Fiction Writing Prompts: Framed

Introduction to Framed: A Character is Falsely Blamed

The art of storytelling revolves around the complexities of human nature, our decisions, and the circumstances we find ourselves in. One such compelling premise is that of a character being framed or wrongly accused. This theme, “Framed: A character is falsely blamed,” captures the essence of injustice, desperation, and the search for vindication. It’s a theme that speaks deeply to our sense of fairness and morality, making stories rooted in this idea both riveting and relatable.

These tales of false blame aren’t just limited to crime stories or courtroom dramas, though these are the genres where they are most commonly found. Imagine a romantic saga where a lover is mistakenly accused, a historical tale where a figure is wrongly vilified, or even a fantasy where a hero is falsely branded as the villain. The possibilities are vast and varied.

For those looking to harness this powerful theme in their writing, the following list of prompts will serve as a launchpad for your creativity. As you peruse them, consider the different avenues they offer:

Personal Exploration: Use these prompts to introspect, understanding your feelings about blame, justice, and redemption.

Character Development: Craft characters who endure the weight of false accusations, molding their personality, decisions, and relationships.

Plot Development: Construct a plot around the intricacies of being framed, allowing for suspense, twists, and dramatic climaxes.

Setting Exploration: Explore how different settings, from bustling cities to quiet villages or even fantastical realms, influence the dynamics of false blame.

Genre Fusion: Combine elements from different genres, like romance, thriller, or sci-fi, to create a unique narrative centered on this theme.

Whether you’re seeking to write short stories, novels, or even screenplays, these prompts will offer a multitude of perspectives on the universally gripping theme of being wrongly accused. Embrace the challenge, and let your imagination run wild.

