How do you feel about using prompts for writing?

[Joie J.]

Let me share my personal experience with using story prompts, to give you an idea about where does this question arrive from.

So I've participated in many of those daily or weekly writing challenges, posted on websites like Writer's Digest etc.  And to be honest, I love writing flash fictions on spot, so much so that writing a Tuesday Flash Fiction has become a habit of mine. And some of the stories that I created out of a single word or a picture prompt had left me fairly surprised; I never knew such characters or worlds could take brith out of me.

Then again, here's my personal tussle - using a prompt to write a story feels good but only initially. After a point it feels like although the creation is mine, the seed was planted from the outside and didn't come from with in. My own work doesn't feel pure to me, as if I compromised with my authenticity.

Let me know, if you can, whether using prompt ever bothered you or not. And if it does, then to what degree do you allow yourself to use those "external seeds?"

 

[Kitt]

I look at it as though we were talking about wild flowers. Does it matter where the seed came from or who planted it? Or is the beauty of the flower more important?

Edited October 22, 2023 by Kitt

[Joie J.]

5 hours ago, Kitt said:

I look at it as though we were talking about wild flowers. Does it matter where the seed came from or who planted it? Or is the beauty of the flower more important?

Wow and thank you!

The "wow" is for how you came up with this effective analogy and thank you for what you said makes perfect sense to me.

[raven1]

I agree with @Kitt.  All inspiration is from external sources throughout our lives.  They come from relationships, experiences, observation and reading.  It is not the inspiration that counts, but what you create from that inspiration.  Prompts can be varied from the ones you described, a theme like the anthologies or a picture as IOMFATS uses on his site. The creations from these prompts show a prodigious variety and diversity that is from the core of the writer, not the prompt. 

[Joie J.]

41 minutes ago, raven1 said:

I agree with @Kitt.  All inspiration is from external sources throughout our lives.  They come from relationships, experiences, observation and reading.  It is not the inspiration that counts, but what you create from that inspiration.  Prompts can be varied from the ones you described, a theme like the anthologies or a picture as IOMFATS uses on his site. The creations from these prompts show a prodigious variety and diversity that is from the core of the writer, not the prompt. 

Thanks a lot! You all are way more experienced than I am, so your words are like assurance to me that maybe I'm still on the right track.

[Mancunian]

All of us who write have an idea that we nurture and develop to enable us to write. But where do these ideas come from? They can come from many different sources, it may be an event in our own lives or an event that has happened locally, regionally, nationally or even internationally that may or may not affect us in some way. Usually, these external events have, or do, affect us directly or indirectly. Sometimes it is an event that has affected someone we know, it could be someone close to us. Whatever sparks the idea is it is in essence a prompt, so the idea of using a prompt that has been suggested should not be seen any differently. It is what we do with the idea or prompt that matters and that is where the skill of the writer comes in. As an example just look at the anthologies on GA from recent years, the anthology is a prompt, and read the stories from the anthology. From one prompt we have generated a vast array of different stories and each writer has interpreted the prompt differently. To use another gardening analogy think of the bonsai artists. They all start with a miniature sapling, then they apply their art as the sapling grows. Yes, they all end with a bonsai tree, but each tree is different as each bonsai artist expresses their art through the medium of the tree. The same can be true of writers/authors, they can all start with the same prompt and they will all end up with a story, but each story is different and has something to offer. That is because a prompt, or idea, can be interpreted in many different ways and expresses the differences between writers/authors and how they nurture the idea. 

[northie]

Written prompts are only the equivalent of staring out at the world and noticing stuff. Or random thoughts. Or laughing at something in a social media post. They can be just the basic seed, the initial spark. Everything else comes from the writer's imagination. It's amazing how differently people can interpret the same prompt. Just like everyone's view of how the world works is different. 

Anthology prompts here can spark hugely different interpretations. And the link to the prompt can be tangential. Sometimes I look at a prompt and it sets me off in a wildly different direction, one I may not have thought of without the initial push.

