In the evolving landscape of creative writing, AI has emerged as a powerful collaborative tool for authors, screenwriters, poets, and storytellers. The key to unlocking AI’s creative potential lies in crafting effective prompts that guide these systems toward generating compelling, original content. This article provides ready-to-use prompt templates for various creative writing projects, designed to help you overcome writer’s block, develop characters, craft engaging plots, and polish your prose.
Why Use Templates for Creative Writing with AI?
Creative writing with AI isn’t about replacing human creativity—it’s about enhancing it. Well-designed prompt templates offer several advantages:
- Consistency: Templates provide a reliable framework for generating content with similar quality and style across multiple sessions.
- Structure: They help organize your creative thinking process and ensure you’re including all necessary elements.
- Efficiency: Templates save time by eliminating the need to craft elaborate prompts from scratch for each new writing task.
- Focus: They direct the AI toward specific creative goals while leaving room for unexpected inspiration.
Let’s explore templates for various creative writing needs, from story development to poetic expression.
Story Development Templates
Character Creation Template
Create a detailed character profile for [character role] in a [genre] story with the following parameters:
Name: [leave blank or specify]
Age range: [specify or leave open]
Background: [any specific elements to include]
Include the following elements in your profile:
1. Physical appearance with 3 distinctive features
2. Personality traits (3 strengths, 2 flaws, 1 contradictory trait)
3. Core motivation and what they want most in life
4. Greatest fear or internal conflict
5. Brief backstory focusing on a formative experience
6. Speech pattern or verbal quirk that reveals personality
7. A significant relationship that shaped them
8. How they typically respond under pressure
Make the character [specific quality you want, e.g., "morally complex," "sympathetic despite flaws," "mysteriously unpredictable"]
Example Use:
Create a detailed character profile for a detective in a noir mystery with the following parameters:
Name: [leave blank]
Age range: 40-55
Background: Former military or law enforcement
Include the following elements in your profile:
1. Physical appearance with 3 distinctive features
2. Personality traits (3 strengths, 2 flaws, 1 contradictory trait)
3. Core motivation and what they want most in life
4. Greatest fear or internal conflict
5. Brief backstory focusing on a formative experience
6. Speech pattern or verbal quirk that reveals personality
7. A significant relationship that shaped them
8. How they typically respond under pressure
Make the character morally complex with a strong personal code that sometimes conflicts with the law.
Plot Outline Template
Generate a [genre] story outline with the following elements:
Protagonist: [brief description or leave open]
Setting: [time period and location]
Main conflict: [general conflict type or leave open]
Create a 5-act structure including:
ACT 1: SETUP
- Establish the ordinary world and introduce the protagonist
- Include an inciting incident that disrupts the status quo
- End with a plot point that forces the protagonist to act
ACT 2: RISING ACTION
- Protagonist pursues a goal but faces escalating obstacles
- Introduce a subplot or secondary character that complicates matters
- Include a midpoint revelation or reversal that raises the stakes
ACT 3: COMPLICATIONS
- The protagonist's plans begin to unravel
- A surprising betrayal or complication occurs
- End with a low point where success seems impossible
ACT 4: CLIMAX
- Protagonist makes a final push toward their goal
- Include a climactic confrontation with the main antagonist or obstacle
- Show how the protagonist has changed from their journey
ACT 5: RESOLUTION
- Resolve the main conflict
- Address any significant subplots
- Provide a glimpse of the new normal for the protagonist
Additional requirements:
- Include a thematic question about [theme]
- Incorporate a symbol or motif related to [concept]
- Create a surprising yet inevitable conclusion
Example Use:
Generate a psychological thriller story outline with the following elements:
Protagonist: A female psychiatrist in her late 30s
Setting: Contemporary small coastal town during winter
Main conflict: Mysterious patient with knowledge of town secrets
Create a 5-act structure including:[rest of template as above]
Additional requirements: – Include a thematic question about the ethics of maintaining secrets vs. revealing truth – Incorporate a symbol or motif related to reflections/mirrors – Create a surprising yet inevitable conclusion
Scene Construction Template
Write a [mood/tone] scene for a [genre] story where [character(s)] [action/situation].
