I bought the original Writer Emergency Pack cards in 2017 and have found them incredibly useful over the years. The prompts are great for jumpstarting creativity and sometimes for curing writer’s block. The quality of the original is excellent, the art a pleasing addition, and the writing tips brief and helpful.When I saw this set, I debated getting it for a while since I wasn’t certain if the upgrades would be worth replacing the original. I’m pleased to say they are well worth getting, and the upgrades make the cards more intuitive and much easier to use. I’ve outlined the changes below:1. Size and Quality of Cards -a. These cards are far larger. The originals were the size of standard playing cards, These are twice that size, making them much easier to read.b. The box holding the cards is much nicer and far more durable. The originals came in a playing-card style top-opening box. These come in an extra-thick box that has a removable top. I had to be extra careful not to rip the box with the old ones, as I always manage to do with my playing card boxes. I no longer have that worry.c. The texture of the card surface has changed. This isn’t a good or bad thing unless you have a preference. The originals had a rougher texture, which made the smaller cards less slippery within my fingers. These have the standard smooth texture, but the larger size means they don’t slip either.The new cards feel slightly thicker than the old ones, which theoretically will make them more durable, though I’ve never had an issue with my old cards tearing, fraying, or looking worn.2. Layout - This is a HUGE improvement.a. The way the information has been presented in the new cards is a HUGE improvement. While I liked the old cards, the prompts were printed on one card with a decorative red back, and the tips and writing advice were printed on a separate card, with an in-depth look on one side and tips on the other. This meant I had to hunt through the deck to find two cards when they got out of order, and I had two cards on my desk that often slipped to the floor when I wasn’t careful. Splitting the information between three card sides also meant I had to go back and forth between cards, flipping one to reference what I needed. The new cards have the prompts on the front and ALL the information and tips together on the back. This means I have a larger, easier-to-read card with nearly everything readily accessible at a glance. It’s so incredibly helpful!b. The illustrations used for the cards that are the same in both packs are the same, for the most part. There are slight shading differences, but I can’t tell if this is caused by printing variances or if the art has been touched up.3. Information -a. The upgraded pack includes all 26 original cards plus 26 new cards that offer equally fun illustrations, exciting prompts, and valuable tips and advice.b. Although some of the information from the old cards has been shuffled around in this new deck (such as moving some info from the prompt cards to the information section), the text is virtually the same. As far as I can tell, nothing has been added or taken away from these cards, which is good since I won’t have to hold onto both decks. I prefer to avoid clutter whenever I can.Overall, I’m incredibly impressed with the XL version of the Writer Emergency Pack. It offers fantastic improvements over the original, making the new deck a must for any writer who can use the added exercises (which is most of us).