Hello Plinky users! My name is Joy, and I’m one of the staff people who add new prompts to Plinky. It’s been really fun to see how you all respond to the prompts, and track which ones are more popular.
Making Plinky better isn’t possible without your feedback, so I’d love to know: What are your favorite types of prompts, and why? And which prompts make you roll your eyes? Do you like our “weekend writing challenges” where we focus more on elements of creative writing? And so on.
Cheers, and I hope everyone has a great weekend.
Plinky 
My favourite prompts are when you get to describe your favourite things 🙂
“Defend your vices” and “No internet for a Month” are by far the best prompts i’ve read and written about. Im liking Plinky as it … exercises our bloggers mind. In my opinion, best prompts are those which have to do with our favorite things whether it is technology, real life, past, present or future. Always leave room for creativity … not just ask for singularities such as “what’s your favorite song and why?” or “Name three songs that have changed your life” … thats just me
My favourite prompts “will be” the kind that allow the creative juices to flow. Perhaps allowing a lot more than one interpretation, and encourage the writer to take a different look at the subject matter. Prompts which cause different thinking about a subject.
Things that would prompt essay like answers. The Memoir one is good…
I really like the weekend writing challenges, but it would be nice if they were easier to find on the site–maybe a tab? Even searching for them is tricky.
I really enjoy the prompts that ask a specific question. Eg: Who is your best friend?, What is your weirdest pet peeve?, What is your favorite quote?, etc.
The ones I don’t like are those laborious high-school composition prompts, like Fictionalize a real argument you’ve had, Tell a story about two cops in Alaska, or Start your memoir. To me, it feels like such prompts are designed to be awesome questions, rather than questions designed to prompt awesome answers.
Who needs a prompt to overcome writer’s block? Prompting with nonsense questions just makes serious writers irate. Well, what can I say-it always comes to individual taste. The only way to overcome writer’s block for me is to stare blankly at the windows of my condo and look at the still buildings or look at the swaying leaves of magnificent trees whenever I’m outdoors. Facing the computer all the time gives strain even to the most creative brains so give yourself a break, get out of that sticky seat and magnetic screen filled with colorful unreal objects and have a glimpse of the real world you are living in. Cyber world sucks but as long as you’re still human, take advantage of this amazing phase in human life strongly shaped by technology.
I agree with Randy I like those types of prompts, I’m not too fond about the memoirs or the road trip play list songs.
Talk about helping us overcoming our writer’s blocks while you are doing an amazing job creating all those prompts! I am floored. Thank you.
The best blogs are ones that focus on a particular topic or set of related ideas. I think a good prompt would be something that is vague enough that you can use it as an inspiration for the topic you want to write about, but one that forces you to approach it from a particular viewpoint.
I like variety, so I can’t really pick a favorite.
I keep an open mind every time I log in, and if the prompt inspires me, great, if not, I try something else 🙂
I think the point is to get yourself thinking, not necessarily to get what you want.
So I don’t have a favorite, I am just happy they exist 🙂
Bee
The best one, that I have enjoyed, was the dialog from the two Alaskan Police officers.
I’m a lover of stories and that type of prompt gets those creative juices stirring.
The ones I dislike the most are those that simply ask an opinion.
How about one word prompts such as, Nature… or Bizarre…? One word can take writers in many directions.
I’m enjoying your site and the new connections that I have made here!
I love Prompts that propose self-analyzes 😀
I haven’t participated of any ‘Writing challenge’ yet, but I’ll try soon.
Thanks for the oportunity!
I enjoy prompts that get me critically thinking (like the death penalty question). I also enjoy prompts that get the creative juices churning….mine have been in quicksand lately…
I find it hard to describing myself so the prompt about what I looked like as a teenager will take some thinking. It would be hard for me to write off the cuff like I do about most things.
It is delightful to have a place like this to keep me writing.
Thanks
I prefer prompts that require me to think in an abstract manner in order to fully analyze the question
I love the weekend writing challenges! The prompts that make me want to write are the thoughtful or funny ones that force me to become a better writer. I hate the one liners or the favourites – it’s just boring.
Hmm, I keep ignoring Plinky for topics that can be too politically heated (death penalty) and too specific and don’t require much actually discussion (favourite something or another). I prefer the open ended ones that appeal to the topics I typically write about, which is hard for the Plinky prompt gurus to accommodate.
Variety is the spice of life. You’re doing just fine, Joy (alias PLINKY).
Actually, this the first site I’ve ever visited that really has a good quality to share some questions to New Bloggers like me. I utterly love this Plinky.com. It takes me a long time to think about what title should I come up with when it’s time to write something on my blog. Thanks to Plinky.com for making my life easier.
My favorite prompts are ones I can do in 160 characters of less. I understand that may seem like a short amount for a full description, but that’s why I use twitter (twitter.com/mrgiovannihale) to chat on concise, quick topic’s. Thank you for taking the time to ask us what we think.
