Skip to Content

76 Nonfiction Writing Prompts to Help You Write Better, More Engaging Content

Do you sometimes struggle to come up with ideas for your articles or nonfiction works? Are you looking for ways to improve your writing and make it more engaging for your readers? If so, then you need to check out these nonfiction writing prompts! These prompts will help you come up with topics to write about and will also help you improve your writing skills. So what are you waiting for? Start using these prompts today!

33 Creative Nonfiction Prompts to Get Your Creative Juices Flowing

As a writer, it can be easy to get caught up in writer’s block. You may not know what to write about or which angle to approach a topic from. If you’re feeling stuck, why not try your hand at nonfiction? Nonfiction writing can be a great way to flex your creative muscles and explore new topics.

  1. Write about a time when you had to confront your fears. What were you afraid of? How did you overcome your fear?
  2. Write about a journey you went on- literal or metaphorical. What did you learn from the experience?
  3. Write about someone you admire and why they inspire you.
  4. Write about a memory that still makes you laugh.
  5. Write about a time when you had to stand up for yourself or someone else.
  6. Write about an experience that taught you a valuable lesson.
  7. Write about a goal you’ve set for yourself and why it’s important to you.
  8. Write about someone who has made a positive impact on your life.
  9. Write about a hobby or interest you have that others may find surprising.
  10. Write an open letter to someone- living or dead, real or fictional- thanking them for their impact on your life.
  11. Write about an important issue facing the world today and what needs to be done to address it.
  12. Write about a time when you overcame adversity.
  13. What was your best childhood memory?
  14. Who has been the biggest influence in your life and why?
  15. What is your favorite family tradition?
  16. What was the most defining moment of your teenage years?
  17. Write about a time when you had to confront a difficult truth.
  18. What was the most difficult decision you’ve ever had to make?
  19. What are some of the life lessons you’ve learned so far?
  20. How have you grown and changed over the years?
  21. What does happiness mean to you?
  22. Tell the story of a defining moment in your life.
  23. Write about a time when you had to confront a difficult truth about yourself.
  24. Write about a hobby or interest you’ve always been embarrassed to admit to.
  25. Write about a memory that still makes you laugh (or cry) every time you think about it.
  26. Write about a place you’ve always wanted to visit but haven’t had the chance yet.
  27. Write about someone who has had a major influence on your life, for better or worse.
  28. Write about a time when you had to do something you were really scared of.
  29. Write about a physical object that has sentimental value to you.
  30. Write about a time when you took a stand on something even though it was unpopular.
  31. Write about an experience that challenged your assumptions or worldview in some way.
  32. Write about a person who you admire but don’t necessarily agree with.
  33. Write about a time when you had to make a tough decision with no clear right or wrong answer.

10 Nonfiction Short Story Prompts

  1. Your most memorable childhood experience
  2. A time when you faced a challenge head-on
  3. A life-changing event
  4. An emotional moment that still stays with you
  5. A time when you had to let go of something or someone important to you
  6. A moment of happiness or success
  7. When you had an “aha!” moment
  8. A time when you had to confront a fear
  9. An experience that taught you a valuable lesson
  10. A memory that still makes you laugh (or cry!) today

11 Nonfiction Personal Essay Prompts

Crafting a personal essay is one of the most challenging parts of the writing process. You have to distill your experience to its essence and find a way to communicate it in a way that will resonate with your audience. No wonder many writers find personal essays some of the most difficult pieces!

  1. Write about a time when you had to confront a difficult truth about yourself.
  2. Write about a transition period in your life (moving, starting a new job, going away to college, etc.) and how it affected you.
  3. Pick an object with sentimental value and write about its history and what it means to you.
  4. Write about an event from your childhood that you still think about today.
  5. What are your earliest memories? Write about them in as much detail as possible.
  6. Who is someone you admire and why?
  7. What are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced in your life? How did you overcome them?
  8. What does happiness mean to you?
  9. What do you think makes you unique?
  10. What are some of your biggest accomplishments? Why were they important to you in the moment, and how do they continue to affect your life today?
  11. Write about a time when you had to grapple with an ethical dilemma. How did you ultimately make your decision, and what were the consequences?

