Have you ever found yourself struggling to come up with new story ideas for your fantasy writing? Sometimes, all it takes is a spark of inspiration to breathe life into your imagination and transport you into a world filled with wonder, magic, and mystery. That’s where fantasy writing prompts come in. These prompts are designed to inspire your creativity and help you start new stories, develop captivating characters, or create entire magical worlds.
Whether you’re an experienced fantasy writer or someone looking to dive into this enchanting genre for the first time, these writing prompts for fantasy are perfect for igniting new ideas and exploring different storytelling possibilities. From mythical creatures to high-stakes quests, these prompts are here to help you unleash your creativity.
List of 150 Fantasy Writing Prompts
1. Beginner Fantasy Writing Prompts
- A young wizard’s spell goes wrong, and they accidentally create a world within a snow globe.
- A castle appears overnight in the middle of your town, and the local people are asked to attend an audience with the mysterious ruler.
- A fisherman catches a golden fish that offers a single wish, but the wish has unintended consequences.
- The forest that has been a part of the village’s history for centuries starts growing uncontrollably, swallowing nearby farms and fields.
- An ancient sword is found by a child playing in the garden, and it starts speaking to them.
- The moon whispers secrets to a lonely shepherd at night, and they must decide whether to share or protect the knowledge.
- A character receives a letter claiming they are the heir to a mythical kingdom they never knew existed.
- A group of villagers suddenly gain the ability to shape-shift, and it causes a rift within the community.
- A child can bring their drawings to life, but they must control the creatures before they take over.
- The stars rearrange themselves to form a map, leading to a treasure that can change history.
2. Intermediate Fantasy Writing Prompts
- A portal to a different world opens in a forgotten library, and a young scholar is the only one who notices.
- A dragon is found slumbering under the royal castle, and it demands a price for its silence.
- A character discovers a dusty old book that describes in detail events that are happening in real-time.
- The king’s crown has been stolen, and only someone without a title can retrieve it.
- An enchanted river runs backward in time, and those who drink from it begin aging in reverse.
- A prophecy foretells that an unlikely hero will save the kingdom, and that hero is a baker’s apprentice.
- A garden blooms only under the moonlight, and each flower has a different magical property.
- A creature made of shadows is seen haunting the castle grounds at night, seeking something lost long ago.
- A magical door appears in every household at the stroke of midnight, but opening it has unpredictable consequences.
- The kingdom’s forgotten heir returns, and they are unlike any ruler the people expected.
3. Advanced Fantasy Writing Prompts
- A group of rebels in a kingdom ruled by elemental spirits must ally with an ancient being of great power to bring balance.
- A princess with no magical ability is expected to lead a kingdom full of powerful sorcerers.
- A dying forest releases a strange mist that causes all who enter it to experience their worst nightmares.
- A sorcerer binds their soul to a phoenix to gain immortality, but it comes with a cost they didn’t foresee.
- The sea recedes, revealing a lost underwater city that contains forbidden secrets.
- A powerful artifact is found that can control the will of others, and a moral dilemma arises over how to use it.
- Every decade, the sky opens up and the chosen warriors are taken to an unknown place. This time, an unlikely young girl is chosen.
- A character discovers they are a mythical beast disguised as a human, and they must decide whether to reveal themselves.
- A sacred tree that grants wishes has been corrupted, and its magic now turns every wish into a twisted version of itself.
- In a world where everyone can control one element, one person is born without any powers but finds a different kind of magic.
4. Magical World Building Prompts
- A kingdom of floating islands is sustained by an ancient spell, and that spell is beginning to unravel.
- A village is protected by a wall of eternal fire, and only one person knows how to keep it burning.
- A river made entirely of liquid silver grants visions of the future to those who touch it.
- The forest of forgotten memories hides the secrets of everyone who has ever entered it, and someone has found a way to access them.
- In a land of eternal daylight, a cult is determined to bring nightfall.
- A city made entirely of glass is ruled by a queen who never shows her face.
