The Best 75+ Fantasy Writing Prompts for Authors [2023]

As a writer with a deep passion for the fantasy genre, I have always been drawn to the limitless possibilities that come with fantasy stories.

From reading the adventures of Dorothy, Alice, and a couple of kids who went through a wardrobe to watching Wesley and Buttercup, the Goblin King, and Conan hefting the coolest sword ever put to film, I was hooked on the genre from day one.

And now that I get to create fantastical worlds of my own, I’m happy to share what I’ve learned from those masterful works – and countless more like them – with other writers and aspiring creatives.

In this article, we will explore some of the best fantasy writing prompts that will help you start writing your own good fantasy story.

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What are Fantasy Stories?

Fantasy stories usually involve creatures, characters, and events that are not of this world.

They often take place in a magical world or a distant land filled with magical creatures and beings beyond our wildest dreams.

If you’re looking to travel to a faraway place full of wonders and mystery, fantasies provide that perfect escape.

Often combining elements from ancient folklore and modern culture within a magical context, epic fantasy novels and stories allow us to suspend disbelief and indulge in our wildest dreams.

From fairy tales like Cinderella to epic sagas like Lord of the Rings, fantasy story ideas continually inspire and entertain.

Fantasy can also be found in various media, including books, films, video games, theater performances, and more – connecting readers with believable characters on a journey unlike any other.

Whether you’re looking for humor or something thrilling, fantasy worlds have no shortage of unique plotlines and incredible worlds for readers to enjoy.

Using Writing Prompts for Fantasy Stories

Writing prompts can be a stimulating source of creativity, helping to generate original ideas for fantasy stories.

When using fantasy fiction writing prompts, it’s essential to consider them as inspiration rather than strict guidelines; they should be used as jumping-off points from which you can create unique stories and characters.

Start by thinking about the world where your story will take place – is it a medieval kingdom? A magical forest? An urban setting filled with supernatural elements?

Once you know where the story is set, consider what kind of characters inhabit this fantasy world: do they wield magic? Are there mythical creatures or powerful wizards involved? What technology exists to counter the magic?

Contemplate the interactions between characters and their outside world, then use that knowledge to form a captivating storyline.

You may also want to consider any special abilities or magical powers that could be attributed to certain characters in your story – does the main character possess extraordinary powers or knowledge that helps them on their journey?

Is there a powerful sorcerer who acts as an antagonist throughout the narrative? Can someone bring dragons back from extinction through dark magic?

Thinking about these kinds of details can help make your story more dynamic and immersive for readers.

Finally, edit ruthlessly before submitting anything – every scene should move the plot forward somehow, so keep only those elements that contribute something meaningful to your work.

Using writing prompts can help spark creativity and provide a jumping-off point for an imaginative fantasy story!

75+ Fantasy Writing Prompts

Writing fantasy elements can be a great way to explore your imagination and create unique and exciting worlds. Whether you’re looking for ideas to get your creative juices flowing or want to get some practice writing in the fantasy genre, these 75+ fantasy writing prompts can help get you started.