11 Journal Writing Prompts

Journaling is a great way to engage with the events of your day and process your thoughts and feelings.

  1. Write about a time when you had to face a difficult truth.
  2. What are some things you’re grateful for?
  3. What does your idea of the perfect day look like?
  4. How do you define happiness, and what are some things that make you happy?
  5. Choose one thing that you’d like to change about yourself and write about why you want to change it and how you plan to go about doing it.
  6. Do you have any lingering unresolved anger or resentment towards anyone? Why not try writing a letter to that person, even if you don’t plan on sending it? Getting your thoughts out can help you to let go and move on.
  7. What would be your dream vacation spot? Write about all the details: where would you stay, what would you do, what would you eat?
  8. Have you ever experienced something miraculous? Whether big or small, share your story.
  9. Sometimes our biggest fears turn out to be unfounded. Write about a time when this happened to you.
  10. When was the last time you did something for the first time? How did it feel?
  11. Write about someone who has had a positive influence on your life. Why are they important to you?

11 Memoir Writing Prompts

A memoir is a way to tell your story and share your experience with others. Memoirs can be written about a personal experience, someone else’s experience, or even a topic you feel passionate about.

  1. What is the earliest memory you have? What do you remember about it? How does it make you feel?
  2. Write about a time when you were faced with a difficult decision. What were the options? What did you decide? Why?
  3. What are some of the defining moments in your life? Why were they so significant?
  4. Write about a person who has had a major influence on your life. Who are they, and what did they teach you?
  5. What has been your most challenging experience? How did you face it? What did you learn from it?
  6. Describe a time when you had to overcome adversity. What was the situation, and how did you manage it?
  7. Is there someone in your life that you admire and look up to? Who are they, and what qualities do they possess that you admire?
  8. Write about an event that has shaped who you are today. What happened, and how did it change you?
  9. What are some of the defining moments of your childhood? Why were they so significant to you at the time?
  10. Tell the story of a significant relationship in your life. What was this relationship like, and what did it teach you about yourself and others?
  11. Everyone has regrets in life. What is something you regret, and why do you feel that way about it now?

Telling your story can be a powerful way to connect with others, process your experiences, and heal from trauma. If you’re stuck, try using one of these memoir writing prompts.

What Makes a Good Nonfiction Writing Topic

Searching for a good nonfiction writing topic can sometimes feel like looking for a needle in a haystack. There are just so many options out there! How do you choose one that will be interesting to write about and read?

Here are a few factors to keep in mind when choosing a topic for your next nonfiction piece:

  • Potential interest to the audience: You want to choose a topic that you think people will want to read about. Ask yourself- would you want to read an article on this subject? If the answer is no, it’s probably not worth writing about. Of course, there are exceptions to every rule, but in general, it’s good to err on the side of writing something that you think people will find interesting and useful.
  • Something you care about: It can be easier (and more fun!) to write about something you’re passionate about. When you care about your topic, it shows in your writing, and readers can sense that. Of course, you don’t have to be an expert on the subject- part of the reason you’re writing is to learn more about it yourself! However, if you aren’t interested in the topic, it will be harder to find the motivation to write about it.
  • Originality: You also want to ensure that you’re choosing a topic that hasn’t been written about too much before. Finding an original angle on a well-explored subject can be difficult, but it’s not impossible. Some of the best pieces take a new perspective on a familiar topic. However, if you find that there are already dozens of articles on the same subject you wanted to write about, it might be time to move on and choose something else.

What Is a Creative Nonfiction Essay?

A creative nonfiction essay uses the real-life experiences of the nonfiction writer as material for the piece. This type of essay can be written in first person point of view and is usually focused on a single event, experience, or moment in time.

What separates a creative nonfiction essay from a simple narrative essay is the addition of literary devices such as metaphors, similes, and other poetic language. This allows the writer to create a more emotive piece that engages the reader on a different level. In addition, creative nonfiction essays often use flashbacks and other devices that help create a more linear story.

