Dr Tanya has asked some new questions about blogging and how we feel about writing prompts. Here is my take on the subject.
How do writing prompts affect your creativity? Do they expand it, or do they restrict it?
I think that writing prompts have helped me a lot. Most of my posts are in response to prompts, either writing or photography. I live a pretty uneventful life and I think I would struggle to find something to post every day if I didn’t have a prompt to help me.
Can they be considered ‘real’ or ‘true’ writing?
Yes, I think they can. If you are just going to take a Q&A post and answer the questions briefly maybe not so much but often when I’m doing one of those I’ll take the opportunity to tell a story about something as part of my answer. Prompts are just that, you take the idea in the prompt and go where you want with it so I think it is “real” or “true” writing if you do that.
What is your favourite kind of prompt?
I love reminiscing about old times and I also love describing places I’ve visited or would like to so I do enjoy prompts that encourage that sort of writing. I used to often do one called “Times Past” , hosted by Irene Waters and until recently “Throwback Thursday”, hosted alternately by Maggie & Lauren. Prompts like these would give me the opportunity not only to reminisce about my younger days but also to tell the story of the mysterious disappearance of three children from Glenelg Beach in South Australia or to talk about department stores in Adelaide, concerts I’ve been to or the collapse of the Tasman Bridge in Hobart for example. I’ve left a couple of links to old posts at the end for those who may not have read them before.
The first writing prompt I joined in regularly was Share Your World and the Q&A format of that prompt has been a very good one for me over the years. Hosted originally by Cee Neuner, then Melanie for some years and now by Di it’s a prompt I still do most weeks. Sometimes I do prompts like RDP and the recently reinstated WordPress Daily Prompt. The ones I like best give me an idea or theme to work with. I am very grateful to all the bloggers who host prompts and challenges. As well as the ones I’ve already mentioned and this prompt provided by Dr Tanya I regularly join in with prompts by Fandango, Earthly Comforts and others. Without all of you I wouldn’t have as much to say.
Our Other Blog: Two Sisters and Two Points of View 
I used to do more prompts, but I cut way back on them, probably because I felt I was too dependent on them. I still use them, but I try not to depend on them. I really want to keep my writing voice. Back before WP decided to drop all their prompts, I really WAS dependent on them and was a bit lost when they disappeared. I’m trying to avoid doing that again.
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What a sweet tribute to prompts!
The prompts would be nothing without people like you participating in them.
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