The Reunion and the Road
Craft a tale about a romance rekindled at a high school reunion. The characters have vastly changed in their years apart; one is a successful author dealing with writer's block, while the other travels the world with no fixed address.
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.
- Let a secondary character see what's happening before either lead does.
- End on the first honest conversation, not the first kiss.
- Make the obstacle something they both believe in, not a misunderstanding.
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 Diary Before ThirtyA month before her 30th birthday, one friend starts a diary addressing the other, recounting their past laughs, fights, and silent moments filled with…
- A Novelist and a PhotographerA novelist and a photographer meet at a gallery that's featuring photos inspired by literary works. Create a narrative exploring their blossoming…
Fifteen minutes in? Keep going.
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