creative writing prompt grade 9

20 Thought-Provoking Journal Prompts for 9th Graders

Stepping into high school can be a daunting challenge for your child. They might struggle with the onslaught of discovering themselves while transitioning into adulthood. While they will navigate through the differences, either way, you need to ensure that they don’t get sidetracked or find themselves in bad company. After all, this is the time that will largely determine who they grow up to be. Despite the innumerable benefits of mindful writing , it might be that your son or daughter doesn’t know how to prioritize it yet. They might not know what to write about, and that monotony may serve as a barrier. Thus, you must give them great journal prompts for 9th graders. Developing and maintaining interest will be easy if it sparks curiosity according to their level of awareness about the world. 

The prompts in this article will give them a greater sense of who they are and where they want to go from here. So let’s dive in! 

Why Journal Prompts for 9th Graders are Important

‘But isn’t diary writing for kids?’, you might wonder. ‘Why should I encourage my teenage son or daughter to get into it? It just seems ludicrous’. 

While many have the conventional notion that journaling is just for teenage girls writing about their secret crush Josh, the truth is far from it. Developing greater self-awareness is not for a specific gender and there is no age requirement for exploring multi-faceted questions.

The sooner you understand the “Know Thyself” mantra, the better. The world around us is not sunshine and rainbows. We must ensure that our children resort to healthy coping mechanisms for their emotional well-being. 

Here are three reasons why journal prompts for 9th graders are so important: 

It Gives a Sense of Identity

“I used to be such a happy kid. Now my mother criticizes me, and I think she doesn’t like me. I don’t even blame her. Who could love me? I am so ugly after all.”

“Is Ashley really my friend? She ignored me as I tried to talk to her. We’re not even close anymore. Sometimes I feel like she hates me.”

“Josh looked at me today and smiled. He is so cute. Is it possible that he likes me?”

“Omg, why did I say that? God, I feel so stupid. I hate myself. I’m never going to recover from this. I just want to isolate myself.” 

These are just some of the questions that start popping into your mind as the bubble of childhood bursts and makes space for new experiences. 

You suddenly find yourself in a whirlwind of emotions, friendships, dating , school, and peer pressure. Ultimately you have this need to fit in, which is not wrong. 

But we need to be mindful of who we decide to associate with. That is why taking small steps toward self-awareness and shifting the narrative is essential.

Prompts help create a lens to target worries and narrow down scattered and disorganized thoughts. 

• “What do I like about myself?”
• “What is my favorite pastime?”
• “What makes me feel good?”

Although it may strike you as absurd, these will help smooth things out. This is especially true for the ninth grader just beginning to step into the world. 

It Is a Great Source of Emotional Outlet

As an adult, you might struggle with regulating your emotions in healthy and socially acceptable ways. You might even have trouble managing your inclinations and impulsive tendencies. And that is amusing, considering you’re not particularly new to these intense emotions.

Now picture an individual going through their developmental stages and experiencing these intense emotions for the first time. There is a reason why teenage years are difficult for both the parents and their offspring alike. 

Doesn’t sound that hard? Picture a 30-student class of hormonal and emotional individuals slowly unveiling the hard truths about life. 

These may include the realization that people to whom they thought they were close did not reciprocate their sincerity. Or that their parents are not always right. 

They might be peer pressured into bad habits as an escape. Parental pressure and validation from one’s friends may result in bottled-up frustration. Irrational rebellion is not surprising at this age.

Journaling will allow a safe space for the expression of such emotions. It’s a way of navigating friendships, dating, family-related issues, and the inevitable drama of the 9th-grade classroom. 

It Allows the Exploration of Various Themes and Interests

Open-ended journal prompts for 9th graders are a great way to spark their imagination. There are loads of themes, topics, and ideas to get into. These may include dreams, hopes, and aspirations. This will encourage them to be open to all sorts of ideas. 

It is a great way to kickstart their creativity . For a moment, blur the lines between perceived possibility and impossibility. 

• Who would you be if there were no imposed restrictions? 
• What is something you would like to do forever? 
• Do you believe in religion? What are the reasons for your belief?
• What do you want to do in terms of your career ? Are you in it for passion or money? 
• How do you feel about yourself?
• If you could travel anywhere you wanted to, where would you go? 

See? These are simple questions, and yet they may encourage any individual to think about what they want. Even if the answer seems indefinite, it is discoverable through a bit of introspection. 

While teenagers may not be comfortable talking about their emotions, writing is a relatively safer method. They will not feel judged or instantly reprimanded for their valid and understandable emotions and ideas. 

Plus, it means less time wasted on other less fruitful activities. Win-on-win for everyone involved, isn’t it? 

Common Issues 9th graders are dealing with

Technological advancement has made phones an indispensable part of our lives. Whether it is for staying connected with friends, studies, or work , it’s impossible to negate its importance. 

For ninth graders, social media can open a gateway to problematic thoughts and behaviors. It is important to remember that there’s not much truth in how people portray themselves online. There is misinformation and false narratives on how your life should be. 

These may present problems relating to self-esteem , self-image, body image, peer pressure, and even an unconscious perpetuation of prejudice. 

Although these problems existed even during the pre-social media era, they are more severe now. Everyone has access to everything, even things that may bring more harm than good. 

Consider this: According to research by Elflein , self-harm or suicide was the second leading cause of death among teenagers aged 15 to 19 years. The typical age for ninth graders in the US is about 14 to 15. 

What exactly is happening to incur such a noticeable tragedy? It is worth noting that such problems do not arise all at once. They grow slowly as ideas turn into beliefs. 

The difference between grades eight and nine can be too difficult to be manageable by the student alone. 

Instead of perpetuating unhealthy thought and behavioral patterns, let’s make emotions manageable for kids. Journaling is an effective way to do that. 

So, the next time they feel something, they have a pen and paper to express it. There ought to be a curriculum specifically designed to cater to emotional expression. 

Now, how can we do that? Let’s find out the roles of the two most important forces at play: home and school. 

How to introduce journaling to 9th graders

How can we introduce journaling prompts for 9th graders in a way that doesn’t seem too overwhelming or overbearing? 

Getting a teenager to do anything is quite a challenge. But there are ways to help them discover journaling and its benefits. Let’s break down our theoretical knowledge into executable steps. 

How To Encourage Journaling as a Parent

Although it may seem that way, your child does not hate you. They may harbor resentment , sure. But if you’re consistently improving yourself and switching parenting styles as required, chances are they’re probably stressed about something else. 

Now, what can you do as their guardian? Introduce journaling as a coping mechanism for stress.  Be considerate of their likes and dislikes. What’s their favorite color? Is there a fictional character they like? 

Get them a journal that represents their taste. Your teen will automatically feel drawn to it. It’s important to remember that journaling isn’t just writing. It comprises list-making, doodling, drawing, and just scribbling words or phrases. 

Give them enough space to use it as they prefer.  If they’re Potterhead, get them cool stationery such as these Paper House Productions stickers. This will foster creativity by allowing them to personalize their journal. 

How To Encourage Journaling as a Teacher 

Academic institutions play an essential role in encouraging or discouraging certain activities. 

Reflect on your life: how many times did you participate in a class or at least enjoyed learning simply because your teacher was good? 

Maybe their lecture was engaging, or they posed thought-provoking questions. It could also be that they just had a kind demeanor and you felt understood by them. 

Either way, it made the task at hand easier. Let’s apply the same rules here. 

Whatever your students write, be mindful of any conscious or unconscious invalidation of emotions. Your role here is to create a safe space for expression. That includes not judging or criticizing emotions.

Next, offer them constructive feedback. Is there a specific problem they’re dealing with? Help them out with it. Make it overt or subtle depending on the temperament of the student involved.  

Bonus Tip: 

Create a positive association with a particular routine. When are your students most active? When do you think they’ll enjoy it the most? 

Try not to give extensive journaling exercises when tests or quizzes are due. Make it as simplified as possible and see your students thrive. 

You can also check out the following video for some back-to-school journal inspiration! 

20 Great Journal Prompts for 9th graders

• What are your hopes and dreams for the future?
• What are your biggest fears and how do you plan to overcome them?
• Write about a meaningful experience you had in your life so far.
• Who is someone you look up to and why?
• What are your strengths and weaknesses and how do you plan to improve upon them?
• If you could change one thing about your school, what would it be and why?
• Write about a time you showed courage or resilience in the face of adversity.
• What are your favorite subjects in school and why?
• What are your future career goals and how do you plan to achieve them?
• Write about a hobby or interest that you are passionate about.
• What are your values and how do you plan to incorporate them into your daily life?
• Write about a time you took a risk and what you learned from it.
• What is one place you have always wanted to visit and why?
• Write about a person who has had a significant impact on your life.
• What is one thing you are grateful for in your life and why?
• What are some ways you can contribute to your community and make a positive impact?
• Write about a time you failed and what you learned from the experience.
• What are your plans for after high school and how do you plan to prepare for it?
• What is one thing you want to learn more about and why?
• Reflect on your personal growth over the past year and set some goals for the future.

Final Thoughts

Journaling has numerous proven benefits for mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being. It’s an effective way to detach yourself from your thoughts by putting pen to paper. 

So, whether you’re a parent or a teacher, ensure that your child/student feels heard. Become their best friend. And make journaling their sanctuary, so they have something to resort to even when you’re not there. 

We hope our list of journal prompts for 9th graders proves to be fruitful in sparking and retaining interest. Remember, everyone is doing their best and learning at their own pace. Always be kind to others. 

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• Creative Writing Prompts for 9th Graders

Creative writing prompts can be a valuable tool for 9th graders to enhance their writing skills while encouraging creativity and imagination. These prompts provide students with a starting point, sparking their ideas and helping them develop their storytelling abilities. By engaging with these prompts, 9th graders can explore various writing genres, express themselves artfully, and ignite their passion for writing.

When it comes to creative writing prompts for 9th graders , the possibilities are endless. From narrative prompts that invite students to dive into captivating stories, to descriptive prompts that inspire vivid imagery, and persuasive prompts that encourage critical thinking and argumentation, there is a prompt for every writing style and interest.

