You don’t always have to have a specific idea in mind in order to write a story. The creative challenge of weaving together random bits and pieces can yield results just as interesting as the most meticulously-planned story.

Often, the most challenging part of writing is coming up with ideas. A common way to prime the creative pump is to use random scenarios as the backbone of a story, especially when writing short stories or flash fiction. This is also a common method for writing assignments in creative writing classes or writing competitions in online literary journals. It can be a real creative challenge to choose a few simple parameters that seem unrelated and weave them into a cohesive and dramatic tale. This is the writing equivalent of those cooking competitions where someone is given a basket of ingredients and has to come up with something not just edible but delicious.

Below are some various people, places, times, situations, and objects. Choose one of each, and try to weave them into a coherent and interesting narrative. There is no right or wrong here; this is literally just for fun.

Person

  • Landlord
  • Ex-girlfriend
  • Uber driver
  • Cashier
  • Love of your life
  • High school debate club coach
  • Recently incarcerated brother-in-law
  • Former mentor
  • Ticket agent

Place

  • Childhood home
  • Empty church
  • Walgreens pharmacy
  • Side of the road
  • Storage room
  • At the end of the hallway
  • Doctor’s office
  • Registry of motor vehicles
  • Library

Time

  • Turn of the century
  • First thing in the morning
  • Solstice
  • Industrial Revolution
  • New Year’s Eve
  • A few minutes past midnight
  • Moments from death
  • Rush hour
  • At the outbreak of war

Situation

  • Train is late
  • Yearbook club is meeting in half hour
  • Job interview was a disaster
  • Can hear broken glass
  • Never seen anything so beautiful
  • Have always wanted one
  • Phone is ringing
  • Avoiding him at all costs
  • Trying to return the favor

Object

  • Cardboard box
  • Sweat pants
  • Library book
  • Wool sweater
  • Lighted candle
  • Pile of broken bricks
  • Twelve pennies
  • Briefcase
  • 10-foot ladder

Copyright 2023 Kesel Wilson (entirely, 100% human-created)

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