- A kingdom exists under a blanket of mist, where mythical creatures and humans live in harmony.
- The sky is filled with islands made of clouds, and only a select few have the means to travel there.
- In a world where music is magic, a group of outlaws is forbidden to play.
- A library contains every book ever written and every book that ever will be, but reading the wrong one has consequences.
5. Fantasy Writing Prompts for Unique Characters
- A dragon with a fondness for poetry forms an unlikely friendship with a village girl.
- A cursed knight can never leave the forest until they solve the riddle of the ancient oak.
- A mermaid longs to live on land, but she is the only one who can protect her underwater city from harm.
- A vampire hunter finds out their family has been secretly protecting a vampire royal for generations.
- An alchemist accidentally turns themselves into a creature that can only speak in riddles.
- A character is born with wings, but they are hidden from everyone, even themselves, until a fateful moment.
- A mysterious man with no memory of his past carries a sword that can only be wielded by royalty.
- A child finds out they have a twin who lives in an alternate magical reality.
- A noble with the ability to control ice must make an alliance with a desert tribe to save their kingdom.
- A shape-shifter forgets their original form and must rediscover who they truly are.
6. Mythical Creature-Based Prompts
- A unicorn appears to a village once every century, granting one person the ability to heal others.
- A griffin befriends a young farmer who helps protect it from hunters.
- A centaur warrior is on a quest to find a lost artifact that can restore their people’s lost magic.
- A dragon egg is found in the middle of a bustling marketplace, and it’s beginning to hatch.
- The fairies that have always helped the village are beginning to disappear, and no one knows why.
- A selkie’s seal skin is stolen, forcing them to live on land with a family who doesn’t understand their sorrow.
- A phoenix dies but doesn’t resurrect, leaving the world without the balance it once provided.
- A gorgon forms an unlikely bond with a knight who is supposed to hunt them.
- A group of trolls has taken over a mountain pass, and they demand a toll that no one can pay.
- A banshee predicts the death of a beloved character, and the group must decide if they can change fate.
7. Quest-Based Fantasy Writing Prompts
- A group of friends must travel to the ends of the earth to find a cure for a mysterious illness plaguing their village.
- An ancient map shows the way to a hidden treasure guarded by the ghosts of those who failed to claim it.
- A sacred gem that controls the tide has been stolen, causing devastating floods across the kingdom.
- A knight is tasked with retrieving a magical flower that only blooms once a century.
- A forgotten temple holds the secret to eternal youth, but it’s guarded by riddles that no one has solved in centuries.
- A character must undertake a dangerous journey to prove themselves worthy of their family’s legacy.
- An old prophecy speaks of a hero who must gather three ancient relics to prevent a coming darkness.
- The key to stopping an evil sorcerer lies within a labyrinth that no one has ever escaped.
- A cursed object must be returned to its rightful place, or the entire world will face ruin.
- The magical essence of a forest is fading, and a group of adventurers must find out why.
8. Dark Fantasy Writing Prompts
- A powerful sorceress turns an entire village into her mind-controlled puppets.
- The souls of the dead wander the city streets at night, looking for a way back to the world of the living.
- A character is haunted by nightmares that begin coming true in the waking world.
- A necromancer raises an army of skeletons, and only a ragtag group of rebels can stop them.
- A king strikes a bargain with a demon, and now the entire kingdom is at risk of damnation.
- A cursed sword takes over the mind of its wielder, driving them to commit unspeakable acts.
- A city’s elite citizens remain youthful by sacrificing those from the lower class.
- A witch’s curse turns everyone in a kingdom into stone statues, except for one person who must break the curse.
- The darkness in the forest whispers to anyone who enters, driving them mad if they listen too long.
- A child born with a strange mark is believed to be the key to releasing an ancient evil.
9. More Character-Driven Fantasy Writing Prompts
- A blacksmith finds they can forge weapons from moonlight, but only at the cost of their memories.
- A librarian discovers that each book in their library is a portal to a different world, but they can only visit once.
