It’s everywhere. Events, advertising of all sorts, and general announcements remind us that it has been 250 years since the declaration of Independence was signed.
On this anniversary year, let us consider independence itself.
Independence takes many forms, as does the struggle for it. There are many reasons it is not gained. Some are nefarious and others are simple circumstances. There are also degrees of independence. Sometimes people want it, get it, but aren’t prepared for it. Some people are prepared for it, want it, and still don’t get it.
What better way to explore the spacious and sometimes complex subject of independence than with writing prompts? After each prompt, potential genres will be provided. Leave a comment if you think of a genre for a prompt beyond what I provide.
An adult with a mental disability wants to take care of themselves. Their caregivers try to protect them, but the MC slips away from the caregivers’ protection. (Drama/ Sci-Fi/
Romance)
An adult male or female, on their journey to financial independence struggles through a world where wages are always behind a cost of living that increases exponentially, and jobs are a rare commodity. (Drama/Dystopian/Sci-Fi)
A minor who thinks they can survive in the adult world, even though they won’t take any responsibility for their lives, fights for emancipation from their parents. (Drama/Coming-of-Age/Comedy/Tragedy)
A minor (or adult) is disgusted with the ingenuousness and superficiality of society. They struggle to find a way to make meaningful relationships without the games that society plays. (Drama/Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Historical Fiction/Coming-of-Age/Comedy)
A laborer living in a fascist country struggles with the point of existence as they see the suffering of those around them and contemplates if there is any way out from under the dictatorship. (Drama/Historical Fiction/Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Tragedy/Dystopian)
A citizen sees their country gradually shifting from democracy to dictatorship. They set themselves to rescue their country. (Drama/Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Satire/Action/Adventure)
A slave is rescued from their master and taken to a new land where they must find a way to overcome the mental and emotional damage of their slavery in order to live as a free person body, mind, and soul. (Drama/ Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Historical Fiction)
An inmate of a mental hospital claims someone close to them made them look mentally ill for personal gain or spite. They look for ways to prove their claim, or to escape. (Thriller/Drama/Tragedy)
A spouse comes to wonder if they are being psychologically abused. They investigate to decide if their fears are true and if they must escape. (Thriller/Drama/Tragedy)
After years of slow cracking an office worker has finally had enough of no work/life balance, workplace bullying, micromanaging managers who aren’t there when they are needed, and superficial relationships with “work friends.” They quit their job on a search for a life that gives them room to express themselves and have fun. (Drama, Comedy)
I hope these prompts give you inspiration to let your imagination run free. No matter how your story evolves through the many options this subject provides, please remember to enjoy the wonder.
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