Picture Prompts for Creative Writing & Story Starters

They say a picture is worth a thousand words—and for writers, it literally can be. Picture prompts (also called picture writing prompts) use images to spark creativity, inspire storytelling, and overcome writer’s block.

Picture prompts can spark imagination, whether you’re a teacher helping students practice picture story writing, a writer looking to exercise your creativity, an artist who wants to work with the written word, or an English learner aspiring to improve your writing.

This article rounds up 130 picture prompts, plus story starter ideas for each. If you want to create your own picture prompts, try QuillBot’s AI image generator.

Picture writing prompts

Below, find picture prompts to inspire all kinds of writers. For each image, you’ll find story starters and questions you can use to deepen the prompt.

Daily life

These picture prompts encourage you to find inspiration in everyday life.

Coffee shop

Story starter: The first sip was supposed to wake her up, not change her life.

Questions: Who owns the notebook? What decision is being made here?

Crowded commute

Story starter: The train was late again—but this time, it wasn’t just the schedule that had changed.

Questions: What do you notice about the crowd? What might each person be thinking?

An old blue house

Story starter: Upon arrival, it was clear no one had lived in the old blue house for years.

Questions: Where is this house? Why has no one lived in it? Who lived there in the past?

Shoes by the pool

Story starter: The shoes were still there when the pool closed for the night.

Questions: Who left them behind? Did they plan to come back?

The gardener

Story starter: Like every other morning, the gardener appeared in the park at sunrise.

Questions: Who is this person? Why do they tend to the plants every morning? Is this their job or do they do it out of passion?

At the market

Story starter: She bought her fruit at the same market stall every morning. But today, something called her to buy from a different vendor.

Questions: Who is the buyer? Who is the vendor? What words or gestures do they exchange?

Grandma’s recipe

Story starter: The recipe was his grandmother’s—but he’d added one secret ingredient.

Questions: What’s being baked? What memory does it carry?

Waiting at the laundromat

Story starter: He was entranced by the swirling motion of the washing machine when he heard his name from behind him.

Questions: Who called the man’s name? What feelings caused him to get entranced by the machine?

Old photos

Story starter: The old photos lay in front of her, and she finally saw the one she’d been searching for.

Questions: Who appears in the photos? What appears in the photo was she looking for, and why was she looking for it?

The message

Story starter: The message had been deleted—but not before she saw it.

Questions: What did the message say? Who sent it? How does the woman feel?

Work and school

These picture prompts can help writers explore how we approach responsibility and relationships across diverse workplace and classroom settings.

Virtual faux pas

Story starter: The microphone was still on when one of the participants whispered something they shouldn’t have.

Questions: What’s the meeting about? Who accidentally reveals something? What happens next?

One special meal

Story starter: He’d cooked this meal a thousand times—but tonight, everything had to be perfect.

Questions: Who is the dish for? What’s at stake if something goes wrong? What memories does this meal bring back?

Night owl freelancer

Story starter: Outside, the city slept. Inside, his deadline didn’t.

Questions: What’s he working on? Why is he up so late? What’s motivating him to finish?

On site

Story starter: He balanced the pipe on his shoulder. He only needed to carry it a few more steps.

Questions: What pipe is he carrying? Where is he taking it? How does he feel at this moment? What does his average day look like?

The meeting

Story starter: “What if we just tell the truth?” she asked. Her teammates fell silent.

Questions: What project are they planning? What’s the truth? How does her idea change everything?

“Here”

Story starter: “Here’s where it happened,” the teacher said, as he gestured to the map.

Questions: What event is the teacher talking about? Why are the students learning about it? What questions do they have?

Nerves

Story starter: Her hands shook so badly she almost dropped her notes. But when she turned around, she saw one face smiling back at her.

Questions: What topic is she presenting? Who is in the audience that matters most? How does she feel afterward?

Alone in class

Story starter: Everyone else had gone home, but he still couldn’t bring himself to leave.

Questions: Why did the student stay behind? What memory is tied to this room? What happens just before he finally walks out?