Prompts are an essential part of writing. Use them; don't use them, but there'd be a large hole if they didn't exist.

PS GA posts prompts every Friday, if you haven't already discovered them. 😊

[Joie J.]

3 hours ago, Mancunian said:

All of us who write have an idea that we nurture and develop to enable us to write. But where do these ideas come from? They can come from many different sources, it may be an event in our own lives or an event that has happened locally, regionally, nationally or even internationally that may or may not affect us in some way. Usually, these external events have, or do, affect us directly or indirectly. Sometimes it is an event that has affected someone we know, it could be someone close to us. Whatever sparks the idea is it is in essence a prompt, so the idea of using a prompt that has been suggested should not be seen any differently. It is what we do with the idea or prompt that matters and that is where the skill of the writer comes in. As an example just look at the anthologies on GA from recent years, the anthology is a prompt, and read the stories from the anthology. From one prompt we have generated a vast array of different stories and each writer has interpreted the prompt differently. To use another gardening analogy think of the bonsai artists. They all start with a miniature sapling, then they apply their art as the sapling grows. Yes, they all end with a bonsai tree, but each tree is different as each bonsai artist expresses their art through the medium of the tree. The same can be true of writers/authors, they can all start with the same prompt and they will all end up with a story, but each story is different and has something to offer. That is because a prompt, or idea, can be interpreted in many different ways and expresses the differences between writers/authors and how they nurture the idea. 

Thank you for taking a time out and responding in such details! As I've said before, I lack experience, especially in sharing my work with others and hence there is this dearth of feedback on my written pieces. I believe that's what bestowed these doubts in my conscience regarding my writing authenticity.  

[Joie J.]

3 hours ago, Mancunian said:

As an example just look at the anthologies on GA from recent years, the anthology is a prompt, and read the stories from the anthology.

Oh yes, I very recently discovered them. I've only read a few stories and I unequivocally agree with you; authors on this platform have a wide and wild range of imagination. With time, I'll be reading more of them.  

[Mancunian]

3 minutes ago, Joie J. said:

Thank you for taking a time out and responding in such details! As I've said before, I lack experience, especially in sharing my work with others and hence there is this dearth of feedback on my written pieces. I believe that's what bestowed these doubts in my conscience regarding my writing authenticity.  

Can I suggest that go to the GA store and take up the author status, there is no cost to do this. You will then have the opportunity to post stories on GA. The more you post, the more feedback you will receive. Feedback will increase with more exposure. You will also be able to join the writer's groups where writers share, learn from and support each other. Many writers on GA have the support of beta readers and editors who help and give support, some writers will not post until their work has been checked by their support team. GA is known for supporting it's authors, personally I find the support of the GA membership invaluable.

[Joie J.]

2 hours ago, northie said:

Written prompts are only the equivalent of staring out at the world and noticing stuff. Or random thoughts. Or laughing at something in a social media post. They can be just the basic seed, the initial spark. Everything else comes from the writer's imagination. It's amazing how differently people can interpret the same prompt. Just like everyone's view of how the world works is different. 

Anthology prompts here can spark hugely different interpretations. And the link to the prompt can be tangential. Sometimes I look at a prompt and it sets me off in a wildly different direction, one I may not have thought of without the initial push.

Prompts are an essential part of writing. Use them; don't use them, but there'd be a large hole if they didn't exist.

PS GA posts prompts every Friday, if you haven't already discovered them. 😊

Thank you so much for responding. Only I know how much this helps!

Yes, I've witnessed people's imaginative powers first hand. The writing challenges I've participated in, so far, have shown me how a single image or a word can spark worlds or characters in creative minds that transcends genres and evoke dramas I could've hardly imagined in such diverse scenarios.

And also, thank you for mentioning the GA Friday prompts, as I haven't come across them yet. GA is such a vast platform, I believe I haven't seen half of it. I will look into those prompts soon.  

