What Is A Myth? 20 Myths To Use As Writing Prompts

What is a myth? Explore 20 myth-inspired writing prompts and create imaginative stories that explain the mysteries of our world.

Writing prompts are an excellent way to practise your writing. Writing leads to more writing, and setting aside 30 minutes a day for a prompt can help you become more confident and disciplined as a writer.

Prompts can also help when you don’t know what to write about. Sometimes all you need is a starting point.

[Must-Read: All About Writing Prompts & Writing Practice]

What Are Writing Prompts?

Writing prompts are suggestions for writers. They can be words, images, questions, or sentences that describe an idea or situation. They give you a starting point and allow you to take the story wherever you want it to go.

I am always looking for new writing exercises, and I wanted to explore the concept of myths as prompts. I think this could be a great exercise for your writing group, or something you can try on your own.

What Is A Myth?

A myth is a traditional, usually ancient story involving supernatural beings, ancestors, heroes, or gods. Myths have often been used to explain aspects of the natural world, explore human behaviour, or show the customs and ideals of a society.

Myths exist in cultures across the globe. They have been passed down through generations and continue to influence the stories we tell today.

Examples include Eros and Psyche, the Myth of Creation, Daedalus and Icarus, Noah and the Great Flood, the myth of Arthur and Camelot, and The Rain Queen.

But you don’t have to retell an existing myth. You can use the idea behind a myth to create a story of your own.

20 Myths To Use As Writing Prompts

Use these prompts to create a story that explains the unexplainable.

Ask yourself: What happened to make the world this way?

You could use the prompts to write a short story, create a legend for a fictional world, or develop an idea for a novel. You could also use several prompts together to build the history, beliefs, and mythology of your fictional world.

Get The 20 Myths To Use As Writing Prompts

The Last Word

Myths have always helped us make sense of the world around us. These 20 writing prompts give you a starting point for creating your own myths, whether you want to explain something natural, mysterious, or completely unexpected. Pick a prompt, let your imagination take over, and write your own story.