NaNoWriMo
Welcome to Your NaNoWriMo Journey
Embarking on the NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) challenge is a thrilling experience for writers of all levels. Every November, thousands of people from around the world dive into this 30-day challenge to draft a 50,000-word novel. It’s a journey of creativity, discipline, and, above all, fun. Whether you’re a seasoned novelist or a first-time writer, this page is here to help fuel your imagination with an inspiring list of prompts.
This year, we encourage you to join the NaNoWriMo community and tackle one of our carefully curated prompts each day to reach that 50,000-word goal. Writing 1,667 words per day may seem daunting, but with each prompt, you’ll find fresh inspiration to keep your story flowing.
How it works
- Pick a Prompt: Each of our 25 prompts is designed to spark new ideas. Follow them in order or mix them up—your story, your rules.
- Set Daily Goals: Aim to write 1,667 words a day. Track your progress, and celebrate each milestone.
- Connect with Others: NaNoWriMo isn’t just about writing; it’s also about community. Share your progress, join virtual write-ins, and cheer on fellow writers.
- Complete Your Novel: By the end of the month, you’ll have 50,000 words and the first draft of your novel.
Writing Prompts to Kickstart Your NaNoWriMo Journey
Below are 25 prompts to keep you inspired and motivated throughout the month:
1. A Mysterious Inheritance
Your character inherits an old house with a locked room that no one has been able to open for decades. Inside lies a secret that could change their life forever. What do they find, and how does it alter their world?
2. Time Travel Twist
A group of friends accidentally time-travels to the past, but only one of them remembers the original timeline. How do they convince the others of the changes, and what consequences arise from their journey?
3. The Lost Language
A linguist discovers a hidden language that only a few people in the world still understand. As they decode its secrets, they learn that it holds the key to an ancient power.
4. Stranger in the Mirror
One day, your protagonist wakes up and sees a stranger’s reflection in the mirror. It’s their voice, their thoughts—but not their face. What happened, and how do they navigate a world that no longer recognizes them?
5. The Last Library
In a dystopian future where books are banned, your protagonist discovers an underground library with texts thought to be lost forever. What they find inside sparks a revolution.
6. Unseen Guardians
A character learns that their life is being secretly guided by a group of mysterious guardians, who have been shaping their fate since birth. Why? And what happens when they try to break free from this influence?
7. Haunted By Sound
Your protagonist starts hearing a song that no one else can hear. The melody haunts them day and night, leading them to a forgotten part of town where the source of the music holds a dangerous secret.
8. A City in the Clouds
In a world where cities float in the sky, one city begins to sink, threatening everyone in it. Your protagonist must figure out why, and how to save their home before it’s too late.
9. The Memory Market
In a society where memories can be bought and sold, a character finds a memory of a life they never lived. Now, they must track down who they really are.
10. A World Without Stars
The stars suddenly disappear from the sky, plunging the world into darkness each night. Your character is the only one who remembers what they looked like. Why were they taken, and how can they bring the stars back?
11. The Underground Carnival
Once a year, a secret carnival appears underground, filled with wonders and horrors. When a character’s sibling vanishes, they suspect the carnival holds the answer.
12. Letters from the Future
A character starts receiving letters from themselves, dated 10 years in the future. At first, the letters are helpful, offering guidance—but soon they reveal a looming danger that must be prevented.
13. The Witch’s Garden
Your protagonist stumbles upon a garden where every plant has a magical property. The garden’s caretaker, a reclusive witch, offers to teach them the secrets of the plants, but only at a cost.
14. A Bargain with the Sea
In a coastal town where the sea is both a blessing and a curse, a character makes a desperate bargain with the ocean spirits to save their family. But the sea demands a high price in return.
15. The Invisible Bridge
One night, a bridge appears out of nowhere, leading to an island that doesn’t exist on any map. A group of explorers sets out to discover what lies beyond, only to find themselves in a place where reality bends.
16. Forgotten Magic
Magic once existed in the world, but it has been forgotten—until your character rediscovers it in an old book. Now they must navigate a society that has lost its connection to magic, while dark forces seek to erase it once more.
17. A Love Story Across Dimensions
Two people fall in love, but they exist in parallel dimensions and can only see each other once a year, on the same date when the veil between their worlds is thinnest. What happens when one of them breaks the rules?
18. The Key to Every Door
Your protagonist finds a key that opens any door, but with each use, something in their life disappears—memories, relationships, or even physical objects. How far will they go before they lose everything?
19. The Last Beacon
After an apocalyptic event, the last working lighthouse becomes a refuge for survivors. But it’s also a beacon that attracts something lurking in the darkness. How does your character protect the light, and what secrets are hidden inside?
20. The Shop of Lost Things
Your character discovers a quaint little shop that sells objects people have lost over the years. But when they find something that never belonged to them, the shopkeeper warns of dire consequences.
21. Ghosts of the Digital Age
A hacker begins seeing the ghosts of people who died in the digital world—people who left their identities behind online. When one of the ghosts asks for help, they find themselves drawn into a mystery that blurs the line between life and technology.
22. The Mirror City
There’s a city that only exists in reflections. Your protagonist stumbles into this world and must navigate its dangers while trying to find a way back to their own reality.
23. A Game for Immortality
A mysterious board game promises immortality to whoever wins. But as your character competes, they realize the other players are far more ruthless—and the game itself has a mind of its own.
24. The Curse of the Forgotten King
A cursed king wanders the earth, unable to rest until someone finds the truth behind their fall. Your protagonist stumbles upon the king’s spirit and becomes entangled in a centuries-old mystery.
25. Stardust Letters
A character starts receiving letters from a faraway star. The letters describe a world on the brink of destruction, and each message contains a clue to save it. But time is running out, and the star’s fate is tied to Earth’s.
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