1. A cursed artifact that grants extraordinary powers, but at a heavy cost.
2. A world in which magic is outlawed, and those caught using it are punished.
3. A powerful sorcerer who has been forgotten by time. She was once renowned for her power and influence but has retreated into a shell of her former being.
4. A magical creature whose existence is a closely guarded secret. This creature is so rare and mysterious that most people don’t even know its existence.
5. A kingdom ruled by a tyrant who wields a forgotten magic until a little girl discovers the source of his magical power.
6. A magical item that can grant its owner any wish that they desire in exchange for years of life. The bigger the wish, the more life lost in exchange.
7. A powerful witch who has been cursed by an ancient evil is accidentally freed by an unbelieving history teacher, and is now unable to use her magic.
8. A prosperous and peaceful kingdom ruled by a wise and benevolent queen is attacked by a mirror kingdom full of duplicates who are the opposite of the inhabitants.
9. A powerful wizard who was once respected and feared but now has been exiled from their homeland.
10. An evil wizard and his followers are hunting a rare, powerful creature through the realm.
11. A powerful sorceress who is gathering dark forces in an attempt to take over the world.
12. A tropical island that only appears once every hundred years and is said to be full of powerful magic, untold riches, and strange creatures.
13. A powerful wizard who has been trapped in a magical prison and is unable to escape.
14. A mysterious artifact that holds the key to a powerful spell that could be used for great good or great evil.
15. A kingdom that is ruled by a powerful necromancer who can bring the dead back to life.
16. A mysterious underground temple is said to be haunted by a powerful spirit that can grant great power to anyone who can find it.
17. A powerful wizard who has been cursed with immortality and is unable to die. The wizard lives alone, in misery, until one day, a strange young woman visits him.
18. A magical forest that is said to be home to a powerful creature that is both feared and respected by the townsfolk who live nearby.
19. A kingdom in which the magical arts are forbidden and those who practice them are punished.
20. A magical artifact that can control time in any way that its owner desires.
21. A tall, mysterious tower, said to be the home of a powerful being that can grant any wish, appears in a new town each night.
22. A depowered wizard who was once respected and feared must regain his scepter from the rival who stole his powers.
23. A reclusive writer discovers proof of a mysterious island that is said to be the home of an ancient god.
24. A mysterious book that is said to contain the secrets of the gods and can be used for great power.
25. A group of adventurers searches for a long-lost artifact that was left by an ancient alien species.
26. A rogue dragon terrorizes a remote village in search of its lost egg.
27. A novelist with writer’s block discovers she has the power to see people’s thoughts.
28. An ancient curse is unleashed when a young woman buys an old round table said to be once owned by King Arthur.
29. Two warring kingdoms must unite to face a more significant threat when their deceased soldiers rise up against them.
30. A powerful warlock is resurrected after centuries of being dormant.
31. A new and deadly plague ravages the land. It’s up to a reluctant bounty hunter to gather the magical elements to break the curse.
32. A group of knights must find and rescue their king, who’s gone missing in a magical castle.
33. A lost city is discovered deep in the jungle, where the people haven’t aged for centuries.
34. A young apprentice wizard discovers a dark secret about her mentor.
35. A mighty demon is summoned by accident and wreaks havoc on a small town.
36. A group of rebels fights back against an oppressive aristocracy intent on owning all the world’s scarce water.
37. A powerful artifact must be destroyed to save the world from annihilation.
38. A young prince must reclaim his throne from an evil usurper.
39. A young woman learns she is the descendant of a powerful sorceress.
40. A group of heroes travels to the underworld to rescue a loved one from Hades.
41. A powerful genie is freed from its lamp and causes chaos, wild with long-forgotten unrestrained power.
42. A small fishing village threatened by a tsunami discovers a lost underwater city that holds the key to its survival.
43. A young boy discovers he is the last surviving member of a long-dead civilization.
44. An immortal witch hunts down the descendants of those who wronged her centuries ago.
45. A group of mercenaries must protect a town from a horde of monsters.
46. A young woman must navigate a labyrinth to retrieve a powerful artifact that can save her ailing mother.
47. A powerful wizard must enlist the help of other worlds to save his own from a cosmic threat.
48. A group of warriors must journey to the edge of the world to defeat a great evil that lives just beyond it.
49. A small village transforms into a powerful and magical kingdom overnight.
50. An enchanted forest drives people mad who enter it.
51. A forgotten temple is discovered in the desert, housing great treasures and a terrible curse.
52. A group of rebels fights against a tyrannical ghost king.
53. A young girl accidentally wakes a group of cryptids living in a nearby forest.
54. A dying mage tasks his apprentice with finding a forbidden spell that will never allow him to die.
55. A group of young rival mages must band together to break a curse affecting their families.
56. A town plagued by a creature that only comes out during the day.
57. A demon hunter teams up with the very demon she hunts to defeat a greater evil.
58. A coven of witches discovers that their abilities are amplified when they attack each other.
59. An apprentice mage tries out a powerful spell that goes terribly wrong.
60. A group of adventurers must find a way to a hidden city without being detected by a massive sea monster.
61. A dystopian society is governed by a group of people who possess god-like abilities.
62. A team of assassins attempts to overthrow an evil queen in one final attempt for freedom.
63. A kingdom ruled by nine magical beings is threatened by an outside force.
64. A race against time where a hero must retrieve a possessed object that can stop a war.
65. A group of knights tries to break a siege by using their brains instead of brawn.
66. A town is cursed with eternal night, and it’s up to a group of teens to break it by finding a sun stone.
67. A hunter must capture a beast that is said to have the ability to heal anything.
68. A jester who is more than he seems uses his wit to outsmart a cunning vampire.
69. A group of orphaned children discovers they have the ability to control elemental magic.
70. A knight and a thief team up to find a legendary sword that each of them desires for their own ends.
71. Society is separated by class and wealth, where currency is magic itself.
72. A small child finds that on her seventh birthday, she can make any wish come true.
73. A runaway boy discovers real-life ogres living under his town’s streets.
74. A woman sees a unicorn in the woods and becomes obsessed with finding it again.

Tips on Crafting Engaging Fantasy Plot Ideas

Start with an interesting and unique setting

Creating an interesting and unique setting is an invaluable way to make your fantasy stories stand out among the rest.

As you delve into building a new world, consider all of the elements that make it different from others.

Think broadly: How has your world evolved over time to become the place it is today? What past events have shaped it? What types of cultures, creatures, and technologies exist (or don’t exist) in your world?

Don’t forget the small details either – journaling everything from weather patterns to language dialects can bring life and texture to your story idea.

Create relatable characters

When crafting a fantastic story, the characters are the building blocks that bring your world and plot alive.

People like reading stories with characters they can root for, so it is essential to develop characters that readers can connect with, have empathy towards, and be able to identify with on some level.

To make certain your characters are engaging, make sure they have attractive personalities or physical traits, as well as unique hobbies, skill sets, and pastimes.

Additionally, give each character both positive and negative qualities so they come across as fully realized people with real conflicts rather than just two-dimensional archetypes.

Furthermore, choose flaws for them to possess – such as insecurity or addiction – that are both meaningful and also tied into the overall theme of the story you are trying to tell. Doing so will allow readers to care about (and relate to) your character’s stories even more deeply.

