WRITING PROMPT
5 Writing Prompts: Abandoned in the Forest
Get inspired by the wonder of the woods
What would humanity be without forests? We would not only lack the air to breathe and wood to build houses but also lose a great source of inspiration. Many human stories and mysteries are related to forests.
The woods are not only the home of the animals our ancestors hunted to survive but of mystical creatures that inspire stories to this day. Hansel and Gretel walked into a forest where they met the witch. Old tales of fairies and trolls inspired Tolkien and influenced fantasy writing until this day.
I got inspired to write this prompt while walking through a forest in Finland. To start your writing, I took five pictures to help you draw on this wonderful source of inspiration.
Prompt №1 — Two chairs back-to-back
Two chairs stand back-to-back in the forest. They seem to be discarded by someone, but could they have a different story? Who left them there? And what is their purpose?
Prompt №2 — The fairy gate
Your character finds some kind of primitive archway made from long branches. They look like a child’s play. At a closer look, however, there is a flicker in the air and the faint image of a world beyond. Where does this portal lead?
Prompt №3 — Abandoned in the forest
You can find many abandoned objects in the forest, and each has a story to tell. Can you tell the story behind this cast-away bicycle? Who left it there? What happened to them?
Prompt №4 — The hiding place
Who builds these simple structures? Are they someone’s or something’s hiding place? Are they portals for dark shadowy creatures that prey on wanderers? Do they lead to small magical places where one can find rest and solace from stress and anxiety?
Prompt №5 — The maintenance hole
There is a maintenance hole in the forest ground, but no maps indicate any structures or tunnels located here. Who placed this maintenance hole here, and where does it lead?
Now, it’s your turn
“Humans can imagine fairies, angels, and trolls. Unlike any other animal
The culture created by humans consists of useless but vital waste of energy: beliefs, stories and tales, music, museums, games, lies, repetitions, and habits. In this field of fiction, hesitation and nonsense, a human is born as a human. Humans have the ability to believe — or disbelieve.”
A display text in The National Museum of Finland in Helsinki, 2022.
It is your turn for this useless but vital waste of energy. Get your gears running and make everyone believe or disbelieve. Move us with that very imaginative power that makes us human.
A few things to consider:
- I invite you to use these prompts to inspire your writing — fiction, poetry, or maybe non-fiction.
- Post them wherever you want. Why not here on Imaginative Fiction Out There?
- Please tag me in your story responding to this prompt or leave a link in the comments.
- Tag your post with “Abandoned”.
And, now, off you go, please, and get writing.
I like to thank Chelsea Marie, Christine Graves, JF Danskin, and Zane Dickens, who inspired me with their prompts in the past. I want to return the favour and challenge you to awe me with your prompt responses. ;)