You hear it all the time. The way to get better at writing is to just do it. . .write! What happens when the words don’t flow? You can sit there waiting for divine inspiration to strike from the muses, or you can have writing prompts ready at your disposal to help you fight so-called “writer’s block”. Here are 31+ prompts (one a day and then some for our short months) to kickstart your writing!
31 Writing Prompts for Teens
If you’re struggling to get your teenager into creative writing, try letting him or her pick from this list of writing prompts!
1. Make a List. . .or 10
This activity can serve as brainstorming for future writing or work as a writing tool itself. Make a list of all the things you love (or hate), favorite books, inspirational quotes, story ideas, character names, and more. The lists literally can go on and on!
2. Write an unsent letter.
Write a letter to a friend, teacher, parent, crush, or hero with the words you want to say but aren’t ready (or maybe shouldn’t) put out there.
3. You are arrested for a crime you didn’t commit in a case of mistaken identity. Write about what ensues.
4. Write about your favorite physical feature (or your least favorite).
5. If you could have any superpower, what would it be?
6. Write a story using the strongest character traits of your family members in the main characters of your story. Feel free to switch them up. (i.e. if mom is super organized, make the daughter super organized in the story)
7. Write about your first kiss (or the one that hasn’t happened yet).
8. Take a dabble into fan fiction. Write a story from the perspective of a character in your favorite TV show, movie, or novel.
9. List all the things you love about yourself. Write a poem based on that list.
10. Think about the last time you had a good cry. Write down how you felt in lyric (song) form.
11. Create a new invention that fulfills a need in your life. Write up the plans for your new idea.
12. Make a list of questions you’ve always wanted to know the answers to but are too afraid to ask.
13. Think of your first memory from your childhood. Write about it from the point of view of a child at that age.
14. You just found a bag of money with a note. It simply says, “Pay it forward.” What do you do?
15. Make a list of random acts of kindness you can complete. Do one of them.
16. Write about an embarrassing moment you had but from the perspective of someone who witnessed it.
17. Think about an adult in your life that you admire. Write a letter from them to you with the advice you think they would give you about life.
18. Create your own ice cream flavor based on your personality. Write a description/recipe.
19. Write about a problem in the world and how you could fix it with creative (even impossible) means.
20. Someone tells you that teenagers are lazy. Write your response proving them wrong.
21. Make a list of your favorite songs. Write a parody for one of the songs related to your own life.
22. Go on Instagram (or other social media). Write a story or poem based on the first image that you see.
23. Observe people at a mall, park, or another public place. Write a character sketch based on a stranger that you see.
24. Convince the government that your birthday should be a national holiday.
25. Write about your dream vacation on a limitless budget.
26. You’re the star of your own reality show. What is about? What’s it called? Write the first episode.
27. You’re snowed in for a week with your best friend and no parents. What happens?
28. Please really is the magic word. Every time you say “please”, something amazing happens. Write a story about what happens when you discover this for the first time.
29. Pick a random book in your collection. Open to a random page. The first sentence is the first sentence of your story.
30. Write a story with a few words and phrases in a different language. (i.e. hello, love, goodbye, fear).
31. Write about your perfect day.
If you breeze through these writing prompts or are looking for more inspiration, check out some of these sites below for more fantastic writing prompts.
1. 100 Not-Boring Writing Prompts for Middle and High Schoolers
2. Three Story Elements Prompts
3. Writing Prompts About Gratitude
4. Reflective Essay Prompts for High School Students
5. 365 Writing Questions
6. Six Word Memoirs
7. Blackout/Found Poetry
8. 15 Visual Writing Prompts
9. Using Photos as Writing Prompts
10. More Writing Prompts
These are great ideas! I might actually have to use some of them for my blog in the next few weeks!
We’re so glad you liked it! 🙂
Fun ideas 🙂 I agree with Jackie – great blog ideas too 😉