The hardest part about writing is usually getting started. That’s why writing prompts are a great tool for scribes of any age – they take away the pressure of conjuring up a beginning. Make it a simple game – no judgment, because it’s just for fun. Check out these prompts to get the writers in your life scribbling away ...

BIG IDEAS

A few places to start a story, poem, essay, or whatever

• What things do you only hear during autumn?
• What animal is hiding in the leaf pile? How did you find it?
• What do falling leaves like to talk about?
• What happens when your class visits a mysterious museum?
• Pretend a evil king has ordered you to make an amazing meal using only pumpkins. 

STORY STARTER

This is just the beginning – you take it from here

“It happened in the night. Yesterday, when I peeked through the old wooden fence, everything looked normal in the Jeffersons’ big backyard. This morning, I heard weird crunching noises back there. When I glanced over I saw the top of a pumpkin. It was as big as a dump truck. ...”