Prompt LibraryWritingCreativeStory Idea Generator

Story Idea Generator

Generate unique story ideas, plot concepts, and character sketches for creative writing

Used 62 times
Expert Verified
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Created byOguz Serdar
CM
Reviewed byCuneyt Mertayak

Prompt Template

I need fresh story ideas to spark my creative writing.

I want to write in the [GENRE:select:literary fiction,science fiction,fantasy,mystery or thriller,romance,horror,historical fiction,young adult,children's,contemporary fiction] genre.

The format I am writing is [FORMAT:select:a novel,a short story,a screenplay or script,a series of connected stories,flash fiction,just exploring ideas for now].

Themes or topics I want to explore: [THEMES?]

Elements I definitely want to include: [ELEMENTS?]

Elements or tropes I want to avoid: [AVOID?]

My target audience is [AUDIENCE:select:adult general readers,young adults and teens,children,a literary or intellectual audience,genre enthusiasts,not sure yet].

Generate 5 unique story ideas with different approaches. For each idea, provide a compelling logline that captures the core concept in 1-2 sentences, a brief plot premise with the central conflict, 2-3 main characters with their motivations and flaws, the setting with sensory details, and what makes this story unique or fresh. Make the ideas diverse in tone and approach. Identify which idea has the most potential for the format I am writing. Suggest questions I should ask myself to develop my favorite idea further.

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About Story Idea Generator

Writer's block is not really about writing. It is about not having an idea compelling enough to pull you through the hard parts of a draft. You sit down to write, and every concept feels either too familiar, too vague, or too ambitious. What you need is not motivation. You need a starting point that excites you.

This prompt generates five unique story ideas tailored to your [GENRE], [FORMAT], and preferences. Each idea comes with a logline, plot premise, 2-3 main characters with motivations and flaws, a setting with sensory details, and what makes the concept fresh. You can specify [THEMES] you want to explore, elements to include, and tropes to avoid.

The ideas are intentionally diverse in tone and approach so at least one sparks something. The AI identifies which concept has the most potential for your chosen format (novel, short story, screenplay, flash fiction) and suggests development questions to deepen your favorite idea. You are not locked into anything. Take a character from idea two, a setting from idea four, and the conflict from idea one. These are starting points, not blueprints. Save your favorites in the Dock Editor for development. Ready to flesh out a character from the ideas? Use the character development builder. Want to test a scene? The dialogue writer brings characters to life.

How to Use Story Idea Generator

1

Choose your genre and format

Select your [GENRE] and [FORMAT]. A sci-fi novel concept looks very different from a literary short story pitch. The AI calibrates scope, character count, and plot complexity based on how long the finished piece will be.

2

Set your themes and elements

Add [THEMES] and [ELEMENTS] you want to explore. "Loss and reinvention" plus "a small town, a secret" gives the AI creative constraints that produce more focused ideas. Constraints breed creativity. Completely open prompts often produce generic results.

3

Exclude what you do not want

List tropes or elements in [AVOID] that feel tired or off-limits. "No chosen one narratives" or "no love triangles" steers the AI away from common defaults. This is especially useful if you have read widely in your genre and know what feels overdone.

4

Set your audience

Select your [AUDIENCE]. Adult literary fiction expects different complexity and themes than young adult adventure. The AI adjusts character ages, conflict maturity, and thematic depth based on who will read the final story.

5

Develop your favorite

The AI marks which idea has the most potential for your format. But trust your gut. Pick the one that excites you most, not the one that seems "best." Use the development questions at the end to push the concept deeper before starting a draft.

Who Uses Story Idea Generator

Novel writers

Get five fully formed novel premises with enough depth to evaluate before committing to a 70,000-word project. Each idea includes character dynamics, thematic potential, and what makes the concept sustain a full-length narrative.

Short story writers

Generate tight concepts that work within 3,000-7,000 words. The AI focuses on single-conflict premises with limited character counts, perfect for short fiction that needs to land quickly.

Writing prompt responders

Use these as jumping-off points for writing groups, contests, or daily practice. Each logline works as a standalone prompt. The additional details are optional scaffolding if you want more structure.

Screenwriters

Get high-concept pitches with clear protagonist goals, antagonist forces, and visual settings. Each idea is described in a way that you could pitch in a single sentence, which is exactly how Hollywood evaluates concepts.

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