The Treehouse Contest
Picture a world where every kid lives in a treehouse. Describe your own treehouse and the unique features that make it special. Then, create a story about a yearly treehouse competition where something goes hilariously wrong, and how you and your friends resolve it.
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.
- Use one silly sound word kids will want to say.
- Use a repeated line young readers can join in on.
- Make the ending warm, safe and a little bit funny.
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 Secret School RoomYou discover a hidden room in your school that isn’t on any floorplans. Inside, there are gadgets that seem to control various aspects of the school…
- The Missing TreehouseInvent a story about a secret agency run by children who can talk to animals. Their mission is to solve mysteries around town with the help of their…
- The Museum After DarkDuring 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…
- 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…
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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