Writer's Prompts | Love Unscripted | Be My Baby

Welcome to this week’s Alchemy Writer’s Prompt! In this two-part podcast episode of Love Unscripted, Tim and LeeAnna dive deep into the darker, more uncomfortable dynamics of relationships—the subtle ways power, control, and manipulation shape the people we love. These prompts explore the fine line between innocent gestures and those that carry a hidden agenda. Whether it's a family tradition or a couple’s playful teasing, sometimes the smallest actions can hold the most weight. So, let’s get uncomfortable. Your challenge? Take these dynamics and put them into a scene that makes your readers feel uneasy, uncertain, and maybe a little too familiar.

Reminder: please keep it to 600 words or less. Send it in to us, and if it’s a knockout, we might just read it out on the podcast. Get ready to stir the pot!

Prompt 1: The Family Ritual

Family traditions are supposed to be warm and comforting - right? Write a scene where a family has a ritual that could either be completely innocent or a little too much. Maybe it’s something everyone thinks is normal, like a specific type of movie night or a bedtime or morning routine. But there’s something that feels just slightly off. You decide how deep the weirdness goes. Is it just a quirky family tradition, or is there some darker control lurking beneath the surface?

Prompt 2: The Teasing That Isn’t Funny

We all love a little playful banter, right? But what happens when teasing turns from lighthearted humor to a subtle, insidious undermining of someone’s self-esteem? Write a scene where a couple’s playful teasing - maybe about her clumsiness or her silly laugh - seems harmless at first. But as the teasing goes on, it becomes clearer that it’s chipping away at her confidence. Others might laugh along, thinking it’s no big deal, but the reader will know that something darker is going on. How does this affect her? And what do her friends think - do they step in, or just let it slide?

Ah, tradition and teasing—the perfect breeding grounds for subtle control. What starts out as quirky or funny can quickly spiral into something much darker. Whether it's a family ritual that feels just a bit too controlling or playful teasing that slowly chips away at someone’s confidence, these dynamics set the stage for something uncomfortable. Teasing can be a slippery slope, and family traditions can easily cross the line into manipulation. Enjoy exploring where the line blurs between harmless fun and a power play.