Below, you’ll find 300 romance writing prompts that cover a variety of themes and subgenres—everything from sweet, cozy romances to forbidden love. Grab your pen, let your imagination roam, and let the sparks fly!
Sweet Romance Prompts
- Two lifelong friends realize their feelings for each other just as one is about to move to a different city.
- A florist accidentally delivers flowers to the wrong person, and it sparks a love story neither expected.
- A shy librarian finds a love letter hidden in an old book—but it’s addressed to them.
- On a road trip, two strangers share a car, and over the miles, their friendship blossoms into love.
- A baker and a customer bond over their shared love for a particular type of pastry.
- Two single parents keep bumping into each other at the park and decide to plan a playdate for their kids—and themselves.
- A retired musician gives piano lessons to a neighbor, only to find themselves falling in love during their sessions.
- Two childhood friends meet again at a wedding after years apart—and end up being paired for a dance.
- A dog walker meets a mysterious stranger every day at the same spot in the park.
- A barista and a regular customer exchange love notes written on coffee cups.
- A gardener and a chef bond over their love for fresh ingredients at a local farmer’s market.
- Two strangers are mistakenly booked into the same cabin on a snowy weekend getaway.
- A bookstore owner helps a customer find the perfect book, and they end up talking for hours.
- A coffee shop owner and a customer start leaving each other little drawings on receipts.
- A letter addressed to the wrong apartment leads to an unexpected romance.
- Two coworkers bond over their mutual dislike for a particularly long meeting.
- A local artist falls for the person who buys one of their paintings at a fair.
- A pet adoption event leads to two people adopting sibling puppies and staying in touch.
- A summer camp counselor reunites with their childhood crush when they both return as adults.
- Two strangers get locked in an elevator and find themselves sharing their hopes and dreams.
- A wedding planner falls for the florist they always work with.
- Two neighbors who have never met end up snowed in together during a blizzard.
- A baker and a wedding dress designer bond over their shared work for a mutual client’s wedding.
- A woman finds a romantic note on her windshield, but it turns out it was meant for the car parked next to hers.
- Two people meet while volunteering at a local animal shelter.
- A photographer falls for the person who keeps showing up in the background of their shots.
- Two coworkers get stuck working late on Valentine’s Day and decide to make the most of it.
- A man helps his new neighbor carry boxes into her apartment, and they find out they have a lot in common.
- A woman accidentally sends an embarrassing text to her crush—and he replies in the best possible way.
- Two people meet at a cooking class and end up being partners for every activity.
Types of Romance You Can Write
If you’re still wondering what type of romance story you want to write, here are some popular subgenres to consider, along with 30 prompts for each to get you started:
Historical Romance: These stories are set before 1950 and often feature dramatic and sweeping love stories amidst the backdrop of historical events. Think about your heroine waiting for her wartime sweetheart, or a nobleman falling for a commoner during a masquerade ball.
Prompts:
- A young woman in Victorian England finds herself falling for the mysterious inventor next door, whose inventions might just change both of their lives forever.
- During World War II, a nurse falls in love with a wounded soldier she is caring for.
- A knight falls for the healer who saves his life after a battle.
- A duke disguises himself as a commoner to experience life differently and ends up falling for a village girl.
- A pirate captain takes a noblewoman hostage, but they end up falling for each other.
- A young woman is sent to live with her aunt in Regency-era England and falls for the brooding neighbor.
- A royal guard finds himself drawn to the princess he is sworn to protect.
- A servant girl falls in love with the son of the household she works for.
- A soldier returning from war finds comfort in the arms of a local innkeeper.
- A seamstress is hired to make a gown for a noblewoman and falls for her brother.
- A woman disguises herself as a man to join a ship’s crew and falls for the captain.
- A noblewoman is arranged to marry a man she has never met, but she falls for his best friend instead.
- A young widow in a small village finds love again with a mysterious traveler.
