Over 20 "Dystopian" Writing Prompts

Imagine a world divided into zones based strictly on health status, where citizens are required to undergo monthly scans and are relocated if their health deteriorates. The protagonist, a doctor in a poor zone, discovers a grim government secret about the true purpose of these health zones. With the help of a band of misfit patients, they plot to expose the truth and dismantle the system.

Fiction
Thrillers & Suspense
Dystopian

Write a story set in a world where after a catastrophic environmental collapse, humanity has been forced underground. The society is governed harshly to maintain order, and any attempt to venture above ground is punishable by death. The protagonist, a curious young technician, discovers evidence that the surface may now be habitable. They must decide whether to risk everything to seek the truth or remain in the safety of the underground city.

Fiction
Thrillers & Suspense
Dystopian

After global fuel reserves run critically low, a new authoritarian regime rises with a promise to distribute resources fairly. When your protagonist’s community is left desperate and starving, despite the regime's promises, they begin to orchestrate a covert resistance. Detail their struggle to uncover and disrupt the regime's true motives.

Fiction
Thrillers & Suspense
Dystopian

Imagine a dystopian world where the government controls dreams through a mandatory nightly broadcast, designed to keep the populace compliant. One night, the system malfunctions, and for the first time, your protagonist dreams of a world beyond control. They become obsessed with finding the source of the true dreams, risking their life in the process.

Fiction
Thrillers & Suspense
Dystopian

In a bleak future, literacy is illegal, and books are banned. Your protagonist inherits a secret library from their late parent, filled with forbidden knowledge. Detail their transformation from a law-abiding citizen to a leader of the underground literacy movement, all while dodging the 'book burners' — specialized police tasked with eradicating written words.

Fiction
Thrillers & Suspense
Dystopian

In a future where all natural resources are depleted and the air is barely breathable, describe a day in the life of a protagonist who stumbles upon an underground group of survivors living in an untouched, lush oasis. Explore their dilemma of whether to join this hidden paradise or return to the surface to share its existence with the desperate masses.

Fiction
Thrillers & Suspense
Dystopian

In a world where all historical records are controlled by the state, your character discovers a hidden trove of forbidden books in the ruins of an old library. As they start to unveil truths about the world's real past, agents of the government become aware of their activities. Write about how they handle this dangerous knowledge.

Fiction
Thrillers & Suspense
Dystopian

Imagine a society where emotions are regulated by daily mandated injections to ensure everyone remains productive and compliant. Your protagonist, a government enforcer, accidentally misses their dose and begins to experience feelings long forgotten, leading them to question the very fabric of this society.

Fiction
Thrillers & Suspense
Dystopian

After global economies collapse, cities are sealed off under domes run by different corporations. Your protagonist is a detective in one such city, tasked with investigating a series of mysterious disappearances that seem to be linked to the city’s ruling corporation. Dig into the dark underbelly of corporate control and the fight for truth.

Fiction
Thrillers & Suspense
Dystopian

Environmental disasters have turned the world into a wasteland, and water is now more valuable than gold. Your character, once a hydro-engineer, now a fugitive, possesses the knowledge to construct a device that can extract water from the atmosphere. Hunted by water barons, they must protect their secret at all costs while struggling with the moral implications of their invention.

Fiction
Thrillers & Suspense
Dystopian

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