A sunrise ride

Story starter: It was the first day of school—and the last morning that everything would feel normal.

Questions: Who’s on the bus? What’s waiting for them at school? Why is this day different from every other?

Studies and secrets

Story starter: They had promised to focus. But the secret between them was louder than the pages turning.

Questions: What are they studying for? What’s the secret they’re keeping? How does the night end?

Relationships

The complexities of human (or interspecies) relationships offer a wealth of situations and emotions for writers to explore. These picture prompts deal with different types of relationships.

The coffee date

Story starter: They’d agreed to meet “just as friends,” but neither knew what that really meant.

Questions: What’s the history between these two people? How does the conversation go? What decision do they make by the end?

Departures

Story starter: He told himself it was just for a while—but deep down, he knew better.

Questions: Where is one of them going? Why can’t the other come along? Will they meet again someday?

Family reunion

Story starter: It was the first time they’d all eaten together in years. Only one person was missing.

Questions: What are they celebrating? Who is missing? Why is that person not there?

Forgotten anniversary

Story starter: The candles had burned down to wax puddles by the time he realized his partner wasn’t coming.

Questions: Why did the other person forget—or did they? What does he do when he finally stands up? How does this night change their relationship?

Chosen family

Story starter: The day they realized they were a chosen family, they were…

Questions: How did they spend this day? What led to them being family more than friends? Are there circumstances with their blood families that caused them to look for a chosen family?

The hug

Story starter: A hug had never meant so much.

Questions: Who are the two women, and what’s their relationship? Why are they hugging at this moment? Who initiated the hug?

Pizza party

Story starter: The pizza did smell good, but…

Question: What’s the context of this meeting? Why is there a pizza? How are the people feeling?

The hike

Story starter: At the summit, they reflected on all they’d been through together.

Questions: What’s the relationship between these three people? Why are they hiking a mountain? What did they go through together?

Daily selfie

Story starter: Every day they took one selfie. Today was a true reason to celebrate.

Questions: Why do they take a daily selfie? How long have they known each other, and what’s their relationship? What are they celebrating?

Man’s best friend

Story starter: The dog stayed by his side the entire time he was in the hospital, only leaving when dragged outside to use the bathroom.

Questions: Why is the man in the hospital? Why does the dog never leave his side? Whose story is more important—the man’s or the dog’s?

Sports

These sports picture prompts can help bring out action and excitement in your writing.

Swish

Story starter: It was now or never. The ball soared towards the net, and…

Questions: Why is this moment so important? What’s on the line? Does the basketball go in or not? How does the shooter react?

The skater’s fall

Story starter: The applause had stopped, but the music hadn’t.

Questions: What went wrong? What’s going through her mind as she gets up? How does she finish her routine?

Best seat in the house

Story starter: From above, the baseball diamond looked so different. They could barely see the fourth-inning home run as it soared into the stands.

Questions: Why are these people watching the baseball game from above? Where are they? Does their presence affect the game at all?

An unbelievable announcement

Story starter: They turned up the volume, unable to believe what they’d just heard.

Questions: Who’s watching the soccer game? What did they hear on the transmission? How do they react?

En garde

Story starter: Fencing was supposed to have been a way to deal with her anger, but in that moment, she found herself more furious than ever.

Questions: Why is she so angry? Why did she take up fencing as a way to deal with anger? Who is her opponent?

In the box

Story starter: Those two minutes felt longer than his entire hockey career.

Questions: What led to the penalty? How does the player feel—angry, regretful, defiant? What happens when they return to the ice?

Dreams

Story starter: The bat was cracked, the ball was taped, and the rules changed every five minutes—but no one cared.

Questions: Where are these people playing? What do they dream about as they play? How does cricket connect them?

The rookie

Story starter: All season long, he’d waited for his chance. Tonight, it might finally come.

Questions: What’s his backstory—why does he play football? Why hasn’t he been given a chance yet? What happens when he’s called in?

Story starter: No coach, no crowd—just the steady rhythm of the ball echoing back her thoughts.

