How to Improve

Your Writing Using

Writing Prompts

A well known band, The Beatles, has continued to publish music long after their breakup. How? They found that they can release versions of their songs that didn’t make the cut. Had they stuck with the first version of their songs one could argue that they would not have been famous enough to release demo versions. For you, the method is similar. By writing the same scene (i.e. prompt) using various devices or from a different point of view, you then have the ability to spark inspiration without needing to commit to the first option that hits the page.

Hone Your Craft by Rewriting

via a Prompt

Imagine a hero who can save the day anytime she or he would like to. What a boring story that would be. The story’s main body of action would be filled with uneventful events including: picking up dry cleaning, leaving a voicemail, surfing the internet, etc. With time being of the essence, your hero is existentially driven towards limiting useless action and taking charge of their (and sometimes the world’s) destiny. You are the hero of your story. What would you choose to focus on if you only had a short time to write?

See also: Parkinson's Law

Prompts with Deadlines

Prevent Dead Lines.

Myths make great stories but they aren’t helpful when it comes to technique. The biggest myth authors face is that creativity continually comes from the unexpected. False. Creativity happens best when set criteria are in place. “Analysis paralysis” fittingly describes writers who have unlimited possibilities to work with. On the flipside, an author who works “in a box” will often produce better work; faster.

Still not convinced? Compare these options:1) Write a book. 2) Describe the emotion concert violinist Rick Piere experiences while performing as his wife and family are held backstage by the mafia.

Writing “In a Box” Is FASTER!

Time for fast facts and brass tacks people. You’re more likely to stumble upon a gem if you are creating freely than if you try to force the words. If you don’t put the time into practicing your craft, then seldom a muse will whisper prolific insight to you. The more time you put into honing your skill the more time you discover what works for you and what does not; ultimately you will transition to higher levels of ability as you continually discover your voice as an author.

Discover a New You Using

Writing Prompts

If your goal is to write a novel, then you must realize that it cannot be completed in one sitting. Life gets in the way. There is sparse time for a full-length story. In many cases partial novels are abandoned to gather digital dust without ever reaching the hands of a literary agent. Such a shame! Worse yet, authorship anthropy maims indiscriminately. The main culprit of this abandonment too often stems from burn out. Give yourself many victories to fan the flames of your larger projects with bite-sized writing prompts. You’ll be amazed how and when you’ll use your renewed confidence!

Small Wins Breed Confidence!

One problem with reading a work that comes from a single author is that you only get a linear progression via the hand of that author. But by reading prompt submissions from multiple authors, you get to see multiple stories that share the same starting point. You will be amazed by where someone else’s imagination took the original idea. Perhaps you could even look up that author and collaborate on your next NYT Bestseller..?

Reading Prompt Submissions

from Other Authors Is Great!

Much like an artist will draw “primitives” repeatedly to get ready for a sketch session or a runner will stretch before a job, warming up for writing is too often overlooked. Many writers even downplay warming up and classify it as a waste of time, but that is all to the contrary! Warming up by using writing prompts (regardless of form) primes your mental muscle for a marathon writing session.

Prompts Help You “Warm Up”!

What stops most people from becoming a writer is the subconscious amount of pressure that comes from potential failure. Writers who use writing prompts alleviate this stress by allowing themselves to create “throw away” writing. In practice, this keeps the craft fun for you and helps build your stamina as you freely experiment with possibilities. Think about it like this: an author who is continually stressed will have the same stress in their writing. You wouldn’t want that would you?

“No Pressure” Writing Time

Write With Us!See Prompts • Co-Author Novels • Connect With Authors

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