A Novelist and a Photographer
A novelist and a photographer meet at a gallery that's featuring photos inspired by literary works. Create a narrative exploring their blossoming relationship, with each date inspired by different art forms and their mutual appreciation of creativity.
Suggested length: A short story: 1,500 to 5,000 words, or flash fiction under 1,000
Start the clock
Pick a sprint, press start and keep going until it stops. Momentum beats polish on a first draft.
Make it yours
Three ways to take this prompt somewhere nobody else will.
- Write the first meeting so it goes badly, in a way they'll laugh about later.
- Show the moment one of them almost walks away.
- Give them a deadline: the contest, the wedding, the last train.
Writing romance books
Not whether they end up together, but how.
Romance puts a love story at the center and promises a happy ending: happily ever after, or at least happy for now. Readers know where it's going. The pleasure is in the obstacles, the banter and the moment the two leads finally stop fighting it.
What readers expect
- Two leads the reader roots for
- Obstacles that keep them apart
- Emotional growth, not just attraction
- A happy ending, guaranteed
A tip before you start
The happy ending isn't optional. Without it you've written a love story, and romance readers will tell you so.
More Contemporary Love Story prompts
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- The Marriage PactTwo best friends make a pact to get married if both are still single by 30. Now the deadline is a month away, and one of them has just started dating…
- Friends at the Community CenterImagine a story where two childhood friends lose touch but serendipitously reunite while volunteering at a community center in a city far from their…
Fifteen minutes in? Keep going.
Chapterly gives a draft somewhere to grow: chapters, daily word goals, and readers when you're ready.
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