Let’s face it… scars are the remnants of their origin stories. So why not use a scar as the basis for your fiction whether you’re creative writing or developing a character for a roleplaying game? Check out this post for dozens of “scar” ideas useful in your narratives.
We all have scars. Some are scratches and bumps picked up in grade school. Some are from near-death scrapes. Others from surgery or accidents or moments of foolishness. They all have stories and that’s what makes a scar a great writing prompt.
Scars — indelible markers of past trials — can open doorways in your narratives to flashbacks, foreshadowing, side adventures, conflicts, quests, motivations, and more. They work great in all kinds of genres: fantasy, sci-fi, horror, rom-coms, action-adventures, and coming-of-age stories. If you look in a mirror, you’ll probably be able to include a scar in a memoir as well.
Read on for tons of ideas to take your creative knife and slice a scar into your tale…
Creative Writing Prompts Using Scars
- Your character is seeking someone who is identifiable by a distinct scar? How does this someone tie in to your story and how did they get that scar?
- An old mark that you thought was insignificant begins to burn or fester. At first you don’t know why, the old scar is suddenly nagging but as it worsens, you’re determined to find out? Is it medically explainable or is it something more sinister?
- There is a disfigurement that you have always kept awkwardly hidden. When someone sees it, you always invent a lie. Now, someone you really care about wants the truth. Are you ready to share it?
- You sustain an injury and are desperate to prevent it from scarring. To what extent are you willing to go to save yourself from the permanent mark? Will you buy a sketchy product that promises to help you? Will you sell your soul?
- You bear a scar from a “jumping in” to a gang you were once desperate to join. Now that life is far behind you, but the mark remains, and your violent past is threatening to return. How will you deal with this?
- You are promised great power, but in return, you will have to bear a mark of fealty to an ancient sect. Is it worth it? What consequences lie ahead for you either way?
- Can you imagine waking from a dream and finding that you somehow bear a physical scar from the experience? How strange is that… and how great for a story!
- Your character carries a deep emotional scar? What is it that they are hiding and what other character, whom they have avoided all these years, has come back into their life? Is there a physical scar that accompanies the emotional?
- When your character was imprisoned, a symbol was carved into their flesh. Now, what role does this play in your character’s life? Is it motivational? Shameful? Or does it push you to seek vengeance?
Scars can originate from many sources.
A character can bear many scars from a series of epic adventures or one significant scar from a monumental battle. Characters may carry the memories of cuts and burns from accidents, abuse, or self harm.
Some scars may be shared with pride as they were part of a heroic story, a sports accomplishment, or a memorable rite. Others are hidden as they bear connections to loss, failure, humiliation, or pain.
Here’s a host of ideas for you to use in your narrative to include a scar with a fantastic origin story. Is your character’s scar born of valiance or foolishness?
- surgery, treatment, cauterization, sterilization, an operation,
- accident, falling object, slipped wrench
- car crash, collision, explosion, wreck,
- retribution, payback, vengeance,
- a warning, threat, “promise”, intimidation,
- a friend turned enemy, domestic violence, betrayal, broken trust,
- magic, a curse, blessing,
- experiment gone bad, you were the proverbial “guinea pig”
- bullet, laser, shrapnel, war wound,
- rite, passage, ceremony, ritual, pact, tradition, induction,
- shaming, excommunication, “scarlet letter”, public admonition,
- punishment, sentence, consequence,
- animal bite, monster attack, bug bite,
- festering wound, chronic infection,
- alien probing went horribly wrong
- self-harm, self-injury, emotional turmoil, depression, anxiety, self-loathing,
- sports injury, competition, skate blade, baseball bat, basketball elbow,
- battle, war, armed conflict, rebellion, revolution, attack,
- tattoo, tattoo removal, piercing, branding, deliberate scarring,
- a promise, pact, agreement, truce, alliance, treaty,
- sliver, splinter, thistle, prickle, thorn,
- drunken moment, drug use, drug abuse, intoxication,
- bad decision, mistake, error in judgement, poor timing,
Here are a few decidedly unfortunate scar sources
- fork, kitchen mishap, bamboo skewer, BBQ burn,
- overcommitted on a cheese grater,
- slip in the shower,
- friends dared you to do something,
- acid, caustic gas, chemicals,
- machinery, forklift, lawn mower,
- scissors, stapler, pencil,
- fish hook
- grabbed or contacted a hot pan carelessly
- knife slipped while whittling, carving, or sharpening
- fell off balance when you overcommitted to a move in a fight; it was embarrassing
- walked into something in the middle of the night
- play fighting and you misjudged
- playing football with your drunk buddies
- showing off and “watch this” was followed by an epic fail
- stumbled into a pole while distracted by your “crush”
- misjudged a step on the staircase
- that thing you were supposed to repair because it “might cut somebody,” well guess what…
- you were surprised and reacted rather unfortunately
- you turned your head during a hair cut or shave
- you made an off-hand comment to a large orc and paid the price
Characters related to “scars”
Any character can bear scars, from warriors in fantasy roleplaying games to romantics in emotional songs and stories. In this way, scars are ubiquitous, adding depth, backstory, and history to the lives of protagonists and antagonists — heck, even the local bartender can have interesting scars to reluctantly share stories about.
