381. The protagonist is a dedicated grad student with no social life. He or she finally caves in to peer pressure and sets studies aside for one night out on the town. It turns out to be a night filled with danger and adventure.
382. Most mystery stories are written from the perspective of whoever solves the crime—a hero. Write a story from the perspective of the criminal, the villain.
383. The protagonist is special. He or she can control electronics remotely, using the power of the mind. What happens when the protagonist finds out he or she is a prototype—an experiment in biotechnology?
384. The two-thousand-year-old protagonist is finally about to die but will first tell the story of his or her life to a disbelieving journalist.
385. Turn your favorite fairy tale, myth, or legend into a horror story. Make sure there’s plenty of terror and gore.
386. What happens when a conservative lobbyist falls in love with a liberal politician?
387. Write a story set in your hometown one hundred years ago.
388. When a string of petty robberies sweeps across middle-class suburbia, the residents band together to try and snare the culprits. Include a surprise ending revealing who the culprits are and what they’re really after.
389. Write a children’s story about siblings who have lost one or both of their parents and have to go live with relatives.
390. The teenage protagonist is a misfit who works very hard to be invisible— sitting in the back of class, spending lunch in a dark corner of the cafeteria, and generally blending in so nobody will notice.
391. After being convicted of a serious white-collar crime but making a deal to avoid prison time, the protagonist is shunned by colleagues, friends, and family. It’s a long, hard fall from the penthouse to the poorhouse.
392. The military handles crimes within its factions internally. But when a series of violent assaults extends beyond the confines of the military, a public prosecutor ex- poses crime and corruption in the military justice system.
393. Two people from the distant future time-travel back to the present day with a dire warning for humanity. While here, they are as shocked by how we live as we would be if we traveled back to the Middle Ages.
394. Literature is full of stories about witches—all kinds of witches. Some of them have become rather stereotypical. Create a witch of your own—aim for creating a unique witch unlike any we’ve seen before, and then write a story about him or her.
395. Write a story about a cult or underground organization that is actively working to bring about the apocalypse.
396. Write a story about two characters who fall in love while staying in a hospital for the mentally unstable.
397. World War II gave rise to what journalist Tom Brokaw called “the greatest generation.” Create a cast of compelling characters and write a story showing how circumstances forced them to become great.
398. The worst day ever starts when the protagonist wraps up the job interview of a lifetime—only to realize as he or she is exiting the building that there was toilet paper hanging out of his or her pants during the entire interview.
399. Write a story about a child who loves to do something (dance, draw, play sports, etc.). One adult in the child’s life keeps saying it’s a waste of time or the child is no good at it. Another adult provides support and encouragement.
400. A student is found murdered on a high school campus. Will the victim’s friends solve the murder before the cops do? Is one of them next?