Teachers Mystery Writing Prompts

Your character finds a book written in an ancient, dead language, but they can understand every word...

A reclusive writer is disturbed in the middle of the night by a stranger looking for help. They invite them into their home.

Does this stranger provide inspiration, danger, friendship, or something else entirely?

Your character is someone who strongly believes in fate and destiny. One day, someone says something that nags at them to reconsider.

You do not have to state what was said to them, but try to focus on your character's mindset and how they might be thinking.

Write a passage that includes an anagram of an important word.

An anagram is a scrambled version of a word that contains the same letters. For example, an anagram of "Astronomer" could be "Moon Starer".

Your character is an artist who has always painted the same, unknown woman for decades. One day, she walks into their studio.

You could focus on the emotions of the artist when this happens, or try to account for how it would be possible.

In a small, tight-knit community a tragic secret is suddenly revealed, affecting everyone in different ways. You were the one who chose to reveal the secret.

Your character intentionally leads someone on a wild goose chase. Write a story about the experience.

Why might this character want to delay or fool someone?

Your main character is a housekeeper working in a stately home. At breakfast one day, they overhear a terrible secret that they feel they cannot keep to themself.

Try to keep the readers in suspense for as long as possible while taking them on your character's journey as they decide what to do, or who to tell.

You walk past someone in the street that you vaguely recognise. When you turn back, the person is staring at you in shock.

Your character burried something out in the woods. Today they have to tell someone...

You are sent someone else's grocery order. The items in the basket are both mysterious and surprising.

Create a sense of suspense and drama as your character unpacks, without revealing too much information too soon.

Write a story that centres around a superstition.

For example, your story could revolve around the number thirteen, associated with bad luck in western cultures but good luck in some eastern cultures. Or you can make up your own superstitions.