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Challenge: Use the following first line and word list in a story. "That has to be the most asinine idea I've ever heard." Word List: Pizza, Cat, Evergreen, Story, Techno, and Force.

Hey everyone! I recently finished round one of the short story competition at NYC Midnight. I found the process used for story creation to be quite enjoyable, even though I had to write with a subject and character assignment which were out of my comfort zone. (Thank goodness the genre was fine, or I would have been screwed!) Anyway, At Renee's suggestion in one of my recent blog posts, I decided to make a forum post reflecting the prompt style of the competition, hoping you'd enjoy it. Each person is given a random genre, subject, and character assignment, and is asked to write a story of 2500 words or less. Obviously in free form such as this, we don't need to keep the word limit if we don't want to, but you're welcome to follow the full rule set if you'd like. Here are some examples: Drama / A laboratory / A teacher Romantic Comedy / Recycling / A bartender Sci-Fi / Halloween / A bus driver Horror / A trial / A CEO (Chief Executive Officer) Fantasy / Luck / A lead singer The full list of genres(and their definitions) available in the contest can be found here: http://www.nycmidnight.com/genres.htm Feel free to respond with suggestions you'd like others to try. I'll offer a suggestion to start the ball rolling. Crime Caper / Cattle Ranching / A runaway.

I'd been to many interments, each of them a different experience of loss and grief, but never before had I been asked to shovel dirt onto a friend's casket. They are all looking at me, expectantly, a shovel held out towards my hands. Can I do this? Can I really do this?

Random prompt I gave to Ashi for a poem, thought I'd toss it up here for everyone, 'cause why not? "the wind of a passing subway train turning us about to face the other direction"

Here is a picture you can use to write about! This is a picture of my great-greatgrandfather's house--still there, but minus the porch.

Your challenge is to step out of your comfort zone and to write a SciFi piece. This can be any flavor of story you want, but it has to have a recognizable SciFi feel to it. A Prompt to help get you started: You live in an era of Human Augmentation is the norm. From Cybernetics to Gene Resequencing to Chemical Augmentation, all available for any price. Of course, the good stuff is reserved for the government. What is it like to live in this world, where someone can change the very fabric of who they are, with enough credits?

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, and that is what this challenge is. Find a picture, either one you've taken yourself, a Public-Domain print of some sort, a Free-Use one on art-sites, or whatever as long as you keep it legal. Then write a 1000 word story based on that picture. Any genre, or point of view.

So, for challenge number three, I have one that is going to break all the writing "rules." Challenge: Write a 1000+ Word Infodump. No Dialogue. Tell, Don't Show. That is all. My goals with these prompts are to shake up people's comfort zones. Also, to show that dogmatic adherence to the Industry's "Writing Rules" is not the only way to do things.

In the Tabletop Role-Playing Game Dungeons and Dragons, one of the most infamous artifacts is called a Deck of Many Things. These decks of cards bring both Good and Bad Fortune. Draw one, three, or five cards, your choice, and see what the fates bring you. You can find the Deck of Many Things, listed online with an explanation of what each card does. Or, like many Dungeon Masters, create your own deck. If you create your own deck, this is the general break down: Good Cards = Five or Six. Neutral Cards = Three or Four. Bad Cards = Six or Seven. Card Examples: One card grants a Significantly Powerful Magical Item, tailor for the character. One card grants a fortress to the character. Brand new, fully functional, and fully stocked. One card grants a Powerful Extraplanar Rival. A Demon or Devil develops a hatred for the character and will try to kill them. One card sucks the soul out of the character and is obliterated forever. The Prompt: A mysterious fortune teller meets you on the side of the road, and you decided to have your fortune read. Afterward, she offered to let you choose one, three, or five cards from a special deck of cards. She shows you the pictures on these cards, and you decide to test your luck. How many cards do you choose, and what new fate happens to you?

Your challenge is to write a rhopalic sentence of at least 10 words. That is to say, a sentence in which each word is one letter longer than the preceding word.