Here we give you a few tantalizing approaches that may generate an idea.
Characters likely to have a scar or two
- gangster, hitman, assassin, brigand, pirate,
- hunter, woodsman, guide, ranger, hill billy,
- butcher, cook, chef, baker,
- kid, child, teenager, adolescent,
- police, firefighter, paramedic,
- hippy, beatnik, protester,
- MMA fighter, boxer, pugilist, brawler, gladiator, mud wrestler,
- old dog, top rooster, a greatly-feared croc, an ancient monster,
- beggar, peddler, town drunk, street kid, addict,
- traveller, adventurer
- outlaw, maverick, gambler,
- athlete, cheerleader, competitor,
- barkeep, tavern worker, bartender,
- ghost, haunt, poltergeist,
- bouncer, security, guard, sentry,
- soldier, military operative,
- villain, mad scientist, psycho, serial killer,
- secret agent, spy,
- warrior, fighter, swashbuckler, duelist,
- punk, thug, bully, scrapper,
- a yappy little dog who never learns a lesson,
- a reformed prisoner, ex-con, parolee, felon,
- juggler, clown, performer, artist, sculptor,
- kid who climbs trees, mountain climber,
Characters you may go to for help dealing with a scar
- doctor, physician, plastic surgeon, dermatologist,
- specialist, expert,
- healer, spiritual leader, shaman, priest,
- tattoo artist, body artist, henna artist,
- psychiatrist, therapist,
- your mom, parent, helpful aunt,
- understanding friend, partner, confidant,
- stylist, fashion designer, beautician, aesthetician,
- scientist, researcher,
- detective, private investigator, sleuth,
- advisor, counsellor,
- your pet, a comforting animal friend,
- you may confront the person who gave you the scar,
- elves, wizards, magic users, witch,
- oracle, seer, psychic, medium,
More ideas for scars in your narratives
We hope you found something useful and interesting here. We’ve added a few more thoughts here below. Please post a comment with ideas that may help other visitors to Cre8opedia or add a question that will help us fill out even more.
- Think beyond your main character. Any side character can have a scar that may spin off a new story.
- In roleplaying games, it’s fun to introduce a shady, scarred character in a tavern or cantina that can tell the story of a nasty scar. This can send characters on new quests and missions.
- Animals and plants can also have scars. A tree may have a name carved in it or a promise of love. A mutt may have the signs of street scraps carved pitifully in their hide. These can present things for your characters to ponder and wonder about.
- If you already have an accident somewhere in your story, use it as an opportunity to imbed a scar.
- Add a scar for your character to rediscover and flashback to how they got it. Maybe the memory will help them in their current situation… or make it worse.
- A scar can be a sign or symbol allowing your character some kind of special passage. To what kind of special sect does your character belong?
- Scars can incorporate other elements such as a bolt or bone piercing the skin.
- In a science fiction or steampunk setting, a scar could contain some embedded circuitry or mechanics that enhance a characters senses or control them in some way.
- Check out Wikipedia’s page on scars to find out some cool scientific notes about scars.