The year was 2017. I was working the graveyard shift overseas in a hospital while serving in the U.S. Military. As you can imagine, overnight shifts tend to be slow… usually. One night, I randomly got the idea, “Hey while I have some downtime, why don’t I write something?” That’s the funny thing about working overnights. Your mind wanders.
I don’t know why the thought crossed my mind so suddenly. Maybe I was going crazy from lack of sunlight, or maybe my inner child was trying to remind me of my childhood dream of becoming an author. Who knows?
The next night I brought my laptop to work and during my downtime (usually around 3am) I opened it up and stared at a blank screen. Then it hit me. What was I going to write about? Several more minutes of staring at a blank screen later, my hands started moving and things that resembled words appeared on the screen.
To this day, I seriously think my subconscious took over that night. I ended up writing (if you could even call it that) half a page about some young detective and his quick-witted pointy-mustache having partner investigating a murder. The kicker? It took place in a city that was stuck in eternal night.
Eternal night? Maybe I was going crazy. Working graveyard shifts long enough has that effect, I suppose lol.
A year and several more false starts later, I stumbled upon these things called writing prompts. I didn’t really know it at the time, but they would end up helping me solve my biggest problem as a new “wannabe” writer. The problem of actually getting started and staying consistent enough to make it a habit (not like a drug habit, although I’m sure some people out there would compare the two. It’s more like an action you look forward to doing regularly that might improve your life and the lives of those around you in some way).
My first writing prompt came from a free pdf with a month’s worth of writing prompts I got for signing up to a random email newsletter way back when. All I had to do was read the prompt/scenario and just write whatever came to my mind. It really didn’t matter how it turned out.
No one was going to read it, but me. And it wasn’t something that I was going to publish. It was simply me, the prompt, and the flood of ideas that naturally came because of the prompt.
A month’s worth of writing prompts and the freedom to write whatever I wanted? Simple enough, I thought.
All I had to do was one prompt per day. That’s it. And so I did. Day in and day out, I would show up to the keyboard, read the prompt for the day, write whatever my mind wanted to throw-up that day and go about the rest of my day.
After several days, I noticed something. Something that made all the difference. Something that I didn’t expect would happen. I actually started to LOVE writing. I actually looked forward to showing up every day to write. I wanted more.
Writing prompts help solve one of the biggest questions that many writers get when they sit down to create. And that is… what the hell am I going to write about?
Here’s an example of a fiction writing prompt: “You’re walking along the beach at night during a full moon with someone you love. From a distance, you notice three shadowy figures standing near the shore. As you two get closer, you see two throw one of the others into the water. Afterwards, one runs off and the other picks up a shovel and heads towards you…”
Here, you would just continue the scenario with the first thing that pops into your mind, then just go with the flow.
Looking back, that little free gift gave me the confidence boost I needed to build a writing habit, and actually put pen on paper. The practice of simply writing consistently was what helped me to get on this creative writing journey, and I’m forever grateful.
It gave me the creative spark I needed, when I needed it.
As much as I enjoy writing prompts, just know they aren’t necessary to start your path as a writer. There are a ton of paths, but it sure as hell is a good one to go with. I can attest to that.
So, if you find yourself thinking “What the heck should I write about? How can I even get started?” etc. Give writing prompts a try. They might just be what ignites your own creative spark.
Jeff Aybar is a writer, Sci-Fi/Fantasy nerd, INFJ, veteran, and all-around creative. You can get a free copy of his guide for writers and other creatives on starting the creative journey once it’s released by signing up for his upcoming newsletter. Stay tuned to jeffaybar.com for the latest.