I don't know if this idea has been done but it suppose to help a writer craft better scenes AND character development. The premise: Write in 350 words or less the description of a place. The place is suppose to describe and represent the character. You are building your character through the setting. You cannot mention the character in any way. The character cannot be present. No reference of any other people either (ie. having other people there to talk about the place). Basically we can imagine your character through the descriptions of your place. The kicker: Here is your character: A woman who works at a bakery who just won the lottery. Have fun! Here is my attempt: The one bedroom apartment was on the fourth floor of the weather beaten, once white, building that stood facing the grey lake. Inside the apartment, the wooden floorings were worn and dull. Dust bunnies grew large in the corners. The air was dry and sweet, filled with sugar and cinnamon. A subtle chill ran through the house from an opened window in the living room. The kitchen was small, littered with takeout boxes from a bakery, one stacked upon another against the wall that lined the living room. A pot sat in the sink, water pooled to the top, hiding the burnt food stuck to the bottom. Tacked onto the refrigerator, under magnets in the shapes of horses, were lottery tickets, scratch tickets, and pull tabs. An apron hung on the side of the rattling fridge, stained and caked with flour, dirt, and spices. A long brown strand of hair hung loosely from the neck piece of the apron. In the living room, a bright purple triple XL sweatshirt from Disneyland was draped over the back of the worn fabric couch. Dust has settled and collected on the arms of the couch. The television that faced the couch laid on the ground, its antennas straight and shiny, seemingly untouched. By the opened window, the white satin mesh curtain fluttered in the cool night gale. A wooden rocking chair sat, faced out the window towards the lake. The orange glows of the lake walk 's lamp posts reflected off the black surface of the lake like gold coins in the sun. Next to the chair sat a wooden corner table. Upon it rested a thick pair of silver horn rimmed glasses. A fantasy novel with a lottery ticket as its book mark lay next to the glasses as did a lighter. On the ground, next to the stand was a copper bucket filled with barely burnt cigarettes.

Okay, here's a prompt I remember from back in my high school days. My creative writing teacher gave our class this. I dunno if ya'll've seen it before, so here goes . In three paragraphs, describe three different scenes that display anger, sadness, and happiness *without* using *any* dialogue. No quotation marks; action only. I'll go first, as an example :2hands:. -- *Anger* Nathan slammed his heel against his bedroom door. The little shit was going to get it now! Nathaniel vol'Trohei had had enough. The jacket came off first. He had to rip it off before it could strangle him any longer. The intricate knot of his neckcloth required more then Nathan's thick fingers could manage. He heavily considered putting a blade to it, but that required more time then he was willing to give the damn thing. It took both hands and a snarl for the strip of linen to come apart and be thrown across the room. His shirt followed after. One of his boots cracked the mirror it slammed against. The other knocked down a portrait from the wall. He kept replaying everything that had gone on, between himself and the damn mage. Little shit and his potions, his treatments, his damn little chipper attitude! All the damn time! Nathan couldn't stand it! -- *Happiness* Simon dropped back against the grass, letting the sun warm his pale skin. He couldn't help smile as the clouds above shifted against a great canvas of blue. He could see the image of a running horse in one. The wispy trail of a tree's leaves in another. He reached up his hands to feel the wind sweep over his palms. The only thing that would make the day more perfect was if Nathan were with him. They didn't have to kiss or make love or anything. Just hearing the air pass out of Nathan's chest would be enough. A sudden burst of laughter tickled his lips. Anything was better when Nathan was involved. Just the threat of his smile was enough to make Simon's day worth while. When they brushed against one another, when they spoke, with their eyes met across the dining hall; just the thought of such things made Simon wriggle in the grass. -- *Sadness* The door gave a pert click as the lock found it's home. Harper's fingers slid down the handle, leaving a smear of oil and sweat to mark where he'd been. He didn't have the strength of will to stand on his own two feet anymore. Not after what he'd seen; after what the doctors had forced him to bear witness to. His baby bird. His partner's beloved son. Laying unconscious on the bed, with white sheets that had more colour then he did. Harper pulled his deadened hand up to cover his mouth. There was no god, Saint or Blessed Mother that could make Trenai whole now. He feared what Rhyallis would do when he spoke of what he'd seen. He feared the cries he would have to endure, the words, the panic. But, most of all, he feared the scars and torn flesh that had brought tears to his eyes. -- End! Good luck everyone!

This challenge is regarding semicolons; punctuating with periodsand commas is great, but you know what’s better? Semicolons, they allow you to change up your sentencestructure; however, it seems that often, sadly, people forget about them. Or, perhaps, they do not know how to usethem; the time is now, let your semicolons run wild. Read about them from my link; mull over the infinite combinationsthey allow; create a sentence, nay a paragraph; use as many semicolons as possible; post This is a fun website; utilizing humor and cartoons the website shows how to use the semicolon.