I like the ones that prompt a call to action or a question that will grab you , and captivate you . I liked the what will make your eyes roll . Would you ever consider????????
I agree with hankhokamp76’s comment – the variety is good. Some days I feel like participating because the prompt is scintillating, and some days I don’t because the prompt doesn’t encourage writing out of me. But the prompts always make me think, which pushes my brain in a different direction, even for just a little while, and I like that. The creative writing prompts push me out of my comfort zone, and that’s pretty neat, too. All in all, keep it up, and please don’t stick to just one type of prompt. I need the variety!
Actually the more challenging the better-love the weekend writing prompts.
I have followed Plinky for a few months and really enjoy the variety so far so please keep that going-let’s not get stuck into a specific mold here-keep us guessing and keep it fresh and broad spectrum.
I find many of the prompts put forth for us easily allow me to interpret the question openly and then subsequently answer in my own way. At the same time, these prompts spark that little light swith in my brain and allow me to contemplate other avenues and scenarios to continue writing elsewhere, often in an entirely different direction.
are the writing challenges the weekend prompts? if not, what are they please?
Yes, those are the weekend prompts. During the weekends, we focus more on creative writing aspects, instead of straightforward prompts.
Creative writing ones are the best.
I loved the one about writing your memoir.
Love the site and its randomness! It really helps when it’s a slow news week for my blog, bookheaven.wordpress.com, and I come up blank with what to write.
I like the variety, I have been on Plinky for less than a day and I have already answered like 8 prompts. I’m completely missing the point if these prompts are to help you overcome writers block, because I’m simply to addicted to answering. like I’ll win a prize if I hit a certain figure. I also like reading other Bloggers answers.
Favourite prompts so far are: The creative writing and play out a scene with dialogue prompts, probably because I studied creative writing and my favourite part of scripts is making mundane arguments out of nothing.
I like a prompt that I can grip, really sink my teeth into the topics. Ideas about where it is something personal to me. Also, I like the challenges to where we have to use a specific writing format.
and yet here you are on Plinky. Not everyone here is a “serious writer”, some of us haven’t had the training. It is a great way to practice.
I prefer prompts that you really have to think hard about. These aren’t as much fun or as much an exercise if I can answer them instinctively.
Ones that I like least are generic sorts of things (things in the vein of favorite book, dream vacation, etc) these are things that are asked on every social network profile. People answer these questions so often that they’re kinda boring. They’re too easy.
I love the ‘weekend writing challenges’ you supply(ied) but the prompts which demand the most attention are the ones I cannot ignore…they encroach upon my time and become more pressing each and every day……love Plinky by the way….its way cool.
My favorite prompts are ones that make me say “Hmmm”, that is they make me think outside the box.
I have only recently found Plinky, but there are usually some of this type, though I can not always get to responding.
I like prompts that lead to really thinking about an issue. I do not like ‘What would your superhero power be’ and silly prompts like those. I don’t like lists, either. Boring.
To be honest, none of them have “tripped a trigger” for me. I have looked at them with an open mind and then let my mind wander to the past or hopes and dreams of the future.
I like any prompt that forces me to confront controversial issues and examine hard ideas. I am not big on superficiality. Please don’t ask me about ‘Twilight’. I love satire.
I like the ones where you fictionalize something, like a conversations. I like all the conversation ones, and the one where you describe your town like the setting for a book? That was one of my more popular posts. And all the poem ones were cool. I like the more creative type prompts, then the debate ones. Wow. I said one six, well, now seven, times. Coolness.
Up close and personal.
Writing is a way to learn more about ourselves.
Personal prompts may feel scary at first, but usually give the best results.
I prefer the prompts that help me to keep up with daily creative writing. I write fiction so anything that inspires me in that direction.
I really liked the recent dialogue prompt based on a picture – excellent idea. Also the poem challenges, although I don’t usually write poetry the recent prompt to write a poem with all words starting with the letter S pushed me to give it a go.
Less interested in the likes of: what’s you favouite place in th world…etc.
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I am enjoying the prompts because they make me think. I had given up writing years ago. When the bug started nagging me again it was difficult at first. I had let myself restrict my creativity. Now if I get stuck, I read the answers others have completed for inspiration. The answers help me see my own shortcomings and keep my feet on the ground. Some prompts I skip and I look at older prompts to use instead.
My favorite prompts are the ones that remind of a childhood memory…
If you enjoy writing, use WordPress (and Plinky, of course). If you enjoy answering questions, be an Expert on AllExperts.com. I’ve been an Expert in 7 subjects for about 10 years. My answers span the globe. Very enjoyable!
I think that my favorite types of prompts are the ones that are easy to answer yet complex and take you by surprise…
I don’t think you’re ever going to get a consensus on this one, because people are as varied as Plinky prompts are! But variety IS the spice of life, so carry on!!
