Humans are likely to set foot on our first alien planet, Mars, in our lifetime – in fact, perhaps before 2030.
We live in astonishing times, and when you stop to consider how fragile life on Earth is, against the backdrop of the inky black cold universe it suddenly looks a whole lot more important to have humans on more than one planet.
And when we really imagine those brave human explorers setting foot on Mars for the first time, and starting to expand their Mars base, then city, it truly is inspiring for many a writers mind.
So today we’ve written a whole selection of mind-bending Mars writing prompts for your enjoyment.
Let’s get into it…
How to use the prompts:
There’s no right or wrong when it comes to inspiring the creative muse, however you activate that part of your mind is up to you. But whether it’s creative writing, or thoughtful reflection and writing our opinions and deepest thoughts on a topic, I hope these help with some immediate writing inspiration!
Why not try picking out a prompt at random, and writing for 30 minutes on the topic.
Or, read the list and pick a specific prompt that gets your mind off and running, and write a short story on the topic.
In addition to inspiring a writing session, these prompts are great for really engaged discussion in a homeschool or classroom environment. You can always follow this up with a set writing exercise.
Let me know how you’ve used the prompts to inspire some wonderful writing!
15 writing prompts about Mars:
- Imagine you are leaving for Mars on Monday, as one of the first settlers. Write about your last weekend on Earth.
- Your starship lands and you get your first look at the surface of another planet, Mars. You make your way into the underground base. Describe all your thoughts and emotions at this moment.
- You have been living on Mars for one year now, with a few hundred other settlers. Suddenly the supply ships from Earth stop coming, and no one is replying to your broadcasts…
- Do you think humans should try and create a city on Mars? Why?
- What would you pack to take on a one way to Mars? Why?
- How would you keep yourself from getting bored on the 9 month trip in the starship as you travel to Mars?
- What do you think the much lower gravity on Mars would feel like? You could jump much higher than on Earth, but what else would be different?
- If you were allowed to take your pet with you to Mars, but it would have to stay in the underground base for the rest of its life, would you take it? Why?
- This was it she thought, this was the first sign of life on Mars…
- It takes up to 22 minutes for communication to travel between Mars and Earth, and then 22 minutes for the reply. Imagine having a conversation with someone important to you on another planet. Describe how it might feel.
- It would be so exciting to help set up the first city on Mars! Write about what the first five things that you would have to setup would be.
- Mars has two moons, which look much smaller in the Martian sky than our own moon does, but are still very bright. Describe what the night sky on Mars might look like.
- Imagine being on Mars, a dry hostile planet, and walking into a huge dome full of rainforest, and made up of plants from Earth.
- The car-sized rover crawls over the surface of Mars, searching… until one day it finds something which changes everything…
- Write a story from the perspective of a life-form on Mars dealing with humans arriving…
Thousands more prompts here for you
Our community of teachers and writers is growing by the day, and we just love hearing from you – obviously what we’re creating for you here is really appreciated. Glad to have you here!
Psst, we have thousands more writing prompts about all manner of different things, so bookmark the site now, and take a look around! I just know you’ll enjoy our star wars writing prompts!
You might also find our story starter generator useful 🙂
Thanks,
Matt & Hayley
