Pro tip: quit writing prompts that already tell the ending

I run a small prompt swap at the Rosewood library in Akron twice a month, and back in February I brought a prompt that spelled out the whole twist in the setup. A retired teacher named Dana read it and said, 'There is nothing left for me to write.' She was right, and half the group agreed with her. I still think the popular advice to over explain your prompt is wrong, so what do you all do when a prompt feels too open, let people flounder or add a small nudge?

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riley_taylor1mo ago

Man, I'm curious what Dana actually wrote after you gave her that prompt though. Did the small nudge end up helping her find the story, or did she just sit there stuck?

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