The Ceremony at Sixteen
Imagine a world where at the age of sixteen, everyone must undergo a ceremony that determines their role in society. Your main character, defiant and questioning, chooses to forge a different path. Detail their journey of self-discovery and the consequences of defying societal norms.
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.
- Raise the stakes until the hero's identity is on the line.
- Give your hero a secret they're keeping from their best friend.
- Let your hero make a big mistake for a reason the reader understands.
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 Coming-of-Age prompts
- Leaving the HometownImagine a character who has always lived in a small town but dreams of exploring the world. Describe the moment they decide to leave, and the…
- The Teen FilmmakerA shy teenager finds an old film camera in their attic and starts making short films as a way to express themselves. As their confidence behind the…
- The Summer Challenge ListWrite about a group of friends who decide to complete a list of challenges the summer before they all go their separate ways. Describe how each…
- The Rumor at a New SchoolCreate a story where your protagonist is the new kid in school who gains unexpected popularity due to a rumor. Explore how they navigate this new…
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