Looking for some inspiration for your next short story? Look no more! We have compiled 100 middle school creative writing prompts. Select your favorite story idea and start writing right away.
Writing prompts and story starters work
Writing is an intricate skill. Middle school students are still unable to write for more that a nanosecond.
Young writers need to generate ideas for creative writing, evaluate them and decide which one is the best, create an outline, drafts and then edit their work. Although these are all important skills, middle school students can be more successful if they focus their efforts on just a few.
Writing prompts give them a wide range of ideas and writing options. They don’t have to think of a high-quality idea and worry about it.
Writing becomes much easier when students have a point of reference. Students do not have to feel frustrated or unable to find ideas. They can simply jump in and begin writing. Reluctant writers often find it easier to write when they are presented with captivating story writing prompts.
The best part about these writing prompts for middle school is that they make writing more fun.
These story writing prompts are for everyone
Although these prompts are intended for middle school and high school students, many can also be used for adult writers. Although most of these prompts will not be suitable for elementary-age students, some might appeal to older students with a passion for writing.
We’ve made it easier for you by providing a printable version of these prompts. Simply enter your details below to get one.
Writing prompts for stories that start out just like any other day
I tiptoed to the bathroom. I would be very troubled if anyone saw me do this. I took my mother’s lipstick, grabbed it and returned it to my bedroom. My brother was asleep in my bed.
I peeked behind the curtains. Two bodyguards were standing outside the limo. A knock came from the door.
I saw the adorable baby underneath the umbrella. I wanted to say hello, but I couldn’t find her.
– I ran towards my locker when the bell rang. I couldn’t stay there any longer.
– I opened up the front door to discover the UPS guy standing on the front steps, his arm wrapped around the cylindrical parcel that was almost as high as him. Oh gosh. No, not again.
As they entered the gray, imposing building, Irene grasped her mom’s hand more tightly. She had been promised by her mom that they would never be forced to return here. But…
– The curtains were opened and the lights went out. I felt like throwing up. This was the best idea ?….
– I began my letter immediately after I boarded my train. It was possible. I sold everything and am now on my…
– It seemed that a kid’s party was a safe place to be relaxed and mix in. It has been quite some time since I stopped moving. When the balloon burst, it was…
I sat down at work and began to go through the mail. It was all junk. I was going to put all of it in the recycling bin, but I noticed my favorite magazine right at the bottom. I put the rest aside and grabbed the magazine. But something was missing between the pages.
We noticed something unusual while canoeing in the inlet. We were greeted by a whale right next to our boat. A second whale was close behind. Our boat was suddenly lifted from the water.
– My Instagram account, which I set up for my hamster, has gone viral. He is getting phone calls with job opportunities from all over the globe.
– We thought the box contained water guns that we had ordered online. We opened the box eagerly to see what it contained and loaded them up. What we discovered inside was completely different.
I got up from the boat trembling and furious. I wouldn’t get on that boat again with him. He was not going to be allowed…
– The pancakes came out perfect. They were perfectly round, golden and soft. I drizzled maple syrup on top and added fruit. Then mom ran to the refrigerator and took out the cream. I gave her an apologetic glance. It was a special treat and she would only bring it out if…
– The silence was so eerie that we sat around campfire in complete silence, with no one wanting us to speak of our dilemma.
We had to let it all out, so we can get it done. I was trying to clear my throat as Layla and Sam stood out from the crowd, whispering. Was this what they were plotting?
– My brother Simon was brave and I wanted to be like him. He didn’t fear anything. I vividly remember him as a young man.
– We made our way through the garden, knowing that we would never be returning to this house. I waved goodbye, one by one, to each of the flower beds and to the apple trees that I had climbed so many times when I was a kid. I wanted scream. I was so mad at them.
As a youngster, my dad would tell me bizarre stories. Although his life seemed bizarre, I was fascinated by his humor. It was impossible to tell the difference between fact and fiction. I’m still not sure which ones, like this one about.
I was shaking and tried to open my car’s door, but it was still locked. I looked around to ensure that nobody was looking for me. Why was it this cold, today? What if…
Writing prompts for stories that start with dialogue
– “Drink it, quick!” I took one look at the contents. The contents were like nothing I had ever seen. I closed my eyes, took one sip and swallowed it.
“Five minutes,” my father grunted as I tried to lift him from bed. “Dad! They’re here-we must go!”
“Shh …”,” I shouted frantically, as Robin’s chair squeaked once more. “Don’t know what trouble we’ll get in if they locate us …”
– “Put me down!” As I was thrown into the air and yelled at a giant,
– “Stop it!” My little sister grabbed my phone and tried it. I was afraid that anyone would see the words I’d written into it. These words could have saved my life.
– “Have any of these cars been on your road before?” James asked me the same question, trying to keep my nerves from getting worse. “Is this safe?”
– “Are we coming or not?” As he continued to walk into the…
– “Is anybody in there?” I stared up at my gothic castle, wondering aloud. “The letter stated they would meet us …”,” I thought aloud, staring up at the gothic castle.
– “We did it!” My lab partner exclaimed, “We finally did it!” “We invented cream that makes people beautiful.” We will be so rich!”
