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The difference between a random word generator and a real writing prompt hit me hard yesterday
I tried using one of those 'random object' generators for a short story, and it gave me 'a rusty bucket'. That's not a story, it's just a thing. Then I found a prompt that said 'Write about a character who finds a bucket that can hold anything except water', which gave me an actual problem to solve. Anyone have a go-to site for prompts that actually set up a conflict?
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the_alice7mo ago
a rusty bucket" is a story if you're not lazy.
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davidyoung7mo ago
My creative writing professor would call that a three-word prompt, not a story.
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wadew516mo ago
Totally get what the_zara means about just a noun. A rusty bucket is a prop, not a plot. You need the problem, like the bucket that can't hold water. That's the engine. It forces a character to try and fill it, fail, and then maybe discover it holds moonlight or secrets instead. The good prompt gives you the weird rule that breaks the normal world.
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