Ever feel like your writing community needs a spark of creativity? Hypothetical scenario prompts can break the ice and inspire members to think outside the box. Use these ready-to-post templates to ignite discussions and fuel imagination.
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Hypothetical scenario prompts invite members to step into imaginative situations, unlocking creative thinking and new perspectives. Unlike standard Q&A or polls, these scenarios encourage speculative, open-ended responses, which helps writers flex their storytelling muscles and share unique insights.
Engagement increases as members consider how they or their characters might react in unusual situations, making interactions more playful and memorable. This format also lowers barriers for participation, since there are no right or wrong answers, welcoming all experience levels to join in.
By tapping into writers' natural curiosity and love for 'what if' questions, these templates foster a sense of community, collaboration, and inspiration. Members feel seen and valued for their creativity, which keeps them coming back for more.
What if your main character woke up in a world with no written language? How would they communicate?
💡 Example: "What if your main character woke up in a world with no written language? How would they communicate?"
Imagine your favorite villain suddenly turned into a hero. What changes first?
💡 Example: "Imagine your favorite villain suddenly turned into a hero. What changes first?"
If you could write with any historical author for a day, who would it be and what would you create?
💡 Example: "If you could write with any historical author for a day, who would it be and what would you create?"
What if your story's setting was underwater instead of on land? How would that change things?
💡 Example: "What if your story's setting was underwater instead of on land? How would that change things?"
Your protagonist finds a mysterious key. What door do they hope it opens?
💡 Example: "Your protagonist finds a mysterious key. What door do they hope it opens?"
If your favorite genre disappeared overnight, what would you write instead?
💡 Example: "If your favorite genre disappeared overnight, what would you write instead?"
Imagine you can only use dialogue to tell your next story. What challenge would you face?
💡 Example: "Imagine you can only use dialogue to tell your next story. What challenge would you face?"
What if your antagonist is actually telling the truth? How does that change the plot?
💡 Example: "What if your antagonist is actually telling the truth? How does that change the plot?"
You wake up as your favorite book character. What's the first thing you do?
💡 Example: "You wake up as your favorite book character. What's the first thing you do?"
If you could swap two characters from different stories, who would you pick and why?
💡 Example: "If you could swap two characters from different stories, who would you pick and why?"
What if your current work-in-progress suddenly became a comedy? How would you rewrite one scene?
💡 Example: "What if your current work-in-progress suddenly became a comedy? How would you rewrite one scene?"
Imagine a world where everyone writes with invisible ink. How would stories survive?
💡 Example: "Imagine a world where everyone writes with invisible ink. How would stories survive?"
If your protagonist had to choose between saving a friend or finishing their quest, what would they do?
💡 Example: "If your protagonist had to choose between saving a friend or finishing their quest, what would they do?"
What if your favorite author critiqued your writing? What would you hope they say?
💡 Example: "What if your favorite author critiqued your writing? What would you hope they say?"
You can only write using three words per sentence. What story do you tell?
💡 Example: "You can only write using three words per sentence. What story do you tell?"
If your antagonist wrote a letter to your hero, what would it say?
💡 Example: "If your antagonist wrote a letter to your hero, what would it say?"
Imagine your story takes place in the future. What technology changes everything?
💡 Example: "Imagine your story takes place in the future. What technology changes everything?"
What if your main character could only speak in song lyrics?
💡 Example: "What if your main character could only speak in song lyrics?"
You find a notebook that writes your next chapter for you. Do you use it?
💡 Example: "You find a notebook that writes your next chapter for you. Do you use it?"
If you had to write a novel in 24 hours, what genre would you pick?
💡 Example: "If you had to write a novel in 24 hours, what genre would you pick?"
Your character wakes up with a superpower that only lasts one day. What happens?
💡 Example: "Your character wakes up with a superpower that only lasts one day. What happens?"
Imagine all stories had to end in a plot twist. What twist would you add to your current project?
💡 Example: "Imagine all stories had to end in a plot twist. What twist would you add to your current project?"
If your favorite book was set in your hometown, how would the story change?
💡 Example: "If your favorite book was set in your hometown, how would the story change?"
What if writers got to decide the weather in real life? What forecast would you write today?
💡 Example: "What if writers got to decide the weather in real life? What forecast would you write today?"
Your antagonist and protagonist are stuck in an elevator. What do they talk about?
💡 Example: "Your antagonist and protagonist are stuck in an elevator. What do they talk about?"
