Story ideas in one sentence: a place, a protagonist, a want, an obstacle and a twist, each lockable.
Story Prompt Generator: 30 prompts
At a museum sleepover that has run out of snacks, a department store elf on a first shift wants to save the last tree in the orchard, but nobody remembers them after they leave the room. The twist: it works perfectly, once, with nobody watching.
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Settingat a museum sleepover that has run out of snacks
Protagonistdepartment store elf on a first shift
Wantto save the last tree in the orchard
Obstaclenobody remembers them after they leave the room
Twistit works perfectly, once, with nobody watching
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Prompt of the day
At a museum sleepover that has run out of snacks, a department store elf on a first shift wants to save the last tree in the orchard, but nobody remembers them after they leave the room. The twist: it works perfectly, once, with nobody watching.
In a city where every hero has already retired, a food critic who has lost all sense of taste wants to pass one ordinary day without being recognised, but the one person who can help is not speaking to them. The twist: the out-of-tune carol is what people remember most.
At a garden centre during a surprise goat escape, a child with a map drawn on one hand wants to get home before anyone notices, but the landlord is coming round at noon. The twist: the tree nobody wanted turns out to be the best one.
In a flooded city of rooftop markets, a football referee in a small league wants to bake the biggest cake anyone has seen, but their best friend is cross with them. The twist: the smallest present turns out to matter most.
At a lakeside cabin at the end of the season, a department store elf on a first shift wants to keep a surprise party secret, but a younger relative thinks it is best left alone. The twist: the person they came to comfort ends up comforting them.
In a small town the night every light goes out, a duckling who walks everywhere wants to find the owner of a lost engagement ring, but the power that could fix it would reveal who they are. The twist: the stranger turns out to be family.
On a farm where the animals hold meetings at night, an actor playing the back half of a pantomime horse wants to find the owner of a lost engagement ring, but they hiccup loudly whenever they are nervous. The twist: the whole town has been quietly helping all along.
In an office on bring your pet to work day, a lighthouse keeper's grandchild wants to keep a family secret buried, but the city has made masks illegal. The twist: the missing decoration was in the attic all along.
In a town where every clock shows a different time, an ice sculptor in a mild winter wants to finish a race a parent never could, but every camera in the city is looking for them. The twist: the thing they were hiding was obvious to everyone.
On a sleeper train heading north on the longest night, a child who has stopped believing wants to stop the old cinema being demolished, but a younger relative thinks it is best left alone. The twist: the enemy has been sending the warnings.
At a secret school for sidekicks, an estate agent who cannot tell a lie wants to find out where the moon goes in the daytime, but it all has to happen during a night shift. The twist: the out-of-tune carol is what people remember most.
In a burrow under the old oak tree, an overconfident amateur magician wants to win the street's Christmas lights contest, but an overexcited puppy is on the other end of the lead. The twist: the one who left never had a choice.
In a bookshop holding its closing-down sale, a mime who will not stop talking wants to put the star back on top of the town tree, but nobody remembers them after they leave the room. The twist: the snow that ruined everything brings the street together.
In a city where every hero has already retired, a worm who dreams of flying wants to find the person sending coded postcards, but a toddler has hidden the most important object. The twist: the most ridiculous suggestion turns out to be correct.
On a farm where the animals hold meetings at night, a caretaker of an empty theatre wants to find out where the moon goes in the daytime, but a younger relative thinks it is best left alone. The twist: the rescue was the trap.
On a frozen lake at the winter fair, a ferry captain close to retirement wants to find a missing mitten, but the only road out of town is flooded. The twist: the quietest member of the team planned it all.
In a mountain cabin with the road closed by snow, a mime who will not stop talking wants to be brave for one whole day, but a toddler has hidden the most important object. The twist: they were the decoy, never the hero of the plan.
At the seaside on the windiest day of the summer, a safecracker gone straight wants to find the person in an old photograph, but the neighbours have picked today to start a brass band. The twist: the place they dreaded returning to feels like home.
In a hospital waiting room at four in the morning, a robin who guards one garden gate wants to leave town without saying goodbye, but a very slow parade is blocking the only road. The twist: the person they miss left one last instruction.
During a game of hide and seek that got out of hand, a ghost who is afraid of people wants to be brave for one whole day, but their mother has come along to help. The twist: the thaw reveals something lost last winter.
