Written by August 22nd, 2013

Writing Prompt: Invasion

You wake up in bed. You hear the sound of a gun being loaded, or a vase being broken, or the door being kicked in.

You start writing from the point of being woken up by a strange and dangerous sound. What happens next is up to you.

You could be writing from your own point of view, or the point of view of a character. In the story the narrator could have been sleeping at home, or in a cabin, a hotel, or a friend’s house. The narrator could be in their home town or a strange city.

So many elements of this story are up to you. It is your choice what happens next. This could be come a serious story or a comedic farce. The direction you take it is up to you.

You could even try this prompt in poetic form for a bit of fun.

The great thing to do with this prompt is to pass it on to friends so that you see some of the different ways it could be interpreted.

 

We Send You Publishers Seeking Submissions.

Sign up for our free e-magazine and we will send you reviews of publishers seeking short stories, poetry, essays, and books.

Subscribe now and we'll send you a free copy of our book Submit, Publish, Repeat

Nine Manuscript Publishers Open to Direct Submissions in August 2025

Nine Manuscript Publishers Open to Direct Submissions in August 2025

Established publishers and small presses seeking manuscripts. No agent required.

Twin Flame Literary: Now Seeking Submissions

Twin Flame Literary: Now Seeking Submissions

A new online journal seeking fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction.

The Sentence as a Spine: How Syntax Shapes Story

The Sentence as a Spine: How Syntax Shapes Story

Because how a story is told matters just as much as what happens in it.

28 Themed Submission Calls and Contests for August 2025

28 Themed Submission Calls and Contests for August 2025

These are calls and contests for fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. Some of the call themes are: the hollow court; trolls (fairy tales); Mmeory (memory manipulation); unseen agreements; common bonds; on the money; of swords & roses; Odysseus; erased from history; and travel by plane. THEMED CALLS Vellum Mortis: The Hollow CourtVellum Mortis is a monthly…