Notes from the Inkpot
Writing, teaching, creating - one ink-stained idea at a time.
The Resurrection Collection: Writing Into the Dark History of Body Snatching
Edinburgh, 1828. Anatomy lectures are full. Graves are not staying closed. As medical knowledge advances, a quiet trade emerges in the shadows of churchyards and lecture rooms. Bodies are exhumed, sold, recorded, and forgotten — while institutions continue as normal. The Resurrection Collection is a document-led creative writing experience inspired by the real history of body snatching, anatomy, and institutional silence. Through fragmented records, personal writings, ledgers, adverts, and modern historical commentary, writers and students are invited to investigate what happened — and what was deliberately left unrecorded. This isn’t a single story or a guided prompt. It’s an archive. The documents don’t agree, some voices are missing, and the truth depends on what you choose to trust. Every reader uncovers a different version of events — shaped by inference, interpretation, and the uncomfortable spaces between evidence.
70 Valentine’s Day Writing Prompts for Teens: Story Starters, Characters, Settings & Visual Ideas
Valentine’s Day isn’t just about romance. These 70 teen-friendly writing prompts explore friendships, awkward crushes, heartbreak, comedy, identity, and the messy reality of February 14th. With plot hooks, character ideas, titles, openings, closings, settings, and picture prompts, this post is perfect for classrooms, clubs, and young writers craving fresh ideas beyond clichés.
What Are Digital Writing Boxes? (And Why Teachers & Writers Are Quietly Obsessed)
Digital writing boxes are downloadable sets of fictional relics and documents that spark creative writing through curiosity, investigation, and worldbuilding. In this post, I break down what they are, why they work for both teachers and writers, and how The Soot & Shadows Series blends historical mystery, folklore, and atmospheric relics into a flexible creative writing tool. If you’re tired of prompts that say “imagine a door…,” you’ll love this.
2000+ Creative Writing Prompts for Teens (Ultimate Master List by Genre, Trope, Season & Month)
Explore more than 2000 creative writing prompts for teens in this growing master list. Each themed collection includes 70 original prompts designed to spark imagination, build storytelling confidence, and support daily writing habits. Browse by genre, trope, holiday, season or month to find the right ideas for fiction writing, journaling or creative warm-ups. New collections are added every Friday, making this resource ideal for teen writers, creative writing clubs, homeschool and classroom activities. Bookmark this page and return as the list expands.
1000 Creative Writing Prompts: Spark Imagination in Every Classroom and Notebook
Discover a free collection of 1000 Creative Writing Prompts designed to spark imagination in every classroom and notebook. From eerie openings to beautiful settings and clever twists, this downloadable PDF is packed with story ideas for teachers, students, and writers who want to make creativity part of their daily routine.