Setting details:
- Location: [specific place]
- Time: [time of day/year]
- Weather/atmosphere: [conditions]
- Sensory elements to include: [list 2-3 specific sensory details]
Character elements:
- [Character name]'s emotional state: [emotion]
- [Character name]'s goal in this scene: [goal]
- If multiple characters, their relationship dynamic: [dynamic]
Scene requirements:
- Begin with [specific type of opening, e.g., dialogue, action, description]
- Include at least one moment of tension or conflict
- Reveal something new about the character(s) or plot
- End with [specific type of ending, e.g., cliffhanger, realization, decision]
- Length: Approximately [word count] words
Style guidelines:
- [Any specific stylistic requests, e.g., "use short, punchy sentences" or "rich sensory language"]
- Show don't tell for character emotions
- [First/third] person perspective, [past/present] tense
Example Use:
Write a tense scene for a mystery thriller where a journalist discovers evidence that contradicts the official police report.
Setting details:
- Location: A cluttered home office at night
- Time: Just past midnight
- Weather/atmosphere: Thunderstorm with occasional power flickers
- Sensory elements to include: The smell of old paper, the sound of rain against windows
Character elements:
- Mira's emotional state: Initially triumphant, gradually shifting to fearful
- Mira's goal in this scene: To organize her evidence and confirm her suspicions
Scene requirements:
- Begin with a description of Mira finding a key piece of evidence
- Include at least one moment of tension or conflict
- Reveal something new about the character(s) or plot
- End with Mira realizing she's being watched
- Length: Approximately 500 words
Style guidelines:
- Use shorter sentences as tension builds
- Show don't tell for character emotions
- Third person perspective, present tense
Dialogue and Conversation Templates
Character Dialogue Template
Write a dialogue between [Character A] and [Character B] about [topic/situation].
Character A is [brief description of personality, background, and current emotional state].
Character B is [brief description of personality, background, and current emotional state].
Their relationship is [describe relationship and any relevant history].
Context:
- Location: [where the conversation takes place]
- [Any relevant background information]
- [Character A]'s goal in this conversation: [goal]
- [Character B]'s goal in this conversation: [goal]
Dialogue specifications:
- Include at least one moment of [tension/humor/revelation/etc.]
- Each character should have a distinct voice reflecting their personality and background
- Use minimal dialogue tags, instead showing character through speech patterns and actions
- Incorporate 2-3 instances of subtext where characters aren't directly stating their true feelings
- Length: Approximately [number] exchanges
Format as a script with character names followed by their dialogue, with minimal action descriptions in parentheses.
Example Use:
Write a dialogue between Maya and her estranged father James about her decision to sell the family business.
Maya is a determined entrepreneur in her 30s who resents her father's absence during her childhood and is currently anxious but resolved to defend her decision.
James is a traditional businessman in his 60s who regrets his past choices and is currently hurt and confused by what he sees as betrayal.
Their relationship is strained with 5 years of minimal contact after a major argument over the direction of the company.
Context:
- Location: A quiet corner table at an upscale restaurant
- They haven't spoken face-to-face in over a year
- Maya's goal in this conversation: To explain her decision without seeking approval
- James's goal in this conversation: To convince Maya to reconsider and maintain family legacy
Dialogue specifications:
- Include at least one moment of unexpected vulnerability
- Each character should have a distinct voice reflecting their personality and background
- Use minimal dialogue tags, instead showing character through speech patterns and actions
- Incorporate 2-3 instances of subtext where characters aren't directly stating their true feelings
- Length: Approximately 15 exchanges
Format as a script with character names followed by their dialogue, with minimal action descriptions in parentheses.
Description and Setting Templates
Vivid Setting Description Template
Write a [length] description of a [specific setting] in a [genre] story.