On a frozen lake at the winter fair, a school caretaker wants to find a home for an old dog, but the landlord is coming round at noon. The twist: the last message was kind.
In a school for very small dragons, a night-shift baker wants to write a Christmas card to someone long out of touch, but the landlord is coming round at noon. The twist: a grandmother set the whole thing up to win a bet.
On a frozen lake at the winter fair, a musician who has stopped playing wants to return a wallet to its rightful owner, but a younger relative thinks it is best left alone. The twist: someone has been one step ahead the whole time.
In a city where every hero has already retired, a vampire hunter who has never met a vampire wants to keep a present hidden until the big day, but the puddles are deeper than they look. The twist: the moon had been following them home to help.
At a railway station on the last day of the line, a grandchild clearing out a grandparent's house wants to remember the words of a lullaby, but the bridge over the stream has washed away. The twist: everyone has bought each other the same present.
On a research station under the polar ice, a bodyguard who faints at loud noises wants to unmask the city's most wanted thief, but it is nearly bedtime. The twist: the place they dreaded returning to feels like home.
In a city flat a long way from home, an angel from the top of the tree wants to get the band back together for one night, but they have been mistaken for somebody famous. The twist: the promise was kept by someone else on their behalf.
At the seaside on the windiest day of the summer, a supply teacher on a first day wants to catch whoever keeps stealing the biscuits, but their only smart trousers have just split. The twist: the rival was hired to make sure they succeed.
In a gym during the first week of January, a shopkeeper on a fading high street wants to buy the last toy in the shop, but they keep falling asleep at the wrong moment. The twist: the missing decoration was in the attic all along.
In a burrow under the old oak tree, a football referee in a small league wants to write a Christmas card to someone long out of touch, but nobody believes a word they say. The twist: the instructions were for something else entirely.
at a family wedding where two tables are not speaking
at a motorway service station after midnight
at a school reunion twenty years on
Show all 120 settings (114 more)
Everyday drama, continued
in a block of flats during a three-day power cut
in a hair salon on its final day of trading
in a holiday cottage booked by two families at once
in a hospital waiting room at four in the morning
in a launderette that never closes
in a local newspaper office on deadline day
in a seaside town the week the pier closes
in a small town the summer the factory shuts
in a village where everyone shares one surname
on a delayed train stuck between two stations
on a night ferry in rough weather
on an allotment in the first week of spring
on moving day with the van already late
on the top floor of a library about to close for good
Funny 20
at a dog show where the judge is allergic to dogs
at a garden centre during a surprise goat escape
at a museum sleepover that has run out of snacks
at a pottery class where nothing survives the kiln
at a very serious chess tournament
at a village talent show with one working microphone
at a wedding where the cake has gone missing
at the least popular theme park in the country
during a game of hide and seek that got out of hand
in a camper van with a sat nav that holds grudges
in a gym during the first week of January
in a hotel that has double-booked every room
in a lift stuck between floors for an afternoon
in a shared house with one bathroom and nine housemates
in a supermarket five minutes before closing
in a town where every clock shows a different time
in an office on bring your pet to work day
on a cruise ship stuck going in circles
on a school trip with one teacher too few
on live local radio with a broken mute button
Film pitch 20
aboard a space freighter three years from port
aboard an airship halfway through a race round the world
at a masked ball in a city built on canals
at a secret school for sidekicks
at a support group for retired villains
in a castle where the mirrors have been covered
in a city where every hero has already retired
in a desert town with one road in and none out
in a flooded city of rooftop markets
in a hotel that opens only after dusk
in a lighthouse at the edge of the mapped world
in a mountain observatory on the night of a comet
in a museum vault during the opening gala
in a small town the night every light goes out
in a tower with a floor missing from every plan
in an old cinema that shows tomorrow's news
on a film set where the stunts keep going wrong
on a moon colony the week the supply ship is late
on a night train crossing a frozen border
on a research station under the polar ice
Children's story 20
at a library where the books choose their readers
at a zoo on the keepers' day off
at the bottom of a pond on a sunny morning
at the seaside on the windiest day of the summer
in a bakery that opens before sunrise
in a burrow under the old oak tree
in a castle kitchen on the morning of a feast