- A blacksmith falls for the daughter of the lord who has hired him.
- A young woman is sent to marry a man in the American West, only to fall for his brother.
- A governess falls in love with the father of the children she cares for.
- A spy during the French Revolution falls for the person they are meant to betray.
- A woman working in a factory during wartime falls for her supervisor.
- A nobleman falls for the artist commissioned to paint his portrait.
- A young woman waiting for her fiancé to return from war finds comfort in the company of his best friend.
- A widowed duchess finds love again with the stable hand.
- A young woman falls for the knight who has been assigned to protect her family.
- A woman is betrothed to a man she does not love, but finds herself drawn to his cousin.
- A young woman falls for the mysterious man who moves into the manor next door.
- A woman posing as a man’s wife to escape danger ends up falling for him.
- A noblewoman disguises herself as a maid to avoid an arranged marriage and falls for the gardener.
- A young woman falls for a soldier stationed in her village during wartime.
- A servant and a nobleman fall in love despite the rules of society.
- A woman is hired to be a companion to a reclusive lord and ends up falling in love with him.
- A young woman falls for the mysterious, masked man she meets at a masquerade ball.
Young Adult (YA) Romance: This is often set in high school or college, featuring the rollercoaster emotions of teenage life. Perhaps your protagonist realizes they have feelings for their charming lab partner.
Prompts:
- A high school student discovers their crush on the star athlete is mutual when they are paired for a school project.
- Two students from rival schools meet at a summer camp and fall in love.
- A teenager falls for their best friend’s sibling after spending the summer together.
- A shy student develops a crush on the new kid, who turns out to be a famous celebrity in hiding.
- A high school junior finds love when they join the drama club.
- Two students are paired for a debate competition and realize they have feelings for each other.
- A high schooler falls for their neighbor after years of barely knowing each other.
- A student council president falls for the rebellious new student.
- A teenager falls in love with their best friend but is afraid to confess their feelings.
- Two classmates bond over their mutual love for a niche hobby.
- A student falls for the school’s most popular person after they start tutoring them.
- Two teenagers meet during detention and find they have more in common than they thought.
- A high schooler falls for the exchange student staying with their family.
- Two students from rival sports teams develop a secret relationship.
- A teenager falls for the lifeguard at the community pool.
- Two classmates find themselves stuck in a library overnight and start to bond.
- A high schooler falls for their best friend’s ex.
- Two students are paired for a science fair project and end up spending a lot of time together.
- A teenager falls for their coworker at their part-time job.
- Two students meet during a school trip and fall in love.
- A student falls for the mysterious artist who leaves drawings around the school.
- A teenager falls for their older sibling’s best friend.
- Two students are cast as the leads in the school play and develop real feelings.
- A high schooler falls for their academic rival.
- Two teenagers meet at a concert and exchange numbers.
- A student falls for their new step-sibling after their parents get married.
- Two classmates who have never spoken are assigned to be lab partners.
- A teenager falls for the barista at the local coffee shop.
- Two students bond over their shared love of books and start a book club.
- A high schooler falls for the student who sits behind them in class.
Contemporary Romance: Modern love stories set after 1950. These can range from friends-to-lovers arcs to the ups and downs of online dating.
Prompts:
- Two coworkers, who have always kept things professional, find themselves unexpectedly bonding during an out-of-town business trip.
- A single mom moves to a new city and falls for her neighbor who helps her settle in.
- Two strangers meet at a yoga class and discover they have more in common than they thought.
- A woman starts receiving mysterious love notes and realizes they’re from her best friend.
- Two people meet through a neighborhood community app and hit it off.
- A man finds himself falling for the person who just moved into the apartment across the hall.
- Two exes are forced to work together on a project and find that old sparks are still there.
- A woman joins a cooking class to get over a breakup and falls for her instructor.
- Two strangers accidentally swap phones and find themselves meeting to return them, only to fall in love.
