Are these prompts a joke?

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I am not so sure about today’s prompt. Another word has been thrown into the arena of hungry bloggers, and I am trying to figure out what it means. I am not joking; I feel confused. 

Does it mean WordPress admits that the one-word prompts are a joke, or am I suppose to write down a joke that I remember?

Or maybe the real joke would be to ignore the prompt altogether and write instead about something totally different? This is done here frequently, and nobody seems to care. There seem to be no rules in place, and bloggers use (and abuse) the daily prompt anyway they want to.

Some even write openly in avoidance of the daily prompt and come back the next day to do the same thing all over again. Avoidance of avoidance?

I know it’s hard to find new readers and followers in an ocean full of so many talented bloggers but posting here just for advertisement purposes, takes the fun out of reading -at least for  me.

I do wonder, does anybody from WordPress even read the answers to the prompts? Probably not because if they would, then they would react…or wouldn’t they? (Maybe today I will find out?)

The prompts are given to encourage the new and hesitant bloggers and they are the daily entertainment of some old farts -like me. We just can’t get enough, and we come back here for more because we love the daily exercise. We love to write and we love the interaction with other bloggers.

I still think that the prompts are a great idea. I am always looking forward to it, it gives me something to think about and ultimately something to write about. I love the direct comparison with other bloggers, and I am so often in AWE what they come up with but having so many “missed topics” takes the fun out of it. If this goes on, just rename it to the DAILY MARKETPLACE and don’t give out prompts at all.

How about  a simple rule below the daily post:

“Write a new post in response to today’s one-word prompt. Not sure how to participate? Here are some tips to get started.

Have fun and please, stay on topic…all other posts will be removed.”

That should do the trick don’t you think?

So, now I feel better. Now it’s time to apologize.

“Sorry if I pissed you off. I just couldn’t help it.”…. (or something like that).

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27 thoughts on “Are these prompts a joke?”

  2. It is hard when you have a sea of like at least 50 blogs that claim to be connected to the prompt, and then you notice the same blog linked theirselves back nearly five times. Or the actual product that they produced may be a bit forced and bland to try to just get their blog out there before everyone could read. I think it would add quite a bit of fun if WordPress did read them on the regular and chose something like weekly favorites, maybe then the quality of the work would greatly improve. But of course the number of participatants would skyrocket, leading to the hiring a giant team, which then would really increase expenses…::taking a breath:: in any case it’s a nice thought.

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    • Unfortunately, the daily prompt is not what it has been. Now it’s mostly a fishing ground for readers and followers. Many don’t even read the posts, they just click “like” or “follow” to spice up their numbers.

      WordPress doesn’t seem to care, I doubt anybody there even reads the answers to the prompts. There main interest are the paying blogs.

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      • The top paying blogs, not just the basic premium bundle like mine. I receive no help, assistance, or consideration after two years of business with them. Why does it have to cost 300 dollars to just utilize some Google analytics?? Their search results never come up to let me know what my wayward readers were actually look for.

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  3. Oddly, this is the second such post I’ve encountered today. Yes! I’ve read almost all of the posts (today) up to this one. No. I can’t do this everyday, but I try to fit in some just because there are some people who read mine faithfully and I try to reciprocate when time allows.

    Personally, I view the prompt as a challenge. It’s not the first time that I’ve encountered prompts as part of a writing forum. You take the word for a ride. Maybe it’s a poem or fiction or a diatribe. I think it’s helpful because it’s not easy. Also, if you do it everyday, it becomes habit and takes away writer’s block! The enemy.

    I think it’s also fun. But then maybe I’m slightly masochistic. I hope that other’s enjoy my masochistic ramblings when I’m at it. SMILES!

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  4. I read your responses, and a few others, but if I start reading a response and it has absolutely nothing to do with the prompt itself — not even a tenuous connection — I’ll stop reading. I’ll admit, I’ve stretched the line with the prompts a couple of times myself… but I do try to make at least a bit of a connection. Ha! But I do read yours and a few others. I like the one word prompts because they’re better than writing about the same ol’ thing four times in a year.

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    • I never read a prompt when it’s off topic. Why bother?

      The one word prompt is alright as long as the words at least a little bit challenging. I would hate to see words like “house”, “tree” or “car.”

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    • Thank you. I understand. I started reading a 5000+ word story a few weeks back in relation to a prompt and knew just because it was semi-polished that it wasn’t written for that prompt. That did annoy me. I didn’t finish and I didn’t like or comment as I am apt to do. I understand that trying to get an audience *may* be paramount, but frankly it has never occurred to me to recycle something I’ve written for the prompt because I don’t gain writing muscles that way. I like the daily prompts because they can help us grow as writers as long as we willing to let them. I unfortunately didn’t realize until today that there was such disgust surrounding the daily prompt and I think it’s kind of unfortunate. But maybe for those of us who view it as an engaging exercise, we can prevail.

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  6. I used to read almost all of the prompts and then I realised the day does not have enough hours. the people that bother to read mine I read theirs, but I have realised that some do not bother at all, so why should I. I like these one word prompts. I can stick to them much easier, but they are prompts and are there to prompt you into your own ideas and directions – at least that is how I see it. Today it was such a joke that I decided no-one would laugh in any case if I wrote all about it, so I diversed into something I found funny – but Mr. Swiss always told me that not everyone understands your humour

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    • I enjoyed reading the prompt back then, now it’s not so much fun anymore.

      I just noticed that the blogger who posts in avoidance had given me a “like” on this post. That’s really a joke.

      You are right, many don’t read…they just give a quick LIKE and move on to the next.

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  7. I’m here to state that Yes. Some of us DO read the responses to the prompts. That’s how I’ve found other great blogs to follow actually. I found yours that way, I don’t recall which prompt it was nor when, but I read your post in response to a prompt and thought “Wow! This lady is worth following!” I am rather glad they went to the one-word prompt, and not the qualifiers they used to add though.

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  8. well said! I also am bothered when I go to read someone’s response to the prompt and see it has nothing at all to do with the prompt. The prompts used to encourage thought and something to really write about, not anymore. Everything is being cut down to keep the attention of a younger generation that can’t stay focused on something for more than 2 seconds. Ok I said it. 🙂

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