Challenge Topics/Prompts

Izz

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This is another one of those "there are other threads like this, but why don't we have one" kind of threads. Feel free to smack me upside the head and tell me to behave.

Anyway. As we're all committed to W1S1, we're all going to be churning out loads of stories as the year goes on. I figure it wouldn't hurt to have a thread for those moments when the ideas dry up - however briefly - and you're left with the nagging guilt that you should be writing but just can't. (I really hope it's not just me that happens to...)

What do you think, would anybody else find this useful? If so, sling some writing prompts in here and see if anybody bites. Take any form you want - a string of random words, a brief snippet of description, a totally out-there situation...whatever. And if you use any of the prompts and end up selling that story...come back here and let us know!

I'll go first, shall I? Write a story in which your protaganist becomes infatuated with the contents of her/his bottle of water, and can't stop drinking it, but becomes wracked with guilt and loss as the volume in the bottle diminishes....

(Yes, it's silly, but it was the best I could do. I'm procrastinating, damnit!)

As well as Chris's post quoted above, each month some of the genre forums offer challenges/writing prompts. Feel free to link to them in this thread as well.

March's SYW SFF challenge topics can be found here.

Let's get some prompts out there, peeps!
 
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Smish

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The Writing for Kids section has monthly prompts, which can always be found here.
 

pangalactic

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Writing Prompts

This is another one of those "there are other threads like this, but why don't we have one" kind of threads. Feel free to smack me upside the head and tell me to behave.

Anyway. As we're all committed to W1S1, we're all going to be churning out loads of stories as the year goes on. I figure it wouldn't hurt to have a thread for those moments when the ideas dry up - however briefly - and you're left with the nagging guilt that you should be writing but just can't. (I really hope it's not just me that happens to...)

What do you think, would anybody else find this useful? If so, sling some writing prompts in here and see if anybody bites. Take any form you want - a string of random words, a brief snippet of description, a totally out-there situation...whatever. And if you use any of the prompts and end up selling that story...come back here and let us know!

I'll go first, shall I? Write a story in which your protaganist becomes infatuated with the contents of her/his bottle of water, and can't stop drinking it, but becomes wracked with guilt and loss as the volume in the bottle diminishes....

(Yes, it's silly, but it was the best I could do. I'm procrastinating, damnit!)
 

Nathaniel Katz

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Actually, you just gave me a rather good story idea. Not quite a water bottle, but close enough to sort of qualify. I think I have next week's story, or perhaps the week after's.
 

Smish

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I think this is a great idea! I'm going to merge it with the other prompt thread, and then make it a sticky.
 

Nathaniel Katz

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That's great! glad I could be of some help :)

The steampunk/S&S/western story I just subbed was the one from the water bottle prompt. I would've posted it in SYW, but it was pretty long for that.