in a classroom on the first day of term
in a forest where the trees whisper directions
in a garden shed full of forgotten things
in a lighthouse shared with a bossy seagull
in a school for very small dragons
in a toy shop after closing time
in a treehouse at the bottom of the garden
on a boat made from a bathtub
on a bus that takes a different route every day
on a cloud just above the rooftops
on a farm where the animals hold meetings at night
on a hill above a sleepy village
under the bed where lost socks end up
Sad and bittersweet 20
at a bus stop outside a closed-down school
at a kitchen table with one chair now empty
at a lakeside cabin at the end of the season
at a leaving party nobody wanted to plan
at a railway station on the last day of the line
at an airport departure gate at dawn
in a bedroom kept exactly as it was
in a bookshop holding its closing-down sale
in a care home on a quiet Sunday afternoon
in a city flat a long way from home
in a family home the week before it is sold
in a garden nobody has tended for a year
in a playground everyone has outgrown
in a seaside cafe out of season
in a theatre on the night of its final show
in a valley soon to be flooded for a reservoir
on a farm bringing in its final harvest
on a pier where two friends used to meet
on the last evening of a long summer
on the long drive home from a funeral
Christmas and winter 20
at a Christmas market on its last evening
at a family dinner with three generations and one oven
at a garden centre selling its last Christmas tree
at a post office on the last posting day
at a school nativity play with a missing donkey
at a ski lodge in the first blizzard of the winter
at an airport where snow has cancelled every flight
in a city square under the big tree at midnight
in a department store grotto on its busiest day
in a house where the tree lights keep going out
in a lighthouse cut off by a winter storm
in a mountain cabin with the road closed by snow
in a snowed-in village on Christmas Eve
in a town that has banned Christmas decorations
in a toy workshop two days behind schedule
in a village hall on the night of the carol concert
on a frozen lake at the winter fair
on a rooftop in thick snow on Christmas Eve
on a sleeper train heading north on the longest night
on the night shift at the North Pole sorting office
How this list was compiled: Original list written for Draw This Next, September 2026. Each entry is a place plus a moment, written to open the sentence before any protagonist. No real people, brands or existing characters. Licence: own work
Protagonist: all 150 protagonists
Everyday drama 27
allotment chairperson
bus driver on the last route of the night
church bell ringer
ferry captain close to retirement
football referee in a small league
hospital porter
hotel night manager
lighthouse keeper's grandchild
Show all 150 protagonists (142 more)
Everyday drama, continued
locksmith on call
long-distance lorry driver
market trader with a failing stall
mobile librarian
newly elected parish councillor
newly qualified vet
night-shift baker
piano tuner
retired stunt double
school caretaker
second-hand bookseller
single parent of twins
supply teacher on a first day
swimming pool lifeguard
taxi driver who knows every shortcut
teenager with a paper round
trainee journalist
village postal worker
wedding photographer
Funny 24
bodyguard who faints at loud noises
cat who believes it runs the household
dog walker with eleven dogs and one lead
driving instructor scared of roundabouts
estate agent who cannot tell a lie
fiercely competitive gardener
food critic who has lost all sense of taste
ghost who is afraid of people
grandmother with a secret wrestling career
health and safety inspector on holiday
inventor of mostly useless machines
knight who is allergic to horses
life coach whose own life is a mess
mime who will not stop talking
opera singer with hiccups
overconfident amateur magician
parrot who repeats the wrong things
sea captain who gets seasick
stand-in mascot in a chicken suit
tour guide who makes everything up
very polite pirate
weather forecaster who is always wrong
wedding DJ with one playlist
wizard who failed every exam
Film pitch 24
android learning to tell jokes
archaeologist who is afraid of the dark
bodyguard to a very unpopular prince
bounty hunter with a conscience
deep-sea salvage diver
former spy running a quiet bed and breakfast
getaway driver on a final job
masked vigilante with a day job in accounts
monster hunter with a soft spot for monsters
reluctant heir to a supervillain
retired superhero running a corner shop
rookie detective on a first case
rookie superhero with one unreliable power
safecracker gone straight
sidekick tired of being overlooked
space station janitor
stage magician whose tricks have become real
starship cook
stunt pilot grounded for a year
time traveller who keeps arriving a day late
undercover reporter
vampire hunter who has never met a vampire
vampire who has not left the house in a century
young vampire passing as an ordinary student
Children's story 25
baby dragon looking after an egg
bear cub who cannot sleep
child who finds a door in a tree
child with a map drawn on one hand
duckling who walks everywhere
elephant who forgets everything
fox who only eats jam sandwiches
