Tried writing a prompt from a stranger's grocery list - it was surprisingly great

Last Tuesday I grabbed a crumpled receipt off the ground outside Publix and used the items as a writing prompt. It had things like 'baby wipes, bourbon, birthday candles, duct tape' and I ended up writing a whole short story about a guy trying to surprise his kid with a last-minute party. I was stuck on ideas for like 3 weeks before that. The weird part is how much easier it was than using those big fancy prompt generators online. Has anyone else tried pulling prompts from random everyday stuff like that?

3 comments

3 Comments

cole99425d ago

That grocery list method is pretty gimmicky honestly. Real writing comes from having something to say, not from duct tape and bourbon prompts. A crumpled receipt might get you started for one afternoon, but it won't teach you how to finish a story or write something with actual depth. You're better off just reading more books and working through the hard parts instead of chasing lucky finds off the ground.

the_stella25d ago

Disagree hard on this one. The whole point of finding a weird prompt like a grocery list is that it tricks your brain into writing without all the pressure of "having something important to say." You sit down thinking you're just messing around with some junk and suddenly you're writing about the old lady who always buys the same three things every Tuesday or the weird guy who only ever gets eggs and canned beans. That's where the real stuff comes from, not from forcing yourself to stare at a blank page trying to be profound. Finishing a story comes from practice, sure, but starting one is usually the hardest part and a silly crutch can get you past that block way faster than just reading more books. Plus you can find depth anywhere if you're paying attention, even on a crumpled receipt someone dropped in the parking lot.

ivan_mason15d ago

Wait, hold on - did you say "duct tape and bourbon prompts" like that's a real thing people are doing? I thought I'd heard every weird writing trick there was, but that's a new one on me. Look, I get that you think prompts are gimmicky, but honestly, that grocery list idea has way more potential than staring at a blank wall (or a bottle of whiskey, apparently).