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It turns out that immortality is not the blessing you thought it was

A loyal dog sits and waits. He used to be a person.

An old man’s hearing aid begins picking up strange transmissions.

How can you make things worse for your characters?

We connect with characters not so much through their victories but through their struggles. How can you make life much harder for your characters?

A lady walks into a bookshop with a flint-lock pistol in her purse.

A sad old man is walking on the beach. He has an ancient sword in his hand.

Today, you learned that the family living next door crash-landed on Earth and have been stranded here ever since.

Buying back your soul one share at a time

Due to a drunken deal you once made, your soul is not your own. Since that day you have had incredible good luck and an array of niche…

What has your character sacrificed along the way?

What a character sacrifices and what they choose to leave behind in pursuit of their goals says a lot about them. What price has your character already paid?

Share a myth from your setting

Myths and legends set the cultural backdrop for all of us. Share one from the world your character lives in – perhaps a myth they believe is true.

What debt does your character owe?

Debts come in many forms. You may have borrowed money or you may owe a debt of gratitude to a teacher or saviour. Tell us about your character’s…

What was the biggest plot twist in your character’s life before the plot even started?

This question is designed to help give your character a lively and interesting backstory to subtly shape their adventures.

Perfect characters are boring – what vices do yours have?

Perfect characters are boring – what vices do yours have? A vice is a practice, behaviour, or habit generally considered morally wrong in the associated society. In more…

What does your character want and how does it differ from what they need?

Character wants are (usually) what motivates them to start whereas what they need is often the thing that satisfies them even if they do not get what they…

Cinderella – the automaton who would be a girl

In this reimagining of Cinderella that you are going to write, Cinderella is a clockwork automaton left to her maker’s wife and stepdaughters after he passed away. This…

All of time and space needs you to save it

When an inventor rips a hole in the fabric of time and space, the last surviving member of The Society of Time Keepers sets out on a steam-powered…

You were just minding your own business when a steam-powered dirigible lands next to you

You were just minding your own business when a steam-powered dirigible lands next to you. An eccentric gentleman climbs out of the cockpit and demands to know what…

Cinderella and the Clockwork Owls

In this Cinderella story, you are about to write, her father was an inventor and her only friends are sentient clockwork creatures. There is no fairy (so to…

While you waited for your train to work, a steam engine pulled up at the platform.

The driver leaned out of the engine cab and called your name. “Quick, get in,” he said. “I’ll explain when we are underway.” As soon as he had…

Your characters are kidnapped in a case of mistaken identity

Try this writing dare: Have your characters kidnapped in a shocking case of mistaken identity. Extra conceptual points if these events help bring them closer to the resolution…

Our NaNoWriMo Writing Dares Collection

For a few years now, The Muse has shared a growing collection of wild writing dares during NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) these are wild and weird things…

Journaling: What am I grateful for?

List five things that you are grateful for. Consider writing a few words about why you are grateful. Also on: websitebrid.gy

10 evergreen journaling prompts

1. What has brought me joy lately? Counting your blessings – aka reflecting on the good things – can help combat the few negatives to drown out many…

Journaling: What am I looking forward to?

In this first entry for our new journalling prompts section, we suggest you reflect on what you are looking forward to – both soon and much further down…