Can't decide between plots? Struggling to figure out what type/niche/sub-genre of romance novel to write? Or maybe you're at the start of your romance writing journey and just want to develop a consistent writing habit.

Whatever your circumstance, these contemporary romance prompts will stimulate your brain, activate your creativity, get words on the page and, most importantly, give you food for thought on the types of romances you love to write, and the ones that feel "meh."

Remember: while there's no one definition of success in romance—or any genre, really—the best thing you can do if you want to become a romance author or improve your writing skills is to get comfortable putting pen to paper/fingers to keyboard/mouth to dictation app.

1. Trope: Enemies to lovers, forced proximity, age gap Main character 1: Professor Main character 2: PhD student Setting: Archaeological dig in Greece Prompt: Write the scene where the two characters meet for the first time
   

2. Trope: Second chance romance, nursed back to health Sub-genre: Medical Main character 1: Nurse Main character 2: Marine Setting: Rural hospital in Montana Prompt: Write a scene where main character 1 has to save main character 2's life
   

3. Trope: Opposites attract, grumpy/grump Sub-genre: rom-com Main character 1: Farmer Main character 2: Summer farm volunteer Setting: Sheep farm in NZ Prompt: Write a funny scene about main character 1 and main character 2 getting stuck on a hiking trail because of a herd of angry cows
   

4. Trope: Amnesia Main character 1: Chef Main character 2: Food truck owner Setting: LA Prompt: Write a scene where main character 1 has to teach main character 2 a recipe they bonded over in culinary school
   

5. Trope: fake engagement Main character 1: Bodyguard Main character 2: Celebrity Setting: London Prompt: Write a scene where main character 2 has to kiss main character 1 for the first time, to keep up the ruse of their fake engagement
   

You can follow these prompts for as long as you want—start with the scene dictated in the prompt, and go from there! You might just be inspired to take the prompt and run with it for a whole manuscript.

But if your goal right now is just to develop a consistent writing habit, try writing 500 words for each prompt every day for the next 5 days, then ask yourself these questions, which will help you narrow down the specific types of stories that appeal to you as a writer:

-were there particular character types, like bodyguard or chef, you really enjoyed writing? why? -did you find one scene easier to write than the other? why? -did you find one scene much harder to write than the others? why?

-how important is setting to you when you write? is it inspiring, or stifling?

-were there certain tropes you found less or more inspiring?

Reflect on your answers to these questions in a journal, and then do some research about your favorite characters, scenes, settings, and tropes. Combine them, and you'll have another prompt to write from, moving you one step further on your romance writing journey.

Until the next post, happy reading and writing!