One approach to creative writing prompts is to have students write a story about a misunderstanding or someone going to extreme lengths to return an overdue library book. These prompts challenge 9th graders to think outside the box and develop their problem-solving skills while honing their storytelling abilities.

Another approach is to present prompts that deal with real-world issues. For example, prompts that ask students to write about the best way to reduce violence in schools or a time when they faced an ethical dilemma can foster critical thinking and empathy. Through their writing, 9th graders can explore different perspectives and develop a deeper understanding of complex topics.

To further ignite creative thinking, prompts can also delve into the realm of fiction and character development. 9th graders can craft stories about characters who discover mysterious, abandoned houses in the woods or possess the power of time travel. These prompts encourage students to stretch their imagination, build compelling narratives, and develop multidimensional characters.

Overall, creative writing prompts provide 9th graders with a platform to explore their thoughts, express themselves, and develop their writing skills. By using diverse prompts that cater to different genres and themes, educators can engage and inspire their students, fostering a love for writing that will stay with them throughout their academic journey and beyond.

• Writing Exercises for High School Students: Sparking Creativity

Engaging writing activities are essential for high school students as they encourage creativity and allow students to express themselves through writing. These exercises not only help develop their writing skills but also foster their imagination and critical thinking abilities. By presenting students with thought-provoking prompts and activities, educators can ignite their passion for writing and encourage them to explore new ideas and perspectives.

One effective exercise is to have students create a story based on a picture or an image. This visual prompt can inspire students to think creatively and develop their storytelling skills. Whether it’s a captivating landscape or an intriguing character, the image can serve as a starting point for their imagination to take flight. Students can describe the scene, develop the characters and plot, and bring the story to life through their writing.

Another engaging activity is to ask students to write from different perspectives. For example, they can choose a historical event or a current issue and write about it from the point of view of a politician, a journalist, or an ordinary citizen. This exercise encourages students to consider different viewpoints, enhances their empathy and understanding, and challenges them to think critically about complex issues.

Lastly, incorporating collaborative writing projects can be an effective way to engage high school students. By working together in small groups or as a class, students can collaborate to write a story, script, or even a play. This not only cultivates teamwork and communication skills but also allows students to learn from each other, pooling their ideas and creativity to create a collective piece of writing.

• Narrative, Descriptive, and Persuasive Writing Prompts: Unleashing Artful Expression

Narrative, descriptive, and persuasive writing prompts can unlock the artful expression within 9th graders, encouraging them to explore different genres and improve their writing skills. These prompts provide students with the opportunity to unleash their creativity and develop a deeper understanding of the power of words.

For narrative writing, prompts can include topics such as writing a story about a memorable event or a personal experience that changed their perspective. These prompts allow students to practice storytelling techniques, develop their characters, and create engaging plotlines.

Descriptive writing prompts , on the other hand, focus on painting vivid pictures with words. Students can be prompted to describe a place, object, or person in detail, challenging them to use sensory language and imagery to bring their descriptions to life. This genre of prompts helps students enhance their observation skills and build a strong foundation in descriptive writing.

Finally, persuasive writing prompts provide students with the opportunity to express their opinions and convince others to see things from their perspective. These prompts can cover a wide range of topics, from climate change to social issues, allowing students to practice constructing well-reasoned arguments and supporting their ideas with evidence. Through persuasive writing, students develop critical thinking skills and learn the art of persuasion.

By incorporating narrative, descriptive, and persuasive writing prompts into the curriculum, educators can inspire 9th graders to explore their creativity, develop their unique writing voice, and become more effective communicators. These prompts serve as a valuable tool for unlocking the artful expression within each student and building a strong foundation in writing.

• Inspiring Fiction and Character Development Prompts: Igniting Creative Thinking

Writing prompts that foster creative thinking, storytelling, and character development can empower 9th graders to delve into the world of fiction and expand their horizons as writers. These prompts provide a springboard for imagination, encouraging students to think outside the box and explore new narrative possibilities.

One way to ignite creative thinking is through storytelling prompts . For example, students can be challenged to write a story about a character who discovers a mysterious, abandoned house in the woods. This prompts them to consider the setting, the character’s motivations, and the potential twists and turns of the plot. Another prompt could involve a character with the power of time travel, asking students to explore the consequences and complexities of this ability.

Character development prompts are also an excellent tool for encouraging creative thinking. These prompts prompt students to create well-rounded characters with unique personalities, backgrounds, and motivations. For instance, students can be asked to write about a character faced with an ethical dilemma and explore how their values and decision-making process shape their actions. This prompts them to develop complex characters and consider the moral implications of their choices.

By incorporating these storytelling and character development prompts , educators can nurture the creative thinking skills of 9th graders. These prompts ignite their imagination, allowing them to explore the realm of fiction while also developing their storytelling abilities. Furthermore, these prompts foster a love for writing as students engage with their creativity and discover the power of their words.

Creative writing prompts for 9th graders are a vital tool in the classroom, offering students the opportunity to unleash their creativity, improve their writing abilities, and develop their unique voice. By engaging and inspiring students through carefully crafted prompts, teachers can ignite a passion for writing and encourage critical thinking.

These prompts can take various forms, from narrative and descriptive prompts that encourage students to explore their storytelling abilities, to persuasive prompts that challenge them to express their opinions and develop strong arguments. Fiction and character development prompts provide a platform for students to think creatively and dive into the realm of imagination, while writing exercises for high school students spark creativity and keep the writing process exciting.

Whether it’s writing a story about a misunderstood character or exploring ethical dilemmas through personal experiences, these prompts create an environment where students can explore their thoughts, emotions, and ideas. By providing structure and direction, creative writing prompts act as a catalyst for self-expression and allow students to develop their own unique writing style.

As teachers continue to utilize creative writing prompts, students have the opportunity to grow as writers, improve their communication skills, and gain confidence in their abilities. By embracing these prompts, 9th graders can discover the transformative power of words and develop a lifelong love for writing.

• Source Links
• https://www.journalbuddies.com/prompts-by-grade/9th-graders-write/
• https://www.immerse.education/study-tips/creative-writing/prompts-for-high-school-students/
• https://blog.reedsy.com/creative-writing-prompts/high-school/

50 Awesome Writing Prompts for 9th Graders

Guidelines can encourage creativity. That might sound rather strange. After all, guidelines remove possibilities by their very nature. However, interested individuals should remember that total creative freedom can lead to decision paralysis.

Meanwhile, a good set of guidelines can give people somewhere solid to start from without being so restrictive that it cripples their imagination. As such, writing prompts can be very useful for getting the best creative writing out of 9th graders and other high school students.

Here are 50 awesome writing prompts for 9th graders

1. what is success.

There is neither a right answer nor a wrong answer for this question. Instead, the whole point is to get high schoolers to think about their criteria for success, which can see considerable variation from individual to individual.

2. What Is Failure?

This isn’t as straightforward as just a reverse of the above question. Asking high schoolers to write about their criteria for failure can be more illuminating than asking them to write about their criteria for success, if only because people tend to spend less time thinking about these things.

3. What Is the Greatest Challenge You Have Encountered So Far?

Challenges are relative. As such, high people can write about whatever challenge comes to mind for them. For that matter, they can write about either a challenge they have overcome or a challenge they are still struggling with.

4. What Is Your Proudest Moment?

This writing prompt is meant to get high schoolers to share something about themselves. Their proudest moment could be tied to their greatest success or something else altogether.

5. Have You Ever Had to Give Up Something to Get Something Else You Wanted More?

Opportunity cost refers to the best thing people have passed up on by making a choice. Generally speaking, Investopedia and other sources talk about it in the context of economics. However, it also applies to day-to-day life. As a result, people should have no problem thinking of something even if it is as simple as passing up on a snack because they wanted to leave room for something tastier.

6. Describe Your Favorite Food

It doesn’t matter what high schoolers describe as their favorite food so long as they can explain their choice.

7. Describe Your Favorite Activity

Similarly, what matters here is how well high schoolers can explain their choice of a favorite activity.

8. Describe Your Favorite Place

This could be anywhere from a favorite place to be to a favorite place to experience.

9. Describe Your Favorite Work of Art

Likewise, this could be anything from a song or a sculpture to a photo or a painting.

10. Describe Your Favorite Historical Figure

High schoolers should be able to name at least some historical figures. This is just a matter of choosing the one who appeals to them the most.

11. What Is the Most Interesting Animal?

There are some very unusual animals out there. To name an example, Discover states starfish eat by extending their stomaches into their prey. Undoubtedly, high schoolers can think of more.

12. If You Were an Animal, What Animal Would You Be?

Meanwhile, this writing prompt is more about which animals high schoolers think might be fun, cool, or otherwise interesting to be.

13. Choose a Friend or a Family Member. If They Were an Animal, What Animal Would They Be?

Here, high schoolers are encouraged to think about what characteristics define the people around them and what animals they associate with those characteristics.

14. What Is Something You Would Never Give Up?

Everyone has things they would never give up. Those things can range from principles to prized possessions.

15. If You Could Switch Your Personality Traits, What Would You Take Out and What Would You Put In?

This writing prompt encourages people to think about a couple of questions. One would be which of their personality traits they dislike. The other would be what personality traits they prize the most.

16. What Makes Someone an Adult?

Adulthood is a somewhat nebulous concept. As a result, it can be interesting to get high schoolers to think about what makes people adults, which requires them to think about what adulthood even means.

17. What Is Something You Look Forward to in the Future?

High schoolers are at a transformative point in their lives. It is natural for them to think about what is to come.

18. What Is Something You Regret About the Past?

Most high schoolers presumably wouldn’t have a huge cause for regret. That is fine because even a minor regret counts as a regret.

19. What Is One Thing You Know For Certain About Yourself?

The Harvard Business Review points out that self-reflection is an important life skill. This writing prompt is a chance for people to describe something about themselves, whether positive, negative, or even neutral.

20. What Is the One Thing That Makes You Who You Are?

On a related note, this writing prompt is also reflective, though more concerned with something that has had a huge impact on making them who they are.

