Writers, pitch yourself headfirst into the smelly laundry basket of the teen years
Welcome to the Alchemy podcast, where we throw some snarky writer’s prompts at you and expect nothing short of genius in return. We're taking inspiration from teen angst, failed identities, and that sweet, sweet frustration of being stuck in an emotional trap you can't escape—just like Tantalus. So, grab your pens (or keyboards, because it's 2025), and let’s get to work!
Prompt One: The Tantalus Trap
Write a scene where your teenage character is so close to escaping the suffocating gravitational pull of school, family, and all that fun teenage crap, but instead, they’re stuck. Think Tantalus, where every time they reach for freedom, it’s just out of reach. It’s that moment when they can taste independence, but like that last piece of pizza, it’s always just a little too far. Maybe they’re about to leave for college, or they’ve decided they’re going to finally be their own person, but something—or someone—pulls them back into the void. No, you can’t escape your family dinner just yet, honey, because mom needs to remind you that you still haven’t taken out the trash.
Prompt Two: The Great Identity Fail (or Fantastic Success, if You’re Lucky)
We’ve all been there—teenagers who think they can reinvent themselves by borrowing someone else’s identity. Let’s be honest, it’s almost always a disaster. So, create a character who’s trying desperately to be someone they’re not. Maybe they’re a nerdy kid who tries to become a punk, but the whole thing crashes and burns faster than their first attempt at a mohawk. Everyone’s staring at them, thinking, “What the hell are you doing?” Bonus points if you make this moment so cringeworthy that even the character can’t help but think, “Yeah, this was a bad idea.”
But hey, don’t be afraid to flip the script. What if this moment isn’t a colossal failure? What if, in a moment of divine intervention, your character slips into a new identity like it’s the perfect-fitting jacket they didn’t know they needed? Maybe they’re that same nerdy kid, but they somehow manage to pull off the punk look and finally get the respect (or at least the attention) they’ve been craving. Or maybe it’s the exact opposite—your character becomes something entirely unexpected and totally awesome, like a chess-playing rockstar. Who knew?
Remember, the key here is the messiness. Whether it’s an epic fail or an unexpected win, it’s gotta be real, raw, and 100% teenage-level dramatic. Extra points if you include gross tinned peas! So, keep it under 600 words, throw in some awkwardness, a splash of angst, and if it really impresses us (or at least makes us laugh), we might just read it on the podcast. Go on—prove you’ve got what it takes to capture the teen spirit and make us cringe (or cheer).
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