While creative nonfiction essays can be based on real-life experiences, they are still stories that need to be well-crafted to engage the reader. This means that writers must be aware of good storytelling elements, such as conflict, resolution, and character development. By incorporating these elements into their essays, writers can create compelling pieces of creative nonfiction.

Creative nonfiction essays are an interesting and challenging genre for writers. By combining real-life experiences with elements of good storytelling, writers can create engaging and emotive essays that will resonate with readers.

How to Write Creative Nonfiction

Creative nonfiction is a genre of writing that uses fiction and nonfiction elements to tell a true story. Unlike traditional journalism or academic writing, creative nonfiction allows writers to use literary devices such as metaphor and simile to bring their stories to life.

The first step in writing creative nonfiction is deciding what story you want to tell. This can be a personal story from your own life or the story of someone else you have been told. Once you have decided on a story, the next step is to start researching. This will help you to understand the events that took place and the people involved.

Next, it’s time to start writing. The key to writing creative nonfiction is to be as honest as possible. This means being willing to share your thoughts and feelings about the events that took place. It’s also important to use literary devices such as metaphor and simile to bring your story to life for the reader.

Finally, don’t forget to edit and revise your work before publishing it. This will help ensure that your story is free of errors, flows smoothly from beginning to end, and help you become a professional creative nonfiction writer.

How to Write a Good Nonfiction Essay

A nonfiction essay is a piece of writing that aims to present information about a certain subject. It can be based on anything from real-life events to personal experiences. To write a good nonfiction essay, there are some key elements that you need to keep in mind:

Decide on a topic

The first step is to decide on a topic for your essay. The topic can be anything from a personal event to something you have read about or seen. If you are having trouble deciding on a topic, try brainstorming with friends or family members. Once you have settled on a topic, the next step is to start researching.

Do your research

Before you start writing, you must do your research. This means looking for sources that will help you support your claims in your essay. When looking for sources, make sure they are credible and reliable. Once you have found some good sources, the next step is writing your essay.

Write your essay

When you are writing your essay, there are a few things that you need to keep in mind. First, ensure that your essay has an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Second, make sure that all of your claims are supported by evidence from your research. And third, try to make your essay as interesting and engaging as possible.

Edit and revise

Once you have finished writing your essay, it is important to edit and revise it. This will help you improve the quality of your work and increase your chances of getting published. To edit and revise your work, try reading it aloud or getting someone else to read it. This will help you catch any errors or awkward phrasing you might have missed.

Submit your essay

The final step is to submit your essay to a publisher or contest. Doing this will allow you to get feedback from professionals and potentially have your work published for others to see.

How Do You Write a Nonfiction Book in 30 Days?

How is it possible to write an entire nonfiction book in such a short amount of time? Well, it certainly isn’t easy, and it isn’t for everyone. But if you have a clear vision for your book and you’re willing to put in the hard work, then it is possible.

Here are a few tips on how you can write a nonfiction book in 30 days:

1. Outline Your Book First

This may seem like a no-brainer, but you would be surprised how many people try to wing it when they write their books. A clear outline of what you want to cover in each chapter will make the actual writing process much easier and less daunting. Trust us, you will thank us later.

2. Set Aside Time Each Day to Write

Trying to cram an entire book into 30 days is unrealistic and very stressful. A better approach would be to set aside time each day to write. Set realistic goals for yourself – maybe aim to write 2-3 pages daily. If you stick to this plan, you will have a much better chance of completing your book within the 30-day timeframe.

3. Get an Editor

Once you have written your first draft, getting someone to edit your work is important. This step is crucial because it will help tighten up your writing and catch any errors you may have missed. A professional editor will also provide valuable feedback on your work which can be very helpful as you revise your manuscript.

4. Promote Your Book

Writing and publishing a book is only half the battle – the other half is promoting it! Make sure to create buzz about your book before it is released and devise creative ways to market it once it hits online stores or shelves.