Include the following elements:
1. The overall atmosphere and immediate visual impression
2. At least 3 specific sensory details beyond sight (sounds, smells, textures, taste if relevant)
3. One unexpected or unique element that makes this setting distinctive
4. How the setting reflects or contrasts with the [mood/theme] of the story
5. Subtle hints of [story element: history, danger, opportunity, etc.]
Style specifications:
- Use [specific stylistic approach, e.g., "lyrical prose with metaphors," "stark, minimalist language," etc.]
- Point of view: [specify POV]
- Tense: [present/past]
- Any specific words or concepts to include: [list if any]
- Any elements to avoid: [list if any]
Example Use:
Write a 300-word description of an abandoned amusement park at dusk in a supernatural horror story.
Include the following elements:
1. The overall atmosphere and immediate visual impression
2. At least 3 specific sensory details beyond sight (sounds, smells, textures, taste if relevant)
3. One unexpected or unique element that makes this setting distinctive
4. How the setting reflects or contrasts with the themes of decay and forgotten joy
5. Subtle hints of supernatural presence without explicitly showing anything supernatural
Style specifications:
- Use evocative prose with dark imagery and controlled pacing
- Point of view: Third person limited
- Tense: Present
- Specific concepts to include: Contrast between intended happiness and current desolation
- Elements to avoid: Obvious horror tropes like blood or explicit monsters
Poetry and Lyrical Writing Templates
Structured Poem Template
Write a [type of poem: sonnet, haiku, villanelle, etc.] about [subject/theme].
Technical requirements:
- Follow the form's structure: [briefly describe the structure if needed]
- Use [rhyme scheme if applicable]
- [Any other technical requirements of the form]
Thematic elements to include:
- Central metaphor comparing [subject] to [comparison]
- Reference to [specific element, emotion, or concept]
- Contrast between [concept A] and [concept B]
- A shift in perspective or tone between beginning and end
Stylistic preferences:
- Tone: [specify desired tone]
- Imagery focusing on [type of imagery: natural, urban, emotional, etc.]
- [Any other stylistic preferences]
Optional context: [Any background information that might help]
Example Use:
Write a villanelle about the relationship between memory and identity.
Technical requirements:
- Follow the villanelle's 19-line structure with 5 tercets and a concluding quatrain
- Use the traditional villanelle rhyme scheme (ABA ABA ABA ABA ABA ABAA)
- Properly repeat the first and third lines throughout the poem according to villanelle form
Thematic elements to include:
- Central metaphor comparing memories to physical objects that can be held and lost
- Reference to the unreliability of specific memories
- Contrast between who we believe we are and what our memories tell us
- A shift in perspective or tone between beginning and end
Stylistic preferences:
- Tone: Contemplative but not overtly melancholic
- Imagery focusing on everyday objects that evoke memories
- Use accessible language while maintaining poetic depth
Optional context: The poem should feel universal but intimate, as if addressing the reader directly about a shared human experience.
Free Verse Poem Template
Write a free verse poem about [theme/subject] from the perspective of [viewpoint].
Structural elements:
- Length: Approximately [number] lines
- Stanza organization: [any specific requests]
- Line length variation: [any specific pattern or guidance]
Thematic elements:
- Emotional progression from [starting emotion] to [ending emotion]
- Use [specific type of imagery] as the primary imagery style
- Include a subtle reference to [related concept]
- Create a central tension between [opposing elements]
Stylistic preferences:
- Voice: [formal/conversational/intimate/etc.]
- Rhythm: [any rhythm preferences]
- Use [specific poetic devices if desired: alliteration, assonance, etc.]
- Language style: [concrete/abstract/minimalist/lush/etc.]
Avoid:
- [Any elements to specifically avoid]
Example Use:
Write a free verse poem about climate anxiety from the perspective of a young parent.