- A witch is bound to a talking crow, and together they must unravel a curse that affects both of their lives.
- A young healer discovers that every person they save adds one year of their life to their own.
- A warlock who has lived for centuries must protect a human child destined to end his reign.
- A baker’s bread is enchanted, bringing dreams to life for anyone who eats it, whether they want it or not.
- A child raised by wolves must re-enter society to prevent a conflict between humans and animals.
- A dragon chooses a young farmer to be its rider, but the farmer is terrified of heights.
- A king disguises themselves as a commoner to understand why their people are unhappy.
- A character wakes up one morning to discover they have swapped bodies with a mythical creature.
10. Mythical Creatures and Fantasy Beings
- A mermaid is forced to make a deal with a sea witch to save her sister from a shipwrecked crew.
- A unicorn is captured by an evil sorcerer who wants to use its magic for immortality.
- A character’s village has always been protected by a guardian spirit, but now it demands a sacrifice.
- A group of fairies must prevent the expansion of human civilization into their forest home.
- A phoenix rises, but without its flames—something in the world has disrupted the cycle of rebirth.
- A centaur finds an abandoned human baby and must decide whether to return it to the human world.
- A vampire’s blood allows them to control plants, but the forest they’ve created becomes sentient.
- A golem goes rogue, seeking out the mage who created them for answers about their existence.
- A griffin bonds with a runaway prince, but they are hunted by those who wish to control their power.
- A banshee is cursed to haunt a family, but instead of warning of death, she tries to prevent it.
11. Adventure and Quest-Based Fantasy Prompts
- A character must retrieve a magical pearl from the depths of a lake filled with sirens.
- A knight, a thief, and a scholar must work together to solve an ancient riddle and break a curse on their kingdom.
- A character finds an ancient compass that points to their heart’s true desire, leading them on a journey.
- A quest to find a dragon’s lost egg leads the adventurers to a magical island where nothing is as it seems.
- A character must navigate a maze filled with illusions to find a lost relic that will restore their family’s honor.
- A storm brings with it a ship crewed entirely by ghosts, who need help to reach their final destination.
- The last flower of a magical garden must be found before the eternal winter freezes everything.
- A character must gather four elemental stones to summon an ancient protector and save their village.
- A prince is sent on a quest to bring back proof of the existence of a mythical creature, but he finds much more.
- An enchanted bridge only appears during a full moon, leading to a forgotten land.
12. Dark Fantasy Writing Prompts
- A character discovers that they are a descendant of a line of witches who have been cursed to turn into monsters at night.
- A plague spreads through a kingdom, turning its victims into shadowy creatures, and only an old enchantress can stop it.
- A mirror grants a character the ability to see the future, but each vision comes with a personal cost.
- A character enters a pact with a demon to save a loved one, but the price is greater than they imagined.
- A once-holy temple is now haunted by spirits of the priests who were sacrificed to appease an angry god.
- A magical plague has turned all adults in the kingdom into stone, leaving only children to find a cure.
- A necromancer seeks redemption, but their past continues to haunt them—literally.
- A character inherits an old mansion filled with enchanted paintings, each depicting terrible events from their family’s history.
- A once-benevolent forest spirit begins to demand sacrifices, and the village must discover why.
- A ritual goes wrong, binding a character’s soul to a monstrous entity that slowly begins to take over their body.
13. High Fantasy and Epic World-Building Prompts
- A character must unite the feuding kingdoms of elves, dwarves, and humans to face a rising darkness.
- A magical school hidden in the clouds teaches its students to harness the power of the stars.
- A hidden city within the desert holds secrets of an ancient civilization, but it only appears once every hundred years.
- A council of mages is torn apart when one of them betrays their oath and uses magic to conquer a kingdom.
- A sacred tree connects all living beings in the realm, but it is starting to die, and no one knows why.
- A kingdom is ruled by a council of dragons, each representing a different element, but one of them has gone missing.
- A character discovers they are part of an ancient prophecy involving a celestial event that will change everything.