Framed Writing Prompts

A character is falsely blamed…

1. The Alibi – Your protagonist has a perfect alibi for a crime they didn’t commit. The catch? Revealing the alibi would destroy their reputation or someone else’s life.
2. The Double – After a public figure is murdered, CCTV footage reveals a face that looks unmistakably like the protagonist. But they have a twin they’ve never met.
3. The Forged Diary – A diary detailing a planned crime is found, penned in the protagonist’s handwriting. They must uncover who forged it.
4. Substitute Victim – The protagonist wakes up in a crime scene, with a victim they don’t recognize, and evidence planted in their pocket.
5. Digital Trail – All digital evidence points to the protagonist, from texts to emails. How do they prove they were hacked?
6. The Art Theft – A priceless painting goes missing and an exact replica is found in the protagonist’s home.
7. Doppelgänger – In a town where everyone knows everyone, multiple witnesses swear they saw the protagonist commit a crime.
8. Misinterpreted Assistance – The protagonist tries to prevent a crime but ends up looking like the perpetrator.
9. Stolen Identity – Someone has been living under the protagonist’s name, and now they’re the prime suspect for crimes the doppelgänger committed.
10. The Unwilling Accomplice – The protagonist’s vehicle was stolen and used in a crime, making them the prime suspect.
11. The Forgotten Past – A childhood friend, bearing a grudge, frames the protagonist for a crime out of revenge for a past misdeed.
12. The Dream Crime – After describing a crime in detail in a dream diary, the protagonist is horrified to find it has actually happened.
13. Misdirected Revenge – The true criminal, seeking revenge on the protagonist for a perceived slight, frames them for a different crime.
14. The Corrupt Cop – A police officer with a vendetta against the protagonist plants evidence to ensure their arrest.
15. The Ghostwriter – A chilling crime novel penned under the protagonist’s name describes real unsolved crimes.
16. The Jealous Co-Star – In the world of theater, a jealous colleague frames the protagonist to steal the limelight.
17. The Forgotten Evidence – A personal item of the protagonist, lost years ago, resurfaces at a crime scene.
18. Political Sabotage – Rising in political ranks, the protagonist finds themselves framed by a rival to derail their campaign.
19. Hidden Camera – The protagonist discovers a hidden camera streaming their life online. When a crime is committed off-camera, online viewers assume the worst.
20. Impersonation Game – An obsessed fan impersonates the protagonist, causing chaos and crimes in their name.
21. Virtual Reality – In a VR game, the protagonist’s avatar is seen committing a crime, leading to real-world accusations.
22. The Adopted Child – A couple adopts a child, only to be framed by the child for various crimes in their new neighborhood.
23. The Silent Witness – A mute character is the only ‘witness’ to the protagonist’s alleged crime, leading to complex misinterpretations.
24. The Exonerated Convict – Released after being wrongfully convicted once, the protagonist finds themselves framed for another crime.
25. The Innocent Photographer – A tourist’s camera accidentally captures a crime, but the evidence makes them look guilty.
26. The Surprise Inheritance – After unexpectedly inheriting a mansion, the protagonist is accused of the previous owner’s murder.
27. The Time Traveler’s Alibi – Traveling back in time, the protagonist is framed for historic crimes.
28. Charity Betrayal – Leading a charity event, the protagonist is framed for embezzlement.
29. The Forgotten Connection – The protagonist is framed for a crime after saving the actual culprit from danger years ago.
30. The Haunting – After moving into a haunted house, the spirits frame the protagonist for supernatural disturbances.
31. The Mind Reader – Someone with the ability to read minds discovers the protagonist’s fantasies and makes them appear real.
32. The Accidental Detective – While trying to solve a crime, the protagonist inadvertently plants evidence that points back to them.
33. Lost and Found – Items stolen from a crime scene are planted in the protagonist’s lost and found box.
34. Celebrity Scandal – As a rising celebrity, the protagonist is framed for a scandal they didn’t commit to generate media buzz.
35. The Framed Athlete – On the brink of winning a championship, the protagonist is accused of cheating.
36. Escape Room Gone Wrong – The protagonist attends an escape room event, only to be locked in a room resembling a crime scene they’re framed for.
37. The Stolen Script – The protagonist’s screenplay is stolen and made into a movie that recounts real-life unsolved crimes.
38. The Set-Up Date – A blind date turns sour when the protagonist realizes they’ve been set up for a crime.
39. The Puppet Master – A manipulative character subtly forces the protagonist into situations that make them appear guilty.
40. Witness Protection – Someone in witness protection frames the protagonist to throw criminals off their trail.
41. The Misleading Prophecy – In a fantasy realm, a prophecy wrongly identifies the protagonist as a future criminal.
42. Medical Malpractice – A surgeon is framed for a patient’s death by a jealous colleague.
43. Guardian Angel – An entity tries to protect the protagonist by committing crimes but ends up framing them instead.
44. Blind Justice – A blind protagonist is framed for a crime and must rely on other senses to prove their innocence.
45. The Familiar Stranger – A stranger insists they know the protagonist and frames them for past shared crimes.
46. The Virtual Scapegoat – In a future where AI dominate, an AI is framed by humans to prevent their rising power.
47. Misguided Revenge – A victim of a crime mistakenly believes the protagonist is the culprit and frames them for a different crime.
48. The Scientist’s Formula – A scientist’s research is manipulated to create a dangerous weapon, leading to them being framed.
