November Writing Prompts

Katie Zeliger
Nov 3
3 min read

November is often thought of as the season of gratitude, but it’s also National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo, or now referred to as Novel November, NovNov), when thousands of writers around the world dive headfirst into drafting a new story. Whether you’re participating in writing a novel this month or just trying to rekindle your creativity, this month is all about perseverance, reflection, and imagination.

Below you’ll find prompts for every kind of writer from introspective journaling to bold worldbuilding, so you can keep your words flowing all month long.

Reflect & Give Thanks (Fiction, Nonfiction & Poetry)

Even in the rush of drafting, November invites a moment of pause. Take time to notice what grounds you.

Fiction Prompt:

A character sits down to write a letter of gratitude—but halfway through, the tone shifts to something entirely different.

Nonfiction Prompt:

Write about a person who changed your life in ways they’ll never fully understand.

Poetry Prompt:

Use the phrase *“in the quiet between seasons”* as your first line. Let gratitude unfold naturally, without naming it directly.

Fiction Prompts to Fuel Your Novel

Whether you’re crafting fantasy, sci-fi, or contemporary drama, these prompts are designed to spark plot twists, new characters, and imaginative settings.

Fantasy

1. The moon hasn’t risen in 30 nights. Magic everywhere is beginning to fade.

2. A messenger delivers an ancient prophecy to the wrong person—and they decide to make it come true anyway.

3. A kingdom’s most powerful spell is powered by laughter, but joy is vanishing from the realm.

Dystopian / Sci-Fi

1. In a near-future world, dreams are taxed. The poor stop sleeping to save money.

2. Your protagonist wakes up to find their memories for the past year have been uploaded to the cloud—publicly.

3. The world’s governments have outlawed fiction. A secret underground network keeps storytelling alive.

Regency / Historical

1. A scandalous letter falls into the wrong hands at a masquerade ball.

2. A young woman inherits a seaside manor—and with it, a mystery that’s been whispered about for generations.

3. Write a ballroom scene where the most important conversation happens without words.

Young Adult / Coming-of-Age

1. A group of teens discovers an old map hidden in a yearbook. The place it leads to doesn’t exist on any current map.

2. Your main character has one night to make a life-changing decision—and the whole town seems to know before they do.

3. Every seventeen-year-old in town gets a strange mark on their wrist on their birthday. No one knows what it means… until now.

Nonfiction & Poetry Alternatives

Even if you’re not writing a novel this month, you can still harness the creative spirit.

Nonfiction: Write about a time you pushed through creative resistance. What helped you keep going?

Poetry: Write a poem that captures the feeling of momentum—wheels turning, clocks ticking, ink flowing.

Mini Challenge: The 30-Day Writing Streak

November is a marathon, not a sprint. This month, begin every writing session by meditating on one thing you're thankful for. Gratitude can shift your mindset and clear space for deeper creativity.

Then: Write something every day. Whether it’s 100 words in your manuscript, a paragraph in your journal, or a haiku in your notes app. The goal isn’t perfection, it’s persistence.

“You can’t edit a blank page.” — Jodi Picoult

Even five minutes of writing counts. By the end of the month, you’ll have a body of work that didn’t exist before—and the satisfaction of knowing you showed up for your story.

Whether you’re chasing 50,000 words or just one true sentence a day, November is your chance to reconnect with your craft. Embrace gratitude for the stories you carry—and the courage it takes to write them down.