Creative writing in the theme of micro‑fiction thrives when you give models clear objectives, audience context, and constraints. This article packages practical prompt patterns you can reuse and adapt so results improve with every iteration. Lead with the outcome you want, define tone and format, and include short examples. Ask for two alternatives and a brief rationale.
How to use these prompts: Paste the prompt, then ask follow‑ups like “What assumptions did you make?”, “Offer stronger rewrites in different tones,” and “Highlight risks or edge cases to review.” This tight loop compounds quality quickly.
Starter Prompts
- Describe a city where the weather mirrors hidden fears.
- Write dialogue between two characters who share a past they won’t name.
- Outline a three‑act plot where the protagonist must choose between truth and belonging.
Advanced Variations
- Rewrite the same scene in noir, whimsical, and documentary tones.
- Create a character sheet: fears, rituals, private rules, contradictions, and a secret.
- Design a setting bible: laws, power structures, taboos, and festival calendar.
Refinement & QA
- Provide line edits for rhythm and compression; then deliver a clean rewrite.
- Offer five title options and a one‑sentence logline for each.
- List research rabbit holes that deepen authenticity without slowing pacing.
Frameworks & Templates
LOGLINE:must or else in a world where SCENE CARD:| | | CHARACTER:vs | GHOST: | LIE:
Examples & Inputs
- A courier smuggles memories across a walled city; a single delivery changes everything.
- Two rivals discover they were switched at birth; write the confrontation scene.
- A library that only lends books to people who will soon forget them.
Evaluation Rubric
- Emotional clarity and character motivation
- Worldbuilding specificity without info‑dumping
- Dialogue subtext and pacing
- Originality of premise
Iteration Checkpoints
- Interrogate the protagonist’s lie and wound
- Compression pass to remove filler lines
- Sensory pass to ground each scene
Metrics & KPIs
- Beta‑reader engagement (pages read)
- Clarity scores from critique partners
- Revision cycles to ‘final’
Pro tip: Save best outputs as mini‑templates labeled with audience, tone, format, and success metric. Stack them into a personal prompt system that covers ideation → drafting → editing → QA → conversion.