
Teachers can lock a prompt and share the link, so the whole class works from the same starting line. Writing groups can generate one prompt each, swap them, and compare how different writers handled the same idea.
Frequently asked questions
How many different prompts are there?
The parts combine into tens of thousands of different prompts, so you are very unlikely to see the same one twice.
Can I choose a genre?
Yes. Choose fantasy, sci-fi, mystery or spooky under Genre, or leave it on Any genre.
Are the prompts suitable for students?
Yes. The prompts avoid graphic content. The spooky genre is mild.
Can I use these prompts for my own stories?
Yes. Anything you write from them is yours.
Can the whole class use the same prompt?
Yes. Lock the prompt you want and press Share. Everyone who opens the link sees exactly that prompt.
How do I get a new prompt quickly?
Press Generate prompt or the spacebar. The back arrow takes you to the previous prompt if you change your mind.
Do I need an account?
No. The generator is free, needs no sign-up and runs in your browser.