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Heard a writer at the Denver con say they only use three prompts a year
They said they keep a notebook with exactly three ideas, and work on those until they're done before picking new ones. I've been trying to collect dozens, but maybe that just makes me picky and slow. Do you guys limit your prompt list or just gather everything?
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west.wendy16d ago
Forget limiting prompts, the real trick is how you sort them. I keep a massive list but split it into "right now" and "maybe later" piles. That big list stops me from forgetting a cool flash of inspiration, but the small focused list keeps me from getting stuck choosing. The three prompt method sounds like a great way to finish things, but my brain would panic about losing all the other ideas.
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kai_brown2316d ago
Oh man, that "maybe later" pile is a lifesaver. My friend Sarah had this huge note file of story ideas that just paralyzed her. She started doing what you said, @west.wendy, and moved just two into a "this week" folder. One was about a sentient old truck, the other a chef who seasons food with memories. She finished the truck story in three days because she wasn't staring at fifty other options. That "later" list let her brain relax, knowing the chef idea wasn't gone, just waiting its turn.
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