Outline a mystery in which the first clue appears ordinary.
16 Story Outline Prompts
These prompts create a starting constraint, question, or situation. Use one as written, combine two, or change the audience, setting, objective, or limitation to make a new exercise.
Outline a romance where the main obstacle is not a misunderstanding.
Outline a fantasy story centered on one costly rule of magic.
Outline a thriller that takes place in a single building.
Outline a family drama around an object everyone wants for a different reason.
Outline a coming-of-age story set during one summer job.
Outline a story where the antagonist believes they are preventing a worse outcome.
Outline a survival story where cooperation is more important than equipment.
Outline a comedy driven by a mistaken schedule rather than mistaken identity.
Outline a ghost story where the haunting is trying to communicate, not harm.
Outline a science-fiction story about a technology that changes memory.
Outline a heist where the target is information, not money.
Outline a story told across three meetings over ten years.
Outline a quest where the protagonist decides not to complete the original mission.
Outline a courtroom story where the legal victory creates a personal loss.
Outline a road story where the destination becomes irrelevant halfway through.