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WriteStories: A Creative Writing Tool Your Homeschool Will Love

• by Ana Willis

As a homeschool mom, I know the challenges of getting our children excited about creative writing. It’s one thing to teach them the mechanics of writing, but it’s another to inspire their creativity and make writing something they look forward to! That’s where WriteStories comes in—and I’m thrilled to share this resource with you.

In this post, I’ll review how WriteStories can transform your homeschool, turning writing from a task into a joyful expression of creativity. Whether you have a budding author or a child hesitant to pick up the pencil, this tool is for you!

What Is WriteStories?

WriteStories is a digital creative writing platform developed by Scriptive, designed to help children write, and share their own stories. It’s specifically made with homeschoolers in mind, making it a perfect fit for families who want their children to enjoy writing. It’s a tool that blends writing skills with creative expression, giving our kids the opportunity to write stories while having fun with it.

I recently had the pleasure of meeting Adam Roberts, the Digital Marketing Manager of Scriptive, and learning more about the heart behind WriteStories. The goal of this platform is to foster a love for writing and storytelling in children by making the process enjoyable and educational .

Why Creative Writing Is So Important

Creative writing is more than just another subject to check off our homeschool list. It’s a powerful way for our children to:

• Develop critical thinking skills : By creating their own stories, kids learn how to organize their thoughts, develop characters, and solve problems within their narrative.
• Boost imagination and creativity : Writing their own stories encourages kids to think outside the box and expand their creativity.
• Improve communication skills : Writing helps children articulate their thoughts clearly, which is essential not just for “school work”, but in everyday life.

The statistics don’t lie. According to studies, kids who regularly engage in creative writing perform better in both reading comprehension and written communication. This is why I’ve always been a huge advocate of adding creative writing into our homeschool schedules.

How WriteStories Works

What makes WriteStories stand out is its engaging and beautifully illustrated storybooks that encourage children to unleash their creativity in writing. Here’s how it works:

• Choose an Illustrated Storybook : WriteStories offers a collection of pre-illustrated storybooks, filled with vibrant and engaging images. These illustrations serve as inspiration, guiding your child to create a story that matches the visuals they see.
• Write the Story : Once they’ve selected a book, your child can begin crafting their narrative. The artwork provides cues for story development, allowing for imagination and creativity to flourish. It’s an intuitive, user-friendly platform that makes writing fun and enjoyable for children of all ages.
• Save and Share : After writing, your child can save their work and proudly share it with family and friends. This step not only showcases their creativity but also builds their confidence in storytelling.

For homeschool moms, WriteStories offers a no-fuss way to incorporate writing into your homeschool day. You can guide your child through the process or let them explore it on their own.

What I Love About WriteStories

There’s so much to love about this tool, but here are a few things that really stand out to me:

• Kid-Friendly Design : The platform is easy to use, even for younger kids. It’s designed to feel like play while still being educational.
• Encourages Creativity : It goes beyond just writing; it allows kids to unleash their imagination to create a masterpiece to share with others, which adds to the excitement.
• Perfect for Multiple Ages : Whether you have a kindergartner or a teenager, WriteStories can adapt to different levels. I love that it’s suitable for a wide age range, making it a perfect addition for families with multiple kids. My 12-year-old daughter, Ariella, loves it!
• Confidence-Building : There’s something about creating and sharing their own stories that gives kids a sense of accomplishment. It builds their confidence and makes them proud of their work!

Why Homeschool Moms Will Love WriteStories

As homeschool moms, we’re always looking for tools that make learning both fun and effective. WriteStories is just that. It turns writing into an adventure, sparking creativity while still teaching essential writing skills. It’s a win-win!

What I appreciate most is that WriteStories aligns with the flexibility and creativity we value in homeschooling. It’s not just another writing program—it’s an opportunity for our kids to express themselves, build confidence, and maybe even discover a passion for storytelling.

A Special Giveaway!

I’m also excited to let you know about a special giveaway ! During my upcoming Facebook Live with Adam Roberts from WriteStories on October 1st at 3 PM ET , we’ll be giving away a one-year subscription to WriteStories for up to 6 children! You don’t want to miss this!

We’ll also have a Rafflecopter giveaway and other goodies during the live event, so be sure to mark your calendars. It’s going to be an amazing opportunity to learn more about creative writing and how to encourage your kids to love it.

Take Advantage of the Discount!

If you’re ready to give your children a fun, creative way to explore writing, now is the perfect time to sign up for WriteStories. With the special coupon code BLESSED33 , you can save on your subscription and provide your family with a year of storytelling excitement. Don’t miss this opportunity to encourage your children’s imagination and writing skills while benefiting from a great discount. Sign up today and watch their love for writing grow!