Questions: What’s she training for? What does solitude reveal about her mindset? How does tennis mimic human thought or emotion?

An unlikely pair

Story starter: They’d never played together before. But now, joining forces might be the only way to get what they want.

Questions: What brought them together? What strengths do they discover? How does their pickleball partnership change their relationship?

Skate crew

Story starter: The sound of wheels on pavement echoed between the buildings, mixing with laughter and the hum of the city.

Questions: What brought this group together tonight? What does the city mean to them—freedom, escape, or rebellion?

Art, architecture, and music

Picture prompts related to the arts let you explore the meaning behind creation and expression.

Up in flames

Story starter: The flames hissed as the rain fell, but the artist didn’t look away.

Questions: Why destroy something they created? What memory or truth are they trying to erase? Why burn the canvas in the rain?

Focus

Story starter: The artist adjusted the spotlight until it perfectly illuminated the plant’s delicate flowers, and grabbed the camera.

Questions: Why did the artist choose this plant and these colors? Who’s in the background? What will this photograph represent?

Once upon a wall

Story starter: When they stepped inside, every portrait seemed to turn its gaze toward them.

Questions: Who painted these works, and why were they left behind? What hidden story lies within one of the paintings? Who are these two people?

Seaside graffiti

Story starter: No one in the small coastal town really paid the abandoned ship any mind until one day they woke up to a fresh coat of graffiti on its hull.

Questions: Why did the graffiti artist choose to paint on the ship? Why is this ship abandoned?

Among the clouds

Story starter: The clouds—unusually thick for this time of year—rolled in and hid half the city from view.

Questions: Why is it so cloudy? What buildings are still visible? What might the people below the clouds be thinking or feeling?

The old bridge

Story starter: She felt an overwhelming sense of dread as she started across the old wooden bridge.

Questions: What does this bridge cross—a river, a highway, a gorge? Does she feel dread because she’s in this specific place, or for some unexplainable reason? Is she completely alone?

Middle of nowhere

Story starter: The three quick knocks on the door seemed to echo for miles.

Questions: Who built a home in the middle of nowhere—and why? What happens when a stranger appears at the door?

Subway solo

Story starter: The echoes of his song reached someone he hadn’t seen in years.

Questions: What emotion does the music carry? Who’s the person looking at him? What relationship did they once have, and why haven’t they seen each other in years?

Rock on

Story starter: The amps buzzed, and the drummer missed a beat. Nothing was perfect, and they loved it.

Question: What keeps them playing? What dream drives them? Why do they love their imperfect sound?

The moment

Story starter: Perfectly synced to the final strum of the guitar solo, fireworks shot through the air and illuminated the night.

Question: Where is this concert? Why shoot off fireworks—what’s special about this show?

Animals

Animal-themed picture prompts let writers approach the world from an animal’s point of view or explore the relationship between other species and humans.

Sled dogs

Story starter: The team looked back at their musher, waiting for their next cue.

Questions: What journey are the dogs and their musher on? What challenge lies ahead in the wilderness? What bond exists between the lead dog and the musher?

Lone eagle

Story starter: Below lay the valley it had guarded for generations.

Questions: What does the eagle see from above? Why does it guard the valley? What’s special about this land?

Elephant herd

Story starter: She led the way, guiding the herd towards their destination.

Questions: Who is the elephant leader? Where is the herd going? What happens when they arrive?

Penguin family

Story starter: They took turns shielding the smallest one from the wind.

Questions: How do they survive together in such harsh conditions? What’s the relationship between them? What happens when one of them goes missing?

Parrot gossip

Story starter: One of the parrots had definitely said it, though no one knew which one.

Questions: What did the parrot say? Which one? What happens after the parrot makes its statement?

Kitten trio

Story starter: They’d expected to go home with one kitten, not three.

Questions: Why did the people take three kittens instead of one? What is the kittens’ story? How are the kittens’ personalities similar and different?

Forest fox

Story starter: Its golden eyes glimmered against the deep green of the trees.

