SolemnDragon's Journal: Writers: who's up for a challenge? (short stories)

Here's the deal. I've been trying hard to get myself going on some projects.

I figure giving myself a project, like writing 7 stories over 3 weeks, ought to be a good start.

Anyone want to join me?

The rules: Pretty basic. To ensure that they are new, everyone involved will contribute basic themes. Example: snow. These get to be starting points, they don't necessarily have to be what the story is about. It should be identifiable somewhere in the story. Sure, you could cheat and rewrite an old story to include it, but what would be the point?

We each come up with a story. We don't have to post them here but there should be some sharing involved just for keeping us all motivated to stay on deadline.

Some sample themes:

dairy gremlins
Moon reflected in water
plum blossoms
old stones
what's in this jar here?
onion sandwiches
a queen in the echoes
the heaviest catfish
chirp chirp
i had an uncle
seven and sixpence

get the idea? I'll post all the themes together if anyone wants to play.

In the meantime, i'll list a LOT of little short writing exercises over the next three weeks, because some of you are darned good writers who don't get enough chance to show it off (looks pointedly at dubiousdave and sam)

Let me know if you'd rather we pick one theme for each round of stories, or just push one list each three days. I can do either.

*grabs a pen* A'right, who's in?
Doesn't start today, will probably start in the next few days, late joiners welcome.

I'm in... Sorta.

[pythorlh]

Probably won't have the time/energy to participate fully, but I'm willing to be a part-timer. I haven't written anything in ages.

Re:Already have you beat ;-)

[SolemnDragon]

Well, hell- i figured you two already had those covered. *grin*

I'm in.

[Shadow Wrought]

I have to be. I have a story that I've been trying to finish for a couple weeks now to no avail. I tell myself that I don't have time, yet I manage tor ead, watch TV, and play Halo. So, a challenge is definitely in order.

Here's seven themes for you:

1. quietus
2. pulchritude
3. venerable
4. ancient ones
5. muddy creek
6. rusted blade
7. facade

The only proviso is that I am gone all next week on vacation and will have no time to write. So maybe I'll finish what I've been struggling to write and call that my first entry..

Oooh!

[GeckoFood]

*jumps up and down, waving hands* Pick me! Pick me! I wanna be on your team! Pick meeeeeee!

Oh... *ahem* *cough cough* Sorry... Yes, I think that is a most spendid idea. Please add me to the ranks of the interested.

Sounds like fun...

[TopShelf]

I haven't done any story-writing in ages, but it sounds like a good brain-stretcher.

Some theme ideas: acceleration, texture, deference.

Your ideas are interesting to me...

[Keith Russell]

...and I would like to subscribe to your newsletter.

Although I'm rather tapped out for topics, unless you consider "network congestion", "two-hour timeout", and "existing state of packages has been discarded" to be of interest. They've become unavoidable this fine Wednesday.

Re:Your ideas are interesting to me...

[Short Circuit]

existing state of packages has been discarded

Pain could very well be a topic.

Ouch.

Sounds interesting

[sielwolf]

Though I'm going to have to pass. I'm writing something else, longform, with a couple chapters done. I was considering going into an MA program. That will be built from the previous. Editing that, rewriting it. Getting it into a nice portfolio. Of course then November is also National Novel Writing Month [nanowrimo.org].

Re:

[account_deleted]

Comment removed based on user account deletion

Another part timer...

[FortKnox]

Please keep in mind, I'm no writer, and I will be writing small short stories.... but what I've always wanted to do is write the story without going back and changing things... basically make it up as you go along. Just a creativity exercise...

hmm, curious

[sparky4]

my less than basic writing skills should give you plenty of options for the Red Pen editing.

will try a couple but have about 2-3 hours of computer testing to complete if I want to get my raise.

How short is 'short' ?

I'm game.

[Short Circuit]

And I'd like to vote for the "one theme a week" option.

But can I make a suggestion? Instead of using a text theme, use a photograph. There's lots of great ones over at the Farktography archives [farktography.net].

Also, if anyone's interested, I can arrange for all the entries to be collected onto a single website.

Re:I'm game.

[SolemnDragon]

one theme a week won't be enough for me to get a story done very 3 days.

I will not be posting all of mine. I might let you read them by email, but we are not required to share and some of mine will be for publicaiton later. So a website's fine but don't expect to put any of mine on it.

I promise nothing.

[lithron]

But I'd be willing to entertain the idea if its not too many stories in a short time period. Especially if a single hand written page counts as short.

I am in

[llamalicious]

Count me in for "Teh Grate Dagron Writing Exerscise"