[Joie J.]

2 hours ago, Mancunian said:

Can I suggest that go to the GA store and take up the author status, there is no cost to do this. You will then have the opportunity to post stories on GA. The more you post, the more feedback you will receive. Feedback will increase with more exposure. You will also be able to join the writer's groups where writers share, learn from and support each other. Many writers on GA have the support of beta readers and editors who help and give support, some writers will not post until their work has been checked by their support team. GA is known for supporting it's authors, personally I find the support of the GA membership invaluable.

That is exactly why I signed up in GA. I was waiting to purchase the author's badge for when I have at least one finished story with multiple chapters in it. So far, I have written hundreds and hundreds of short stories, but no novel length story. I guess I just have to jump right in and start with what I have ready at hand. Short fics it is then. 

Edited October 23, 2023 by Joie J.

[raven1]

57 minutes ago, Joie J. said:

That is exactly why I signed up in GA. I was waiting to purchase the author's batch for when I have at least one finished story with multiple chapters in it. So far, I have written hundreds and hundreds of short stories, but no novel length story. I guess I just have to jump right in and start with what I have ready at hand. Short fics it is then. 

I think this will be great for you.  I'm looking forward to seeing the stories you create or share here.  I'm glad that Mancunian mentioned that the "purchase" is easy and at no cost.  It really isn't a purchase, just a formality here. 

[astone2292]

Prompts come in many shapes, sizes, formats, and how each person interprets them. Until the end of time, I'll credit @CincyKris for their comment about about deer shapeshifters in one of my other stories. That little sentence sparked a whole novel for me. I mean, I'm known for having an overactive imagination around here, so many things have sent me down a creative rabbit hole.

If you're looking for a prompt/inspiration to create something longer than a short fiction, daydream a bit. Let the concept sit and stir for a while. That initial idea you had will grow and grow. Plot points will come at you, you'll discover how your main character will overcome them, and you'll be on an adventure. 

@Joie J. If you ever need assistance with plot development and story world building, shoot me a message! Always happy to help out. 

[Joie J.]

52 minutes ago, astone2292 said:

Prompts come in many shapes, sizes, formats, and how each person interprets them. Until the end of time, I'll credit @CincyKris for their comment about about deer shapeshifters in one of my other stories. That little sentence sparked a whole novel for me. I mean, I'm known for having an overactive imagination around here, so many things have sent me down a creative rabbit hole.

If you're looking for a prompt/inspiration to create something longer than a short fiction, daydream a bit. Let the concept sit and stir for a while. That initial idea you had will grow and grow. Plot points will come at you, you'll discover how your main character will overcome them, and you'll be on an adventure. 

@Joie J. If you ever need assistance with plot development and story world building, shoot me a message! Always happy to help out. 

And now I don't know what to say! Obviously, I thank you for responding and then, I can't thank you enough for that gracious offer in the end.

I didn't even clearly mention my problem with writing long form stories; I only brushed over the issue and you hit the nail on the head.

The problem with writing too many short stories, for a long time, is that you may get stuck with that writing process, or better call it, the writing decipline.

When I write a short fic, with a prompt or without, I don't spend much time thinking about the back story; maybe a little but not too intricately. A situation or an incident conjures up in my head and that's nearly enough. All left for me to do after that point is some fine tuning and I'm done. In short forms, you can get into the story very late and get out early and still it works. But that's not the case with longer formats. Hence, my trouble. 

I never learnt how to think a long story. Usually, I get a situation and the voice of one or two characters and that's it; I let that character work on its own through the synthesized situation. But plotting before or after that situation is a different ball game.

I've asked other authors as well and they've all suggested the same as you did. I need to spend more time with one idea before deciding that there's no story to tell beyond a handful of scenes. 

Thank you @astone2292 for somehow understanding what I particularly needed and allowing me to seek for your invaluable assistance.