Questions: Who (or what) is the fox looking at? How does it feel—safe, suspicious, curious, etc.?

Black and white wolves

Story starter: The twin wolves—one as black as night and the other as white as snow—were well known in these parts, but they hadn’t been seen in weeks.

Questions: Why are the wolves known? What’s their relationship, and their relationship with the humans around them? Where have they been for the last few weeks?

Panda picture

Story starter: The panda looked like it understood exactly what the lens was doing.

Questions: What does the panda see in the humans photographing it? What story might it tell if it could speak?

Orca visitor

Story starter: The people on the beach froze as the massive fin cut through the shallow water—too close, too deliberate to be lost.

Questions: Why has the orca come so near to land? Who witnesses the moment, and how do they react? What does the coastline mean to the whale—home, danger, or something else?

Travel

Explore the world with these travel picture prompts.

Up in the air

Story starter: As the balloons floated up over the valley, his worries also floated away.

Questions: What is the protagonist worried about? Why did he choose to come to this place? Who might he meet in the balloon?

Change of plans

Story starter: The storm rolled in suddenly, ruining his plans, but he didn’t mind. Already dressed, he calmly put his sunglasses on to watch the lightning from inside the cozy hotel.

Questions: Where is the man? What were his plans? Why doesn’t he mind that they’re canceled?

Northern lights

Story starter: The aurora cast its greenish-blue light over the ice, giving the landscape an otherworldly glow.

Questions: Where (and when) does this story take place? Who is the main character? Why are they out on the ice during the night?

Quiet village

Story starter: The village was quietest at dawn.

Questions: Where is this village? Why is this person out at dawn? How does the setting make them feel—peaceful, full of awe, uneasy, lonely?

Reflections

Story starter: They’d traveled to the ends of the earth. But as their reflections followed them, they remembered that wherever they went, there they were.

Questions: Who is this couple? Why have they traveled to these salt flats? What are they running from (or to)?

Namche Bazar

Story starter: This was the last stop in civilization before she started her trek to the summit.

Questions: Why is this woman climbing the mountain? What does she hope to find at the summit? What challenges will she face to get there?

Walking on waves

Story starter: As she walked down the wooden walkway, over the gentle waves, she heard a familiar laugh in the distance.

Questions: Where is she? Who is it that she hears? Was she expecting to see them in this place? What happens when they meet?

The lighthouse

Story starter: On their hike to the lighthouse, they stopped to consider the cairns—and why they’d been built there.

Questions: Who finds the cairns? How do they feel? Why were they hiking to the lighthouse? Does their discovery change their plans?

Over Kauai

Story starter: The colors of the island seemed even more vivid from the air.

Questions: Who’s in the aircraft? Why? Do they know the island well or not? How does their perspective change?

Old Constantinople

Story starter: She looked up to see birds flying over the mosque. She adjusted her headscarf, took a deep breath, and walked through the door.

Questions: How is she feeling as she enters the mosque, and why? How do her feelings change once she’s inside? Where is this building? What year is it?

Holidays and special occasions

To explore the meanings and feelings behind different holidays, try these picture prompts.

Wedding day

Story starter: The dark, dense storm cloud loomed, moving closer to the wedding with every gust of wind.

Questions: Who’s getting married? Have they prepared for the possibility of rain? What happens once the storm cloud arrives—how do people react?

A special birthday

Story starter: Everyone came to celebrate her life. But she had one more story to tell, and she was finally ready to tell it.

Questions: What story does she reveal? How does it change how people see her? What secret has she kept all these years?

Independence day

Story starter: Everyone looked up as the sky burst into color—everyone except one person.

Questions: Why is that person looking at their phone? Did they receive a message or see some news online? Does something go wrong during the show?

Halloween

Story starter: Everyone in town said the house was empty—until the light came on one Halloween night.

Questions: Who lives there now? What happens when someone decides to go inside? What secret has been hidden in that house?

Easter

Story starter: They’d changed up their egg-dyeing process this year, and now they felt…

Questions: Who dyed the Easter eggs? How did they change the dyeing process? How do they feel about the results?

