March 2012 Short Story Competition

And now for Something Completely Different!!

Below there is a list of questions for you to answer.

On a scrap of paper jot down a few ideas that spring from the questions and try not to look ahead to the next question until you have written your response to the previous one. Give yourself a couple of minutes at least for each question, if you can .

(I will insert picture spacers to help stop your eye jumping to the next Q)

Use the ideas that come from the questions to help you start a story… you can of course remould your answers as your story dictates.

Here goes:

QUESTION 1

Think of a person you know by sight but haven’t met properly. Describe that person – What he or she looks like, maybe their character traits, a favourite colour etc…

QUESTION 2

Imagine this person in their home getting ready to go to the hospital. Describe the home. Are there any animals, is it clean or otherwise? Is the person alone?

QUESTION 3 (a cluster of questions)

What 4 things are they going to take to the hospital? Are they going to be a patient or to visit a patient? What do they pick up just before they leave the house in addition tot he four things?

QUESTION 4

What’s the weather like?

QUESTION 5

How does the character feel?

QUESTION 6

Will the character be taking someone with him or her… or be taken by someone?

QUESTION 7

How will the character travel to get there?

QUESTION 8

Something happens on the way to the hospital – a crisis of some sort what?

QUESTION 9

The character has  call on his or her mobile phone – what about?

QUESTION 10

The character has a flashback to a childhood memory or trauma at some point tin the story. What was it and how does that effect him or her now?

If this method doesn’t help you at all, don’t worry. Do your own story!

All of you should stick to the parameters: A story of up to 2000 words in length, to be submitted by March 30th please, by mid-night, as a post on your own page, with a link to the comments here-
and include the following words

penknife

string

milk shake.

 

Good luck!

 

Unknown's avatar

Author: Sarah

No time to lose. No, time to lose. Make time to stand and stare.... Did you see that?

27 thoughts on “March 2012 Short Story Competition”

  1. Hi Nym.

    I’ve just spent an interesting few minutes answering your questions but my jottings would make for an awfully boring short story, in my opinion. I may just have to wing it, or think of a slightly more colourful character in the first place!

    Good idea though.

  5. The first pic reminded me of the embroidery for belts from the ‘stans. I have one similar in a drawer.

    So I started off with Genghis Khan who went to a plague ridden town with his weaponry and killed them all to stop infection spreading. I don’t think he did ‘flash backs’ ( I suppose he may have remembered someone who he had forgotten to murder previously, but I doubt it.)
    Don’t need 2000 words!

  7. the first image is a ‘borrowed one’ – it is a close up of a butterfly’s tongue

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