30 Days of Write

September 21, 2009 Sarrrrrrry!

2009-09-21T10:03:00.000-05:00

I totally spaced, you guys. This should've been on the 19th:

It's national Talk Like a Pirate Day! Write some dialogue between two pirates.

September 15 & 16, 2009

2009-09-15T23:58:00.003-05:00

OMG I cannot believe I forgot to post today-and it's such a good one! I guess I will push it back to Wednesday. Sorry!

Seth Grahame-Smith has monopolized on our nation’s love of the undead through the successful run (it hit #3 on the New York Times’ best seller list) of his new book, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, the first mash-up book to ever be created. Following in his footsteps is Ben H. Winters’ Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters, being released upon the world today.

Grab a copy of one of your favorite books and “monsterize” at least the first page.

(should this be a 2-day assignment? discuss in the comments)

September 14, 2009 Bitch, bitch, bitch

2009-09-14T14:43:00.001-05:00

Take a load off: today you get to write a rant about whatever you want.

September 13, 2009

2009-09-13T15:55:00.001-05:00

Today is National Grandparents Day. Take a moment to do some memoir-style writing and share a story about a grandparent.

September 10, 11, 12, 2009 _________s in the Mist

2009-09-10T10:01:00.004-05:00

This one’s going to be fun! For the next few days you get to be your own version of Jane Goodall or Louis Leakey. You may not get to go immerse yourself for years in a world of primates, but for this topic, try to immerse yourself for at least an hour with a culture or social system that you are not familiar with. Here is the breakdown of your assignment:

Day 1 (today): brainstorm a list of five or so possible subject groups.

Day 2: Go do your hour + of field work, and post some of your notes.

Day 3: Write a brief ethnography of your chosen research group.

This is a great resource on how to write an ethnography:
http://uwp.duke.edu/wstudio/resources/documents/ethnography.pdf

9/09/09

2009-09-09T12:25:00.000-05:00

Today is a very special day, one we won’t see the likes of for another century. Check out this article (and tons more like it) about the significance of today’s date and the number 9. Today, write a brief piece of fiction where a number is significant to the plot or your character (hello, Lost!)

September 8, 2009 Leia + Lando = 2gether 4ever

2009-09-08T11:28:00.000-05:00

I ran into this article, and I may get some “boos” out of this one, but I also think I will get some “yays” (I’m on the “yay” team). WRITE SOME FUCKING FANFIC.

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1990818/can_writing_fanfiction_improve_your.html?cat=2

September 7, 2009 Take a load off

2009-09-07T00:30:00.000-05:00

Happy Labor Day! Today is a good day to reflect on all of your labors. Enjoy your holiday by writing a little bit of parody. Write a legitimate job description of a job that you have had (or the one that you have now). Follow that up with a parody of that description-give us a glimpse into what the job would be if the ad really reflected what the work is like.

September 6, 2009 A Picture is Worth...$2

2009-09-06T11:30:00.000-05:00

Today’s topic is super easy! Do a google image search for five random pictures and write captions for them. As a bonus, choose a picture from some of your fellow writers and caption those (look on their Facebook or Myspace pages).

Here is some great, basic information about caption writing: http://web.ku.edu/~edit/captions.html

September 5, 2009 1,2,3,4 Tell Me that You Love Me More

2009-09-05T02:46:00.001-05:00

Oh, Oxford Comma, how I love you so. You really are the Britney Spears of the grammar world: at once fabulous and flawless to some and skanky and useless to others. Few matters of punctuation are as controversial as you, as you are shunned by AP style, but have recently started going steady with Newsweek (who I think is way better for you anyway-he would totally buy you tampons at the store). My fellow writers may agree or disagree with me, so I guess I will have to read their blogs to find out just how they feel about you.

So, yeah, write a love or hate letter to my favorite piece of punctuation. If you need to learn more about it, check this out:

http://grammarcops.wordpress.com/2009/06/29/comma-serial-oxford-or-harvard/

September 4, 2009 In a World...

2009-09-04T00:02:00.001-05:00

So recently, most blockbuster movies have turned out to be little more than regurgitations of popular culture that we treasured as a kid. Few movies reached out and touched people during this Spring/Summer movie season, other than a few wily underdogs about balloons and indie love that managed to steal the hearts of folks shelling out their hard-earned cash. Write a brief review of a movie that you either loved or hated this year.

A few helpful pointers:

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/144690/a_5_step_guide_to_writing_effective.html?cat=40

http://www.spiritofbaraka.com/how-write-a-movie-review

September 3, 2009 Take me there

2009-09-03T00:17:00.001-05:00

Expository writing seeks to inform, explain, clarify, define, or instruct.

The general characteristics of expository writing include:
• focus on main topic
• logical supporting facts
• details, explanations, and examples
• strong organization
• clarity
• unity and coherence
• logical order
• smooth transitions

Utilize the framework of expository writing in order to move your reader from destination to destination. Clearly articulate how someone should get from point A to point B, but find a way to make it interesting to the point that they may want to say, drive from Austin to Dallas along the boring shit stretch that is I-35.
Thewritingsite.org

September 2, 2009 You don't even have to pass the bar

2009-09-02T00:30:00.000-05:00

So your acting chops may not be as awesome as those of Keanu Reeves, but today you get to play Devil’s Advocate. Write a persuasive defense of something you dislike immensely.

September 1, 2009 As long as your intentions are good...

2009-09-01T00:32:00.003-05:00

Back to basics. It's time to get out those books, sharpen those pencils, extend some metaphors, yadda, yadda.

Part 1: Set your writing intention for the month. Pick 3-5 words on what you want to get out of this, where you want to go with your writing, etc, and elaborate on them.

Part 2: Since our group is growing and we no longer all know each other, give us a little bio of your life as a writer.

Don't forget to take time today to follow everyone else's blogs, and make sure that you are following this one! And check to make sure that you are listed on "My Blog List" on the left-if not, email me at lauriewritesgood@gmail.com.

Happy writing!

September

2009-08-26T23:01:00.000-05:00

Hello my lovelies! I feel like it has been so long-and, my bad on the falling off halfway through July, I promise to do better this time! So, we are starting again next Tuesday, so please shoot me an email and let me know if you are in this round. And just a head's up on November, I won't be posting topics because I am planning to participate in NaNoWriMo (google it), and I would love for at least some of you to join me. If you have any topics that you would like to submit for consideration, feel free to do so. Also, if you want to invite anyone, have them email me.

Can't wait to get started again!

xoxo,
Mistress of the Blog

June 18,2009 The Ghazal of that guy...

2009-06-18T16:12:00.000-05:00

Ghazal
A Ghazal is a poem that is made up like an odd numbered chain of couplets, where each couplet is
an independent poem. It should be natural to put a comma at the end of the first line. The Ghazal
has a refrain of one to three words that repeat, and an inline rhyme that preceedes the refrain.
Lines 1 and 2, then every second line, has this refrain and inline rhyme, and the last couplet should
refer to the authors pen-name... The rhyming scheme is AA bA cA dA eA etc.

Example:
These Aged Pines

Amid lush fern carpet stand perpending pillars;
Into broad canopy rise impending pillars.