21. What Stresses You Out?

The Mayo Clinic mentions the importance of identifying stressors before being able to come to grips with them. As such, one could consider this to be practice for stress management as much as creative writing.

22. How Do You Like to De-Stress?

A natural complement to writing about stressors would be writing about ways to relieve the stress from stressors.

23. How Would You React If You Had to Spend a Week On Your Own?

Just about everyone benefits from having company. However, different people can have different degrees of need for it. This writing prompt asks people to imagine how they would fare without company for a long but not too long time.

24. What Would You Do If You Had to Spend a Week On Your Own?

Meanwhile, this writing prompt is more about asking people how they would spend a great deal of time on their own.

25. If You Could Go Anywhere in the World, Where Would You Visit?

Travel is a popular pastime. Due to this, even high schoolers might have thought about where they would like to go. If not, there is no harm to them putting some thought into the topic.

26. Do You Want a Pet?

Everyone agrees that pet ownership is a major responsibility. Even the CDC is no exception to the rule. This is about asking high schoolers whether they want a pet if they have full responsibility for their pet’s wellbeing.

27. What Would You Get If You Could Get Whatever Pet You Wanted?

With that said, most people find it much more fun to think about what pets they would get if they were limited by neither budget nor other practical considerations.

28. What Is Your Favorite Season?

Different people have different favorite seasons. It can be interesting to see what high schoolers pick and how they justify their picks.

29. Where Do You See Yourself 10, 20, and 30 Years From Now?

High schoolers are at the point when they should start thinking about their life trajectory. Due to this, a writing prompt about where they see themselves at different points in the future can be very fitting.

30. Create an Alien

Fantastical writing prompts can be just as useful as their more down-to-earth counterparts. This one asks high schoolers to come up with an alien life form. What they come up with can say a lot about who they are as people.

31. Create a Holiday

Asking high schoolers to create a holiday can serve much the same purpose, if only because of what it says about their priorities.

32. What Is the Best Superpower?

It isn’t uncommon for fantastical writing prompts to have surprisingly reasonable answers. After all, “best” is very much in the eye of the beholder, meaning people can have very practical reasons for choosing one superpower over another.

33. What Is Something You Are Thankful For?

Once again, this is a writing prompt that encourages a bit of self-reflection, which is often beneficial for personal growth.

34. What Is a Present-Day Issue You Care About?

High schoolers can be surprisingly attentive to sociopolitical issues. It can be interesting to see what they care about when it comes to these things.

35. What Is a Principle You Consider Important?

People don’t necessarily make conscious choices when picking up core principles. Even so, it is good to think about these things from time to time. This writing prompt is meant to get high schoolers to do exactly that by thinking about what guides them through their day-to-day lives.

36. Nature or Nurture?

Nature versus nurture is a long-running debate. It won’t be settled anytime soon, but it can be interesting to see what people have to say on the matter.

37. Are People Inherently Good or Inherently Bad?

Speaking of which, this question is another long-running debate with profound consequences for human society as a whole. Even now, it continues to show up in Scientific American and other sources for very good reasons. The answer isn’t as important as how people craft their answers.

38. Do People Deserve Second Chances?

This is yet another question with answers that say more about the answerers than about the topic itself. Of course, that is what makes it interesting in the first place.

39. What Is the Weirdest Dream You Have Ever Had?

For something lighter, there is always the option of asking people to write about the weirdest dream they have ever experienced.

40. What Is Something You Want to Do Before You Die?

Alternatively, there is also the option of asking people about the things that they want to do at some point in their lives. Some people will bring up something perfectly ordinary. Other people will try to describe the adventure of a lifetime. Either option is valid.

41. Describe the Sight of a Dog to Someone Who Can’t See

Sometimes, simple things are only simple because of shared context. This writing prompt is meant to challenge high schoolers by getting them to think about the best way to describe the look of something to someone who has never seen anything in their life.

42. List 10 Things You Know to Be True

Writing prompts don’t need to be complicated. Even something as straightforward as this can encourage people to write and write well.

43. List 10 Things You Know to Be False

The reverse of the above writing prompt has the same potential for creating writing.

44. What Makes a Person a Person?

Personhood is a complicated topic. For proof, look no further than those championing the idea of animal personhood, as described by National Geographic . It can be beneficial for high schoolers to think a bit about what makes a person a person.

45. What Is Intelligence?

The idea of intelligence isn’t any easier to pin down than the idea of personhood. Due to that, it can also be a good idea for high schoolers to think a bit about the meaning of intelligence.

46. What Would You Choose If You Had to Choose Between Beauty, Health, and Intelligence?

People often have to make tough choices. Thought exercises are a good way for them to think their way through such situations rather than hesitate because of decision paralysis.

47. Describe Someone Who Has Been a Major Influence On You

No one stands alone. As a result, all of us have been influenced by our friends, our family members, and the other people around us. This writing prompt asks high schoolers to discuss one such individual.

48. Describe Something That Has Been a Major Influence On You

Of course, we can be influenced by books, events, and other things, which can have a huge impact on our day-to-day lives. Asking people to write about these sources of influence is just as worthwhile as asking them to write about the people who have shaped them.

49. What Is the Meaning of Life?

There are plenty of sources that claim to know the meaning of life. Unfortunately, it is hard to say which ones are right and which ones are wrong, meaning people are going to have to decide which answers are the right answers for them. This writing prompt is meant to get them thinking about what they see as important in life.

50. What Is the Greatest Challenge of Your Generation?

As mentioned earlier, high schoolers can be surprisingly attentive to sociopolitical issues. Even if they aren’t, chances are good that they have thoughts on the greatest challenges awaiting their generation, if only because of the shared experiences that have shaped them and their classmates.

You can also read:

• 50 Writing Prompts for 5th Graders That Aren’t Boring or Lame
• 50 Writing Prompts for 6th Graders That Aren’t Boring
• 50 Writing Prompts for 7th Graders That Aren’t Boring
• 70 Awesome Writing Prompts for 8th Graders

Janine is passionate about parenting. As a mother of 5 she knows a thing or two about how to raise children. She has a love for food, travel, and making sure her children stay on the right path.

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225 Fun & Free Creative Writing Prompts for Kids in All Grade Levels

Written by Maria Kampen

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• Teacher Resources
• Elementary school writing prompts

Middle school writing prompts

High school writing prompts.

• Social emotional learning jounal prompts
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Writing prompts are meant to unlock creativity. They’re story starters designed to inspire creative thinking. They can take you to places you’ve been or recall an important time in your life. 

But mostly, they’re useful tools for teachers to inspire writing growth in students from grade school to high school.

“Once upon a time, in a land far, far away…”

It’s amazing how one simple sentence can send you on a journey to places you’ve never been, filled with untold possibilities. 

Reading is great, but you know what’s even better? Giving your students the power to write stories for themselves. 

Writing prompts for kids help students:

• Express themselves and their creativity
• Grasp lifelong literacy skills and concepts
• Tell their own stories and build self-confidence
• Develop a growth mindset when it comes to their writing skills

Writing is like a muscle — it takes practice to build up skills. Luckily, we put together a list of over 200 writing prompts to help your students get started. We’ve also organized them by middle school, high school and elementary school to help teachers decide whether these prompts are age-appropriate for their students.

Grade school writing prompts

Grade schoolers can definitely begin to address complex ideas when it comes to story writing — but you should seek to keep the prompts simple and straightforward. 

Reluctant writers might be intimidated by complicated writing ideas — and this is an age where we should be encouraging creativity.

Creative writing prompts for elementary schoolers

Whether it’s exploring the furthest reaches of outer space, traveling across the Sahara desert or sticking a little closer to home, these creative writing prompts will have students imagining endless possibilities for their writing.

• Write about what your life would be like if you turned into a squirrel. What would you do every day?
• A strange spaceship just crashed and landed in your backyard. What happens next?
• Make up a story about where thunder comes from.
• You find an old notebook hidden in an attic. What does it say? Who did it belong to?
• You have a magic garden. What magical plants do you grow? How do you take care of them?
• Write a story about running away with the circus when it comes to town.
• Rewrite “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” from the perspective of one of the dwarfs (Happy, Sleepy, Dopey, Doc, Grumpy, Sneezy and Bashful).
• There once was a little boy who ate nothing but oranges. What happened to him?
• Write a story about a magical hat. Where is it from? What does it do? What does it look like?
• You’re exploring the rainforest and come across a flower that no one’s ever seen before. Describe it!
• Tell me a story about a dinosaur living a long, long time ago.
• Tell me a story about an astronaut visiting another planet. Where are they going? How do they get there? What do they take with them?
• You discover a magic portal in the park. Where does it lead to?
• Pick a partner and write a story together! Start by writing the first sentence, then pass it to your partner to write the second sentence.
• You find buried treasure in the park, hidden in a big wooden chest. What kind of treasure is it? Who left it there?
• Write a story about a family that can travel in time. 
• Write a story without using the letter “E”.
• Write the funniest story you can think of. 
• There’s a kangaroo in your classroom. How did it get there? What happens when you find it?
• Write a story about an explorer who keeps getting lost. Where are they trying to go? What do they find along the way?
• Write a story about a wooden door, a can of soda and a blue shoe.
• If there was a magical portal in the back of your closet, where would it lead to? 
• Finish this story: There was a knock on the door. I opened it to find a dog sitting there, and…
• You come home and find that everything in your house is upside down. What happened?
• Describe the color “red” without using the word “red”.
• There’s an old, abandoned house at the end of your street that’s been empty for years. One day, someone moves in.
• Rewrite the story of Cinderella from the perspective of the stepsisters.  
• Write a backstory for Ed, the orange Prodigy mascot. 
• You wake up one morning and find a mermaid in your bathtub. How did they get there? What do you do?
• Write a story about a monster looking for some friends. 
• Oh no — your balloon blew away! Write about what happens from the balloon’s perspective. 
• You and your friends are out for a walk when, out of nowhere, your friends start disappearing! What’s going on?
• Once upon a time, an old inventor built a weather machine. It sat undiscovered for years — until you found it. What happens next?
• You just ate a cookie that turned you 15 feet tall. What do you do next?