Focus on the details

Crafting unique and engaging fantasy stories requires focusing on the details.

Small elements like characters’ clothing, buildings, weapons, and other items used in the story can bring added depth to your fantasy world and make the world feel more believable and realistic.

How a character moves, talks, and thinks can convey so much about who they are and how the plot progresses; this works both for protagonists and antagonists.

Engaging descriptions of a magical realm or occurrences will create an atmosphere for readers to get lost in. When crafting your story, always consider the small elements that could be easily overlooked but will add essential nuances to your tale!

Create clear stakes for your characters

When crafting an engaging fantasy novel or short story, it’s essential to consider what is at stake for the characters.

Building upon this dramatic tension will set up an intriguing story arc and can provide an impetus for action.

Featuring believable stakes that resonate with readers gives an extra rich layer to a narrative. When deciding on these stakes, it’s wise to consider whether they should be tangible or conceptual.

For example, having a magical artifact that gives the hero an edge over their foe could provide motivation and suspense as they attempt to obtain it; or maybe the stakes of failure could be the destruction of their hometown.

Incorporate magic as a tool, not as a solution

To make your fantasy stories truly engaging, you should think about how to use magic as a tool in creative ways, not as just an easy way out.

Doing so can be challenging but helpful for adding tension and intriguing elements to the narrative. Start with smaller magical moments and build up to bigger ones. You can also incorporate obstacles that the use of magic cannot overcome – only hard work and cunning can solve those problems!

Unreliable magical sources or MacGuffins that require magicians to find a specific item while solving puzzles can make your story more exciting and unpredictable.

Set up rules for your magic system

When crafting an engaging fantasy world, it is important to have well-defined rules for your magic system.

This will give the reader a solid foundation to understand precisely how the magic works and what they can expect when it’s implemented in the narrative.

A good starting point is to think about what type of magic should be used – is it based on spirit animals, ancient runes, or something else?

Then, go into detail on how it functions – how are spells cast and by whom? What are the consequences of using magic?

These questions and more should be answered clearly so that readers know what to expect whenever magic appears.

FAQs About Fantasy Writing Prompts

What are good fantasy topics to write about?

Writing a fantasy novel is a great way to explore the possibilities of your imagination. From dragons and elves to witches and wizards, there are endless possibilities for stories set in fantastical worlds. Whether it’s high fantasy with intricate world-building or urban fantasy that takes place within our own reality, creating new characters and settings allows authors to expand their minds and have fun with their stories!

What are some plot lines for fantasy?

Let’s take a look at a few great story ideas for your next fantasy book or short story. Try to ensure that your fantasy world includes some magical or supernatural elements and maybe a terrible secret or two!

1. A band of intrepid explorers set forth on a mission to uncover an archaic relic that has been missing for ages, tackling obstacles both outside and inside their group.

2. Rise of the Dark Lord: An evil force rises from its slumber, threatening all life in its path as it seeks revenge against those who wronged it long ago.

3. Battle Between Good and Evil: Two powerful forces clash in a battle between good and evil, with both sides fighting for control over the world’s fate.

4. Journey Through Time: A group travels through time to save their future by changing events that occurred in the past while also dealing with unforeseen consequences along the way.

5. War of Magic & Technology: In this war-torn land, two factions fight – one with magic and the other with technology – as they strive to gain dominance over each other’s lands and resources.

How do you get inspiration for fantasy writing?

Inspiration for a fantasy plot idea can come from many sources. Gather your ideas from books, films, and traditional tales, then delve into other sources like music, art, dreams, or even mundane objects for further inspiration. Talk to other writers about their ideas and research different cultures or eras of history that may be relevant to your story. Think outside the box; use music, art, dreams, or even everyday objects around you for inspiration. Brainstorming with friends can also help spark new ideas – so don’t forget to have fun while getting creative.

Can I use AI to get ideas for fantasy stories?

Yes! AI story generators such as Sudowrite and Jasper are amazing at giving you fantastic ideas for fantasy stories. Check out how I used Sudowrite below!

First, I logged in and went to the “brainstorm” section of Sudowrite. I clicked “world building”.

I entered my prompt for ideas, and then the program gave me lots of ideas that I could either give “thumbs up” or “thumbs down.”

I would then be able to use my brainstormed ideas to either help prompt the program to start writing my story or I could use the ideas to write my own.

As with all AI writing tools, you’ll need to do tons of editing and proofing in order to create a great story. Please don’t think that AI-generated stories are good enough with no human input! I’ve found that AI tools are best at simply brainstorming and providing the human writer with new and interesting ideas that they might not have thought of otherwise.

Final Thoughts on Fantasy Writing Prompts

Writing a great fantasy story is an art, and it can be tremendously rewarding. With the right writing prompts, authors are able to access a treasure trove of ideas that can help set their fantasy books apart.

Our list of 75+ fantastic fantasy writing prompts has given you plenty to work with, whether you’re looking for dark, magical worlds, intricate narratives, or something completely unique.

So get out there and create unforgettable tales of epic adventure!

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