Magic Pen Story Starters Part 5

I'm teaching workshops for young writers over the next two weeks. The writers are incredible--so smart and funny. I love hearing their story ideas, and they inspire me with their enthusiasm.

The workshops are keeping me hopping, so I'll return to Yellow Pencils on Monday, August 26th. 

Meanwhile, here are the Magic Pen Story Starters I give young writers who need ideas. Maybe you need an idea, too?  

• First pick an adjective:

Giant
Smelly
Enchanted
Teenaged
Jittery
Rich
Klutzy
Zany
Angry
Miniature
Kind

• Now pick a character:

Mad scientist
Zebra
Marshmallow
Dentist
Hamster
Philosopher
Taco
Termite
Zoologist
Ski instructor
Dog groomer

• Next pick an action:

Designs a 3-D map that talks
Blogs about squirrels
Enters a watermelon eating contest
Invents a door made out of Jell-o
Plays soccer in the World Cup
Is the only survivor of an asteroid that hits Earth
Becomes invisible whenever he eats yogurt
Forms a club that collects ants
Steals the key to the Three Bears' house
Creates a new junk food
Goes with two friends to the bottom of the ocean

So...a story about a rich marshmallow who plays soccer in the World Cup? 

Or an angry taco who blogs about squirrels?

Have fun mixing and matching, and coming up with an idea for a super story. Then take out your magic pen or pencil and have fun writing!  

Magic Pen Story Starters Part IV

It's time for more Magic Pen Story Starters! I hope these prompts inspire you to put pen (or pencil) to paper or tap words onto your screen. 

Remember, there are no rules. Find a Magic Pen Story Starter that grabs you, and write away! 

1) Write a story about:

• a couch that breaks out of the furniture store

• a lost dog that moves into your classroom

• a brother and sister who find magical leaves in their backyard

2) Write these folktales:

• "Cinderella Goes to Broadway"

• "Hansel and Gretel: The Prequel"

• "Little Red Riding Hood Opens a Wolf Shelter

3) Write a story with this first line:

• The ice broke under my feet, plunging me into the cold water.

• The penguin waddled over the snow and searched for her mother.

• I went to the store and bought a shovel, a map, and a banana.

• "Stop!" he yelled, but the thief sprouted wings and flew away.

4) More writing ideas:

• Write a story about a family that takes a vacation in their backyard.

• Write a story or poem about the new crayon in the crayon box. 

• Write a story with the title, "Me Big Caveman."

• Close your eyes and think about five things you can find in your backpack. Then write a story about a space alien who steals your backpack and eats those five things.

Use your imagination and let your magic pen soar!

Magic Pen Story Starters Part III

This fall I'm teaching workshops for writers ages 8 to 12. Most of the writers have a story idea when they walk in the door, but I always bring Magic Pen Story Starters for those who need inspiration. I hope one (or more) of these ideas gets your pen moving!

1) Write these folktales:

• "The Day Hansel and Gretel Became Zombies"
• "Welcome to Rapunzel's Beauty Shop"
• "The Three Bears' Nightmare in Hawaii"

2) Write a story with these three things in it:

• a pair of scissors, a sailboat, and a green gorilla
• a broken computer, a monster with a chipped tooth, and a torn map
• a zoo, an airplane, and an escaped ice cube

3) Write a story with this first line:

• The magic pen floated toward me.
• The leg jumped from the ship just in time.
• My favorite color is purple, and that's because I'm an eggplant.
• You might think it's weird that our school "day" starts at 10:00 at night and ends at 4:00 in the morning.

4) Write a poem or story about:

• Yourself in which nothing is true
• A blue egg
• November
• Something you've lost
• Your shadow

Take one or more of these ideas, and let your pen (or your pencil or your computer) work its magic! 

Magic Pen Story Starters Part II

This is my second week of teaching summer writing workshops, and what a great group of writers! Some of the stories by the young authors involve a decathlete, a secret room, a fire-station dalmatian, a journey through a garden, a fight for plunder, a gift involving a very special dog, a banana with a mind of its own, an adventure for Goldilocks, and some dragons with attitude. 

Here's a sample of more Magic Pen Story Starters using first and last lines: 

Write a story with this first line: 

• All my life I wanted to be a rock.
• The notebook sighed, wondering why it was destined to be written in and thrown out. 
• The worst thing about living in a desk drawer is the paper clip that won't stop talking.
• "No."

Write a story with this last line:

• "Got you," she said, skipping away.
• At the end, Dad told me to clean up the atomic waste in my room.
• The spaghetti-eating contest was the most fun a mouse and a lizard could have.
• And that's why I always wear orange tennis shoes.

Happy writing!  

Magic Pen Story Starters

I'm teaching summer writing camps over the next two weeks--for ages 8 to 11 and ages 12 to 14. Super fun! I'm inspired by every single writer who walks through the door. Anyone who spends part of their summer vacation at a writing workshop is my kind of person! 


A lot of the young writers have story ideas, but some are looking for a prompt to get them going. For those writers I have "Magic Pen Story Starters." 

Over the next couple of weeks, I'll give you a sample. 

Write a story about:

• an elephant that wants to win a skateboard competition
• a boy who wants to be the broccoli-eating champ in his school
• a tree that wants to live in the desert
• a girl who wants to work in a shoelace factory

Write a story with one of these titles:

• "Goldilocks Moves to Hollywood"
• "The Barnyard Blog"
• "The Big Yellow Sky Falls Down"
• "The Diary of a Paper Clip"

Maybe you'll be inspired by one of the "Magic Pen Story Starters." If so, get out your pen--magic or otherwise--and start writing!