100+ Writing Prompts for Students (High School & College)

High school and college writers grow more confident when they practice regularly, which is why many teachers rely on daily writing prompts and other low-pressure assignments. The best writing prompts for students spark curiosity, activate prior knowledge, and invite personal reflection, while focusing on familiar topics.

If you’re seeking fresh writing prompts that do all of these things, look no further. This article includes over 100 writing prompts on engaging, informal topics that are perfect for 10–15 minute warm-ups, quick in-class activities, or low-stakes homework assignments.

QuillBot’s free AI Chat can also help you brainstorm writing prompts on a wide range of motivating and thought-provoking topics.

Personal reflection writing prompts

Narrative writing prompts like these are perfect for getting to know your students better. They also support social and emotional learning (SEL) and help students feel more comfortable with the writing process.

• What’s the nicest thing you’ve done for another person?
• What’s the nicest thing anyone’s ever done for you?
• What’s the best compliment you’ve ever received?
• If you had to choose, would you rather be too hot or too cold, and why?
• What’s the longest you’ve ever gone without your phone, and what was that like?
• Describe a time when you were so focused on what you were doing that you lost track of time.
• Would you rather have a few pieces of high-end clothing that last a long time or a closet full of fast fashion that you have to replace often?
• Are you a morning person or a night owl? How does this affect your social life or working habits?
• Which month of the year feels the longest for you, and why?
• What are your go-to questions for getting to know somebody, and why?
• Describe your most memorable experience with a wild animal.
• How do you feel about punctuality? How important is it for you or your friends to be on time for social events?
• Do you like conversations to begin with “small talk,” or would you rather get straight to the point? What’s it like for you when you have to talk to someone who feels the opposite?

Descriptive writing prompts

If descriptive writing is part of your curriculum, try these writing prompts to help students practice using strong adjectives and vivid imagery.

• Describe your dream vacation.
• What was your favorite toy as a child?
• Describe one of the weirdest dreams you’ve ever had.
• What is your most prized possession, and what’s the story behind it?
• What’s the most embarrassing thing you’ve seen someone do at a restaurant?
• Describe the best or worst restaurant experience you’ve ever had.
• Describe your ideal environment for doing schoolwork.
• Describe a time when you felt annoyed by someone’s cell phone use.
• Describe your favorite accessory, and explain what it says about you.
• You’ve just been invited to an ugly sweater party, and you have all the time and money in the world to create something truly hideous. What does it look like?

Writing prompts for the imagination

Writing prompts that require imagination are perfect for lightening the mood and making writing fun.

• If you could have one superpower for a day, what would it be, and why?
• If you could have a meal with any character from a book, TV show, or film, who would it be, and why?
• You can only watch one TV show for the rest of your life. What would it be, and why?
• Which character of your favorite TV show deserves a spin-off series, and what should the series be about?
• What would you like to ask your pet? Choose at least three questions and explain why you chose them.
• If your pet were a human, what would they look like?
• You’ve been tasked with organizing a dinner party with 10 current celebrities. Write down your guest list and a reason why each person made the list.

Writing prompts for critical thinking

These writing prompts help students practice the higher-order thinking skills they need for persuasive writing and academic research. Many of these can be expanded and refined for formal essay prompts, too.

• What are the most important qualities in a leader?
• What, if anything, can be done about microplastics?
• What is the most appropriate or effective way to address non-violent crime?
• Do essay assignments serve any educational purpose in a world with AI?
• Does climate change data cause the average person to do better or give up?
• Why are some people afraid of insects, and are their fears justified?
• How does a person’s self-esteem affect their behavior?
• What improvements should be made to school lunch?
• What’s the best age for a first credit card, and why?
• Why do some people enjoy watching crime dramas? Has the genre gone too far?
• Of all the popular health trends right now, which one is more overrated, and why?
• To what extent are youth sports too stressful?
• Which law has a major impact on your daily life? How does it affect you?
• Should leash laws apply to cats or just dogs?
• What are the best three inventions of all time, and why?
• When money is no object, how important is it for a teen to have a part-time job?

Career prep writing prompts

If you’re teaching an advisory period or career prep courses, these writing prompts help students reflect on career paths and employment trends.

• Describe your ideal workplace.
• What are the advantages and disadvantages of working remotely?
• Agree or disagree: A person’s education is never complete.
• Agree or disagree: “If you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life.”
• Agree or disagree: “Those who can, do. Those who can’t, teach.”
• If you had to choose between a boring career that paid well or an exciting/rewarding career with average pay, which would you choose?
• What do you think will be more important in your future career: Speed or accuracy?
• How important is a second or third language for your chosen career?
• Would you rather work four 10-hour days or five 8-hour days?
• Why do helping professions pay lower than other professions, and what can be done about it?
• What are the top three skills for the career you want to pursue? Which of these skills is your strongest?
• How do you think your career path will be similar or different from your parents’?
• What is the appropriate age for making a LinkedIn profile?
• If your first career choice doesn’t work out, what would be your second choice?
• How much money do you need to live comfortably? Of the careers that meet your financial needs, which ones are most appealing to you?
• How do you think AI might affect your career 25 years from now?

