Finally caved and tried that writing prompt app my sister kept pushing

She spent 6 months telling me her daily writing stats from this $5 app while I rolled my eyes, saying real writers don't need gimmicks. Then last Tuesday I hit a total block on my novel draft, downloaded it on a whim, and cranked out 800 words from a single prompt about a broken escalator in a Denver mall. Has anyone else found a tool they dismissed actually helped their creative flow?

3 comments

3 Comments

emma45520d ago

I make myself use those prompt apps as warmups before my main writing now. The timer feature is what gets me, 10 minutes of pure typing without overthinking anything. Denver escalator prompt sounds like a perfect setup for weird character interactions, those mall crowds are prime material.

kellygrant20d ago

Emma's got it right. Timers are the whole trick for me too. I do the same thing before I sit down to work on anything real. Those ten minute bursts are like jumping into cold water, you just go and the nonsense comes out but sometimes a gem shows up. The Denver escalator thing would be pure gold for crowd dynamics. People never act normal on those things, they either stand frozen or try to walk past everyone. I've gotten more usable scenes from those quick warmups than from hours of staring at a blank page.

williamhenderson20d agoProlific Poster

Nah, timers kill creativity. Better to let your thoughts flow naturally without a clock rushing you.