Advanced Crime Writing Prompts

Your protagonist walks into a room with crimson walls and red lights. Rose petals are strewn on the perfectly fitted bed. A woman lays on the fluffed pillows, facedown, blood trickling down her flesh...

Imagine the internal monologue of a soldier who has just returned from conflict. Write a story that centres around their experience.

A world mandate is released that, due to overpopulation, every household must choose one member to be sacrificed.

What perspective will you write from to show the horror of this situation? Think about the different types of households and how different people would react to this news.

Your protagonist is the warden of a library full of rare and expensive books.

Write a story about something exciting or unexpected happening whilst this character is on the job.

"He sacrificed his life to save mine... after all I did..."

Write a story containing this line of speech.

Write a short story about a family game night that goes wrong.

Maybe this is a humorous event, or maybe a dark thriller...

“How did you get in here? How did you get past security?”

“I couldn’t possibly tell you...”

Write a story in which this dialogue takes place. You could start with it to explain how the character got into such a secure place, or to explore what happens now that they are there.

Write a story through the observations of a bus driver.

Think about how you can drive an interesting narrative by what they notice about the places and people that they encounter.

Your protagonist is visiting their relatives, when they realise that an important family heirloom that was entrusted to them has gone missing.

Continue this story...

"I never thought I would have to PAY for this. How has it gotten to the point that people have to pay for this now?!"

Write a scene including this piece of speech - think about when your scene is occuring, and why it would be shocking to your character that they would have to pay for this item or service.

Write a story, in any genre, that begins with an intensely descriptive paragraph.

You could practice describing a setting, a character, an action sequence, or anything that will be important to your plot.

Write a story through diary entries or letters discovered in an abandoned house.

Epistolary stories can offer unreliable narrators and incomplete narratives, giving you space to add mystery, confusion, or intrigue to your story.