The Dog Who Spoke at Moonrise
You discover that your pet dog can speak, but only in the presence of a full moon. On a night of a full moon, you and your pet embark on an adventure. What does your pet reveal to you, and what happens on your nocturnal journey?
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.
- Let the child solve the problem, not a grown-up.
- Name the feeling the character has, simply and honestly.
- Read it out loud as you write. If it doesn't sound good, change it.
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
- Five Minutes in TimeYou inherit a strange, quirky watch from your eccentric uncle that doesn’t tell time; instead, it lets you jump forward or backward in time, but only…
- The Treehouse ContestPicture 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…
- 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…
Fifteen minutes in? Keep going.
Chapterly gives a draft somewhere to grow: chapters, daily word goals, and readers when you're ready.
Plans from $9.99 a month. Cancel any time. Your words are always yours.