Writing Prompts

Writing prompts are great. I particularly like the ones that give you three or so words and you must write a short story or vignette with them. Sometimes when you see the words you have no idea how you are going to make a continuous story out of these unrelated words! But that is the beauty of it. When you sit down and creatively work it out you can be amazed by what you produce. It helps your concentration and develops your creativity.

Exercises such as this can also help you get past a writer’s block. Sometimes just being creative about something completely unrelated can help break the block. With the prompt, you are stirring the creativity pot and that in itself can help.

Another type of prompt that I like is the poetry style with or without word prompts. Free prose is great, and a lot of my poetry is that; however, practicing and learning different poetry styles, such as a Quatern, Tyburn, Palindrome, or Lune helps you to develop cadence in your work. It can also assist in your word play and rhyme.

I also find it inspiring to read what others did with the prompt. So many different stories! So many different poems! I’d be interested in finding out if you have ever tried a writing or poetry prompt and what your thoughts are on it.