Looking for some fantastic July creative writing prompts? Get fired up with this collection of creative prompts for adults designed to get your storytelling gears turning and give you plenty of options to complement my other creative writing ideas.
From classic summer celebrations to delving into different worlds, these prompts are sure to inspire some great writing.
So dust off those notebooks — or the laptop — and get ready to explore the many possibilities of the written word.
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It’s hard to believe we’re already halfway through the year! How are your creative writing endeavors working out for you? Are you on a project deadline, or do you just love the creative process of spinning tales and putting words on paper?
No matter where you are in your writing journey, July is a great month to explore new creative writing ideas. The summer season is rich with possibilities for all kinds of stories, from something akin to science fiction to steamy romance or chick lit and everything in between.
To help get set your July writing sessions on fire, I’ve got 31 creative prompts that touch on a wide variety of genres and themes. So whether you’re looking for scene ideas to break through writer’s block on your novel, or you just want something fun to write about, these July-inspired adult creative writing prompts are sure to give you plenty of options.
July Creative Writing Prompts
1. Oh, Snap! — It’s National Gingersnap Day and your character is the only one in the office who doesn’t like cookies. How do they get through the day? What kinds of pranks do their workmates pull?
2. Ice Cream Truck — The ice cream truck comes around and your character can’t resist. The creative ice cream flavors are out of this world… literally.
3. Fireworks — The fireworks display is always the highlight of the town’s summer celebration. But this year, there’s a problem…
4. Independence Day — Write about a protagonist who spends the Fourth of July watching movies about Independence Day. When they wake up the next day, the world around them has changed. Your character seems to be the only one who remembers the United States of America ever existed. Explore possible scenarios.
5. Beach Bum — Your character lives for summertime and spending lazy days at the beach. But when a storm hits, they’re swept away to a strange place…
6. World Chocolate Day — Worldwide, it’s a day to celebrate one of the most delicious foods. But what happens when your character discovers a plot to destroy all the chocolate in the world?
7. Tell The Truth Day — For one day of the year, humans are incapable of lying. This year, everyone is required to make a 60-second video where they answer the question, ‘What is your deepest, darkest secret?’
8. Math 2.0 — A new math formula has been proven which makes space travel and time travel possible at the same time. What happens to the person who created the formula?
9. Get Over It — This summer isn’t going at all like your character had expected. Their children have flown the nest, their partner has decided to move on, and it’s rained so much that beach days have been all too few. Your character decides to learn — of all things — mountain climbing. What adventures await?
10. Just Kitten Around — It’s National Kitten Day and your character has been tasked with caring for a basket full of kittens. But when they escape the basket, all hell breaks loose…
11. Small Town, Big Secret — In a small beach town, nothing much ever happens… even in the summer. But when the local news starts talking about a series of grisly murders, the town is thrown into a panic. What’s going on? And who is responsible?
12. The Watercolor — Your protagonist discovers that a famous watercolor painting is actually a portal into an alternate reality. How do they find out? Do the people on the other side know about the portal? What happens next?
13. Farm Crossing — It’s a game, it’s a reality, it’s Farm Crossing. Your character gets a call from their favorite animal friend and they’re off on another adventure.
14. Ghost Stories — It’s summertime and that means it’s time for ghost stories around the campfire. But when one of the stories comes true, your character is caught in the middle of a real-life horror story…
15. The Insiders — Your protagonist is a friendly neighborhood computer hacker who has just discovered worldwide government information is all stored on a secret version of the internet. What happens next?
16. Leaves Of Corn — In a small town in the middle of nowhere, your character stumbles upon a field of corn that’s been grown for a very special purpose…
17. Lifeguard — It’s a hot summer day and your character is on lifeguard duty. When a swimmer gets into trouble, they spring into action… and the experience changes their life.
18. Diamonds And Caviar — It’s a day for the rich and famous. Your character mingles with elites at an exclusive party, but things take a turn when they realize they’ve been invited for a reason they never expected…
19. Intergalactic Space Travel — Your character boards a spaceship bound for another galaxy. What are they leaving behind? What are they hoping to find?
20. Checkmate — A game of chess turns deadly when your character’s opponent cheats.
21. The Legend Of Bromaine — Write a story about a protagonist who has been teased about their last name for years. One day, they start writing a novel where they are the adventurous hero. What happens when some of the scenes start to play out in real life?
22. Sprinkles And Sunshine — Your character inherits a bakery in a sunny beach town. Since their life has just fallen apart, they make the move. How do they blend their love of goth and spooky things with a pink-themed bakery? And how do they become part of the town?
