The Museum After Dark
During a school field trip to a famous museum, you accidentally get locked in after hours. As you wander the dark, echoing halls looking for a way out, the exhibits begin to come to life. Write about your night spent with historical figures and fantastical creatures who help you find your way.
Suggested length: A middle grade story: 2,000 to 5,000 words
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.
- Give every page or scene one picture worth drawing.
- Use one silly sound word kids will want to say.
- Use a repeated line young readers can join in on.
Writing middle grade books
Ages 8 to 12: friendship, family and figuring out who you are.
Middle grade novels are written for readers around 8 to 12, with heroes usually 10 to 13. The stakes are huge to the characters, the focus stays on their world, and any romance stops at a crush.
What readers expect
- A hero aged about 10 to 13
- Family, friends and school
- Humor and heart
- Hope, even in hard stories
A tip before you start
Kids read up. Make your hero as old as your oldest readers, or a little older.
More Middle Grade prompts
- The Attic Board GameImagine you've discovered an old, dusty board game in your attic that doesn’t abide by the usual rules. When you play, the game transforms your room…
- The Map in the Old BookWrite a story about a mysterious map you find tucked inside an old book in your library. The map doesn't just lead to a hidden location in your town…
- When Drawings Come AliveWrite about a day where everything you draw comes to life. How do you realize your power, and what do you decide to create? Describe a situation where…
- Earth's Intergalactic DishImagine you've been chosen to represent Earth in an intergalactic cooking contest. Describe the dish you would prepare and how you try to communicate…
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.