Here’s Why You Need To Use Creative Writing Prompts
This week on the blog Lauren shares her personal experience of why using writing prompts is so important and how it can help transform your writing…
So, what exactly is a writing prompt?
I would define a writing prompt as something that tries to offer us a sense of direction. More specifically, they are topics to write about. It can be anything from a single word to an image, a phrase to a paragraph.
They do the hard work for us: they tell us what to write about!
Like so many aspects of creative writing, prompts are not concrete. They are there for inspiration, but that doesn’t mean you have to stick to them exactly. Want to change a word? Do it. Like the concept, but want to write it from a different point of view? Go for it. They are yours to use. Play with them, bend them, and adapt them for your own benefit. You have free rein to take them in any direction you want.
How can writing prompts help a writer
Writing prompts provide precision and focus
Sometimes, I struggle to decide on what to write about. The world is so full, so busy, that it can feel like there is too much choice at times. Writing prompts make a decision for us. They tell us what to write about. This is great for me, as I am known to be particularly indecisive!
Prompts can provide you with a specific starting point. Something exact. I’ve found that having something to focus on helps me overcome that first hurdle. From this starting point, my mind then opens up, and the ideas start to flow.
Without realising, you’re constantly learning how to develop ideas and expand them. Each time you add a new strand to that initial idea, you’re creating a new realm of possibilities.
Prompts have become a very dependable friend of mine and a key part of my process. Developing a routine that works for you not only gives you that bit of structure but can give you a real confidence boost too. For me personally, writing prompts have come to be a real treasure.
2. Writing prompts provide new subjects for exploration
Prompts are a wonderful way to explore unfamiliar subjects. Trying something new can feel daunting, but it can also be really exciting. Who knows where you could end up! As you write, you might feel yourself falling in love with an idea you would never have thought of otherwise. They have the potential to send us in totally new directions.
There are an endless number of writing prompts available, covering every subject you can imagine. Why not choose one completely out of your comfort zone? Your imagination may surprise you.
You might even feel that you want to take your idea further; that it has real potential. If not, you can move on and try something else. You can continue to play with new ideas and experiment. We talked about this on the podcast – turning ideas into longer stories.
Prompts have also been a huge help for me when it comes to trying different genres. When trying something new, like a different genre, it can be difficult to know where to start. Taking a prompt and freewriting for a few minutes can be a good solution to this. After overcoming this initial uncertainty, everything starts to feel a little easier, as your mind has a new focus.
In the last few weeks, I’ve discovered a very unexpected interest in writing (or at least attempting to write!) fantasy, which I had always been reluctant to try. Ever since I discovered a prompt on the idea of soul fragments, I’ve developed a new fascination for the genre, and have continued to work on that story. I wouldn’t have known where to begin without my trusty prompts!
3. Writing prompts provide inspiration and solutions
Writer’s block. That age-old frustration that many, if not all, writers experience at some point. However, fear not! Prompts could be the answer you need. We can all be guilty of putting too much pressure on ourselves to write something amazing straight away, and this can create a mental block.
Writing should be this free, exploratory process, where anything is possible, but overthinking can stop us from seeing this. It can be a huge barrier for writers. It’s definitely something I struggle with sometimes. A simple prompt can help release our creativity and give us that single moment of inspiration we need.
Pick a prompt, any prompt, and just let yourself write. Even if it is just a single word that strikes you, use this as a starting point for generating ideas. Try not to think about it, don’t place yourself under any constraints. Embrace the freedom of creative writing.
When you find that prompt that sparks your ideas, it will feel like gold dust!
Something I rely on a lot for inspiration is my own experiences. While this is an important part of my personal writing process, I think it’s essential to look for different sources as well. Expanding your horizons is really important. Having a range of sources you can turn to for inspiration means you will always have a trusty list of things you can call on.
Our Creative Writing Prompt Box
Each box contains a collection of bespoke and unique creative writing prompts delivered to your door, to help get you unblocked and writing again. And just like how no person or story is the same, no box of ideas is the same either.
From old vintage photographs, quirky postcards, and unopened letters, to colourful packs of words. Each box is unique. Our Prompt Boxes will help you write fiction and non-fiction or you can use them to write poetry.
The real question is why not try creative writing prompts? You can gain so much from them and there is absolutely nothing to lose. They can be a really fruitful source of creativity. They help ignite our imagination and unlock ideas. In other words, use them as your creative fuel.
