32 Great Writing Prompts for 9th Grade

32 Writing Prompts for 9th Grade: First Year of High School Journaling Ideas (that can double as Essay Topics) + a Bonus List of 9 Quick, Easy Writing Ideas. Enjoy!

The first year of high school is one of the most significant times in a teenager’s life. As students face new responsibilities and enjoy all new freedoms and privileges, they begin to renegotiate their personal identities and come to a greater understanding of who they are.

Writing Prompts and Journal Ideas for Grade 9

List of Ideas for Writing, Essays, Homework, and more…

When you combine this transitional period with all of the hormones and the experience of starting out at a brand new school, it’s easy to see why freshmen year can be an especially challenging time for young students.

Fortunately, there is one classroom activity that can help to keep your students grounded and confident in themselves and their actions—and that activity is writing via journaling, writing in class, or writing as homework such as a short essay assignment.

You see…

When students write, they come to know themselves on a deeper level.

Table of Contents

32 Writing Prompts for 9th Grade (Also Good Essay Topics for Essay Writing Assignments)
113 MORE High School Essay Prompts & Bonus Writing Tips
9 Quick and Easy Writing (or Journaling) Ideas
A Few Final Thoughts
More High School Writing Prompts Resources

They also begin to naturally feel more confident in their ideas and opinions, which enables them to become more comfortable speaking out and participating in the classroom. This is why I suggest you have your 9th graders write on a regular basis. It’s also why you’ll find the list of writing prompts for 9th grade shown below useful.

As your 9th grade students tackle tough topics like ethical dilemmas, Internet citizenship, and the pressures that teenagers face today, they’ll develop new ideas, form critical arguments, and improve their own self-esteem.

Additionally, ninth grade students will continue to develop their writing skills and expand their creativity.

Use these essay topics, good writing ideas and journal writing prompts in your lessons with your 9th grade kids. You’ll help young high school students transition successfully into their new space—and equip them with the tools they need to make good decisions in the coming years.

32 Writing Prompts for 9th Grade
(Also Good Essay Topics for Essay Writing Assignments)

What is your favorite thing about being in high school? Why?
What part of high school have you found to be the hardest? Why?
If you could tell your younger self anything, what would it be?
What is the best way our country could reduce violence in schools?
If you had to write a creed for yourself and your life, what qualities would it include?
What is the best feeling in the world? Why?
What is the worst feeling in the world? Why?
Write about a time when you faced an ethical dilemma. What did you do?
How much time do you spend getting ready each morning? Write about your typical routine.
Do you ever feel like you can say things on the Internet that you wouldn’t say in real life? Why or why not?
What does it mean to be a responsible citizen of the Internet?
What do you think being in love is like? How does someone know when he or she is in love?
What is plagiarism? Why is it such a bad thing?
How can you derive inspiration from someone else’s work without stealing it?
What is your weakest quality? Is this something about yourself you’d like to change?
What is the greatest act of service you can complete for someone else?
How frequently do you use social media? What platforms do you use, and why?
Should employers be allowed to require employees to share access to their social media accounts? Why or why not?
What is the coolest technological advancement you’ve seen in your life?
What is the most important issue our world faces today? Write about your stance on the issue.
Do you ever feel pressured to look or act a certain way? When? Why or why not?
What is the best compliment you’ve ever received? How did it make you feel?
Can a story be both fiction and non-fiction at the same time? When is it okay to include fictional details in a true story?
In your opinion, what is the most important charitable cause? Why?
If you had to choose a single song to describe your life, what would you choose? Why?
What are the two biggest pressures you face? Write about why the pressures exist and what could be done to combat them.
What are the two biggest pressures your teenage friends face? Write about why the pressures exist and what could be done to combat them.
Write about a time when you realized someone wasn’t who you thought he or she was.
Do you consider yourself an introvert or an extrovert? Why?
Write about a new rule your parents have instituted in the last two years. Do you think this rule is fair?
Do you think that violent video games encourage people to commit real-life violence? Why or why not?
If you could have any one question answered, what would you ask—and why?

I hope you enjoyed these writing prompts for 9th grade students and use them this school year and beyond. Remember, the prompts make excellent journaling prompts, writing topics, and essay ideas for high school students.

113 MORE High School Essay Prompts & Bonus Writing Tips

Some people naturally have active minds that are brimming with inspiration. However, other writers need a little help during the writing process. Now, in case the 9th-grade writing ideas listed above weren’t enough or if your high school students simply need additional writing ideas…

Our list of essay prompt lists below — along with some excellent writing tips — can help your writers get their creative juices flowing.

High School Essay Prompt Lists:

36 More Great Essay Ideas
35 Argumentative Essay Topics for High Schoolers
12 Ideas for Narrative Essays (includes some great writing tips and guidelines, too)
30 Descriptive Essay Topics (and bonus essay writing tips!)

Oh, and here are 4 more helpful tips to inspire your writing. I think you’ll enjoy them.

9 Quick and Easy Writing (or Journaling) Ideas

Lastly, here are a few quick, easy writing and journal prompt ideas that may also double as excellent writing warm-ups for high school writers of all skill levels

What is your favorite movie and why?
What one important lesson have you learned in the past year? Write about it in detail.
Do you prefer to write on your phone, computer, on paper, or in a notebook, and why?
Write a poem to yourself about starting high school.
Of all the field trips you’ve gone on in your school career, which one is your favorite thus far and why?
Write a short story about your favorite place. Include lots of sensory details.
Write about your middle school experiences.
Write about your high school experience so far and/or what you hope it will be.
What is the most important thing to you in the whole wide world? Create a composition or a short story about it.

A Few Final Thoughts

Even seasoned writers often say there’s nothing scarier than a blank page—and that page can be especially daunting when you’re just starting out. Whether you’re trying to journal or write an essay, the prospect of creating something from nothing can certainly seem intimidating.

Every individual person gets started writing differently. Some need a topic sentence to get inspired and stay focused. Others use different types of inspiration that work best for them.

I hope my list of writing prompts for 9th grade helps your students create writings in many forms that capture their thoughts and feelings and/or great stories that engage their reader’s attention.

Whatever format your writes choose, the point is to get inspired and to get writing. It’s an added bonus to find the way that best suit the writer and their unique style. Oh yeah! You gotta love that.

For those who need or want more writing or essay ideas, check out these writing resources and links.