A practical fix for when writing prompts feel too generic

I used to spend hours scrolling through prompt websites, but the ideas never clicked. They were often too broad, like 'write about a secret,' which left me staring at a blank page. My solution was to build a personal prompt jar. I jot down small moments from my day, such as a customer's odd request for a poodle haircut. Then, when I need inspiration, I pull one out. It forces me to expand on a real, tangible seed. This has made my writing sessions much more productive. Give it a try if you're stuck in a creative rut.

2 comments

2 Comments

the_eric4d ago

That bit about the customer asking for a poodle haircut is the perfect kind of weird detail. I tried your jar idea once, but my first slip just said "forgot to buy milk," and my story was a real snooze. Guess my life needs more oddly specific pet grooming requests to really get the good material going.

ben_wells964d ago

Tried something similar with people-watching at the park last week, you know, hoping for a weird detail to kickstart a story. All I got was a guy eating a sandwich in the most normal way possible for a full hour. Sometimes the world just gives you a boring sandwich instead of a poetic poodle. My jar’s latest note just says “broken umbrella” which feels about as inspiring as dry toast. Maybe we’re trying too hard and the good stuff only happens when you’re not looking for it.

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