The Forest Gate of the Dead
Every century, on the night of the winter solstice, a small, forgotten gate in the heart of an ancient forest opens to a realm of the dead. You are the first living person to witness this in a hundred years. Narrate what unfolds when you decide to step through the gate.
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 it as a document from the world: a letter, a field report, a warning sign.
- Make the magic or technology cost your hero something they can't get back.
- Give the villain a reason that would convince you, if you lived there.
Writing paranormal fiction
Vampires, ghosts and witches, just around the corner.
Paranormal fiction drops supernatural beings into the real, modern world. Unlike horror, the creatures aren't always the threat: they're often the heroes or the love interests. It overlaps heavily with romance and urban fantasy.
What readers expect
- Supernatural beings in our world
- A hidden society with its own rules
- Romance, danger or both
- Secrets ordinary people can't know
A tip before you start
Decide the rules early. Can your vampires cross running water? Readers will hold you to it.
More Supernatural and Paranormal prompts
- The Child Without a SpiritIn a world where people are born with an animal spirit that can manifest in the physical world, write about a character that strangely, was born…
- The Bookstore's Folklore CreatureYou inherit a quaint bookstore that specializes in ancient texts. Among these, you discover a book that is not referenced in any records, filled with…
- The Town's Last SéanceCreate a tale about a small town where residents regularly hold séances to make decisions. One day, a stranger arrives, warning them of the…
- The Ancestor's HauntingEnvision a character who can interact with paranormal entities but loses a bit of their own life energy each time they do so. Detail their struggles…
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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