Writing Prompts: Jump-Start Your Writing When You Lack Ideas

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Writing Prompts: Jump-Start Your Writing When You Lack Ideas

By Deb Gallardo

When writers need creative writing ideas, one possible solution is to use Writing Prompts to “prime the pump.” If you’ve spent much time reading articles on this site, you’ll know that I’m not overly fond of prompts for my own use (See the list of writing prompt articles below). But that’s just me. Lots of writers swear by writing prompts.

My friend and creativity expert Dan Goodwin, one of my favorite sources for experience and information on the many aspects of the creative process, has written an interesting article on how to use writing prompts. He may have convinced me not to dismiss using such prompts entirely.

Dan says these short phrases or sentences are best used as a starting point for your creative writing, like a sign post to point you in one direction or another.

First he suggests that we find a collection of 50 or more writing prompts, but 100, 365 or 500 are better. Ideally these should be downloadable so they’re available whenever we need them.
Second, he says selecting a write prompt isn’t as easy at it sounds. The 2 mistakes so many people make with a list of prompts is a) starting at the top and working their way down the entire list and b) once they’ve found one that strikes their fancy, they continue through the whole list in case there might be a better one. Since writing is a creative process, your selection of a prompt should be creative, not “linear.”
Finally, once you’ve chosen a prompt, all that’s left to do is to start writing. You can use the actual words of the prompt in the first sentence of your writing, and then continue from there. Or you can use the prompt simply as the central theme or subject.

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WRITING PROMPT ARTICLES
ON THE STORY IDEAS VIRTUOSO BLOG

Writing Prompts and Tools
Story Ideas, Writing Prompts & Resources
Writing Prompts: Help From Standardized Tests
Story Ideas From Photos
Story Ideas: Seasonal Story Prompts
Creative Writing Exercises and Prompts
More Creative Writing Exercises and Prompts
Still More Story Prompts & Writing Resources
Another Set of Writing Prompts & More Photo Inspiration
Story Ideas: Daily Writing Prompts