**Published:** 2023/06/14 **Link:** https://tjtrewin.com/how-to-twist-a-prompt-to-suit-your-worldbuilding/ *** Hello I am here to show you how to turn your least favourite prompts into your best worldbuilding and how to feel accomplished and inspired in the process! 🙌 With World Anvil's worldbuilding [[Worldbuilding Summer Camp|Summer Camp]] event coming up in July, I figured this was the best time to show you how to tackle any tricky prompts that can make you feel stuck. ## Problematic Prompts So you've been challenged to answer a [[Worldbuilding]] prompt and you feel like you can't answer it. You feel stuck, annoyed, and maybe have had one of these responses: "I cant answer that because...": - ...my world is a different genre." - ...my world doesn't have/use XYZ." - ...I've already written about that." - ...I don't like that topic/template." - ...I really can't think of anything." - ...the prompt is too vague/boring." - ...the prompt is overly specific." - ...that prompt should be for a different article template." I get it, and I've absolutely felt all of these as an initial gut reaction at some point in my 5+ years of taking part in [[World Anvil]] community challenges 🤣 I'm going to show you some very specific prompts and explain how you can twist them to suit your worldbuilding and make it interesting to *you* so that you can tackle them! # Twisting a prompt When I say "twisting a prompt", I mean to re-interpret the meaning of it whilst still being able to answer it. You're totally allowed to bend the rules! ## Attitude shift The first step to twisting a prompt is to **acknowledge your gut reaction** and then **flip it into an opportunity**. ## Examples It's easier for me to explain with examples, so I'll bring up some prompts and show you could twist them for something that's more of a typical fantasy world setting. You can easily swap out fantasy for any other genre that you might be worldbuilding in! :D #### "Different genre / doesn't have XYZ" > [!example] Prompt > "What type of drive allows for FTL travel in your world?" > [Link](https://www.worldanvil.com/worldbuilding-prompts/ftl-travel-drive-worldbuilding-prompt) **Negative reaction:** "I don't have FTL travel in my fantasy world." **Opportunistic reaction:** The prompt does not define the acronym of FTL, it could mean *Fairwinds Travel Lines*, maybe that's the name of a company who offers transport in the form of seafaring or newly established rail lines? The distance of travel is also unspecified, so it could actually be for something that's only a short distance but difficult on foot - such as up a mountain or spanning difficult terrain like a bog or a canyon. The prompt also doesn't define what "drive" could be. It could be a type of engine, or power source, or it could be the driver/person who drives, or motivation to travel. The prompt is for a technology article template, so the majority of my article can be relating to technology but the answer to the prompt could just be a quote from a character who has a passionate *drive* for travelling the world using *Fairwinds Travel Lines*. *** #### "Already written that" > [!example] Prompt > "Describe a ruined structure that nature has reclaimed. What was its original purpose?" > [Link](https://www.worldanvil.com/worldbuilding-prompts/ruined-structure-nature-reclaimed-worldbuilding-prompt) **Negative reaction:** "Well I've already written about that." / "I did something like that last year." / "I've written all of the XYZs in my world." **Opportunistic reaction:** I already have experience in answering this kind of prompt! Last time I really enjoyed writing parts about *this* type of thing in *that* place. This other area of my world does not have this kind of thing, maybe I could do something similar there, but with a twist that is unique to the area or culture. Alternatively, I don't feel like adding another XYZ to my world because I've already written them all. I could consider instead a historical version of what came before, OR I could write a fictional one within my world - perhaps it's well known from an author in my world who wrote a famous story, or maybe it's from a myth or legend. Maybe a character dreamt of it and it doesn't really exist in a physical form? --- #### "Overly specific" > [!example] Prompt > "Describe the most inhospitable place in your setting in the style of an explorers journal" > [Link](https://www.worldanvil.com/worldbuilding-prompts/inhospitable-journal-worldbuilding-prompt) **Negative reaction:** "The prompt is overly specific." **Opportunistic reaction:** Sure, the prompt feels quite specific but I can use that as a great starting point to expand from and write what I *would* like to write about. The excerpt from the journal can be as long or as short as I want it to be. Maybe only this one explorer thought it was inhospitable and other people think it's lovely and have made a home there? Maybe the area is inhospitable to some, but a certain species or group of people thrive there. --- #### "Unfavoured topic/template" > [!example] Prompt > "What is the leading cause of death in your world?" > [Link](https://www.worldanvil.com/worldbuilding-prompts/leading-cause-of-death-worldbuilding-prompt) **Negative reaction:** "I don't like writing about death / I don't like the conditions article template" **Opportunistic reaction:** Maybe if I feel a reaction to this topic, then the inhabitants of my world do, too and I could write about that. Or, instead of focusing on the bad aspects of this maybe instead I can write about the good that came as a result of it such as: better healthcare, technology, and education. I don't have to fill out every part of the article template, I can just write whatever I like in the vignette :D --- #### "Too vague/boring" > [!example] Prompt > "Write about a profession within the education industry." > [Link](https://www.worldanvil.com/worldbuilding-prompts/profession-education-worldbuilding-prompt) **Negative reaction:** "The prompt is too vague/boring and uninspiring." **Opportunistic reaction:** Ok, this prompt is pretty vague and I find it boring. What personal interests of mine could I add to this to have fun with writing and turn it into something unique? Maybe the profession is within a very niche field of study in the education industry that links to areas of my world that I'm most passionate about :D Maybe my favourite character knows someone who has this profession? --- #### "Wrong template" > [!example] Prompt > "Write about a popular travelling song in your world and the significance of its lyrics." > [Link](https://www.worldanvil.com/worldbuilding-prompts/travelling-song-lyrics-worldbuilding-prompt) **Negative reaction:** "The article template is wrong and it should be a tradition / XYZ template." **Opportunistic reaction:** I'd prefer it if this prompt used a XYZ article template, but that's okay because I can still answer the basics of the prompt here and expand on the areas I'm more passionate about in my preferred template. Also, I don't have to fill out all of the sections, I could just use the main area to type in! :D --- #### "I just can't think of anything" > [!example] Prompt > "Describe a historical monument in your world and what it represents." > [Link](https://www.worldanvil.com/worldbuilding-prompts/historical-monument-represents-worldbuilding-prompt) **Negative reaction:** "I really can't think of anything and I'm completely stuck." **Opportunistic reaction:** I currently feel stuck when I look at this prompt - what other areas of my world are slightly related to this that I could connect it to? I could try asking further questions about the prompt to find a pathway that sparks an idea such as using the [[How to answer any worldbuilding prompt|6 Questions Method]]