Shady gloom in quiet calm hangs perpetual
Neath enshrouding shelter of attending pillars.

Ringlets firm encircle hearts of antiquity,
Deeply shielded within great suspending pillars.

More than stately; more than magnificently made,
High up into heavens reach transcending pillars.

Among elder giants Zahhar walks astonished,
His heart held uplifted by extending pillars.

http://www.shadowpoetry.com/resources/wip/types.html

June 17, 2009 I'll be the student, you be the teacher

2009-06-17T17:53:00.001-05:00

Didactic Poetry
Didactic Poetry is a form of poetry intended for instruction such as for knowledge or to teach.

Example:
Recipe For Heavenly Destination

To get to Heaven
And stay with Christ
Follow this recipe
And his face you will see

Love
Love your neighbor
Love everyman
Spread the love as much as you can

Pray
Talk to the Lord
Show Him you care
With Him your feelings and worries share

Follow
Follow his teachings
Follow his way
Wherever he goes, follow you may

Lead
Lead the ones who don't see
Lead the ones that don't feel the love
Lead them to the Lord above

Copyright © 2000 David Arlaud

June 16, 2009 Blah, Blah, Blah

2009-06-16T15:55:00.000-05:00

Tongue Twister Poem
A Tongue Twister poem is made up of lines/verses that are hard to say when read aloud
by using similar consonant sounds in succession (use of alliteration). In other words, the
poem ties your tongue into knots. This form does not require end or internal rhyme.

Example #1:
Vino

vile vintage vino
via violent varicose veins
vagrant vapors vacate
vast vascular vessels
vanity vamoose
while visions of
voluptuous vixens
vibrating vigorously
virtually vaporize
into a vast vapid vat
of venomous venules

Copyright © 2001 Lorraine Nisbet

Example #2:
Six Pink Minks And Finks

six pink minks think finks stink
six finks think pink minks stink
six minks in creeks with finks stink
if six pink minks pick stinking ink finks

if six pink minks had six sticks
with six pink ink finks in six creeks
then six minks and six finks
would have sixty six pink minks and six ink finks

then sixty six pink minks
and sixty six ink finks
would make six ink finks stink
cause six pink minks make finks stink

Copyright © 2001 Sean R. Ellis

Example #3:
Celebration

psilanthropists sucking psilocybin
shrooms suddenly shriek,
"Say, see celestial sentients
surrounding simple psychedelic
seers?"

Marijuana moochers munching moonpies
on morning meadowns meandered,
meeting mystical mountain madmen.

Tripping, twisting, tasting, turning,
tokers tapping tambourines,
shroomers singing songs
sigh subconsciously.

Wailing, whistling, whacked, and wired,
weird wanderers weep, "whoopie!"

and another aimless astral
avatar awakens,
amazingly.

Copyright © 2001 Christine Ann Kelley

Example #4:
Serenity

Mystic moonlight, moments meet...
Softly, somewhere songbirds sweet...
Simple, soothing, soulful sounds...
Mem'ries murmer, mossy mound...
Wander wistful, winding ways
Linger, loving, lilacs lay...
Lazy langour, listless leaves...
Weeping willow, wonder weaves...
Pausing, picture, pristine plain...
Ruling romance, restive reign...
Rising rapture, rustic ride...
Perfect pleasure, peace presides...

June 15, 2009 Nine Lives

2009-06-15T15:33:00.000-05:00

More poetry!!!

Nonet
A nonet has nine lines. The first line has nine syllables, the second line eight syllables, the third line
seven syllables, etc... until line nine that finishes withone syllable. It can be on any subject and
rhyming is optional.

line 1 - 9 syllables
line 2 - 8 syllables
line 3 - 7 syllables
line 4 - 6 syllables
line 5 - 5 syllables
line 6 - 4 syllables
line 7 - 3 syllables
line 8 - 2 syllables
line 9 - 1 syllable

Example:
a pirates playground

the ocean is a pirate's playground
they live their lives upon the sea
battles are fought to the death
the loot is divided
they drink to those lost
set sail again
a pirate's
life for
me

June 14, 2009 Diamonds on my neck

2009-06-14T22:09:00.001-05:00

Yay! it's poetry week! you might remember this one from your youth:

Diamante
A Diamante is a seven-lined contrast poem set up in a diamond shape. The first line begins with a noun/subject, and second line contains two adjectives that describe the beginning noun. The third line contains three words ending in -ing relating to the noun/subject. The forth line contains two words that describe the noun/subject and two that describe the closing synonym/antonym. If using an antonym for
the ending, this is where the shift should occur. In the fifth line are three more -ing words describing the ending antonym/synonym, and the sixth are two more adjectives describing the ending antonym/synonym. The last line ends with the first noun's antonym or synonym.

To make it a bit simpler, here is a diagram.

Line 1: Noun or subject
Line 2: Two Adjectives describing the first noun/subject
Line 3: Three -ing words describing the first noun/subject
Line 4: Four words: two about the first noun/subject, two about the antonym/synonym
Line 5: Three -ing words about the antonym/synonym
Line 6: Two adjectives describing the antonym/synonym
Line 7: Antonym/synonym for the subject

Example #1:
Rain
humid, damp
refreshing, dripping, splattering
wet, slippery, cold, slushy
sliding, melting, freezing
frigid, icy
Snow

Copyright © 2000 Marie Summers
Example #2:

Kitten
cute, soft
purring, clawing, pouncing
playful, fur, fun, feline
pawing, licking, loving
bright-eyed, beautiful
Cat

June 13, 2009

2009-06-13T14:09:00.001-05:00

If you are capable of reading this right now, you have been a part of a few major events in American history that will certainly be fodder for history books. If you could have been present and an active part of any important moment in American history (sorry to be jingoist), which event would it have been? Describe what it would have been like in detail, from a first-person pov, and include your reasoning for choosing that time.

June 12, 2009

2009-06-12T16:25:00.003-05:00

So, apparently I am not being gaslighted, rather something even weirder is going on. My modem shuts off at the same time every night and comes back on at the same time every day. By itself. So weird.

Anyway. It is incredibly hot today. My brain and other parts of my body cannot function. You guys get an easy one today. Create the lineup for your perfect concert/festival.

June 11, 2009 Would You Rather

2009-06-11T15:40:00.002-05:00

Thanks, allergy attack, for the following topic:

Write a short story about a character who is pretty much constantly stuck hiccuping or sneezing all of the time.

June 10, 2009 Mind over matter

2009-06-10T13:47:00.004-05:00

So, I have to once again apologize about not being quite on top of getting the topics up in a timely fashion. Oddly enough, the past few nights, around 9pm I lose all internet capabilities. The internet that I pay for. Thus, no new postings until I can find time at work the next day, no postings of my own (though that is mostly due to writer's slump), and no reading anyone else's. As much of a pain in the ass as it is, it has inspired today's topic:

You, or a character in your piece, have decided to gaslight someone in order to get revenge on them for _______. Describe how this would happen.

Don't know what gaslighting is? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaslighting

June 9, 2009 Seize It

2009-06-09T19:22:00.001-05:00

Everything happens for a reason. Carpe Diem. There are so many of life's little wisdoms that we are told to live by, many of the contradictory in their own sense. What is your life's philosophy and why?