Ramadan

Story starter: The waiting was even harder with all the food laid out in front of them, but sundown was so close now.

Questions: Where does this celebration take place? Is it at the beginning, middle, or end of Ramadan? How do they feel while waiting for the sun to go down? How do their emotions change once it has?

Diwali

Story starter: They carefully placed the last flower petals in place to finish the rangoli and then sat back to admire the colorful design.

Questions: Who created the rangoli? Why? What were they thinking about while they made it? What might Diwali signify for them?

Thanksgiving

Story starter: This was the biggest crowd they’d seen for Thanksgiving in years.

Questions: How does celebrating Thanksgiving this way differ from celebrating at home? Why are there more people this year at the communal kitchen than in others?

Christmas presents

Story starter: It was the smallest, most unassuming present under the tree. And it was the last to be opened.

Questions: What’s in the box? Who’s the present for? It’s small in size—but is it small in value?

Seder

Story starter: Passover was always his favorite time of the year.

Question: Why is Passover the main character’s favorite time of the year? Who does he celebrate it with?

Mystery

Want to explore building suspense in your writing? These mystery picture prompts are a great place to start.

Alone in the alley?

Story starter: The sound of footsteps echoed through the alleyway—but when she turned around, no one was there.

Question: What secret is hidden at the end of that alley? Why is she pursuing it?

Illuminated manuscript

Story starter: There, among the dark study, sat an open book, illuminated by a ray of light.

Question: What’s in the book? Why is it so perfectly illuminated by the ray of light?

A lone light in the forest

Story starter: One lone lantern glowed in the dark forest.

Question: Why is this person out in the forest? Who finds him?

Masked

Story starter: This was the only shop that sold this brand of masks in Venice.

Questions: Why are the masks important? How do masks make people act—or feel—differently?

Under the overpass

Story starter: They’d found the body in the walkway that went under the highway, but there were no clues whatsoever left at the scene.

Questions: What happened to the body? What two places does the tunnel connect? Why were there no clues at the scene?

Tunnel vision

Story starter: A figure appeared at the other end of the tunnel, and the way it moved seemed very familiar.

Questions: Why is the person in the tunnel? Who is it that they see on the other end? How may the perspective of the tunnel affect their perception?

A telling spread

Story starter: The detective couldn’t believe it. The cards had revealed details no one but the police could know.

Question: What is the detective investigating? Why do they turn to tarot? What do the cards say?

Not alone

Story starter: The police had said the property was abandoned, but she saw someone watching her.

Question: Is it a person or something else? Why is the building empty? What is she doing there?

Tracks

Story Starter: The footprints appeared overnight, stopping suddenly at the treeline.

Question: Where did the person—or thing—go? Why is someone following them?

Locked away

Story starter: Inside was a note that read, “Don’t open until you remember.”

Question: What has the protagonist forgotten? How did they remember? What’s inside the box?

Horror

Below, find horror picture prompts to challenge you to tap into the darker side of reality.

Skulls

Story starter: The tunnel was lined floor-to-ceiling with skulls. What stories would they tell if they could speak?

Questions: Where does this story take place? Why are there so many skulls? How do people treat the skulls—with fear, reverence, or a mix?

Red moon

Story starter: A deep red moon was never a good omen.

Questions: What does the red moon portend? How do people change under its red light?

Circles

Story starter: They suddenly had a creeping sensation that they’d been driving in circles.

Questions: What do they see—or sense—that makes them feel they’ve been driving in circles? Is it true? If so, why—or how?

Mirror mirror

Story starter: Her reflection raised its arm as if to greet the visitor. But she hadn’t.

Question: Who’s entered the room? What’s trying to come through the glass? Why is the mirror broken?

Behind the screen

Story starter: His dream was always the same: a person behind a white screen of some sort.

Questions: What does this dream symbolize? Is it simply a dream, or something more?

Sleep paralysis

Story starter: She woke up and tried to move, but her body wouldn’t respond. She felt a weight on her chest, and then she saw it.