Let’s face it, nobody has to use a Plinky prompt every day, and if you’re using them to generate ideas for your own blog, using Plinky every day would, in itself, be a bit boring and uncreative (imho).
I think a variety of prompts broadens your horizons – it’s a good thing to have a stab at a type you wouldn’t normally answer. As for how much information you’re asked for – well the brevity or length of answer is up to you – the prompt is just a starting point. That’s where your creativity comes in. When asked for your favourite meal, you don’t have to just answer ‘Chili Con Carne’ (not mine, btw, randowm choice!) – you can specify what you like in it, whether it’s homemade, from a packet or best from a favourite restaurant…where you ate your first Chili, and who with!
Personally, despite being a writer (or perhaps because I am one) I avoid the dialogue ones. Go figure… (actually I think I have – it’s because if it’s a creative exercise I’d want to get it just right, and I don’t always have the time to expend on something I’m not going to use in a story).
my favorites are the narrative type ones. and the weekend writing challenges. and also the specifics, like poetry with the letter S.
my LEAST favorites are the opinion/experience ones. i’m sure there’s a better way to write them, but i can’t help but be bored with reciting something that happened to me. e.g. the ones from this week, Songs, Bizarre Person, Weird Food-wasn’t a fan of these.
plinky should offer category wise prompts if a prompt appears i can’t/ don’t want to write about it then there is no option to make it go away so that another one can appear
I enjoy writing and reading those prompts that encourage people to think about who we are as Americans and our place in the world. We are loosing that because our generation/s have had life pretty easy thanks to our parents and grandparents who fought for/defended our way of life/beliefs.
Would definitely like a choice or two along the way, so that if we didn’t want to respond to a particular prompt we could have a choice or two. Maybe have a “special prompt”/”extra prompt once a week. Example: “Name two things you think our founding fathers got wrong and explain what they should have done instead.” Alternate prompt: “If money was no object what would you do and why?”
I find myself waffling away a few hundred words, no matter what the prompt is like… but I still would like more literary ones; more chances to get to pick other minds, even fictional ones, than my own.
I love prompts that are answerable with one words or a couple of words… lols… sounds lazy…
I am pretty new to plinky (rather, I’ve had an account for a while but not used it until recently) and I have no clue what the weekend writing challenges are. For this reason I want to chime in and say finding them more easily would probably be a good thing. I even paused to go back and see if perhaps I had overlooked something, if the recommended change had already gone into effect. And for all I know, there are no weekend writing challenges being done. If they are no longer a part of the plinky community, that would explain my inability to find them. If they are then they really do need to be more obviously displayed.
The ones which elicit more than one-word answers from people!
Hi there — for awhile we were doing prompts that were meant to help people interested in fiction writing, on the weekends. We’ve since stopped doing those prompts.
I’ve been seeing PLINKY REPEATS (gasp!!!) on Plinky. and also seriously trite questions: Is it better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all?” name your 5 best qualities? Been there done that. I’d be happy to try and provide some questions for you. just let me know where to send them. thanks.
Omg, this so much fun, I real Like Plinky. I didn’t that know this can be so creative of writting to Question,with Answers that can be so simple.
I love the thought inspiring prompts you have on your site. I have passed this along to the writing teacher at our school. I am a bit hesitant to fully have students use the site as the level is sometimes a bit high for them. It would be nice to have an educator’s link for the prompts that appropriately fit that category. We are a K-8 school, so although all the prompts are great – not all fit into the level of our students.
You have an awesome site and I look forward to my email each week to check out the prompts and to get me thinking. Thank you for your efforts.
Variety. Lately it has been – describe the best____ or worst ___ or your favorite___ type stuff. Honestly I find that boring if only because those topics are almost like one topic.
‘Either/Or’ style prompts (biking or running – tv or video games – or *gasp* mac or pc) are usually good, but avoiding the hyperbolic ‘best or worst ever’ style prompts would be nice to see…
Yes, best advise, or discribe your self by one word, and: if ..(anything) .. what u’ll do? it will be nice i think.
Prompts, that invite me to write an answer.
Me too.
I use Plinky for inspiration, for creative writing. Though I enjoy the social aspect of Plinky, for me, it’s not the emphasis or what I’m here for. I like prompts with open-ended answers that require at least a little bit of thinking. For example: “What are your favorite types of prompts and why?” These questions make me happy.
If you ask me what my favorite or worst or best or happiest thing is, the hyperbolic style that Watson mentions, you can really just answer without a thought.
I think we all realize different people are here for different things. I’ve got favorites, and so does everyone else. (I just think mine are better)
I agree with pd – I write about fantasy fiction, so a carbon footprint doesn’t do much for my blog. It’s a good question, just not for me. I also didn’t realize that my answer would go to my blog. I kind of wish it hadn’t 🙂
I am new to plinky and have not initiated one,but I would prefer a prompt that encourages reflection