481. Write a story about a family struggling to adjust to a child that has a serious or difficult condition (autism, ADHD, etc.).
482. While on a sky tour over Africa, a helicopter crashes, depositing a group of wealthy first worlders into the heart of the African wilderness.
483. In the future, another branch will be added to the militaries of Earth: the space branch. Write a story about a protagonist enlisting, going through training, and becoming a space-faring soldier.
484. Humans are not real. They only exist in stories that parents tell their children in a world of fairies, elves, unicorns, etc.
485. A chemical spill releases toxins into the environment, resulting in mutant humans who must consume human flesh in order to survive.
486. Practice writing a steamy scene: a gourmet meal, a bottle of wine, a crackling fire, and candlelight set the stage for a romantic evening in a remote cabin in the woods.
487. Write a story about a runaway teenager.
488. Write a comedy about a protagonist who is seeing a therapist for sleep- walking.
489. Write a story about a couple of children who are exploring a garden together. What do they see, smell, hear, taste, and touch?
490. A teenager has a birthmark in an unusual but distinct shape. This protagonist meets someone else with the same birthmark. What does it mean?
491. A teenager dreams of being an artist (musician, dancer, etc.), but the teen’s father puts his foot down and pushes the teen toward academics and sports. Just be- fore the teen’s high school graduation, his or her mother and brother die in a car accident. The father and teenage child must rebuild their relationship to save what’s left of their family.
492. People are getting sick, and officials are concerned that the new disease might be the beginning of a bio-terror attack.
493. The protagonist appears to be slipping in and out of reality—one day a normal, functioning, successful person, and the next day believing he or she is living on another world full of alien species and other wonders. This keeps happening over and over. What is real?
494. Thousands of years ago, creatures of magic roamed the earth: fairies, uni- corns, sorcerers, elves, and dragons. As humans inherited the earth, the magical creatures died out until only a few remained. Now, they have learned how to grow their numbers and are planning to retake the earth from the humans who are destroying it.
495. When a military or scientific research submarine malfunctions, the team is stranded at the bottom of the ocean. They fight over food and water. Medical sup- plies are limited. And someone—or something—on the sub is killing people.
496. A car accident shatters the protagonist’s life but at the same time brings a new love (paramedic, doctor, physical therapist, fellow member of a counseling group) into it.
497. Write a story about a character running a safe house where slaves hid during the American Civil War.
498. A group of friends from suburbia, determined to see their favorite band in concert, embark on a hilarious adventure in the big city.
499. Children love stories about animals. Write a story about talking animals living in the jungle. Include a lion, zebra, parrot, snake, hippo, giraffe, elephant, and monkey.
500. The protagonist is a teenager who will do anything to get and stay popular, including giving up everything he or she loves.