Thriller is one of the most popular genres in fiction. It’s also one of the most competitive, with publishers putting out thousands of novels per year.
With such a saturated market, it can be hard to write a thriller story that stands out, much less one that’s original. You can begin writing a story you think is fresh, only to find out it’s already been done.
Add to this the fact that thriller is quite a broad genre. Any story that “thrills” the audience can be considered a thriller, so you’ll often read horror, sci-fi, romance, or any other genre with strong thriller undertones. This makes it hard for some writers to pin down the thriller elements in their plots.
Thriller Writing Prompts
If you’re having trouble writing a thriller story, you can start exercising your creativity with writing prompts. Take a look at the list below, see which prompt jumps out at you (or rubs you the wrong way), and spin a story out of it.
1. While cleaning out your deceased parents’ house, you come across an old, battered journal. What’s written inside makes you doubt whether you really knew your mom and dad at all.
2. You lose the trail while hiking deep in the forest. You stumble upon a cave and take shelter inside. As night falls, you hear disturbing sounds coming further within.
3. You look down at your wife as her death throes gradually weaken. “It wasn’t supposed to end like this,” you whisper.
4. Strange things are happening around town. No one knows why, but you suspect the new neighbor is responsible. After all, everything began when he moved in.
5. While staying late at work, you notice shadows moving inside your boss’s office. Curious, you take a peek and see him wrapping up an obviously dead body.
6. You haven’t left the house for months. If you don’t leave today, you never will.
7. Your brother is sent to prison for a crime he didn’t commit. As a lawyer, you gain access to his files and discover a cover-up.
8. The body in the morgue looked strange. Its face seemed slightly off, the limbs a bit longer, and the skin too pale.
9. Two people confess to the murder of a prominent citizen. Both swear they acted alone. You, an investigative reporter, suspect someone else.
10. The first true Artificial Intelligence has been invented. On the day of its reveal, its reclusive inventor is kidnapped.
11. You research your family history and discover that a lot of them disappeared. Further investigation reveals that they vanished at the same location.
12. He was instantly enamored on their first date. She was beautiful, sophisticated, and smart. But while he’s looking for a relationship, her goal was much more sinister.
13. A vampire moves into the perfect town. What she doesn’t know is that it’s already home to a pack of werewolves.
14. Dead bodies don’t talk. This is why you, a detective, are trying to learn necromancy.
15. Trying to recover from a recent trauma, you visit a psychiatrist recommended to you. After a few sessions, you begin to realize he knows details you’re you never told him about.
16. A serial killer is on the loose. The detective in charge finds a similar modus operandi… from an unsolved case that’s over 80 years old.
17. Two people take the same train home at the same time. They never talk, nor acknowledge each other’s existence—until one day, one of them shows up bloodstained and battered.
18. You open the door and find a wounded person at your doorstep. You take them in and treat their injuries, not knowing that doing so puts you in the crosshairs of a conspiracy.
19. It’s summer and hundreds of families are relaxing at the beach. But a landslide’s about to occur underwater and cause a tsunami.
20. Someone has stolen top-secret information from the government. Through a series of circumstances, the device holding the information ends ups with you.
21. You’ve been with your husband for decades. Today, you finally learn about his brother that you’ve never met and whom he’s never spoken about.
22. You wake up from an accident and can’t remember anything. The hospital is guarded 24/7 and you’re not allowed to leave.
23. A disease is spreading all over the country and a terrorist claims responsibility. Scientists discover a cure but it may prove just as dangerous as the disease itself.
24. You and your fiance are enjoying a transatlantic cruise when he suddenly disappears mid-journey. No one recalls seeing him and his name isn’t on the passenger’s list.
25. A team of archeologists locates the tomb of an ancient king. On the face of the sarcophagus, they discover drawings of undeniably modern objects.
26. There are many popular legends about the house near the edge of town. When someone dares you to stay the night, you discover what started the stories.
27. You begin to notice the same person wherever you go. The problem is, that no one else sees him even though he’s not trying to hide.
28. You attend your best friend’s funeral. You remember her peaceful face as the casket is closed and buried deep in the ground. You arrive home later that night… and find her sitting on your couch.
29. A list of supposed sleeper agents is making the rounds on the internet. Bored, you decide to check it out. To your surprise, you find your husband’s name on the list.
30. Three friends have a yearly tradition. No matter where they are or what they’re doing, they get together to mourn the death of the friend they abandoned and never found again.
Writing Thrillers
The thriller is one of those genres that heavily relies on the mood and atmosphere of the story. A thriller is never boring. It is scream-worthy, heart-racing, and emotionally cathartic—in short, thrilling.
Readers are kept at the razor edge of suspense. They don’t know what’s about to happen, but are eager to read about it. It’s why they can’t stop devouring the pages of any good thriller novel.
Keeping this in mind, you need to create that tight, emotional atmosphere throughout the stories you write. Depending on what kind you are writing, it can be an anxiety-inducing slow burn or an action-filled landslide of events.
Did you find this post useful? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
If you enjoyed this post, then you might also like:
- 25 Romance Writing Prompts to Inspire Your Next Love Story
- 50 Poetry Prompts to Help Jumpstart Your Creativity
- 40 Nonfiction Writing Prompts to Get the Creative Juices Flowing
- Writing Prompt Generators to Help You Overcome Creativity Hurdles
Cole is a blog writer and aspiring novelist. He has a degree in Communications and is an advocate of media and information literacy and responsible media practices. Aside from his interest in technology, crafts, and food, he’s also your typical science fiction and fantasy junkie, spending most of his free time reading through an ever-growing to-be-read list. It’s either that or procrastinating over actually writing his book. Wish him luck!