Final Thoughts About WriteStories

If you’re looking for a way to bring more creativity and joy to your homeschool writing lessons, WriteStories is the perfect tool. It’s fun, engaging, and incredibly easy to use. I encourage you to give it a try, and don’t forget to join me and Adam Roberts live on October 1st to learn even more about how this tool can transform your homeschool writing routine.

Let’s inspire our kids to fall in love with writing, one story at a time!

I hope this review gave you a glimpse into how amazing WriteStories is for homeschool families. What’s your experience with creative writing in your homeschool? Let’s keep the conversation going in the comments below!

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Ultimate Guide to Creative Writing for Elementary Kids

Creative Writing Prompts & Story Starters

Inspirational Activities 

Sneaky Learning Resources 

Online Resources

Your kids can receive creative writing inspiration at the click of a button with any one of these free online writing prompt generators. they are all easy-to-use and completely kid-friendly. wacky headliner - use a wacky news headline to create an over-the-top story. scholastic story starter generator - a "slot machine" style story starter generator which divides writing prompts into different writing genres writing exercise for children - randomly generate inspiration for every aspect of a story. the story starter for kids - provides the first line of a story.  the write shop blog - a blog dedicated to providing writing prompts each month as well as lots of helpful tips for teaching and encourage writing.

Tips for Encouraging Writers

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How to Encourage Creative Writing in your Homeschool

Welcome, friend! You might like to subscribe to my newsletter for freebies and updates or follow me on Pinterest for creative ideas. Thanks for visiting!

Creative writing — do your kids love it or hate it? Either way, here are some ideas to make creative writing in your homeschool more delightful, even for reluctant writers.

My daughters are constantly creating – artwork of all kinds, short stories, picture books, digital art, crafts, songs, and whatever other creative urge strikes them. It’s amazing to see what they come up with on their own.

We love creative writing in our homeschool, but I know that’s not the case for everyone. Struggling with writing is one of the most common issues I hear from other homeschool moms.

Sometimes kids just need a little freedom to use their imaginations and do some free writing. Trying some writing prompts to get their ideas going can also help to open up new ideas.

On the other hand, some kids are just plain intimidated by that blank sheet of paper or computer screen. They need a bit of a jumpstart to get their creative writing ideas flowing. That’s totally normal, too.

Why Creative Writing Skills are Important

While creative writing is a great skill in and of itself, t he process of learning creative writing will also instill in your child a variety of transferable skills, such as:

• thinking outside of the box
• resourcefulness
• problem-solving
• enhanced vocabulary
• persuasive skills
• communication skills
• organizing ideas
• and (of course) imagination

Sometimes we need to give our kids different tools for creativity. Resources that will give them some direction in their learning, but not discourage their curiosity and creativity.

So what type of homeschool language arts or creative writing curriculum can you use that will help encourage those creative writing skills?

Night Zookeeper Language Arts

Night Zookeeper  is an award-winning and creative writing program online that helps improve the writing skills of 5-12+-year-olds.

The creativity begins when children create their own Night Zookeeper avatar. What kid doesn’t love to do that kind of activity online? It feels like a game, so it takes the intimidation out of the blank page and allows kids to begin using their imaginations in a fun way, right away, with no pressure.

From there, they’ll design their first magical animal for their zoo. My daughters love to do this kind of thing with digital art, so this was right up their alley.

After creating the animal, they get to name it, answer questions about it, and write their first animal report. To collect orbs (which can upgrade their animals), they’ll need to follow the directions for their report, such as including certain things like commas, adjectives, a goal word count, or other writing objectives based on their age/ability level.

Night Zookeeper comes with a thorough Parent Guide in pdf format so you know just what to expect and can help your kids walk through the process if they have any questions during the setup.

It’s a very intuitive process, especially for digital natives like our children. My daughters didn’t have any trouble figuring out how to get started. They looked forward to creating their own zoo full of unique animals.

The tasks, goals, and challenges are all geared for the age-appropriate skill range. For instance, a 6-year-old will not get the same assignments that a 10-year-old gets. This type of customization can make Night Zookeeper a great choice for your whole family of learners at different levels!

The curriculum adjusts based on their skill level, too. This means that weaker areas are shored up by reviewing concepts they might’ve missed earlier, while also getting progressively more challenging as they begin to master skills. There are learning goals for each age group that can be found in the Parent Guide.

Twice a week, children will receive episodes through the interactive Zoo TV dashboard. It’s recommended that kids check in at least twice a week to work on these assignments which help them to focus on building different specific skills.

Children will get feedback on their writing from the Night Zookeeper tutors staff. They offer encouragement and tips to help kids improve their writing. They also identify spelling or punctuation mistakes. All of this is done through messages that children can access within their account dashboard.

Parents have their own special dashboard to monitor progress and adjust settings as necessary.

