I used to think writing prompts needed to be huge and epic

For years, I'd only start a story if the prompt was something like 'a wizard must stop a galactic war.' Then, a workshop leader in Austin told me 'the best conflict is in a single room.' So I tried a prompt about two people arguing over a thermostat. I wrote more in that one afternoon than I had in the previous month. Has anyone else had better luck with small, simple ideas?

3 comments

3 Comments

angela19119d ago

It's amazing how a tiny, real argument can unlock so much.

the_noah19d ago

Yeah, totally get that. It's like how the big fights at work are never about the big stuff, it's always over who left the coffee pot empty. Right on, @angela191.

jessel3518d ago

My buddy Dave had a full on meltdown last week because his roommate used his last clean spoon. They didn't speak for two days. Turns out Dave was really stressed about a huge project deadline and the spoon thing just broke him. They talked it out and he admitted the real problem. It's wild how the small stuff becomes the last straw.