A writing prompt is a short statement, description, word, or question which has the goal of helping you release the floodgates of creative writing. A writing prompt can be almost anything that sets your mind on a journey or which inspires and builds your creativity. Prompts empower you to express your thoughts in writing and pen them down. The prompt does not necessarily have to be true, but they are generally short. The length depends on the scene or your creativity.
The Purpose of Writing Prompts
The point of a prompt is not what you write about but the fact that it inspires you to start writing. Writing prompts do not require a narrative but rather an inspiring "something" like a friend, pet, or a journey to make sure you receive that gentle nudge that gets you moving in the right direction. All you need to have are a couple of prompts to explore.
Prompt takes you anywhere you want to go. If you are writing a prompt, you should understand that a starting sentence that inspires an entire story is not a prompt because it instantly poses a restriction on the willing reader. Having the reader of the prompt receive too much information within the first sentence actually stifles creativity.
Writing a Prompt
What the writer needs to understand is the form of the writing required, e.g., a narrative, expository, or marketing piece. The writer of the prompt may need to state the target form explicitly. The prompt writer may decide to choose one area which they are familiar and comfortable to explore like anger, animals, love, fear, etc. The prompt should be short and precise but detailed enough to catch the readers attention.