Notes from the Inkpot
Writing, teaching, creating - one ink-stained idea at a time.
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.
Dark Inheritance: 31 Haunting October Writing Prompts for Teachers and Teens
October is the perfect month for eerie storytelling, and Dark Inheritance delivers 31 gothic-inspired prompts packed with secrets, curses, and unsettling twists. Each daily prompt includes a title, image, opening line, closing line, and full plot idea—ideal for classrooms or independent writers who want to embrace the darker side of creativity this Halloween season.
70 Ghost Story Prompts for Teens: Story Starters, Titles, Characters, Settings & Visual Ideas
Step into the shadows with 70 ghost story writing prompts for teens. From eerie plot hooks and chilling opening lines to haunted settings, character ideas, and picture prompts, this collection is packed with inspiration for spooky season. Perfect for classroom activities, creative writing practice, or anyone who loves a good scare.
30 Daily Writing Prompts for September: The Architect of Fate
September’s daily writing prompts come wrapped in gold thread and shadow. The Architect of Fate is a month-long journey into stories where destiny isn’t fixed—it’s forged. Across thirty prompts, you’ll explore mythic landscapes, surreal machines, whispered bargains, and impossible choices. Each day offers a spark for your creativity, whether you’re a teacher in search of classroom starters, a student finding your voice, or a writer chasing your next great idea. From villages that vanish before dawn to dreamwalkers trapped between worlds, these prompts are designed to challenge, inspire, and unsettle—in the best possible way.
70 Back-to-School Themed Creative Writing Prompts for Teens: Story Starters, Titles, Characters, Settings & Visual Ideas
The start of the school year is full of story potential — new beginnings, old rivalries, unexpected friendships, and the drama of everyday life. These 70 back-to-school writing prompts include plot hooks, titles, characters, settings, and picture prompts to spark ideas for teen writers and keep creativity flowing all term.
Why I Swear by Picture Prompts for Teaching Literature (And How to Use Them)
Picture prompts aren’t just for creative writing units — they can transform the way students connect with literature. Whether you use them to spark predictions before reading or to inspire a fresh take after finishing a text, the right image can flip the switch from passive reader to active thinker. Here’s how I use picture prompts to teach language through literature, keep lessons fresh, and make analysis feel less like a chore.
Why Silent Debates Might Be the Best Thing I Ever Did in an English Classroom
Looking for a way to boost engagement, build argument skills, and get every student involved in discussion, even the shy ones? Silent debates might just be your new favourite tool. In this post, I break down how I use them in my English classroom (both in-person and online), why they work so well, and how you can start using them right away. Includes tips, examples, and free resources for texts like Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet, Of Mice and Men, and more.
70 Magical Realism Writing Prompts for Teens: Ideas, Openings, and Visual Starters for the English Classroom
Magical realism invites students to see the ordinary world through an extraordinary lens. These 70 creative writing prompts are built for teens who love stories that shimmer just beneath the surface- where lost towns reappear, time bends in kitchens, and emotions take physical shape. Perfect for classroom inspiration or personal writing practice, this collection blends poetic titles, eerie openings, visual prompts, and grounded storytelling to help young writers explore the surreal in everyday life.
70 Mystery Writing Prompts for Teens: Ideas, Openings, and Visual Starters for the English Classroom
From eerie settings to twisty plot hooks, these 70 mystery writing prompts are built to spark curiosity and sharpen storytelling. Whether you're planning a full unit or just want a way to get students writing again, you'll find character ideas, opening lines, titles, and atmospheric visuals ready to use in the classroom.
70 Fantasy Writing Prompts for Teens
Let students build magical worlds and unforgettable characters with these 70 fantasy writing prompts for teens. From enchanted forests and forgotten prophecies to mysterious maps and celestial mirrors, this collection includes story starters, titles, character ideas, setting inspiration, and stunning visual prompts to spark imagination in any classroom.
Save Hours Planning Creative Writing Units with Daily Prompts
Tired of reinventing the wheel for every creative writing lesson? Daily prompts offer a flexible, low-prep way to boost engagement, sharpen skills, and save you hours of planning. Here's how to build an entire unit around them, and where to grab your first month of prompts for free.
Creative Writing Lessons That Feel Like Time Travel: How I Use Writing Boxes in the Classroom
Tired of blank stares during creative writing lessons? These immersive story boxes turn students into detectives, poets, and storytellers. From séance invitations to village festivals with a secret, here’s how I use creative writing boxes to spark serious engagement (and save my sanity) in the classroom.
70 Dystopian Writing Prompts for Teen Writers
Looking for dystopian writing prompts that actually get teens thinking? This post goes way beyond “write about a world with no rules.” You’ll find story ideas, eerie titles, opening and closing lines, character inspiration, settings, and high-impact picture prompts. Everything you need to help students build powerful dystopian narratives from the ground up.
The Back-to-School Writing Task That Helps Me Understand Every Student
One simple writing task. That’s all it takes to start building real relationships with your students. Here’s the first-week activity I always use to understand who’s in front of me, and why it works year after year.
70 Sci-Fi Writing Prompts for Teens: Ideas, Openings, and Visual Starters for the English Classroom
Looking for sci-fi writing prompts that actually work with teens? This post goes beyond aliens and spaceships. You’ll find story starters, eerie opening lines, character ideas, atmospheric settings, and picture prompts. all designed to help students write science fiction with substance.
7 Free English Classroom Resources I Actually Use (And Still Love)
Seven free English teaching resources I’ve actually used in real classrooms. From creative writing prompts to post-reading tasks, these are my go-to freebies that still hold up, and they’re all ready to download.
The Ashridge Collection: A Free Creative Writing Resource for Curious Students and Tired Teachers
Tired of worksheets? The Ashridge Collection is a free printable creative writing mystery designed for curious classrooms. Built from letters, diary entries, and eerie school documents, it invites students to step into a story, and shape it themselves.
What Writing Taught Me About My Own Emotions (And How It Can Help Students Too)
Writing has always helped me untangle what’s going on in my own head, and it can do the same for students. In this post, I’m sharing how I teach personal narrative early in the year, why it’s linked to SEL, and how writing has helped me understand myself better.
7 Surprisingly Creative Ways English Teachers Can Use AI (That Don’t Involve Marking Essays)
Most AI-in-education advice focuses on grading and admin. But in the English classroom, that’s not always the issue that needs to be solved. This post shares 7 genuinely creative ways to use AI that support writing, analysis, differentiation, and reading, all designed to save time without losing your voice as a teacher.
How to Teach English Language Skills Using Literature Texts (Free Prompts Included)
Combine language and literature in a meaningful way with chapter-by-chapter creative writing prompts. This post explores how you can build writing skills while deepening students’ understanding of the texts you teach - plus, you’ll find lots of free resources to download and try right away.