365 days of writing prompts

10 writing prompts to help you show what lies beneath the surface of your stories.

Welcome to Day 18! Today, we’re stepping into the quiet space beneath your story’s surface; the world of subtext.

Subtext is what your characters don’t say but still reveal through gestures, pauses, or choices. It’s the meaning between the lines: the tension, fear, longing, or truth that hums quietly beneath dialogue and action. Mastering subtext transforms ordinary scenes into unforgettable ones.

Here is an excellent article by K.M. Weiland on the topic of subtext.

Today’s prompts will help you uncover what’s unsaid, explore emotional undercurrents, and write moments that feel layered and alive.

1. The Words Unspoken
   Write a conversation where both characters mean something completely different from what they say.
2. The Hidden Emotion
   Select a scene brimming with intense emotions, like grief, love, or anger. Convey it using subtle actions and tone. Avoid using any emotion words.
3. The Loaded Gesture
   Focus on body language. What does your character’s silence, glance, or small movement reveal?
4. The Secret
   Write a scene where one character hides something important. Let the reader sense it before it’s said.
5. The Double Meaning
   Craft dialogue that sounds polite on the surface but carries tension underneath, revealing rivalry, jealousy, or fear.
6. The Object as Subtext
   Use a simple object. Choose something like a gift, a note, or a meal. This object can represent unspoken feelings between two characters.
7. The Emotional Echo
   After a heated exchange, describe the silence that follows. What lingers unsaid in the air?
8. The Contradiction
   Show a character’s words saying one thing, but their actions revealing another. Which should the reader believe?
9. The Confession Without Words
   Write a scene where one character reveals something deeply personal without ever naming it directly.
10. The Hidden Truth
    Return to one of your earlier scenes. Add a layer of subtext that wasn’t there before. How does it change the meaning?

Subtext is the art of trust. Trusting your reader to feel what isn’t said. When you write between the lines, you invite readers to lean in, to sense, and to connect. Today, whisper with your words. Let silence do the talking.

Leave a comment telling me how one of these prompts helped you discover the subtext in your story.