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The Best Realistic Fiction Writing Prompts to Inspire Your Imagination

Do you love writing stories but sometimes find yourself struggling with ideas? Are you looking for a way to jumpstart your imagination and develop new story ideas that are both realistic and interesting? If so, then you need to try using writing prompts. Writing prompts are simply short phrases or sentences that provide a starting point for your creativity. They can inspire fiction stories, nonfiction articles, poems, or even journal entries. This blog post will share some of the best realistic fiction writing prompts to help get your creative juices flowing!

20 Realistic Fiction Story Ideas

  1. Write a story about a young woman who discovers she has superpowers and must decide whether to use them for good or evil.
  2. Write a story about a small town beset by a curse that makes everyone become an animal overnight.
  3. Write a story about a woman haunted by the ghost of her dead husband and must find a way to lay him to rest.
  4. Write a story about a man who wakes up one day to find that his entire life has been turned into a reality TV show.
  5. Write a story about an alternate world where the American Revolution never happened.
  6. Write a story about a group of people who are chosen to compete in a Hunger Games-style competition.
  7. Write a story about a woman who discovers she can time travel and uses her power to change the course of history.
  8. Write a story about a group of people stranded on a deserted island who must find a way to survive.
  9. Write a story about an alien invasion and the humans who must band together to fight back.
  10. Write a story about a dystopian future where the government controls everything and citizens live in fear.
  11. Write a story about a future where all technology is made by and for women.
  12. Write a story about a gang that runs a protection racket for businesses in a run-down part of town.
  13. Write a story about a professor who discovers a powerful magic spell from an ancient tome and learns she is the only one who can use it.
  14. Write a story about a woman who awakens one morning to find that her entire hometown has disappeared.
  15. Write a story about a plague that causes people to float randomly in the air.
  16. Write a story about a knight who must undertake a quest to reclaim his family’s honor.
  17. Write a story about a country where everyone is forced to wear masks at all times to hide their true identities.
  18. Write a story about a boy who wakes up one day and discovers that he has psychic powers.
  19. Write a story about someone who discovers they have a superpower that can only be used once a year.
  20. Write a story about a person chosen to hunt down and kill all vampires.

Making Your Work of Fiction Realistic

Realistic fiction is a genre of writing that focuses on telling stories that could realistically happen. This means that the events in the story, the plot, and the characters are all plausible, given the setting. However, this doesn’t mean realistic fiction is boring – far from it! Many of the most popular stories are realistic fiction. To write realistic fiction, there are certain elements you should keep in mind.

A work of fiction is only as good as its ability to suspend disbelief. For a reader to truly become engrossed in your story, they have to be able to believe that the world you’ve created is real. But how do you achieve this?

Several elements contribute to the realism of a work of fiction. First and foremost, the setting must be believable. This means doing your research and ensuring the details of time and place are accurate. Even if you’re writing fantasy or sci-fi, there should be an internal logic to the world you’ve created.

Secondly, your characters must be three-dimensional and relatable. Even if they’re aliens or animals, readers should be able to see themselves in your characters somehow. Make them feel real by giving them flaws and vulnerabilities. No one is perfect, and neither should your characters be.

And finally, the plot should be complex and unpredictable. This doesn’t mean that everything needs to be wrapped up in a neat little bow at the end—in fact, open-ended endings can often be more realistic—but it should make sense within the context of your story. Keep your readers guessing by subverting their expectations whenever possible.

Modern Realistic Fiction Examples to Keep You Writing

You always look for new story ideas if you’re anything like me. A great way to get the wheels turning is to read examples of modern realistic fiction and see how other writers tackle relevant issues in today’s world. Here are a few of my recent favorites:

Exit West by Mohsin Hamid

In Exit West, Mohsin Hamid tells the story of Saeed and Nadia, two young lovers living in an unnamed country torn apart by civil war. To escape the violence, they use “doors” that transport them to different places worldwide. This novel deals with themes of love, loss, and what it means to be a refugee in today’s world. It’s a beautiful and heart-wrenching story that will stay with you long after you finish reading.

