Teen and YA writing prompts

Write a story about a teenager who discovers they can manipulate time but only during the most crucial moments of their life. Explore how this ability changes their relationships and future decisions.

After receiving an anonymous diary in the mail on their sixteenth birthday, a teenager becomes obsessed with finding out who sent it and why. Each entry inspires them to undertake tasks that are outside of their comfort zone, learning more about who they are and the sender's connection to their past.

Imagine a world where at the age of sixteen, everyone must undergo a ceremony that determines their role in society. Your main character, defiant and questioning, chooses to forge a different path. Detail their journey of self-discovery and the consequences of defying societal norms.

In the year 2450, time travel is the latest trend among the youth. But when a teen time traveler accidentally changes a small, seemingly insignificant detail in the past, it alters the future dramatically. They must race against time to restore the original timeline, learning about historical events and themselves along the way.

On a distant planet colonized by humans, teenage explorers find an ancient alien library. As they decode the alien language, they realize the books are interactive, altering reality around them according to the stories they engage with. They must use the books wisely to solve an impending crisis affecting both their colony and the mysterious alien species.

In a small lakeside town, during the annual summer festival, a legendary old watch said to belong to the town's founder goes missing. The protagonist and their friends discover a cryptic map tucked inside an old library book, launching them into a thrilling race to find the watch before it's lost forever.

Craft a tale set in a modern high school where every student secretly belongs to a different fantasy race (elves, wizards, merfolk, etc.). Focus on a group of students who band together to stop an ancient evil from rising under the school's football field during the homecoming game.

The night before a regional science fair, the groundbreaking project of a brilliant teen inventor is mysteriously sabotaged. Teaming up with a rival competitor, they must navigate a maze of clues and suspects within their own school to find the saboteur and restore the damaged invention before it's too late.

Imagine a character who has always lived in a small town but dreams of exploring the world. Describe the moment they decide to leave, and the adventures that ensue on their journey to self-discovery.

In a small coastal town, a group of teenagers discovers a hidden cave with ancient murals that predict the future. Write about how they deal with the knowledge of events that are depicted, including a major storm that could devastate their town.