C. N. Garraway

Photo by: Roman Bulatov

Have you ever created and finished a story from a writing prompt? I can’t say that I have—but I have started many ideas from them. I’m not always sure if their purpose is to spark an idea, to guide you into finishing a story or novel, or to leave you with a pile of unfinished works.

I believe the purpose of a writing prompt is to inspire you to write. Many of us struggle with writer’s block, and sometimes a single prompt is the missing piece. That small spark can bloom into a full short story or even a novel.

Recently, I’ve been trying to increase interaction with my Facebook and Instagram followers, so I started something I call Prompt Friday. By the time I created the third one, I realized I wasn’t just doing it for others—I was doing it for myself too. I needed inspiration. I was stuck on multiple WIPs and wanted to keep writing, but didn’t know where to go next. Coming up with prompts gave me the push to create new beginnings, whether for short stories or longer works.

One prompt even helped me develop a Sci-Fi/Fantasy idea from a male human POV. Usually, I write from a female perspective. I’ve read a few novels where males were abducted by aliens, but rarely as the main character. I’m sure it’s been done, but I haven’t come across it yet—so I decided to run with it. At first, I planned to write from a female POV, but choosing a different perspective made the story more exciting. I suddenly wanted to know where it would lead.

That particular prompt made me ask: What if a human man were abducted, and a woman from another planet helped him?

For me, that’s the real value of writing prompts. They may not lead to a polished masterpiece right away, but they get you writing. And sometimes, that rough beginning grows into something worth finishing—and maybe even publishing.

Have you ever written and published a story that started from a prompt? If so, I’d love to hear about it in the comments below.