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The Exquisite Prompt
The Reading Rockets and AdLit.org Exquisite Prompt challenge is an activity that gives K-12 students a chance each month (October through June) to flex their writing muscles with writing prompts — and win fabulous prizes!
The Exquisite Prompt is a series of monthly writing challenges designed as a classroom activity for kids in grades K-12. Teachers can engage their students by selecting just one of the monthly challenges or try a new challenge every month.
Our writing prompts are inspired by the 18 authors and illustrators participating in the Exquisite Corpse Adventure (what's that?), a rollicking new serial story that launched on September 26, 2009 — sponsored by the Library of Congress and the National Children's Book and Literacy Alliance.
While Jon Scieszka, Katherine Paterson, Kate DiCamillo, Megan McDonald, and other favorite authors and illustrators are bringing you the latest installment in their adventure story, you can give your students the chance to have some writing fun of their own with our Exquisite Prompt challenge.
Learn more about our Exquisite Prompt challenge:
- The prompts
- The winner's circle
- The rules
- The prizes
- The schedule
- The Exquisite Corpse Adventure
- Additional links
The prompts
The prompts will be inspired by the author's Exquisite Corpse Adventure episode or the author's body of work. For example, Jon Scieszka (Knucklehead) might inspire a prompt for a song about, say, siblings in the bathroom. Katherine Paterson (Lyddie) could inspire a prompt to write a first-person story about overcoming hardship, or for older kids, child labor in the 19th century.
The prompts will be accompanied by author/illustrator biographies, bibliographies and interviews. Resources for educators from Reading Rockets and AdLit will include strategies for teaching writing and a writing basics toolkit. Depending on the prompt, educators and students will also be directed to appropriate Library of Congress resources and primary sources.
November prompts (entry deadline: November 30, 2009)
Kate DiCamillo (The Tale of Despereaux)
Katherine Paterson (Lyddie)
The winner's circle!
Congratulations to all our talented writers — we're proud to publish your creative work here on our website. We'll be adding a new list of winners each month, so be sure to visit again.
The rules
The contest begins on October 1, 2009 and ends in June 2010. Two new prompts will be published each month, and students are encouraged to enter each month. There are four grade levels for entries:
- Level I: K-grade 2
- Level II: grades 3-5
- Level III: grades 6-8
- Level IV: grades 9-12
To be eligible for prizes, students will be asked to submit original writing of 350 words or less for each writing prompt. Illustrations may be submitted with entries. Students may only submit one entry per prompt but are encouraged to submit an entry for all 18 prompts. Complete official rules >
How to submit your entry:
- E-mail preferred! Send entry to: readingrockets@weta.org Subject line MUST include the name of the author or illustrator and level (I, II, III, or IV) and the e-mail must include contact information or the entry will not be accepted.
- If the submission includes handwritten work or artwork that is not easily scanned, you may mail your submission to:
WETA, Reading Rockets
2775 S. Quincy Street
Arlington, VA 22206
All entries MUST include the name of the author or illustrator, level (I, II, III, or IV), and contact information or they will not be accepted.
The prizes
Prizes include being published on Reading Rockets and AdLit and receiving a selection of autographed books from the authors and illustrators. Winners are also are eligible for a classroom visit by one of the authors or illustrators via Skype!
Prompt schedule
| Authors | Prompt Given | Deadline | Winner Announced | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| October |
|
10/1 |
10/31 |
11/20 |
| November | 11/1 |
11/30 |
12/21 |
|
| December |
|
12/1 |
12/31 |
1/21 |
| January |
|
1/1 |
2/1 |
2/22 |
| February |
|
2/1 |
3/1 |
3/22 |
| March |
|
3/1 |
3/31 |
4/21 |
| April |
|
4/1 |
4/30 |
5/21 |
| May |
|
5/1 |
5/31 |
6/21 |
| June |
|
6/1 |
6/30 |
7/21 |
About Exquisite Corpse
What's an "Exquisite Corpse?"
It's a kind of writing game, where one person begins a story, then passes it down through a chain of writers to continue the narrative.
Writer M.T. Anderson explains it all here 
What's "The Exquisite Corpse Adventure?"
It's a year-long serial adventure story that offers young readers an opportunity to get to know the hilarious side of a crew of award-winning, talented, and versatile authors and illustrators — sponsored by the Library of Congress and the National Children's Book and Literacy Alliance.
Let M.T. Anderson fill you in more
