The Windbound Academy
Imagine a hidden academy located on a floating island, accessible only by those who can control the wind. A young apprentice struggles to master this ability to join an elite group of sky warriors. Detail their trials and the friendships they form along the way.
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 YA Fantasy and Adventure prompts
- The Five Element TeensIn a world where people are born with the ability to manipulate elements—but only one per person—five teenagers discover they are anomalies with the…
- The Mirror Through TimeA timid teenager discovers an antique mirror in her grandmother's attic that allows her to step into different historical eras. She becomes embroiled…
- The Dreambound OrphanIn a kingdom where dreams predict the future, a teenage orphan with the rare ability to manipulate dreams must protect a prince from dream-assassins.…
- The Unusual Talent MarkIn a world where everyone is born with a magical tattoo that reveals their greatest talent, a teenager realizes their tattoo is unlike anyone else's…
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