Fun writing prompts for grade schoolers

Everyday life is full of great inspiration for writing! Get students thinking with these easy and fun writing prompts.Write about something you are good at. 

• If you could write a book about anything, what would you write about?
• If you could have any animal as a pet, what would it be and why?
• Do you have a favorite animal? Tell me all about it! Why do you like it?
• What would you do if you woke up one morning and everything was pink — including you?
• What food can you not live without? Why?
• If you could add any class to your school schedule, what would it be?
• Invent a new day of the week. What is it called? When is it? What do people usually do on that day of the week?
• If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you live? 
• If you could spend a Saturday doing anything you wanted, what adventures would you get up to?
• If you could have any wild animal as a pet, what would you choose? Why?
• What's your favorite, wacky food?
• Where is your favorite place to read? Why?
• What was the coolest day of school for you? What made it exciting?
• Which of your toys do you wish could talk? What would they say?
• If you could only wear one outfit for the rest of your life, what would it look like?
• Invent a machine to do a chore for you. What does the machine do? What does it look like?
• What's your favorite season? What makes it the best?
• What is your favorite math game and why?
• Describe your real-life superpower.
• Finish the story: When I'm older I want to be an expert in…
• If pets could talk to each other, what would they say?
• If you were the captain of a ship, what would you call your ship? What would it look like? Where would you go?
• If your pet could talk to you, what do you think it would say?
• If you were the only person on earth for one day, what would you do?
• Plan the perfect birthday party for yourself. 
• What is your favorite thing to do over summer break?
• Describe your ideal birthday cake. 
• If you could add any type of room to your house, what would it be?
• What’s your favorite movie and why?

Persuasive writing prompts for elementary school

Are your students’ opinions up for debate? Ask them to flex their critical thinking skills with these persuasive writing prompts. Once they’re done, get class discussion flowing with a spirited debate!

• Write a letter convincing your parents to let you get a pet dog. What arguments do you use to persuade them?
• Convince your teacher that you should be allowed an extra 15 minutes of recess.
• Convince your best friend to read your favorite book.
• How would you convince someone to do your chores for you?
• Write a commercial for your favorite breakfast food. What would convince someone else to try it?
• What flavor of chips is the best? Why?
• What would make a better pet — a monkey or a peacock?
• Do you think children should be allowed to stay up as late as they want?
• What’s your favorite holiday and why should it be everyone’s favorite? 
• Convince us that your favorite food should be a staple in everyone’s diet.

As students enter middle school, they’re starting to feel like bigger, older kids. They can start writing original short stories and abstract persuasive essays. 

It’s best to inspire creativity at this age and encourage them to explore their own voice and different writing styles. These prompts will definitely go a long way in inspiring that.

Creative Writing Prompts for Middle Schoolers

• Invent a new type of transportation for the future. Who uses it? Where does it go?
• If you had a time machine, where would you visit first — the past or the future? Why?
• You get on the bus and find a four-piece jazz band giving a concert. What do you do?
• Design and name your own Prodigy pet . What element are they? What’s their special power?
• Finish this story: “Something just touched my foot,” they shouted, swimming frantically towards the shore. 
• Write a silly or scary story to tell around a campfire. 
• Finish this story: Everything was going so well today — until I tripped and fell, right in front of…
• Throughout your adventures as a pirate on the high seas, you’ve seen lots of strange and magical creatures. Which one was the most interesting?
• Deep in the heart of a dark and mysterious cave, there lies a magic stone. Write about your quest to find it. 
• Write an acrostic poem using the word “strawberry.”
• There was an old woman who lived in a shoe. She knit and she baked, but what else did she do?
• Finish this story: “One thing I’ll never do again,” she said, “Is go on vacation with an alpaca.”
• Make up a new planet and describe it. 
• Write a story about a family of penguins living on an iceberg.
• Write a story about a girl who can walk through walls. 
• You’ve been invited to a ball at the Queen’s palace! What is it like?
• Imagine you’re exploring the Amazon jungle. Write a diary entry about your day.
• If you could invent a TV show, what would it be about?
• You discovered an underwater kingdom! What is it like there?
• A lonely trumpet player makes friends with the dancer who lives next door. What happens next?
• You go to the park to fly a kite, but get carried away by the wind! What happens next?
• Write a story about a volcano that’s about to erupt.
• Write a story about visiting an old lady who lives deep in the woods.
• Boom, you’re a superhero! Give yourself an origin story, describe your superpowers and plan what you’ll do to make the world a better place. 
• Write a story using these six words: calendar, headphones, lipstick, mug, bear.
• You wake up to find you’re invisible. How did it happen? What do you do?
• There’s been a robbery at the bank, and you’re in charge of finding the culprit. How do you solve the case?
• Finish the story: Once upon a time, there was a dragon...
• You just joined a super-secret spy organization. What’s your first mission?
• Write a story about being cold without using the word “cold.”
• You’re a scientist and you’ve just discovered a new type of bug. Describe what it looks like, where it’s from and what you’re going to call it. 
• Imagine a world where all the birds can talk. What would they say?
• Write about what happens after the end of your favorite book or movie.
• Finish the story: She sprinted down the driveway to the mailbox. The package was here!
• You’re on a hike and a bird starts talking to you. What do you do? What does it say?
• Write a story using these five words: bubblegum, stapler, spoon, lightbulb, strawberry.
• You ate a magical carrot and your skin turned orange! What happens next?
• Write about what it would be like if you had an elephant for a pet.

Fun Writing Prompts for Middle Schoolers

• If you were in charge of the classroom for a day, what would your class do?
• Tell me about the last dream you had.
• You’re trapped on a desert island. What three things did you bring with you and why?
• What mythical creature would you like to have as a pet? Why?
• Invent a new type of pasta. What does it look like? What does it taste like?
• If you could go on vacation anywhere in the world, where would you go? Make a plan and tell the story of your dream vacation.
• Plan the perfect picnic. Where would it be? What food would you have?
• If you could decorate your bedroom any way you wanted, what would it look like?
• Write a story that sounds loud, using onomatopoeia (words that sound like their meaning, like crash, snort, bang and boom.)
• Invent a new type of cookie. What does it taste like?
• Invent a new sport. What is it called? What are the rules?
• How would you disguise yourself to blend in with a forest?
• You just won a special award from the president. What did you do to earn that award?
• Do you collect anything? What is it and why? If not, what would you like to collect?
• You just found a genie in a bottle. What three things would you wish for? (Remember, no wishing for extra wishes!
• Explain how to play your favorite sport or do your favorite hobby. Make it as exciting as possible!
• Describe the most beautiful sunrise or sunset you’ve ever seen.
• If you could live in any book or movie, which one would you choose and why?
• Imagine that you’re going on a camping trip. What do you pack to make sure the trip is fun?
• If you could invent a robot to do any chore, what chore would it be? How would the robot do it?
• Would you rather it was always raining, or always snowing?
• Imagine you’re a toy inventor. What will you create?
• Would you rather climb to the top of a mountain or go scuba diving?
• Interview a family member about their childhood, then write it as a story.
• What was your favorite toy growing up — why was it so special to you?

Persuasive Writing Prompts for Middle School

• If you could change one thing about your school, what would it be and why?
• Is it better to read the book before you watch the movie, or watch the movie before you read the book?
• Persuade someone to try out your favorite hobby or sport.
• What’s the best way to try and persuade a friend to do what you want to do?
• When is peer pressure good? When is peer pressure bad?
• Is it better to have lots of friends, or just a few really good friends?
• Should students be in charge of what they learn in school?

High school students can either be tasked with more complex writing prompts or breathe nuance into simple story ideas. Students can drive these prompts in a million different ways.

So while not necessarily more complicated than middle school, these prompts can be tweaked, either by the student or teacher, to encourage thought-provoking output.

Creative Writing Prompts for High Schoolers

• Write a story about someone your age who lives on the other side of the world. 
• Pick up the nearest book and turn to page 7. Close your eyes and point to a random word on the page, then write a story about that word.
• Write a story in ten words or less.
• You fell asleep for 100 years. What does the world look like when you wake up?
• Finish the story: “This isn’t what I hoped would happen,” she said….
• You’re walking down the street when you see someone who looks exactly like you.
• Write a story where the main character learns something new about themselves.
• Write a story that takes place in the desert. 
• Write a story about a day where everything seems to go wrong. 
• Write a poem about the color blue.
• How would your life be different if you didn’t have access to a computer, video games or your phone?

Fun writing prompts for high schoolers

• You win a million dollars, but there’s a catch — you have to spend it all in 24 hours, or you lose all the money. What do you do?
• Write about something you or your family does from the perspective of someone from another country.
• If you could make up a new holiday, when would it be and what would it celebrate?
• Go out on a nature walk and find a tree. Write the story of that tree, from the time it was a seed until now.
• What’s the most boring superpower you can think of? How would it be useful?
• If you could pass any law, what would it be?
• You meet yourself in the future, as a grown-up at age 35 — what do you talk about? 
• If you had to show aliens the most important/best things in the world, what would you show them?
• Who is your hero and why?
• Write about the best surprise you ever got. 
• What are three good things you can do for the environment? How can you encourage the people around you to do good things for the environment?
• What is your earliest memory? Write down as many details as you can remember.
• If you could take two people – real or fictional – on a cross-country road trip, who would you take? Where would you go?
• If you could have any job in the world tomorrow, what would you do?
• What is the best thing about living in your city or neighbourhood?
• Write a letter to your 30-year-old self. What do you think you’ll accomplish by then?
• Teach me how to make your favorite recipe.
• Describe the sound of your favorite song using descriptive words.

Persuasive writing prompts for high school

• Should kids be allowed to use social media unsupervised? Why or why not?
• Persuade someone to start a healthy habit, or get rid of a bad one.
• Should all single-use plastics be outlawed? Why or why not?
• Should our school have a dress code? Why or why not?
• Is it more important to be right or to not hurt someone else’s feelings?
• What important historical figure do you think belongs on the ten-dollar bill?
• Do you think you’re born with your personality traits, or do you gain them as you grow up?
• Should mobile apps be responsible for protecting your privacy — why or why not?