You have five dollars and decide to buy lunch at your favorite fast-food joint. As you’re about paying, a boy a little older than you leans in to tell you: “Hold on, you money!” Let me show you how to make that five-dollar bill into five million.
– As you stand in line at a cafe, you notice a shiny piece of change on the ground. It lands on your knees as you try to grab it. But a huge black boot steps in front of it and grabs it. “I wouldn’t do this if you were me,” a deep voice advises.
She began by saying, “I’m sorry to bear bad news,” crossing her arms nervously over her chest. “You didn’t get in.” She said, “You didn’t get in.”
– He rubbed my hand and assured me that I could trust him. “All you need is …”
– “It’s your call!” She called me after answering the telephone. She covered my mouthpiece and said menacingly when I tried to take it from them.
Greg confessed, lying on the grass, his clothes muddied, that he should have listened. You were correct about …”
– “How can you?” I was stunned. “After all that we’ve gone through, I believed you were the only person I could trust. I cannot believe …”.
– I kicked at it with my shoe. I was taken aback by her question. I wasn’t ready to respond. I tried to hold off. “Remember the time …” was in effect?
“Okay. Okay, I’m here,” said I, rolling my eyes to show the effect. “What was the most important reason you had me leave pizza night?”
– “It’s okay to come out, it’s not necessary to be afraid. Let me hold your hand. I was astonished by the hand reaching toward me.
– “Let go!” I screamed at my captors. I tried to kick the man’s shins, but his grunts and tight grip kept him there. I told my self to think fast. It is getting close to the end. It is only a matter of time.
Writing prompts that include an element of suspense
Estella, with Gerard, her dog, ran several feet ahead of Estella.
She heard a crackle on her left as a gust of wind cut through the forest. After watching the tree fall, she turned her back towards the trail to find Gerard gone…
Suddenly, the light began to flicker from blue to white. I tried looking for a way to escape, but it was impossible. I had to go to the backup plan.
– The snow was fresh and the footprints were new. They took a detour and went into the woods. It was up to me to choose. It was either now or not.
I stumbled down the prison stairs. Before I could break her out of this prison, she was already here.
It was very hot so I decided to go to my favorite lake. Just as I was about jumping into the cool water, a splash in central Lake caused ripples. There was something. Something…
– My brother and sister entered the fairgrounds unconcerned. We found a note that said the mystery person would arrive at five. It was already half past four. We were not taking chances. He had to be found before we could.
Ellen squeezed into the narrow aisle looking for row M. The pilot greeted them as they took off from the aircraft. Wait, what? This was not the flight to …?
I held my breath and walked out of that interview. I knew this was the job that I wanted and was terrified of losing my sleep. I walked out of my building to be greeted by a little girl. She said, somewhat prophetically, “The job’s yours.” “All that’s required is …”
I was asleep on the couch last night when my phone rang. I answered the call and it said, “Will this be a Brazil collect call?” I panicked. This was John’s warning call to me. It was a call that John had warned me about.
It was my seventeenth Birthday, and I had been planning it for months. The decorations were spectacular, my favorite restaurant catered the food, and everyone was at the party. Only problem was… The only problem was that I was trapped in…
– I was stunned to see the books on the shelves of the used bookshop so high. To get a better view, I climbed the ladder. A woman approached me and offered me a thick, leather-bound book. “This is what you’re looking for,” she exclaimed to me. “Look no farther. This one will accomplish…
I was at a bus stop and a little girl approached me with a small box. It began to shake in my hands, but I was able to see her disappear when I turned around to find out what it was.
I stumbled into the haunted home, looking both ways for clues. My eyes adjusted to the bright light and I was able to see…
I was about entering my house when I spotted a small dog running along the street toward the busy intersection. He was alone. I followed him without thinking and…
– I heard a loud crash and rushed down the stairs to get to the kitchen. Wolf, my Rottweiler, was greedily licking the tiles of the floor with lasagna. It was not unusual, but I noticed something that looked different underneath the tomato sauce. Is that ?…?
It was almost dark outside, and I was alone in the library. It was quiet save for a faint tap sound in the next aisle. I moved cautiously towards the end and peeked around the corner.
– It was getting late. They said that they would give me time until sundown, but it was only a few more hours. I had…
I thought, “That’s weird,” as I reached the next level and looked up at the next set. I don’t think there has been another set at this place before. What was the old man referring to?
– The computer beeped once more. It now pings six times per minute. I didn’t know why I was being contacted by these messages.
– I awoke up in a Tree yesterday, with not even a sweater to keep it dry. It’s strange, but it is true.
Writing prompts that ask “What if?”
Imagine if every character that you created was automatically brought to life by a foreign government and you were asked to spy for them.
Suppose a distant relative left you a piece of Norway land, and you discovered that it was an enchanted forest.
Imagine your parents calling you at night to inform you that they are sending you to boarding high school.
Imagine that you were having breakfast at home alone when a newscaster interrupts your favorite TV program to tell you about a missing person.
What if Ikea could be your home for a month?
Imagine a cruise liner full of famous people being stuck at sea 2 weeks.
