Art show rejection changed how I write prompts now

I submitted 12 writing prompts to a local art and lit show last spring in Portland. They rejected every single one. One judge wrote back and said my prompts were "too vague" and "felt like homework." That stung but they were right honestly. Now I try to include a weird detail or a specific place in every prompt I make. Like instead of "write about a secret" I go with "write about the secret your uncle kept in the tool shed. Has doing something similar helped you craft better prompts too.

3 comments

3 Comments

fionagibson1mo ago

That secretary's tool shed secret reminds me of the time I found a possum living inside my lawnmower.

brookefox1mo ago

Oh man, the possum in the lawnmower is WILD. I had a similar thing happen with a raccoon that decided my grill cover was its personal penthouse. What finally worked for me was leaving a cheap radio on a talk station near the spot for a few nights. They HATE the sound of human voices. After three days that raccoon packed its bags and I never saw it again.

leobrown1mo ago

No wait, possums don't usually climb into lawnmowers. That was probably a rat.