Over 21 "Coming of Age" Writing Prompts
Secrets in the Homeland
During the summer before their senior year, a teen decides to learn more about their cultural heritage and embarks on a journey back to their parents’ homeland. Alongside discovering beautiful landscapes and making unexpected friendships, they also unearth a family secret that has been buried for generations.
The Summer Internship
Write a story about a teenager who discovers a hidden talent during a summer internship that changes their perspective on their future.
The Job Nobody Wanted
The protagonist fails the test spectacularly and is assigned a job no one wants. Detail their journey to find passion and success in the most unexpected profession.
The Scholarship and the Sketchbook
Envision a teenager who wins a prestigious scholarship to the school of her dreams, only to realize she's lost touch with her creative roots that inspired her to apply in the first place. Explore her struggle to rediscover her creativity while meeting the pressures of her new school environment.
The Last Summer Road Trip
Create a story where the main character goes on a summer road trip with friends before they all head to different colleges. Along the way, they must confront unresolved issues and learn what it truly means to say goodbye.
The Graduation Time Capsule
Write about a group of high school friends who create a time capsule on their first day of freshman year and vow to open it on graduation day. Narrate what each character believes will be in the capsule and how their lives have changed by the time they retrieve it.
The Letter Before Eighteen
Create a story where the main character, on the eve of their 18th birthday, receives a mysterious letter that reveals a family secret. Explore how this information impacts their transition into adulthood.
The Career Test
Imagine a world where your career is determined by a test taken at age 16. Write about a teen whose result is a job they'd never have chosen, and what they do about it.
First in the Family
Describe a character who is the first in their family to attend college. Detail their struggles with balancing family expectations, new friendships, and finding their own path, culminating in a pivotal decision that defines their coming of age.
Diaries from the Woods
In a small town where everyone knows each other's secrets, a group of friends discovers an abandoned house in the woods containing diaries from the 1960s. The stories within these pages lead them on an adventure that will change their lives and challenge everything they thought they knew about their families and their town.