The Sculptor's Apprentice in Rome
Write a story set in the bustling streets of ancient Rome. Your protagonist is a young apprentice to a famous sculptor, struggling to leave their mark in the world of art amidst political upheaval.
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.
- Let your hero make a big mistake for a reason the reader understands.
- End with a choice only this hero would make.
- Make the adults well-meaning but wrong.
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 Historical Fiction prompts
- The Viking Girl's First VoyageEnvision a young Viking girl in the late 10th century, determined to become a revered explorer like her forebearers. As she embarks on her first…
- The Pharaoh's Stolen ArtifactWrite a story set in ancient Egypt, focusing on a young apprentice who discovers a plot to steal a priceless artifact from the Pharaoh's tomb. How do…
- The Poet of Revolutionary ParisSet your story in Paris during the French Revolution. Your main character is a young poet who uses their writings to convey messages of freedom and…
- The Paris Resistance NewspaperCraft a tale about a group of teenagers in 1940s Paris who start a secret newspaper to resist the occupying forces during World War II. Delve into…
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