Teachers Thriller Writing Prompts

Write a story about a character who is tormented by their hyper-realistic nightmares each night.

Try to think of how these nightmares cause the character to respond to everyday tasks, and what these nightmares depict.

“Your crown is made of the people’s bones and hunger.”

Use this dialogue to set the scene for a short story.

Write a side story that’s set in the midst of another larger story.

The larger story should frame the setting for the side story, and be referenced in it.

Write a story about a character trapped alone in a room with no doors or windows.

You could focus on how this situation occured, or the emotional response of the protagonist.

Your friend works for the local newspaper, creating the clues for the crossword. One day, you realise they are trying to give you a message.

A person finds themselves in a strange, unfamiliar place.

Use sensory language and vivid imagery to describe the setting and the character's feelings of disorientation and uncertainty.

A character must make a life-changing decision in a short amount of time.

Try to make this scene tense and engaging, highlighting the importance of the decision

A character's worst fear comes true.

Use personification to give the fear a voice and describe how it takes control of the character's thoughts and actions.

Write a story about a character who is trapped in a survival situation.

Use descriptive language to set the scene, and create tension and excitement as the character tries to survive in a difficult or dangerous environment.

Write this character's story.

Write a story where the narrator is stalking the characters.

Consider how this might affect the narrator's behavior and the relationship between them and the characters.

‘Finding a way into tricky situations has never been a problem for me – although I still haven’t learned the art of getting out of them.’

Write a short story that opens with this line. Why does this character make this remark?