Creative Writing Prompts for Teens
Question: How do you encourage teens to write?
Answer: Give them one of these twenty creative writing prompts for teens!
Why Creative Writing Is Important for Teens
While it is true that some teens love creative writing and others find it challenging, all teens benefit from the activity.
Creative writing boosts communication and problem-solving skills.
It employs the imagination and requires original thought.
Creative writing is a healthy outlet for emotional expression.
Taking it one step further, teens can learn about themselves as they explore their thoughts and ideas while writing creatively.
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How to Use Creative Writing Prompts for Teens
There is nothing more intimidating than a blank page.
Creative writing prompts take the anxiety out of a writing assignment.
They are the spark that fledgling writers need to ignite their imaginations.
Here are some ways to use these creative writing prompts for teens.
Journaling
You can give your teen a journal with a list of prompts on the first page or inside cover.
They can write in the journal whenever they choose (or whenever you ask them).
Morning Warm-Up
Not everyone is ready to jump into the day and interact with people.
Creative writing is a perfect warm-up to other activities, whether school assignments or summer fun.
Writing Lesson
Creative writing can be a school assignment.
Teens can develop these prompts into short stories.
20 Creative Writing Prompts for Teens
These twenty teen creative writing prompts will get the ink flowing to the page!
Secret Portal
You discover a secret door in your house or school that leads to an unknown place.
Where does it lead? What problems do you encounter? How do you solve them?
Your Life in Dream World
One night your dreams seem incredibly real. They are set in a mysterious dream world.
Every night afterward you visit this world. What happens there?
How does it impact your life in the real world?
Newfound Superpower
One morning you wake up with a new superpower you wish you didn’t have. What is it?
How did you get it? What are the consequences of having it? How do you learn to control it?
Haunted Field Trip
You take a field trip to a place you know well. You get trapped there overnight.
What strange things happen? Why are they happening?
Are they supernatural, or do you discover the causes are very much real?
The Out of This World Exchange Student
Your school (or family) gets an exchange student who turns out to be an alien.
How do you discover this? Is it a mystery or obvious to all? What cultural differences do you discover?
What are the alien’s motivations for being there? Describe your interactions.
Waking Up in the Multiverse
One morning you wake up, and some things seem a little bit off. What do you observe or experience that is similar but not quite right?
How do you realize that you have woken up in a parallel universe? How do you adapt to this new world?
Can you find your way back, or do you decide to stay?
Secret Society
You receive an anonymous invitation to join a secret society.
What is your first meeting like? What is your first mission?
Describe the problems you encounter and how you solve them.
The Unfortunate Wish
You make a wish, and it comes through (with unfortunate consequences).
How do you manage the consequences? How do you right the wrong of the wish?
Talk to the Animals
You discover you can talk to a particular animal or creature.
What secrets does it share? How does your ability to communicate with it change your life or the animal’s life?
Journal in the Attic
You find an old, forgotten journal in an attic. (Decide if it is magical or not.)
Whose is it? What is its purpose? How does it impact your life?
Drawn to Life
On your next birthday, you receive an anonymous gift: a magic pen.
You discover that whatever you draw with the pen comes to life.
What do you create? What adventures ensue?
Virtual Reality
You play a new virtual reality game that takes on a life of its own.
What characters do you meet inside the game? What are your adventures?
How do you successfully navigate the game?
Train Ride to the Unexpected
You board a train, thinking you know your destination. But the train takes you to a magical land instead.
Describe your journey and the land you visit. What is it like? How do you impact the place, and how does it impact you?
Colonizing Space
You are part of a space mission to colonize a new planet.
Describe the planet and your new life there. Who else is there? What problems or adventures arise?
Texts from Unknown
You receive mysterious texts from an unknown number.
The texts are clues. How do they lead you to solve a mystery?
Who is sending them and why?
Urban Legend
Everyone in your town/city talks about an old legend.
How do you find out that it is true? What are the consequences?
Mystery Island
You are stranded on an island with a few others. What is this place? Describe it.
Are there inhabitants, creatures, treasures, or secrets there?
What happens?
A Letter From Yourself
You receive a letter from your future self. What advice does it have for you?
How does it influence your life? Does it help you, or cause problems?
Missing Week
You wake up with no memory of the week. What caused this memory lapse?
How do you figure out what happened? What problems, adventures, or surprises do you encounter?
Imaginary Friend
Someone new moves to the area. The issue? They are exactly like your imaginary friend from childhood (or are they actually the imaginary friend?).
How does this happen? What are your interactions like? How does this impact your current life?
Teen Creative Writing Prompts
These twenty creative writing prompts for teens invite teens to cultivate characters, set scenes, and create and resolve conflict.
Who knows? Your teens may decide to turn one of these prompts into a novel!
