Their First Date Again
Describe a scenario where a couple decides to retrace the steps of their long-ago first date for their tenth anniversary, only to discover hidden feelings about the choices they've made since.
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 Romance prompts
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- The Memories They SoldCreate a tale set in a futuristic society where memories can be bought and sold. A couple decides to sell their worst memories to afford their dream…
- The Novelist's Living CharacterPen a story about a novelist who falls in love with a character they created, only to meet a real person who is the spitting image of their character…
- The Author and the CriticImagine a scenario in which a best-selling romance writer meets their biggest critic at a book signing, only to discover an undeniable chemistry. As…
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