Fiction prompts with no conflict are basically just description exercises

I used to think slice-of-life prompts were the peak of subtle writing. Then I tried writing one about a farmer's market trip with zero tension. Just vibes. 3 pages later I realized I had basically written a grocery list. The story went nowhere. What finally convinced me was joining a workshop where the instructor said "conflict is the engine" and we spent 2 hours adding problems to our scenes. Changed my whole approach. Anyone else hit a wall with 'soft' prompts that lack a clear problem?

2 comments

2 Comments

karenm491mo agoMost Upvoted

Ugh, I've been there COMPLETELY. I spent a whole month trying to write this gentle story about a woman rearranging her living room and it was just flat on the page. What really clicked for me was when a friend said "even baking bread has conflict - what if the yeast doesn't rise or the oven breaks?" That tiny shift made me realize how conflict doesn't have to be dramatic, it just has to be SOMETHING getting in the way. Your grocery list comment made me laugh because I've absolutely written those before too.

charlie_roberts871mo ago

Is that just how stories work, like how even a trip to the store has that moment when you realize you forgot your wallet?