Story Ideas to Write About

Hey there, storytellers! Feeling stuck staring at that blank page? We’ve all been there, wrestling with the cliché-riddled monster of uninspired plots. But fear not! Creative inspiration is everywhere, you just need to know where to look.

For example, you could start by asking yourself “what if?” questions: What if the hero isn’t as courageous as everyone believes? Or if a forbidden romance unfolds in a society where love is outlawed? 

Or, you could mix genres for added spice. How about a romantic comedy in a post-apocalyptic wasteland? 

If you are seeking inspiration for your next story, you’ve come to the right place. This article is a treasure trove of ideas. Some good, some maybe not-so-good. But hey—what really makes a story great is the way you tell it. So take that bland story idea and spice it up with your own flavors. You may be surprised at the outcome. 

Good Story Ideas with a Twist

So, are you ready to dust off those old storytelling recipes and whip up something fresh and exciting? You’re in the kitchen of your imagination, and it’s time to serve up a literary feast. But before you can dazzle your guests with your culinary genius, you need some tried-and-true ingredients—classic story ideas that have stood the test of time.

These are your hearty, reliable staples: the hero’s journey, the forbidden romance, the epic quest. Rummage through the pantry of myth and folklore, the old family cookbook of genre conventions, and even last week’s leftovers of well-worn tropes.

Got your staples? Now it’s time to get creative with the spices. How can you infuse these traditional dishes with new flavors? Let’s say you’re bringing your story to a literary potluck, where everyone expects the usual fare. Now, imagine their surprise when you unveil a casserole of unexpected twists—a romance novel that morphs into a thriller, or a fantasy epic with a sci-fi twist.

Don’t be afraid to experiment. Take those reliable old recipes, add your own secret sauce, and watch as your tales evolve from familiar comfort food into gourmet adventures that tantalize the taste buds of even the most jaded readers.

Here are some traditional story ideas with a twist to get you started:

• Cinderella’s Fairytale Romance with a Twist: Cinderella’s glass slipper leads her to a futuristic dystopia where she’s the key to overthrowing a tyrannical AI ruling the kingdom.
• The Hero’s Quest with a Twist: Instead of slaying a dragon, the hero discovers the dragon is actually a wise being that needs saving from a corrupt kingdom’s propaganda.
• The Detective Story with a Twist: The detective is a ghost solving their own murder, unraveling clues by possessing objects and influencing the living.
• The Forbidden Romance with a Twist: Two lovers from rival families must unite against a common enemy: a curse that afflicts both families and can only be broken by their union.
• The Coming-of-Age Tale with a Twist: A teenager discovers they are a character in a novel that’s being written in real-time and must find a way to communicate with the author to change their destiny.
• Stranded on a Desert Island with a Twist: A group of people stranded on an island find that it’s actually a living organism that responds to their emotions, making survival dependent on their unity.
• The Treasure Hunt with a Twist: Treasure hunters discover that the treasure is a map to alternate realities, and they must navigate through parallel worlds to find their way back home.
• Haunted House with a Twist: The house isn’t haunted by ghosts, but by future echoes. Glimpses of the horrible fates await the current inhabitants if they don’t change their ways.

Story Topics for YA Books  

When cooking up story ideas for YA books, you need the perfect blend of bold flavors and relatable ingredients. YA readers crave stories that mirror their own emotional rollercoasters, with a generous sprinkle of rebellion and self-discovery. 

Start with the staples—coming-of-age struggles, high school drama, or the first taste of independence. Then, spice things up with your own unique take. Stir in high stakes and authentic voices, and you’ve got a recipe that resonates.

Here are some ideas to get you started:

• The school’s outcast is actually a guardian of a secret, magical underworld.
• A teenager discovers a hidden talent that leads them on an exciting but dangerous adventure.
• In a dystopian future, a group of teens rebel against an oppressive government that controls every aspect of society.
• A high school outcast forms an unlikely friendship with the most popular kid in school, leading to personal growth for both.
• A teenager inherits a mysterious journal that allows them to rewrite their past decisions, but they soon realize each change has unintended consequences, and they must navigate a tangled web of altered realities to fix their life.
• A group of teens discover an ancient relic that grants each teen a different superpower based on their greatest fear, and they must face their fears head-on to harness and control these new abilities.
• A high school student finds they can hear people’s thoughts and soon realizes this power is tied to a hidden network of mind-readers who are being hunted. They must join forces to uncover the truth behind their abilities and protect their community.
• A young adult learns they are a character in a comic book who can interact with the author and artists of the comic. They must navigate the meta world of their story to influence their fate and ensure a happy ending while grappling with their own identity.

Fantasy Ideas for a Story

Fantasy stories thrive on the concoction of familiar magic with exotic twists. Start with the timeless elements—enchanted forests, ancient prophecies, or kingdoms on the brink of war. Then, blend in unique ingredients to craft a tale that stands out. 

Add a pinch of moral ambiguity and a dash of mythical creatures, and your story will bubble with intrigue, transporting readers to a realm of endless wonder.

Here are some ideas to get you started:

• A group of adventurers embarks on an epic quest to find a legendary artifact before it falls into the wrong hands.
• There’s a world where spells are powered by memories, and losing one means sacrificing a piece of your past.
• There are dragons that don’t hoard emotions, storing fear and love in glittering scales.
• A blacksmith’s apprentice discovers they can forge enchanted weapons that come to life, each with its own personality and abilities, but they must balance the desires of these sentient creations with the needs of their village.
• In a kingdom where the stars influence people’s destinies, a star-reader discovers a cosmic event that changes the fate of the kingdom and must navigate the political upheaval that follows.
• A healer with the power to mend any wound or illness finds that each healing transfers the pain and suffering to them, forcing them to confront their own limits and morality.
• A city built on floating islands powered by magical crystals begins to crumble when the crystals start losing their magic, and a young engineer must discover why and how to restore their power.
• A group of misfits discovers a hidden portal to a parallel world where their fantasies come to life, but the cost of staying in this world means losing touch with their reality.