Structural elements:
- Length: Approximately 20-25 lines
- Stanza organization: 3-4 stanzas of varying lengths
- Line length: Mix short impactful lines with longer, more descriptive ones
Thematic elements:
- Emotional progression from helplessness to determined resilience
- Use domestic imagery juxtaposed with environmental disruption as the primary imagery style
- Include a subtle reference to intergenerational responsibility
- Create a central tension between love for their child and fear of the future
Stylistic preferences:
- Voice: Intimate and personal
- Rhythm: Natural speech with moments of emphasized cadence at emotional peaks
- Use careful repetition of key phrases for emphasis
- Language style: Concrete and sensory, grounded in observable reality
Avoid:
- Political statements or slogans
- Overly technical environmental terminology
- Complete hopelessness as the final note
Narrative Voice and Style Templates
Distinctive Narrative Voice Template
Write a [length] passage in the style of [author/genre/style] about [subject].
Voice characteristics to emulate:
- Sentence structure: [e.g., "long and winding" or "short and direct"]
- Vocabulary level: [simple/moderate/complex]
- Distinctive elements: [list particular stylistic quirks]
- Perspective: [first/second/third person]
- Tense: [past/present]
Content elements to include:
- Thematic focus on [theme]
- Include a [specific type of scene, description, or reflection]
- Incorporate [any specific literary devices]
- Balance between [different elements like dialogue/description/action]
Additional guidance:
- Tone should be [desired tone]
- [Any other specific guidance]
Example Use:
Write a 350-word passage in the style of Raymond Chandler's noir detective fiction about someone discovering they're being followed in a rainy city at night.
Voice characteristics to emulate:
- Sentence structure: Mix of punchy short sentences with occasional longer, metaphor-laden observations
- Vocabulary level: Moderate with occasional colorful slang appropriate to the noir genre
- Distinctive elements: Vivid similes, world-weary observations, sensory urban descriptions
- Perspective: First person
- Tense: Past
Content elements to include:
- Thematic focus on paranoia and urban isolation
- Include a moment of realization when the protagonist confirms they're being followed
- Incorporate environmental elements that mirror the emotional state of the narrator
- Balance between internal monologue and environmental observation
Additional guidance:
- Tone should be cynical but not totally hopeless
- Capture Chandler's ability to make ordinary observations feel somehow profound
Story Expansion and Editing Templates
Scene Expansion Template
Take the following brief scene summary and expand it into a fully developed scene of approximately [word count] words:
Scene summary: [provide 1-3 sentence summary of the scene]
Elements to develop:
1. Setting details: Expand the physical environment with sensory details
2. Character development: Deepen [character name]'s portrayal through:
- Physical actions and body language
- Internal thoughts and reactions
- Dialogue that reveals personality
3. Pacing: [specific pacing instructions, e.g., "start slowly and build tension" or "maintain high energy throughout"]
4. Add meaningful detail to the central [conflict/interaction/event]
5. Emotional arc: Show how [character] changes emotionally from beginning to end of scene
Stylistic approach:
- Point of view: [specify POV]
- Tense: [past/present]
- Tone: [desired tone]
- [Any other stylistic guidance]
Maintain consistency with these established facts: [list any details that must remain unchanged]
Example Use:
Take the following brief scene summary and expand it into a fully developed scene of approximately 800 words:
Scene summary: Alex discovers their partner's secret journal and must decide whether to read it, ultimately choosing to respect their privacy despite curiosity.
Elements to develop:
1. Setting details: Expand the physical environment with sensory details of their shared apartment
2. Character development: Deepen Alex's portrayal through:
- Physical actions and body language showing their internal conflict
- Internal thoughts and reactions as they wrestle with temptation
- Dialogue if they speak to themselves during this moral dilemma
3. Pacing: Build tension gradually with moments where Alex nearly gives in
4. Add meaningful detail to the discovery (how it happened, Alex's initial reactions)
5. Emotional arc: Show how Alex moves from shock to curiosity to temptation to ultimately choosing trust
Stylistic approach:
- Point of view: Close third person limited
- Tense: Present
- Tone: Introspective and morally nuanced
- Use physical objects in the apartment as reflections of their relationship
Maintain consistency with these established facts: Alex and their partner have been together for five years, and they've recently been experiencing communication problems.
Prose Editing Template
Revise the following passage to enhance its [specific quality: clarity, emotional impact, tension, descriptive richness, etc.]. Focus particularly on improving [specific elements that need work].
