Plot generator
Seven slots, one premise. Lock what you love, re-roll the rest, then send it to the generator or outline it yourself.
- Genre…
- Character…
- Setting…
- Goal…
- Obstacle…
- Key object…
- Twist…
Turning a random plot into a story
- Ask what the character wants right now, in this scene, not in life.
- Make the obstacle personal. The best obstacles force a choice between two things the character values.
- Give the object a job. It should appear early and matter at the climax (Chekhov's gun, in miniature).
- Place the twist late, around 70–85% of your word count, then check it against the first line. Does the story mean something new now? The plot twist generator lists the clue to plant for each twist type.
If the twist is doing all the work, try kishōtenketsu, a structure built around exactly that kind of turn. For more short story ideas, see the prompt lists.
Questions writers ask
How does the plot generator work?
It combines a character, setting, goal, obstacle, object and twist from curated lists. Lock any slot you like and re-roll the rest until the combination sparks. Everything runs in your browser.
Is a random plot enough to write a story?
It is a premise, not a plot. Pick a structure (the Story Circle is a good default), place the twist near the end, and decide what your character is willing to lose.
Where can I find short story ideas that are not random?
The hand-picked prompt lists on the writing prompts page are written to be finished in one sitting. The daily challenge gives everyone the same idea each day.