The eternal question for writers seems to be, "Where do you get your ideas?"
While I've written before about the dream that spawned my completed manuscript, it's usually a bit less involved. In general, I get my ideas from something I see or hear that strikes me as noteworthy ... I call it "a tickle".
I had quite a tickle today ... and NOT writing about it is actually a force of will. In fact, I'm only keeping my muse under wraps with the knowledge that I will write a short story based on today's tickle as soon as I get this post up.
Yup, I've decided to have a writing contest :-)
Okay, here are the details ...
1. Write a short story incorporating my tickle into it. Genre doesn't matter.
2. Send me your short story via e-mail before December 30th.
3. I will choose my three favorites and post them here on January 1st. At that time, votes will be open for you to vote on your favorite for the next three days.
4. Winner receives a special prize (and, of course, bragging rights) that will necessitate in your being willing to hook me up with your mailing address.
Any questions? Leave them in the comments. Also feel free to let me know in the comments that you're participating.
Okay, onto the tickle ...
Yup, the tickle is ... A GREEN PICKUP TRUCK!
More specifically, here's what happened ...
I was driving home from work on a very rural New Hampshire street that is known to locals as "Mountain Road" (it is well-named). I saw a green pickup truck coming from the other direction with its hazard lights flashing. I looked at the license plate and saw that the truck had government plates. However (and this is the bottom line of the tickle), there was no further identification on the truck. It didn't have a Department of Transportation decal. There were no police lights. It was very generic. The mystery of that truck fascinated me, and I started making up a story right there ...
And now, so can you. The green pickup truck is the required presence in your story, although you can feel free to use the other details I shared.
Please feel free to share this writing contest as you see fit ... the more, the merrier!
Happy writing, and I look forward to reading your stories :-)
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Very cool. My current WIP concerns secret government baddies descending onto a particular mountain in Maine by the thousands. With a prompt like an unmarked pick-up truck driving in the middle of nowhere, this should be fun.
ReplyDeletesounds like fun! And while I probably won't be able to come with anything myself I'll be looking forward to what others write :)
ReplyDeleteHappy holidays!
ReplyDeleteHmmmm. If I can get the kids to be quiet I may have a go at this. Any word limit?
ReplyDeleteI'm stuck at how many bodies would fit in the back of that unmarked pickup truck. Eight? Twelve? It depends on whether they're malnourished Mexicans, scrawny Canadians, or fat Americans, I suppose. How far-ranging should our story's serial killer be? And when we have a traffic accident which spills said bodies across NH Route 106, how far do they slide? Is it snowing, or is it icy? Are the bodies frozen or not? So many things to ponder.
ReplyDeleteNah, not gonna bother. ;->
Hi thannks for sharing this
ReplyDelete