The Attic Board Game
Imagine 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 into its various environments. Write about your first game night and the mystical lands you explore, all from the safety of your home.
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.
- Keep it to one problem and one place.
- Let the child solve the problem, not a grown-up.
- Name the feeling the character has, simply and honestly.
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 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…
- The Drawn PetYou wake up to discover that every time you draw something, it comes to life. Excited, you start by drawing your dream pet. Describe your adventures…
Fifteen minutes in? Keep going.
Chapterly gives a draft somewhere to grow: chapters, daily word goals, and readers when you're ready.
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