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Monologue Prompts

Make use of famous characters to practise writing monologues.



Writing monologues is one of the quickest ways to warm up your writing muscles. Choose fully formed characters you know well from books, films and TV shows, and focus on creating an interesting scene - something unexpected that keeps a reader or viewer's attention.


As these characters have been created by someone else, you don't have to worry about character building, nor do you have to set the scene beyond having this character describe where they are or have been. Furthermore, there's no dialogue to work on (although you will probably want to include some reported speech), which means you can dive right in to telling your story in this character's voice.


Whoever you choose for these exercises, make sure you understand who they are and why they behave the way they do. I'd suggest writing down a few adjectives, describing them in a nutshell. The story you have them tell can be an extension of something they already do (making this monologue a sort of fan-fiction-type exercise) or you can place them out of their comfort zone and see how they react. It can be them telling us about what has already happened to them (past tense) or something they are experiencing now.


I've chosen some very distinctive characters as a starting point. And given you scenarios you might want to explore. Don't forget you can reveal new things about your character - as long as it fits with who they are.


  1. Vera Stanhope (from the Anne Cleeves novels and ITV series based on those novels).

    Scenario: Vera is thinking about what she will do when she retires.


  2. Miss Marple (from Agatha Christie's novels).

    Scenario: Miss Marple is describing a shocking incident in the churchyard of her village (St Mary Mead) that's made her question her normally razor-sharp detective skills.


  3. Miranda Priestly (from the novel, The Devil Wears Prada by Lauren Weisberger, and the film based on that novel).

    Scenario: Miranda is describing a dull dinner party where everyone is dressed appallingly apart from one person, fabulously dressed, who refuses to engage with her.


  4. Bridget Jones (from the novel, Bridget Jones' Diary by Helen Fielding, and the film based on that novel).

    Scenario: Bridget is wistful as she drops off her youngest child at university and wonders where all the time has gone.


  5. Uncle Bryn (from the TV series, Gavin and Stacey).

    Scenario: Uncle Bryn has fallen in love with someone unexpected and is struggling to accept his feelings.


  6. Logan Roy (from the TV series Succession).

    Scenario: Logan Roy discovers he has a child from a fling he had forty years ago. A child who is very different to his other four children. Is he thrilled or appalled?


  7. Hercule Poirot (from Agatha Christie's novels)

    Scenario: Hercule experiences an unexpected romance which threatens to upturn his ordered existence.


  8. Elf (the character played by Will Ferrell in the movie, Elf).

    Scenario: Elf finds himself home alone and lonely. He's not allowed to leave the house as he's in charge of a kitten.


  9. Professor Snape (a character from JK Rowling's Harry Potter novels, and the films based on those novels).

    Scenario: Professor Snape has to take an enforced leave of absence from Hogwarts and goes to the seaside.


  10. Fleabag (character from the play and TV series, Fleabag).

    Fleabag finds she is in a functioning, happy relationship which makes her happy but also scares her.


    Have fun!



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