Social emotional learning journal prompts

School is about more than just books and quizzes — it’s about preparing students for the rest of their lives. Social emotional learning teaches them how to build good relationships with peers, understand and control their emotions and make healthy life decisions.

Journaling is a great way for students to reflect on their feelings in a safe, private space. Use these journaling prompts as thought starters for more social emotional learning!

Check out our list of the 25 best social emotional learning activities for students here. 

• Tell me about a tradition you have with your family or friends. 
• What’s the best gift you’ve ever received?
• Have you ever found something that you lost? How did you feel when you found it?
• What is something you haven’t learned this school year that you’re still wondering about?
• What do you do when you’re angry? Write about three ways you calm yourself down.
• Where do you feel the safest? Why do you feel safe there?
• Write a poem to make a friend happy.
• When was the last time you were kind to someone? How can you be kind to someone today?
• How are you feeling today? Are you happy, sad, excited or anxious?
• If you could give your best friend a present, what would it be?
• What are the qualities you look for in a friend? Why is it important to be a good friend?
• What does responsibility mean to you?
• Who do you talk to when you’re worried about something? How do they make you feel better?
• If you could make a card for anyone in your life, who would it be for and what would it say?
• What’s your favorite thing about yourself?
• Write about a time you had to make a hard decision. How did you make your decision?
• What do you do to make yourself happy when you’re sad?
• Write about a time you were disappointed. 
• What are three things that make your best friend awesome?
• What do you think empathy means? Why is it important?
• How can you cheer up a friend who is sad?
• What makes you a good friend? How can you be a better friend?
• What’s the best piece of advice a friend, parent or teacher has ever given you?
• Write three goals for the rest of the school year. How are you going to accomplish them?
• What does responsibility mean to you? What are you responsible for at school and at home?
• What person in your life makes you feel confident?
• What scares you? How can you overcome your fears?
• Tell me about a time when you tried something new. How did it feel? Did you do it again?

Math writing prompts for kids

Whether it’s tackling word problems or explaining a new concept, writing is a surprisingly good tool for the math classroom. 

A math journal can help you understand what students already know, while giving them space to work through tricky concepts on their own. Use these writing prompts to promote literacy in every subject — and help students avoid math anxiety .

• Tell me everything you know about ________.
• Explain, in words, how to solve this problem.
• What is and isn’t true about this situation?
• What is _______?
• Explain two different ways to solve this problem. Which one is better?
• What did you get correct in this problem?
• What mistakes did you make while solving this problem?
• What do you not understand about _____?
• Write a word problem using the concept we’re learning about. 
• What did you learn today?
• How do you use math in your everyday life?
• What is the easiest/hardest part of math class?
• What discoveries did you make in math class today?

Final thoughts on writing prompts for kids

Writing prompts aren’t the end of the story — they’re just the beginning. Encourage your students to build a regular writing practice, and soon you’ll see the benefits in every class. 

Where will your students’ imaginations take them?

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WEEKLY WRITING PROMPTS

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Begin or end your story with a character taking a selfie..

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Creative Writing Prompts

When the idea to start a weekly newsletter with writing inspiration first came to us, we decided that we wanted to do more than provide people with topics to write about. We wanted to try and help authors form a regular writing habit and also give them a place to proudly display their work. So we started the weekly Creative Writing Prompts newsletter. Since then, Prompts has grown to a community of more than 450,000 authors, complete with its own literary magazine, Prompted .  

Here's how our contest works: every Friday, we send out a newsletter containing five creative writing prompts. Each week, the story ideas center around a different theme. Authors then have one week — until the following Friday — to submit a short story based on one of our prompts. A winner is picked each week to win $250 and is highlighted on our Reedsy Prompts page.

Interested in participating in our short story contest? Sign up here for more information! Or you can check out our full Terms of Use and our FAQ page .

Why we love creative writing prompts

If you've ever sat in front of a computer or notebook and felt the urge to start creating worlds, characters, and storylines — all the while finding yourself unable to do so — then you've met the author's age-old foe: writer's block. There's nothing more frustrating than finding the time but not the words to be creative. Enter our directory! If you're ready to kick writer's block to the curb and finally get started on your short story or novel, these unique story ideas might just be your ticket.

This list of 1800+ creative writing prompts has been created by the Reedsy team to help you develop a rock-solid writing routine. As all aspiring authors know, this is the #1 challenge — and solution! — for reaching your literary goals. Feel free to filter through different genres, which include...

Dramatic — If you want to make people laugh and cry within the same story, this might be your genre.

Funny — Whether satire or slapstick, this is an opportunity to write with your funny bone.

Romance — One of the most popular commercial genres out there. Check out these story ideas out if you love writing about love.

Fantasy — The beauty of this genre is that the possibilities are as endless as your imagination.

Dystopian – Explore the shadowy side of human nature and contemporary technology in dark speculative fiction.

Mystery — From whodunnits to cozy mysteries, it's time to bring out your inner detective.

Thriller and Suspense — There's nothing like a page-turner that elicits a gasp of surprise at the end.

High School — Encourage teens to let their imaginations run free.

Want to submit your own story ideas to help inspire fellow writers? Send them to us here.

After you find the perfect story idea

Finding inspiration is just one piece of the puzzle. Next, you need to refine your craft skills — and then display them to the world. We've worked hard to create resources that help you do just that! Check them out:

• How to Write a Short Story That Gets Published — a free, ten-day course by Laura Mae Isaacman, a full-time editor who runs a book editing company in Brooklyn.
• Best Literary Magazines of 2023 — a directory of 100+ reputable magazines that accept unsolicited submissions.
• Writing Contests in 2023 — the finest contests of 2021 for fiction and non-fiction authors of short stories, poetry, essays, and more.

Beyond creative writing prompts: how to build a writing routine

While writing prompts are a great tactic to spark your creative sessions, a writer generally needs a couple more tools in their toolbelt when it comes to developing a rock-solid writing routine . To that end, here are a few more additional tips for incorporating your craft into your everyday life.

• NNWT. Or, as book coach Kevin Johns calls it , “Non-Negotiable Writing Time.” This time should be scheduled into your routine, whether that’s once a day or once a week. Treat it as a serious commitment, and don’t schedule anything else during your NNWT unless it’s absolutely necessary.
• Set word count goals. And make them realistic! Don’t start out with lofty goals you’re unlikely to achieve. Give some thought to how many words you think you can write a week, and start there. If you find you’re hitting your weekly or daily goals easily, keep upping the stakes as your craft time becomes more ingrained in your routine.
• Talk to friends and family about the project you’re working on. Doing so means that those close to you are likely to check in about the status of your piece — which in turn keeps you more accountable.

Arm yourself against writer’s block. Writer’s block will inevitably come, no matter how much story ideas initially inspire you. So it’s best to be prepared with tips and tricks you can use to keep yourself on track before the block hits. You can find 20 solid tips here — including how to establish a relationship with your inner critic and apps that can help you defeat procrastination or lack of motivation.

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PICTURE PROMPTS

144 Picture Prompts to Inspire Student Writing

A school year’s worth of short, accessible image-driven posts that invite a variety of kinds of writing.

By The Learning Network

We’ve been publishing our Picture Prompts series four days a week since 2016. These short, accessible, image-driven prompts invite students to create short stories, poems and memoirs; share experiences from their lives; analyze illustrations, graphs and charts; and weigh in on hot-button issues.

Here, we’ve rounded up all the Picture Prompts we published for the 2019-20 school year and organized them by the type of writing they ask students to do. You can find even more in our roundups for the 2016-17 , 2017-18 and 2018-19 school years. That’s over 600 prompts in all. And many are still open for comment by students 13 and up.

To learn how you can use Picture Prompts to build literacy skills, promote critical thinking, spark discussion and foster creativity in your classroom — physical or virtual — watch our on-demand webinar, “ A Picture Prompt Is Worth a Thousand Words .” For dozens more ideas, see our lesson plan, “ How to Teach With Our Picture Prompts (and Other Times Images) .”

If you use this feature with your students, or if you have other ideas for how to use photos, illustrations and graphics to encourage writing, let us know in the comments.

What story does this image inspire for you?

Trapped Inside Wilderness Wayfaring Magical Chores I’m Sorry Dollar Bills Dinosaurs Endless Conversation Looking Back Social Distancing Vibrant Youth Fake Ice United States of Love Over the Falls Marching Band Heavy Head Night Circus Submerged Subway Ride Subway Balloons Under the Ice Resourceful Raccoon Calendar Vivid Voices Writing a Novel Passport Scramble Racing Pug Castle on a Hill Clowns Travel In the Hallway Striking Out Meeting in the City

Share experiences from your own life.

Collect Them All The Stories Maps Can Tell Strange Times, Strange Dreams Songs of Hope Drawing Ramadan in Isolation Across Divides Instagram Challenges Book Updates Funny Flicks Stuck in Paradise Pandemic Projects Home Cooking Your Learning Space Empty Spaces Helpers Favorite Flops St. Patrick’s Day Birthdays The Agony of Defeat Alligators in the Sewers In Memoriam Sibling Dynamics Slumber Parties Food Favors Super Bowl LIV Morning Moods Lunar New Year Internet Affirmation Pet Keepsakes Stargazing New Year, New You? Last-Minute Shopping Car-Free Travel Feasting With Family Mister Rogers ‘No.’ Dream House Strange Cuisine Multitasking Headless Horseman Music Therapy The Heroic Ideal A Place of Solace Pet Pampering Notes of Lavender Neighborhood Celebrations Fashion Idols Tributes Family Cooks Favorite Season Back to School

What do you think this image, chart or cartoon is saying?

‘OK Boomer’ Shadows Open and Shut Baseball Eyeballs Protesting Carrying the Weight Music Notes Flickering Sign Helping Hands Brick Wall Inside a Book Talking and Listening Maze Credit and Blame Newspaper City Pack of People ‘A 📖 of Two 🏙’ Head Spinning You Love You, Bro The President’s Tweets Split Reflections Forest in a Stadium Chasing ‘They’ Missiles, Hummers and Tanks Looking Over the Edge

What’s your opinion on this issue?

