With the beginning of September comes what is, for many romance readers, the best time of the year: spooky season. It's a great time to be a romance writer, too; with the falling leaves, approach of Halloween, and dark autumn nights, you can't help but be inspired to write about that go bump in the night (and yes, that rhyme was intentional).

But what if you're too inspired? What if you're overwhelmed with choice?

There are so many tropes to choose from, so many settings! Do you hope on the cozy monster romance train, or try your hand at good ol' shifter romance? Do you go small town, or make up your own magical academy?

That's where these 5 prompts come to the rescue. Narrowing your choices, or, if you want to get fancy, curating them, so you don't have to sit at your desk, frozen with indecision.

Choose a prompt, close all your tabs, put some spooky music on—here's my fave spooky music channel—and start tapping the keyboard. You never know what might come out! (She said, in a spooky voice).

1. Trope: Fated mates, workplace romance, professional rivals

   Setting: Campus library

   Main character 1: Human researcher

   Main character 2: Vampire researcher

   Prompt: Write the scene, from MC2's point of view, when he kisses MC1 for the first time and is hit with the overpowering knowledge that she is his one true love
   

2. Trope: Second chance romance Setting: Big city Main character 1: Nurse Main character: Werebear and, when not in bear form, doctor Prompt: Write the scene, from MC1's point of view, when she sees the werebear transform back into human form, and realizes it's her ex
   

3. Trope: Forbidden love, enemies to lovers Setting: Magical small town Main character 1: Green witch Main character 2: Dark magic witch Prompt: Write the scene, from MC1's point of view, when she learns she'll need the help her enemy, the daughter of the man who destroyed her father's business, to find the missing ingredient in her curse reversal spell
   

4. Trope: Love triangle Setting: Magical academy Main character 1: Dragon shifter

   Main character 2: Goblin Main character 3: Human Prompt: Write the scene, from MC3's point of view, when she first meets MCs 1 and 2 (the meet-cute) and feels attracted to both of them
   

5. Trope: Arranged marriage, enemies to lovers Setting: Big city Main character 1: Demon Main character 2: Wizard Prompt: Write the scene, from MC2's point of view, when he learns he won't be able to use his magic while living in his new husband's castle

Want more seasonally appropriate romance writing prompts? From now until Halloween, I'll be posting 5 spooky season romance writing prompts each week. Have any specific tropes you want to see in those prompts? Let me know in the comments below!

Until next post, happy reading and writing.