2
Overheard a published author at my local library say she never uses writing prompts and it made me rethink everything
3 comments
Log in to join the discussion
Log In3 Comments
owens.laura10d ago
Well, that is interesting. But I have to wonder if she maybe just meant she doesn't use them as a crutch to start writing, or if she literally never touches them at all. Did she say anything about how she actually comes up with her story ideas? I am curious if she thinks prompts are just a waste of time, or if she has some other method that works better for her. I've used prompts myself to get unstuck and found them helpful, so hearing that makes me want to know more about her process.
6
kai8399d ago
That line about "crutch for the unprepared" really stuck with me too. I had a buddy who used to swear by prompts until one day his laptop died and he had to write a whole short story on his phone notes app with zero planning. He told me it was actually the most fun he'd had writing in years because he didn't overthink it. Now he only uses prompts when he's truly stuck on a scene transition or something, not as a starting point. Does she give any examples of what she does when she's totally blank on ideas?
5