The Journalist's Secret Emails
Craft a tale about a rookie journalist who stumbles upon a series of encrypted emails that hint at a high-profile conspiracy involving top government officials. As they dig deeper, they must navigate threats to their life and moral dilemmas, ultimately deciding whether revealing the truth is worth the cost.
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 the reader know something the hero doesn't.
- Cut every scene the moment the tension drops.
- Put a clock on it: the hero has until midnight.
Writing thriller books
Something terrible is coming. Can they stop it in time?
Where a mystery looks back at a crime, a thriller looks forward at a threat. The reader often knows more than the hero, and the tension comes from watching danger close in. Short chapters, high stakes and a ticking clock are the tools of the trade.
What readers expect
- A clear, escalating threat
- A hero under pressure
- Twists and reversals
- Pace: little time to breathe
A tip before you start
Put a clock on it. A deadline the reader can count down turns every scene into a race.
More Thriller and Suspense prompts
- The Fisherman's Sunken ChestIn a small coastal town, a local fisherman discovers a locked chest submerged beneath the pier. The contents inside lead to revelations about the…
- The Mansion's Village PactImagine a scenario where a small family inherits an old mansion in a remote village. As they settle in, they start to notice that the townspeople are…
- The Psychologist in Seat 12ADuring a flight, a psychologist realizes that the passenger seated next to them is using techniques to manipulate the crew and passengers. Outline the…
- The Emotion Compliance OfficerSet your story in a futuristic city where emotions are regulated by the government. Your protagonist, a compliance officer, starts experiencing…
Fifteen minutes in? Keep going.
Chapterly gives a draft somewhere to grow: chapters, daily word goals, and readers when you're ready.
Plans from $9.99 a month. Cancel any time. Your words are always yours.