Have you ever wanted to mess around with another writer’s story? Well, here is your chance. Introducing Open Prompts. Post some aspect of a short story in the comments and I will be sure to include it in my next story, to be posted on Friday, September 7.
Some examples are:
– the title
– the genre (fantasy, mystery, horror, etc.)
– the tone (dark, humorous , serious, absurd, etc.)
– characters’ names or other details about them
– plot elements (e.g. a silver dagger, a rainstorm, identical twins, etc.)
– the length (something between 50 and 1500 words)
– the setting
– anything else you feel like.
It’s pretty much open. I am planning on doing this on a regular basis, although this first one is a test. Every time, I will suggest one element and then take the first 5 suggestions I get in the comments, for a total of six elements per story. Please though, nothing obscene or sexually explicit. I’ll post the names of the story element contributors in the story. First come, first serve!
This isn’t just for me, of course. Feel free to join me in this: we all use the same story elements and then compare stories. Just post a link to your story somewhere so I can read it.
So, here is the first prompt:
1. There is a character name Kermit, who is a horrible klutz
The Green-Walled Tower 
September 4th, 2012 at 12:03 am
One day he was determind, despite his klutziness, to go exploring, and wound up spelunking.
September 4th, 2012 at 12:11 am
Spelunking, cool. I like it. 🙂
September 4th, 2012 at 5:32 am
Characters:
Bobby Sue: She only has one leg
Grandpa: Thinks he was abducted by aliens who now live under the ocean
Big Al: Our Hero
Tookie: A Stoner dog
September 4th, 2012 at 9:11 am
Nice, I like Tookie 🙂 That’s a lot of characters, but I think I can do it. You should write a version too.
September 4th, 2012 at 8:45 am
With a character name like Kermit, I think dark. Yes, the tone should definitely be dark. Plus, I know how you like to write dark stories.
September 4th, 2012 at 9:06 am
Sounds good. Dark tone, it is 🙂
September 4th, 2012 at 3:43 pm
How about you include a peculiar, neon-pink umbrella in the piece? It’s not very mystical or fantastical, but it’s just because umbrellas are incredibly useful at times, and because I can’t think of much else to suggest at the moment 😀
September 4th, 2012 at 4:04 pm
You got it. A neon pink umbrella is in. Thanks for the input 🙂
September 14th, 2012 at 3:45 pm
Hurray!! Thanks 😀 I look forward to reading this story.. it’s bound to be incredibly entertaining 😀
September 5th, 2012 at 12:22 am
how about kermit’s opposite number nisha. They met in a hospital, she is nice to him, he likes her. But lilttle he knows of her clever ways…
September 5th, 2012 at 7:40 am
Okay, that’s six. So here are the elements:
1. Kermit, the klutz
2. Spelunking
3. Bobbie Sue (one leg), Grandpa (alien abductee?), Tookie (stoner dog)
4. Dark tone
5. Neon-pink umbrella
6. Nisha, Kermit’s exact opposite (met in a hospital)
I’ll post this story on Friday. Anyone who is interested in the challenge, write one as well. 🙂
September 5th, 2012 at 1:57 pm
I’ll try, its going to be a lot of fun.
see u on Friday, Bring your best 😉 JK
September 5th, 2012 at 3:10 pm
cool! I’m thinking about the story now and will probably write it tomorrow. The introduction of a dark tone really changed things in my mind 🙂
September 5th, 2012 at 6:48 pm
🙂 loved the idea this far.
September 5th, 2012 at 6:50 pm
you should suggest an element for the next one. I’m halfway through writing the story now 😉 Sneak peek: it’s called “Klutz”.
September 5th, 2012 at 6:53 pm
🙂 will try.
September 6th, 2012 at 12:31 pm
mine is called ’99 cents only’.
September 6th, 2012 at 9:10 pm
I look forward to reading it. 🙂
September 7th, 2012 at 1:20 pm
same here for ‘Klutz’
September 6th, 2012 at 6:30 pm
Now, that’s something I look forward to on my coming birthday!
September 6th, 2012 at 9:13 pm
Your birthday is tomorrow? Happy birthday! 🙂
September 10th, 2012 at 10:12 pm
http://www.livescience.com/22606-baby-driven-robots-take-another-step-forward.html
(Cause I’m too impatient to wait until the next time you ask for prompts and I’ve thought this concept deserved a story since I first read it.)
September 10th, 2012 at 10:16 pm
That’s great! I’m always open to new sources of inspiration and I’d do special requests. I’ve already got a good idea for this 🙂
November 26th, 2012 at 11:06 pm
[…] besides the Open Prompts stories that I have done in the past, I am starting something I, most unoriginally, am calling […]
November 11th, 2013 at 8:49 pm
[…] decided to do another Open Prompts story this Friday. I haven’t done one in over a year, so for those of you who don’t […]