What We’re Using for Homeschool Creative Writing This Year
This year in our homeschool, we’re leaning all the way into creative writing. Not just the grammar-and-editing kind (though there’s value in that too), but the kind that lets us dream big and be wildly imaginative. My kids love to write (most days), but more than anything, they love feeling like their words matter. So, instead of a formal curriculum, we are building our homeschool writing block around something special: the Usborne Write Your Own series. These books are playful, flexible, and packed with prompts that spark imagination without pressure. They’re part workbook, part story guide, and part keepsake. Each book explores a different genre or style, so no matter what kind of writer your child is — poetic dreamer, mystery solver, or the next bestselling fantasy author — there’s a path in. And to make writing feel even more special, we’re adding something new this year: a weekly Writer’s Retreat. More on that in a bit! But first, here’s a peek at a few of the books we’re using and why we love them.
Homeschool Creative Writing with Usborne: Write Your Own Scripts
This book is playful, well-organized, and filled with just the right balance of guidance and freedom. It begins with simple exercises that teach kids the basics of scriptwriting—how to format dialogue, create stage directions, and dream up characters and settings. The activities are approachable and bite-sized, so it never feels overwhelming, even for reluctant writers. What I especially love is how the book naturally encourages kids to take their writing off the page—to turn their scripts into living, breathing performances. There’s a real DIY spirit woven throughout, with little nudges to create a homegrown theater, film short videos, or gather family members for impromptu living room plays. We will be pairing Write Your Own Scripts with our first Shakespeare study of A Midsummer Night’s Dream!
Homeschool Creative Writing with Usborne: Write Your Own Mystery and Ghost Stories
We will be saving this one for October and honestly, I think it’s going to be a seasonal tradition. The pages are filled with eerie settings, suspicious suspects, and fun ways to plant clues and red herrings. There’s tips for how to build suspense, create a gripping first line, and bring your setting to life with descriptions that appeal to all our senses. Prompts invite us to write stories about haunted paintings, strange sleuths, Egyptian curses, and more!
Homeschool Creative Writing with Usborne: Write Your Own Sci-Fi and Fantasy Stories
This one is perfect for my oldest, who has always loved getting lost in imaginary worlds—whether it’s dragons, distant planets, magical forests, or intergalactic quests. The prompts are rich with inspiration—helping them invent magical creatures, design new worlds, craft spellbinding plots, and create brave (or not-so-brave!) heroes and villains. It doesn’t just leave them staring at a blank page—it offers just enough structure to help ideas flow while still giving them freedom to make the story their own. One of the features we love about the Usborne Write Your Own books is the addition of Quicklinks—carefully curated online resources that extend the learning with story starters, videos, printable extras, and behind-the-scenes peeks into the world of writing.
Homeschool Creative Writing with Usborne: Write Your Own Magazine
With step-by-step instructions, this book covers everything from brainstorming themes to writing articles, designing comic strips, crafting advice columns, and even tips for printing and sharing our finished creations. It’s a great way to explore different writing styles and let kids’ personalities shine through in their layouts and content. Whether they’re into space, cooking, birds, or everyday life, this book shows them how to turn their interests into a real, sharable publication. This will be perfect alongside our family read-aloud of The First Rule of Punk by Celia C. Pérez.
Our Homeschool Creative Writing Retreat
Here’s where the gentle magic of our homeschool week unfolds: once a week, we gather for a Writer’s Retreat. It’s simple. But it always feels meaningful. We set a cozy atmosphere—maybe a candle glowing nearby, a pot of tea, and a little plate of snacks within reach. Each of us picks up a journal, and we settle in. There’s usually quiet music in the background—and for a little while, we just write.
Some days, the kids dive into their stories independently. Other times, we brainstorm ideas together, tossing around silly plots or interesting characters. I often write alongside them too, letting them see that even grown-ups pause, erase, and start again—and that’s all part of the process. When the writing winds down, we sometimes share what we’ve created—but only if we feel ready. There’s clapping, giggles, and lots of encouragement. We celebrate each other’s words, whether it’s a poem, a comic, a fantasy adventure, or the very beginning of a new idea. It’s becoming such a sweet rhythm in our homeschool—a time where stories are honored, imaginations are nurtured, and every voice is welcome.
I think sometimes we overcomplicate writing. We want it to look like neat essays or follow strict rubrics. But real writing? The kind that helps kids find their voice? It starts with storytelling. With play. With feeling seen and heard. These Write Your Own books make writing feel accessible, joyful, and full of possibilities.
And our retreat? That’s our reminder that words are worth celebrating. ~Jacqueline
