50 Creative Writing Prompts Inspired by Hawaiʻi

Hawaiʻi, a place of profound history, diverse ecosystems, and a “talk story” culture, breathes life into every corner of the archipelago. That’s why there’s an endless palette of inspiration for creative writers who crave new challenges, creativity, and a good batch of stories. 

For all you writers out there, use the following 50 creative writing prompts to get the juices flowing and guide your pen (or keyboard) and create your next island-inspired literary masterpiece. 

Food & Flavors

1. Write a story centered around a family recipe that has been passed down through five generations, but one secret ingredient is missing.
2. A character enters a spam musubi competition with a radical new fusion twist. Describe the tension in the room.
3. Describe the sensory experience of a character’s first time eating a mountain apple picked straight from a tree in a hidden valley.
4. Two estranged siblings meet at a local plate lunch spot to discuss a difficult inheritance.
5. Write a scene about the bustling energy of a Saturday morning fish auction at the harbor.
6. A character finds an old, hand-written cookbook in a language they don’t speak, tucked behind a shelf in a Chinatown grocery store.
7. Write a poem about the specific, sticky sweetness of a mango that is perfectly ripe and eaten over the kitchen sink.
8. A manapua man’s truck breaks down in a remote neighborhood. What happens when the locals come out to help?
9. Describe a rainy night spent in a small ramen shop where the steam on the windows hides the world outside.
10. A character attempts to recreate a li hing mui snack from their childhood but discovers the flavor triggers a repressed memory.

Culture & Daily Life

1. A group of friends gathers for a backyard party. What is the one secret that is revealed over the poi and kalua pig?
2. Write about the aunty who knows everyoneʻs business at the local farmers market.
3. A character moves away from the islands for the first time. Describe the specific smells and sounds they miss most.
4. Two strangers meet while stuck in H-1 traffic. By the time they reach their exit, their lives are changed.
5. Write a scene centered around a high school graduation where the graduate is buried in so many leis they can barely see.
6. A story about a family-owned restaurant facing the threat of a new luxury development.
7. Describe the intricate process of someone making a lei for someone they love or someone they are trying to forgive.
8. A character finds an old photograph of their grandparents at a plantation-era social event.
9. Write about the specific magic found in a shave ice shop on a scorching Saturday afternoon.
10. A teenager learns a traditional craft from a grandparent who speaks very little English.

Mystery & Folklore

1. A character ignores a warning about taking a volcanic rock home as a souvenir. Write about the bad luck that follows.
2. You encounter a mysterious woman in white hitchhiking on a lonely stretch of Saddle Road.
3. A surfer finds a surfboard washed up on a deserted beach that looks exactly like one they lost ten years ago, in perfect condition.
4. A local legend about a hidden sea cave turns out to be true, but the treasure inside isn’t gold.
5. A dog starts barking at something invisible in a lush, haunted valley. What does the owner eventually see?
6. A character discovers they can hear the “singing” of the snails in the mountains. What are they trying to say?
7. A group of urban explorers finds an abandoned theater that still smells like fresh jasmine and looks as if the audience just stepped out.
8. A mysterious light appears in the middle of the ocean every night at 2AM. A fisherman decides to investigate.
9. A character finds an old key buried in the red dirt of Kaua‘i. What does it unlock?
10. Write a ghost story set in an old, creaky plantation house during a thunderstorm.

Creative & Artistic

1. A photographer captures a shot of a rare bird, but when they develop the film, there’s a person in the background who wasn’t there before.
2. Write about a muralist painting a wall in Kaka‘ako who realizes their art is coming to life at night.
3. A songwriter is struggling to finish a piece until they hear the rhythm of the waves hitting the lava rock.
4. Describe a gallery opening where the art is made entirely from found objects on the beach.
5. A filmmaker is making a documentary about a forgotten part of Hawaiʻi’s history. They interview someone who shouldn’t technically be alive.
6. Write a story inspired by the fused textures of resin art and wood.
7. A character uses floral design to send coded messages to a rival.
8. Describe a pottery class where the clay comes from the very earth the students are sitting on.
9. An actor is cast as a historical Hawaiian figure and begins to feel like they are being possessed by the role.
10. Write a scene about a slam poetry competition in a crowded, humid Honolulu cafe.

Modern Connections

1. A tourist and a local resident swap lives for a day. What is the biggest shock for each?
2. Write about the relationship between two people who speak different dialects of Pidgin.
3. A character is tasked with “cleaning up” an overgrown taro patch and discovers a family heirloom.
4. Describe the feeling of the “last flight out” for someone who isn’t sure when they’ll return.
5. A tech worker moves to the islands to work remotely but struggles to disconnect from the “mainland hustle.”
6. Write a story about a community coming together to protect a local surf spot from being privatized.
7. A character finds a time capsule from the 1970s buried in their backyard.
8. Describe a conversation between a street performer and a luxury hotel concierge.
9. A scientist studying coral bleaching finds a species that shouldn’t exist.
10. Write a story that ends with the phrase: “The island always gives back what you put in.”