The Power of Prompts

Introduction

The blank page is a canvas of endless possibilities, waiting for a writer to paint a picture with words: a doodle, a masterpiece, or something in between. There are so many possibilities, that the most seasoned creative writer can be intimidated by the blank page.

There are many ways to overcome the challenge of that empty space. One method is the writing prompt. They can serve multiple purposes. They come in different forms. Often a prompt is advertised as such. Sometimes it might be a writing challenge, contest, or classroom assignment.

However the prompt is dressed up, some writers may question the point. That might be true when entering a writing challenge, or contest that requires following a prompt. “Losing” can be disheartening.

Prompts serve a purpose transcending the categories of winning and losing.

Let’s take a closer look at the benefits.

Overcoming Writer’s Block

If you’ve never had writer’s block, you’re probably not a writer. At some point, we all face it. The possibilities of a blank page turn into a frustrating barrier. It’s not unlike insomnia. The more we want it to happen, the farther we get from it. It’s a hurdle that can be overcome.

A prompt can break the paralysis by triggering our imagination. They provide us with a place to start.

Skill Development

Becoming a better writer requires practice. Writing prompts are an avenue for structured practice of the craft. A prompt can force someone to venture into uncharted territory. They assist us in exploring unique styles, genres, or techniques. Regular use of diverse prompts can help sharpen skills, weave richer stories, and develop more believable plots and characters.

Prompts can allow a poet to discover new poetic forms.

Idea Generation

One of the wonderful things about these exercises is their ability to spark ideas. A single prompt may generate new ideas and send the author down paths they’d never considered before. Often a prompt will illicit multiple ideas, beyond what is specific to the prompt itself. Those ideas can pay dividends on future occasions when the writer is facing another blank page.

Keeping track of ideas generated by a prompt can result in multiple completed works.

Enhancing Imagination

Most writers, like other humans, have a particular comfort zone. Unless we are nudged a bit, we tend to avoid venturing into unfamiliar areas. Prompts can provide a nudge, pushing us to break out of our mold and create something fresh and original. A prompt may be the catalyst turning a prose writer into a poet or spur a non-fiction writer to craft their first story of high fantasy.

Writing to a prompt helps us push our boundaries and escape from our self-imposed boxes.

Focus on Specific Elements of Writing

Writing is a craft. It requires artistic flair, but also technical competency. Some skills may come easier than others, but multiple elements need to be mastered.

With writing prompts, we are often called upon to focus on one, or more, specific parts of the craft. Maybe the prompt will call on the writer to narrow in on the dialogue, or a free verse poet will be called to break out their rhyming dictionary. A routine of using writing prompts allows us to round out our skills by alternating our attention between different pieces of the puzzle.

Building a Writing Habit

It is often repeated that aspiring writers should develop a habit of writing regularly. Writing prompts can help us with this, too. Writing prompts can help us increase our discipline. Engaging with prompts on a weekly, or daily, basis turns an occasional pastime into a habit.

Practice is important in writing, just as it is in sports. You can’t expect to write once every couple of months and then produce a bestseller anymore than you can practice at football once in a blue moon and expect to win the Superbowl. The routine, the writing habit, will make the act of writing second nature.

Fun and Engagement

Most of us want to improve our writing and, sure, it would be encouraging to receive some kind of recognition or – gasp – even some payment. I don’t know too many writers, if any, who don’t enjoy writing. Hopefully, the enjoyment doesn’t go away during the process of learning and developing their skills.

Prompts are a good way to keep our writing lives from turning into a scenario of all work and no play. A prompt can be challenging, quirky, or just plain fun. They can help us stay interested, keep us engaged, or fend off burnout.

Community and Sharing

Writing is a solitary task, but writers often seek out community. Let’s face it. A lot of people, including those who love to read, don’t get the whole writing thing. Sometimes they don’t get writers, either.

We can be an odd bunch. It’s not unusual for writers to be introverts. But we may wish for and thrive in a community. Writing groups and online forums are popular with a lot of writers.

Such communities also happen to be a common place to encounter prompts and share our writing results with others. We can compare our work with other writers, offer mutual encouragement, and receive valuable feedback. These are important things for people who typically work in isolation.

Conclusion

Writing prompts can be more than a means to an end. They are worthwhile for many reasons. They are not only for overcoming writer’s block. They can spark creativity, build on skills, and offer a path to personal growth.

Prompts provide a means for engaging in community. Writing prompts can give structure and direction but also allow for flexibility.

Writing prompts are for everyone. I recommend using them if you're not already. You may be surprised by the results. In college, my minor was in Creative Writing. I produced some of my best material writing to prompts.

While still in school, I was submitting some of that work to journals. I had poetry and prose published from those exercises. I consider that a writing prompt success. Perhaps you'll do the same.