WRITING PROMPTS FOR PRE-TEENS

Here are some story starters for pre-teen writers, or for those of you who write for them or teach them. Feel free to change names and genders to find the story that’s right for you.

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Try one of these opening lines to start a story:

1. Robots aren’t supposed to sweat.
2. I watched the horse move back and forth at the forest’s edge. I knew two things: it was frightened and it was hurt.
3. The blare of loud trumpets called us back.
4. My life changed the day I found Herbert.
5. The ice groaned and cracked beneath our feet.
6. My Aunt Muriel was a witch.
7. Jacob huddled under his blanket.
8. All our training and practice had led to today.
9. I didn’t expect it to be so heavy.
10. Was that light supposed to flash red or yellow when it was safe to open the door?
11. Have you seen Lisa?
12. Puppies were cute until they chewed your favourite shoes.
13. Chris checked the time for the third time in five minutes.
14. Zero gravity always made me sick.
15. Mike ducked behind a rock to hide.
16. Tara stopped and held her breath.
17. I really didn’t want to tell the others that we were lost.
18. The fog rolled in from the sea, and I shivered.
19. “My wallet’s gone!”
20. I could already tell that missing the bus this morning was going to be the least of my problems.
21. One more penalty and Chris was going to be out of the game.
22. I was sure Peter had told me to take the path to the right where the trail divided.
23. “I’m sorry, but you can’t fly for two weeks.”
24. Hiding in this cave had seemed like a good idea at the time.
25. The crown was heavier than I thought it would be.
26. The candles flickered and died.
27. I scrambled up the tree just in time.
28. Contrary to what everyone believes, a dragon’s breath is cold.
29. Our feet were numb with the cold, but we had to keep going.
30. Time travel was going to be trickier than I thought.
31. I slid across the ice and into the boards.
32. My uncle is a pirate.
33. For the first morning in ages I didn’t wake up to the sound of crying.
34. Apparently I wasn’t the only one who thought tuba players were cute.
35. New house. New school. New zit. Perfect!
36. Our guide for the Harley mansion tour said that the house was haunted. She was right. The ghost came home with me.
37. I looked up, hoping to see clouds. The moon was too bright for what we had planned.
38. I ran and fought the urge to look behind me.
39. The coach made Jim captain.
40. I think vampires are boring, but considering where I live, it’s safer to keep my opinion to myself.
41. Edges scare me, especially when they’re attached to cliffs.
42. A puppy was the last thing this house needed.
43. Hockey tryouts are tomorrow.
44. “They can’t cancel the dance!”
45. Camp was going to be fun, but only if I could avoid Madeline.
46. The poor creature look half starved. I couldn’t leave it in the rain.
47. When Lily had asked if I could keep a secret, I’d said yes. Now that I knew what the secret was, I wasn’t too sure.
48. They’d told me that my armor would feel heavy the first time I wore it.
49. Animals aren’t supposed to talk.
50. I couldn’t wait for the race to start.
51. “What do you mean there’s no power?”
52. Jack placed the box carefully on the table.
53. The tower looked a lot bigger up close.
54. My phone chirped. That was weird. I never got texts from Kelly at this hour.
55. I smelled the creature before I saw it.
56. “We’ve got a new coach.”
57. I ducked, but I wasn’t fast enough.
58. I hated playing third base.
59. I had never been so hot in my entire life.
60. The old woman threw the gold chain onto the ground.
61. The only things Parker Higgenbottom could charm were snakes.
62. The beach had changed.
63. Marcy was the only one who thought Henry’s jokes were funny.
64. Nobody played better guitar than Bill—until Louise came along.
65. Yesterday, this had seemed like a good idea.
66. The captain said that a boring voyage was a good thing. Now I knew why.
67. Dexter was lost.
68. The rocks shifted and a tunnel appeared.
69. The door creaked open.
70. Petra adjusted her night-vision goggles and waited.

Choose one of the groups of words below and use one, some, or all four words in a story or poem.

1. Bell, nail, door match
2. Phone, dog, yellow, bank
3. Book, flame, corn, fear
4. Ring, box, glass, leaf
5. Fire, storm, red, claw
6. Table, coat, photo, ring
7. Climb, sky, wire, light
8. Jeans, box, jar, green
9. Cloak, glass, frame, stone
10. Roof, board, candle, snow

Here are some lines of dialogue. Can you think of a story in which the characters might have these conversations?

• It’s not like Henry to be late.
• He’s not late. He’s run away

• I can’t fly that thing.
• If you don’t, we’ll be caught.

• Jeremy lied to me.
• He lies to everyone.
• Not anymore.

• That thing’s alive.
• That’s not all it is.
• What do you mean?
• I’ll explain while we run.

• If you do that, you’ll get in trouble.
• And if I don’t, they’ll never know the truth.

• Have you seen this before?
• No, and I’m pretty sure I shouldn’t have seen it now.

• But I don’t have any money.
• Then you’d better find some.

• I love that song.
• Thanks. I wrote it.

• It’s too hot. We have to turn back.
• No. We’re nearly there.

• Is that the best you can do?
• It’s the best I can do for you.