We’ve all grown up with fairy tales. Would you like to write a story in this genre? Then get some inspiration from these fairy tale writing prompts!
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Fairy tales are always popular (just look at how many people love Disney). They’re stories that belong to folklore, although there’s usually not a strict divide between fairy tales, folklore, or myths. These stories typically have enchantments, magic, and mythical beings.
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You can often find dragons, elves, fairies, giants, dwarfs, gnomes, goblins, merfolk, talking animals, monsters, witches, wizards, talking animals, and unicorns in fairy tales.
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To spark your creativity, here are 7 fairy tale writing prompts.
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Fairy Tale Writing Prompts
1. An ordinary person discovers she’s the long-lost heir to the throne. They were hidden away by an evil, jealous sorceress. With the help of companions met on their journey, they aim to reclaim their birthright and overthrow the sorceress’s tyrannical rule.
2. A village is plagued by a terrible curse. The only one who can break it is the prince, who was kidnapped by a wicked witch. A young blacksmith ventures into the enchanted forest to rescue the prince from the tower he’s held so he can save their village before it’s too late.
3. A lonely orphan discovers a magical lamp containing a powerful genie. They must navigate the dangers of wishes that do come true and the evil forces that want the lamp for themselves. Yet something happens that neither the orphan nor the genie expected; they fall in love.
4. In a world where magic is forbidden, a young witch discovers their powers on the eve of their sixteenth birthday. They flee into the forest before the witch hunters can capture them. There, they meet magical woodland creatures and dwarves who teach them the ways of the forest and secrets of the earth, while helping them uncover the truth about their mysterious past. How did they get their magic? And why is magic truly forbidden?
5. Time has stopped working. A brave adventurer finds a magical pocket watch that can restart time and restore the kingdom. However, they soon find themselves the target of dark forces wanting to use the watch’s power for themselves.
6. A human stole the crown from the King of the merfolk. Tasked to retrieve the crown, a mermaid temporarily gains legs to walk the surface—but they can only survive so long without water. The unexpected happens, however, when the mermaid falls in love with the thief.
7. A lonely heir has finally found the love of their life. The problem; they’re cursed by an enchantress to change into a swan during the day. The heir is determined to find a cure for the curse. Together, they venture across the enchanted kingdom in search of the Lake of Tears to break the curse.
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Write your fairy tale story
I hope you’ve gained some ideas from reading the writing prompts above. Once you have your story idea, you can do worldbuilding, character development, and plotting.
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Once you’ve finished your first draft, it’s time for editing! You can check out my free self-editing course to learn more about this skill.