That hunger for new prompts... it only ever grows. The more prompts they release, the more we crave...— Feral camper's musings
Summer at the campground is full of growth. We see it every year! New worlds spawn into being, new writing stacks up throughout the month, and endless archives of concepts grow and expand as we tackle new collections of PROMPTS!
We took the time to chomp on this
growing list of prompts. I hope you find these ideas helpful!
This article is still a work in progress! Enjoy the bullet point lists while I get the thematics together!
A city that grew out of the ashes of a ruin
Don't worry about the cabins that burned down last year. We've built the camp anew!— Prompt Template: Settlement
Times change, things fall apart, and things come back together again.
The city grew from the ruin of...
an ancient or destroyed civilization
Literal ashes - ancient civilizations
Destroyed by natural disasters
Destroyed in warfare and rebuilt
Massive ancient structures / skeletons
Literal living ashes
an empire or political movement
Ashes of a person's reputation - old leadership
A fallen empire
Death of a great leader
a wrecked vessel or structure
Ruined orchards / farmland
Shipwrecks (boat/space)
old temples / places of worship becoming a city
cities built around isolated places of cultural significance or power
city built inside of a living creature that has since passed
a culture or way of life
Ruined traditions
Fractures in organized religions
Cultural shifts post-warfare
Ruin of heartbreak leads to city being built
Get some inspiration from the community here!
A fruit that grows in an unlikely environment
Don't ask me where I found this. You really don't want to know. Want a bite, though?— Prompt Template: Species
Plants can be quite resilient, and you'll find them in some interesting places. Don't be so quick to grab the low-hanging fruit!
This environment is unlikely because...
the conditions are harsh
Rough environments
Places with dangerous weather conditions
Growing where there is no life / lots of undeath
Potatoes
that's not where plants tend to grow
Growing in weird places
Growing in darkness
Growing in the ocean / underwater
Parasitic / invasive plants
Growing within the bodies of animals
In plain sight / Out of sight
the area is too developed
Growing in a graveyard / human structures
Growing in a ruin
Growing in a city / alleyway / building
people have made it so
Political environment - banned fruits, illegal operations
Fruits of our labor
Human pollution changed the environment
Get some inspiration from the community here!
A war that resulted in the expansion of a territory
There was a heated feud between the feral and chill campers one year... well, not really. We really just needed to ask nicely, and now we're allowed in the pool too.— Prompt Template: Military Conflict
Growth through conflict is difficult, but sometimes necessary.
This conflict expanded the territory of...
a nation, kingdom, or empire
Political border expansion
Destruction of environment / land clearing
a culture or religion
Cultural expansion / exchange
Language spreading
Religion spreading
a trade network or business entity
Corporate war - sales territory
Digital war - hackers
a friend group or personal connection
Legal battles
Divorce
Get some inspiration from the community here!
Write about the development of a vehicle
It took weeks, but we finally set that raft out to sea. Well, the lake. Also, we're stuck out there. Help.— Prompt Template: Vehicle
A lot of resources can go into the development of new means of transportation. What are we using this one for?
The development of this vehicle was driven by...
hostile terrain and territories
Seafaring vessels vs Land transport
Terrain specialization
Emergency response / rescue / hazarous conditions and danger
Mechs / Mecha
expanded communication and transport needs
Shipping and transit
Construction vehicles
Human connection / communications
Moving houses
Mining trams
new research and developments
Research / efficiency / conservation
Space travel
Creature-drawn transport
Medicine capsules / nano medicine / vehicles of ingestion
Data transfer / cables / USB ports
Magical vehicles
fun and thrillseeking
Fun and recreation / thrillseeking
MONEY
Get some inspiration from the community here!
A disease that quickly becomes an epidemic
Cabin fever is "not contagious" according to medical professionals, but they should have seen us that one year when we got trapped in the cabins for a whole week with only new prompts to feed us. That spread REAL fast!— Prompt Template: Condition
Widespread contagion sure can be a scary thing, but what exactly is causing it to get around so quickly?
This disease is spreading through...
aggressive contagion
Vectors of transmission - airborne, surface spreading, water
Medieval dancing disease
Highly contagious, easy to transmit diseases
Rabies - psychological deterioration & recklessness
Asymptomatic carriers spreading disease
contamination and deterioration of the environment
Poor hygeine
Disease in the water
Waste throughout the streets, pollution
Unsanitary conditions
Overcrowding / close proximity
chemical warfare and foul play
Addiction - fueled by the government - chemical bliss
Propaganda - diseases of the mind
Chemical warfare - intentional infection of a population
Computer virus
molding of the mind, or pure ignorance
Mob mentality
Mental / psychological contagion
Pure ignorance / lack of research
Memes that everyone knows but no one understands
Lack of common sense
Get some inspiration from the community here!
A prized fabric based on a plant fiber
I've made flags for each of the camps using nothing but grass and flower stems. I think there was some bamboo out there too, but I mostly chewed on it. Made good fibers by doing that.— Prompt Template: Material
Many textiles and fabrics come from plant-based materials, but what makes this one so special?
