Hit 500 story prompts saved and now I question my own taste

I realized last week my writing prompt folder hit exactly 500 saved ideas. Half of them are dark psychological twists, the other half are cozy fantasy scenarios about bakeries. Nothing in between. I started wondering if we all just stick to one comfort zone without noticing. The debate is this: should you force yourself to write outside your favorite prompt type, or lean into it? I tried a romance prompt last night after 3 years of avoiding them, and it felt like reading a foreign language. Has anyone else hit a milestone number in their prompt collection and used it as a wake up call?

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jake_owens11d ago

Is it weird that I recognized myself in this immediately? I've got a folder that hit 600 ideas last month, and I swear 90 percent are either post apocalyptic survival or wholesome farm life stories. Nothing in between, no middle ground whatsoever. I tried forcing a sci fi heist prompt once, something totally different from my usual stuff, and I stared at the screen for two hours before giving up. Honestly, it made me realize that my "comfort zone" is just where my brain naturally goes when it's relaxed, and that's not necessarily a bad thing. Maybe leaning into what you like is fine, but those outside attempts are good reality checks. It's like testing your taste buds, you don't have to love spicy food to know you prefer sweet, but at least you tried it once.