Writing Tips: The Power of a Writing Prompt

A writing prompt can be a powerful tool.  It can help you get over writers block and start getting words out of your brain and onto your paper or your screen.  Writing prompts also give you something to think about that you might not have thought about on your own.  As writers, most of us work alone and don't have co-workers to bounce ideas off of.  A writing prompt can help provide that creative bounce.



When writers do collaborate on a magazine, blog, or anthology, a writing prompt can help align their efforts and keep them "on topic."  The writing group that I'm part of the WolfPack Authors (#WolfPackAuthors on Twitter) recently used a one word writing prompt to develop a charity anthology, Once Upon A WolfPack, to benefit the Lockwood Animal Rescue Center (LARC).  Every author who participated was asked develop a story with a "Wolf" theme.  Our mission was to write a story that incorporate a wolf in some way.  The wolf could be incorporated in the short story as the name of a character, a literal wild wolf, a fairy tale wolf, or in any other way we saw fit.

The resulting stories were an eclectic mix of genres and style.  The huge tome makes for an interesting read.  It seems like you can find something new everytime you pick the big book up.  But, more importantly, they have helped raise money which is destined to help LARC rescue wolves and provide rehabilitation opportunities for combat veterans who have been struggling with memories of war.  Veterans can work to rehabilitate wolves in a natural environment that provides them with an opportunity to decompress, work to heal and nurture animals, and reintegrate into the world.