- In a world where everyone can wield magic, a character is born powerless, but they soon discover they have another gift.
- A series of floating islands holds the key to a powerful ancient weapon that could either save or destroy the realm.
- The world is slowly being engulfed by an eternal storm, and a small group must find the cause and put an end to it.
14. Fantasy Romance Writing Prompts
- A mortal falls in love with a fae prince, but they must win a dangerous competition to prove their worth.
- A witch and a vampire are forced into an arranged marriage to keep the peace between their two realms.
- A knight falls for the dragon they were sent to slay, realizing that the creature is under a terrible curse.
- Two rival mages must work together on a dangerous mission, and they grow closer as they learn about each other’s secrets.
- A character finds themselves in a love triangle with a ghost and a fae, both vying for their affection.
- A cursed warrior can only speak the truth while in the presence of their true love, leading to unexpected confessions.
- A mermaid saves a sailor, and they try to find a way to stay together despite their different worlds.
- A healer falls in love with a cursed prince who turns into a beast each night.
- A human and an elf fall for each other but must face the prejudices of both of their worlds to be together.
- A character falls in love with the spirit of an enchanted forest, who can only manifest during a full moon.
15. Fantasy Writing Prompts Involving Powerful Artifacts
- A ring that allows the wearer to read minds is found, but it comes with a terrible price—slowly driving the user mad.
- A character finds a magical sword that can cut through anything, but it can only be wielded by someone without fear.
- An ancient amulet gives the wearer power over an entire kingdom, but using it has dire consequences.
- A pair of enchanted boots allows a character to walk on air, but each step makes them forget something important.
- A crown that can control dragons is discovered, and different factions begin vying for it.
- A magic lantern can grant wishes, but each wish takes away something dear to the person making it.
- A character discovers an enchanted harp that can control the weather, but playing it attracts dangerous spirits.
- A cloak that allows the wearer to become invisible is stolen, and the thief must avoid the consequences of their actions.
- A magical key can open any door, including the doors to other realms, but it can only be used once per person.
- An enchanted book writes the future, but its predictions begin to twist and change reality in unexpected ways.
How to Use These Fantasy Writing Prompts
Now that you have this extensive collection of fantasy writing prompts, it’s time to put them to good use. Here are some tips on how to make the most of these prompts:
1. Find the Right Prompt for Your Mood
Sometimes, the key to breaking through writer’s block is simply finding a prompt that matches your mood. Whether you’re in the mood for something whimsical, dark, or epic, there’s a prompt here for every fantasy mood.
2. Expand on the Prompt
Start by writing a short scene based on one of these writing prompts fantasy. If the scene captures your interest, expand on it to develop a full story. Use the initial prompt as the foundation to explore characters, world-building, and plot.
3. Develop Characters and World-Building
A great fantasy story isn’t just about a thrilling plot—it’s also about the characters and the setting. Use these prompts to develop rich, dynamic characters and a vibrant world. Think about how the magic system works, the history of the land, and how different characters interact with the world around them.
4. Mix and Match
Feeling particularly adventurous? Mix and match prompts! Combine two or more ideas to create a new, unique story concept. For example, a magical door that appears in every household at midnight (Prompt 19) could lead to a kingdom of floating islands (Prompt 31).
5. Set Writing Goals
Use these prompts to challenge yourself. Write a new story each week, or commit to using a different prompt each day for a month. Setting specific writing goals will help you stay consistent and make steady progress on your writing journey.
Conclusion
Whether you’re looking to explore fantasy fiction writing prompts to craft your next great novel, develop short stories, or even find inspiration for an epic campaign for a role-playing game, these fantasy writing prompts are here to help. Fantasy is a genre that allows your imagination to run wild—embrace that freedom and dive into new magical worlds filled with endless possibilities.
Remember, every story starts with a single spark of inspiration. Let these prompts guide you, challenge you, and help you create unforgettable fantasy stories. Get ready to write, explore, and let your creativity shine!