Wednesday, May 30, 2012

A priest, a rabbi, and a nun ...

A scene from Betty White's Off Their Rockers
So, what's their story? What drew a priest, a rabbi and a nun to the beach? Judging by the middle portion of their dress they each individually planned time at the beach. Was it a chance encounter? Or did they plan to meet there? Is it part of a summit meeting of some sort?

What if they're siblings?

What if they were childhood or college friends?

What if none had planned a religious life when they last knew each other? What were their plans and what series of events drew them to the choices they ended up making?

What if two of them were lovers at one time? Which needn't be a traditional combo. ;-) What if it was a love triangle?

What if they're aliens practicing to be human? What if this is a just-a-bit-off simulation for aliens to practice or play in?

(Feel free to imagine non-Judeo-Christian religious callings.)

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

100 themes, 100 scenes

When in doubt, put up a cat.
Use the following list of 100 themes to create an outline for a novel. Each theme is a scene as well as the point of the scene.

If you peek ahead one or more of the themes may spark some ideas as a beginning point. Introduction is a little vague ;-)

1. Introduction
2. Complicated
3. Making History
4. Rivalry
5. Unbreakable
6. Obsession
7. Eternity
8. Gateway
9. Death
10. Opportunities
11. 33%
12. Dead Wrong
13. Running Away
14. Judgement
15. Seeking Solace
16. Excuses
17. Vengeance
18. Love
19. Tears
20. My Inspiration
21. Never Again
22. Online
23. Failure
24. Rebirth
25. Breaking Away
26. Forever and a day
27. Lost and Found
28. Light
29. Dark
30. Faith
31. Colours
32. Exploration
33. Seeing Red
34. Shades of Grey
35. Forgotten
36. Dreamer
37. Mist
38. Burning
39. Out of Time
40. Knowing How
41. Fork in the road
42. Start
43. Nature's Fury
44. At Peace
45. Heart Song
46. Reflection
47. Perfection
48. Everyday Magic
49. Umbrella
50. Party
51. Troubling Thoughts
52. Stirring of the Wind
53. Future
54. Health and Healing
55. Separation
56. Everything For You
57. Slow Down
58. Heartfelt Apology
59. Challenged
60. Exhaustion
61. Accuracy
62. Irregular Orbit
63. Cold Embrace
64. Frost
65. A Moment in Time
66. Dangerous Territory
67. Boundaries
68. Unsettling Revelations
69. Shattered
70. Bitter Silence
71. The True You
72. Pretence
73. Patience
74. Midnight
75. Shadows
76. Summer Haze
77. Memories
78. Change in the Weather
79. Illogical
80. Only Human
81. A Place to Belong
82. Advantage
83. Breakfast
84. Echoes
85. Falling
86. Picking up the Pieces
87. Gunshot
88. Possession
89. Twilight
90. Nowhere and Nothing
91. Answers
92. Innocence
93. Simplicity
94. Reality
95. Acceptance
96. Lesson
97. Enthusiasm
98. Game
99. Friendship
100. Endings

The themes came from deviantART 100 Themes Writers group where there are many many lists to make you feel guilty for not completing them! :-D

Monday, May 21, 2012

Deviant ISLAND


Deviantly describe the scene without using the names of the objects. Don't use rocks, grass or bushes. Dig into what objects look and feel like rather than telling what they are.

Capture the senses' experience. What does it feel like to your whole body? Does it get inside your clothes? Does it get inside you? What does it smell like? Taste like? Sound like?

Go further and find a mood or personality of the place and let those inspire the descriptive words you choose.

Try unexpected adjectives and vivid verbs. For example, svelt, sleek, oozing, crouching aren't words normally associated with places, but can create fresh images.

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Joint custody

There exists a symbiotic (or parasitic, depending on your point of view) life form that can heal a host body and take over its consciousness.

Seven years ago Jackson was on the verge of death. Jaxan, a symbiont, entered Jackson's body, healed it and has been living ever since in Jackson's body. Jackson's consciousness exists in a dreamlike state, unable to control the body.

Up until now, it's been impossible to remove a symbiont from a host without killing both. Now there's a process to remove the symbiont, restoring the original body's consciousness but the symbiont will die.

It's possible to temporarily suppress the symbiont consciousness and allow the host to awaken for a short while. Jackson has been given the opportunity to speak and wants his body back. He claims he never gave Jaxan permission to take over his body. Jaxan claims otherwise. There's no record. It's just one word against the other.

Take on the points of view of two opposing lawyers. One represents Jaxan. The other represents Jackson. Who should have ownership of the body?


Can you tell I've been watching a lot of Stargate? ;-) Inspired by the Pretense episode where the debate was a bit skewed in one direction but still enjoyable.

Wednesday, May 09, 2012

Employee of the month

by Pulling Stock
Describe each month as if it were a person. Detail each's appearance, personality, likes and dislikes, occupation. Perhaps also how they feel about each of the other months.


Inspired by Writing Prompts who suggested personifying the weeks. In particular check out her 28 most tried and true writing prompts.

(Sorry for the unexpected and unplanned break. A project came and sucked up all my time!)