June 8, 2009 Flying high

2009-06-08T01:00:00.000-05:00

Your character is a 46 year old man who has never flown on a plane in his entire life. He is finally taking the vacation that he has been waiting 10 years to take. Describe his first experience in the air.

June 7, 2009 An easy one

2009-06-07T20:40:00.001-05:00

OK, so I am posting super late, so this one is easy and fun:

Create the soundtrack to your life as it is right now. Include a little bit of description with each pick.

June 6, 2009 I'm a celebrity, now get me out of here

2009-06-06T13:14:00.000-05:00

Death Valley temperatures have hit 134 F at their peak. Death Valley is a place I definitely do not want to be. Where is the worst place on Earth that you could possibly think of? Take us there.

June 5, 2009 Message in a Bottle

2009-06-05T00:27:00.002-05:00

It's 50 years from now, and your grandchildren have just opened a time capsule that you left for them. You wanted them to know exactly what it was like to be living your life in this moment in time. What five things do they find when they open it, and how do they read what your life was like?

June 4, 2009 A guy walks into a bar

2009-06-04T12:35:00.000-05:00

Your character is on a trip for work, and finds him/herself extremely bored, so he/she walks down to the hotel bar. After a few cocktails, they begin a conversation with a dashing stranger. What happens next?

June 3, 2009 I always feel like someone is watching me

2009-06-03T00:02:00.000-05:00

Congratulations. You just testified in court against the biggest crime family in all of Texas. Now, to keep your ass from being dead, the FBI is putting you and your family in the Witness Protection Program. Write about the first day of your new life as Chris Farmington in Poughkeepsie, NY.

June 2, 2009 I'm the new Me and You're the new You

2009-06-02T01:00:00.000-05:00

Zombies are the new ninjas that were the new pirates or some circle jerk theory thereunto. And the new pirates are friggin’ Somalian. What iconic historical cluster, dead or alive (or undead) would you like to see become the new zombie? Why?

Last Day 1 Update-Very Important!!!

2009-06-01T21:27:00.002-05:00

If you do not post something for Day 1 by mid-day tomorrow I am taking you off of the blog list. I'm not trying to hate, I just want to make it easy for everyone to read those who are actively participating. Kthnxbi.

Facebook!

2009-06-01T11:55:00.001-05:00

Hey guys, I finally started a Facebook group that should help facilitate discussion way better than our comment boxes. Let's see how it works :) If you haven't gotten the invite, just look up "30 Days of Write" in the groups section and request to join.

June 1, 2009 Tell Me Something Good

2009-06-01T01:00:00.002-05:00

Alrighty kids, it's back to Day 1-tabula rasa time. April was our best month so far, and I think June can be even better! So, this time around, day 1 is going to be a tiny bit tougher, so...

Part 1: Set your writing intention for the month. Pick 3-5 words on what you want to get out of this, where you want to go with your writing, etc, and elaborate on them.

Part 2: Since our group is growing and we no longer all know each other, give us a little bio of your life as a writer.

Don't forget to take time today to follow everyone else's blogs, and make sure that you are following this one! And check to make sure that you are listed on "My Blog List" on the left-if not, email me at lauriewritesgood@gmail.com.

Happy writing!

Is it June, already?

2009-05-26T12:23:00.002-05:00

Hello my little loves! I have missed you!

Looks like June is just around the corner, and it's time to start another installment of 30DOW. June is a good month, I think, because the 1st is on a Monday, and it has the perfect amount of days, and no holidays. I have already written half of the topics, so I will be off to a good start.

Here is what I need from you:
1. if you are doing it again in June, please comment here and let me know
2. if you would like to invite a few people, please feel free; have them email me at lauriewritesgood@gmail.com, and make sure they mention your name
3. if you have any topics that you would like to submit for consideration, please email them to me as well (p.s. if you submitted topics in the past, please do so again-it's not that i didn't like them, i just lost them)

Last month was our best run, yet, and I hope most of you stick around again!

making amends

2009-05-08T16:50:00.002-05:00

I finally posted those last two days (28th and 29th) that I somehow managed to totally skip. What a douche. They're actually pretty fun, too, so check them out even if you went ahead and did your own for those days. Anyway, I already have June 1/3 of the way done and I am going to pre-post them all!!! Now that you are a veteran, feel free to send me any topic ideas for next time: lauriewritesgood@gmail.com.

meet-up

2009-05-08T16:34:00.001-05:00

would next monday night work for everyone? i suggest we look for a location that stays open past midnight, because we usually end up having to move.

April 30, 2009-I am officially an ass

2009-04-30T15:09:00.002-05:00

Dudes, I am so sorry that I have fallen off track so bad. I will go back and add topics to the days I missed. Sorry! Anyway, here is the standard last-day assignment:

OMG the 30 days are up! Yeah, some of us made it through a little better than others (I certainly fall into the latter category), but I think that we all did great. So, a few notes:
1. If you are not caught up with your writing, take the beginning of May to do so. Around the middle of the month, I will send out nomination requests for your favorite posts.

2. We will start 30dow again in June. Please comment on this blog entry if you are interested in doing it again. This time around, please feel free to invite your friends (instructions for that will go out in dec). The goal is for this to expand a little more each time around.

3. Also, please use June to go read your fellow writers' posts and leave comments. You all know we want to hear that people have read our stuff. Let's not pretend.

3. In addition to this post, PLEASE do this added assignment for your loving moderator. As you know, I am going to try to turn this into a book, and definitely want your feedback. Please email me privately on these topics:-your 3 favorite topics-your 2 least favorite topics-anything you may have learned about writing through this month-any other comments you may have about the project**I hope you all had fun. I know I certainly did, and I know March will be way better, as I learned a lot about being more prepared! Some of you have already sent me some notes, and I appreciate them and will definitely be taking them into consideration.

Today's assignment is a simple one. Go back and review your own writing. Have you developed a style? Choose 3 words that describe your writing style, providing at least one example from your posts for each word.Style, to a fiction writer, is basically the way you write, as opposed to what you write about (though the two things are definitely linked). It results from things like word choice, tone, and syntax. It's the voice readers "hear" when they read your work. Naturally your writing style will change depending on your subject matter and the point of view. However, when we talk about developing your writing style, we mean the voice that is uniquely yours. That voice will change as your writing develops, of course, but like personality, the foundation is already there. To an editor, on the other hand, style refers to the mechanics of writing, i.e., grammar and punctuation. These rules change depending on what field you're in. For instance, according to Chicago style, used by book publishers, book titles are italicized. Reporters, using Associated Press (AP) style, would put the same title in quotation marks. (Literature students use MLA style, which also italicizes book titles.) (about.com)

Also, if anyone wants to do one last meetup, maybe early next week, to wrap up, please leave comments here.

April 29, 2009 Whatever, Cupid

2009-04-29T16:48:00.000-05:00

So, apparently your mom is either getting really sick of you being single (you are too old, after all), or she really, really hates your significant other. She is totally fed up and has decided to take things into her own hands and has posted a singles ad for you and you found it in today's paper. We want to read it.

