TIL that using a random word generator for a prompt can backfire spectacularly

I was stuck, so I typed 'cactus' and 'tax audit' into a generator and got 'a sentient cactus is your IRS auditor'. I wrote it as a joke, but the story about a spiny plant demanding receipts actually WORKED and got published in a weird fiction zine. Has anyone else had a totally silly prompt idea turn serious?

3 comments

3 Comments

lane.drew2mo ago

Ever notice how the best ideas come from just playing around? Your cactus story is a perfect example of that, where a goofy mix-up unlocked something real. Sometimes you just gotta start with something dumb to find the good stuff.

abby_scott5d ago

Buddy of mine once wrote a poem based on a broken vending machine. Got it published.

butler.mark2mo ago

Pure luck, not a real strategy.