Masks The Front Page Teenage Drivers Graduation in a Pandemic Most Challenged Books Brady’s Big Move Mascot Working From Home Mall Rats ‘Bracelet of Silence’ Optimism Government Buildings Valentine’s Day Prizewinning Poodle Library Books Oscar Nominations 2020 Hologram Musicians Baby Yoda Hit Holiday Songs 2019 in Pictures World’s Big Sleep Out Snow Days Tesla’s ‘Cybertruck’ Fortune Tellers Scooters Everywhere Popeyes Chicken Sandwich World Series Champions Small Talk Big City, Small Town Tipping Summer Hits

• Our Mission

50 Writing Prompts for All Grade Levels

Sometimes students need a little push to activate their imaginations.

The collection of prompts below asks young writers to think through real or imagined events, their emotions, and a few wacky scenarios. Try out the ones you think will resonate most with your students. 

As with all prompts, inform students that their answers should be rated G and that disclosing dangerous or illegal things they’re involved in will obligate you to file a report with the administration or school counselors. Finally, give students the option of writing “PERSONAL” above some entries that they don’t want anyone to read. We all need to let scraggly emotions run free in our prose sometimes.

If your class uses daybooks (an approach recommended in Thinking Out Loud: The Student Daybook as a Tool to Foster Learning ), wait for composition notebooks to go on sale at Target, the Dollar Store, or Walmart for $0.50 a piece. To organize the daybook, direct young writers to leave the first three pages blank and number and date each entry—adding these entries to a table of contents that they create as they work so they can return to specific entries later. 

High School Prompts

• Should cameras on drones watch all public spaces to prevent crime, or is that a violation of privacy? 
• Do Americans have it too easy? Why do you think that?
• What causes racism?
• The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation hires you as a consultant to determine how best to use $20 billion to save the world. What’s your plan?
• What’s the worst thing about the internet? 
• Would you rather be very beautiful or very smart? Explain.
• You can save one object before your house burns down. What is it? What makes that object important to you?
• How much control over your life do you have? What makes you say that? 
• Describe your ideal life 15 years from now. What is something you can do every day to reach that goal?
• What would your friends say is your most lovable quality? Describe that quality. 
• What is something scary that you would like to try? What makes it scary for you? How might you overcome that fear?
• What things do you conscientiously do to feed your brain?
• What are three of your most profound learning experiences? Where and when did they occur?
• By age 18, the average American has seen 200,000 acts of violence on TV, including 40,000 murders. What is it about television violence that is so compelling to people?
• Would you rather be loved or respected? Because?
• Does social media represent individuals authentically? Explain with examples. 
• Imagine that it’s the last day of high school and you’ve been asked by a teacher to say a few words that summarize the events that have occurred over the last four years that are most meaningful to you. What do you say? 

Middle School Prompts

• Which classmate would be the best to lead us through a zombie apocalypse? Why? 
• What real-life situations would work out better for you if you were a different gender? Why?
• How can you tell when someone your age is feeling insecure? Are most people more insecure or anxious than they let on?
• If the internet were to crash forever, what would the benefits be for you? The drawbacks?
• Write a scene that features a) a classmate, b) $100 million, and c) magical shoes. 
• What three features should your future house have? Why?
• If you starred in a television show about your life, what would the show be called? What genre would it be? (Examples: comedy, drama, thriller, romance, action-adventure, fantasy, superhero, soap opera, reality, game show, space adventure, Western, tragedy, etc.) Summarize the plot of an episode. 
• In the future, what extreme sports will people be talking about?
• Is your ethnicity an important part of your identity? How so? 
• You get to take one book, one food item, and one famous person (living or dead) to a deserted island. What and who do you take? Why?
• Write a powerfully supportive email to yourself 10 years from now. Send that email to yourself using FutureMe.org . 
• You have been selected to be king or queen of your school. What are five rules that every kid should follow at your school? What should the punishment be for rule breakers?
• What do the five friends you hang out with most have in common? How are you most like them? How are you different from them?
• What contributes to someone becoming a bully? What can help stop someone from bullying?
• Do you make friends slowly or quickly? Describe how one of your important friendships evolved.
• Should we fear failure? Explain.
• If a wizard could tell you anything about your future, what would you most like to know?
• Do you believe in luck? Are you superstitious? How so? If not, why do you think some people are?

Elementary School Prompts

• I wish my teachers knew that . . .
• What’s the most beautiful person, place, or thing you’ve ever seen? Share what makes that person, place, or thing so special. 
• Which is better, giant muscles or incredible speed? Why?
• What is your most difficult subject in school? Why is it difficult? What can you do to get better at that subject?
• Rewrite “Hansel and Gretel” from the witch’s perspective.
• Describe a scary situation that you’ve experienced.
• What is your first memory? Describe it.
• You wake up tomorrow with a silly superpower that makes you famous. What is that silly power? How does it lead to your becoming an international superstar? 
• Are you a good loser? Explain. 
• What are examples of things you want versus things you need? 
• Last Friday, you were given one wish by a magical panda. You tried so hard to make the wish positive, but after the whacked-out events that unfolded over the weekend, you regret ever meeting that tricky panda. What did you ask for, and what happened?
• I wish my friends . . . 
• Describe a routine that you often or always do (in the morning, when you get home, Friday nights, before a game, etc.).
• What things do all kids know that adults do not?
• What TV or movie characters do you wish were real? Why? 

After they’ve finished an entry, ask students to read their work aloud or exchange daybooks for a read-around. If you give the entries written feedback, show that their work is respected by using a sticky note or scratch paper. 

You might also incorporate background writing music one day a week—say on “Music Monday.” For some examples of music you might use in class, Pitchfork has an article called “ The 50 Best Ambient Albums of All Time .” My favorite album for composing is the Birdy soundtrack by Peter Gabriel—a good one for older kids. Other Edutopia staff and bloggers like writing to Coffitivity , Noisli , Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven by Godspeed You! Black Emperor, and Alcest’s Souvenirs d’un Autre Monde .

Don’t forget to write along with your students. Why should they have all the fun?

What are your students’ favorite writing prompts?

70 Picture Prompts for Creative Writing (with Free Slides)

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Visual writing prompts help young writers generate new ideas and overcome writer’s block. We’ve put together 70 picture prompts for creative writing that you can use in your writing centers or lesson plans to get your students’ creative juices flowing.

Picture Writing Prompts for All Ages

Writers of all ages and experience levels can get stuck thinking about what to write. Writer’s block is not just a challenge for reluctant writers. Even professional writers have days when they feel less than inspired.

Visual prompts can result in a vast array of story ideas. A single image viewed by ten writers will result in ten completely different stories. Even if you use verbal cues to get students thinking about the picture, each student will still write a unique response to the image.

Visual creative writing prompts are fantastic for elementary school because younger students often relate more to a pictorial prompt than a written one, but don’t shy away from using these with high school and middle school students as well. Pictures make a fun alternative to your typical writing prompts and story starters and can help shake up your regular routine.

How to Use Picture Prompts for Creative Writing

There’s no limit to the ways you can use writing prompts. Here are some of our favorite ways to incorporate image prompts into your weekly lesson plans .

• Writing Center. Print cards or writing pages with these images on them and put them in a writing center for your students to discover at their own pace.
• Specific Skills. Use story picture prompts to help kids work on specific writing skills. For example, you could work on descriptive writing by having them describe the setting of the picture in detail. Or you could work on character development by having them make up a history for a person in a picture.
• Warm-up Activity: You could pop the pictures into Google slides and project an image on a screen or whiteboard for the first fifteen minutes of class and have students work on a short story as soon as they enter the class.

No matter how you decide to use them—whether at home or in the classroom—photographic writing prompts are a great way to cultivate a daily writing habit and encourage kids to explore new topics.

70 Pictures for Writing Prompts

We’ve selected 70 of the most interesting pictures we could find for this exercise. When choosing photos for writing prompts, we look for high-quality photos with intriguing subject matter, but we try to go beyond that. We want to share images that suggest a story, that make the viewer ask questions and wonder why things are the way they are.

We want to feel propelled to explore questions like, What happened before the photo that led to this moment? What are we witnessing in this photo? What’s about to happen?

A photo doesn’t make much of a story starter if it doesn’t suggest that there might be a bigger picture lurking beneath the surface.

We hope you and your students love these picture prompts for creative writing as much as we do. If you love them, go ahead and scroll to the bottom to grab your own copy.

We’ve included a couple of questions with each picture that you could use to spark pre-writing conversations in your classroom, which can be helpful when working with younger students who might need a little more direction.

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Whose cat is this? What is he looking at? Where is he?

What is the owl thinking about? Is he alone? What does he hope to eat for dinner?

Who are these frogs? What is their relationship with each other? Why are they taking photos?

How did the dog get a phone? Why is he taking selfies? What is he doing with the pictures he takes?

This cat doesn’t look too happy. What’s bugging him? Did he get too many phone calls or is he waiting on an important call that’s taking too long to come?

What do these chicks think of the dog? What does the dog think of the chicks? Do you think they can communicate with each other? If so, what would they say?

Where do these lemurs live? What are they looking at? What is something unusual that might happen to them?

What is this fox doing? Is he yawning and stretching or is he trying to scare someone away? What kind of mischief does he like to get up to?

Is this wolf alone? If not, who is with him? What is he planning to do? Does he have a family to feed or protect?

What is this child doing on the laptop? Can he actually read and type or is he just playing? If he can read and type, how did he learn that at such a young age? What other cool things can he do?

Where is this woman? Is she lost? How did she get to this street? What interesting things might she discover as she explores this new city?

Why is the dog wearing glasses? Can he see through them? What are he and the girl doing? How does he feel about it?

Who are these two little boys? What is their relationship with each other? What is the teddy bear’s story?

Who are these children? Why are they running? Is it a race or are they playing a game? Who’s going to win?

Whose horse is this? Does the little boy own it or does he just visit it? Can the horse talk? How does the boy feel when he’s with the horse?

What is this boy reading? Does the book have magical powers? Does the boy? Do the stories in the book become real or does something else special happen?

