41. A woman has three children, all of whom are soldiers in a military that is at war. Within the span of three days, she learns that two of her children were killed in combat. Six weeks later, there’s a knock at the door. When she opens it, she finds her third child standing there— the same child who convinced the other two to en- list.
42. The protagonist is raking leaves on the lawn. He or she pauses for a breath and glances at the neighbors’ lawn. They never rake their leaves, the protagonist thinks, and their dog is always using my yard as a latrine. The protagonist decides to do something about these inconsiderate neighbors.
43. The year is 1623. A visitor arrives in a small, tribal village in Nigeria. The visitor is wearing blue jeans, an old rock-band t-shirt, and a fedora and is carrying a pack that contains a solar-powered laptop computer.
44. The protagonist walks into his or her house and it’s completely different— furniture, decor, all changed. It doesn’t look like the same house anymore. And no- body’s home.
45. Scientists have figured out how to create hybrids: dog-people, cat-insects, and bird-fish. One of their experiments goes terribly wrong and unleashes a swarm of hybrid predators on the population.
46. Two athletes competing (either at an individual sport or on opposing teams) get stuck somewhere together (broken-down bus in a remote location, elevator, etc.) and fall in love.
47. The Great Depression filled the space between America’s Prohibition (which was still in effect during the Depression) and World War II. The Depression affected the entire world. Well-to-do people lost everything and found themselves standing in food lines. Ordinary people went to extraordinary measures to get a meager meal. Meanwhile, someone, somewhere profited.
48. It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Wait— no, it’s not! The holidays are cheesy. Bah humbug!
49. Two siblings capture a butterfly and a moth and proceed to argue over which insect is superior.
50. Write a story about two teenagers who are on their first date.
51. A family of five is driving across the desert on their way to vacation in California. They get lost, and then the car breaks down in the middle of nowhere. Their cell phones are dead and the sun is setting. The kids are hot, tired, and hungry. Mom is scared and frazzled. Dad, an office worker with no survival skills, is frustrated and angry. An animal howls in the distance.
52. In a highly competitive and lucrative industry, one executive squashes competitive young upstarts by murdering them. Will the detective on the case ever be able to prove it?
53. Two children, a boy and a girl, decide to make a time capsule and bury it at the edge of a farm under a big oak tree. While digging, they unearth a metallic object the size of a shoe box. It’s shaped like a bullet and has the number eight engraved on it. It appears to be a container, since it rattles when they shake it, but there is no obvious way to open it.
54. A woman is working in her garden when she discovers an unusual egg.
55. Write a horror story about a family in which one of the family members slowly becomes creepier and crazier until he or she turns into a full-blown hell hound wreaking havoc on everyone else.
56. An old-fashioned couple struggles with their child’s decision to marry— a marriage that defies tradition and their bigoted beliefs, which have been passed down for generations.
57. The Industrial Revolution changed the world for everyone. Write a story about a character who had a hand in the Industrial Revolution—for example, someone working on the development of the railways.
58. Politics is serious business, so try turning it on its head and making a comedy out of it. Start with an unlikely candidate running for office.
59. Write a children’s story about people who are hiking in the woods when they are suddenly surrounded by hundreds of butterflies.
60. Two best friends make a pact. When they get to junior high, they grow apart, but the pact haunts them. Will they fulfill the pact they made as children?