Story ideas can come from anywhere. A photo, a song, a snatch of overheard conversation, a stroll through a garden, someone else’s book cover—the smallest thing can often prompt the germ of an idea. 

I don’t usually use story prompts—at least, not the type of story prompt that’s an actual premise. Nothing against that sort of story prompt. A hundred awesome books by a hundred different people can come from a single sentence prompt. Books, blogs, and online generators can be a great help to anyone who wants to try something new or even just needs help getting unstuck. 

I’ve had my share of getting stuck on projects, and for me, one of the best ways to prompt myself into writing again is to look at pictures. I also use music as inspiration a lot, but a picture can usually give me more concrete ideas. 

I have an entire Pinterest board devoted specifically to story prompt images. Here are a few of my favorites: 

You can find all of these pictures and more on my Pinterest. I hope you find something that inspires you! 

What are some of your favorite ways to prompt ideas?