April 28, 2009 Evil Frankenstein's Monster

2009-04-28T16:36:00.000-05:00

(and I say evil because we all know that the original wasn't)

Think of the people you hate (or loathe, for those of you who don't have balls enough to say you hate anyone) the most in the world. Your GW's, your Cunnilingus Wrights, your Pol Pots. Use them as inspiration to build a truly frightening composite villain/antagonist. In this writing, only do character development, don't try to move any action along, but make us really, really fear or despise this character.

April 27, 2009 Your own Radiolab

2009-04-27T15:13:00.000-05:00

Since I am listening to it right now, Radiolab is (somewhat) my current inspiration.

If you could create a radio show about anything you want (besides just music), what would it be about. Create an hour-long, detailed schedule for your show.

April 26, 2009

2009-04-26T13:39:00.001-05:00

It's Sunday, the perfect day to get the big newspaper, grab some coffee, and lounge around in your pjs. Here is a great poetry contest that is easy for all of us to do and to enter: http://wordletting.com/default_files/PoetryProject.htm

April 25, 2009

2009-04-25T13:36:00.001-05:00

Word of the Day for Saturday, April 25, 2009
imbroglio \im-BROHL-yoh\, noun:
1. A complicated and embarrassing state of things.
2. A confused or complicated disagreement or misunderstanding.
3. An intricate, complicated plot, as of a drama or work of fiction.
4. A confused mass; a tangle.

Write about an imbroglio :)

April 24, 2009

2009-04-24T12:48:00.001-05:00

(yep, i suck worse)

free day!!! especially since, hopefully, people just wrote anyway

April 23, 2009 Subculture

2009-04-23T00:32:00.000-05:00

So, for one of my 20 jobs I have been researching the dress of subculture/counterculture groups, from hipsters to Harajuku to Teddy Boys, which inspired today's topic. Create your own subculture, including the ideology behind whatever movement it is, but most especially on "the look" of that group.

April 22, 2009 Earth Day

2009-04-22T00:29:00.001-05:00

One of my favorite books is T.C. Boyle's A Friend of the Earth, a story set in the future when the earth becomes a shithole and the only animals left are in private collections of former rock stars. Share with us your view on the Earth's future in as much detail as possible.

April 21, 2009 I suck

2009-04-21T18:03:00.003-05:00

Hi guys. So sorry to be such a shitty blog mistress lately. I totally suck. I need to stop going out. Period. But, it is good for inspiring topics. Based on the most insane breakdancing circle I have ever seen in my life (stay tuned) and with upcoming BBoy City this weekend, create the most perfect or most bizarre breakdancing circle you could possibly ever see, and describe what it is like to stand outside of it.

If you have never had the pleasure of standing outside of a circle, check out some of these folks:

BBoy City
Inside the Circle
SickStep

April 20, 2009 Yum

2009-04-20T13:42:00.001-05:00

Make our mouths water...Describe your favorite food.

April 20, 2009 Crazy Vacay

2009-04-19T16:52:00.001-05:00

Write about your craziest vacation

April 18, 2009 Your City

2009-04-18T17:21:00.001-05:00

Oh snap! This one is going up late. Sorry kids :)

Also, I have a headache, so I'm not gonna make this all flowery:

Write about your favorite place to be in the town where you live.

April 17, 2009 Damn Pirates

2009-04-17T10:45:00.002-05:00

So, apparently pirates are cool again. Not so much because people are still buying all the trendy crap that no one really needs or because they are hanging out more at 826 Valencia, but moreso because there are real fucking pirates out there, getting shot in the head by snipers. Geez. Write a pirate story. It can either be the swashbuckling type or something more modern and Somalian.

How much did the pirate pay to get his ears pierced?

April 16, 2009

2009-04-16T13:12:00.003-05:00

To celebrate the day after tax day, write about something that we all fantasize about: what you would do if you won $8 million in the lottery. Don't forget to factor in taxes!

What you missed...

2009-04-15T01:13:00.002-05:00

So our first meet-up didn't turn out too productive at first, but then I proposed that Sinclair, SK, and I do a little bit of collaborative writing. And this gem is what emerged after a few hours at Bouldin and DB's. Also, check out Sinclair's post with some delightful quotes from the evening.

Jess' White Rabbit

"It's supposed to rain real hard this week," she said before putting the cigarette in her mouth and carefully pulling the formaldehyde into her lungs. It made a chill go down her spine. As did the van full of invisible children that drove by. It was another week of talking about the weather, rotting her organs, and contemplating the grammar quandaries of the universe.

Grammar or dickwads? Which was worse? At least grammar had rules. It might be boring, but it was better than talking about what passed for people around here. Jess flicked her hair out of eyes and glanced back at her so-called companions. She decided to continue the banality of the conversation, even though she'd rather be at home masturbating.

"So is fuckface one word or two?" she asked dantily. Some random dude at the next table responded unintelligibly with a half-witted scholastic reply involving parts of speech. They were busy talking about Facebook and getting to first base. More wine was definitely in order. But she wasn't going to drink the fucking Merlot. She had been there before and knew that the tannins in the bottle that were behind the bar would undoubtedly have her listening to the tide in the porcelain bowl by the end of the night. After she returned with her glass of Shiraz, she looked down and saw she had missed a call.

Fuck. It was him.

Whatever. If he could wait a year and a half to call, she could wait just as long to answer the phone. It wasn't her job to fix this. Jess knew she was not the one in the wrong, but still...was she making it worse? A sip of shiraz, a twirl of her hair around her fingers, time to pretend nothing was wrong. As Jess had already decided, grammar was a better topic of discussion than dickwads.

How dare that motherfucker call her on what would have been their wedding day? She was out, with friends, happy and not thinking about the trainwreck of their relationship for once. She had even been on a date in the last month, albeit an epic failure. The man had been in his forties, slightly pudgy and red in the face, but not altogether hideous until the second hour and four martinis in.

"So, do you like anal?"

"Excuse me?" she couldn't help spitting out a huge gulp of the Belevedere vodka he had bought her before throwing the rest in his face and leaving the restaurant without finishing her lobster. It was that seriously wrong.

And yeah, fuckface, she did like anal. And his dick was probably so small that she wouldn't even notice when he stuck it in. Whatever.

This was the plight of her love life. Failed relationship after failed relationship that resulted in various trial and error indulgences with antidepressants. After she signed herself up for the $75 study at the university to test the effect of anti-depressants and the resultant pitiful sex drive of females, she knew something else had to happen. And so here she was. Surrounded with a group of friends so amazing and triumphant that even Candace Bushnell couldn't fathom the depths of their coolness.

And here she sat. And there they were. At another bar.

"I'll have a Jameson and diet." Nice Dreams came on and Radiohead lulled her into that enlightened place where she felt nothing could touch her. It wasn't that she didn't love her friends, but even though she was a successful writer, always working, always publishing, always hustling, the fact that she was still single at 35 was troubling. Sometimes she just wanted to get fucked and watch the Daily Show at night. Nothing fancy. A head on a hairy chest. There was just a piece of her that couldn't be totally satisfied by the companionship of women, no matter how amazing they were. She had contemplated changing jobs, moving across the country, trying to get into different friend groups, even becoming a lesbian, but what she really thought, if she looked deep inside, was that she was running.

