Friday, October 5, 2012

The Challenge

If you were around Wed. you know I issued a challenge. Here it is. Next week will be flash fiction week on Beth's Blog. I will be writing a story each day (less than 1000 words) using only the words available in the first five pages of well known books.

When I announced the challenge, I wasn't sure which five books I would use. Studying opening pages to pick five excellent books to use, I've already learned something. See, I was looking forward to the opening five pages of Wintergirls. "Body found in a motel room. Alone." How could you not craft a good story out of that? Then I realized body, found, in, a, motel, room, alone are seven individual words. Alone none of these words are especially dramatic. It's the combination, "Body found in a motel room. Alone," that sends a chill down your spine. But that's Laurie's combination not Beth's. I can't write an original story using her combination. So I've put a challenge within a challenge. I'll be writing a romance using only words found in the first five pages of Wintergirls, and a chick-lit style break up scene using only the words found in the first five pages of Lonesome Dove.Ha! McMurtry have a cow! (And fortunately he supplied me with the word pig)!

You're welcome to take part in the challenge. If you leave a link, I'll read your stories.

Rules
1. write a story using only the words found in the first five pages of that day's book.
2. Tell us which book you found words from somewhere in the post.
3. You may create names for your characters using something other than words found in the book. This is the only exception.
4. Push yourself. Do not borrow phrases from the author.
5. Get creative. You're limited by words not punctuation.

Itinerary 
Mon-Imaginary Girls
Tues-Shatter Me
Wed-Wintergirls
Thurs-Shiver
Fri-Lonesome Dove (I chose this one, because it's not YA so the language is different, it's well known (successful), written by a fellow Texan, and was my Grandpa's favorite book).

5 comments:

  1. Oooh, interesting challenge, I'll have to try this out on the weekend and see what I can come up with.

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  2. Sounds great Beth. I'd join, but I'm on my to have my summer vacation. Late, I know, but no time before now to fit a getaway in! Good luck to everyone who takes on the challenge.

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  3. That's quite a challenge. Good luck!

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  4. Sounds like an interesting challenge, Beth. Good luck with it.

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  5. What an interesting idea. Wish I had time, but am so far behind in everything, like reviews and the Muse Conference next week and my two stories. I need to catch up. Have fun with it. Will check back.

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