Notes from the Inkpot
Writing, teaching, creating - one ink-stained idea at a time.
20 Best Texts to Teach in January: Fresh Starts, New Beginnings, and Smart Classroom Momentum
January is one of the most important — and underestimated — teaching months of the year. After the break, students don’t need noise or novelty; they need texts that rebuild focus, invite reflection, and spark meaningful discussion. This curated list of 20 novels, short stories, poems, films, and podcasts offers flexible, high-impact texts that work across ages and formats, helping you reset classroom momentum without overloading your planning.
70 January Writing Prompts for Teens: New Beginnings, Aftermaths, and Turning Points
January is a month of quiet turning points — what comes after the celebrations, when routines return and choices begin to matter. This collection of 70 January writing prompts invites teen writers to explore aftermath, new beginnings, and moments of change through plot hooks, opening and closing lines, character ideas, settings, and visual prompts designed for classrooms or independent writing.
31 Daily Writing Prompts for January: Ever After
A 31-day collection of fairytale retellings inspired by myths and folklore from around the world. These prompts move beyond “happily ever after” to explore power, consequence, and the stories left untold — perfect for classrooms, creative writing lessons, or anyone rediscovering their love of storytelling.
70 Christmas Writing Prompts for Teens: Story Starters, Characters, Settings & Visual Ideas
Christmas is a season full of contrasts — cozy fireplaces and glittering lights, but also mystery, magic, and the occasional bit of chaos. These prompts invite teen writers to explore the holiday across genres, from festive romance and fantasy adventures to gothic tales and eerie mysteries. With 70 story starters, titles, characters, settings, and picture prompts, this collection sparks creativity for classrooms or independent writing, offering fresh takes on the season that go far beyond the expected.
10 Best Christmas Poems to Teach (And How to Teach Them)
Christmas in the classroom is always a balancing act. You want something seasonal to capture the spirit of December, but it still needs the depth to justify lesson time. Poetry is the perfect answer. From Christina Rossetti’s wintry devotion to T. S. Eliot’s existential Nativity, these ten poems offer rich imagery, layered themes, and plenty of scope for creative writing.
31 Daily Writing Prompts for December: The Longest Night
Step into December with thirty-one hauntingly beautiful prompts inspired by the winter solstice. From cursed carolers to frost-lit markets and mirrors that show more than the year ahead, The Longest Night blends folklore, myth, and midwinter magic. Each prompt includes an image, opening and closing lines, and a plot idea — ready to spark stories in the classroom or at your own desk.
20 Great Texts to Teach at Christmas (or during Winter)
Looking for meaningful texts to teach in December? These 20 Christmas and winter-themed classics — from short stories and poems to films and podcasts — offer rich discussion, creative writing opportunities, and seasonal engagement without sacrificing academic depth.
12 Engaging Podcasts to Hook Teens and Deepen Classroom Analysis
Podcasts aren’t just background noise or Friday-afternoon filler. Used intentionally, they become rich texts for analysis, offering students access to real voices and real perspectives. From true crime to poetry to investigative journalism, podcasts allow students to explore ideas, examine viewpoint, and analyse how meaning is constructed through sound, structure, and tone. Here are twelve powerful podcast recommendations to transform listening into real learning.
70 Steampunk Writing Prompts for Teens: Story Starters, Characters, Settings & Visual Ideas
Steampunk is a genre where Victorian elegance collides with brass gears, steam engines, and strange inventions. It’s a world of daring skyship captains, masked vigilantes, rebellious inventors, and cities powered by impossible machines. For teen writers, steampunk opens the door to adventure, rebellion, and discovery in settings that feel both historical and futuristic. These 70 prompts include story starters, titles, characters, settings, and picture prompts to spark imagination in classrooms or independent writing.
31 Daily Writing Prompts for December: The Longest Night
Step into the hush of winter with The Longest Night — 31 daily writing prompts inspired by folklore, solstice myths, and snowbound magic. From lanterns in the storm to masquerades at midnight, these prompts capture the eerie beauty of the darkest month and the stories that burn brightest against the cold.
10 Dystopian Texts to Teach Beyond 1984 (Classroom Ideas & Creative Writing)
Every time dystopian fiction comes up in the classroom, 1984 takes centre stage. And for good reason — it’s chilling, essential, and one of those texts I’ll always defend teaching. But Orwell isn’t the whole story. Dystopia is also about fear, climate collapse, isolation, memory, love, and the choices people make when systems fall apart. This post shares ten powerful texts that go beyond Orwell, each with themes, classroom ideas, and creative writing extensions you can use straight away.