This painting is called Nighthawks. It was painted by Edward Hopper in 1942. The time is irrelevant. It's the classic American diner. They're everywhere. The Challenge Who are these people? What are their hopes and dreams. Are they old and broken or young and hopeful?

writing a story with only similes and metaphors im gonna give it a try the moon peered out from the clouds. the two hugged each other as if they were scared. the demon rose up and pierced the sky with its teeth. the sky wept rain and Micheal's face was covered in sorrow. the ground seemed to move as michael ran. his footsteps rattled the ground. the trees were unforgiving as the grabbed Michael and tripped him. the monster danced around him as if he was already dead. tears erupted as the beast flew lower and lower till the musky breath of a thousand rotting corpses filled Michael s nostrils. his eyes begged and pleaded to let them go. the moon was now floating over the demons head. and with one swift motion the clouds attacked him with lighting. the creature cried a howl as Micheal's ears burst open. he stood tall and mighty like a giant. Michael wandered into the distance like a lone ranger with nothing to loose.

For some reason I have always loved idioms. An idiom (if you don't know) is an everyday expression that's not supposed to be taken literally, but the phrasing creates a meaning of its own. For example: It's raining cats and dogs. Actions speak louder than words. To smell a rat. AND my new favorite one is A squeaky wheel gets the grease. So, my challenge is to come up with your own idiom, then list it and its meaning. I'll post one later too.

1. Describe a photo. 2. Describe a one movie scene of the same theme that was in the photo. 3. Describe a full movie of the same theme as the previous had. Fit everything under 1000 words. YOU decide what the theme is.

Write about Valentine's Day, without mentioning these words : Valentine's Day, cupid, love, roses, flowers, hearts, February. The length is your choice. Enjoy BeaStKid

Write a scene involving at least one character, but without referring to that character by name. The idea is to exercise the use of alternative ways of identifying the character. For example, you can use descriptions, pronouns or other characteristics of the character to indicate who you are referring to.

I found this in an application that I was filling out, and I thought it interesting and challenging enough to share. "...read the following piece and then, with absolutely minimal additions or subtractions of fact and detail, rewrite it in one of the following three styles (in verse or prose): romantic, bitter, or stream-of-consciousness. There is no length requirement. My paternal grandmother, Florence, was a stout, mercurial woman who handed me a present nearly every time I came into her sight, with the probable exceptions of my birthday and Christmas. She was not a great believer in special occasions. Or rather, she believed in them but saw no reason to be overly literal about their observance. �This is for your birthday,� she would say for the thirtieth time in a year, handing me a box of Fanny Farmer lollipops or ordering me to try on a new pair of dungarees. My father may have exaggerated the details of his childhood, but to hear him tell of it, Florence was forever chasing him around the house to show him some �surprise� that he longed instead to find wrapped under a Christmas tree, preferably on Christmas. My grandmother didn�t have much use for wrapping paper either. ________________ Excerpt from �Florence of Patterson� by Garrett Keizer. Essay appears in Agni 64, 2006. Ed. Sven Birkerts." I'll put in my effort later.

In the spirit of the previous two constrained-writing exercises, here is another. Write a paragraph in which each word begins with the last letter of the preceding word. Menzo PS I'll post one later.

Write a paragraph in which every word starts with a vowel. Then write a second paragraph in which every word starts with a consonant. BeaStKid

Hi everyone, Write a short story that includes each of the following: A black hat A torn blanket An angry librarian A green sports car A lonely girl A happy young man A silver watch A crisp slice of toast I plan to give it a go myself, but I haven't come up with anything yet. Take care all and have a great day! Kevin

Write a 26-word story where every word begins with a different letter of the alphabet.

One word prompts, borrowed from the spn50 community on LJ. Grab a word and write a drabble type story to go with it. At least a hundred words per prompt, but as long as you want. And they don't need to be in order. 01.Numb 02.Listen 03.Deep 04.Inside 05.Habit 06.Easier 07.Breaking 08.Run 09.Bottom 10.Hit 11.You 12.Lying 13.Somewhere 14.Belong 15.Disease 16.Unreal 17.Movie 18.Happiness 19.Lover 20.Goodbye 21.Bravery 22.Baby 23.Still 24.Try 25.Pain 26.Seen 27.Hidden 28.Unwell 29.Could 30.Glory 31.Education 32.Behind 33.Stay 34.Never 35.Father 36.Truant 37.Apart 38.Exile 39.Drifting 40.Gasoline 41.Remind 42.Heart 43.Set 44.Bad 45.Rubber 46.Sun 47.Steal 48.Hype 49.Back 50.Curse