Questions: How does the woman react to sleep paralysis? Why does this happen to her? How do the shadows behave?

Beams

Story starter: The light pattern didn’t match any known signal—it was spelling something.

Question: Who’s sending the message? Where are they sending it from, and where to? Why use the lighthouse?

Blurry

Story starter: The photo was taken years ago. The blurred figure appeared only after she touched it.

Question: Who was erased, and why? What caused the image to blur now and not earlier?

Echoes

Story starter: She heard her own voice echoing back, but it was saying something different.

Question: Is she alone in the tunnel? Where are the echoes coming from?

Carnival

Story starter: The carousel started turning on its own, and a music box tune struck up in the distance.

Question: Why did the carnival come back to life? Why had it been abandoned?

Fantasy and science fiction

Fantasy and science fiction picture prompts offer the chance to really let your imagination soar.

Dragon

Story starter: The dragon’s mouth erupted with flame. Below, on the street, the archers drew their bows.

Questions: Who is defending and attacking? What happens to the people in the town during this battle?

Light and shadow

Story starter: The glass cast its reflections over the black tabletop. The patterns of light and shadow danced gracefully, arranging themselves into an unmistakable sign.

Questions: What does the reflection show? How do the viewers feel upon seeing this image?

The Green Man

Story starter: The Green Man stood in the middle of the trail, unmoving as the party advanced.

Questions: Where is the party going? What does the Green Man want? What happens when they get close to him?

The light in the lake

Story starter: The light’s radiant beam was like a beacon, calling her. She knew the quest would be difficult, but there was no going back.

Questions: Towards where is the light calling her? What challenges face her? Who are her allies along the way?

The old library

Story starter: The stone library was said to be hundreds of years old. But as he absorbed the stories from the books, he knew it to be much older.

Questions: What powers allow him to move the books and absorb their stories? How old exactly is the library? Why did he end up here?

Sky city

Story starter: The people below said those above were gods. The people above knew better.

Question: What happens when the bridges fail? Who lives above, and who lives below?

Reprogrammed

Story starter: It wasn’t programmed to feel—yet it wept when she went to shut it down.

Question: Can machines have emotions, or just mimic them? Can they form true bonds with us? Can we with them?

Signals

Story starter: The signal wasn’t coming from Earth. Yet, whoever was sending it had spoken her name.

Question: Who’s sending the message, and how do they know her?

The colony

Story starter: The colony’s log ended abruptly with the words, “We were never alone.”

Questions: What did they find? Why did the log end so suddenly?

Clone city

Story starter: She was the only one with a scar, and that made her dangerous.

Question: Who created them, and why?

Surreal and dreamlike

These surreal picture prompts are great for exploring the weird and whimsical aspects of our world.

Tides of sleep

Story starter: He woke to waves rocking him gently, with no memory of how he fell asleep.

Questions: Is this a dream, a hallucination, or something stranger? What does he see when he looks over the edge into the water? How does he get back?

Sands of time

Story starter: Looking through the hole in the middle of the clock, it seemed like time had stopped on the other side.

Questions: Why is the clock missing its middle? Why does it not have hands? How does the protagonist react to the sensation of time stopping on the other side?

Mountain eye

Story starter: The curves in the mountain formed what appeared to be a giant eye looking down at them.

Questions: Is this simple geography, or something more? If a mountain could see, what would it look at?

Whale song

Story starter: When the whale passed overhead, some of the townspeople all heard the same song.

Questions: What does the whale represent or signal? Why can only some people hear its song clearly? What happens when it returns?

Teacup in the forest

Story starter: They said drinking from it grants a wish—but never said what it takes in return.

Questions: Who made the cup? What’s the cost of a wish? What happens when the cup empties?

The never-ending staircase

Story starter: Halfway up, she realized the staircase wasn’t taking her anywhere—it was taking her back.

Questions: Why does the staircase exist? Does it change depending on who climbs it?

Sapphire eyes

Story starter: In place of eyes, she had two bright sapphires.