It wasn't a pleasant thought. Melanie was raising her eyebrows across the table, aware of Jess's upgrade to Jamies.

"It was Mark, wasn't it?"

Pause...pause again...

"Really, Jess, you have to stop this. You can't hold on to this forever. You have to move on!"

A quick roll of the eyes, "I have moved on, thank you very much. It just so happens that my new emotional neighborhood is dark and twisty." Melanie was not having any of this. Jess could see some wild plan forming behind her friend's eyes.

"Fuck it. You're off tomorrow, yes?" Melanie asked.

Jess stared at her. "Yes."

Melanie excused herself to make a call. Five minutes later, she returned and started gathering her things.

"What are you doing?" Jess asked.

"We're going to Vegas," Melanie replied. "Our plane leaves in two hours. We'll be there by midnight Vegas time and be flipping Blackjack cards by 1. I got us a comped suite at The Hotel at Mandalay." Melanie traveled a lot for work and could afford to do this kind of crazy shit. Normally Jess would have refused, she had plans this weekend. Self loathing and cleaning her sad little apartment. But not tonight.

"Let's go."

By the time the wheels touched the tarmac, the girls had a delicious buzz and had already sexually harassed half of the flight staff, who consisted of two busty blondes, an uptight redhead with her hair in a tight bun, and the cutest gay guy you've ever seen. Oh, and apparently even if you are two slamming hot chicks, removing the hat from the captain's silver-tipped head and rubbing it on your ass is not okay by FAA standards.

They made it to the hotel, full of giggles and gin, dumped their stuff in their room, threw on fresh coats of make-up, and pulled out the aerosol for a little addition of Just Been Fucked hair. Time to hit the tables.

As they made it past the lobby, Jess noticed a weird guy standing in the corner, an odd purple coat wrapped around him. Jess was always a fan of the made-up celebrity sightings, and leaned over to Melanie to slur something about Prince's understudy having the night off. She didn't feel his eyes following her as they stumbled off, since Melanie was jostling her around so much.

Bad move. no way for Jess to know it...but she did. She hadn't felt him watching, but she'd felt something. Melanie laughed, grabbed her hand and ran down an aisle of slot machines.

"Come on Jess!" Melanie shrilled and giggled as she ran.

"Melanie, wait" Jess murmured, but Melanie was already gone. Drunk and giggling down rows of flashing lights.

She was alone. She was alone in this overpacked casino and something was very, very wrong. Jess caught a glimpse of purple and looked over her shoulder quickly. Still alone. Something was still very wrong. Where the fuck was Melanie? Whatever. She grabbed at a waitress as she passed by with a tray of drinks, and stumbled forward, her 4 inch heels launching onto her knees, giving her an immediate case of rugburn.

"Fuck!" she exclaimed. She rallied her legs underneath her, trying to keep her knees together so as to not show the entire casino the bright pink thong under her black pencil skirt. As she was about to right herself, she looked up to see why the casino had gotten so dark. And there he was, looming above her, his hand outstretched, offering her aid.

"Shit, this guy is like 6'2," she thought to herself. No way he is a stand-in for The Purple One.

"Hellllllooo," she purred as he helped her up. "What's your name?"

"Hello Jess. They call me Morpheus. Let's take a walk."

Jess followed him without question, he had some kind of moxie she couldn't put her finger on. They were walking past table after table of middle-aged Midwesterners playing roulette, blackjack, craps, slots. It all passed by in a blur. They walked to the elevator of The Hotel and she forgot about Melanie, she forgot about Mark. All that existed was her and the tall dark man who had electrified her by touching her hand.

"Jess, I've been watching you. We've been watching you for awhile. You have a decision to make." He held out his hand, and in it were two pills, one red and one blue.

April 15, 2009 Deadliest Warrior

2009-04-15T00:01:00.000-05:00

So there's this new show on Spike called "Deadliest Warrior" that should be, well, fucking awesome. I have the first 2 episodes on my DVR, but haven't watched them yet. Basically, they film reinactions of the possibility of the coolest battles that you can possibly imagine in a beer-induced haze. Episode 1 was Gladiator vs Apache and Episode 2 was Viking vs Samurai. So, before the rest of the season rolls out, create your own Deadliest Warrior matchup and have them throwdown.

(non-paid) Writing Opp for the LADIES

2009-04-14T13:31:00.001-05:00

Call for Submissions: "Awake" zine (no pay) (austin)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reply to: gigs-c6nee-1121112632@craigslist.org [Errors when replying to ads?]
Date: 2009-04-13, 8:05PM CDT

Being a woman in this world can be painful, angering, exhausting. Like when you're catcalled. When you're passed over. Judged. Misrepresented. Not represented.

Break the silence. Speak your experiences as a Black woman, lesbian woman, skinny woman, disabled woman, teen woman, Christian woman - whatever and whoever you are, we want to hear it. "Awake" is a single-run zine being produced and distributed here in Austin, set for release in late May. "Awake" will appear in the Gender and Sexuality Center at UT, The Zine Library (hopefully), and numerous other locations.

Requirements: Entries can be drawings (no large than 4" x 4", will be reproduced in black and white), poetry, essay, or any other word form, no longer than 500 words. Multiple entries are encouraged, and can be included anonymously upon request. Email entries to the above address.

Compensation: If you weren't before, you're a published writer now.

Location: austin
it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests
Compensation: no pay

April 14, 2009

2009-04-14T10:58:00.001-05:00

(this is a bit of a regurgitated version of what came out of a previous topic, and I loved what came out of it so much I had to do it again)

Create a conversation between two unlikely characters. At an Italian restaurant. And then Danny Devito walks by.

and don't forget about our meetup! tonight, 8pm, summermoon

April 13, 2009

2009-04-13T13:12:00.001-05:00

Uh, it's Monday. Yay. Since we are almost at the halfway point, I wanted to give everyone a little bit of catch-up time, so today is a free day. You write about whatever the hell you want to write about and post it.

Also, tomorrow will be our first writing meet-up. Summermoon on South 1st at 8pm. Please comment here to let us know if you can make it.

April 11, 2009

2009-04-12T00:01:00.000-05:00

This one seemed like a good one for a Sunday morning.

For many of us, our bed is our sanctuary. Most of the time, we don't get to spend nearly as much time there as we would like. Describe your bed and what it is like when you either go to bed or wake up, or both.

April 11, 2009

2009-04-11T11:39:00.000-05:00

April is National Thai heritage month. Write about a character with something of a Thai background or about Thai food. Or something Thai-related. Hell.

April 10, 2009 Guilty Pleasures

2009-04-10T13:08:00.001-05:00

Sorry to get this in so late-I just got home and I forgot to put it in last night (that's what she said?)

What is your biggest guilty pleasure? Write a defensive/persuasive essay and try to convince us of its awesomeness. Oh, and Britney and Justin do not count. Everybody knows they’re already awesome. Even if they won’t admit it.

April 9, 2009 "I seem to be having tremendous difficulty with my lifestyle"

2009-04-09T00:01:00.002-05:00

So this one was already on my topic list, but in light of recent events, I felt it was appropriate to throw it in the mix now. I apologize for those of you who are not giant dorks, but whatever.

