Three Benefits of Using Writing Prompts

Are you feeling stuck in your writing? Do you need a creative nudge to put your pen to paper? Writing prompts might be the solution you need to kick-start your writing this month. A writing prompt can take the form of an image, a photograph, a single word, or a thought-provoking question — the options are endless. 

The beauty of engaging with prompts is that there is no right or wrong way to use them. We can shape and reshape prompts to keep us consistently putting words on the page. 

Read on to discover three benefits of incorporating prompts into your writing practice.
 

1. Prompts offer a fixed starting point.

Getting started is often the hardest part of writing. We’ve all stared at a blank screen for excessive amounts of time and wondered how to fill it. Prompts give writers a place to start. They allow us to use our writing time more effectively by eliminating the question of what to write. By offering a fixed starting point, writing prompts help us to simply begin. 

If getting started is particularly difficult for you, try prompts that require a response to a phrase or question. Treat it like a conversation. Imagine a good friend is asking you that question and see how you respond. You might be surprised at what happens! 

2. Prompts spark creativity.

We all experience dry phases in our creativity. Prompts offer us the opportunity to explore new ideas and express ourselves in fresh ways. A prompt is a place to start — not the end of the conversation. When we allow ourselves the freedom to respond however we'd like without worrying about what readers might think, we can unlock unexplored areas of our writing. 

Try giving yourself permission to play on the page. For now, suspend all judgment about your writing and eliminate the pressure to share your words with anyone. When you give yourself that freedom, you may find the seeds of great content hidden in your responses. One of the best benefits of using prompts is that they often lead to work we can share later, without the pressure to perform in the initial writing.

3. Prompts allow for low-stakes practice.

The number one method for improving as a writer is to write regularly. The more we practice, the better our words will become. The most sustainable route to progress is establishing a regular writing rhythm, and integrating prompts into our process gives us the chance to try new methods, ideas, or challenges in a low-stakes fashion.

Writing prompts can be beneficial to even the most seasoned writer. If you need help getting started, you’re in a creative rut, or you want new ways to practice your craft, give writing prompts a try. You never know what good work might come from it.

If you're ready to give writing prompts a try, sign up for our free Instagram Writing Challenge! For five days, you'll receive one-word prompts and thoughtful questions to help get your creativity flowing. Click here to join us.