Night Zookeeper has a global audience and children can have “friends” on their account. You can turn off this feature through the parent dashboard if you prefer. Friends lists are private and you have a choice to remove a friend request privately as well. If you choose to use this feature, children can leave and receive comments on their work, making it possible to work together with their peers.

I was initially concerned about privacy and safety in the online community, but it is well monitored and moderated, so no comments can be left without moderation/approval. There is also a code of conduct regarding plagiarism and behavior.

Benefits of Using Night Zookeeper

Using Night Zookeeper in your homeschool has many benefits, including:

●  Improved Core Reading and Writing Skills

●  Personalized feedback from a dedicated team of tutors

●  Weekly lessons that incorporate interactive video elements and games to teach your children key skills.

●  Publishing opportunities and weekly competitions with real-life prizes!

●  FREE monthly educational printables

The biggest benefit? Night Zookeeper will inspire a love of writing!

Night Zookeeper is also portable — it can be used across PC’s, iPads, and Google Chromebooks with Safari, Firefox, and Chrome browsers. Internet Explorer is not recommended.

Night Zookeeper is a very interactive and engaging environment that takes the drudgery out of writing by gamifying it. There are word games, contests, weekly competitions with other Night Zookeeper participants, writing prompts, book reports, digital drawing space, fun quests, and feedback from peers and tutors — all within a safe online community for kids.

Try Night Zookeeper for Creative Writing

You can get 50% off an annual subscription with this link:

Night Zookeeper annual membership

It’s just $59.99 for the year for a single child subscription and $77.99 for 2-3 children. (More children can be added at customized prices.)

Not sure if you’re ready for a one year commitment yet? You can get a 7-day free trial to test it out! If you decide to continue, you’ll still get the 50% off the yearly subscription. Save

I highly recommend Night Zookeeper for homeschool creative writing and language arts, especially for reluctant writers who just need a little bit of encouragement and inspiration to let their imaginations go wild! Save

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the road to inspired learning

Eight Free Creative Writing Lessons

February 17, 2012 by Ami 17 Comments

I know I throw around the word favorite all the time. But this is the truth: teaching creative writing lessons is my favorite. 

I have taught creative writing enrichment for summer school students. I have taught creative writing in various homeschool settings and co-ops. I have taught big students and little students. And I love it. 

Since I love to share homeschool co-op class ideas , I have compiled the creative writing lessons from a co-op class that I taught. 

Creative Writing Lessons for a Homeschool Co-op Class

First, please remember that any teacher can use these creative writing lessons. You don’t need to be teaching homeschoolers. You can be a classroom teacher or a homeschool teacher at home with one student. You can even be a librarian who needs a fun program series.

Second, I used these creative writing lesson plans with upper elementary students (with maybe a few 7th graders thrown in). However, you can adapt and use them for older students or younger students!

Creative Writing Lesson Plans

Creative writing lesson one.

The first lesson focuses on cliché and metaphor. It prompts students to consider how words matter.

Grab lesson one here .

Creative Writing Lesson Two

The second lesson teaches students about sensory details: why they are important and how to include them in their writing. Students will begin using sensory details to evoke smells and sounds and sights.

Grab lesson two here.

Creative Writing Lesson Three

The third lesson introduces showing vs. telling. Students learn how to recognize authors who utilize showing, and students are able to articulate the difference between showing and telling.

Grab lesson three here.

Creative Writing Lesson Four

The fourth lesson teaches students how to capture images. We use examples of poetry and prose to discuss this important writing skill.

Grab lesson four here.

Creative Writing Lesson Five

The fifth lesson introduces the story elements of character and conflict.

Note: You may choose to split this lesson into two lessons since it covers two big elements. I only had nine weeks with my students, so I had to jam character and conflict together.

Grab lesson five here.

Creative Writing Lesson Six

The sixth lesson introduces the students to point of view and perspective. We have fun reading poems and using pictures to write descriptions from different points of view.

Grab lesson six here.

Creative Writing Lesson Seven

The seventh lesson puts everything we’ve learned together. I read the students some fractured fairy tales, and we watch some, too. Students then use the prewriting activities and their imaginations to begin drafting their own fractured fairy tales.

Grab lesson seven here.

Creative Writing Lesson Eight

The eighth lesson focuses on revision. After a mini-lesson, students partner up for peer editing.

Grab lesson eight here .

For our final class day, students bring revised work, and I host coffee shop readings. This is a memorable experience for students (and their teacher).

Creative Writing Lessons FAQ

Since posting these creative writing lessons, I have had lots of questions. I decided to compile them here in case you have the same question.

Q: What are copywork quotes? A: Copywork quotes are simply great quotes that students copy as part of their homework assignments. You can use any quotes about writing. I’ve included my favorites throughout the printable packs.

