Everything written here in (parenthesis) is something the author may change. Feel free to use this prompt. The second writing prompt is for a middle grade book mystery. Here is a beginning snippet:
For a summer day at Little Capitals,it was unusually quiet. Everyone was in their respective homes trying to beat the heat, such as this family who lived on 14th Saint Bernard Street. The (insert) family was loud and prone to chaos, but even the kids in this family were stuck at home. They were trying to make the most of the AC,which was dripping every 15 minutes.
''Would someone please just call someone to fix it?''complained (insert name), the oldest (and apparently,the most mature) of the children.
She was (teenager) and had attractive brown eyes and flowing dirty blond hair with a few streaks of brunette hair.
''We heard mommy say the repair guy will come next week,''chirped (name of little sister.)
(And this is optional, but the little sister may have a twin/younger sibling who repeats words that drove them all crazy.)
''You've got to stop repeating everything everyone says!'' (older sister) protested,''You just turned 5. You ought to act more mature for your age,it's annoying,too,right (middle sibling) ?"
''I think she'll grow out of it soon,though I don't quite mind,''(middle sibling) responded loyally. (Middle sibling) was (twelve or tween age) with quite shaggy brown hair, nearly covering half her face.
She liked considering herself an amateur detective,trying to solve ''cases'' around the house.
(This middle sibling is the one who starts with solving the mystery, whatever you choose for it to be.)
Suddenly, Mother came in, holding a brown envelope with a silk-red ribbon.
''Ooooh,that's one fancy envelope,who's it from?''' (Middle sibling) asked.
''Who's it from,who's it from?''The younger ones echoed.
(What the envelope will say is up to you, but it's an invitation going to a party of a snobby rich lady, or someone who will later accuse the children's father of crime.)
Snippet scene for eating dinner that night, as the family decides to accept the invitation and go to the (party.)
''(YOUNGER SIBLINGS!) PLEASE STOP EATING LIKE PACKED ANIMALS- THERE'S SOUP ON YOUR SHIRT!''' (Older sibling) yelled.
(At this time, you may start dropping subtle clues for whatever mystery you want. The following morning, (middle child) goes down early to spend time with her parents- classic middle child.
They watch the early morning news, and something of a (prisoner break-in /good clue pops up. Whichever kid will solve the mystery sees/hears about the news during breakfast that day.)
Now, this is optional, but you may have this snippet scene for (older sibling) to have dyed her hair and kept it as a secret, because it turned out horribly and she reveals it in the car.
''(Older Sibling), ,would you please,just take that silly hat off!''Mom said.
There was a moment of silence when..
''Fine''she mumbled, taking off her hat, which was followed by a series of (very dramatic) gasps from her siblings.
''Oh (older sibling) what have you done to your hair!'exclaimed (middle sibling) ,trying to sound sympathetic but her mouth was quivering with laughter.
(Older sibling's) hair was dreadful. It looked like it was half red-orange,but then filled with slimy, brownish green hair dye, though one could tell it wasn't colored properly, as streaks on the side had now turned quite spiky, while the other side looked like someone threw slime on her hair.
''(OLDER SIBLING'S FULL NAME, HOW DID THAT HAPPEN?''Mom was filled with rage.
(older sibling) was about to burst into tears.
''I-I used the wrong bottle f-for my h-hair dye!'' she wailed. ''I b-b-b-bought it online.
''I was stupid, the dye was rather ch-ch-cheap,should've known it was a-a-a scam.. I had also got a ''dir-dirty blonde'' dye, to co-cover it up in case things went w-w-w-wrong, cause I was quite sus-suspiscious about the price of the dye, b-b-b-but when I applied it t-t-to my h-h-hair,I found out i-it wasn't the ''dirty b-b-blond'' hair dye, it was (younger sibling's) slime mixtures in G-G-Grandma's old hair dye bottle!''
(Older sibling) was now full on screaming, pointing an accusing finger at (younger sibling.)
(Anyway, after this amusing incident, Older sibling's hair could be kept a secret at the (party) when the family meets a (kind lady/family member) who leads (older sibling) to a small room, to hide away so nobody could see her hair.
There are clues in this small room. After (older sibling) finds a hat in the dusty room filled with clues, she puts it on and goes out to have (lunch/dinner) with her family.
The food at this (party) is super luxurious, and the children's father are (with somebody/at some room/doing something that looks suspicious so that he's framed for stealing something from the snobby rich people.
After he's accused and his family is desperate to find a way to prove him innocent, the children are unintentionally going to solve the mystery. This starts with (middle sibling) who has a knack for solving mysteries. How the mystery is going to unfold, the targeted audience, and everything else is up to the author. )
Leave a comment on how you imagine the rest of the scene to be, and please consider giving this a vote if you enjoyed it! More prompts to come!
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Writing Prompts (Young Adult, Middle Grade, Fantasy, etc.)
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