My take on prompt lists that skip genre tags

Ngl, it bugs me when prompts don't say if they're for horror or romance. How are you supposed to dive in without knowing the vibe?

3 comments

Log in to join the discussion

Log In

3 Comments

cora3657mo ago

Honestly this whole thing reminds me of a writing group I was in last year. We had this one prompt about a locked room and a ringing phone, super basic. Half the group wrote gritty crime thrillers, the other half wrote weird sci-fi meet-cutes. The discussion afterwards was chaos, but in a fun way, because nobody went in with the same idea. Sometimes not knowing the genre is the whole point, it forces you to pick a lane yourself.

4

shane_wilson7mo ago

Actually, I've seen prompts left vague so writers blend genres on their own. It pushes you to create something totally new instead of following a set template. Like, a prompt about a haunted house could turn into a creepy romance if you're not told it's just horror. That not knowing can lead to the most unique stories!

2

cameron4167mo ago

Wait, did you really suggest a haunted house prompt could turn into a creepy romance? That seems like a stretch. Blending genres without any hint can lead to stories that don't know what they are. If you start with horror and end up with romance, the audience might feel tricked. Some prompts need a bit of focus to help writers build on a solid idea. Total vagueness just makes the writing process harder, not more creative.

7