I have designed these writing prompts for people like me who have the bare bones of a story or character and just need to get to know them better. Every week I will publish five more prompts that will help you see your character and novel in a new light.

41. Write a scene where your character is sitting around the dinner table with other characters from the story, but write it from the perspective that they are all actors, and they are talking about their ‘work’ as the characters in the book. Do they like their own characters? What do they think about their costumes? What do they think of the story?

42. Go to one of the scenes you have already written and re-write it from a different perspective – either someone else in the scene, or someone else watching from a distance.

43. Describe what you want the front cover of your book to look like.

44. What personal characteristics do you share with your character? How do you differ?

45. Write a scene where your character comes home and finds an enormous box on the front door step. What is in the box?

I have designed these writing prompts for people like me who have the bare bones of a story or character and just need to get to know them better. Every week I will publish five more prompts that will help you see your character and novel in a new light.

36. Write a scene where your character is standing naked in front of a mirror.

37. Send your character to an event (a party or meeting) that they don’t want to go to.

38. Write a conversation between your character and yourself as the author, and they ask you questions about why you are writing the story the way you are. Does talking to your character change the way your feel about them?

39. What was your character’s favourite subject at school? Why?

40. Write a scene where your character sees someone they have a crush on.

I have designed these writing prompts for people like me who have the bare bones of a story or character and just need to get to know them better. Every week I will publish five more prompts that will help you see your character and novel in a new light.

31. Write a scene where your character must make a difficult choice.

32. What is your character’s middle name? Why is it significant?

33. Write the one or two line ‘hook’ that appears on the marketing posters for your finished, best-selling novel.

34. What is the view from the window right now, from where your character is sitting?

35. What the secret your character’s ex-best friend is keeping about them?

I have designed these writing prompts for people like me who have the bare bones of a story or character and just need to get to know them better. Every week I will publish five more prompts that will help you see your character and novel in a new light.

26. Describe how your character would spend four hours while waiting for potentially bad news about someone they love.

27. Tell the story (from your character’s parents’ perspective) of the day they were born.

28. What would your character do if they found a bag with a large sum of money in it?

29. What is your character’s hidden talent or party trick?

30. Describe your character packing a suitcase, when they have to leave their home forever.

I have designed these writing prompts for people like me who have the bare bones of a story or character and just need to get to know them better. Every week I will publish five more prompts that will help you see your character and novel in a new light.

21. If your character had a pet, what would it be?

22. Write the transcript of an interview between yourself and a famous chat show host after your book has been published and is a world-wide success. What questions do they ask? How do you talk about the process of writing your novel?

23. Write a scene where your character gets into trouble for something they didn’t do. How do they react? Can they talk their way out of it?

24. What did your character want to be when they grew up? Did they achieve that?

25. Which actor would you want to play your character and why?

I have designed these writing prompts for people like me who have the bare bones of a story or character and just need to get to know them better. Every week I will publish five more prompts that will help you see your character and novel in a new light.

16. Write a scene where your character goes into their favourite café/restaurant/diner and wants to be left alone, but the waiter/waitress keeps asking questions.

17. Describe your character’s favourite meal. Where are they? What are they eating? Who are they with?

18. What did your character’s childhood bedroom look like?

19. Is your character religious? Write a scene where they are invited to attend a service (at a mosque, church, temple etc). How do they feel?

20. How would your character paint a wall?

I have designed these writing prompts for people like me who have the bare bones of a story or character and just need to get to know them better. Every week I will publish five more prompts that will help you see your character and novel in a new light.

11. Where does your character live? Describe their home.

12. Write a letter from the school principal to your character’s parents explaining something good/bad your character did as a child, that shows a hidden side of them.

13. If your character could only save three items from a house fire that would destroy everything they owned, what would they be?

14. Tell the story of the time your character realised their favourite grandparent was going to die.

15. Tell a story about the time your character accidentally killed a baby kitten.