My perspective on writing prompts has changed and evolved over time. When I first became serious about writing stories, I saw no practical use for writing prompts. I dismissed them as time-wasting exercises. If I'm going to write, why not spend that time developing my own plots and characters?
I see writing prompts in a different light these days. A prompt can be a valuable tool in an author’s creative toolbox, helping them grow as a storyteller.
There's no such thing as wasted writing.
Unlocking creative energies
Writing prompts are designed to help you flex your creative muscles. A prompt is a scenario tailored to provide a starting point for a story. It accomplishes this purpose by leading an author through a targeted thought exercise.
Typical writing prompts encourage writers to practice specific elements of the story creation process. These elements include:
Scene description
Writing dialogue between characters.
Sketching out backstory details.
Plot development.
Character development.
Using writing prompts can help you refine your storytelling. You learn how to move a plot forward in an organic and coherent fashion. You gain a better understanding of how to develop a character in a way that allows readers to better connect with that character. You learn how to make a setting feel alive by involving sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch.
From prompt to story
You might be tempted to frame writing prompts as mere throwaway exercises. Useful for getting your creative juices flowing, but not a launching pad for a story. The truth is a prompt can often inspire a deeper story populated by dynamic characters that you had never considered before.
Recently, I participated in a community contest created by Winston Malone on his newsletter, The Storyletter, where he posted a prompt and invited writers to submit a flash fiction story, or a poem, based on that writing prompt. His prompt centered on exploring of the unknown.
A story idea burst into my head as I read over Winston’s prompt. My oceanic horror tale, Beneath a Darkened Reef, grew from that initial inspiration. It has proven highly popular since I first published the story in mid-April. The plot and characters driving Beneath a Darkened Reef likely would never have entered my mind without a creative spark from the initial prompt.
Many other stories I’ve previously shared in this newsletter also originated from writing prompts. Yesterday’s Specter, They Lurk, and Laughter all sprang to life because I used specific prompts to break down writer’s block.
Writing frame of mind
The power of writing prompts for an author is undeniable. Using writing prompts unlocks storytelling doors.
Not every prompt I’ve used ultimately turns into its own story. Still, what originates from the prompt never goes to waste. I often find myself repurposing settings, dialogue, or characters drawn up during these exercises for other stories because they fit well within the world of those stories.
And my stories inhabit a more fully developed fictional world because of it.
Kobo VIP Sale
This week, my novel Under a Fallen Sun is available at an exclusive discount price on Kobo for VIP readers who reside in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, or New Zealand.
Just use JUNVIP at checkout to receive 40% off the $3.99 (USD) list price. The sale lasts through Friday, June 9th. If you’re a Kobo Plus subscriber, all my novels and short stories published through Samak Press — including Under a Fallen Sun — are available to read for free through the subscription service.
Under a Fallen Sun is a science fiction thriller which serves as a prequel to my Alien People Chronicles series. It is a perfect introduction to a suspenseful and captivating sci-fi adventure saga.