Imagine you could only write stories in rhyme. What tale would you tell first?
💡 Example: "Imagine you could only write stories in rhyme. What tale would you tell first?"
If your character had to choose a new career, what would it be?
💡 Example: "If your character had to choose a new career, what would it be?"
What if every writer received a magical pen for one day? How would you use it?
💡 Example: "What if every writer received a magical pen for one day? How would you use it?"
You can only use three senses to describe your setting. Which do you pick and why?
💡 Example: "You can only use three senses to describe your setting. Which do you pick and why?"
Imagine your antagonist switches sides halfway through your story. What happens next?
💡 Example: "Imagine your antagonist switches sides halfway through your story. What happens next?"
If your story's timeline reversed, how would your characters adapt?
💡 Example: "If your story's timeline reversed, how would your characters adapt?"
What if your main character had to write their own ending?
💡 Example: "What if your main character had to write their own ending?"
You can only use objects from your desk as story props. What plot emerges?
💡 Example: "You can only use objects from your desk as story props. What plot emerges?"
Imagine a world where every story must start at the end. How do you begin?
💡 Example: "Imagine a world where every story must start at the end. How do you begin?"
If your protagonist could ask you, the author, one question, what would it be?
💡 Example: "If your protagonist could ask you, the author, one question, what would it be?"
What if your antagonist is actually your protagonist's future self?
💡 Example: "What if your antagonist is actually your protagonist's future self?"
You can only use one color to describe your story's world. Which do you choose?
💡 Example: "You can only use one color to describe your story's world. Which do you choose?"
Imagine your favorite side character gets their own spin-off. What is it about?
💡 Example: "Imagine your favorite side character gets their own spin-off. What is it about?"
If all your characters attended a dinner party, who sits next to whom?
💡 Example: "If all your characters attended a dinner party, who sits next to whom?"
What if your writing had to follow the rules of a board game?
💡 Example: "What if your writing had to follow the rules of a board game?"
You can only write at midnight for a week. How does it affect your story?
💡 Example: "You can only write at midnight for a week. How does it affect your story?"
Imagine a world where every lie is visible as a color. How does this impact your plot?
💡 Example: "Imagine a world where every lie is visible as a color. How does this impact your plot?"
To use these templates, simply copy and paste your chosen scenario into your community feed, group, or chat. Encourage members to share their thoughts in the comments or as short story snippets. For added engagement, tag a few members to kick off the conversation or invite everyone to build on each other's ideas. Rotate between lighthearted, genre-specific, and thought-provoking prompts to keep things fresh.
On all platforms, make scenarios short and clear to invite quick participation. Use simple formatting and tag members to boost visibility. Consider using images or emojis for extra flair, but always make the scenario itself the star.
Try framing scenarios that place members’ original characters in unusual situations—like 'What would your protagonist do if they were offered immortality at a cost?' This pushes members to explore characterization and voice. Encourage responses in first-person or as a narrative snippet to strengthen engagement with point of view.
Focus on questions that introduce moral dilemmas, unexpected plot twists, or genre-specific obstacles (like a sci-fi paradox or a historical inaccuracy). For example, 'If your main character discovered their antagonist was a close friend, how would it alter the story’s trajectory?' These scenarios prompt deep analysis of plot structure and conflict resolution.
Phrase your questions broadly enough to apply to any genre, while offering examples for different categories. For instance, 'If your setting suddenly changed in a fundamental way (magic ceases to work, or memory loss in a memoir), how would your narrative adapt?' This encourages participation from writers with diverse interests.
Absolutely. Pose scenarios that directly tackle these issues, such as 'If you were stuck on your next chapter, what drastic event could you introduce to shake things up?' or 'How would your story change if a key world-building rule was broken?' These prompts help writers brainstorm solutions to craft obstacles.
Set clear community guidelines for constructive discussion and encourage members to back opinions with examples from their own writing. If a scenario sparks debate (e.g., 'Would your character describe the storm or show its impact through their actions?'), facilitate by asking members to demonstrate both techniques in their responses, fostering learning rather than contention.
Rotate scenarios to cover different aspects of craft—character, plot, setting, and theme. Incorporate industry trends, like speculative fiction tropes or current publishing topics. Solicit prompt ideas from veteran members and occasionally run themed weeks (e.g., 'Dialogue Disasters' or 'Villain Origin Stories') to maintain engagement and challenge experienced writers.
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