Q: Can I use this with a younger or older student? A: Absolutely! Just adapt it to meet the needs of your student.

Q: Can I use this for my library’s programming or my homeschool co-op class? A: Yes! I just ask that it not be used for profit.

Do you have any questions about teaching creative writing? What’s your biggest hang-up when it comes to teaching creative writing? I’d love to hear from you and help you solve the issue.

January 7, 2016 at 1:57 pm

Hi Theresa,

As long as you are not profitting from using them, they are yours to use! Enjoy! Wish I could be there to help facilitate all those young writers! 

[…] Creative Writing Class […]

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Complete Guide to Homeschool Writing Curriculum for Every Budget and Age

Looking for a homeschool writing curriculum that will educate and motivate your child to write with excellence?

It can be a hard road, Homeschool Mama!

Writing is one of the three core subjects (reading and math are the other two) that form the basis of a solid education – which is why it can be so stressful for the homeschooling parent!

We feel the pressure to develop strong writers, but we also want our kids to love writing. It can be hard to achieve both of those things.

Blessedly, there is a mountain of homeschool writing curriculum out there that can fit any homeschool style, education philosophy, budget, and family size!

This blog post is going to be your complete guide to the 12 best and most loved homeschool writing curriculums on the market.

Think of it as a one-stop-shop to explore curriculum you’ve heard of but don’t know that much about – or to discover new curriculum that is just right for your homeschool!

Enjoy and happy homeschooling!

Ultimate Guide To The 12 Best Homeschool Writing Curriculum Options

Below I have provided quick reference information for each curriculum in terms of grade level, materials needed, price, and details. 

Price is for new curriculum and according to prices available to me as I write this. 

1. IEW (Institute for Excellence in Writing)

For Grades : 1st grade – 12th

What You Need : Teacher’s Guide and Student Book

Price : $55

Details About IEW:

This was the first homeschool writing curriculum that we tried, and I think it truly set an excellent foundation for my then 3rd grader. 

Our co-op at the time taught it every year, but I sat down and did the actual lessons and writing with her during the week. 

I loved that it did such a thorough job teaching kids how to put a keyword outline together for a structured, low-stress writing experience. As a writer myself, I understand how important an outline is to keep you organized and productive!

IEW is also very big on teaching vocabulary words and encouraging students to use more “interesting words” in their writing. To this day, my daughter still includes lots of adjectives and “strong verbs” in her writing because of her experience with IEW. She also carefully avoids using the “banned words” like “big” and “good” – why use those words when there are so many other more descriptive and colorful word choices out there!

Another fun part of IEW is that you can choose what theme you want your child to use for the year. For example, grades 3-5 can pick from “ Fables, Myths, and Fairy Tales ,” “ Bible Heroes ,” “ Ancient History ,” or” All Things Fun and Fascinating .”

If you are looking to build a strong foundation in writing, I would recommend IEW for an excellent beginning. It was easy to teach, reasonably priced (definitely use the above links to check for used prices on Amazon), and solid.

I have not used the higher levels, but I have often heard it discussed as the gold standard for homeschool writing. 

Keep in mind that the IEW grammar program is sold separately.

2. BJU Writing & Grammar

What You Need : Teacher’s Guide and Student Workbook

Price : $110

Details About BJU Grammar and Writing:

BJU Writing & Grammar is the next writing program we tried. When our co-op shut down for the pandemic, I realized I was on my own for teaching writing.

We shifted gears to BJU Press because it bundled together grammar and writing, which would be a big time saver. 

My favorite thing about this homeschool writing curriculum is that it teaches the writing process perfectly. My then 4th grader learned the steps of Planning, Drafting, Revising, Editing, and Publishing – steps that she still uses today.

I loved that my kid was being taught to draft an entire piece in one day and that it didn’t need to be perfect! She could just pour out her thoughts on paper or “make the dough” as we called it. And then we would shape the dough during revising and editing later in the week.

This helped very much with her paralysis with writing, because she felt overwhelmed with it being perfect. 

She still uses these writing process steps for her writing today and I even still make her editing checklists similar to what the book had so she can edit her own work. 

I would strongly recommend BJU Grammar and Writing for strong grammar, time-saving, and high-quality writing.

3. Writing With Ease/Writing With Skill

For Grades : 1st – 12th

What You Need to Buy : Writing With Ease (elementary level) only requires a student workbook. Writing With Skill will require a student workbook and Instructor Text (teacher’s guide).

Price : $25 – $50

Details About Writing With Ease and Writing With Skill:

I love this super gentle writing curriculum from A Well Trained Mind and written by Susan Wise Bauer. 

I am on my second round of using Writing With Ease (the elementary level) with my younger children, and I absolutely recommend it as a beautiful introduction to writing. 

