As an aspiring novelist, you may find yourself wrestling with writer’s block or struggling to map out your story.
Thankfully, we have advanced AI like ChatGPT to come to our rescue. The right prompts can stimulate creativity and aid in the writing process.
This article explores 55 compelling prompts you can use with ChatGPT to help craft your novel.
Creating Characters
Characters form the heart and soul of your novel.
They can be as complex and multifaceted as any living human, making character development a crucial aspect of novel writing.
Here are some prompts you can use with ChatGPT:
Top 5 Prompts for Character Development
- “Create a character profile for a rebellious teenager with a secret.”
- “Describe a detective with a knack for solving impossible cases.”
- “Generate a backstory for a queen who fears her power.”
- “Design a character who is a world-renowned chef by day and a secret agent by night.”
- “Write about a character who has the ability to time travel, but with a cost.”
Also read: ChatGPT Prompts for Job Interview
Top 5 Prompts for Character Backstory
- “Describe the childhood of a character who grew up during the Great Depression.”
- “What past event caused our hero to fear spiders?”
- “Write a backstory for a character who is searching for a lost love.”
- “What past failures haunt our detective and drive her to solve cases?”
- “Provide a tragic history for a character who is always the comic relief.”
Top 5 Prompts for Character Dialogue
- “Write a conversation between two characters meeting for the first time.”
- “How would a character with a shady past explain their history to a friend?”
- “What would a heated argument between a hero and a villain sound like?”
- “Provide a dialogue of a character confessing a long-held secret.”
- “How would a character propose to their significant other in a funny yet romantic way?”
Building the Plot
The plot is the essence of your story. It’s what hooks readers and keeps them turning the page. Here are some prompts to help you build an enticing plot:
Top 5 Prompts for Plot Development
- “Develop a plot around a group of friends finding a mysterious map.”
- “How would a plot unfold when a character discovers they can talk to animals?”
- “Write a storyline involving a secret society and a code that needs to be cracked.”
- “Develop a plot where the main character has to save their town from a disaster.”
- “Create a plot about a character who wakes up with no memory.”
Top 5 Prompts for Plot Twists
- “Write a plot twist revealing the best friend as the villain.”
- “How would the story change if the protagonist was revealed to be the villain’s sibling?”
- “Create a twist where the imaginary friend turns out to be real.”
- “Develop a plot twist where the prophecy was misinterpreted.”
- “Write a plot twist where the victim turns out to be the perpetrator.”
Top 5 Prompts for Conflict Creation
- “Create a conflict between a character and their inner demons.”
- “How would a conflict arise if two characters fall for the same person?”
- “Write about a conflict between a character and their controlling parents.”
- “What conflict could occur from a character’s greed for power?”
- “Develop a conflict around a character’s fight for survival in a post-apocalyptic world.”
Establishing the Setting
The setting adds depth and realism to your story. It’s the backdrop against which your characters live and your plot unfolds. Here are some prompts to aid in setting creation:
Top 5 Prompts for Setting Description
- “Describe a bustling city in the 1920s.”
- “Create an atmosphere of a haunted house atop a hill.”
- “Describe a quiet seaside town where our story takes place.”
- “Paint a picture of a dystopian city in the future.”
- “Write about the serene beauty of a countryside setting.”
Top 5 Prompts for World-Building
- “Create a fantasy world where magic is a part of everyday life.”
- “Describe a society living on Mars in the year 3000.”
- “How would a world function if children were in charge?”
- “Develop a world where humans coexist with mythical creatures.”
- “What would a society look like in a matriarchal world?”
Crafting the Narrative
The narrative style and dialogue are the vessels that carry your story to the readers. Here are some prompts to help you craft the narrative:
Top 5 Prompts for First-Person Narrative
- “How would a character narrate their first day at a new job?”
- “Write a diary entry about a character’s most heartbreaking day.”
- “How would a character describe their first encounter with a ghost?”
- “Write about a character’s adventure in the jungle, narrated in first person.”
- “How would a character recount their life-changing journey?”
Top 5 Prompts for Third-Person Narrative
- “Describe a thrilling car chase from a third-person perspective.”
- “Write a romantic scene from a third-person omniscient perspective.”
- “How would an epic battle scene unfold in third-person narrative?”
- “Describe a character’s moment of triumph from a third-person limited perspective.”
- “Write a third-person narrative of a character’s mundane day turned extraordinary.”
Top 5 Prompts for Dialogue Creation
- “How would a conversation go between two characters stuck in a lift?”
- “Write a dialogue between a detective and a witness of a crime.”
- “What would a conversation look like between a time traveler and a skeptic?”
- “Create a dialogue where a character convinces another to help them on a quest.”
- “Write an emotional conversation between two characters saying goodbye.”
Conclusion
There you have it – 55 prompts to help guide you in writing your novel with the aid of ChatGPT.
From creating compelling characters to crafting intricate plots, these prompts can help spark your creativity and navigate your novel’s journey.
