I always thought writing prompts were just for getting started

I used to grab a random one, write a quick scene, and call it a day. Then I tried to write a whole short story from a prompt about a character who finds a key that opens any door but their own. I got stuck for a solid month trying to figure out the ending and why they couldn't open their door. I finally solved it last night by making the 'door' a metaphor for their grief. Has anyone else had a simple prompt spiral into a much bigger project that took weeks to untangle?

3 comments

3 Comments

josephbutler15d ago

That "key that opens any door but their own" prompt is a classic trap. The metaphor solution is smart. I've found the best way to untangle those is to just write the obvious, literal ending first, even if it's bad. The real meaning usually hides behind it.

alexc9315d ago

Yeah, writing the obvious ending first is such a good trick. I once spent weeks on a prompt about a silent phone call, trying to be deep, when the simple answer was just a wrong number all along lol. Sometimes the fix is way less complicated than we make it.

johnson.jason13d ago

Actually, starting with the obvious ending can lock you into a boring path. For that silent phone call, the wrong number is fine, but what if the caller knew the person couldn't speak? The first simple idea shuts down better, weirder ones.