One thing that has definitely helped my writing over the years is writing generators. I hear all the time to never wait for inspiration to write, but that’s often easier said than done. Writing generators help me get inspiration faster to get more writing finished. Or, maybe there’s one important detail that I need for my story (you know, like a character name), but my brain refuses to come up with it. Writing generators are there to help.
Fantasy Name Generators
Probably one of the first generators I started using, Fantasy Name Generators was extremely useful whenever I needed a name for anything. Whether it was a person, place, or thing, fantasy or realistic, this site had a generator for it. It doesn’t just have name generators either. There are description generators, a character goal generator, a swear word generator. There’s a lot. Sometimes it’s fun just to explore the site.
Chaotic Shiny
My personal favorite. Whenever I’m absolutely stuck in my writing, I usually go to this site. It’s especially useful for world building, as it has generators for civilizations, cultures, religions, laws, and so much more. Though it’s aimed at fantasy writers, I’ve found it equally useful with realistic writing as well.
Writing Exercises
Another site I like to use for inspiration, Writing Exercises is great if you just want a basic generator. Unlike the generators mentioned above, Writing Exercises doesn’t have any generators for fantasy, which is nice if the story you’re working on is more realistic.
Springhole.net
This site has a generator for almost everything. Need a name? Spring Hole has a generator for it. How about a backstory? There’s a generator for that, too. How about the cause of a character’s death? Yep, there’s a generator for it. The site doesn’t just have generators, either. If you explore a little bit, you can find articles to help with your writing and art, fun quizzes, and so much more.
Random.org
Okay, not exactly a writing generator, but useful none the less. These simple generators will be great for those simple troubles in the writing life. Sometimes you just need a number to figure out how old your character is, or how long it’s been since the last scene. Or maybe you just want to know how long you should work on your story right now. Maybe you can’t decide between two ideas and need to flip a coin, but have no coins to flip. Look what site flips digital coins! This site is so useful, it can be used for everyday life as well as the writing life.
Those are the five generators that I like to use, but they’re definitely not the only ones out there! Don’t hesitate to explore and find the one that’s useful for you. And if you already have one that you like, feel free to let me know in the comments! I’m always looking for new generators!