girl who can talk to pigeons
kitten who is afraid of mice
lost teddy bear
mouse who lives in a clock
new pupil who arrived by hot-air balloon
owl who is scared of the dark
penguin who dislikes the cold
puppy with enormous ears
robot built from kitchen things
scarecrow who is owed a day off
shy dragon who sneezes sparks
small hedgehog with a big backpack
small rabbit with six big sisters
snail in a hurry
tiny knight with a wooden spoon
tortoise training for a race
very small giant
worm who dreams of flying
Sad and bittersweet 25
adult returning to a childhood village
best friend who moved away
caretaker of an empty theatre
child starting at a third new school
clockmaker whose shop is closing
devoted owner of a very old dog
eldest child who never left home
estranged twin
fisherman with no one to pass the boat on to
gardener tending a late friend's roses
grandchild clearing out a grandparent's house
letter carrier on a final round
musician who has stopped playing
night nurse at the end of a long career
old sailor who can no longer go to sea
parent whose last child has just left home
pen friend who never received a reply
retired dancer
retired lighthouse keeper
shopkeeper on a fading high street
soldier home after years away
stable hand to an ageing racehorse
swimmer who just missed the team
teacher in a school about to close
widowed beekeeper
Christmas and winter 25
actor playing the back half of a pantomime horse
angel from the top of the tree
carol singer who cannot hold a tune
child who has stopped believing
department store elf on a first shift
gingerbread baker
grumpy owner of a Christmas tree farm
ice sculptor in a mild winter
mountain rescue volunteer
nativity play director
neighbour with the brightest lights in the street
nurse who has never had Christmas Day off
polar bear who would rather be a reindeer
postal worker on the busiest round of the year
reindeer who is afraid of heights
robin who guards one garden gate
shop window dresser
ski instructor who hates snow
sleigh mechanic
snowman who knows spring is coming
snowplough driver
toymaker who has run out of ideas
train guard who works every Christmas Eve
uncle who always ruins the turkey
workshop elf who keeps asking why
How this list was compiled: Original list written for Draw This Next, September 2026. Each entry is one made-up figure with no name and no article, so it reads correctly after "a" or "an". No real people, brands or existing characters. Licence: own work
Want: all 120 wants
Everyday drama 20
to be taken seriously for once
to find a missing neighbour
to find out who has been leaving notes on the door
to find the owner of a lost engagement ring
to finish a race a parent never could
to get home before anyone notices
to get one honest answer from a sibling
Show all 120 wants (113 more)
Everyday drama, continued
to get the band back together for one night
to keep a family secret buried
to keep a promise made twenty years ago
to leave town without saying goodbye
to pass the driving test on the seventh attempt
to prove who really won the race
to reach the hospital in time
to repay a debt nobody else remembers
to return a wallet to its rightful owner
to save the family business from closing
to stop the old cinema being demolished
to win a seat on the local council
to win back an old friend
Funny 20
to assemble a wardrobe without the instructions
to be left alone for ten quiet minutes
to break a very silly world record
to cancel a gym membership
to catch whoever keeps stealing the biscuits
to find a parking space before the match starts
to get a cat down from a tree without witnesses
to get a refund without a receipt
to get rid of a piano nobody ordered
to go one whole day without apologising
to hide a disastrous haircut until Monday
to host the perfect dinner party
to impress the in-laws for one weekend
to keep a surprise party secret
to out-prank the office prankster
to return a library book forty years overdue
to take one decent family photograph
to teach a goldfish one trick
to win an argument with a sat nav
to win the village baking contest
Film pitch 20
to break a curse before the next full moon
to clear a name before sunrise
to deliver a locked case without opening it
to find out who erased the last three days
to find the person sending coded postcards
to find the pilot of a ship that landed empty
to get the crew home in one piece
to keep a secret identity through a family dinner
to learn the truth about a vanished mentor
to outrun a storm that seems to follow them
to pass one ordinary day without being recognised
to protect a witness who trusts nobody
to pull off one last impossible job
to retire quietly without anyone noticing
to return a stolen painting before it is missed
to save a city that has forgotten its heroes
to steal back something that was stolen first
to stop a countdown nobody else can see
to unmask the city's most wanted thief
to win a race across three continents
Children's story 20
to bake the biggest cake anyone has seen
to be brave for one whole day
to build a boat that really floats
to catch a falling star
to cheer up a sad friend
to find a missing mitten
to find out where the moon goes in the daytime
to find out who has been eating the strawberries
to find the perfect birthday present
