Notes from the Inkpot
Writing, teaching, creating - one ink-stained idea at a time.
10 Books by Young Authors That Show Students Their Voices Matter
Many students believe they’re “too young” to write something meaningful. Yet history proves otherwise. From Anne Frank’s diary to Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and Malala Yousafzai’s memoir, young authors have created works that changed literature, history, and even global movements. This post explores ten powerful books written by teenagers and young writers, showing how their voices can inspire students to write with confidence today.
70 Paranormal Mystery Prompts for Teens: Story Starters, Titles, Characters, Settings & Visual Ideas
Paranormal mystery writing prompts for teens combine eerie atmosphere with investigation, logic, and unanswered questions. Unlike pure horror or fantasy, paranormal mystery stories focus on clues, unreliable evidence, and the tension between what can be explained and what refuses to make sense. This collection of 70 paranormal mystery writing prompts is designed to help teen writers develop suspense-driven narratives through plot hooks, story titles, opening and closing lines, character ideas, setting prompts, and visual inspiration. From missing person cases and coded messages to unsettling locations and unexplained phenomena, these prompts encourage writers to think like investigators while crafting stories rich in mood and mystery. Perfect for classroom creative writing, Halloween units, writing clubs, or independent practice, these paranormal mystery prompts support deeper storytelling, critical thinking, and atmosphere-led writing — without relying on shock or spectacle.
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 Halloween Writing Prompts for Teens: Story Starters, Titles, Characters, Settings & Visual Ideas
Get into the spooky spirit with 70 Halloween writing prompts designed for teen writers. From eerie plot hooks and chilling titles to haunted settings and creepy character ideas, this collection brings the mystery and magic of October to life. Perfect for classrooms or young writers, these prompts encourage creativity through suspense, atmosphere, and a touch of fear.
70 Mythology Writing Prompts for Teens: Story Starters, Titles, Characters, Settings & Visual Ideas
Mythology is shaped by fate, power, and the fragile boundary between mortals and gods — from ancient temples and cursed heroes to oracles, underworld journeys, and divine punishment. This collection of 70 mythology writing prompts for teens draws on Greek and Roman myths to explore epic storytelling through plot hooks, mythic titles, complex characters, symbolic settings, and evocative picture prompts inspired by classical mythology. Ideal for classrooms, creative writing clubs, or independent writers, these prompts encourage imaginative writing rooted in consequence, sacrifice, and timeless mythic themes.
You Don’t Kill Someone for Their Ideas: What Charlie Kirk’s Murder Means for Classrooms
Charlie Kirk’s murder is an extreme reminder of where unchecked intolerance can lead. His wife, his children, and a crowd of students witnessed an act meant to silence, when what they expected was debate. As teachers, we can’t solve political violence — but we can shape how young people learn to disagree. In our classrooms, the habits we model and the structures we build matter: separating the person from the idea, listening before responding, refusing caricatures, and treating disagreement as an invitation, not a threat. This isn’t glamorous work. It won’t stop every act of hate. But it gives students practice in something the wider world has forgotten — how to live with difference without resorting to violence.
70 Cyberpunk Writing Prompts for Teens: Story Starters, Titles, Characters, Settings & Visual Ideas
Cyberpunk writing prompts for teens explore futures shaped by surveillance, megacorporations, and technology that controls as much as it empowers. Rooted in questions of power, identity, and resistance, cyberpunk fiction asks what happens when systems outgrow the people living inside them. This collection of 70 cyberpunk writing prompts includes plot hooks, story titles, opening and closing lines, character ideas, immersive settings, and picture prompts designed to support consequence-driven storytelling. From social credit systems and hacked identities to corporate control and digital rebellion, these prompts help teen writers build speculative worlds that feel unsettlingly plausible. Ideal for classroom creative writing, science fiction units, or independent projects, these cyberpunk prompts encourage ethical thinking, modern worldbuilding, and narrative tension — making them a powerful resource for teachers and young writers exploring contemporary speculative fiction.
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.
10 Personal Reading Rules We Should Let Students Break
We tell students to read for pleasure — then load them up with rules that would put most adults off books too. Sit at a desk. Finish what you start. Only read “serious” texts. In this post, I share the 10 reading rules I think we should let students break, from rereading favourites to abandoning books that don’t fit. When reading feels personal, comfortable, and choice-driven, students don’t just read more — they actually enjoy it.
70 Ghost Story Prompts for Teens: Story Starters, Titles, Characters, Settings & Visual Ideas
Ghost stories are built on atmosphere, memory, and the unsettling sense that something has been left unresolved. This collection of 70 ghost story writing prompts for teens explores haunted places, lingering spirits, strange encounters, and the thin boundary between the living and the dead through eerie plot hooks, story titles, opening and closing lines, character ideas, settings, and atmospheric picture prompts. Ideal for classrooms, creative writing clubs, or independent writers, these prompts support suspenseful, emotion-driven storytelling without relying on shock or horror.
10 Best Edgar Allan Poe Stories to Teach (And How to Teach Them)
Spooky season is the perfect time to teach Edgar Allan Poe. From The Tell-Tale Heart to The Masque of the Red Death, his stories and poems hook students with Gothic atmosphere, unreliable narrators, and detective intrigue. This list highlights the 10 best Poe texts to teach — with ready-to-use resources, activities, and creative ideas to bring them alive in your classroom.
The Silent Directive: A Creative Writing Box Inspired by a World Without Sound
What if silence wasn’t a choice, but the law? In our latest writing boxThe Silent Directive, citizens live under a regime where sound itself is treason. Broadcasts, memos, detention registers, and propaganda leaflets reveal a world where silence is loyalty, silence is safety, and silence is survival. Unlike my other writing boxes, this one doesn’t whisper secrets — it issues orders in plain sight.
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.
10 Best WWI Poems to Teach (And How to Teach Them)
WWI poetry captures the shift from patriotic idealism to the brutal realities of the front line. These ten poems — from Owen’s haunting Dulce et Decorum Est to Rosenberg’s symbolic Break of Day in the Trenches — bring history, empathy, and powerful language into the classroom. Here’s why they’re worth teaching and how to make them resonate with your students.
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.
70 Romance Writing Prompts for Teens: Story Starters, Titles, Characters, Settings & Visual Ideas
Romance writing prompts invite writers to explore emotional connection, tension, and the moments that sit between longing and choice. This collection of romance writing prompts for teens and writers is designed to spark meaningful stories — from first love and heartbreak to slow-burn relationships, quiet intimacy, and unresolved feelings. Whether you’re looking for creative writing inspiration, romance plot ideas, character-driven prompts, or scene writing prompts, these ideas help writers move beyond clichés and write romance with depth, authenticity, and emotional weight. Perfect for classrooms, independent writers, and creative writing warm-ups, these prompts support writing romance, developing characters, and building believable relationships through setting, dialogue, and atmosphere.
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 Historical Fiction Prompts for Teens: Story Hooks, Titles, and Characters Across the Ages
Historical fiction writing prompts for teens help young writers explore the lives behind the history books — from private rooms and working spaces to moments of quiet rebellion and social change. This curated collection of 70 historical fiction writing prompts includes plot hooks, titles, opening and closing lines, character ideas, immersive settings, and carefully designed picture prompts, offering teachers and teen writers a premium resource for developing historically grounded, emotionally rich stories.