The Mismatched Soulmate Timers
Imagine a world where everyone has a timer above their head showing how long it will be until they meet their soulmate. Write about a character who is about to meet their soulmate in 24 hours but falls passionately for someone whose timer does not match theirs.
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.
- Make the obstacle something they both believe in, not a misunderstanding.
- Put them in close quarters they can't escape.
- Tell it from the point of view of the one who falls first.
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 LGBTQ+ Romance prompts
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- Love Across Social ClassesImagine a world where love is forbidden between different social classes. Two women, from extremely opposite societal ranks, risk everything when they…
- Love Letters Between the ShelvesAfter receiving an anonymous love letter at their favorite indie bookstore, a shy aspiring writer decides to find the author by responding with a…
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