Rivals on the Playlist
Write a story about two rival coffee shop owners on the same street who anonymously bond over a shared online music playlist, not realizing who the other is.
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 the first meeting so it goes badly, in a way they'll laugh about later.
- Show the moment one of them almost walks away.
- Give them a deadline: the contest, the wedding, the last train.
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
- Love in the Pastry FinalsWrite a story where two competitors in a world-class pastry competition fall in love amidst the chaos of ovens and sugar sculptures. They must hide…
- Love in Cooking ClassDescribe a romance that blossoms during a series of cooking classes. The classes are run by a renowned, but harsh chef who unknowingly plays…
- The Matchmaker's Perfect MatchImagine a scenario where a tech-savvy introvert designs a groundbreaking dating app that matches people based on their subconscious desires. The…
- Their First Date AgainDescribe a scenario where a couple decides to retrace the steps of their long-ago first date for their tenth anniversary, only to discover hidden…
Fifteen minutes in? Keep going.
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