The genre of Science Fiction is a rich and interesting one where the only rules that apply (typically) are the laws of physics. Galaxies can stretch as far as the imagination, motivations can be as vast and varied as black holes, and characters can come in the most extreme shapes, sizes, cultures, and tongues. One of the fantatic things about science fiction writing is the opportunity to create an entire society from scratch, including one of my favorite parts of culture: its forbidden words.

Here is a list from io9.com of the 10 best scifi curse words. #1 deserves its place because I have heard people using the word (correctly) who have never watched an episode of BSG in their lives.

1. Frak (v.), Battlestar Galactica
2. Frell (v.), Farscape
3. Gorram (adj.), Firefly
4. Shazbot (n.), Mork & Mindy
5. Poodoo (n.), Star Wars
6. Smeg (n.), Red Dwarf
7. Farathoom (n.), Don’t Bite The Sun
8. Shock (v.), Spiderman 2099
9. “I seem to be having tremendous difficulty with my lifestyle” (v.), The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy
10. Smurf (v.), The Smurfs
from the site: Setting aside the vast lexicon of Klingon curse words (and my opinion of same), it’s a respectable list. Still the inclusion of smurf may be stretching the point–both as a swear word and as science fiction–though that’s hardly the strangest use of smurf I’ve come across. Did they miss any good ones?

So, have at it. Write a brief conversation between scifi characters with at least 2 curse words that you make up.

p.s. if you are not, in fact, a giant nerd, you should know that the majority of these words are placed directly into the context of the english language, they are just additional curse words that are not filtered out by the FCC, so that these shows can get away with showing some fraking emotion. Have fun.

Laurie just took the "Which Battlestar Galactica Character are you ?" quiz and the result is Col. Saul Tigh.
The Galactica's First Officer and Bill's best friend

You Guys are Awesome

2009-04-08T00:50:00.002-05:00

I think, as a whole, this has been the best effort that has been made at this little project, thus far. I am so excited to see how many people are still hanging around and putting their best efforts in, now that we are about 1/3 of the way done. I love reading all of your writing, and I love that this group is so supportive. Awesome job, guys. You guys being awesome really motivates me to keep doing this.

Uh, p.s. i really like the word awesome if you hadn't noticed

April 8, 2009 Something Smells

2009-04-08T00:01:00.000-05:00

OK, you guys can totally love me (because it's an awesome topic) or hate me (because I am doing it for purely selfish reasons, i.e. I had an idea to write about something and am retrofitting the topic to fit that). Either way, I'm fine with the outcome:

It may not be your favorite newspaper in the world, but it is hard to deny The Onion's ability to at least get a chuckle out of most people. Write your very own Onion-inspired article about anything you want.

April 7, 2009 Animals

2009-04-07T09:00:00.001-05:00

Today, the ASPCA kicks off its “Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Month.” To celebrate, pay tribute in some way (a letter, a poem, whatever) to an animal from your past or present that was important to you.

Get Write

2009-04-06T00:46:00.002-05:00

Hey all. So, Sinclair and I discussed the usefulness of having weekly meet-ups to sit around and work on our writing. It is a good opportunity to play catch up, continue with a piece that you didn't get to flesh out fully, work on writing in some other realm, or whatever. We have found that forced writing time can be very beneficial! So, I am going to set our first meet-up for this week. Let's say Wednesday night at Summermoon on South First at 7pm. They have the best coffee ever. How does that sound? We can do something a little more North Central next time. If you can make it, please comment below so that I know how many seats to save.

Sorry non-Austinites. We wish you were here!

April 6, 2009 Senryu

2009-04-06T00:38:00.002-05:00

Senryu is a Japanese form of poetry similar to Haiku that, rather than focus on nature, focuses on the darker, more sardonic side of humans. Read about this type of poetry here, and since it is a little difficult to grasp (well, at least for me), write 3 to 5 of these poems based on people in popular culture. I can think of more than one reality show star that is aching to be senryused.

April 5, 2009 Save the World

2009-04-05T00:01:00.000-05:00

So Justin Timberlake and Madonna managed to do it through song and dance. How would you save the world if you only had 4 minutes?

April 4, 2009

2009-04-04T00:01:00.000-05:00

You wake up today and you are in the late 1800s. Your life is completely devoid of all of the technological comforts that we hold dear. No cell phones, no laptops, no Facebook, no television. What is your day like? Do you actually make it through the day without committing suicide?

April 3, 2009-Your Dream House

2009-04-03T09:44:00.001-05:00

sorry! meant to get this in earlier, but my internets were not working

Setting is a critical element to most stories, sometimes to the point that the setting can be considered a character in the piece, taking on a life of its own and influencing the plot just as much as the other characters. The house in House of Leaves became the central antagonist in the family’s horrific journey and the city in Sex and the City, well it’s just as slutty and fashionable as the other characters. Start building your setting from the ground up. Describe your dream home in full detail.

Blog List

2009-04-02T11:43:00.000-05:00

OK, if you have responded to the "role call" on day one, you should be listed under the "blog list." if you are not listed, please comment here so that i can get you on there. that makes it much easier for everyone to know who to follow, and to easily see when people have updated.

kthnxbai.

April 2, 2009-Feel the Pain

2009-04-02T00:01:00.000-05:00

Is it true that women have a higher threshold for pain than men do? We do have to give birth, after all…Write (very graphically) about a sensation of pain that you have had or that your character is having. And I’m not talking about emotional pain. Use your own blog for that crap.

Good point

2009-04-01T18:09:00.001-05:00

Miss Fancy Pants just made a really good point in her "rant" ;) We all have our own motivations for doing this, but I think that for most of us, knowing that someone, anyone is making the effort to read what we are writing makes it a little more worth it and helps to motivate and keep us all in the game. Please support your fellow writers as you want to be supported!

April 1, 2009

2009-04-01T00:01:00.001-05:00

No foolin'!!!

Before embarking on a new endeavor, it is always a good idea to set your intention for why you are doing something, what you hope to gain from it, and any obstacles that you might encounter along the way. Use today to set your intention for your writing this month.

Don't forget to comment below so we can follow you!

"If you start with a bang, you won't end with a whimper."
T. S. Eliot

Monkeys

2009-02-02T15:51:00.001-06:00

Where the heck is the monkey story? Has anyone NOT gotten it who wanted to?

January 31, 2008

2009-02-01T12:22:00.002-06:00

OMG the 30 (+1) days are up! Yeah, some of us made it through a little better than others (I certainly fall into the latter category), but I think that we all did great for our first time around. So, a few notes:
1. If you are not caught up with your writing, take the beginning of February to do so. Around the middle of the month, I will send out nomination requests for your favorite posts.

2. We will start 30dow again in March. Please comment on this blog entry if you are interested in doing it again. This time around, please feel free to invite your friends (instructions for that will go out in dec). The goal is for this to expand a little more each time around. March is definitely going to be rough, due to sxsw and my birthday, but I Promise I am going to have them all prepped ahead of time this time.

3. Also, please use February to go read your fellow writers' posts and leave comments. You all know we want to hear that people have read our stuff. Let's not pretend.

