Fanfiction is where some of the best character work happens. Why? Because you already know these characters inside and out. You’ve watched them, analyzed them, debated their choices in comment sections at 3 AM. Now you get to put them in situations people never imagined.
These fanfiction prompts aren’t your standard “coffee shop AU” fare (though we love those too). They’re inspired by the kinds of stories that get bookmarked thousands of times on AO3, the tropes that never get old, and the “what if” scenarios that keep fandom thriving. Whether you’re writing for a book fandom, TV show, anime, or game, these prompts will help you explore your characters in fresh, emotionally resonant ways.
However here at inkwrit, fanfiction is a new genre we want to explore with our writers. We are hoping you would be willing to share your creative writing in this area.
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How to Use These Fanfiction Prompts
Make It Your Own: Adapt each prompt to your fandom. A “enemies to lovers” prompt works for ANY ship in ANY universe.
Mix Canon and AU: Some prompts work in-universe, others work as alternate universes. Choose what fits your story.
Explore Character Dynamics: The best fanfic digs into relationships (romantic or otherwise). Focus on how characters interact, not just what happens to them.
Don’t Be Afraid to Break Tropes: These prompts suggest tropes, but you can subvert them. The coffee shop where they DON’T fall in love? That’s a story too.
Tag Appropriately: When you share your fic, proper tagging helps readers find (and love) your work.
Share your fanfic on inkwrit and connect with writers across all fandoms → inkwrit.com
30 Fanfiction Prompts (Tropes, Twists & What-Ifs)
Classic Tropes (With a Twist)
1. The Anti-Coffee Shop AU
They meet at the coffee shop everyone writes about. But instead of falling in love, they have the worst first interaction possible and swear never to see each other again. Write how they end up together anyway (forced proximity? Mutual friends? Spite?).
2. Soulmate AU (But They Don’t Want It)
In a world where soulmate marks appear when you meet The One, your character meets their soulmate and immediately decides they don’t want this. Write about rejecting destiny and whether fate gives up or fights back.
3. Fake Dating (That Stays Fake)
They agree to fake-date to solve a problem. The twist: they DON’T catch feelings. Write about a fake relationship that stays fake but changes their friendship in unexpected ways.
4. Time Loop (With Emotional Consequences)
One character is stuck in a time loop. The other has no idea. Every loop, they fall in love. Every reset, only one remembers. Write the loop where the looper finally tells the truth.
5. Amnesia Fic (But It’s Not Romantic)
Character A loses their memory. Character B is told to help them recover it. But Character B knows things about their past that Character A might be better off not remembering. Write the ethical dilemma.
Lend your voice to these: Amazing 101 Writing Ideas And Short Story Prompts
New to Fanfiction? Quick Glossary:
| AU | Alternate Universe (same characters, different setting) |
| Canon | The official story from the original |
| Ship | Romantic pairing you support |
| Fandom | Community of fans |
| Tropes | Common story patterns |
Emotional & Angsty
6. The Apology That Came Too Late
One character spent years trying to apologize. The other finally forgives them. But too much time has passed, and forgiveness doesn’t mean reconciliation. Write the conversation where they realize they can’t go back.
7. Love Confession at the Wrong Time
Character A finally confesses their feelings. Character B feels the same way. But one of them is about to leave permanently (moving, deployment, witness protection, etc.). Write the confession that changes nothing and everything.
8. Grief That Looks Like Anger
Two characters are grieving the same person. One is sad and quiet. The other is furious at everyone, including the person they’re grieving. Write them realizing they’re grieving the same loss in opposite ways.
9. The Jealousy That Isn’t Romantic
Character A is jealous of Character B—but not romantically. They’re jealous of their success, their confidence, their seemingly perfect life. Write the moment this jealousy gets exposed and what happens after.
10. Second Chance They Don’t Take
After years apart, they meet again. All the old feelings resurface. Everything is different now—better, even. They still don’t get back together. Write why.
