A prompt is a tool many writers and artist use to generate and inspire more ideas for their work. Prompts can take the form of pretty much any medium, giving you multiple possibilities to stretch your creative muscles. That is one brilliant thing about them. They can take the form of a picture, a song, a couple of words, maybe a question, a scene, or even an object, the only real contingency is that whatever shape or form the prompt takes, you, the creator, write or create something inspired by the prompt.
The prompt can become something obvious in your work or it can show up in less-noticeable ways. Meaning, you can use a prompt in a way that immediately conveys what the prompt was or you can use as inspiration within a poem without directly coming out and saying what it is. For example, if you are given a prompt on “Living” whatever you create based on this prompt—be it poem or picture, can immediately address the prompt through specific imagery and details. Maybe you describe a baby bird cracking her shell or look to the growth of a flower to explore the topic. But, maybe you feel called to look at the theme of “Living” in a different way so you center on an image of a coffee cup and explore how it is gradually drained as a subtle hint at what it means to be “living” sometimes. What is amazing about prompts is that no matter how many people use the same prompt you’ll find each poem is distinct and unique.
This picture taken from @Myth.and.Lore on instagram is one example of creative prompts you can find within the poetry community.
Depending on what a prompt is for, there may or may not be rules involved. Meaning, if you are submitting a piece to a “prompt contest” or a journal that has an open call for submissions on a given prompt, you may need to include the prompt word in the poem, but oftentimes, your poem does not have to center only on the prompt to be considered. One thing note on prompts you use in your own work is that a prompt is first and foremost a jumping off point—just because you start with it, doesn't mean you have to end with it. In your own work, you can use the prompt as it suits you, and if there comes a point when the poem or creative work outgrows the initial prompt, that is okay too--really that is the point we as creators want to get to. We can use the example of the prompt “Living” again. The idea of living can encapsulate so many facets of existence which you can explore. You can write about what life looks like to a coffee cup or what it looks like to a page of paper. If you find that your poem or work set on the pompt of living becomes a poem more about drinking coffee with someone you no longer speak to, it is okay to let go of the initial idea you had when you began writing (or creating) to follow the poem where it leads.
This list of prompts is taken from @skyroseheywood
on Instagram
Prompts can help you to create and write when you feel stuck because using a prompt enables you to reflect on a given subject which allows you to essentially mine your mind for ways to convey what you see. There are many ways you can gain access to prompts. You can follow certain accounts on Instagram that give out prompts every so often. Many Instagram accounts host monthly, even weekly, prompt contests where you are given something to write on, a theme to explore, and a set time limit. You can also follow boards on Pinterest and create your own—look for interesting pictures of places you have never gone and write about that scene as if you are a character living in that world. Turn on some ambient music, breathe deeply, and see where the music takes you and your words. It can be difficult sometimes to find prompts that speak to you, but when you do, you will find that your writing just flows.
Links To Pages For Prompts
Skyrose:
Myth and Lore:
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