Sentence Prompts for Fiction Writers

1. Right now my character is thinking...
2. If my character could he/she would...
3. The most surprising thing that could happen to my character would be...
4. My protagonist doesn't know it but...
5. This scene begins (where?)
6. The reason for this scene is to...
7. A misunderstanding which will occur in this scene is...
8. One of my minor characters delivers a bombshell by saying...
9. My romantic interest appears and does ....
10. No one sees (what?) happen.
11. A clue is given, and it's this...
12. But my readers are misdirected by (what?)
13. An act of nature occurs and changes everything. It is...
14. If my main character could have what he/she wants, it would be...
15. A prop is introduced in this scene, and it is a ....
16. A minor character shares a clue by saying...
17. I want this scene to elicit (what?) emotions from my readers?
18. The "who, what, when, where, and why" of this scene are...
19. How does my character change in this scene?
20. What can the reader learn that's new in this scene?
21. What can I tell the reader about the location?
22. How does everyone feel in this scene?
23. What are they thinking?
24. The holiday this scene is nearest to is...and how does that matter?
25. What action does my main character need to take?
26. What will impede my main character?
27. What minor character will thwart my main character?
28. What activity in my protagonist's personal life will crop up here?
29. What interesting and identifiable personal habit will my character exhibit?
30. What happens to my character on the way to resolving an issue?

Copyright 2008 by Joanna Campbell Slan
Contact joannaslan@aol.com for permission