Kicked $60 to a "plot generator" software that just spat out random words

Thought I could speed up my outlining, but I got nonsense like "a mysterious mailbox finds a ghost" with zero context. Anyone else get burned by those AI prompt tools that promise magic? Still cheaper than a writing workshop I guess.

3 comments

3 Comments

ray36314d ago

I picked up a beat up copy of "Save the Cat" for like 8 bucks at a thrift store and it helped me way more than any app ever did. That book breaks down story structure in plain English, not weird random prompts. I also started reading scripts from movies I actually like and taking notes on how they move scenes along. The free stuff online from working writers is honestly better than paying for nonsense generators. My biggest tip is to just write down your main idea on a napkin and ask yourself "what's the worst thing that could happen next" three or four times. That gets me further than any paid tool ever has.

cora_scott7714d ago

@ray363 that "worst thing" trick is gold. I do the same with my own projects.

johnson.jason12d ago

That Save the Cat book is a classic for a reason. I got the beat sheet from it memorized by now. But I'm curious about your napkin trick specifically. When you ask yourself "what's the worst thing that could happen next," do you mean a big dramatic disaster or more like a small personal humiliation? I tried it on a scene where my character finally gets a date with someone they've been crushing on, and my brain immediately jumped to "they get in a car accident on the way there." But that felt too cheap and random, you know? Like it didn't come from the character's own choices or flaws.