scaling prompts for cranking it up
2024, may 25
when my writing feels kind of lame, i like to turn to scaling prompts to crank it up. i‘d ask myself: what do i want my text to be instead of lame? sometimes i need it to be more cinematic, other times edgier, braver or even more vulnerable. somehow moving up the scale step by step sparks a lot more ideas than simply aiming to make my text more cinematic.
🍭 extra tip: ask chat gpt to make your text climb up the scale and see what happens ;)
cinematic boost
brainstorm | 7 min
picture a scale from 0 to 10, where 10 is ultra-cinematic and 0 isn‘t at all. how would your text change if it moved up the scale? for example, if your text feels like it‘s at a 2, what elements do you see when you picture it moving to a 3? then a 4? jot down any ideas that come to mind. brainstorm on paper by writing in a stream of consciousness kind of way: „if i picture moving my text up to a 3 on the cinematic scale, the first thing that comes to mind is…“
re-write | 12 min
now re-write your piece of writing, one paragraph, one chapter or one scene, implementing ideas from your brainstorming tapas just now.
edgy elevation
brainstorm | 7 min
picture a scale from 0 to 10, where 10 is the peak of edginess. for example, if your text feels like it's at a 2, envision what elements appear as it moves to a 3, then a 4, and so on. jot down the ideas and elements that emerge at each step. brainstorm on paper by writing in a stream of consciousness kind of way: „if i picture moving my text up to a 3 on the edgy scale, the first thing that comes to mind is…“
re-write | 12 min
re-write your text, integrating the edgy details you've brainstormed. allow your piece to gradually adopt these traits, enhancing its narrative bite by bite.
surreal shift
brainstorm | 7 min
imagine a surrealism scale from 0 to 10, where 10 is super surreal. for example, if your text currently reads like a 3, what surreal aspects begin to surface as it moves to a 4? continue imagining up to a 10, noting any surreal transformations. brainstorm on paper by writing in a stream of consciousness kind of way: „if i picture moving my text up to a 4 on the surreal scale, the first thing that comes to mind is…“
re-write | 12 min
apply the surreal elements you’ve brainstormed to enhance the dreamlike or bizarre atmosphere of your text. let each adjustment build the intensity of the surreal quality.
cliché breaker
brainstorm | 7 min
consider a scale where 10 represents a text that masterfully breaks clichés. for example, starting at 5, what does breaking a cliché look like at 6, then 7? record the changes that help dismantle the clichés at each point. brainstorm on paper by writing in a stream of consciousness kind of way: „if i picture moving my text up to a 6 on the cliché-breaking scale, the first thing that comes to mind is…“
re-write | 12 min
incorporate the cliché-breaking elements into your text, allowing each step to effectively shatter the expected norms.
delicious descriptors
brainstorm | 7 min
set a scale from 0 to 10, where 10 is rich in delicious descriptors. for example, if your text tastes like a 3, what richer descriptions would add flavor to bring it to a 4? consider sensory details that intensify as you escalate. brainstorm on paper by writing in a stream of consciousness kind of way: „if i picture moving my text up to a 4 on the scale of deliciousness, the first thing that comes to mind is…“
re-write | 12 min
sprinkle your text with the delicious descriptors you've gathered, seasoning it to taste more vivid and engaging.
define it yourself
define it yourself | 3 min
what do you want your text to embody more? flowy, street credible, surprising, simple, or minimalistic? you define it.
brainstorm | 7 min
now, envision your chosen attribute on a scale of 0 to 10. starting from where your text currently is, such as a 5, imagine moving it to a 6, then 7. what new characteristics emerge? keep imagining and jotting down transformations until you reach a 10. brainstorm on paper by writing in a stream of consciousness kind of way: „if i picture moving my text up to a 6 on the scale, the first thing that comes to mind is…“
re-write | 12 min
revise your text, applying the dynamic qualities you've imagined, allowing it to fully embrace the attribute you've chosen.