Where is this man? How did he get there? What is he looking for?

Who is walking over the bridge? What’s on the other side? Is it worth the risk?

What are these people doing on the elephant? Where are they? Are they tourists or is the elephant their pet? What would life with an elephant be like?

Who made this map? It looks old. Has it been hidden away for a long time? Who discovered it and how? What does it lead to?

Whose typewriter is this? What important or secretive thing might they be working on? What could happen if the wrong person finds their work?

Who are these three stuffed animals? Are they living? What is their story?

Whose ukulele is this? Why did they leave it here? Who might find it?

Where is the owner of the bike? Where does this path lead? What if the bike’s not there when the owner returns?

Whose shoes are these? Why did they leave them here? Why are they so dirty?

Who was reading the newspaper? What was the most interesting thing they read? Where have they disappeared to?

Who put this sign on the old truck? What do you think of it? How did the truck end up in its current condition and location?

Who set the table? Who are they expecting? What special occasion are they celebrating? What could go wrong?

Whose birthday cake is this? Are they having a party? Who is there? Who did they want to have there that didn’t show up?

Who lives here? How do they access their home? What is their life like?

Who built the igloo? Where is it? How does it feel to spend the night inside it?

What is the history of this castle? Who lives in it now? Does it have any special or magical features?

Is this barn abandoned or do people live on the property? What kind of animals might live here? How do they keep themselves entertained?

What is it like living on a houseboat? What kind of community do you think forms among the neighbors? Imagine you live on one of these boats and think about how your daily life might change. What interesting things could you do if you lived here? What would you miss the most?

Where is this hut? Who lives here? What mystery might unfold if a stranger came knocking at their door?

What is this lighthouse called? Who runs it? How often do they leave? What is the most memorable experience they’ve had as a lighthouse operator?

How did this house get here? Does anyone live in it? What would life be like here?

Where is this festive street? Are the people there celebrating something? Where is everybody?

Who lives here? How did they build this house? Are they hiding from something? What does it look like inside?

Whose notebook is this? Why did they leave it here? What’s written in it and how might it change the life of the person who finds it?

What are these women doing? What are they supposed to be doing? Will they be in trouble if they get caught?

Who might be represented in this statue? Why is she being pulled by lions? What amazing things might she have done to deserve a statue in this prominent place?

Where is this? Who is riding in the hot air balloons? Where are they going and why?

How old is this tree? Where is it? What are some of the most fascinating stories it could tell?

Where is this carousel? Who is riding it? Can you think of a special or strange story about how it came to exist in this particular place?

What are these people thinking about? What’s at stake for them? What happens if one of them sneezes?

Where are these penguins? What are they talking about? Which one of them is the leader?

What is this place? Was it designed to be open like this or was it once part of someone’s home or a public building? How have people’s opinions of this place changed over time?

Who are these kids? Is this what they’re supposed to be doing? What happens when their teacher sees them?

Who is supposed to ride in this boat? Where are they going? Will they make it there?

Is this plane special to someone? What did they have to do to get it/build it? Where will they fly to in it?

Who decorated this train car? Which passengers will fill it up? What will they talk about?

Whose skis are these? Why are they sticking out of the snow? How did their owner get down the mountain without them?

Where does this gondola go? Who rides it? How does it feel to ride it?

Who’s driving the monster truck? Why is it at the beach? What is it going to crush? Who is watching?

Where is the boat going? Who is on it? What is their mission?

What city is the helicopter flying over? Why? Is the driver looking for something specific or do they have a special delivery?

What’s the little boy doing in the boat? Is he alone or is someone with him? Where is he trying to go?

Who is in the sub? What’s it like inside? What are they doing?

Whose book is this? What’s it about? What’s happening to it?

How did that piece of land with the house on it break off from the rest of the world? Why? Where is it going? Is anyone in the house?

Who is this girl? Where is she? Who is she shooting at?

Where does this scene take place? Is the lizard/dragon good or bad? What is its relationship with the girl?

What do these books represent? What kind of world is this? What (or who) is inside the books?

What are these dinosaurs discussing? Where are they? What do they do for fun?

Whose cottage is this? Do they still live there? If not, where have they gone? If so, what do they do there?

What is the moth thinking about? Is it alone? What’s the biggest challenge it faces in this moment?

Who is the owl looking at? Has it read these books? What is its greatest talent?

Where are these trees? Why are they pink? Do they have any special powers or features?

What do you think? Which kind of pictures do you like best for creative writing prompts ? Let us know in the comments.

Tuesday 5th of March 2024

I LOVE these! My daughter has always struggled with written story prompts and an internet search this week convinced me of the value of picture prompts for reluctant readers/writers (https://youcanjournal.com/journal-picture-prompts/ if you're interested!). I'll definitely be using these to help improve her writing skills. Thanks so much!

Tuesday 26th of December 2023

I think the idea of using picture prompts is a great idea. It initiates oral language thus building vocabulary. It allows lends itself to students working in small groups to stimulate new ideas. The prompts engage the students and gives the teacher the opportunity to focus on specific writing skills.

luke elford

Wednesday 13th of December 2023

cloey mckay

Tuesday 17th of October 2023

I tried this with myself and my 6th-grade students, and they love it. it gives room for so much creativity.

Nayyar Abbas

Tuesday 30th of May 2023

This is very good idea and it really works, viewing these one try to think one's own way that what these pictures are telling or asking? I also recommend that this idea should also be given to the students for building their creative instinct.

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The Only 10 Creative Writing Prompts You Need

by Joe Bunting | 54 comments

You get better at any skill through practice. Prompts are a great way to practice writing (as you might imagine, we're really into practice here), and in this post, I have ten of our best creative writing prompts.

Try a few out, and if you're ready to take the next step in your writing, check out our 100 Best Short Story Ideas .

How To Use These Creative Writing Prompts

At the end of every article on The Write Practice , we include a writing prompt so you can put what you just learned to use immediately. And we invite you to share your writing with our community so you can get feedback on your work.

The Write Practice is more than just a writing blog. It's a writing  workbook , and we think it's the best one on the Internet (of course, we're a bit biased).

One of the most important parts of practice is getting feedback, and we want to help YOU get feedback on your writing. To do that, choose one of the prompts, write for 15 minutes, and then copy and paste your practice into the box at the bottom to post your practice in our forum for feedback. You'll be able to read others' practice and give feedback too.

And if you want even more prompts, you can download our workbook,  14 Prompts , for free here (it's normally, $5.99).

Our Most Popular Creative Writing Prompts

Why not try using two or three of these creative writing prompts in your writing today? Who knows, you might even begin something that becomes your next novel to write or short story. It's happened to Write Practicers before!

Enjoy the writing prompts!

My 3 Favorite Writing Prompts

Write about a time you felt out of place, awkward, and uncomfortable. Try not to focus on your feelings, but project your feelings onto the things around you.

Write about a ghost. How do they feel about the world? What do they see and hear? How did they become a ghost?

• Your characters haven’t gotten any sleep. Write about why, and how they respond to being sleepless.

Now, let's look at the rest of our favorite prompts! 

1. Grandfathers

Write about a grandfather, maybe your grandfather or your character's grandfather. What memories do you/does your character associate with him?

See the prompt: Grandfathers

2. Sleepless

Your characters haven’t gotten any sleep. Write about it.

See the prompt: Sleepless

3. Out of Place

See the prompt: Out of Place

Write about longing. How does it feel to go about a normal day when your character wants something else?

See the prompt: Longing

5. Write About Yourself

Write about yourself.

See the writing prompt: Write About Yourself

See the prompt: 3 Reasons to Write About Ghosts

7. Road Trip

Write about a road trip. Is your character escaping something? Is your character looking for something? Hint at the thing without telling us while describing what the character sees.

See the writing prompt: Road Trip

Write about the morning. What are your character's morning routines? What is special about this  morning?

See the prompt: Morning

9. The Beach

Write about the beach. Is your character reflecting on something important that has happened to them? Describe the memory while overlaying the sights, sounds, and smells of the beach onto them.

See the prompt: The Beach

Write about autumn. Natural surroundings can bring up old memories and odd feelings. Describe what your character sees, feels, and most of all does.

See the prompt: Autumn

Do you use writing prompts in your writing? What is your favorite prompt for ideas? Share in the comments .

For today's practice, choose one of these prompts and write for fifteen minutes . When you're finished with your practice, share it in the Pro Practice Workshop . Don't forget to leave feedback for three other writers. Not a community member yet? Join us ! 

Happy writing!

Joe Bunting

Joe Bunting is an author and the leader of The Write Practice community. He is also the author of the new book Crowdsourcing Paris , a real life adventure story set in France. It was a #1 New Release on Amazon. Follow him on Instagram (@jhbunting).

Want best-seller coaching? Book Joe here.

Join over 450,000 readers who are saying YES to practice. You’ll also get a free copy of our eBook 14 Prompts :

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Home › Study Tips › Creative Writing Resources For Secondary School Students

Creative Writing Prompts For High School Students – 12 Categories

• Published January 3, 2023

Table of Contents

Are you a high school student struggling to find inspiration for your creative writing assignments? Do you feel like you’re stuck in a rut and can’t seem to come up with new and exciting ideas? If so, you’re not alone. 

Many students struggle with coming up with ideas for creative writing, especially when they feel pressure to produce something original and engaging. 

But the good news is that there are ways to break through the block and find inspiration for your writing. 

For instance, by attending our award-winning creative writing summer programme , you’ll learn how to conquer the fear of the blank page. How? By learning proven formulas for creating brilliant stories. 

Another way to have that creative spark is to use creative writing prompts. 

This article will provide creative high school students like yourself with a list of creative writing prompts. So you’ll get the inspiration you need to get into the flow and start writing!

What are Writing Prompts?

Writing prompts are ideas that help writers overcome writer’s block and get started with their writing. They can come in various forms, including a

• Or series of questions. 

Creative writing prompts get your creative juices flowing. When you encounter a writing prompt, it encourages you to start writing!

What types of writing, you ask? It can be anything from fiction writing to essay writing. Creative writing prompts are even used to get you started with freewriting in your daily journal.