AUs & Alternate Universes
11. Role Reversal AU
Swap their canonical roles completely. The hero is the villain. The villain is the hero. The confident one is insecure. Write how different choices create different people.
12. Hanahaki Disease (Twist Ending)
Character A is dying from unrequited love (Hanahaki). Character B loves them back but doesn’t know about the disease. Character A chooses the surgery to remove the flowers (and the love) before confessing. Write what happens when B finds out too late.
13. Daemon AU
In a world where everyone has a physical manifestation of their soul (daemon/familiar/patronus), your character’s daemon is the opposite of what everyone expected. Write what this reveals about who they really are.
14. Red String of Fate (Broken)
Everyone can see the red string connecting them to their soulmate—except your character’s string is severed. Write about being the only person in the world with a broken fate.
15. Royalty AU (The Commoner Says No)
The royal falls for the commoner. The commoner falls for them too. But when offered marriage and a throne, the commoner turns it down. Write why someone would refuse a fairy tale.
Friendship-Focused
16. Found Family (Fracturing)
Your found family has been solid for years. But lately, someone’s been pulling away, and no one knows why. Write the confrontation that either saves or breaks the family.
17. The Friend Who Sees Too Much
Best friends tell each other everything. But Character A has been hiding something big. Character B knows—they’ve known for months. Write the conversation where B finally admits they know.
18. Platonic Soulmates
They’re soulmates—but not romantically. They’re platonic soulmates in a world that doesn’t understand that kind of bond. Write about defending a friendship that everyone thinks should be more.
19. The Group Chat Receipts
Someone accidentally sends a message about Person A to a group chat that includes Person A. Write the fallout and whether the friendship survives.
20. Chosen Family vs. Blood Family
Your character has to choose between their found family and their biological family. There’s no compromise that makes everyone happy. Write the choice and its consequences.
Canon Divergence
21. They Survived
Pick a character who died in canon. They survived. Write how the story changes when the dead stay alive.
22. The Villain Wins
Not an AU—write what happens in the canonical world after the villain actually succeeds. How do the heroes cope with losing everything?
23. The Secret That Changes Everything
One character has been keeping a canon-compliant secret that, if revealed, would recontextualize their entire character arc. Write the reveal.
24. Wrong Person Gets Powers
In a world where specific characters have powers, write what happens when the wrong person gets them instead. How does this change the power dynamics of your fandom?
25. The Retirement Fic
Years after canon ends, your character tries to live a normal life. But their past won’t let them retire quietly. Write the reluctant return.
Genre Shifts
26. Horror AU
Take your lighthearted fandom and write it as psychological horror. What’s the scariest version of these characters and this world?
27. Mundane Problems in a Fantasy World
Your fantasy characters deal with completely normal, mundane problems: paying rent, dealing with bad roommates, figuring out taxes. Write the slice-of-life moments between world-saving.
28. Mystery/Noir AU
One character is a detective. Another is their main suspect. Write the investigation where the truth is more complicated than “guilty” or “innocent.”
29. Sports AU
They’re on rival teams. Or the same team with clashing personalities. Write the rivalry, the competition, and what happens when the season ends.
30. No Powers AU
In a fandom where powers define the characters, remove them. Write who they are when they’re just… people.
Your Fic Matters
Fanfiction is storytelling at its most passionate. You’re not writing for money or fame—you’re writing because these characters matter to you, and you have stories about them that need to be told. Every fic you write makes you a better writer, whether it’s 500 words of fluff or a 100k slow-burn epic.
We know that fanfic writers bring incredible passion and skill to this genre, which is why we’re making InkWrit a welcoming home for fanfiction. We hope you’ll love writing here.
Want to write more fanfic? Join inkwrit for daily prompts across all genres and a community that celebrates every kind of storytelling.
Author: Perpetual Iyere
I am a magnetic writer who specializes in vast genres of creative writing with a flair of words that resonate in sensational poetry, stories (fiction and nonfiction) content and script writing. I often write on Twitter and Medium @Iyere Perpetual.
