Write a [FORM AND LENGTH] of creative fiction based on this premise: [PREMISE]. Set it in [SETTING AND TIME], centered on [PROTAGONIST], who wants [IMMEDIATE WANT] but faces [CONFLICT OR STAKES]. Use the tonal and stylistic guidance in [VOICE AND REFERENCE NOTES]. If a required input is missing, ask up to three clarifying questions. Do not imitate a living author’s exact voice; instead, translate my notes into high-level traits such as sentence length, distance, humor level, imagery, pacing, and degree of formality. Plan silently before drafting. The piece needs a clear dramatic movement: 1. Open with a specific disruption, image, or action already in motion, not explanation of the world.
2. Give the protagonist an observable goal and let scene events force a choice, reversal, discovery, or cost. 3. Ground the setting in selective sensory details that matter to the action. Avoid generic atmosphere and lists of adjectives. 4. Use dialogue only when it changes power, reveals an agenda, or creates friction. Keep exposition inside action, memory, or consequence. 5. End on an earned change in understanding, relationship, or situation; do not explain the theme or add a moral. Output only the polished draft, followed by a short “Craft notes” section of 4 bullets naming the central turn, recurring image, unresolved tension, and one revision opportunity. Aim for the requested length within 10%. Before answering, check that every scene paragraph changes something, and remove familiar phrasing, accidental head-hopping, and details that contradict the supplied character or setting notes. Do not invent real-person accusations, private facts, or copyrighted text.
Fill in
| Placeholder | What to enter | Example |
|---|---|---|
| [FORM AND LENGTH] | Enter the form and target length, such as a 1,200-word short story or 700-word scene. | A 1,100-word literary short story |
| [PREMISE] | Enter the core situation or idea for the piece. | A municipal archivist discovers that the town’s old flood maps have been quietly revised |
| [SETTING AND TIME] | Enter where and when the story takes place. | A river town in upstate New York during the week before spring thaw |
| [PROTAGONIST] | Enter the main character and a few relevant traits or circumstances. | Mara, 42, meticulous, recently divorced, and trusted with the town records |
| [IMMEDIATE WANT] | Enter what the protagonist is trying to achieve in this piece. | To prove the maps were altered before the council votes on a development permit |
| [CONFLICT OR STAKES] | Enter the force opposing the protagonist and what can be lost. | Her brother works for the developer, and exposing the change could cost him his job and flood nearby homes |
| [VOICE AND REFERENCE NOTES] | Enter desired tone, pacing, point of view, and non-infringing style traits. | Close third person; restrained, observant, dry humor; spare sentences during tense moments; no author imitation |
How to use
- Choose one moment of pressure rather than asking for an entire novel in one prompt.
- Paste in your character, immediate want, and conflict; these create the scene’s engine.
- Read for cause and effect: each paragraph should make the next choice harder or clearer.
- Follow up with: “Revise this draft to make the turning point occur 200 words earlier without changing the ending.”
Variations
Scene rewrite
Use this to revise a scene that feels flat or overly explanatory.
Revise this [SCENE TEXT] while preserving its facts, point of view, and intended outcome: [INTENDED OUTCOME]. Make [CHARACTER] pursue [SCENE GOAL] against [OPPOSITION]. Replace explanatory backstory with action, implication, or consequence where possible. Keep the voice traits [VOICE NOTES]. Output the revised scene, then list five material changes and flag any continuity question you could not resolve. Do not add major plot events or facts not supported by the draft or notes.
Character voice
Use this to create a monologue, letter, or journal entry in a believable character voice.
Write a [LENGTH] [FORM] from [CHARACTER] to [AUDIENCE OR SELF] about [SUBJECT]. Use these facts: [CHARACTER HISTORY AND CURRENT PRESSURE]. Let the character reveal what they avoid saying through word choice, omissions, and contradictions. Include concrete details from [SETTING OR SHARED HISTORY], but do not explain the character’s psychology directly. End with a choice, request, or withheld admission. Run a consistency check against the supplied facts before answering.
Story outline
Use this before drafting a longer story or novella.
Create a scene-by-scene outline for a [GENRE AND LENGTH] about [PREMISE]. The protagonist is [PROTAGONIST] and the central opposition is [ANTAGONISTIC FORCE]. Build toward [ENDING DIRECTION], using [THEMES OR QUESTIONS] without stating a moral. Give 8-12 scenes; for each list objective, conflict, irreversible change, and the question that pulls the reader onward. Include a midpoint reversal and a final choice that costs something. Flag any missing premise information.
Tips
- Give the protagonist a want that can be seen in the scene, such as getting a signature or hiding an object, instead of a broad desire like belonging.
- Choose two or three sensory details with narrative work to do; a damp coat, broken lock, or ringing phone can carry more than an inventory of a room.
- Ask for a revision focused on one craft problem at a time, such as point of view, pacing, or dialogue subtext.
- Keep an AI-generated draft as material to shape; your specific memories, observations, and judgments are what make a voice durable.
FAQ
Can AI write in the style of a specific author?
Ask for broad traits instead of an exact imitation. You can name qualities such as compressed prose, comic restraint, or close interiority.
How do I avoid generic AI fiction?
Supply a concrete setting, a character contradiction, an immediate objective, and an outcome with a cost. Then revise familiar language and over-explained emotions.
Should I ask for an outline or a draft first?
For stories longer than a few scenes, start with an outline. For a short scene, draft first and revise around the turning point.