Question about using a random object generator for a story idea

I was stuck on a sci-fi plot and grabbed a random object generator online, setting it to give me three things. It spit out 'a broken compass, a jar of fireflies, and a tax form from 1982'. I tried to force them into a space opera, but the story kept turning into a quiet, sad tale about a person sorting through a dead parent's stuff. The unexpected result was a much better, more personal story than the big one I planned. Has anyone else had a prompt tool completely change the genre you were aiming for?

2 comments

2 Comments

kelly_chen1mo ago

Yeah, that happens all the time. The tools just give you a starting point, but your own brain takes it somewhere real. The best ideas usually come from that unexpected turn.

anthony9891mo ago

Just gotta trust the weird detours.