This fabric is prized for...
its beauty or value
Silk like fiber from Asian waterlily
Comes from a plant that is rare or expensive / impossible to cultivate en masse
Made with special or obscure techniques that drive a high price
Supply and demand affecting market value
its abundance and accessibility
Easily farmed and cultivated plants
Cheap to produce
Can be made into just about anything
Straw hats
Bamboo
Easily found outside or in the wild
its versatility and utility
Extremely useful material once crafted
Can be made into many utilitarian items or reinforced materials
Cotton and linen
Hemp for ropes and bags
Strong fabrics - protective
Twine
Birch weaving
Papyrus, woven sheets
Paper from wood pulp
emulating plant fibres
Not actually made of plants - inspired by natural material
Synthetic materials emulating plant-based fibres
Fabric that mimics the qualities of natural fibers
Get some inspiration from the community here!
A profession that helps others develop
It's my duty as feral camp counselor to ensure that everyone has what they need to go out and develop their funky little projects with feral energy!— Prompt Template: Profession
There are many callings in life that involve helping others develop in some shape or form. Which direction will you go?
These folks are helping to develop...
communities and support systems
Teachers
Public outreach
Guidance and counseling
Connecting cities and people
Developing other professions or career paths
growing minds and bodies
Parents / guardians
Animal handlers / zookeepers
Pediatricians / doctors
Mad scientists taking this literally
products and services
Developers
Developing film (photography)
Creative directors
Terraforming / land development supervisor
culture and the fabric of society
Cultural or religious development
Artists and poets
Philosophers shaping thought
Politicians / lawmakers
Get some inspiration from the community here!
A building that keeps being expanded over time
I think this is the eighth extra wing we've added to the rec hall since the camp opened up for business! Guess we need all of that extra space for these feral campers to bounce off the walls each year!— Prompt Template: Building
Not every building meets the mark straight away. Sometimes, a little renovation is in order. And another one. And... another one.
This place keeps getting expanded because...
more space is needed
Museums and galleries getting more stuff to display
Schools growing with additional wings
Growing libraries with new additions
The Great Wall
Castle expansion
Underground cities being carved out
Giant malls growing over time with new stores
No renovations allowed - neighborhood keeps expanding
that's just its nature
Pocket dimensions
The Backrooms
Tree house - growing and expanding with its tree
Walled city
The TARDIS
It's bigger on the inside!— I ought to watch Doctor Who again
its purpose keeps shifting
A building for which the purpose keeps expanding - scope creep
Need for new structures and layouts based on changing needs
High turnover rate for residents, new people use it for new things frequently
Constant house renovation
Leaders changing, wanting a new aesthetic for their capitol
there are secrets to protect
Expanding dungeons
growing wizard's tower
Maze around the wizard's house
Get some inspiration from the community here!
A fictional character some believe to be real
Mothman is real and he stole my Summer Camp Homework.— Prompt Template: Character
Folks find truth in lots of interesting places, even in people that might not exist. What fictions speak to you?
Some people find truth in...
a figure from mythology or legend
Characters from myth and legend
Fables
Lady Luck, Karma, Mother Nature, Father Time
Seasonal figures - Santa Claus, the Grinch, Krampus
Leprechauns, Fairies
curated personas and stage names
The Wizard of Oz - different from the real guy
Propaganda - the fictional characterization of world leaders
WWE athletes / stage characters
Author pen names
Fiction woven around a real person painting them as someone that they are not
The subject of a lie
characters from works of fiction and media
Characters from novels and books
Characters from movies and tv shows
old wife's tales and local folklore
Cryptids and creatures
Sleep paralysis demon
Get some inspiration from the community here!
A body of water that hides a secret in its depths
I think they keep all of the extra prompts down at the bottom of the lake. Why else would we only be allowed to swim in one little roped-off area? Explain that!— Prompt Template: Geography
Large bodies of water are already pretty mysterious on their own. Why not add an extra layer of intrigue?
Within this water, hides...
ruins lost to time
Old shipwrecks
Drowned cities
The Bermuda Triangle - mysterious disappearances, unexplained phenomena
Lost ancient ruins - Atlantis
Ancient ritual sites
something of great value
Valuable resources
Lost treasure
Lost knowledge
evidence of dark happenings
The vestiges of an ancient curse
The evidence of a crime
Ancient beasts stirrings in the depths
A pot burned so badly it was never to be seen again
Graveyard / dumping ground
Destroyed settlements with dark secrets of their own
legendary secrets of the realm
The fae / mythological creatures
Hiding salvation / paths of faith or spirituality / awakening
The secret to eternal youth
Scrying pool - shows you secrets of past, present, future
Get some inspiration from the community here!
Hope you found these ideas helpful!
Massive thanks to the community members who joined me in brainstorming many of these ideas during my broadcast following the prompt release! I really had fun putting all of the ideas into writing, and adding even more of my own ideas as my brain conjured them through the creation of this article!
If you can think of some more fun ways to spin these prompts, feel free to share them in the comments below, so you can keep inspiring the community and show that no prompt is immune to being twisted to fit any setting out there! And if you're feeling stuck, and none of these tips helped you push forward, let us know what you're working with and maybe I, or someone else, might figure something out!
See you soon for the LOSS PROMPT CHOMP!
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