A writing prompt is a single word or a short phrase that you start writing from. It gets you past the hardest moment, the blank page, and often leads to the ideas you need for the piece you actually want to write.
Many people have a story to tell or an opinion to share, and the internet gives them many places to do it. You can write and publish your own book, submit articles to other websites, or start your own blog about the topics you love. Once you have written something, editing it is easy. The problem comes before that: it can be difficult to get from wanting to write about something to actually sitting down and doing it. A writing prompt can help.
What is a writing prompt?
In most cases, the most difficult part of writing is deciding what to write about. That is why many writers recommend starting with a writing prompt. A prompt is usually not a fully formed idea (if it were, you wouldn't need a prompt). It is just a short phrase, or even a single word.
How to use a writing prompt
When you sit down to write, start with your prompt and write down whatever comes to mind.
You will usually end up with a collection of loosely related notes. If you are really lucky, inspiration will hit, and it will lead you straight into the story or article you had in mind.
It doesn't always work like that, though. After you have spent some time writing down random thoughts around your prompt, go back and review them. Then look at what you wrote and start making a plan.
The point of a writing prompt is not to start the article you intended. It is simply to start writing.
Your notes might turn into a list of points for your article, or you might decide to focus on just one of the things you wrote down. Either way, you have made a start, and you are no longer staring at a blank page.
4 reasons to use a writing prompt
- A blank page is scary. For any kind of writer, a blank page can be intimidating, and it can even become a mental block. If you start with a writing prompt, your page is no longer blank.
- It relaxes your mind. Not having to stare at a blank page reduces stress. It also gives your mind a break from forcing itself to think about the article you want to write.
- It gives you material. When you review what you wrote from a prompt, you may find ideas that you want to include in your final piece. You will often also discover other topics that you want to write about later. Once you start using writing prompts, you will find that there is no end to them.
- It builds a habit. Many writers will tell you that the key to writing better is simply to write. It doesn't matter what you write or how good it is at first. What matters is that you write as much as you can. It is like building up a muscle: if you want it to get stronger, you have to use it.
Where to find writing prompts
If you want to start using writing prompts, the good news is that you are surrounded by them. You only have to pay attention and note down the words or phrases that catch your ear. They can come from television, conversations with friends, billboards, headlines, or the websites you visit. Once you get into the habit of keeping a list of prompts, you won't have to struggle with a blank page again. If you need a few to start with, try this list of over 50 writing prompts, or read where to find ideas to write about.
Whatever you are writing, take the time to check it with the Spell Checker before you share it, so that it is presented in the best possible light.