Original passage:[paste passage here]
Editing guidelines: 1. Strengthen verbs by replacing weak or generic verbs with more specific, evocative ones 2. [Add/reduce] sensory details, focusing on [specific senses] 3. [Simplify/elaborate on] sentence structure to [desired effect] 4. Add/refine subtext or underlying emotions 5. Maintain the original meaning and key events 6. Preserve the author’s voice while enhancing quality Additional notes: – [Any specific requests or focuses] – Keep approximately the same length – Highlight 2-3 specific changes you made and explain your reasoning
Example Use:
Revise the following passage to enhance its emotional impact. Focus particularly on improving the connection between the physical setting and the character's emotional state.
Original passage:
Sarah walked through the empty house. It had been a long time since she'd been there. The rooms were different now. She felt sad thinking about her childhood and all the changes since then. The kitchen was smaller than she remembered. She stood by the window and looked at the backyard where she used to play. She would have to sell the house now that her parents were gone.
Editing guidelines:
1. Strengthen verbs by replacing weak or generic verbs with more specific, evocative ones
2. Add sensory details, focusing on sound and touch
3. Vary sentence structure to create emotional rhythm
4. Add/refine subtext of grief and nostalgia
5. Maintain the original meaning and key events
6. Preserve the author's voice while enhancing quality
Additional notes:
- Create more specific connections between physical objects and memories
- Keep approximately the same length
- Highlight 2-3 specific changes you made and explain your reasoning
Genre-Specific Templates
Mystery/Suspense Template
Write a [scene type: opening scene, reveal scene, red herring, etc.] for a [subgenre] mystery story with the following elements:
Main character: [brief description or leave open]
Setting: [time and place]
Central mystery: [brief description of the mystery]
Key elements to include:
1. [Clue/red herring/revelation] presented through [dialogue/setting/action/etc.]
2. A moment that [builds tension/misdirects/reveals]
3. Character [insight/development/reaction] that [purpose]
Stylistic guidance:
- Reveal information to the reader [same as/differently than] to the protagonist
- Use [pacing technique] to control information flow
- Create atmosphere of [specific feeling]
- [Any other stylistic requests]
Special requirements:
- [Any specific requirements, e.g., "Include a seemingly insignificant detail that will later be important" or "End with a cliffhanger"]
Example Use:
Write an opening scene for a cozy mystery story with the following elements:
Main character: A retired professor who recently opened a bookshop in a small coastal town
Setting: Present day, a seaside village during the off-season
Central mystery: The disappearance of a valuable first edition book that was meant to be the centerpiece of an upcoming literary festival
Key elements to include:
1. Discovery of the missing book presented through dialogue with a panicked festival organizer
2. A moment that establishes multiple possible suspects from the town
3. Character insight that reveals the protagonist's keen observation skills and why they might succeed where others fail
Stylistic guidance:
- Reveal information to the reader same as to the protagonist
- Use measured pacing with moments of reflection to establish setting and community
- Create atmosphere of quaint charm with undercurrents of secrets
- Balance humor with genuine mystery
Special requirements:
- Include a seemingly insignificant detail that will later be important
- Establish at least two of the townsfolk who could be suspects
- End with the protagonist making a private decision to investigate
Fantasy World-Building Template
Create a detailed description of [specific aspect] of a fantasy world with the following parameters:
World type: [high fantasy/urban fantasy/dark fantasy/etc.]
Technology level: [medieval/renaissance/steampunk/etc.]
Magic system presence: [prevalent/rare/secret/etc.]
