Writing Prompts
What Are They and How to Use Them?
I’m sure you know the feeling. You’ve just finished a book and you’ve sent it to the publisher. Now you’re bored and eager to start another project. You sit down to type when you realize, “I have a blog post due in a couple of days and I have no idea what I want to write about.” The blank page is looking at you for guidance and you have nothing. Enter writing prompts.
Think of writing prompts as little helpers. They help you get the creative juices flowing. Think of them as thought-provoking cues to help your mind deal with why that blank page is not filling itself up with words. Writing prompts can come in several forms, such as sentences, phrases, pictures, or even questions. Let’s take a closer look.
one | What are Writing Prompts
Writing prompts are used to nudge writers. They help them overcome the anxiety of staring at a blank page by issuing a call to action. They do this by forcing writers out of their comfort zones and sparking creativity. Writing prompts encourage writers to confront their thoughts and emotions and, by doing so, they often force a rush of ideas, providing story lines unimagined before.
Writing prompts provide a starting point of sorts, offering a sense of direction. They act as triggers to force writers to explore new ideas. They encourage writers to think creatively to embrace storylines outside the comfort zone. Writing prompts provoke thought.
two | How Can They Help You
a | Help with Writer’s Block
We all know that writer’s block is real, and it can be brutal. I’ve stared at blank pages for days on end while stuck in the void of writer’s block. Fortunately, since discovering the world of writing prompts, my ability to break through comes much easier.
b | Stimulate Your Imagination
I’m all for imaginative stimulation. I look at writing prompts and equate them to taking a shot of Prevagen©. Now I realize I’m no spring chicken and my mental sharpness, sadly, is not as vibrant as it used to be. Using writing prompts helps me better explore my imagination, something that can sometimes be scary.
c | Force You to Confront New Ideas
My genres of choice are thriller, suspense, crime, and, to a certain degree, paranormal. I’ve never ventured out of this realm. Since discovering writing prompts, I’m no longer opposed to venturing out. It’s a liberating feeling of knowing that I could, while not actually taking the step of doing so. I’ll continue writing within my comfort zone, but if the mood hits me, I won’t be afraid to embrace it.
three | Where Do I Find These Writing Prompts
They. Are. Everywhere. Yep, there are countless websites that offer prompts. Some are fairly straight-forward, some are so cluttered with other stuff, I often leave rather than navigate a maze of stuff I don’t want while in search of the promised prompts. Here are a few excellent sites:
1. Reedsy is always a good choice for anything writing.
2. WritenWord Media has a good selection.
3. Writer’s Digest Has a modest but worthy list
These three sites provide over 2600 prompts. You’ll surely find something to inspire you. Sometimes, while reading through these sorts of lists, I’ll get an idea about something totally different, and I look at it as icing on the cake.
Four | Plot Generators
A plot generator is like a writing prompt with a twist. As you can see from above, just visiting three websites can produce a list of prompts of significant size. Plot generators allow you to narrow your search by inputting what data you're looking for.
Masterpiece Generator UK offers several options for input.
Five | Name Generators
Often, I get just as stuck on what to name a character as I do with coming up with a plot. It can be just as frustrating. Luckily, there are as many name generators out there as there are writing prompts or plot generators. And if you’re writing in Scrivener, it has a built-in name generator (see Edit > Writing Tools > Name Generator) and it works extremely well. When I’m not in Scrivener, here’s my go-to name generator.
Behind the Name is free and, in my opinion, goes above and beyond. It allows for a plethora of options and is lightning fast. It not only generates a name, but if you click on the first or last name, it presents the meaning, a brief history and much more.
Six | What are the Benefits of Using Writing Prompts
The benefits are tremendous. Prompts help stimulate creativity as well as inspire new ideas. They provide a starting point to allow your imagination to take over. Writing prompts help writers overcome the dreaded writer’s block by providing a structured and focused approach to the problem. Writing prompts challenge writers to think critically about their storytelling abilities. They can help develop vocabulary and language usage.
You don’t need to have an excuse for firing up your favorite plot or name generator. There is no need to wait until you need it to reap the benefits. Make it a daily routine like checking your calendar. Add it as an item on your to-do list. Schedule a check-in every one, two days, or maybe once a week. The beauty of it is you don’t have to be looking for anything specific. Gaining knowledge should be an everyday experience.
Using writing prompts allows you to experience different writing styles, jump start your creativity, and expand your writing skills. If you dedicate regular time to exploring prompts, you can become more comfortable expressing your thoughts and ideas. Writing prompts push you out of your comfort zone and challenge you to think in a way that may even seem foreign.
Strive to incorporate the use of writing prompts into your routine. Using them is a proven and effective way to enhance your writing skills, stimulate your imagination, and overcome a host of creative obstacles.
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