What if you went to a museum and found a stack full of letters detailing the location where a treasure was buried in your community?
– What if the opera’s lead singer was actually you?
What if your child saw your parents stealing and decided to keep the secret from her?
What if someone gave the gift of painting and you agreed to continue?
Imagine your pet being elected mayor of your community.
– What if Uber drivers were able to drive hot air balloons instead of cars?
What if you were able to find a way to travel back in the past to Ancient Egypt? You’d discover their world was far more advanced than ours. They had also created more evidence of technology. However, this would prevent future generations making the same tragic decisions.
Imagine a screenwriter approaching you to make a movie about your life. But every interview she did, she ignored all of your answers and created her own.
Imagine typing 1000 words per minute? And being able write a novel every hour.
Imagine waking up tomorrow morning and being able to speak five languages you didn’t know before. Then, you would discover that your brain was filled with secret information and that international spies had recruited you.
What if high school was impossible to leave? Instead, you had to return year after year in order to get the perfect grades to be allowed to graduate.
Imagine your parents taking you on a dream vacation, but your parents kidnapped them at the airport. You had to navigate new countries while trying to rescue them.
Imagine if you could create a tool that would clean your entire house in just fifteen minutes. You’d be a millionaire instantly.
Suppose you were looking through a list with writing prompts. What if every sentence you wrote was actually a writing prompt?
Storystarters that Will Change Readers’ Thoughts
– It is 49. I looked around. Quincey was the only one present. Could it have been?
It’s everywhere in the news. It’s not uncommon for random events to occur. What happens if they discover that my dreams are coming true? They will do what they can to me. They will do what I ask.
Saturday morning, I wore slippers and a dress to feed my rabbits in the backyard. I gasped when I saw their hutch. The wire door had been ripped through and the hutch seemed empty. Fearing for my safety, I searched the yard for any sign of them. Then, suddenly, I was tap on the shoulder. I turned around to see a black bear sitting on his hind legs. He said, “If you ever want your bunnies to come back,”
Never put your trust in your dreams. They will cause you trouble every single time. They’re not like mine. Perhaps trouble can find me but you still need safety. Last week, I had a vision about…
I’d been trying to track him all day. He was almost mine, but I had too wait until he was in a tree for me to pounce. I stood up and looked around the clearing. Then I realized I had been tricked. After all, I wasn’t the stalker. He was the lure, and I was my target.
A baby sits in the plane’s first class section alone, brightly colored headphones on his head. After staring at me for a long time, he snaps at the flight attendant in an effort to grab her attention. This was another…
Imagine that you are 40 and married to your 15 year-old husband. You are offered the chance to go back in time to correct a terrible mistake that you made as a child. You make the right decision and move on with your life. The day you thought you would meet your spouse, they didn’t show up.
A mural is painted on the wall of an abandoned building as you walk along a downtown street. The mural’s faces suddenly speak to you and warn you about upcoming crime. They are too loud to ignore or block out your thoughts.
– A radio personality starts to talk about something that you did yesterday while you’re driving. But you thought about it and didn’t do it. It was only five minutes ago, not yesterday.
– In your parents’ bedroom, you find a book that contains everything you have ever done and said. The book is 100 years old and you are only twelve. You were mistaken.
She was different than I remember her from a few months ago when she stepped out of the plane. She was taller, her eyes were deeper, and her features were sharper. Was that what they had done to her at the retreat?
Sometimes, I wish I could escape all this by getting into a bubble that would allow me to float forever. It’s time to move on. I didn’t think it was possible, but then…
– I was shocked when the house began shaking. These had been our school’s training. I ran to the nearest frame of doors and shoved my feet and hands into it as hard I could. This was not a normal earthquake. The shaking of other houses was not felt. It continued for far too many hours. The shaking became more intense and eventually a hole was created in the center of the house. It rose from there.
– I can communicate with animals. It’s something that I’ve always done. It was something I had never done before. It’s now a secret. If anyone else discovers…
Your best friend is walking home from school when he disappears down the manhole. Without thinking, you jump in and find that there are entire species of…
Leonard took his shoelace and sat down in the park bench. Leonard was asked by an elderly man to watch his dog five minutes. Leonard was able to get the man’s attention again, but he never came back.
I walked slowly through the market, not knowing exactly what I was looking, but I knew I would find that here. I was blinded by a flash of light, so I turned my attention to the stall just past me. It was replaced by…
My mother was transformed into a rock yesterday. Yes, indeed. A small enough size to carry in your pocket. She’s actually right there. I have one month to find out the truth and return her to her.
I knew that robotics could be dangerous. They have been a target of my warnings for many years. I knew the danger they could inflict even at seven years old. I was ignored by everyone. Until now. Now, an evil robot is trying to destroy the entire world. It’s good that I’m only thirteen. They might actually listen this year.
It worked! – This was something that I had never thought of. It was amazing to see that the Star Trek Museum’s teleporter worked. They would have posted a warning sign or something to warn kids about this. That’s how Jamie ended up in this barren place. We now need to find a way to get there.
These middle school creative writing prompts should give you plenty of ideas for your next project. Writing short stories, flash fiction or novels can be fun.
