It is common in a story for a character to have an epiphany or realization about their life at the end of the story. For instance, maybe they realize that after a year of struggling through med school, they really want to be an actor (or vice versa). After all, a story is a journey, both externally and internally so the character should grow as a person.

However, there are other stories where a realization is at the beginning and is the inciting incident for the story. This means that it’s the event which puts the events of the story into motion. This epiphany could be about themselves (e.g. “I hate this job” or “I’m gay”), about someone else (e.g. “my mother is a murderer” or “my teacher is an alien”), or about the world or system they live in (e.g. “this company doesn’t care about me” or “everything I’ve known is a lie”). The story is about what happens then.

Story Prompt: September 8, 2025

Write a story where the main character has an epiphany at the beginning.

If you write a story with this prompt, send me a link to your story on your own site, either in the comments or at info@greenwalledtreehouse.com. You can also submit your story here for a chance to have it published on the site next week.

Have a wonderful week and happy writing!