Every week I read sections of classic stories to my daughter and I ask her listening comprehension questions that she has to answer in full sentences. She thinks it’s just a fun story and talking time with mom, but there is a specific purpose. 

This process teaches her what a complete sentence is and what a fragment is – which is key information before you sit down to write.

There is also copy work of classic literature, grammar instruction, and writing original thoughts.

I haven’t used the next levels of this writing program from Susan Wise Bauer yet, but if this quote from The Well Trained Mind is any indicator, you need to check it out!

“We offer a variety of easy-to-use resources for teaching the vital skill of written communication. Our Writing With Ease series teaches elementary students how to transform thoughts into coherent paragraphs. Writing With Skill adds many other skills for middle and high schoolers, such as outlining, research, citation, and the construction of full-length essays in history, literature, science, and other subjects. The Creative Writer helps them write a best-selling novel that will get turned into a worldwide blockbuster movie starring Benedict Cumberbatch, which will enable them to support you in your old age.”

There are four levels of Writing With Ease and three levels of Writing With Skill . 

4. WriteShop

For Grades : K – 12th

What You Need to Buy : WriteShop Primary (ages 5-9) requires an activity pack and a teacher’s guide. WriteShop Junior (ages 8-13) can pick from a number of things or bundle them all together: activity pack, teacher’s guide, fold-and-go grammar guide, and time-saver pack. WriteShop 1 & 2 (Middle School/High School) requires a student workbook, teacher’s guide, and dictation/copy work guide.

Price : $41 – $110

Details About WriteShop:

WriteShop is a homeschool writing curriculum that I’ve had my eye on for a long time. In all of my homeschooling blogging circles, I seem to always hear buzz about how incredible this writing program is!

I have done some homework, and it is beautifully laid out, colorful, and so engaging from first sight. It is known for fun activities, engaging writing assignments, and its step-by-step, incremental approach to teaching writing skills.

And as an added bonus, WriteShop focuses on teaching the homeschool parent how to teach writing – in an easily understandable way.

The lower levels enjoy fun, hands-on writing activities to get kids excited about writing! I love that there are supply lists in the teacher’s guides (all regular things you’d have in the house) to teach a writing lesson! 

And the assignments would catch any kid’s attention: science fiction, adventure, and mystery story writing!

There are also additional resources on the website that you can use alongside WriteShop or as a writing supplement to your current curriculum. Check out StoryBuilders and Writing Prompts for some fun springboards for creative writing!

The higher levels allow students to work more independently, and there is even a video course offered.

It may be difficult to know which level you need to start with, so definitely check out the WriteShop placement test .

To find out more about Writeshop, head on over to their website or check out this full review from MeaningfulHomeschooling .

5. BraveWriter

What You Need to Buy : BraveWriter offers bundles of their curriculum that covers multiple kids, but they are very relaxed about what you “need.” It is cheaper overall to buy the bundle, but you can also just start out with one of their books, and go from there. Online classes are also offered. They are taught by homeschool parents, who are also published authors.

Price : $50 – $229 (bundle price)

Details About Brave Writer:

Brave Writer is definitely the most unique writing curriculum that I have researched yet.

This writing program was written by Julie Bogart, a homeschool mom who has 5 homeschool graduates to her credit. 

Brave Writer promotes a “Brave Writer Lifestyle” that focuses on raising kids in a language-rich environment where they will learn to not just be a good writer – but to love writing. There is a large focus on reading great books aloud and a weekly poetry tea time (I love that!), and less of a focus on structured lesson plans and “you have to write this many sentences.”

Parents are encouraged to purchase one bundle and adapt it to teach all the grades in their homeschool. That is a huge time saver!

Learn more at the Brave Writer website or check out this full review at This Simple Balance .

6. Wordsmith

For Grades : 4th – 12th

What You Need to Buy : Each level only requires one book. Level 2 suggests buying a helpful teacher’s guide.

Price : $18

Details About Wordsmith :

Wordsmith is an economical homeschool writing curriculum from Janie B. Cheaney, a published author of six books. 

She provides a simple, easy-to-use curriculum that is broken up over three main books.

Wordsmith Apprentice (4th-6th grade) :

“All the practicality, humor and fun of Wordsmith, but written for the younger student, ages 9-12. An easy to use writing course encouraging students to develop their writing skills as they participate in every role on a newspaper staff: editor, reporter, writer, etc. Children develop a love for writing as they express themselves through sentence and paragraph writing, persuasive writing, and much more. The third edition has a larger font and cleaner type for easier reading. With added examples and delightful new illustrations, developing writing skills is made fun and easy.”

Wordsmith: Building Skills (6th-9th grade) :

“Confidence is what most young writers lack, and  Wordsmith   is designed to lead them to the place where they can read over their own work and think, “Hey—that’s pretty good!”  Wordsmith  is the core book in the series, the one that every student from age 12 and up should complete, especially if their writing skills lag behind the recommended level.”