- A wedding photographer falls for the brother of the bride at a big wedding.
- Two neighbors with dogs keep running into each other at the dog park.
- A woman inherits her grandmother’s bookstore and finds love with the local librarian.
- Two people meet on a blind date that goes terribly wrong but decide to give it another shot.
- A couple starts a fake relationship to make their exes jealous but end up falling in love for real.
- Two people meet while volunteering at a community garden.
- A man falls for the delivery person who brings him his favorite food every Friday.
- A woman is set up on a blind date by her meddling mother and is surprised to find herself enjoying it.
- Two gym-goers develop a friendship and eventually a romance after always seeing each other at the same time.
- A woman falls for her best friend’s brother after spending time together during the holidays.
- A couple meets when they both reach for the last carton of milk at the grocery store.
- Two parents connect during their kids’ soccer games.
- A man finds himself falling for his dog’s new trainer.
- Two people meet while traveling on the same flight and discover they’re both heading to the same destination.
- A woman falls for her new boss, but office romance rules make things complicated.
- Two friends decide to fake a relationship to get through a family reunion.
- A man helps his new neighbor carry furniture into her apartment and sparks fly.
- Two strangers meet at a street festival and spend the whole day together.
- A woman falls for the mechanic who fixes her car.
- Two college alumni reconnect at a reunion and realize they have a lot of unfinished business.
- A woman meets a charming stranger while waiting in line for coffee every morning.
Paranormal Romance: Add elements of fantasy or science fiction to your romance. Maybe a witch casts a love spell that brings unexpected results, or a vampire falls for a werewolf.
Prompts:
- A vampire hunter finds herself falling for the vampire she has been tracking for years.
- A witch accidentally binds her magic to a rival, and they must work together to break the spell.
- A fae prince falls in love with a human who stumbled into his enchanted forest.
- A mermaid saves a shipwrecked sailor, and they fall in love despite their different worlds.
- A werewolf finds their fated mate in a human who knows nothing about the supernatural.
- A ghost falls in love with the new occupant of the house they haunt.
- A sorcerer casts a spell to find their soulmate, only to discover it’s their lifelong enemy.
- A demon and an angel are forced to work together to stop an otherworldly threat.
- A dragon shifter falls in love with the thief who stole from his treasure hoard.
- A witch and a vampire must team up to break a powerful curse.
- A guardian angel falls for the human they are assigned to protect.
- A shape-shifter finds themselves drawn to a human who discovers their secret.
- A woman discovers her new boyfriend is a werewolf and must decide if she can handle his secret.
- A witch and a mortal fall in love while trying to solve a supernatural mystery.
- A siren falls in love with the sailor she was supposed to lure to his doom.
- A vampire falls for the descendant of the vampire hunter who once hunted him.
- A human falls in love with a fae who can only visit the mortal realm once a year.
- A ghost hunter falls for the spirit they’re supposed to banish.
- A necromancer falls in love with the spirit of the person they accidentally raised.
- A werewolf and a vampire must team up to protect their town and find love along the way.
- A mermaid trades her voice for legs and falls in love with the human who saves her.
- A witch falls for the human who moves into the house next door, unaware of the magic around them.
- A vampire falls for a witch who is determined to break his eternal curse.
- A mortal accidentally enters a fae bargain and finds themselves betrothed to a fae noble.
- A witch falls for the demon she accidentally summoned.
- A fallen angel must protect a mortal from supernatural threats and finds themselves falling in love.
- A human discovers that their soulmate is a werewolf when they are saved during a full moon.
- A fairy godmother falls for the prince she was supposed to help find true love.
- A siren must save the human she falls for before her sisters find out.
- A ghost and a living person must solve the mystery of the ghost’s death, and fall in love in the process.
Romantic Suspense: Love stories that are intertwined with mystery and action. Characters may find comfort in each other while caught up in a dangerous conspiracy.
