Having trouble sparking lively discussions in your fiction writing community? Would You Rather prompts offer a playful way to inspire imagination and drive participation. Use these ready-to-post templates to turn passive members into active storytellers.
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Would You Rather questions are powerful engagement tools because they invite members to make a choice, lowering the barrier to participation. The playful format encourages even shy members to join in, since there is no right or wrong answer.
For fiction writers, these prompts stimulate creative thinking by presenting intriguing dilemmas that tap into worldbuilding, character creation, and plot twists. They help members see familiar tropes in new ways and spark valuable discussion around the craft of storytelling. As members explain their reasoning, deeper conversations and connections form within your community.
Would you rather create a villain who is misunderstood or a hero with a dark secret? Share your pick.
💡 Example: "Would you rather create a villain who is misunderstood or a hero with a dark secret? Share your pick."
Would you rather write a story set in a world with no sunlight or one where nobody can speak?
💡 Example: "Would you rather write a story set in a world with no sunlight or one where nobody can speak?"
Would you rather your protagonist always know the ending or never know what comes next? Why?
💡 Example: "Would you rather your protagonist always know the ending or never know what comes next? Why?"
Would you rather write a book where magic is common or where technology rules everything?
💡 Example: "Would you rather write a book where magic is common or where technology rules everything?"
Would you rather kill off your favorite character or let your antagonist win?
💡 Example: "Would you rather kill off your favorite character or let your antagonist win?"
Would you rather write a story with no dialogue or one set in only a single room?
💡 Example: "Would you rather write a story with no dialogue or one set in only a single room?"
Would you rather invent a brand-new language for your story or create an entire history for your world?
💡 Example: "Would you rather invent a brand-new language for your story or create an entire history for your world?"
Would you rather be able to write plot twists effortlessly or craft unforgettable characters?
💡 Example: "Would you rather be able to write plot twists effortlessly or craft unforgettable characters?"
Would you rather your main character lose everything for love or gain everything but remain lonely? Tell us why.
💡 Example: "Would you rather your main character lose everything for love or gain everything but remain lonely? Tell us why."
Would you rather write a story where time moves backward or one where nobody ages?
💡 Example: "Would you rather write a story where time moves backward or one where nobody ages?"
Would you rather give your villain a tragic backstory or a mysterious motive?
💡 Example: "Would you rather give your villain a tragic backstory or a mysterious motive?"
Would you rather write a story with an unreliable narrator or one with multiple points of view?
💡 Example: "Would you rather write a story with an unreliable narrator or one with multiple points of view?"
Would you rather your story end happily but predictably, or with a shocking twist?
💡 Example: "Would you rather your story end happily but predictably, or with a shocking twist?"
Would you rather base a story on a dream you had or on a real-life event?
💡 Example: "Would you rather base a story on a dream you had or on a real-life event?"
Would you rather write a story in first person or third person? Why?
💡 Example: "Would you rather write a story in first person or third person? Why?"
Would you rather create a world with endless winter or endless summer?
💡 Example: "Would you rather create a world with endless winter or endless summer?"
Would you rather write a short story every week or a novel every year?
💡 Example: "Would you rather write a short story every week or a novel every year?"
Would you rather write a story that makes people laugh or one that makes them cry? Explain your choice.
💡 Example: "Would you rather write a story that makes people laugh or one that makes them cry? Explain your choice."
Would you rather your main character be able to talk to animals or control the weather?
💡 Example: "Would you rather your main character be able to talk to animals or control the weather?"
Would you rather write about the future or the distant past?
💡 Example: "Would you rather write about the future or the distant past?"
Would you rather create a plot around a lost artifact or a hidden prophecy?
💡 Example: "Would you rather create a plot around a lost artifact or a hidden prophecy?"
Would you rather write a story with no named characters or with no physical descriptions?
💡 Example: "Would you rather write a story with no named characters or with no physical descriptions?"
Would you rather invent a magical creature or a new kind of technology?
💡 Example: "Would you rather invent a magical creature or a new kind of technology?"
Would you rather your story be adapted into a movie or a graphic novel? Why?
💡 Example: "Would you rather your story be adapted into a movie or a graphic novel? Why?"
Would you rather write an epic saga or a tightly-focused novella?