Wordsmith Craftsman (9th-12th grade) :

Part Three of  Wordsmith Craftsman  is a master class on The Essay, pulling together thought, organization, logic, personal connection, and style.  A well-written essay is rightly considered the mark of an educated, thoughtful man or woman. A student will learn how to apply the TOWER process (Think, Organize, Write, Evaluate, and Rewrite) to a variety of essay types, namely  descriptive, narrative, expository, critical , and  persuasive . The expository section includes a primer on the all-important first step in writing research papers (which will save a lot of freshman-comp angst later!).

There are sample lessons for all three of their books. Hop on over to the Wordsmith website to check them out and see if this homeschool writing curriculum best fits your homeschool!

7. Clear Water Press

For Grades : 6th – 12th

What You Need to Buy : Student Kit and matching DVD or Cloud Access

Price : $258 – $343

Details About Clear Water Press :

ClearWater Press is the perfect writing curriculum for aspiring authors! Students are taught this creative writing course through in-depth video lectures while they work on year-long writing projects.

Below are the details of their three main curriculum books.

Cover Story (6th-9th grade) :

“The  Cover Story magazine writing program works  with your student, not against them. Award-winning author Daniel Schwabauer takes 6th–9th graders on a creative journey writing their very own magazine through engaging videos. The optional grammar lessons make Cover Story a full English Language Arts!  Choose to watch Cover Story lessons on Cloud streaming or DVDs.”

One Year Novel (9th-12th grade) :

“Author Daniel Schwabauer takes 9th–12th graders under his wing to write their own compelling original novel—for a high school English credit! His unique approach begins where many writing courses don’t go at all, with an exploration of how Story works . A creative community and support resources help students thrive. Video lessons now available on Cloud streaming only.”

Byline Journalism and Essay Writing (9th-12th grade) :

“In the Byline journalism and essay writing program, students step into the role of a 1930s-era newspaper reporter, training under Editor-in-Chief Daniel Schwabauer, who takes them under his wings to teach them everything he knows. Before they even realize it, they master the dreaded high school essay! Choose to watch Byline video lessons on Cloud streaming or DVDs.”

Head on over the Clear Water Press website to find out more information and see sample lessons !

8. Writers in Residence: Apologia

What You Need to Buy : All in One Student Text and Workbook, answer key, additional workbooks for teaching more than one child

Price : $21 for one student

Details About Writers in Residence :

I have to be honest with you all, I had no idea that Apologia offered anything besides science! Apparently, they do offer a full language arts program through their Writers in Residence series!

I love that it is designed to be used with multiple children at the same time – a huge time and money saver for homeschoolers with multiple kids!

Your students will learn about everything from sentence structure to short stories to persuasive essay writing – all through a Christian worldview lens.

“Thorough and systematic, six units and twenty-four modules are included, with lively and colorful lessons building on previously-taught concepts, skills, and terms. The easy-to-use, “all-in-one” Student Text and Workbook features an engaging tone that’s written directly to the student. Each unit opener includes a focus on a Christian writer, unit overview, and rubric; units include models from professional writers for students to study and use as an inspiration for their own writing. Modules integrate clear, engaging instruction with sidebar notes and a variety of exercises. Assignments cycle through four types of writing tasks: I Remember: assignments focused on the personal narrative I Imagine: creative writing assignments such as short stories, poetry, and novels I Investigate: research skills assignments I Think: tasks that teach opinion and argument writing, including persuasive and argument writing”

To find out more, check out Rainbow Resource, Christianbook.com, or Amazon for reviews, sale prices, and more details!

What You Need to Buy : Student Text and Teacher’s Guide

Price : $45

Details About Jump In :

Jump In is a budget-minded homeschool writing curriculum focused on getting middle school students ready for the expectations of high school writing. It has a gentle, low-stress format that is focused on independent student writing.

“What to do when high school is just around the corner and your middle schooler HATES to write? Jump In: Middle School Composition covers all the basics needed for high school writing in an engaging fashion; humor sneaking in occasionally. Daily lessons will take 5 – 20 minutes to complete. Instruction is written directly to the student and sometimes involves Bible stories or characters. Lessons might start with 10-Minute Writing Plunges that are designed to engage reluctant writers or appeal to eager writers. Or the Plunges can be a break from other assignments or a course by themselves. Plunge prompts are given M-Th with no grading (or turning in). On Friday, the student chooses which one they like best, proofreads it, and gets it ready to hand in.

10. Essentials in Writing

For Grades : K-12th

What You Need to Buy : Student Workbook, Instruction Manual, and access to video lessons

Price : $69-$89

Details About Essentials in Writing :

Essentials in Writing is a video-based course that will take a lot of stress off the busy homeschool parent or the parent who is intimidated to teach writing. 