Prompts:
- An undercover agent falls in love with the person they are supposed to be investigating.
- A woman in witness protection falls for the detective assigned to her case.
- A journalist and a detective team up to solve a case and find themselves drawn to each other.
- A woman on the run falls for the mysterious stranger who offers her help.
- A bodyguard falls for the person they are supposed to protect.
- Two spies from rival agencies must work together, and sparks fly.
- A private investigator falls for their client while trying to solve a dangerous mystery.
- A woman falls in love with the firefighter who saved her from a dangerous situation.
- A police officer falls for a witness who has secrets of their own.
- A hacker and an undercover agent must work together to bring down a criminal empire.
- A detective falls for the suspect in a high-profile case.
- A woman hiding from her past finds love with the man who helps protect her.
- A security expert falls for the person they are hired to protect during a high-stakes event.
- Two people meet during a bank robbery and form an unexpected connection.
- A former soldier falls for the doctor helping him overcome his PTSD.
- A woman receives mysterious threats and finds comfort in the detective assigned to her case.
- A journalist falls for the whistleblower whose story they are covering.
- A woman who narrowly escapes an attack falls for the paramedic who saves her.
- A spy falls for the civilian who gets caught up in their mission.
- A detective falls for the mysterious witness who keeps showing up at crime scenes.
- A woman falls for the bounty hunter who captures her, only to find out she’s innocent.
- Two people meet while hiding out from a common enemy.
- A woman falls in love with the bodyguard assigned to protect her from an unknown threat.
- A detective and a criminal must work together to clear both their names.
- A woman falls for the mysterious man who saves her during a dangerous situation.
- Two people meet during an evacuation and form a deep bond.
- A former FBI agent falls for the person they are hired to protect.
- A woman in a witness protection program falls for her new neighbor.
- A detective falls for the suspect’s sibling while trying to solve a case.
- Two strangers meet during a hostage situation and promise to find each other again.
Romantic Comedy: These stories combine romance with humor. Follow a protagonist through a series of hilarious dating disasters or watch as two meddling families lead a couple toward unexpected love.
Prompts:
- Two neighbors, constantly at odds over their shared apartment building amenities, pretend to be a couple to win a local contest.
- A woman joins a terrible dating app as a joke but ends up finding her perfect match.
- Two coworkers fake a relationship to avoid office gossip, but it becomes real.
- A couple’s families are constantly meddling, leading to a series of hilarious misunderstandings.
- A woman and a man both pretend to be someone else while on a first date, and hilarity ensues when the truth comes out.
- Two people who dislike each other are paired up at a wedding and end up causing chaos.
- A woman falls for the guy who keeps accidentally taking her coffee order.
- Two people meet during a disastrous cooking class and end up helping each other.
- A woman hires a fake boyfriend to make her ex jealous, but the fake relationship turns real.
- Two people agree to be each other’s wedding dates for a season to avoid awkward questions.
- A man falls for his clumsy new neighbor, who keeps causing minor disasters.
- Two people who keep running into each other on terrible blind dates decide to team up.
- A woman falls for the guy who moves into her old apartment and keeps receiving her mail.
- Two rival dog walkers find themselves competing for the same clients but end up falling in love.
- A woman falls for the guy she hires to help her learn how to dance for her sister’s wedding.
- Two strangers are forced to share a ride-share car during a long trip and end up hitting it off.
- A man accidentally sends a love letter to the wrong person, and they decide to meet.
- A woman falls for the man who keeps ruining her morning jog by running into her.
- Two people pretend to be engaged to get free samples at a bridal expo.
- A woman falls for her roommate’s best friend after a series of hilarious pranks.
- Two people who always argue at work are forced to attend a team-building retreat.
- A woman falls for the guy who always beats her to the best produce at the farmers market.
- Two people are stuck in an elevator and decide to make the most of it by playing games.
- A woman hires a matchmaker, but ends up falling for the matchmaker instead.
