10 Writing Prompts for November

Fall-Inspired Prompts for Authors to Spark Creativity

As November arrives, the crisp air and shorter days create an ideal backdrop for writing. Whether you’re diving into NaNoWriMo or simply looking for inspiration, November’s unique themes offer countless possibilities. In this post, we’ll explore why prompts can be a powerful tool, examine November’s distinct atmosphere, and provide ten November writing prompts designed to tap into the month’s spirit and seasonal shifts. These prompts are crafted to help you explore new ideas, unlock creative energy, and delve deeper into storytelling!

Why Use Writing Prompts?

Writing prompts are one of the most effective ways to spark creativity and break through writer’s block. They can also serve as a valuable tool for exploring genres or styles that might be unfamiliar, allowing writers to expand their comfort zones. Here are some reasons prompts can be especially useful:

Encouraging Consistent Writing: Prompts provide a structured jumping-off point, which can help establish a daily habit. Even a short response to a prompt can keep your creative muscles flexed and ready for larger projects.

Exploring New Themes: Using prompts can lead to unexpected ideas. Writers often find themselves drawn to characters, settings, or conflicts that hadn’t initially crossed their minds.

Building Confidence and Momentum: Prompts eliminate the daunting “blank page” effect, providing a specific direction to focus on. This can be particularly helpful for writers aiming to produce larger quantities of text, such as during NaNoWriMo.

By working with these prompts, you’re not only generating words on the page but also cultivating ideas and themes that may continue to evolve into more significant pieces.

Tapping into November’s Themes and Atmosphere

November’s distinctive vibe makes it ideal for writers seeking inspiration. Between the changing season, the symbolism of harvest, and the approach of winter holidays, November is full of storytelling potential. Here are a few key themes:

Transition and Change

November sits between autumn and winter, embodying transformation. Leaves fall, and a hint of winter’s cold settles in, making it an ideal time to explore characters in transition or endings and new beginnings in a story.

Reflection and Remembrance

With Veterans Day, Remembrance Day, and the lead-up to Thanksgiving, November often brings a reflective, introspective tone. This month naturally lends itself to themes of memory, honoring the past, and acknowledging what’s been lost or learned.

Gratitude and Family

Thanksgiving provides a rich context for stories about family dynamics, gratitude, and togetherness (or lack thereof). Stories in this vein can be heartwarming or even complex, examining characters’ unique relationships.

Preparing for Winter

In many places, November marks a time when people prepare for colder months. This theme can add tension or anticipation to stories, with characters getting ready for a long winter ahead.

How to Use the Following Prompts

These November writing prompts can be interpreted however you like—there’s no one “right” way to use them. Consider each prompt a seed; allow it to grow in whatever direction your creativity takes. You might respond to a prompt with a short story, a character sketch, a setting description, or even a poetic reflection. The goal is simply to get words on the page and explore where each prompt leads.

10 November Writing Prompts to Get You Started

Below, you’ll find ten prompts inspired by November’s themes. Each prompt is crafted to be flexible, encouraging you to bring your unique perspective!

1. The Lantern Bearers’ Procession

The first Sunday of November is marked by a nighttime procession of lantern bearers walking silently through the streets. This year, your character decides to join, hoping to understand the mystery surrounding the procession’s origins. What secrets are revealed as the night unfolds?

2. The Last Harvest’s Curse

A local legend warns that any harvest taken after November 15th will be cursed. But your character, facing desperate circumstances, has no choice but to gather the remaining crops. What strange events unfold as a result? Does the curse reveal something long forgotten or feared in the community?

3. The Midnight Toll of Remembrance

On a chilly, quiet night, your character hears the town’s church bell tolling at midnight—a sound they’ve never heard before. The next day, rumors circulate that each toll represents a soul returning to settle unfinished business. What unresolved matter or entity now haunts your character?

4. The Mysterious Invitation

One morning, your character finds an invitation on their doorstep with no return address. It’s for an exclusive gathering, promising to reveal secrets about their heritage or family legacy. Only a handful of others receive the same invitation. What truths (or lies) are uncovered at this unusual meeting?

5. The Bonfire’s Revelations

At a local bonfire gathering, there’s a tradition: each person throws a symbolic item into the flames to represent what they want to leave behind. But this time, the fire responds strangely, sparking unusual reactions or visions in those who participate. What does the fire reveal to each person—and what does your character see?

6. A Family Heirloom

While helping to clear out an attic, your character discovers a dusty family heirloom that hasn’t been seen for generations. Rumors claim it was linked to mysterious or even tragic events. As they investigate, they find that the heirloom holds a clue to their family’s untold stories.

7. A Darkening Path in the Woods

Your character is taking a familiar path in the woods that seems eerily different in November, with shadows stretching longer and landmarks seeming just slightly altered. They begin to notice unusual carvings in the trees or hidden symbols in the brush. What is leading them deeper into the woods, and what will they find?

8. The Return of an Old Flame

As the days grow shorter, a long-lost love or former friend suddenly reappears in your character’s life, carrying a message or object from the past that could change everything. Why have they returned, and what unresolved emotions or secrets come to the surface?

9. A Gathering of the Lost and Forgotten

In a secluded place, a mysterious group of people meets to remember someone—or something—that was lost. Your character is invited by accident (or fate). As they listen to each person’s tale, they realize these “lost” things share a strange and significant connection.

10. A Key and a Locked Door

While exploring a neglected part of their home, your character finds an old key labeled “November,” with no explanation. After searching, they discover it opens a hidden door or drawer they’d never noticed before. What secrets does this discovery unlock?

Why Reading Seasonal Stories Can Help Your Writing

In addition to writing, reading seasonal stories can provide inspiration and insights into how other authors capture the essence of a particular time of year. November-themed stories can immerse you in the mood, pacing, and tone associated with autumn and early winter, offering techniques to bring your own seasonal narratives to life.

Use these November writing prompts as inspiration, let the season shape your writing, and enjoy discovering where your creativity leads. Happy writing!

Erin K. Larson-Burnett, Production Manager at Atmosphere Press (submit your manuscript here!), is a born-and-raised Southerner currently living in Katy, Texas, with her husband and their small domestic zoo. She is an avid ink drinker who lives and breathes books—during the day, she works remotely with authors around the world, honing and perfecting books published through Atmosphere Press. By night, she crafts her own stories…or at least tries to. The Bear & the Rose is her debut novel.