: Re: How can I answer high-school writing prompts without sounding weird and fake? Being given a prompt makes me freeze up immediately. Let me clarify. I'm talking about high school writing prompts.

@Vandalay250

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Remember that the prompts are basically an excuse for you to practice writing.

Of course, it's much easier to write well if it's about something about which you have an opinion, while those prompts are usually about things you don't care much about.

There are two good ways around it, and both use mainly one of the two aspects of oratory: eloquence and rhetoric. You'll recognize them as well-worn politicians' tools.

The eloquent non-answer answer: “I'm glad you want to know about my thoughts on the municipal trash initiative ballot. It's very important for our youth to go out and be politically active in our community, as it will ensure that our future generations will contribute to the good governance of this county.”

It starts by repeating the key words of the question (or prompt), segueing into what the author actually wants to talk about. The way to pull it off is with a forceful, straight faced, eloquent delivery, leaving the reader with the impression that it addressed the topic, unless they're paying attention to sleight of hand.

This only works if your writing teacher is looking for you to practice more form than substance, and the wrong choice if they're looking for a coherent logical progression of thoughts.

The rhetorical stance: “I have been assured by a very knowing American of my acquaintance in London, that a young healthy child well nursed, is, at a year old, a most delicious nourishing and wholesome food, whether stewed, roasted, baked, or boiled; and I make no doubt that it will equally serve in a fricasie, or a ragoust.”

If you're tasked with explaining, defending, or opining on something you know nothing about, have no opinion of, or have the opposite opinion of, then you can: 1) Frame it as a question for yourself: "If I had an opinion about this, what could it be?", or b) Pick the opposing stance and run with it, as an exercise of sober devil's advocacy, or taking it to the sarcastic extreme, like Jonathan Swift's quote above, or a politician adopting the positions of their lobbyist.

The rhetorical option is usually the most flexible and potentially fun, as it's about the what if, a lot more mutable than the what is.

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