Freebie Mondays: An Update on the Prompt Novel

For 2024, I have decided to devote my prompt writing time to a novel. The twist is that the novel plot will be generated entirely by the writing prompts I chose to use for the project, which were rolled randomly using my trusty dice and a few online prompt lists.

As with many of my prompt projects, the rules I’ve crafted to guide it are fairly loose. First and foremost, I didn’t make a plan based on the prompts I rolled. I’ve tried to remain aware of the contents of each prompt so I won’t inadvertently write myself into a corner, but I prefer not to have a plan. The goal is to come up with a novel plot off the cuff, one chapter at a time, so that I respond to each prompt with the same level of consideration.

Each week, I pick the prompt I want to use for the next chapter of the story and weave the key elements of the prompt into the novel’s plot. Sometimes I choose the next few prompts ahead of time, but I try not to plan any further than the next portion of the story. (Though it’s sometimes impossible to prevent the writer brain from sparking with ideas when it looks at hooks.)

At the time of this writing, I have composed 7 chapters of the Prompt Novel. Most have focused on establishing characters and back stories as well as introducing what will become the novel’s main conflict.

I started this project with 15 randomly chosen writing prompts. But looking at the list now that I’ve reached roughly the halfway point makes me realize that I don’t have enough prompts to resolve any of the conflicts I’ve introduced.

Thus it’s time for an update, and an expansion!

The Project So Far

If you’re interested in reading what I’ve written so far, here’s an updated table of contents with links to the first 7 chapters. (The original project introduction and prompt list is right here!)

Chapter 1: Black Licorice Day
(Prompt: During a bout of road rage, a woman puts a curse on a man that upends his life)
Chapter 2: The Mawor
(Prompt: She has been walking for hours. Her feet are bleeding. But she can’t stop; she can’t let him find her again)
Chapter 3: The Specter of Memory
(Prompt: High school sweethearts reunite)
Chapter 4: The Queen of Pentacles
(Prompt: A character hears their future from a fortune teller)
Chapter 5: Cerulean Sky
(Prompt: Man gets lost in a virtual reality sim and can no longer tell what’s real)
Chapter 6: Limbo
(Prompt: One aspect of every dream a character has comes true the next day)
Chapter 7: Weird Patterns
(Prompt: Character is the only one who can read the lost language and therefore the only person who can decipher “the scroll”)

I have written each of these chapters on stream, so if you’d like to see how they came together, you can watch the VoDs on Youtube! (Incidentally, this project update was also written on stream, so you can watch it come together as well!)

So far, the story centers around a woman named Ira and a man named Alyial. One day, due to an unfortunate traffic incident, their lives collide spectacularly. Ira is a corporate designer currently struggling with a family emergency involving her young nephew. Alyial is a computer engineer attempting to build a complex computer simulation – until everything he touches starts to break. They are strangers, brought together by circumstance – but can they unweave the tangle their first chance meeting has created?

What I’ve Learned So Far

When I started this project, I was aware of how crazy it sounded. A novel with a randomly generated plot? The results would either be wonderful or a total disaster; that was part of the fun!

One thing I didn’t worry about was coming up with a story on the fly. I wrote the entire Mystical Island Trilogy and half of the Eternity’s Empire series by the seat of my pants without any plan. It isn’t how I handle my major novel projects anymore; but this isn’t supposed to be a serious project.

The point is to write something fun with no major consequences for failure. This story is going on my blog, after all, where everyone can read it for free. If it blows up in my face, I won’t have to market a flop. And I’ll still learn something from the process.

Although the story is still in its infancy (only about a 3rd of the way finished after expanding the prompt list), I’ve already learned a lot from looking at the prompts I’ve chosen.

It’s clear to me that when even when I’m working on a ‘for fun’ project, I want to be challenged. So any writing prompt that feels too easy doesn’t make the list. I also try to avoid plots I feel like I’ve already written. I want to try something new, not retread old territory.

I did filter the list of prompts I selected, but not to choose prompts that would pair well for a plot. I didn’t want to end up with any prompts that were boring or uninteresting to me. This includes any prompt that feels too generic. I also don’t like it when a prompt tells me what the result or reaction of my character should be. I want to make those decisions! That’s where the fun is for me. So I like prompts that are mainly just hooks with a lot of possibility for discovery.

The most compelling prompts for me are the ones that start making me ask questions right away!

The Updated Prompt List

Here are the remaining unused prompts from the original round of choosing (in no particular order):

1. One character is actually a mystical creature living a normal human life for a short period
2. “If I knew then what I know now”
3. She tried to forget him but never could
4. A man asks his twin to fill in for him for a relationship he’s gotten tired of
5. The lives of two people are changed forever when they meet and engage in a weekend-long love affair
6. A family on a hike stumbles upon a group of witches in the middle of casting a spell
7. Using only dialog reveal a long-hidden secret
8. Using only dialog show two characters having their first date

And here is the brand new list of prompts that will be added to the pool for the rest of the novel’s creation:

1. You can buy a pill that lets you decide exactly what you will dream
2. A character thought dead returns home to the surprise of those that have moved on
3. Tell a story through text messages
4. Character has to get to the bottom of their family’s deepest secret
5. Character gets to revisit one moment from their life
6. Two characters that had a fling discover they’re having a baby
7. Past and present timelines begin to merge
8. Character discovers their best friend’s dad is responsible for the growing number of missing people in their hometown

I’m not planning to use up the old prompts before selecting any of the new ones. I plan to continue just selecting which ever prompt feels best for the next chapter. But the dice rolled a lot of conclusion prompts for the second round, so they will naturally come later in the process.

So far, I’m pleased by how this project is going. And after updating the prompt list, I’m even more excited to see how things turn out!