to find the way home before dark
to get the whole class to the picnic on time
to learn to swim before the summer ends
to learn to whistle
to look after a very small, very loud pet
to make one new friend
to reach the top of the tallest tree
to return a lost egg to its nest
to see the sea for the first time
to stay awake until midnight just once
to win the egg and spoon race
Sad and bittersweet 20
to be forgiven by a brother
to dance once more on a bad knee
to find a home for an old dog
to find out why the letters stopped
to find the person in an old photograph
to finish a journey two people planned together
to finish a letter started years ago
to give back a medal that belongs to someone else
to hear one particular song again
to keep a late grandmother's garden alive
to keep a promise made to someone now gone
to learn a late parent's favourite recipe
to make peace with moving away
to mend a friendship before it is too late
to remember the words of a lullaby
to return a borrowed coat after thirty years
to save the last tree in the orchard
to say a proper goodbye
to tell the truth after years of silence
to visit the old house one more time
Christmas and winter 20
to bring snow to a town that never gets any
to build a snowman that lasts until New Year
to buy the last toy in the shop
to cancel Christmas, just this once
to cook Christmas dinner for twenty in a tiny kitchen
to deliver one last parcel before midnight
to find a missing reindeer
to find the perfect tree on Christmas Eve
to fix the sleigh before take-off
to get home in time for Christmas morning
to keep a family tradition going one more year
to keep a present hidden until the big day
to make sure a neighbour is not alone at Christmas
to put the star back on top of the town tree
to return a present delivered to the wrong house
to save the school nativity play
to sing a solo at the carol concert
to skate across the frozen lake before the thaw
to win the street's Christmas lights contest
to write a Christmas card to someone long out of touch
How this list was compiled: Original list written for Draw This Next, September 2026. Each entry begins with "to" and was checked against protagonists from every group, so any pairing reads as a sentence. Licence: own work
Obstacle: all 120 obstacles
Everyday drama 20
a promise to a parent stands in the way
a storm has closed every bridge
a well-meaning neighbour keeps getting involved
a younger sibling insists on coming along
an old rival wants exactly the same thing
the car will only start when pushed downhill
the deadline has just moved to tomorrow morning
everybody in town already knows the plan
Show all 120 obstacles (112 more)
Everyday drama, continued
it all has to happen during a night shift
it means going back to a place they swore never to visit
the landlord is coming round at noon
the last bus has already gone
the money ran out yesterday
nobody believes a word they say
the one person who can help is not speaking to them
one small lie keeps growing
the only key is with someone on holiday
the only road out of town is flooded
the paperwork is in someone else's name
the phone signal stops at the edge of town
Funny 20
a documentary crew is filming every moment
a goose has taken against them personally
a toddler has hidden the most important object
a very slow parade is blocking the only road
an overexcited puppy is on the other end of the lead
the dog has eaten the only copy of the plan
every attempt ends up on the local news
the instructions are in a language nobody present can read
the judge is their former maths teacher
the neighbours have picked today to start a brass band
one hand is accidentally glued to a teapot
the only witness is a parrot
the sat nav will only give directions to the seaside
their mother has come along to help
their only smart trousers have just split
they are dressed as a giant chicken at the time
they have been mistaken for somebody famous
they have promised not to say the word no all day
they hiccup loudly whenever they are nervous
the whole town thinks it is an April Fools' joke
Film pitch 20
a journalist is one clue from the truth
a rival crew got there first
a storm has grounded everything that flies
an old mentor is working for the other side
the building locks itself down at midnight
the city has made masks illegal
the clock resets every time they get close
every camera in the city is looking for them
the map is missing its most important corner
nobody remembers them after they leave the room
the only way in is through the front door
the person they must protect keeps wandering off
the plan depends on someone they once betrayed
the power that could fix it would reveal who they are
someone on the team is reporting to the other side
sunrise is less than three hours away
their powers only work when nobody is watching
there is fuel for one attempt only
they cannot be seen in daylight
the villain has just moved in next door
Children's story 20
a grumpy goose guards the gate
a very loud thunderstorm is on the way
all they have is three buttons and some string
an older brother says it cannot be done
the biggest dog in the village blocks the path
the bridge over the stream has washed away
everyone else thinks it is a silly idea
the forest looks different after dark