49. The Ghost of Crimes Past – Ancestors of the protagonist committed crimes, and now they are being framed for similar acts.
50. Hidden in Plain Sight – The protagonist discovers they’ve been living with stolen goods, planted by a spiteful neighbor.
51. Spectral Frame – Ghostly apparitions commit crimes, but all evidence points to the protagonist.
52. Undercover Lover – The protagonist’s significant other is an undercover agent, framing them to infiltrate a crime syndicate.
53. The Stolen Manuscript – An author’s unpublished manuscript detailing a crime is stolen and played out in real life.
54. The Misdirected Package – A package meant for someone else, containing incriminating evidence, arrives at the protagonist’s doorstep.
55. Surveillance Snare – Home surveillance footage is manipulated to show the protagonist committing a crime.
56. Framed by Fantasy – In a world where dreams can be recorded, the protagonist’s nightmare becomes evidence.
57. The Rogue Robot – In a futuristic world, a robot identical to the protagonist’s model commits crimes.
58. The Auctioned Evidence – At an auction, the protagonist inadvertently purchases an item that becomes central to a crime investigation.
59. The Masked Ball – At a masquerade, someone dressed identically to the protagonist commits a crime.
60. The Assassin’s Double – The protagonist is kidnapped and replaced by an assassin who frames them for political crimes.
61. The False Prophet – In a dystopian future, the protagonist is framed by a government using fake prophetic visions.
62. The Buried Secret – While gardening, the protagonist discovers evidence from an old crime buried in their backyard.
63. The Kidnapped Twin – The protagonist’s twin is kidnapped and brainwashed into committing crimes, with all blame shifting to the protagonist.
64. Innocence in Ink – Tattoos appear on the protagonist’s body overnight, mimicking those of a wanted criminal.
65. The Time Capsule – A time capsule is opened to reveal a note, seemingly written by a young protagonist, confessing to a future crime.
66. The Accidental Hero – After preventing a major crime, the protagonist is paradoxically framed for it.
67. The Staged Scene – The protagonist, an actor, is framed during a play where a staged crime becomes real.
68. The Mysterious Benefactor – Large sums of money appear in the protagonist’s account, linking them to financial crimes.
69. The Misguided Heirloom – A family heirloom ties the protagonist to a series of historic crimes.
70. Twisted Redemption – A reformed ex-con protagonist is framed by someone from their past.
71. Lost in Translation – While traveling, a language barrier causes the protagonist to be mistakenly accused.
72. The Poisoned Gift – A gifted meal or drink, meant as a kind gesture, results in poisoning, with the protagonist framed as the culprit.
73. Misplaced Trust – Someone the protagonist deeply trusts frames them, leading to an intense emotional conflict.
74. The Cursed Artefact – An artefact brings bad luck, causing situations where the protagonist appears guilty.
75. The Holographic Crime – Future tech projects holographic scenes of the protagonist committing crimes.
76. The Reluctant Medium – A medium inadvertently channels spirits that frame the protagonist for spectral crimes.
77. The Failed Experiment – An experiment goes wrong, and the resultant disaster is pinned on the scientist protagonist.
78. The Accused Animal – The protagonist’s pet is accused of deadly attacks, but evidence starts pointing toward the owner.
79. The Ghost Ship – On a cruise, the protagonist is framed for crimes happening aboard a supposedly haunted ship.
80. Blurred Reality – A character with reality-warping powers inadvertently alters scenarios, framing the protagonist.
81. Framed by Fate – The protagonist tries to escape a prophesied crime but finds themselves framed for it.
82. The Stolen Voice – A voice mimic frames the protagonist using recorded conversations.
83. The Cloned Suspect – In a world of cloning, the protagonist’s clone becomes a major criminal.
84. The Trapped Tourist – While on vacation, the protagonist gets trapped in a web of crimes orchestrated by a vengeful local.
85. The Haunting Melody – A song the protagonist wrote becomes the calling card of a serial criminal.
86. The Accidental Invention – An invention meant for good is turned into a weapon, framing the inventor protagonist.
87. Guilt in Augmented Reality – In an AR game, virtual crimes are made to appear real, with the protagonist framed as the in-game and real-life culprit.
88. The False Healer – In a fantasy world, the protagonist’s healing powers are mistaken for dark magic causing harm.
89. The Shapeshifter’s Deceit – A shapeshifter commits crimes in the protagonist’s form.
90. The Misguided Messenger – A message-delivery gone wrong results in the protagonist being implicated in a conspiracy.
91. Twisted Reflection – Mirrors in the protagonist’s home show an alternate reality where they are a criminal.
92. The False Oracle – A revered oracle wrongly predicts the protagonist as the cause of an impending disaster.
93. The Stolen Spellbook – In a magical realm, the protagonist’s spellbook is stolen and used for dark magic.
94. Memory Manipulation – The protagonist’s memories are altered to make them believe they committed a crime.
95. The Betrayed Spy – A spy is double-crossed by their agency and framed for crimes against their nation.
96. The Accidental Witness – Mistakenly witnessing a crime scene setup, the protagonist is framed by the real culprits.
97. The Cursed Play – A theater play is believed to bring real-life tragedies to its actors. When they occur, the protagonist, a lead role, is blamed.
98. The Virtual Virus – The protagonist’s digital avatar becomes sentient, causing havoc in the virtual world and framing its creator.
99. Framed by Folklore – Legends speak of a character resembling the protagonist causing destruction. As events unfold similarly, the protagonist is blamed.
100. The Reversed Rescue – After saving someone, details emerge that make it appear as if the protagonist was the one endangering them.