Appreciation post: My writing prompt notebook hit 500 ideas this morning

I started a physical notebook for random story sparks about three years ago, just jotting down stuff on my commute into Chicago. I opened it today and realized I'd filled the 500th line with a prompt about a librarian who finds a checkout slip signed by a famous historical figure. It hit me how much raw material I've actually gathered without even trying. For anyone else who collects prompts, what's a weird place you've found a great story idea?

4 comments

4 Comments

avery_ross1mo ago

My friend got one from a laundromat receipt.

luna_wright1mo ago

My cousin had the same thing happen at a car wash last year. Those little receipts are so flimsy, the ink just rubs off on everything. It took her weeks to get it all off her hands and out of her wallet. Honestly, it feels like they use the cheapest paper on purpose.

stellaperry2d ago

Did the ink rub off on her hands too?

ellis.faith1mo ago

The laundromat receipt thing @luna_wright mentioned is so real. I found a note tucked in a library book once, just a grocery list from 1998. It made me write a whole story about the person who wrote it. My best prompt came from a wrong number text about missing a ferry.