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Friday, August 26, 2011

Come On, Irene: A Writing Challenge

As NYC, including yours truly, gears up for a historic hurricane (Hurricane Irene, a category three), the grocery shops are packed, the bars are empty, and candles are experiencing a sudden resurgence of popularity. The city that never sleeps is hunkering down for the weekend, which gave me an idea for a writing challenge. Please submit 250-300 words on the following prompt:

--Two characters who intensely dislike each other are stuck together in a room due to a natural/apocalyptic/supernatural disaster.

Please evoke these characters, and tell us something about why they are in the room together (i.e., what is happening outside). Let me point out that this is perfect practice for INTRODUCING and EXPLOITING conflict--it is conflict, and subsequent reconciliation, that causes tension and makes books interesting.

Okay, people, you know the drill. Email me at laurenoliverbooks@gmail.com and I'll post some of the submissions up here. Also, please remember that the FURY REVENGE WRITING CONTEST is still ongoing (click for details here), and will be until 8.30.11, when Fury goes on sale. So get cracking on your computers! (And if you live on the eastern seaboard and your power goes out...hey, paper and pens were invented for a reason!)

Everyone please stay safe and dry this weekend.

xoL

4 comments:

Valen Steel said...

in Maryland and bucklin' up for Big Irene. hopefully things dont go too badly. safety to everyone!

~V

Britta said...

Considering I'm getting ready for Irene myself, maybe this will be the first writing contest I participate in!

Eden said...

I'm in PA around Philly and we're getting ready for tm too

Riv Re said...

In NYC as well. So far, it's not so bad where I am, fortunately. Come on, Irene! We're tough New Yorkers! Give us your best shot!
(Actually...don't. We can take your hardest punches, but they still leave bruises. You're very welcome to just pass right by.)

This prompt reminds me of Trapped by Michael Northrop. (Which I haven't read, but has a "weathering the storm" premise.)

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