The Mind-Reading Conspiracy
After a science experiment goes awry in class, the smartest kid in school suddenly gains the ability to read minds. Explore how this ability affects their relationships, their school life, and eventually leads them to uncover a deep-set conspiracy within their town.
Suggested length: A short story: 1,500 to 5,000 words, or flash fiction under 1,000
Start the clock
Pick a sprint, press start and keep going until it stops. Momentum beats polish on a first draft.
Make it yours
Three ways to take this prompt somewhere nobody else will.
- Write in close first person, as if it's happening right now.
- Put a first in the story: a first job, kiss, loss or lie.
- Raise the stakes until the hero's identity is on the line.
Writing young adult books
Ages 12 to 18: firsts, identity and everything at stake.
Young adult fiction is written for teens, with protagonists usually 14 to 18. Every genre lives here, from fantasy to thrillers to romance. What makes it YA is the voice: immediate, intense and inside a teenager's head.
What readers expect
- A teen protagonist
- An immediate, close voice
- Identity and independence
- Big feelings, taken seriously
A tip before you start
Write from inside a teen's head, not from an adult looking back. That immediacy is what separates YA from an adult book with a young hero.
More Teen and YA prompts
- The Library ProphecyA group of friends stumbles upon an old, unpublished manuscript at their local library that predicts historical events, which leads them on an…
- A Teen CEO's WeekCraft a story about a teen who wins a contest to be the CEO of a major tech company for one week. During their week, they uncover corporate secrets…
- Letters from an Unknown AdviserWrite a story about a teenager who starts receiving mysterious, anonymous letters that offer advice on their personal problems. When they try to find…
- The Artifact in the Sea CaveDuring a family vacation to an ancient coastal town, a teenager stumbles upon a secret sea cave. Inside it, they find a mysterious artifact that…
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