Romantic Ideas for Stories

Creating fresh romantic stories means blending the warmth of classic love with your own pizzazz. Begin with familiar staples—star-crossed lovers, love triangles, or the slow burn of friends to lovers. Now, sprinkle in a dash of the unexpected, like quirky settings (say, a magical bookshop where the books play matchmaker) and your love story will simmer with originality.

Here are some ideas to get you started:

• Two childhood friends slowly realize their true feelings for each other after years of friendship.
• A romance blossoms in a world where everyone’s emotions are color-coded and visible to all.
• Lovers who communicate through dreams, meet in a shared subconscious space they can’t control.
• A romance between two competitive rival chefs heats up when they’re forced to team up for a prestigious cooking competition. They discover they make the perfect team in and out of the kitchen.
• A relationship develops between a ghost and the living person who moves into their haunted house, leading to a love that transcends life and death.
• A couple who break up before a big storm are magically transported into a future where they’re happily married, and they must find a way back to their own time while rediscovering their love.
• Two enemy book lovers find themselves trapped inside a romance novel, and they must complete each story to find their way out.
• Two people who can communicate only through anonymous letters delivered by a mysterious messenger discover their true identities and overcome their fears to be together.

Cool Story Ideas for a Comedy

Crafting comedic gold involves mixing ordinary situations with a generous dollop of the absurd.

Start with a classic scenario—an awkward family reunion, a disastrous first date, or a mundane office job. Then, turn up the heat with a hilarious twist. Toss in rapid-fire dialogue, unexpected plot turns, and a pinch of physical comedy, and you’ve got a recipe for belly laughs and unforgettable hijinks.

Here are some ideas to get you started:

• A guy wakes up one day to find he’s turned into his pet goldfish and must find a way to reverse the switch.
• An unlikely duo of a straight-laced accountant and free-spirited artist team up to pull off a daring heist.
• In a world where everyone’s dreams come true, chaos ensues as people’s wildest fantasies start becoming reality.
• A clumsy secret agent bungles their way through a high-stakes mission, turning every attempt at espionage into a series of slapstick disasters while somehow still managing to save the day.
• A small-town mayor accidentally becomes a viral internet celebrity after a series of embarrassing live-streamed council meetings, and they must juggle newfound fame with local politics.
• An eccentric inventor creates a malfunctioning robot that interprets commands way too literally, causing chaos in their sleepy town as the inventor tries to prevent a robo-apocalypse.
• A struggling actor lands a job as a decoy for a reclusive celebrity, only to find themselves embroiled in a whirlwind of outrageous tabloid scandals and mistaken identities.
• A group of amateur paranormal investigators accidentally trap a mischievous ghost in their clubhouse, leading to a hilarious string of haunting pranks as they try to return the ghost to the afterlife.

Good Ideas for a Crime Story

To craft an irresistible crime story, combine traditional whodunits with unexpected twists and gritty realism. 

Start with a classic setup—a heist gone wrong, a missing person case, or a mysterious death in a sleepy town. Then, infuse your tale with fresh ingredients. Add a sprinkle of moral complexity, and a dash of psychological intrigue, and your crime story will grip readers from start to finish. 

Here are some ideas to get you started:

• An innocent person is framed for a heinous crime and must evade police while trying to uncover the real perpetrator.  
• A detective can only solve crimes by reliving the final moments of the victim’s life, but each experience takes a toll on their sanity. 
• A criminal mastermind orchestrates their schemes through coded recipes in a popular cooking show. 
• A brilliant but reclusive hacker is forced out of hiding when their estranged sibling is framed for a high-profile heist, leading them to unravel a complex web of digital clues to clear their sibling’s name.
• A retired thief is blackmailed into pulling one last heist to steal a priceless artifact, but as they assemble their crew, they discover that each member has their own secret agenda.
• A rookie cop stumbles upon a covert society that secretly rules the city and must navigate a dangerous game of cat and mouse to expose their criminal activities without getting caught.
• A forensic accountant discovers a trail of embezzlement leading to a series of unexplained deaths, and they must team up with an unconventional detective to solve the murders before becoming the next target.
• A journalist investigating a seemingly unrelated string of petty crimes uncovers a grand conspiracy involving a powerful crime syndicate using these small-time crimes to cover up a massive scheme.

How to Start Writing a Story

Writing a story can feel like preparing a grand feast—especially if you’ve stuck with my many, many food-related analogies throughout this article. 

You’ve gathered your ingredients—those intriguing story ideas, compelling characters, and tantalizing plot twists—but now you’re staring at the stove, wondering where to begin. Starting with a clear plan can turn this daunting process into a culinary adventure. 

Here are some tips to get you going:

• Start by brainstorming story ideas and write them down, no matter how rough. 
• Create character profiles to flesh out your protagonist, antagonist, and key supporting characters.  
• Outline your story’s overall plot and key events. Fictionary’s recently-released outline tool can help you visualize your story’s structure and make sure your plot points are on point. 
• Set a regular writing schedule and stick to it. Aim to write a little bit each day.
• Don’t get hung up on perfection for your first draft. You can always revise and edit later. Use the wonderfully kind Fictionary community to get feedback as you write.

Remember, perfection isn’t the goal—progress is. And as you simmer your story to perfection, lean on the supportive Fictionary community to taste-test your ideas and offer invaluable feedback. So, grab your metaphorical apron, and let’s start cooking up your next literary masterpiece!