The Best Netflix Shows and Films to Use in the Secondary Classroom
Streaming doesn’t have to mean “switching off.” Netflix is packed with series and films that open up rich discussions in the secondary English classroom — from dystopian cautionary tales like Black Mirror to tender coming-of-age stories like Heartstopper. Used thoughtfully, these titles can spark debate, connect literature to students’ lives, and bring themes like identity, grief, and power into focus. This guide rounds up some of the best options, with classroom pairings, creative activities, and cross-curricular links to help you use screen time as a powerful teaching tool.
70 Survival Writing Prompts for Teens: Story Starters, Characters, Settings & Visual Ideas
Survival stories push characters to their limits, forcing them to find courage, resourcefulness, and resilience when everything is at stake. From wilderness challenges to natural disasters, and from deserted islands to post-apocalyptic ruins, this collection invites teen writers to explore what it truly means to endure. Inspired by classics like Lord of the Flies and modern YA adventures, these 70 prompts offer story starters, titles, characters, settings, and picture prompts to keep creativity alive in even the harshest conditions.
Micro Writing for the TikTok Generation (Why Short Bursts Spark Big Ideas)
Micro writing is about stripping things back — short bursts of creativity that can grow into something bigger. This post explores how daily prompts, complete with titles, images, opening and closing lines, and plot ideas, can be used for quick five-minute writes that fit neatly into any lesson. Think of it as a clean, minimalist approach to writing practice: simple to set up, but powerful in what it sparks.
70 Dark Fairytale Writing Prompts for Teens: Story Starters, Characters, Settings & Visual Ideas
Fairytales weren’t always sweet and sparkly. The originals were filled with darkness and danger. Cinderella’s stepsisters cut off parts of their feet, the Little Mermaid walked in constant pain, and Sleeping Beauty’s tale was far more unsettling than a simple kiss. These 70 prompts invite teen writers to reimagine classic tales with eerie settings, haunting characters, and endings that blur the line between wonder and horror. Perfect for classrooms, clubs, or independent writers who want fantasy with a sinister twist.
70 Dark Fantasy Writing Prompts for Teens: Story Starters, Characters, Settings & Visual Ideas
Dark fantasy blends wonder with menace—cursed kingdoms, perilous magic, and choices that always carry a cost. These prompts invite teen writers to craft atmospheric, morally complex stories with eerie plot hooks, striking titles, opening and closing lines, characters, settings, and picture prompts. Perfect for classrooms, clubs, or solo writing when you want fantasy with sharper teeth.
70 Paranormal Mystery Prompts for Teens: Story Starters, Titles, Characters, Settings & Visual Ideas
Paranormal mysteries mix eerie suspense with the thrill of uncovering secrets. These prompts invite teen writers to explore strange clues, shadowy figures, and unexplained events — from a glowing rotary phone ringing in an abandoned house to a cracked mirror showing a city that doesn’t exist. With 70 ideas covering titles, opening lines, characters, and picture prompts, this collection will keep imaginations racing.
Halloween Gothic Short Stories & Creative Writing Bundle: Teach Analysis and Imagination in One Go
Looking for ready-to-go Halloween ELA activities? This Gothic short story and creative writing bundle is perfect for middle and high school lesson plans. Explore The Tell-Tale Heart, The Fall of the House of Usher, and The Monkey’s Paw with complete activities, then let students create their own eerie narratives through the Victoriana Creative Writing Mystery Box. A time-saving, engaging way to combine analysis and imagination this October.
70 October Writing Prompts for Teens: Spooky Starters, Autumn Titles, Characters, Settings & Visual Ideas
October is the perfect month for storytelling—misty nights, glowing lanterns, and the thrill of Halloween in the air. This collection of 70 October writing prompts for teens is packed with spooky plot hooks, atmospheric titles, eerie opening and closing lines, character and setting ideas, and detailed picture prompts to spark your imagination. Whether you’re writing ghost stories, autumn adventures, or a hint of magical realism, you’ll find inspiration to carry you through the season.
70 Cyberpunk Writing Prompts for Teens: Story Starters, Titles, Characters, Settings & Visual Ideas
Cyberpunk is all about rebellion, technology, and survival in a neon-drenched future. These 70 prompts dive into hackers, megacities, AI, and underground resistance movements, giving teen writers the chance to experiment with high-tech drama and raw emotion. Whether you’re teaching dystopian literature, exploring sci-fi themes, or just want to fuel creativity, this collection blends classic cyberpunk grit with fresh, atmospheric ideas.