Monster Writing Prompts: Ideas to Bring Your Beasts to Life
Monsters have always fascinated us. They lurk in the shadows of our imaginations, embodying our fears, curiosities, and sometimes even our hopes. Whether you’re writing a horror story, fantasy epic, or a quirky children’s tale, monsters are a brilliant way to add excitement, tension, and mystery to your story.
To help you get started, here are monster writing prompts to spark your creativity. From terrifying creatures to misunderstood beasts, these ideas are perfect for writers of all genres and levels.
If you’re looking for more ghoulish inspiration, check out our chilling horror writing prompts or Halloween-themed writing prompts to keep those dark ideas flowing.
Horror Monster Prompts
- The Town’s Secret: A monster terrorises a small town every full moon, but the townsfolk adapt to survive—until a new arrival upends their delicate balance.
- Living Shadows: A creature made of pure shadow has begun stealing people’s reflections. Without their reflections, people slowly lose their identity.
- Monster Within: After a strange bite, a young adult begins transforming into a monster every time they fall asleep. What’s worse, they can’t remember what they did while transformed.
Fantasy Monster Prompts
- Guardian of the Gate: A colossal dragon guards an ancient portal, but it’s not there to protect what’s inside—it’s there to keep something from escaping.
- Monster Alliance: In a world where humans and monsters are sworn enemies, a human warrior and a monster must team up to defeat a common threat.
- The Talking Beast: A legendary creature speaks in riddles to anyone who dares approach it, but one of the riddles might hold the key to saving the kingdom.
Sci-Fi Monster Prompts
- Alien Predator: After landing on a distant planet, explorers discover a species of creatures that can adapt to mimic their fears.
- The Viral Beast: A space station is overrun by a monstrous creature created by a rogue AI experiment. It seems to be evolving with every encounter.
- Terraforming Terror: A monster awakens on a planet humans have started terraforming. It sees them as invaders and begins attacking their equipment—and their minds.
Children’s Monster Prompts
- The Closet Monster: A child befriends the monster in their closet and helps it escape a world where hunters target monsters.
- A Monster School: Write about a monster who feels out of place in their own world—until they join a school for unique monsters like them.
- Fluffy and Fierce: A tiny, fluffy monster is laughed at by its peers until it proves it’s braver than them all.
Comedy Monster Writing Prompts
- The Monster’s Day Job: A monster decides to quit scaring people and tries its hand at a human job, but its monstrous habits keep causing chaos.
- The Vegan Vampire: A bloodthirsty monster decides to go vegan, but it’s struggling to adjust to a diet of beetroot juice and tofu.
- Monster Dating App: Monsters have created their own dating app, but a human accidentally swipes right on a terrifying creature.
Romantic Monster Prompts
- Forbidden Love: The monster hunter loves the very creature they’re hired to destroy.
- Cursed Prince/Princess: True love’s kiss breaks the monstrous curse, but no one looks past the scales and claws.
- The Loner Beast: A shy, reclusive monster finds an unexpected connection with a human who isn’t afraid of them.
Mystery/Thriller Monster Prompts
- Missing People: People in a coastal town start disappearing, and the evidence points to an ancient sea creature that no one believes exists.
- Monster’s Footprint: After a giant footprint is found in the woods, a journalist is determined to uncover the truth behind it.
- The Silent Scream: A monster attacks its victims by emitting a sound that no one but the victim can hear.
Tips for Writing Monster Stories
- Think Beyond Scary: Monsters don’t always need to be frightening. They can be funny, sad, or even heroic.
- Give Depth: A good monster has a backstory. What created it? What does it want?
- Play with Perspective: Try writing from the monster’s point of view. What does the world look like through their eyes?
- Blend Genres: Monsters can appear in any genre. A romantic comedy with a monster twist or a historical drama featuring a mythical creature can make for a unique tale.
Monsters provide endless inspiration for writers, offering opportunities to explore themes of fear, humanity, and the unknown. Use these monster writing prompts to dive into your next monstrous masterpiece, and don’t forget to have fun creating creatures that linger in the minds of your readers long after they’ve turned the last page.
What’s your favourite type of monster to write about?
