Fantasy and Adventure writing prompt

The Pathway to Paragon

After sneaking into the attic of his old family home, a teenage boy discovers a dusty, intricate map labeled "The Pathway to Paragon". With nothing but summer freedom ahead, he and his friends decide to follow the map, leading them into a world that mirrors their own – but with magic at every turn. They quickly find out they are expected: as the chosen ones to save this parallel world from a darkness only they can vanquish.

Suggested length: A short story: 1,500 to 5,000 words, or flash fiction under 1,000

Next prompt →
Write it now

Start the clock

Pick a sprint, press start and keep going until it stops. Momentum beats polish on a first draft.

0 words · saved in this browser

Make it yours

Three ways to take this prompt somewhere nobody else will.

  1. Use the way your hero texts to show who they are.
  2. Write in close first person, as if it's happening right now.
  3. Put a first in the story: a first job, kiss, loss or lie.

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 about young adult in our book genres guide

Keep going

More YA Fantasy and Adventure prompts

See all 20 YA Fantasy and Adventure prompts

Fifteen minutes in? Keep going.

Chapterly gives a draft somewhere to grow: chapters, daily word goals, and readers when you're ready.

Plans from $9.99 a month. Cancel any time. Your words are always yours.