💡 Example: "Would you rather write an epic saga or a tightly-focused novella?"
Would you rather write a story where everyone has a secret or where nobody can keep one?
💡 Example: "Would you rather write a story where everyone has a secret or where nobody can keep one?"
Would you rather your antagonist be someone the protagonist loves or someone they have never met?
💡 Example: "Would you rather your antagonist be someone the protagonist loves or someone they have never met?"
Would you rather write a story that takes place in one day or over a thousand years?
💡 Example: "Would you rather write a story that takes place in one day or over a thousand years?"
Would you rather your main character be a reluctant hero or an eager villain?
💡 Example: "Would you rather your main character be a reluctant hero or an eager villain?"
Would you rather write an opening line that shocks or one that intrigues?
💡 Example: "Would you rather write an opening line that shocks or one that intrigues?"
Would you rather your story have a cliffhanger ending or a clear resolution? Share your thoughts.
💡 Example: "Would you rather your story have a cliffhanger ending or a clear resolution? Share your thoughts."
Would you rather write a dystopian society or an idyllic utopia?
💡 Example: "Would you rather write a dystopian society or an idyllic utopia?"
Would you rather focus on worldbuilding details or character development?
💡 Example: "Would you rather focus on worldbuilding details or character development?"
Would you rather your characters travel by airship or by portal?
💡 Example: "Would you rather your characters travel by airship or by portal?"
Would you rather write a collaborative story with others or work solo?
💡 Example: "Would you rather write a collaborative story with others or work solo?"
Would you rather your protagonist have a powerful ally or a secret enemy? Why?
💡 Example: "Would you rather your protagonist have a powerful ally or a secret enemy? Why?"
Would you rather write a story inspired by fairy tales or by myths?
💡 Example: "Would you rather write a story inspired by fairy tales or by myths?"
Would you rather write a scene that takes place underwater or in the sky?
💡 Example: "Would you rather write a scene that takes place underwater or in the sky?"
Would you rather your main character time travel to the past or the future? Explain.
💡 Example: "Would you rather your main character time travel to the past or the future? Explain."
To use these templates, simply copy and paste a question into your community platform of choice. Post regularly to keep engagement high, and encourage members to explain their answers. You can adapt questions to fit current discussions, themes, or writing challenges. Consider pinning a Would You Rather post weekly, or using them as icebreakers in workshops and virtual meetups.
These templates work on all platforms, from forums and Discord to Facebook and Slack. For chat-based platforms, post during peak hours to maximize visibility. On forums, consider pinning the thread or tagging relevant topics. Always encourage follow-up replies for deeper engagement.
Try adapting the templates to present choices between common plotting methods, such as 'Would you rather outline your story in advance or write by the seat of your pants (pantsing)?' or 'Would you rather kill off a major character for dramatic effect or let them experience redemption?' These choices will encourage writers to share their process, compare techniques, and discuss the craft of plotting.
Absolutely! You can customize prompts to focus on character creation, such as 'Would you rather write an anti-hero protagonist or a classic hero?' or 'Would you rather subvert a common trope or embrace it fully in your next story?' This sparks debate about archetypes and helps writers think critically about character design.
Frame your questions to pit two worldbuilding dilemmas against each other. For example, 'Would you rather invent a new magic system with strict rules or an expansive alien culture?' or 'Would you rather focus on building a detailed political system or an intricate geography?' This encourages members to reflect on their own process and share tips for tackling complex worldbuilding.
Rotate your Would You Rather scenarios to include genre-specific elements. For example, present genre dilemmas like 'Would you rather plot an elaborate twist for a mystery or write a slow-burn romance subplot?' This inclusivity helps writers from various genres engage and learn from each other’s perspectives.
Pose questions that reflect these challenges, such as 'Would you rather power through a difficult scene or skip ahead and come back later?' or 'Would you rather get feedback on your first draft or wait until revision?' This not only normalizes the struggles writers face but also invites advice and encouragement from the community.
Yes! You can adapt the Would You Rather format to make collaborative decisions, like 'Should our group story focus on a single protagonist or an ensemble cast?' or 'Would you rather write the next chapter in first person or third person?' This format helps groups bond and make creative decisions together, enhancing collaborative storytelling.
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