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Just realized most prompt lists are really genre wishlists in disguise
For about 6 months I saved every prompt I saw online, and around 200 of them were basically the same vague fantasy or sci-fi idea. The good ones I actually wrote from (maybe 4 out of that pile) all had one odd, specific element, like a character who only speaks in questions or a locked door with no handle. So I started writing my own, one strange detail at a time, and finished 9 short pieces, which is more than I managed all of 2022. What small weird detail gets you started on a prompt, and do you write your own or grab them from lists?
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sandra_moore3013d ago
Isnt it funny how a prompt list is basically just someone else's dream journal with bullet points? I fell into that trap too, saved like 150 of them and half were some chosen one magic school thing where the only twist was the color of the prophecy. The four that worked for me all had some dumb little anchor, like a vending machine that only takes buttons instead of coins, or a dog that refuses to walk past one specific house. That kind of detail gives you something to poke at instead of a whole world you have to build from scratch. So yeah, I write my own now, mostly stealing weird stuff I notice in real life, like a mailbox with no house number or a person who always orders two coffees.
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