Questions: Who is the woman? Why does she have gemstones for eyes?

Astral realm

Story starter: The room was suddenly filled with all types of strange creatures.

Questions: How and why does the person astral project? Who (or what) are the other creatures? How does their experience in the astral realm affect their reality?

Grasping

Story starter: The hand seemed to be reaching for something, though there was nothing else around.

Questions: Whose hand is this? What does it want?

Always watching

Story starter: The eye blinked and refocused, as if surprised to see them.

Questions: Why is there an eye in this building? What is the ladder for?

Picture writing prompts for kids

These picture prompts are specifically targeted at kids, featuring subjects and themes they may more easily relate to and questions they can more easily answer.

Egg faces

Story starter: The eggs were shocked.

Question: What are they shocked by? Why is one egg brown?

The monkey’s study

Story starter: His tea was hot, the kids were asleep, and his pen had fresh ink; it was time to write.

Questions: What is the monkey writing? How does he feel about this topic?

Forest meeting

Story starter: The animals hated meetings, but this matter was urgent.

Questions: What’s so urgent that they have to meet? What opinions or suggestions do the different animals offer at the meeting?

Nocturnal flight

Story starter: The birds loved to fly all over London. But their very favorite spot was around Big Ben.

Questions: Why do the birds like Big Ben? Why do they fly at night? How do they feel while they’re flying around it?

The plant that grew overnight

Story starter: Yesterday it was tiny. Today it touched the ceiling.

Questions: What made it grow so fast? Does the plant have special powers? Who finds it first: the kids or the teacher?

The lost puppy

Story starter: The puppy had wandered farther than ever before—and now everything looked new.

Questions: Who finds the puppy? Where does the puppy want to go? What adventure is waiting around the corner?

The waving snowman

Story starter: When they’d left him yesterday, the snowman’s arms had been pointing down. Today, it seemed as if he was waving.

Questions: Why did he come alive? What does he want to do first? What happens when the weather warms?

Octopus bathtime

Story starter: Bath time was his favorite time of day.

Questions: Why does this octopus love taking a bath? Where does he live?

Glowing teddy

Story starter: The teddy bear whispered, “Are you awake?”

Questions: What does the bear want? Does it lead the child somewhere? Is the glow magical or a signal?

Confetti rain

Story starter: It wasn’t raining water—it was raining… something else.

Questions: What falls from the sky? How do the people react? Does the rain cause chaos or fun?

Frequently asked questions about picture prompts

What are some funny picture writing prompts?

Some funny picture writing prompts are:

• A dog wearing a cowboy costume
• A group of cats playing with computer mice
• A group of kids making exaggerating faces
• A bath towel come to life

You can create your own funny picture prompts with QuillBot’s AI image generator.

What are some inference picture prompts?

Some inference picture prompts are:

• A messy bedroom
• A half-eaten snack
• Two people reacting differently
• An object left behind

Inference picture prompts show visual clues that require students to “read between the lines” and help learners practice drawing conclusions.

You can generate custom inference picture prompts using QuillBot’s AI image generator

What are some story starters for middle school?

Some story starters for middle school are:

• A strange object found in a locker
• A mysterious note
• Friends exploring an abandoned place
• An unexpected guest in a classroom

Middle-school story starters often come from picture prompts showing relatable or dramatic moments.

Use QuillBot’s AI image generator to make tailored picture prompts for these middle-school story starters.

What are some scary story starters?

Some scary story starters are:

• A glowing doorway
• An empty street at night
• A shadow without an owner
• An abandoned house with a lone light on

You can create your own spooky picture prompts to complement these scary story starters with QuillBot’s AI image generator.

Where can I find picture of the day writing prompts?

You can find “picture of the day” writing prompts on different educational and creative writing platforms.

You can also generate your own “picture of the day” writing prompts. This method allows you to tailor the daily writing prompts to topics that you (or your students) are currently exploring.

Try QuillBot’s AI story starter generator for written prompts, or the AI image generator to create daily picture prompts.