Elements to develop:
1. Physical description of [location/object/creature/etc.]
2. Cultural significance or purpose within the world
3. Connections to other aspects of the world (minimum 2)
4. Unique features that distinguish it from similar fantasy tropes
5. At least one conflict, challenge, or mystery associated with it
Special considerations:
- How magic interacts with or affects this element
- Historical development or origin
- How different populations or factions view it
- Sensory experiences unique to this element
Guidelines:
- Length: Approximately [word count] words
- Avoid common fantasy clichés such as [list any specific tropes to avoid]
- Make it [tone/style guidance]
Example Use:
Create a detailed description of a trading city located at the junction of three distinct ecological regions in a fantasy world with the following parameters:
World type: High fantasy with political intrigue
Technology level: Early renaissance with some magical innovations
Magic system presence: Uncommon but not rare, typically specialized by region
Elements to develop:
1. Physical description of the city's architecture, layout, and natural surroundings
2. Cultural significance as a trade hub and melting pot of different customs
3. Connections to at least two different kingdoms or political powers and the local ecosystem
4. Unique features that distinguish it from typical fantasy trading ports
5. At least one conflict, challenge, or mystery centered in the city
Special considerations:
- How magic from different regions intersects within the city boundaries
- Historical development from small outpost to crucial trade center
- How different populations or factions control different districts or aspects of trade
- Sensory experiences unique to this city (smells, sounds, sights not found elsewhere)
Guidelines:
- Length: Approximately 800 words
- Avoid common fantasy clichés such as corrupt guards and thieves guilds controlling everything
- Make it feel lived-in and economically plausible rather than just a backdrop for adventures
Experimental and Mixed-Media Templates
Multi-Perspective Narrative Template
Write a scene about [event/situation] from [number] different perspectives.
The event: [detailed description of what happens]
Perspectives to include:
1. [Character A description and their relationship to the event]
2. [Character B description and their relationship to the event]
3. [Add more as needed]
For each perspective, include:
- Unique voice and vocabulary reflecting the character's background
- Different emotional response to the same event
- Specific details noticed by this character that others might miss
- How this event connects to the character's past or future concerns
Structure:
- [Sequential/alternating/other arrangement of perspectives]
- Approximately [word count] words per perspective
- [Any other structural requirements]
Additional requirements:
- Create a cohesive narrative while showing genuine differences in perception
- [Any specific literary techniques to employ]
- [Any other special requests]
Example Use:
Write a scene about a wedding ceremony disruption from 3 different perspectives.
The event: During a wedding ceremony, just before the vows are completed, the power goes out completely. In the darkness, there's a loud crash, someone screams, and when emergency lights come on, the wedding cake has been destroyed and the rings are missing.
Perspectives to include:
1. The bride's nervous younger sister who was responsible for the rings and harbors a secret resentment about always being in her sister's shadow
2. The wedding planner who is already dealing with multiple problems behind the scenes that guests don't know about
3. An elderly relative of the groom who notices peculiar details that others miss
For each perspective, include:
- Unique voice and vocabulary reflecting the character's background
- Different emotional response to the same event
- Specific details noticed by this character that others might miss
- How this event connects to the character's past or future concerns
Structure:
- Sequential perspectives, in the order listed above
- Approximately 300 words per perspective
- Each perspective should end on a note of revelation or suspicion
Additional requirements:
- Create a cohesive narrative while showing genuine differences in perception
- Plant subtle clues about what actually happened that only become apparent when all perspectives are considered together
- Don't explicitly resolve the mystery of what happened, but provide enough clues for readers to form theories
Conclusion: Getting the Most from These Templates
These templates are designed to be flexible starting points for your creative collaboration with AI. To get the best results:
- Customize to your needs: Modify any template to better suit your specific project or style preferences.
- Be specific: The more detailed guidance you provide, the better the results will align with your vision.
- Iterate: Use AI-generated content as a first draft, then refine it yourself or provide feedback to generate improved versions.
- Combine approaches: Don’t hesitate to mix elements from different templates to create the perfect prompt for your unique requirements.
- Preserve your voice: View AI as a collaborative tool that helps you explore possibilities while maintaining your distinctive creative vision.
Remember that AI works best as a creative partner rather than a replacement for human creativity. These templates help structure that collaboration to achieve the best possible results while saving time and overcoming creative blocks.
By starting with these templates and adapting them to your unique needs, you’ll develop a custom workflow that enhances your creative process without sacrificing your personal voice and vision.