3. In addition to this post, PLEASE do this added assignment for your loving moderator. As you know, I am going to try to turn this into a book, and definitely want your feedback. Please email me privately on these topics:-your 3 favorite topics-your 2 least favorite topics-anything you may have learned about writing through this month-any other comments you may have about the project**I hope you all had fun. I know I certainly did, and I know March will be way better, as I learned a lot about being more prepared! Some of you have already sent me some notes, and I appreciate them and will definitely be taking them into consideration.

Today's assignment is a simple one. Go back and review your own writing. Have you developed a style? Choose 3 words that describe your writing style, providing at least one example from your posts for each word.Style, to a fiction writer, is basically the way you write, as opposed to what you write about (though the two things are definitely linked). It results from things like word choice, tone, and syntax. It's the voice readers "hear" when they read your work. Naturally your writing style will change depending on your subject matter and the point of view. However, when we talk about developing your writing style, we mean the voice that is uniquely yours. That voice will change as your writing develops, of course, but like personality, the foundation is already there. To an editor, on the other hand, style refers to the mechanics of writing, i.e., grammar and punctuation. These rules change depending on what field you're in. For instance, according to Chicago style, used by book publishers, book titles are italicized. Reporters, using Associated Press (AP) style, would put the same title in quotation marks. (Literature students use MLA style, which also italicizes book titles.) (about.com)

January 30, 2009

2009-02-01T11:37:00.002-06:00

There was a time in human history, a dark and ignorant time for many of us. It was a time before computers. Do you remember those days? Write about what life would be like if we had no computers today.

January 29, 2009

2009-01-29T14:58:00.003-06:00

My brain is reeling from the 20,000 things I have going on in it today, so I will randomly pull one thing from the ether...

You have, for some unknown reason, decided to pack up your things and move away from your current location either across the country, across the world ,or just across town. Write about this move, whether it be the acto of changing your address, driving a rental truck, saying goodbye to your friends, or the process as a whole.

January 28, 2009

2009-01-28T21:19:00.001-06:00

You just got a $819 billion dollar bonus, because you are so awesome. Consider it your very own economic stimulus package. Go ape shit. What are you going to do with it?

2009-01-26T18:28:00.002-06:00

Hey, is anyone still doing this? I haven't seen much activity and don't really want to keep trying if no one else is...

Oh, and where is the monkey story?

January 25, 2009

2009-01-25T02:00:00.000-06:00

Daily Writing Tips offers up the following tips about using brand names in your writing:

Language ultimately belongs to the people who speak it. Some brand names are so successful at selling the product that they sell themselves into the bargain.

Next time you use one of the following words in your writing, be sure it’s capitalized. If you don’t want to use a capitalized brand name, then think of an alternate word or phrase:

Band-Aid - adhesive bandage
ChapStick - lip balm
Crock-Pot - slow cooker
Dumpster - large trash receptacle
Formica - laminated plastic product
Freon - refrigerant (or if you want to be picky, “nonflammable gaseous and liquid paraffin hydrocarbon used as a refrigerant or propellant”)
Frisbee - a plastic disk used in games of catch
Jacuzzi - whirlpool bath
Jeep - multi-purpose motor vehicle
Jell-O - flavored gelatine dessert
Kleenex - paper tissue
Mace - disabling liquid sprayed in a person’s face
Post-Its - small pieces of note paper with adhesive strip on the back
Q-tips - cotton swabs on sticks
Rollerblade - in-line skate
Vaseline - petroleum jelly

I would argue that any writer would inevitably need a great editor to catch every instance where a brand name is turned into a lower-case noun, in a world where Google is quickly becoming a verb and not just a search engine.

Write a short piece incorporating a new words that you create to replace 3 of these items. Saaphyri from Flavor of Love already made up "lip chap," so you can't have that one! (and I thank her for that new part of my daily vocabulary).

Some fun websites

2009-01-24T22:15:00.003-06:00

Hey all. As you may have heard me bitch, I am just getting over a stomach virus, so I've been catching up on my time-killing websites. Two that I want to be sure you guys are checking out are thanks to two of our fellow group members:

Hunting the Snark- Miss Fancy Pants' gossip blog-she's got all the celebrity scoop and lots of fun events
Fuck You Penguin- Haley posted this the other day and I have been hooked ever since. Geez I wish I woulda thunk of this one myself

January 24, 2009

2009-01-24T15:00:00.003-06:00

Hey guys. Sorry to miss yesterday, but I have been super sick and pretty much slept most of the day.

So here is a SUPER challenge, since you got the day off:

The Reading Teacher's Book of Lists includes a list of the 100 most frequently used words in the English language, the first 25 of which make up about 1/3 of all printed material in English. Find the list here, then write a short story that absolutely does not include the last 40 on the list.

(oil? really? in the top 100...strange)

For this assignment, feel free to explore the use of other languages in your writing, as well as thesauri.

January 22, 2008

2009-01-22T09:44:00.002-06:00

This may not be a topic that everyone in this group believes in or outright supports, but I came across this project and thought it to be a good idea. I have seen similar projects regarding homelessness and other issues. If you choose to participate in this project, please post your write-up here and then on their site. If you do not want to write about Roe v. Wade, please try to follow the same framework using another social issue.

Roe vs. Wade Blog-a-ThonAmplify, a project of Advocates for Youth, is an online community dedicated to sexual health, reproductive justice, and youth-led grassroots movement building.January 22 is the 36th anniversary of the historic Roe vs. Wade Supreme Court Decision, which legalized abortion in the United States. Since then, social conservatives have continued to chip away at the right to choose, especially where young women are concerned. But with a new administration comes new hope that some of the damaging policies put in place may be reversed. Now more than ever it is important for you to get involved in the fight to save women’s right to choose. Here at Amplify, we are commemorating the Roe Anniversary with a Blog-a-thon. January 21-27, we are calling on all of you to blog here on Amplify as a part of the global movement of young people working for choice. Share your stories about what the right to a legal and safe abortion means to you and to women around the world, and share ideas for how we can preserve our right to choose. All posts will list down the right column of this page and many will also be featured on this page and the front page of Amplify’s blog. So… what are you waiting for? Get blogging!

January 21, 2009

2009-01-21T18:32:00.001-06:00

In honor of what is arguably one of the best television shows ever made, write about a time you, or someone you love, was Lost.

January 20, 2009

2009-01-20T10:51:00.001-06:00

I am sitting in line, apparently with thousands of other people, waiting to be able to join the CNN/Facebook live stream of the inauguration. I am antsy and excited, and the ceremony isn't even for me...

Write about an important ceremony in your life.

And Happy Obama Day!!!

Monkeys

2009-01-19T16:13:00.001-06:00

Hey guys. I just got the monkey project, and for those of you who have already worked on it-wow! What a great job. It is pretty much seamless, and so awesome. I actually feel initimidated to try to add my part. As it stands, there is no way that this story can be wrapped up with the next two writers (me and Mandy), so PLEASE, if you haven't jumped in line yet, comment on the original post-we need more writers.

Awesome job, guys.

January 19, 2009

2009-01-19T02:00:00.001-06:00

Today is the bicentennial of Edgar Allen Poe’s birthday.

