"I don't know what to write about!" How often have you heard that lament? Here's a list of 10 prompts that provide a starting place for suspense stories.

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english language arts

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Instructional Ideas

• Introduce writers to the Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest and have individuals submit their entries for this year's contest
• For other suspense story starters check out Chris Van Allsburg's The Mysteries of Harris Burdick
• Once kids have chosen their prompt, have them use one of the attached graphic organizers to plan their story

Pros

• The quirky openings are sure to prompt the creative imagination of young writers
• Although designed for fifth graders, the prompts would work well with any age group

Cons

• The resource contains only a list of prompts