fresh snow has covered all the footprints
it is nearly bedtime
the ladder is one rung too short
the map is upside down and slightly chewed
nobody else can see the problem
the puddles are deeper than they look
their best friend is cross with them
they are a little bit scared of the dark
they are much too small to reach
they keep falling asleep at the wrong moment
they promised to be back in time for tea
the wind keeps blowing everything away
Sad and bittersweet 20
a younger relative thinks it is best left alone
the address on the envelope no longer exists
the apology might not be welcome
the chance came and went once already
the house has already been sold
it means reopening a door the family keeps shut
the journey is too long to make alone
the last train leaves in an hour
memory is starting to let them down
nobody else remembers it the way they do
the old friend may not want to be found
the one who knew the answer is no longer around
the only photograph was lost in a move
the person they need left no forwarding address
the place has changed beyond recognition
pride has kept two people silent for ten years
there is only one day of leave left
they have never once asked for help
time is shorter than anyone will admit
the words will not come out right
Christmas and winter 20
a blizzard is due by teatime
the carol concert has lost its only pianist
the chimney is far too narrow
the dog has unwrapped everything under the tree
every shop shut an hour ago
the last train has been cancelled
the list was left on the bus
the one who knows the way has a streaming cold
the only transport left is a borrowed sledge
the oven has chosen today to break
the parcel has the wrong address on it
the power has gone out across the whole street
snow has closed the only road
the snow has started to melt
someone has used the last of the wrapping paper
there is a night shift to work on Christmas Eve
the town has run out of fairy lights
the tree will not fit through the door
the turkey is still frozen solid
two sides of the family refuse to sit together
How this list was compiled: Original list written for Draw This Next, September 2026. Each entry is a full clause that follows "but" and does not depend on which want was dealt. Licence: own work
Twist: all 120 twists
Everyday drama 20
an old diary tells the story the other way round
the easiest way through means admitting an old mistake
the favour they are owed belongs to someone else
the friend who helped most had the most to lose
getting it would cost a close friend a job
the help comes from the last person they would ask
Show all 120 twists (114 more)
Everyday drama, continued
the letter was never meant for them
the obstacle was arranged by someone who loves them
the person in the way is trying to protect them
the person they are avoiding holds the answer
the person they blamed has been covering for them
the prize turns out to be worth almost nothing
the reason they began has gone by the end
the secret everyone was guarding was never a secret
someone has been one step ahead the whole time
the stranger turns out to be family
success means leaving town for good
they already had it and gave it away years ago
what looked like bad luck was somebody's careful plan
the whole town has been quietly helping all along
Funny 20
a grandmother set the whole thing up to win a bet
the disaster makes them famous for the wrong reason
everyone else was pretending for their sake
the expert they hired is a cheerful impostor
the family pet has been behind it from the start
the instructions were for something else entirely
it all started with a typing mistake
it was the wrong day all along
it works perfectly, once, with nobody watching
the most ridiculous suggestion turns out to be correct
nobody minded in the first place
the person they kept dodging was bringing them a prize
the prize is a lifetime supply of something dreadful
the rival is just as lost and twice as embarrassed
the shortcut brings them right back to the start
they were at the wrong address the entire time
they win by accident and must do it again next year
the thing they were hiding was obvious to everyone
the villain of the piece only wanted an invitation
the whole thing is being broadcast live
Film pitch 20
the city knew who was behind the mask all along
the client and the target are the same person
the countdown was counting up to something good
the enemy has been sending the warnings
the last three days have happened before
the map leads back to where they started
the mentor faked the whole emergency as a test
the message from the future is in their own handwriting
the monster has been protecting the town
the one nobody trusts is the only one telling the truth
the person they saved will become the next threat
the quietest member of the team planned it all
the rescue was the trap
the rival was hired to make sure they succeed
the stolen thing was a fake, and the real one is closer
their power comes from the thing they must destroy
they were the decoy, never the hero of the plan
the traitor is the one who raised the alarm
the villain is a future version of the hero
winning means nobody will remember what they did
Children's story 20
being small turns out to be exactly what is needed
the big scary shadow was their own