From Wikipedia: Edgar Allan Poe (January 19, 1809 – October 7, 1849) was an American poet, short-story writer, editor and literary critic, and is considered part of the American Romantic Movement. Best known for his tales of mystery and the macabre, Poe was one of the earliest American practitioners of the short story and is considered the inventor of the detective-fiction genre. He is further credited with contributing to the emerging genre of science fiction.[1] He was the first well-known American writer to try to earn a living through writing alone, resulting in a financially difficult life and career.

Write a short piece using one of the genres mentioned above with Poe as your central character.

January 18, 2009

2009-01-18T23:07:00.005-06:00

Sorry for missing yesterday and being super late today. It's been a long weekend...

Battles and conflict of all sorts are, of course, a huge part of American history (and most history for that matter). The people and the methods may change, but fighting is part of human nature. From Hamilton vs Burr (guns), Lincoln vs Douglas (words), and Laurie vs Sinclair (jello or jousting, still unsure). Write a brief story where a one-on-one battle is the main event.

Happy Birthday Sinclair!!!

January 16, 2009

2009-01-16T12:16:00.002-06:00

Part of being a good writer is being a good researcher (yes, even fiction). Chuck Palahniuk wrote an entire book about the research that he did in order to prepare for his writing (check it out: Stranger Than Fiction-good stuff). So today, research the topics below, and incorporate 5 of the 10 into a short story.

-nubilous (definition)
-laissez-faire
-middle eastern cuisine
-the commonalities of the Fireside Poets
-Bossa Nova
-blue-green algae
-Che Guevara
-gestation crates
-the aye-aye
-postmodernism

Have fun. And please don't hate me.

January 15, 2009

2009-01-15T12:17:00.003-06:00

OK, so I really want to keep up, to some degree, with some sort of collaborative writing. I find it fun.

Today, pick someone in the blog group (look in the followers section) whom you know very little about. Based solely on their blogspot pic and the name of their blog (not their writing), write a one-paragraph bio of them.

The only person who is a follower who is not participating is Salena (the pic with the smiling couple). If you end up writing this late, check on other peoples' pages to see who hasn't been written about yet so that we can try to get everyone covered.

Capricorn Party

2009-01-14T15:56:00.002-06:00

Hey folks. One of our fellow bloggers is hosting a big, super fun party this Saturday, and she wanted to make sure that all of you knew you were invited. Here's the link:

http://flickr.com/photos/sinclairvoyant/3175691137/

She made the purdy poster all by herself. Hope to see you guys there. And hope to remember if I do :)

January 14, 2009

2009-01-14T13:07:00.002-06:00

Hey guys. You monkeys are on the right track, especially those of you who have actually read and commented on yesterday's post. Please make sure that the person that is ahead of you has your email address (or send it to me) so that they can send it to you quickly. I am finding that this is a long process, but I still think it's a fun idea and have gotten good feedback so far.

But in the meantime, I am going to keep things totally fun...

As a big fan of horror, particularly zombie movies, I have typically always had a plan in my head. A zombie escape plan. You know, for if the day ever comes. I had a great one for my old house with Bob that involved walking over roofs and utilizing trees, but that plan is no longer. I have no new plan.

So, give us your zombie escape plan. Or your plan for when the apocalypse comes. Or your vampire/serial killer/Frankenstein's monster escape plan.

January 13, 2009

2009-01-13T12:14:00.003-06:00

Experiment!!! Ok, guys this is something new we are going to try. It may suck, but let's try anyway. This will definitely reward those of you who pay attention and at least read the topics every day. And sorry to get this one posted so late...Super busy day.

(From Wikipedia:) The infinite monkey theorem states that a monkey hitting keys at random on a typewriter keyboard for an infinite amount of time will almost surely type a given text, such as the complete works of William Shakespeare.

This site, 1000000monkeys.com took this concept to create a collaborative writing community. Great concept, but most of the writers on there SUCK. So, even though there's not a million of us, we are talented monkeys, and I think we can make something happen.

When you read this, comment on the blog with the order in which you commented. It will probably go something like this: JPM: I'm #1!!!, etc. Please include your email in the comment, and I will email you the order in which you will participate (if you dont want to post your email, just email me directly). Then, the first person starts a story of their choosing, writing one or 2 paragraphs. They email it to me (lauriewritesgood@gmail.com), then I post it and then email it to the next person. This might take a day or two, but I think it will be fun. If you are confused, at this point, just comment on this post with your number.

If you are bored in the meantime, take the time to expand on any of your posts that you want to, catch up, or start on something new.

Check it out

2009-01-12T12:53:00.002-06:00

So, I've been reading this awesome, brand new blog. I may have told some of you about it already. Check it out when you have time: www.nakedtypewriter.com.

January 12, 2008

2009-01-12T11:05:00.001-06:00

It's not nearly as hot as when Beatrix Kiddo tells it, but you get the gist:

A family of three tomatoes were walking downtown one day when the little baby tomato started lagging behind. The big father tomato walks back to the baby tomato, stomps on her, squashing her into a red paste, and says, "Ketchup!"

Like a Virgin: Opportunity

2009-01-11T14:36:00.001-06:00

Currently accepting submissions for an anthology of first person stories about the first time sexual experiences of their female writers. We are specifically looking for stories written with an eye on pop culture and with some sense of humor; this can be accomplished either through voice or circumstance. These stories need to be fun to read...and they need to be true! Submissions should be 1200 - 2000 words. Deadline for submission is February 15, 2009. There will be some pay should your piece be selected for inclusion in the published anthology. Please email questions or submissions to virginitysubmissions@yahoo.com. If you are submitting, please copy your story into the body of your email. Please include a fun, three-sentence bio at the end of your story. Also be sure to provide reliable contact information. We must be able to reach you in order to consider your submission for inclusion. We will not open attachments!

(I will, unfortunately, not be submitting to this as my first time was more tragic than funny, but I hope some of you will!)

January 11, 2009

2009-01-11T11:23:00.002-06:00

(today's assignment is less about the 'writing' part, more about the 'creative' part)

Your fictional town has just won the rights to a sports franchise. Decide on what this team will look like: what sport it is, the name/mascot, team colors, star players, etc. How does the town react to the new team? Are they elated? Is there some sort of controversy?

January 10, 2009

2009-01-10T01:30:00.000-06:00

OK, so I got chastised today for the topics being harder this round. Between that and my being so exhausted that I didn't go out tonight and am about to go to bed at 12:30, here's a doozy for you:

Write one of those dumb name poems. You know the ones, from second grade. Yeah, use your name. Let's make it challenging by making you use first and last. And while you're at it, write one about your favorite animal or what you wanted to be when you grew up.

Old school fa reals.

(p.s. I know these dumb poems have a name, but i want to go to bed. feel free to bitch or show me up in the comments section)

Writing Contest

2009-01-09T10:52:00.003-06:00

Hey guys, I just found out about this contest, it looks really fun. There is a $45 entry fee, which sucks, but I figure we can help to edit and give each other feedback during round 1. Anyway, check it out and let me know if anyone is interested in participating:
http://www.nycmidnight.com/2009/SSC/challenge.htm