It's like we're all using writing to deal with the weirdness of modern work.
I was making bread and realized the waiting time is perfect for tension. The dough rising slowly, the oven heat building, it's all setup for payoff. Now I use cooking processes as prompts for slow-burn narratives. Even a simple timer tick can be a countdown in a thriller.
I used to skip all prompt work. Felt it was beneath me. My creativity suffered. Then I tried a prompt about a forgotten language. It opened new doors. Now I use prompts daily. Please learn from my error.
I used to swear by only the most bizarre and intricate prompts, thinking they were the key to originality. Then, during a timed exercise with a basic prompt about 'a lost key,' I produced my most heartfelt piece yet. It hit me that I was forcing complexity instead of letting emotion guide the story. Now I urge you to reconsider if you're overengineering your prompts too. Sometimes the simplest ideas unlock the deepest narratives.
I've been getting flak from my workshop for claiming that mundane, everyday scenes make the best writing starters, but it's how I wrote my first published piece, so what's the most ordinary thing you've turned into a story?
Honestly, I went to get my usual latte and the barista asked if I wanted the 'Cleopatra Cold Brew' or the 'Einstein Espresso'. Tbh, it was confusing because I just wanted coffee. Ngl, I tried the 'Shakespeare Shake' and it had literal rose petals in it. Now I see people debating online which philosopher pairs best with oat milk. It's a hilarious way to make caffeine more dramatic.