My writing group in Portland shot down my best prompt idea last month

I spent three hours building a world where gravity shifts every 24 hours, and they said it was 'too confusing to start with.' It was for a short story contest with a 5,000 word limit, and now I'm stuck. Has anyone else had a group veto a prompt you were really excited about?

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4 Comments

felixlane6mo ago

My Austin group killed a time-loop diner story I loved. They said the mechanics overshadowed the characters, which totally deflated me. Sometimes the group just misses a good idea.

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julia_carter616mo ago

What if you just ran it for @felixlane anyway?

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wendy_henderson214mo ago

Yeah, that "just run it anyway" advice can backfire. Maybe try a one-shot version with simpler rules to see if the story clicks this time.

3

ramirez.vera6mo ago

I used to push for complex game mechanics in every story. My last group in San Antonio showed me how simple rules actually let the characters shine more.

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