Prompt hack: tried writing fantasy with modern slang versus old timey language

I was stuck on a sword and sorcery prompt last month so I wrote two versions. First one used words like "yo" and "bet" which felt off for a medieval setting. Second version I used simple old phrases like "prithee" and "by my sword" plus I cut any modern references. The second one got way more replies on the feedback thread because it felt authentic. Has anyone else tried playing with the voice to make their fantasy prompts land better?

2 comments

2 Comments

kelly.emma14d ago

Wait, you're saying people actually complained about the word "yo" in a fantasy setting? That cracks me up because I swear I ran into a prompt once where the dragon was like "bet" and I had to walk away from my phone for a minute. It's like seeing a dude in full plate armor pull out a vape pen, just not right at all. But seriously, the old timey language trick works because it builds trust with the reader right off the bat. You drop a "prithee" in there and people know you didn't just throw some random words together. I've noticed even just swapping out "okay" for "so be it" makes the whole thing feel like it belongs in that world.

jamiew8314d ago

It's like how people dress up for a job interview versus wearing sweatpants to the store. The language sets the tone right away so readers know what they're getting into. I've noticed the same thing works with prompts about detectives or sci fi - drop one modern tech word like "smartphone" into a noir setting and it pulls people right out of the story. Matching the voice to the world just signals you actually put thought into the prompt.