In case you haven’t noticed, I’m not very good at being concise. When I write, I tend to be very conversational in style, thus I get a bit wordy. I don’t really mind it, but I want to try and strike a balance. I’ve been thinking about my writing abilities a lot lately, putting a lot into question, because I’ve been buried in a plethora of kind-hearted compliments about my style and technicality. While that’s wonderful and very flattering, I’m wondering if I deserve it. The vast majority of my writing has been business-related lately; I haven’t done any straight creative writing in nearly a year. Perhaps I’m doubting myself for this reason. I’m going to have a lot of writing duties coming up, and I need to bolster my confidence and practice being concise.
When I come up with new ideas for creative writing exercises, I tend to think too big. My ideas are grand, they’re extensive, I like to live in my characters’ shoes. I need an exercise, but I need one that isn’t quite so involved. If you’d be so kind, I’d appreciate a little kickstart. A teensy one, a kick just forceful enough to get me going, but not so powerful that I go too far. Ladies and gentlemen of the blog, I need your help.
Let’s play a game. Heck, let’s turn this into a contest – the last one worked so well, maybe this one will too. I need you to give me a few bits of inspiration, off which I will attempt to write a complete fictional story that fills no more than four pages. I will fiddle with this story whenever I have free time (which won’t be much), and when I’m done I’ll post it here. I will attempt to make the story both creatively interesting and technically proper, so as to live up to the compliments I have been receiving. Whoever provides the input that inspires me will win a prize. Below you’ll find a list of what I need, a recipe for this new story. Post a comment with your input and good luck! I’ll announce the winners once I’ve gotten around to writing the story (and who knows when that will be…)
Recipe:
– Two character names (Bob McBob, Julie Vanderbilt; something complete.)
– A setting (i.e. a diner, a car, a sandbox.)
– An action (anything from a sneeze to a complex game.)
– Three genres, in order of preference.
– A suggestion for what the winner should receive as his or her prize.
Bonus Point: Write the very last sentence of the story.
Good luck! Let’s see some participation, people! Be creative, be funny, be unique. I can’t wait to see what you come up with. 🙂
So, you basically want us to come up with ideas for you like a bunch of Idea Puppets? “Dance, puppet, dance!” Well, I’ll dance. I’ll dance something good.
Two Character Names: Teal Matthews, Ricky Gordon
Setting: A pool hall.
The Action: Attempting to coax the truth out of a pool hustling old crook.
Genres: Suspense, Comedy, Action
Prize Suggestion: Official recognition as Supreme Ruler of the Universe and Master of Heather’s Internet Contests.
Last Sentence: “She had her story, he had his anonymity; all was right with the world.”
Two character names: Alyosha Karamazov, Dmitri Karamazov
Setting: 19th century Russia
The Action: A murder investigation
Genre: Action, Philosophy, Mystery
Prize: Official recognition as Supreme Ruler of the Universe and Master of Heather’s Internet Contests.
Last Sentence: Hurrah for Karamazov!
2 Character Names : Veressa Winward, Moses Kidd
A Setting: A Farmer’s Market
An Action: choosing tomatoes
3 genres: Mystery, Suspense, Romance
prize suggestion: Recognition as a co-author.
last sentence: At least she had her tomatoes.
2 Character Names : Denise Onomatopoeia and Mihkal Pumpernickel
A Setting : A wayside rest in the middle of nowhere.
An Action : Taking out the trash.
3 Genres : Action, Thriller, Romance
Prize Suggestion : Recognition as Co-Author, Official Recognition as “Supreme Ruler of the Universe and Master of Heather’s Internet Contests”, your hand in marriage, you taking D2’s hand in marriage.
Last Sentence : Of course, nothing is the way it seems.
Names: Jens Hitzig, Anna Rubinstein
A setting: A train
An Action: dropping a tissue
3 genres: war, romance, suspense
Prize Suggestion: A pretty photo
Last sentence: There was nothing more to say.
Names: Gunter Hunterhanken, Agamemnon menalaous Mcfly
Setting: Martian landscape
An action: space car chase
3 genres: Western, Comedy, Mystery
Prize Suggestion: Your nextdoor neighbor’s hand in marriage. No not the brunette, the cute blonde.
Last sentence: “Dude where’s my car?”
Yeah, let’s see you try to make that one!
– Two character names:
Terry Bradshaw (no relation), and “Cruisin’ Susan” Hougher
– A setting:
A jail cell at a table.
– An action:
Monopoly.
– Three genres, in order of preference:
1. Mystery
2. Sci-Fi
3. Romance
– A suggestion for what the winner should receive as his or her prize.
A free copy of the Heather Show book 😀
Bonus Point:
“Cruisin’ Susan took the last bite of pie and, with a half-hearted ‘good game,’ left the cell.
Two men, Needles and Poddsworth, are in their car, a big, black shiny four door beast of 19080’s vintage when Needles, who is driving, turns to Poddsworth and says, “Have you ever seen anything so hideous?”
Genres would be Comedy, Action, Fantasy
Skip to ending for, “I told you I didn’t like traffic lights.”
Who needs prizes? I have the love of a good woman and two boxes of Pop-Tarts. (which, incidentally could substitute for the last line of any story)
2 Character Names : Sly and Rex
A Setting : The Back Yard
An Action : Sly the fox jumping over a lazy dog named Rex
3 Genres : Picture book (haha just kidding) Action, Tragedy, Adventure
Prize Suggestion : Recognition as Co-Author, Official Recognition as “Supreme Ruler of the Universe and Master of Heather’s Internet Contests”, your hand in marriage, you taking D2’s hand in marriage, Heather Show book, a magnent, and 5 Krispy Kreme Doughnuts!
Last Sentence : The morale of the story is; jumping gets you nowhere in life.
Herbie the Love Bug and Fiona Ferrari are
in Monaco.
They must rescue the fabled Lawver BMW 318i from off the freighter headed for the Honda steel recycling plant in China.
(present as either a 1940s screwball comedy, Film Noir, or Martial Arts film)
Herbie turned his tail lights to the luxury liner cruising for America through the descending night fog, Fiona’s words still aching in his head, “You’re trying to make me go soft. Well, you can save your oil, I don’t go soft for anybody.”
PRIZE: Steak dinner and dance in D.C. (air fare not included).
2 NamesL: Rembrandt Laveau, Markus Hatter
Setting: Small, empty bar just outside of New Orleans
Action: Game of Backgammon while waiting for an ambulance
Genres: Noir, Comedy, Tragedy
Prize: Whatever fits
Last sentence: “Take me home”
Chanille M Hotentot, Charibdis K Alcibyides
Setting: World War II, Winter, Russian Front
Action: Two souls trying to come to terms with life and the meaningless of mankinds actions.
Genre: Musical, Comidy, French Existentialist
Prize: Design a cool orange blog template for me
Last sentence “I still don’t know why I bother to eat, but I eat in comfort with my best friend at my side.”
Names: Raglynn and Taylor
Setting: Mid air in a hot air balloon
Action: Opening a picnic basket filled with three items, a spool of thread with a needle tucked into the spool, a box of kleenix, and what appears to be the feather of a blue jay.
Genre: Murder mystery, fantasy or comedy
Prize: Winning satisfaction
Last Sentence: ‘Just another day in paradise’