Days Without End by Sebastian Barry

Sebastian Barry’s novel tells the story of Thomas McNulty, an Irish immigrant who comes to America in 1854. He quickly finds himself caught up in the Civil War, where he meets John Cole, a young man who will become his lifelong friend and lover. This book deals with themes of identity, love, and survival against all odds. It’s a beautifully written book that will leave you eager to read more of Sebastian Barry’s work.

Behold the Dreamers by Imbolo Mbue

Imbolo Mbue’s debut novel tells the story of Jende Jonga, a Cameroonian immigrant who moves to New York City for a better life for himself and his family. He gets a job working for Lehman Brothers bank executive Clark Edwards, but when Lehman Brothers collapsed during the financial crisis of 2008, Jende’s world is turned upside down. This novel deals with themes of immigration, class, and what it means to chase the American dream. It’s an engaging and thought-provoking read that I highly recommend.

When Does Fiction Writing Become Realistic?

It’s a question that has stumped writers for centuries: at what point does fiction writing become realistic? Is it when the characters seem like real people? Is it when the story feels like something that could happen? As is often the case with difficult questions, the answer is yes and no. Keep reading to find out what we mean.

To understand how fiction can become realistic, we must first understand what we mean by “realistic.” Regarding writing, realism is the quality or condition of representing things as they are. This means that realistic fiction must exhibit some degree of fidelity to reality. However, this does not mean that all realistic fiction must be based on real events or people. Rather, realism in fiction is achieved when the story feels believable and true to life.

So, when does fiction writing become realistic? There is no easy answer, as it depends on various factors, including the writer’s style, the piece’s genre, and the story’s overall tone. That being said, certain elements can make any work of fiction feel more realistic. These include but are not limited to:

  • Sensible characters who act and think like real people
  • Detailed and well-researched setting descriptions
  • Plausible plots that flow logically from one event to the next
  • Colloquial dialogue that sounds natural and unforced

What Is a Narrative Perspective and Why Should Writers Care?

Narrative perspective is the angle or point of view from which a story is told. There are three main types of narrative perspective: first person, second person, and third person. Each has its benefits and drawbacks.

As a writer, it is important to know the different narrative perspectives to choose the best one for your story. The wrong perspective can make your story feel disjointed or confusing, so it is important to choose carefully.

First Person Perspective

The first-person perspective is when the story is told from the point of view of one of the characters in the story. The benefit of the first-person perspective is that it allows readers to feel closer to the character as they are experiencing the story along with them.

The downside of the first-person perspective is that it can be difficult to maintain suspense because readers already know what the character is thinking and feeling. Additionally, the first-person point of view can be restrictive because only events that happen to the narrator can be included in the story.

An example of a book written in the first person perspective is The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger.

Second Person Perspective

The second-person perspective is when the story is told from the point of view of an outside observer who addresses the reader directly as “you.” This type of point of view is rarely used in fiction but can be found in some works of nonfiction and poetry.

The benefit of the second-person perspective is that it creates a sense of immediacy and intimacy between the reader and the text. The downside of the second-person point of view is that it can be overly didactic or moralistic, which turns off some readers.

An example of a book written in the second-person perspective is How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie.

Third-Person Perspective

The third-person point of view is when the story is told from an outside observer’s standpoint by someone who refers to the characters as “he,” “she,” or “them.” This is the most common type of narrative perspective used in fiction.

The benefit of the third-person point of view is that it provides flexibility because the narrator can move between different characters’ thoughts and feelings relatively easily. Additionally, the third-person point of view helps create distance between readers and characters, which can help create suspense or keep readers from becoming too emotionally attached to any one character.

The downside of the third-person point of view is that it can be less intimate than first-person or second-person narratives since readers are not experiencing events with the characters but are observers. Additionally, the third-person point of view can feel detached or clinical if not done well.

An example book written in the third-person point of view would be To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee.

Conclusion

As you can see, each type of narrative has its benefits and drawbacks. As a writer, it’s important to choose wisely based on what effect you are hoping to achieve with your story.