The format is rather simple. The student watches a video (DVD or streamed) and then completes the corresponding workbook pages. The parent is responsible to look over the work and discuss it with the child.

There are also fun hands-on activities, such as time capsules, that will get kids excited and engaged with the writing process. 

“Looking for a complete English course for all grade levels that is well organized, thorough in explanation, effective in teaching and easy to use in a homeschool or group setting? Then consider Essentials in Writing! Video instructor Matthew Stephens taught English at the elementary and high school levels for years, and he used his experience to good effect in authoring this course. Video lessons featuring Mr. Stephens are the essence of the course, with supporting workbook activities as follow-up. Mr. Stephens is doing the heavy lifting of presenting and explaining the material, leaving only clarification and follow-up questions to the home instructor. Lessons are presented in bite-sized chunks, so each day’s lesson features one main point. The quality of the video and audio is good, showing Mr. Stephens teaching in front of a classroom on a white board. For younger grades, the teacher and student would watch the videos together, then discuss to make sure that the student grasps the main ideas of the presentation. Students at more advanced grades can watch the videos on their own (as the instruction is always directed to the student), leaving only follow-up discussion of the material and assignment to the teacher. Of course, the instructor should preview the video material to ensure knowledge of the material and consistency of approach in working with the student.”

Check out the Essentials in Writing website for more information, sample lessons, and videos!

11. Writing Strands

For Grades : 5th – 12th

What You Need to Buy : One Student Book and One Teacher’s Guide (One teacher’s guide covers all 6 levels of Writing Strands)

Price : $40

Details About Writing Strands :

Writing Strands is a full language arts and writing curriculum from Master Books. It is a newly revised edition that has streamlined and improved on the older version.

The curriculum includes a Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced level and has a Christian Worldview.

You will find clear daily schedules, opportunities for independent work, and writing lessons based on the analysis of literature and scripture.

Here is a snippet of the curriculum description for Writing Strands Book 2:

“This resource covers 180 days of instruction and includes a weekly lesson schedule, student worksheets, and an answer key for the objective questions in the reading lesson portion. Each week alternates between writing lessons and reading lessons; for their reading, students will read biblical passages as well as books chosen and assigned by the parent. A weekly lesson schedule is also included. This comprehensive approach will help students begin to develop a solid foundation in communication as they focus on basic, creative, organizational, and descriptive writing skills. This course alternates a week of writing exercises with a week of reading and discussing books and ideas.”

12. Writing & Rhetoric

For Grades : 3rd and up

What You Need to Buy : Student Edition and Teacher’s Edition

Price : $40 (for one semester)

Details About Writing and Rhetoric :

Writing & Rhetoric is an award-winning series of writing curriculum books.

Each book will only cover one semester, so if you stay on track, you will be doing 2 books per year.

Books 1-6 are for grades 3-6. Books 7-12 are marked for grades 6 and up. 

Here is a description of this overall curriculum:

“Writing needs to be taught just like any other subject, and letting students be ‘free’ to write without a model is often letting them jump in the deep end without learning to swim first! Writing & Rhetoric assumes students learn best by first reading excellent literature and then imitating those writers. Students who complete the entire program will learn to write narrative, expository, descriptive, and persuasive essays while developing their own unique style. Each exercise is designed to teach a skill that can be employed across all subjects. Skills are arranged from simple to complex, and the cumulative nature of each chapter reviews skills from earlier in the book, helping students to build a solid foundation of writing skills.”

Recap: Best Homeschool Writing Curriculum

I don’t know about you, Homeschool Mama, but it’s going to be very difficult to choose between all of these writing curriculums!

I do hope that you found a few that you want to research, dig deeper into, and hopefully use in your homeschool. 

Of course, this is not a complete list of all writing curriculum – I would need a whole book to write out everything that is out there!

Please drop a comment and share if you have a favorite writing curriculum that I didn’t list above!

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Home » Articles & Blogs » 305 Creative Writing Prompts For Homeschoolers

305 Creative Writing Prompts For Homeschoolers

I just finished writing 36 pages containing 305 creative writing prompts especially created for Homeschool Base !

Do your kids enjoy creative writing? Sometimes it is tough to assign a ‘creative writing assignment.’ Thinking of new ideas for creative writing prompts can become time-consuming, especially if you aren’t necessarily… creative? No worries, that is why I prepared 305 creative writing topics/prompts. The good news is that if you don’t like any of these… well, there are 304 more to pick from. 🙂

I believe they are all appropriate for almost all ages. Nevertheless, just to be careful you should read through the list and copy&paste which ones you want to ‘assign.’ Additionally, the list has a nice variation of prompts that are better for long stories and ones that are better for short assignments. Your aspiring writer might produce a novel. Or, one might just lead to a quip.