So you see, many writers find writing prompts a quick and easy way to begin a new writing project. Or to overcome writer’s block when they are stuck.

How Do You Use Writing Prompts?

There are many different ways to use writing prompts. Here are a few ideas:

Use writing prompts to start a new writing project. 

Are you having trouble coming up with ideas for a new writing project? Try using a writing prompt to get started. You can use a writing prompt as the starting point for a 

• Short story
• Essay, or any other type of writing.

Use writing prompts to overcome writer’s block. 

Stuck on a particular piece of writing and can’t seem to move forward? Use writing prompts to brainstorm on how to proceed!

Use writing prompts to practice your writing skills. 

As the old adage says, practice makes perfect! You can use writing prompts to practice different writing techniques or styles. Or try out different writing genres!

Use writing prompts to challenge yourself. 

You can use writing prompts to push yourself out of your comfort zone and try writing about things you might not usually write about.

Say your comfort zone is writing fantasy stories. And you want to try something new. Why not use scary writing prompts as a starting point?

To use a writing prompt, choose a prompt that interests you and start writing. There are no hard and fast rules about how to use writing prompts – the important thing is to just start writing and see where the prompt takes you!

Creative Writing Prompts High School Students will Love

Write a story about a character who:

• discovers a mysterious, abandoned house in the woods  
• suddenly gains the power of time travel
• has to confront their greatest fear
• is given the opportunity to live in a different time period
• discovers a secret underground society
• is given a magical object that can grant wishes.

Or, check out the other prompts too:

• Write a poem about a summer day you will never forget.
• Imagine that you are stranded on a deserted island. Write a story about your experience.
• Write a letter to your future self ten years from now.
• Imagine that you are a detective trying to solve a mysterious crime. Write a story about your investigation.

Creative High School Poetry Writing Prompts

Write a poem about a/an:

• summer romance you will never forget
• memorable experience you had with a friend
• place that holds special meaning for you
• moment of clarity or realisation that you had
• person who has had a significant impact on your life
• object that holds special meaning for you
• dream that you had and can’t seem to forget
• time when you felt completely lost
• time when you felt completely free
• moment of beauty that you witnessed

Writing Prompts with an Element of Suspense

• is being stalked by an unknown assailant
• wakes up with no memory of the past 24 hours
• receives a series of mysterious, threatening letters
• discovers a hidden room in their house filled with grotesque objects
• is trapped in a strange, unfamiliar place
• is being pursued by a dangerous, unknown entity
• is being watched by an unknown pair of eyes
• is being followed by a shadowy figure
• hears strange noises in the middle of the night
• finds a mysterious, unmarked package on their doorstep

Writing Prompts for Stories That Start with Dialogue

Start your story with a conversation between two characters who are:

• meeting for the first time
• meeting each other for the first time in ten years after graduation
• trying to solve a problem
• discussing a secret
• trying to keep a secret from someone else
• discussing their future plans
• trying to make amends after a misunderstanding
• reminiscing about the past
• trying to persuade each other of something

Writing Prompts That Ask “What if?”

What if you:

• woke up one morning with the ability to fly? How would you use this ability?
• could time travel? Where would you go and why?
• woke up one day to find that everyone in the world had switched bodies? How would you cope with this?
• could read minds? How would you use this ability?
• suddenly had access to unlimited wealth? How would you use this wealth?
• could talk to animals? How would this change your life?
• were the only person on Earth who knew how to speak a certain language? How would you use this knowledge?
• could turn invisible at will? How would you use this power?
• developed the ability to communicate with the spirits of the dead? How would this change your life?
• could teleport anywhere in the world instantly? How would you use this ability?

Funny Writing Prompts for High School

• wakes up to find that they’ve turned into a giant chicken
• has a magic lamp that grants them absurd wishes
• becomes the world’s worst superhero
• accidentally becomes the president of the United States
• is chased by a giant hamster
• discovers that their reflection is actually an alternate dimension
• becomes a world-famous rapper after a misunderstanding at a karaoke bar
• becomes the world’s worst detective
• is constantly followed by a cloud of bees
• becomes the world’s worst secret agent

Do you have a brother or sister in middle school? Our middle school writing prompts are a great way for them to get into the flow of creative writing effectively.

Journal Prompts for High School Creative Writing

• Write about a time when:
• you felt particularly proud of yourself
• you had to confront your greatest fear
• you had a moment of clarity or realisation
• you felt that life was wonderful
• Write about a place that holds special meaning for you.
• Write about a person who has significantly impacted your life.
• Write about a moment of beauty that you witnessed.
• Write about a dream you had and can’t forget.
• Write about a memorable experience you had with a friend.

Non-Fiction Writing Prompts

Write an essay about a/an:

• significant event in your life and how it has impacted you
• person who has inspired you and why
• current issue that is important to you and why
• time when you had to overcome a challenge and how you did it
• place that you have visited and why it was meaningful to you
• hobby or activity that you are passionate about and why
• book, movie, or TV show that has had a significant impact on you and why
• social issue that you feel strongly about and what you are doing to make a difference
• goal that you have set for yourself and how you plan to achieve it
• person who has made a positive impact on your community and how they did it

Adventurous Short Story Prompts

Write a story about a character who goes on a:

• solo hike in the wilderness and becomes lost
• treasure hunt and faces unexpected challenges along the way
• safari and encounters a rare and dangerous animal
• white water rafting trip and gets stranded in the wilderness
• mountain climbing expedition and faces unexpected challenges
• scuba diving trip and discovers a hidden underwater world
• hot air balloon ride and gets carried away by the wind
• skydiving trip and has to make an emergency landing
• parasailing trip and gets caught in a storm
• snowboarding trip and gets caught in an avalanche

Science Fiction Short Story Prompts

• Write a story about a character who is:
•  given a device that can predict the future
•  the only survivor of an alien invasion
• recruited by a secret organization to fight against an alien threat
• the only one who can communicate with newly-discovered alien species
• the only one who can stop a group of rebels from taking over the world
• the only one who can save the world from an asteroid heading towards Earth
• the only human on a distant planet
• Write a story about a character who travels through time and encounters their future self.
• Write a story about a character discovering a portal to an alternate dimension.
• Write a story about a character who is given a device that allows them to control time.

Scary Short Story Prompts

• Write a story about a character who is 
• being stalked by a demon
• trapped in a haunted house
• haunted by the ghost of a loved one
• terrorized by a clown
• Write a story about a character who
• discovers a cursed object and starts having strange, terrifying experiences
• starts seeing strange, supernatural creatures in their dreams
• hears a lady cry every night, but no one is there
• notices a strange doll appear in their house, not knowing where it came from
• listens to neighbours report they’ve been seeing a toddler running around the house, but your character lives alone

Fantasy Short Story Prompts

• Write a story about a character who 
• discovers that they are a witch or wizard with magical powers
• finds out they are the chosen one, destined to save the world from an ancient evil
• realises they are a fairy or other mythical creature
• is given a magical object that can grant wishes
• discovers a magic book with secrets to the universe
• receives a magical potion that transforms them into a different creature
• accidentally stumbles into a world where everything is the opposite of what they know
• gains a legendary staff that gives them the power to control the elements
• enters a magical, mythical land ruled by an evil king
• discovers that they are the reincarnation of a mythical hero

Need more Creative Writing prompts? Check out this article entitled “ 308 Creative Writing Prompts To Unlock Your Writing Skills .”

How Else Can I Improve My Creative Writing Skills?

1. read widely.

Reading improves your writing skills by exposing you to different 

• And Techniques you can incorporate into your own writing.

Did you know reading widens your vocabulary? It does! And vocabulary is an essential aspect of effective writing. The more words you know, the more effectively you can communicate your ideas.

Also, reading helps improve your comprehension and critical thinking skills. Both of these are valuable for analysing and synthesising information. So you’ll learn how to present ideas clearly in your writing.

2. Write Regularly…and Don’t Stop!

Think of writing as a muscle. The more you use it, the stronger it becomes! Writing regularly makes you feel more comfortable and confident. 

What’s more, it helps you develop your own voice and style. Once you hone the aspects that make you unique , you’ll stand out more! 

Writing regularly also gives you a better sense of what works and what doesn’t. And you’ll be able to refine your writing accordingly. 

The more you write, the better you will become at it. So maximise our creative writing prompts and make time to write every day. Even if it’s just for a few minutes!

3. Experiment with Different Writing Styles

Do you know that experimenting with different writing styles and techniques expands your writing skills? Why? Because doing so makes you a versatile writer. Able to adapt your style to different situations and audiences. 

For example, writing poems even when you’re not used to poetry-writing forces you to think . To imagine and create! As a result? You get out of your comfort zone and explore. And you’re better able to reimagine your craft. 

What are the common writing styles?

• Descriptive – often uses similes and metaphors to help the reader experience the writing (e.g. songs, poems)
• Narrative – flashbacks and foreshadowing are common elements of a narrative style with a clear, fleshed-out plot (e.g. novels)
• Or Persuasive writing – convinces the reader to believe what the writer believes (e.g. essays, sales copy)

4. Join a Writing Community!

What better way to keep you motivated than by joining a writing community? A writing community provides support and encouragement. Being surrounded by like-minded folks passionate about writing can be a great source of inspiration!

Plus, you’ll be exposed to different writing styles and techniques. Which can help you expand your horizon and help you become a more versatile writer.

Joining a writing community can also be a great way to get feedback on your writing. Helping you identify areas for improvement. 

Finally, do you know a writing community can be a great source of information and resources? Members often share valuable writing tips and strategies.

5. Enrol In A Creative Writing Course

What is one of the most effective methods in fast-tracking you to massive improvement in your writing skills? Taking a creative writing course!

Why does taking a creative writing course help you improve your writing skills? Because you’ll learn from experienced writers. While having the opportunity to practice writing under the watchful eye of expert tutors. 

Creative writing prompts are useful for high school students looking for inspiration for new and original ideas. You can overcome writer’s block by tapping into your creativity in a new and exciting way.

These prompts will challenge and inspire you. So give them a try and see what amazing stories and ideas you can come up with!

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