23. Day Of The Cowboy — In a small town in the American west, being a cowboy is still a way of life. But when your character comes to town, they find out there’s more to these cowboys than meets the eye…
24. The Day The World Ended — It’s the end of the world as we know it. What happens?
25. A New Beginning — After the chaos of the world ending, your character starts anew. How do they rebuild their life?
26. The Aunties — Three generations of women have always been close. But when the youngest starts to ask questions about her family’s past, she uncovers secrets that threaten to tear them apart.
27. The Hottest Day Of The Year — Write about a day so hot, even the asphalt melts. What happens to your characters in this intense heat?
28. Raindrops — It’s a rainy day and your character is stuck in a traffic jam. They suddenly notice the raindrops look and sound different than ever before. What’s going on?
29. Conversations On An Elevator — Your character has been assigned to interview the last living elevator operator from the most exclusive apartment building in New York City. What conversations has he overheard during his career that would surprise the world?
30. Paperback — In an increasingly digital world, it’s just become illegal to publish books on paper. The paperback novel industry disappears overnight. How does society change? What happens to libraries? How do people who love reading paperbacks cope… or don’t they?
31. Miss Independence — Her name was Alice. She was strong, independent, and didn’t need anyone. But on Independence Day, she fell into a different world that changed her perspective.
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Ways To Make The Most Of Creative Writing Prompts
There are so many possibilities when it comes to using July creative writing prompts. Whether you want to use them for journaling, NaNoWriMo idea prep, or just plain fun, there are plenty of ways to get creative.
Here are a few ideas to get you started:
1. Choose a prompt and write for 10-15 minutes. Don’t worry about editing or perfecting your work – just let the words flow.
2. Use the prompts as inspiration for longer pieces. Tackle a new short story, novel chapter, or even a film script.
3. Set a goal to write a certain number of words each day using the prompts. This can be a great way to stay on track and meet your writing goals.
I find that writing 500 words a day is a great place to start.
4. Mix up the prompts and use them in different ways. Try writing poems, song lyrics, or even creating art based on your favorite prompts.
Favorite Tools For a Productive And Creative Writing Session
You may want an enjoyable session. Or you may need to be super-productive. Either way, these are some favorite tools to get the job done…
When I need to be productive, I reach for my laptop or get on a desktop computer with a good keyboard. With either of those options, I always prefer to work with a mouse for navigation.
I’ve used this vertical mouse for several months. It took a couple of days to get used to, but it has made an amazing difference in my neck and shoulder pain level after long hours of writing and working at the computer.
I love to bust out words in a simple google doc and keep my book notes in a spreadsheet, but many professional writers use Scrivener or Atticus to organize everything. It’s really personal choice.
When it’s time to scribble and play around with ideas (this is still a creative session!), there’s nothing like writing in a regular composition notebook or a leather journal that holds several notebooks. Hello… creativity AND organization!
Related: Best Journals for Writing: 6 Top Picks
Because I’m a little bit of a perfectionist, I like erasable pens like these Frixion retractable pens. But, the ink does tend to disappear with heat… like if you leave your notebook in the car on a hot July day. The ink usually reappears after being placed in the freezer, but do you want to take the chance?
So, depending on where you work, you may prefer options like these smooth-writing, bold (but slightly smeary until the ink dries) G-2 pens or finer-line RSVP pens.
Really wish you could tell your creative stories on the go or work out scenes before committing them to paper? You definitely need to try otter.ai — it does a decent job of recording and transcribing. Plus, it syncs across devices from iPhone to android to PC, etc. This is one of my favorite apps!
Need all. the. creative. writing. things? Check out this fun set of writing dice and printable story planner workbook.
More Creative Inspiration
9 Best Creative Writing Journals: Take Your Thoughts to the Next Level
On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King
12 Outstanding Creative Outlets for Non-Creative Adults
30 November Writing Prompts for Adults to Fuel Your Creativity
Creative Journaling Exercises, Prompts, and Ideas to Keep You Writing
Concluding Thoughts…
That’s a wrap on the month of July creative writing prompts! I hope you found some new ideas and inspiration from this list.
Even if you aren’t sure whether or not these prompts are for you, I encourage you to give them a try. You may be surprised at what you come up with!
Happy writing!
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That verticle mouse is intriguing. As I get older, using a standard mouse sometimes affects my hand. Thanks, too, for the great writing prompts. I don’t really write fiction but these can sure get the juices going!