the bossy one was only worried about being left out
everyone was scared of the same thing and nobody said
the giant footprints belong to someone tiny in big boots
the grumpy one only wanted to be asked to play
it was a surprise party the whole time
the long way round turns out to be the best bit
the lost thing had gone looking for them
the map was a drawing of home
the mistake turns out better than the plan
the monster under the bridge is afraid of them
the moon had been following them home to help
the rain that spoiled the day makes the best puddles
the scary noise was a friend who was lost too
the shortcut goes through a friendly dragon's kitchen
the smallest one solves it
they were brave already and had not noticed
the thing they were looking for was in a pocket all along
the treasure turns out to be a very good sandwich
Sad and bittersweet 20
a seat has been kept for them every year
a stranger has kept the garden going all this time
forgiveness was given long before they asked
the goodbye was said years ago and they missed it
it is too late for the apology but not for the friendship
the last message was kind
the letter was written but never sent
letting go turns out to be the thing they wanted
the new family in the old house kept one thing the same
the one who left never had a choice
the other person has been trying to reach them too
the person they came to comfort ends up comforting them
the person they miss left one last instruction
the photograph shows someone nobody ever mentioned
the place they dreaded returning to feels like home
the promise was kept by someone else on their behalf
the song they wanted to hear was written for them
they were loved far more than they ever realised
the thing they came back for is gone, but something stayed
what they took for anger was worry
Christmas and winter 20
everyone has bought each other the same present
the grumpy neighbour has been the secret gift-giver
the last present under the tree has no name on it
the late delivery arrives at exactly the right moment
the letter to the North Pole got a reply nobody can explain
the missing decoration was in the attic all along
the one who cancelled Christmas needs it most
the one who stopped believing saves the night
the one who went missing had gone to fetch help
the out-of-tune carol is what people remember most
the power cut makes it the best Christmas in years
the present they hunted for was meant for them
the rival quietly lets them win
the ruined dinner becomes the street's best party
the smallest present turns out to matter most
the snow that ruined everything brings the street together
the stranger at the table is the guest of honour
the thaw reveals something lost last winter
the tree nobody wanted turns out to be the best one
the wrong parcel turns out to be the right one
How this list was compiled: Original list written for Draw This Next, September 2026. Each entry is a reversal written in general terms (the rival, the prize, the person in the way), so it can close any premise the other four lists make. Licence: own work
How it works
This story prompt generator answers what should I write with one premise from 630 entries, such as a very polite pirate who wants to return a library book forty years overdue. Six tones are mixed on purpose.
Read the full guide
How the five parts work
Lock what you like and New prompt changes only the rest: keep the protagonist, reroll the twist. The tones mix, so a snowplough driver can turn up at a dog show where the judge is allergic to dogs.
Six tones, sorted in the lists under the tool
The printed lists sort every part under everyday drama, funny, film pitch, children's story, sad and bittersweet, and Christmas and winter. The tool cannot filter by tone. To steer, press again until an entry from your heading turns up, then lock it. Two locked parts usually set the mood.
Lock the want and the obstacle, then reroll the protagonist: comedy for a polite pirate, heartbreak for a widowed beekeeper.
Treat the twist as your final scene and write towards it. Stuck halfway? Lock the rest and press for a new obstacle.
Say the sentence aloud in one breath, like a film logline. Out of air? Lock the short parts and press again.
Questions and answers
Does it work as a story conflict generator?
Yes. The want and the obstacle are the conflict, 120 entries each. If you already have a cast, ignore the other three parts and press until a pair gives your people something to fight over.
What do I do with a story idea that makes no sense?
Treat the clash as the story. A widowed beekeeper may want to return a library book forty years overdue while the only witness is a parrot. Ask why this person wants this thing here. The answer is usually your first scene.
Is the result a writing prompt or a whole plot?
A writing prompt with the bones of a plot: who, where, the want, the obstacle and an ending to aim at. The middle is yours. For a full case or quest, the mystery and fantasy plot generators deal more parts.
Are the story prompts suitable for children?
One tone in six is written for adults drafting for young readers, with gentle stakes: a snail in a hurry who wants to find a missing mitten. The other five include grief, crime and a few vampires, but no gore and no real people.