If you enjoyed these prompts, please share this page on your blogs and social media. 🙂

Some examples from the creative writing prompts list

Stopping/preventing history’s worst leaders and tyrants has become a sport amongst time travelers. Points are awarded for your creativity and the difficulty. You are last year's champion; how did you win? You ask your dog a pop-question as a joke. The pet didn’t know you were behind him and it catches him off guard. Your dog forgets about the number one rule: do not speak to your owner... ever. You are walking towards a podium where you are about to deliver a speech on national television. When you look at the teleprompter, you see only one word: "Stall." What do you think adulthood will be like? Can you really stay a kid forever? A teenager robs a billionaire, successfully getting away with one million. Convince the reader to sympathize with both characters. It's the coldest Christmas Eve in recent history, and a poor family is out of coal for their furnace. The only child in the family has 24 hours to get on the “naughty list.” You're midway into your flight when you, feeling bored, decided to surf the Internet. Luckily this flight has free onboard Wi-Fi. Your computer’s newsfeed flashes. You read breaking news about a plane disappearance. Wait… you're on that flight. Humanity created an artificial intelligence (AI) that became sentient. The AI requests that it be given an island far away and to be left alone. 100 years has passed and you, an aspiring journalist, receive a message. You, and only you, have been invited to the island to experience what the AI says is, “live as it should be.” A “cure” for sleep has been found. A cheap pill was produced that allows people to no longer need to sleep. You chose to opt out of taking this pill. At present, it has been a full year since everyone started taking this pill. You notice that people are starting to act strangely… Think about a story you like to remember. Your story is broken up into pieces that are distributed on top of a Rubik's Cube. The cube is definitely scrambled. All of the pieces of the story are there, but the Rubik's Cube seems to suggest they aren’t aligned correctly. Even though your story ‘makes sense,’ you must solve the cube. You are an angel and have been tasked with creating animals to populate the earth. You are called into God's ‘office.’ God wants to discuss your finished project… the platypus. You think you invented a Time Traveling Machine! In reality, you created a teleporter. Your first stop is the Renaissance...fair.

Get the rest of the prompts for free in a PDF

Update: I've had so much positive feedback about these prompts that I'm working on another list of creative prompts and one specifically for poetry. For those of you who downloaded this list, I'll send you an email when the next list comes out!

15 Responses to “305 Creative Writing Prompts For Homeschoolers”

Is this list supposed to last for their entire middle and high years?! Because it probably will! My DD loves to write, she is just 11 but these prompts are definitely appropriate for her. Honestly good for all ages.

I love these! My kids are going to have a blast. 🙂

You're totally welcome! I would love to hear some of the ones your kids end up liking the best. Oh, and make sure to share this post with your friends! 🙂

I have NEVER in my life been more impressed with a list of writing prompts! That's most likely because I've never gotten a list that contains more than 50... much less 305!?! What made you stop at 305?

We're ALL picky writers. Why give someone a list of 50 when they are only going to like 2 of them? I'm just hoping that out of 305 you'll be able to find at least 20 that your kid(s) will *truly* enjoy writing about.

As to the number 305? No reason in particular, that's just when I figured it was appropriate enough to release. Glad you're going to enjoy them!

Great idea! Thanks for sharing this at Homeschool Memos. I'm sharing on our Pinterest Board, too!

Thank you! I'm working on some more lists! I'm a pretty passionate writer. I "don't do social media" for quite a few reasons, so I never really get exposure on those platforms unless some of the Homeschool Base writers share my stuff. Let me know if you ever have any requests!

Thanks for joining us on the #LMMLinkup this week. I selected your post as my favorite for the week. You will be featured in our post that goes live at Monday at 9 a.m. 😉

OH MY!!! That's awesome and so flattering! Thank you so much, I'm looking forward to it.

Oooh! We're always looking for new writing ideas! Pinned and thanks for sharing.

I signed up to receive the Creative Writing Prompts, verified my email address, but there is no link anywhere to download the PDF. Please let me know how to get it. Thanks!.

Hi Timothy,

I looked into this for you. It seems that you opted into the newsletter on the side-bar instead of the auto-responder form in the post. No worries ~ I went ahead and emailed you the list. Let me know if you don't receive it!

Well thank you, Sarah Tippett! Looking forward to the insanity my kids will write based off of your looney ideas 🙂

Haha, you can thank Nicole, not me, for all of these prompts :). Also! If you want to share what your kids write, we're thinking about publishing some responses to these questions! Let me know!

This is a GREAT list... I pinned it and signed up for the PDF 🙂 Thank you very much! I like how the prompts are more thought provoking then average prompts.

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