Seasonal writing prompts

These writing prompts are perfect for leveraging seasonal distractions into authentic writing tasks. For example, if your students are already distracted by a current or upcoming holiday, why not have them write about it?

• First day of school: 
  • What do you hope to get out of this school year that has nothing to do with academics?
  • What’s one of your main goals for this semester, and how can I help you achieve that?
  • What aspect of a new school year/semester is the biggest adjustment for you? Which part is the most fun or exciting?
• Labor Day: 
  • Describe your ideal Labor Day weekend.
  • What should employers be obligated to do for their workers?
• Halloween: 
  • Describe your first experience watching a scary movie.
  • In what ways has trick-or-treating changed since you were a child?
  • What type of Halloween costume do you prefer: ironic, funny, trendy, or scary? Give examples to support your answer.
• Veterans Day: 
  • How should the government take care of veterans?
  • What’s the most meaningful thing to say to a veteran on Veterans Day, and why?
  • Which of your friends or family members are veterans? When and where did they serve, and what do you think that was like for them?
• Thanksgiving:
  • Describe your most memorable Thanksgiving.
  • Describe your most favorite and least favorite Thanksgiving side dishes.
  • You’re in charge of Thanksgiving dinner this year. You can choose any main dish, sides, type of food, etc. Money is no object. Make a list of the foods, beverages, and desserts that will be served.
• Fall weather: 
  • What’s the most effective or courteous way to deal with fall leaves?
  • What do you love least and most about fall weather?
  • To what extent has fall weather changed since you were a child?
• Winter break: 
  • This holiday season, what should be on your family’s “to don’t” list? (Or, write yourself a “to don’t” list for this winter break.)
  • What’s your ideal holiday gathering? Do you prefer a large gathering or a smaller one with just immediate family?
• Winter weather: 
  • Describe your ideal snow day.
  • How do you feel about winter sports? Have you ever been skiing, ice skating, or similar, and if not, how likely are you to try it?
• Spring break: 
  • How do you feel about the question “What did you do for spring break?” Why might this question make some students uncomfortable?
  • How does spring break affect working parents who have small children?
• Earth Day: 
  • Write a haiku about a piece of trash or litter.
  • How much power do everyday consumers have to reduce pollution and global warming?
  • How does recycling work in your community? What do you think happens to the trash in the recycling bin?
  • How should the government deal with corporations that break pollution laws?
  • How do you think plastic bags make their way into the ocean?
• Teacher Appreciation Day: 
  • Choose an adjective for each letter of your favorite teacher’s last name.
  • Write an acrostic poem with your favorite teacher’s last name.
  • If you could have lunch with one of your elementary school teachers, who would it be, and why?
  • What’s the most meaningful way to show appreciation for a teacher?
  • How are teachers and their contributions regarded in your community?
  • Make a list of 5 things that teachers aren’t responsible for, and give a brief explanation for each.
• Graduation:
  • If you could change three things about your high school’s graduation ceremonies, what would they be, and why?
  • What process should high schools use to select student speakers for the graduation ceremony?
  • How likely are you to keep in contact with your teachers or visit your high school after graduation?

Frequently asked questions about writing prompts for students

What are some poetry writing prompts?

Here are some writing prompts to give you ideas about your next poem:

• Write a poem that uses the abecedarian format. Begin each line or stanza with the first letter of the alphabet and continue with the next letter until the final one is reached.
• Write a haiku about your favorite season.
• Pick a book and circle some random words on the page without thinking too much about it. Use those words to write a poem.
• Write a poem about numbers that have special meaning to you.

Want your lines to flow flawlessly? Quillbot’s Grammar Checker can help so that your syllables shine without errors.

What are some creative writing prompts for journaling?

Some creative writing prompts for journaling that you can try:

• Write a letter to your future self.
• Recount a time when you faced failure.
• What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
• Finish this sentence: “My life would be incomplete without …”
• What difficult thoughts or emotions come up most frequently for you?

Having trouble putting your thoughts into words? Quillbot’s Paraphraser can help you refine your letter to your future self.

What are some short story writing prompts?

Below are some writing prompts to get you started with your next short story:

• Think of an event from your life. Write about what happened to you, but from the perspective of someone else who was also there.
• Pick your favorite story or fairytale from your childhood. Rewrite it with an alternative ending.
• A middle-aged woman discovers a ghost in her bathroom.
• Write a story that includes a character wearing a disguise or costume.

Use Quillbot’s Grammar Checker tool to ensure your story reads as smoothly as it unfolds.

What is a writing prompt?

A writing prompt is a question and/or set of instructions that you receive from an instructor about something you’re supposed to write, such as an in-class writing assignment or an essay.

Here are examples of writing prompts for students:

• In-class writing assignment: Describe a time when you were so focused on what you were doing that you lost track of time.
• Essay writing prompt: What is the ideal age for a first smartphone? Write a 1000-word argument essay that defends your position. Defend your argument with at least three reasons and evidence from credible sources.

When you need help understanding a writing prompt, QuillBot’s free AI Chat can help you troubleshoot the type of content or structure the prompt might be asking for.