70 Dark Fairytale Writing Prompts for Teens: Story Starters, Characters, Settings & Visual Ideas

Fairytales weren’t always soft and sparkly. The original versions collected by writers like the Brothers Grimm or Hans Christian Andersen were far darker than the ones we know today. Cinderella’s stepsisters cut off parts of their feet to fit the slipper, the Little Mermaid traded her voice for pain with every step, and Sleeping Beauty’s story had far more sinister twists than a simple kiss.

These 70 dark fairytale prompts invite teen writers to reimagine familiar tales with eerie settings, unsettling characters, and endings that blur the line between wonder and horror. Perfect for classrooms, clubs, or independent writers who love fantasy with a sharp edge.

1. Plot Hooks

Dark fairytales thrive on corruption of the familiar. These hooks twist beloved tales into something eerie and unsettling:

1. Write about a prince who finds his happily-ever-after bride — but she isn’t who she seems.

2. Write about a fairytale kingdom where the storyteller controls reality.

3. Write about a curse that spreads whenever someone speaks a rhyme.

4. Write about a fairy godmother who demands terrible payment for her magic.

5. Write about a girl who wakes to find herself inside the storybook she read last night.

6. Write about a glass slipper that cuts whoever tries to wear it.

7. Write about a village that sacrifices its children to a beast in the woods each winter.

8. Write about a magical mirror that shows not your reflection, but the moment of your death.

9. Write about a boy who bargains with a troll under a bridge and loses more than his gold.

10. Write about a witch who grants three wishes — but twists them all.

2. Title Ideas

Dark fairytale titles often blend beauty with menace. Here are some to spark inspiration:

1. The Slipper of Ashes

2. The Thorn Prince

3. The Forest of Teeth

4. Once Upon a Curse

5. The Glass Coffin

6. The Last Wish of Snow White

7. A Kingdom of Briars

8. The Little Mermaid’s Bargain

9. The Tale the Wolf Told

10. Ashes, Blood, and Bone

3. Opening Lines

A strong first line sets the tone for something both magical and terrifying. Try using one of these:

1. The story they told us as children was never the truth.

2. Once upon a time, the princess never woke up.

3. The forest was waiting for me, teeth hidden behind its trees.

4. I wished for happily-ever-after, and it ruined everything.

5. The crown was made of gold and bone.

6. I heard the wolf’s voice before I saw his shadow.

7. The slipper fit, but the glass sliced into her skin.

8. The fairy godmother smiled, and I knew the bargain was sealed.

9. The castle gates only opened when blood was spilt.

10. The storyteller closed the book, and the world began to change.

4. Closing Lines

Dark fairytales often end with a sting, leaving readers haunted:

1. And that’s how the kingdom was saved, though not by the hero they wanted.

2. The slipper shattered, and with it, the spell.

3. The forest claimed me, as it always meant to.

4. The happily-ever-after was never mine.

5. Her final wish silenced the world.

6. The wolf’s story ended, but his shadow lingered.

7. I closed the book, but the tale did not release me.

8. Every curse is broken by blood, and mine was no exception.

9. The wedding bells rang hollow in the empty village.”

10. They called it a fairytale ending, but none of us lived happily ever after.

5. Character Ideas

Fairytales thrive on archetypes — but darker versions reveal their shadows:

1. A fairy godmother who feeds on secrets instead of granting wishes.

2. A huntsman who protects the wolf instead of the girl.

3. A prince cursed to become more monstrous the more power he gains.

4. A witch who collects broken promises.

5. A sleeping princess who dreams monsters into reality.

6. A knight who can only win battles by betraying his allies.

7. A storyteller whose words alter the lives of real people.

8. A girl whose shadow is more dangerous than she is.

9. A stepmother who isn’t evil, but cursed to be.

10. A child who remembers every past life from every fairytale they’ve ever lived.

6. Setting Ideas

Dark fairytales thrive on eerie landscapes — forests, castles, and villages turned sinister:

1. A kingdom where roses bloom only on graves.

2. A forest where the trees whisper the names of those who enter.

3. A castle that crumbles a little more each time a wish is made.

4. A village that celebrates weddings with funerals.

5. A river that reflects nightmares instead of faces.

6. A market where people trade away their shadows.

7. A tower that grows taller each time someone tries to climb it.

8. A glass mountain with bones beneath its surface.

9. A field where children’s laughter lingers long after they’re gone.

10. A library where each book contains someone’s life — and death.

7. Picture Prompts

Visual inspiration helps capture the eerie beauty of dark fairytales:

1. A glass slipper cracked and bloodstained on stone steps.

2. A tattered storybook with pages that glow faintly in the dark.

3. A red cloak snagged on the thorns of a blackened forest.

4. A golden crown resting on a skull.

5. A crooked tower leaning toward the forest.

6. A mirror reflecting a different face than the one looking in.

7. A carriage with no horses, glowing faintly as it moves on its own.

8. A ballroom where none of the dancers cast shadows.

9. A castle in ruins, yet its windows glow with candlelight.

10. A spindle dripping red instead of pricking fingers.

Final Thoughts

Dark fairytales remind us that magic isn’t always kind and that the stories we grew up with have shadows worth exploring. These 70 prompts encourage teen writers to craft eerie retellings, unsettling settings, and characters caught between light and dark.

If you’d like a new spark of inspiration every single day — beyond just one genre — explore our Daily Writing Prompts, where each month brings a themed collection of story starters, opening and closing lines, and teacher-friendly slides to keep creativity flowing.