I apologise for skidding off the the topic of discussion but I thought I must address the issue raised.

[Kitt]

4 hours ago, Joie J. said:

That is exactly why I signed up in GA. I was waiting to purchase the author's badge for when I have at least one finished story with multiple chapters in it. So far, I have written hundreds and hundreds of short stories, but no novel length story. I guess I just have to jump right in and start with what I have ready at hand. Short fics it is then. 

Don't wait. Jump in. The feedback is well worth it! My stories are ALL shorts. Those little voices tend to shut up by the end of one chapter. 

1 hour ago, astone2292 said:

 

@Joie J. If you ever need assistance with plot development and story world building, shoot me a message! Always happy to help out. 

Same goes for me with editing. I have worked with several of the authors here and most seemed happy with my work. Of course no one gets along with everyone but...

[astone2292]

3 minutes ago, Kitt said:

Don't wait. Jump in.

This is fantastic advice. When I started my first story, "Love in the Shadows," I had no plan of writing a trilogy. I was practically writing with no itinerary, no goal. I just wrote with an end in sight with countless sidetracking. 

Sometimes jumping in with no expectations can be a great answer for writing longer pieces. 

[Joie J.]

11 minutes ago, Kitt said:

Don't wait. Jump in. The feedback is well worth it! My stories are ALL shorts. Those little voices tend to shut up by the end of one chapter. 

Same goes for me with editing. I have worked with several of the authors here and most seemed happy with my work. Of course no one gets along with everyone but...

I don't see why I won't get along. You all are offering me something I needed the most and could never ask for. 

Two years ago, when @Laura S. Fox first suggested me to join the GA community, I was somewhat sceptical. Why would some published authors ever help me? But now I know better.

I'm not just thankful but grateful to you all. I look forward to sharing, discussing and improving my craft with you.

[Joie J.]

7 minutes ago, astone2292 said:

This is fantastic advice. When I started my first story, "Love in the Shadows," I had no plan of writing a trilogy. I was practically writing with no itinerary, no goal. I just wrote with an end in sight with countless sidetracking. 

Sometimes jumping in with no expectations can be a great answer for writing longer pieces. 

Going on a long journey without knowing where you are headed for - that's such a daunting yet intriguing advice to work with!

Without a doubt, that's a fruitful advice as, pardon me for going off topic again but, Love in the Shadows is such an everlasting and passionate world to experience!! 

[W_L]

I use prompts as a way to experiment with ideas and concepts, they're fun and intriguing ideas that can help jump-start imaginations.

Of course, I don't write every prompt; one of the cardinal things that I've learned is that inspiration and your motivation need to go hand in hand, if you are not inspired by something, forcing it will just hurt your writing.

Edited October 24, 2023 by W_L

[Joie J.]

6 hours ago, W_L said:

I use prompts as a way to experiment with ideas and concepts, they're fund and intriguing ideas that can help jump-start imaginations.

Of course, I don't write every prompt; one of the cardinal things that I've learned is that inspiration and your motivation need to go hand in hand, if you are not inspired by something, forcing it will just hurt your writing.

Thank you so much for responding with your valuable inputs!

It's so true; if you aren't motivated to write, inspiration alone won't suffice.

Only this July, I was home alone on a weekend night and I had no compulsion to cater to for the next two days. Cherry on top, it was raining. So I brewed a cup of tea upto the brim, dimmed down the room light, opened my diary where I scribble my ideas and sat in front of my laptop screen....for 3 hours and NOTHING came out of me! 

Motivation must be there or else your inspiration will feel helpless and vice versa.

Edited October 24, 2023 by Joie J.

