Here are 34 story starters, opening lines you can copy and keep writing from, grouped into mystery, adventure, everyday, funny and eerie openings. A good opening line works because it raises a question the reader needs answered, and Edgar Allan Poe's old advice still helps: know where your story ends before you start.
A story starter does one job: it gets you past the blank page. Instead of 'write a story about a lost dog', you get 'The dog came back on Tuesday, but it wasn't our dog.' Now you've got a voice, a mystery and a reason to keep going. These openers suit students, adult writers and anyone doing a writing challenge, and each one is written to plant a question in the reader's head.
What makes an opening line work
In The Philosophy of Composition, Poe argued that a story should be short enough for a single sitting and planned from its ending, so every line builds one unity of effect. That includes the first line. If you're writing very short pieces, flash fiction gives you named formats to aim for, such as the six-word story, the 50-word dribble and the 100-word drabble.
| Format | Length | How to use a story starter |
|---|---|---|
| Six-word story | Six words | Use the starter as inspiration and boil it down |
| Dribble | 50 words | One scene, one twist |
| Drabble | 100 words | Opening line, one development, one reveal |
| Short story | Read in a single sitting, as Poe advised | Plan the ending, then let the starter lead you there |
The trick most writers miss: don't explain the opening line straight away. Let the question sit for a paragraph or two. The reader's curiosity is the engine of the whole story.
Mystery story starters
Each opens with something that doesn't add up.
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The letter was addressed to me, in my own handwriting, postmarked thirty years before I was born.
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Every clock in the house stopped at the same minute, and nobody would say why.
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The dog came back on Tuesday, but it wasn't our dog.
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I found the photograph in a library book, and the girl in it was wearing my coat.
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Nobody noticed the extra seat at the table until someone sat in it.
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The phone rang at 3am, and the caller knew exactly what I'd dreamed.
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There were seven of us when the storm started. In the morning, there were eight.
Adventure story starters
Movement, risk and a clear goal from the first line.
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The map was wrong, and we didn't realise until the bridge was gone.
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If we didn't reach the lighthouse by dawn, the ship would hit the rocks.
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I'd never flown a plane before, but the pilot was asleep and wasn't waking up.
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The last train out of the city left in four minutes, and I was on the wrong side of the river.
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My grandmother's old suitcase held three things: a compass, a key and a ticket to a place that doesn't exist.
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The jungle went silent, which is never a good sign.
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We had one rope, two climbers and a cliff that kept growing.
Everyday story starters
Ordinary moments with something slightly off. Great for realistic fiction.
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Mum said we were moving, and then she said where.
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It was the first day at my new school, and I'd already lost my shoe.
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My brother hadn't spoken to me in a year, and then he knocked on the door.
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The supermarket was empty except for a man buying every banana in the shop.
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I build the systems that handle the boring 80 percent, so you get your week back. Done properly, with the human kept in.
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I'd practised the speech a hundred times, but the microphone didn't work.
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The bus driver missed my stop on purpose.
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Grandad handed me a box and said, 'Don't open it until I'm gone.'
Funny story starters
Silly premises that practically write themselves.
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My cat has started leaving me notes, and they're very rude.
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The day I accidentally became mayor began with a sandwich.
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I only went into the shop for milk.
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Our new teacher is clearly three children in a long coat.
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My shadow has gone on holiday without me and keeps sending postcards.
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The goldfish has escaped, and nobody knows how.
Eerie and unsettling story starters
For writers who like dread. Hold back the explanation as long as you can.
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The house was exactly as we'd left it, except all the mirrors had been turned to face the wall.
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Every night at midnight, the radio played a song that hasn't been written yet.
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The new neighbours never cast a shadow.
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Someone had been sleeping in the attic, and they'd left the bed made.
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The town's welcome sign had a population number that went down by one every morning.
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My reflection waved before I did.
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The fog came in, and with it came the sound of footsteps that matched mine exactly.
How to get better stories from a starter
- Decide the ending before you write the second line, as Poe advised.
- Keep the question open. Explain the opening line too soon and the tension drains away.
- Write in the voice the opening suggests. A funny line wants a funny narrator.
- Cut the starter at the end if you've outgrown it. Some stories find a better first line later.
- Try a word limit. A 100-word drabble from any of these is a great warm-up.
When your stories are ready, my directory of websites that publish fiction lists places to submit, and teachers might like my piece on why people choose to teach.
My advice for using story starters
Pick the opening that gives you a little jolt, then write for ten minutes without stopping. Don't plan too much at first; just find out what happens. Once you've got a messy draft, go back, decide the ending for real and tighten everything towards it, cutting any scene that doesn't help you get there. That's when a starter becomes a story.
Frequently asked questions
What is a story starter?
An opening line or short premise that gets you writing, such as 'The dog came back on Tuesday, but it wasn't our dog.'
What makes a good opening line?
One that raises a question the reader wants answered, sets a voice and avoids explaining too much too soon.
How long should a story from a story starter be?
Any length. Try a 100-word drabble for a warm-up or a short story short enough to read in one sitting.
Are story starters good for students?
Yes. They remove the blank-page problem and let students focus on plot, character and voice.
Should I plan the ending first?
It helps. Edgar Allan Poe argued that a story should be planned from its ending so every line builds one effect.