- Two people meet at a costume party, both dressed as the same character.
- A woman falls for her best friend’s sibling after being set up as a joke.
- Two rival food truck owners fall in love despite their ongoing feud.
- A woman falls for her new dance partner after being forced into a charity dance-off.
- Two strangers end up sharing a table at a busy café and decide to stay.
- A man falls for the woman who keeps beating him at trivia night.
LGBTQ+ Romance: Romance stories that feature queer characters as the main focus. Perhaps your character falls for their best friend or meets someone who makes them realize a part of themselves they’ve never fully explored.
Prompts:
- A young woman realizes she has feelings for her best friend after they agree to be each other’s date to a family wedding.
- A man falls for his roommate after pretending to date each other to get out of an awkward situation.
- Two women meet during a community theater production and fall in love during rehearsals.
- A non-binary artist falls for the art critic who gave them a bad review.
- Two men meet at a Pride event and spend the day together, falling in love.
- A woman falls for the barista at her favorite coffee shop, who always seems to know just what she needs.
- Two best friends realize their feelings for each other after one gets engaged to someone else.
- A man falls for his ex’s new partner, leading to an unexpected love triangle.
- Two women meet at a support group and find comfort in each other.
- A non-binary person falls for the librarian who helps them research their family history.
- A man falls for the florist who always leaves a kind note with his flower orders.
- Two women pretend to be dating to get through a family holiday and end up developing real feelings.
- A genderfluid person falls for the new coworker who is always supportive.
- Two men meet at a cooking class and bond over their shared love of food.
- A woman falls for her best friend’s sister after being set up as a joke.
- Two people meet at a bookstore and spend hours talking about their favorite authors.
- A man falls for his teammate after they win a championship game together.
- Two women meet during a road trip and decide to continue traveling together.
- A non-binary person falls for the neighbor who helps them with their garden.
- Two men meet at a dog park when their dogs start playing together.
- A woman falls for her boss, but office romance rules make things difficult.
- Two women meet during a yoga retreat and decide to keep in touch.
- A man falls for his ex’s best friend after they start spending more time together.
- Two people meet at a queer book club and bond over their favorite stories.
- A non-binary person falls for the musician who plays at their favorite bar.
- Two women pretend to be a couple to get a better apartment and end up falling in love.
- A man falls for his neighbor after they help each other during a power outage.
- Two people meet during a charity event and decide to go on a date afterward.
- A woman falls for the mechanic who fixes her car after a breakdown.
- Two men meet at a dance class and decide to become each other’s practice partners.
Writing Romance: Some Tips to Keep in Mind
Create Authentic Characters: Make sure your characters are relatable and well-rounded. Readers should feel a connection with them. Whether they’re a noblewoman from the 1800s or a witch trying to hide their magic, their emotions should feel real.
Build Tension: Romance is all about building tension between the characters. Slow burns, stolen glances, and moments of vulnerability are key. Even if your characters start off hating each other, the way they soften towards each other should make readers root for them.
Make It Emotional: Romance is deeply emotional, so make sure to show your characters’ feelings in an authentic way. Let their love be imperfect but true, full of the highs and lows that real relationships experience.
Use Tried-and-True Tropes: Don’t shy away from using popular romance tropes—such as enemies to lovers, fake relationships, or second chances at love. Tropes are popular for a reason—they create conflict and tension that readers love. Just make sure to add your own twist!
Writing romance stories can be incredibly rewarding. With these prompts and ideas in hand, you have the tools to create something heartwarming, thrilling, and truly memorable. Whether you’re aiming for a steamy love affair or a slow-burning romance, these prompts will help set the stage for your next writing adventure.
Get Inspired
Ready to get started? Use these prompts as inspiration, adapt them, or let them lead you in a new direction entirely. The key to writing a compelling romance is to make the love story feel unique, despite using well-loved themes. And above all, remember to have fun while creating your next heart-stopping love story!