[Zombie]

8 hours ago, Joie J. said:

I brewed a cup of tea upto the brim, dimmed down the room light, opened my diary where I scribble my ideas and sat in front of my laptop screen....for 3 hours and NOTHING came out of me! 

surely this is the value of prompts, to help overcome “writer’s block”? 

the reason that visual artists have a ‘muse’, that Hemingway stopped each day mid-sentence, that composers “steal” a few notes (think what JS Bach could do with just 4 notes). An external prompt can provide motivation (inspiration?) and result in something new + unexpected that otherwise probably would never have existed 

 

Edited October 24, 2023 by Zombie

[Joie J.]

15 hours ago, Zombie said:

surely this is the value of prompts, to help overcome “writer’s block”? 

the reason that visual artists have a ‘muse’, that Hemingway stopped each day mid-sentence, that composers “steal” a few notes (think what JS Bach could do with just 4 notes). An external prompt can provide motivation (inspiration?) and result in something new + unexpected that otherwise probably would never have existed 

 

Thank you so much for responding @Zombie! (Here, have a lame joke from me - nowadays, even zombies respond, lol!)

I never much cared about writer's block 'cause stories come to me. Maybe not all the time but if I stick around, they do come. And I guess that's the case with everyone; stay put in your chair and stories will come to you. 

And yeah, prompts make that process much easier. Thanks for nullifying my guilt for using prompts.

[Jason Rimbaud]

Your post caught my attention. You feeling like you are somehow cheating because you are utilizing writing prompts, challenges, or some other method for inspiration. And yes I know that better people than I have already offered some amazing advice in this thread, but here is my two cents. 

Inspiration can come in various shapes and sizes, and any writer shouldn't ever question where that inspiration is coming from. Like others have said, twenty authors can view the same prompt and you would get twenty completely different stories. Not a single author was cheating. 

I've gotten inspiration from overhearing conversations in a coffee shop, or watching a TV show, or reading a book. My subconscious mind picked up something and started that wonderful thing called inspiration or what others call "muse". You should never feel cheated when you get inspiration. 

You also spoke on writers block. I for one, and I'm almost alone on this island, do not believe in writers block. You can find my thoughts about it here,

Writing Blocks and How To Avoid Them 

I hope you continue to follow your inspiration no matter where it comes from, one of the most important outlet for anyone that is creative is to follow that  inspiration no matter the source. Good luck in your continued journey.  

Jason

[Joie J.]

1 hour ago, Jason Rimbaud said:

Your post caught my attention. You feeling like you are somehow cheating because you are utilizing writing prompts, challenges, or some other method for inspiration. And yes I know that better people than I have already offered some amazing advice in this thread, but here is my two cents. 

Inspiration can come in various shapes and sizes, and any writer shouldn't ever question where that inspiration is coming from. Like others have said, twenty authors can view the same prompt and you would get twenty completely different stories. Not a single author was cheating. 

I've gotten inspiration from overhearing conversations in a coffee shop, or watching a TV show, or reading a book. My subconscious mind picked up something and started that wonderful thing called inspiration or what others call "muse". You should never feel cheated when you get inspiration. 

You also spoke on writers block. I for one, and I'm almost alone on this island, do not believe in writers block. You can find my thoughts about it here,

Writing Blocks and How To Avoid Them 

I hope you continue to follow your inspiration no matter where it comes from, one of the most important outlet for anyone that is creative is to follow that  inspiration no matter the source. Good luck in your continued journey.  

Jason

Thank you for taking a time out and responding!

As you can see, so many authors have said the same thing as you did and now, truth be told, I slightly feel ashamed that I let such a novice-like irrational guilt overpower me. I totally agree with what you've said; it makes no sense to regret using story prompts from one source when you rely on so many from other sources, one way or the other. Yeah, muse comes in all shapes and forms. And as @northie said, "there'd be a large hole if they didn't exist." 

I personally don't face much trouble with writer's block unless I'm aiming to write a "purely mine" story aka to write a story without help of any prompt. And also when I'm trying to write a story of a longer format. I will check out your inputs on writer's block to find some solution. Thank you for mentioning your article.