Notes from the Inkpot
Writing, teaching, creating - one ink-stained idea at a time.
The Hemlock Collection: A Witch Trial Mystery Across Centuries
Step into Crowhurst, 1628. A child’s screams in the night, whispered accusations, and a village consumed by fear. The Hemlock Collection is a digital-first creative writing mystery that blends witch trials and folklore with the modern-day disappearance of Beth Crowhurst in 2023. Through letters, grave rubbings, diary entries, and newspaper clippings, students and writers are invited to investigate both timelines and craft their own stories from the shadows left by history.
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.
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.
10 Haunting Poems to Teach This Halloween (That Aren’t Just The Raven)
Halloween isn’t just for spooky short stories — poetry can be just as haunting. From Poe’s The Raven to eerie ballads like The Unquiet Grave, these poems bring atmosphere, symbolism, and Gothic chills into the classroom. Perfect for middle and high school, this list offers ten haunting poems that make October lessons both literary and seasonal.
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.
From Overwhelm to Alignment: How I’m Using Tarot to Map My Business Growth
Running a creative teaching business can feel overwhelming — so I turned to tarot for clarity. Not as fortune telling, but as a reflective tool, like analysing symbols in literature. This spread showed me how to steady myself, experiment with new ideas, and build momentum with structure and alignment. In this post, I share how each card offered insight into growing Ink & Insights, and why sometimes the best business strategy comes from unexpected places.
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 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 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
Step into a world of gods, heroes, and ancient legends with these 70 mythology writing prompts. Perfect for teen writers and classrooms, this collection includes epic plot hooks, mythic titles, opening and closing lines, character archetypes, settings, and vivid picture prompts. From Mount Olympus to the underworld, these prompts invite young writers to reimagine timeless myths or create brand-new legends of their own.
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 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.
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
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.
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.