Notes from the Inkpot
Writing, teaching, creating - one ink-stained idea at a time.
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.
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 Shoe Lesson: A Simple, Powerful Creative Writing Activity
What if one ordinary object could unlock a thousand extraordinary stories? The Shoe Lesson is one of my favourite creative writing activities - a simple, unexpected way to spark imagination, build character depth, and turn even the most reluctant writers into storytellers. Here's how a single shoe can transform your classroom or writing group.
How to Use Picture Prompts to Inspire Powerful Creative Writing
If you’ve ever felt like “describe the picture” prompts were falling flat, this is for you. In this post, I break down how I use picture prompts in the classroom to move beyond surface-level writing, and into rich, imaginative storytelling that students actually want to create.