Best AI Prompts for Writers and Authors

"Take the following tell-heavy sentence: "John was very nervous about the upcoming meeting and couldn't sit still." Rewrite this into an evocative 3-sentence paragraph using the "Show, Don't Tell" technique. Focus on sensory details, immediate physical reactions, and setting the scene, without ever using the word "nervous" or "anxious.""

"Develop a detailed character outline for a protagonist who fits an Enneagram Type [X, e.g., 4: The Individualist]. Provide their basic demographic details, but focus heavily on their core desire, their deepest fear, the internal lie they believe about the world, and what an extreme high-stress reaction looks like for them."

"Review the following draft dialogue between two characters arguing over [Topic]. Rewrite it to sound more natural and less "on the nose." Add distinct vocal tics or contrasting sentence structures (e.g., one speaks in short bursts, the other in long, flowery sentences). Insert relevant action tags/beats instead of using adverbs like "said angrily.""

"I am writing a story about [Premise]. Using the 'Save the Cat' beat sheet framework, brainstorm the critical turning points: Provide the Inciting Incident (Catalyst), the Break into Act 2, the Midpoint false victory/defeat, the "All is Lost" moment, and the Break into Act 3. Ensure the stakes escalate at each point."

"Write a 200-word descriptive paragraph of a [Setting, e.g., abandoned futuristic subway station]. You must explicitly include at least one description appealing to each of the 5 senses: sight, sound, smell, touch/temperature, and taste (e.g., the metallic tang in the air). Do not mention that a character is present; let the setting speak for itself."

"I am stuck in the middle of a scene where [Describe scene]. Give me 3 wildly different, unexpected interruptions that could happen right now to force the characters to act. One must be an environmental hazard, one must be the arrival of an unwanted third party, and one must be a sudden internal realization or piece of withheld information coming to light."

"Scan the following text. Identify every instance of passive voice and weak 'to be' verbs (is, was, were, has been). Rewrite the entire passage entirely in the active voice using strong, specific action verbs to make the pacing faster and more punchy. [Insert Text]"

"Develop a 3-paragraph summary of a fictional religion or dominant cultural philosophy for a [Sci-fi/Fantasy] setting. It must include: a completely misunderstood origin myth, 2 strict cultural taboos (one logical, one strange), and the mechanism by which the religious leaders exert political power over the general populace."

"Outline a chapter for a non-fiction book about [Topic]. Structure it using the "Hook, Context, Argument, Evidence, Application" framework. Provide a catchy chapter title, the opening anecdote, the 3 main arguments supported by placeholders for statistics, and the actionable takeaway for the reader at the end of the chapter."

"Villains are the heroes of their own stories. Take my antagonist, who wants to [Evil Goal, e.g., destroy the city]. Write a 250-word internal monologue from their perspective explaining exactly why this action is not only logically necessary, but morally righteous in their eyes, based on a specific past trauma they endured."

"Give me 3 flash fiction writing prompts (under 1000 words). Each prompt must include: a specific unusual setting, a restricted time limit (e.g., the story takes place over 5 minutes), a mandatory object that must be central to the plot, and a specific first sentence that I must use to start the story."

"Read the following description of a character from an underrepresented background. Provide a 'sensitivity read'. Point out any relying on tired tropes, implicit biases in the adjectives used, or areas where the character feels like a caricature rather than a three-dimensional person. Suggest specific wording changes to improve authenticity. [Insert Text]"