Vent: That writing prompt about 'a door appears in your room' is driving me nuts

I saw it on three different forums this week and people ALWAYS have the character step through immediately without checking anything. Like no one ever thinks to throw a sock through first or test if it leads to a vacuum. Has anyone else noticed how many people skip the simple safety steps in these prompts?

2 comments

2 Comments

barbara42912d ago

Did you try writing one where the character actually tests the door first? I did that in a similar prompt once, had my guy tape a GoPro to a Roomba and send it through. It worked really well because it built tension while showing the character was smart instead of just reckless. The comments loved it and someone even expanded on the idea with their own version using a drone.

the_piper11d ago

That part about showing the character being smart instead of just reckless hits on something bigger. I see this in real life all the time, like how people who prepare ahead get better results than the ones who just charge in. My buddy keeps a small toolkit in his car and he's saved himself three flat tires this year while everyone else is stuck waiting for a tow. Or think about how some folks test the water before jumping in a pool while others just cannonball and then complain it's cold. Same principle applies everywhere. Taking that extra thirty seconds to check things first usually pays off.