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Writing Group / Re: Writing Prompts!
« on: December 17, 2010, 11:28:37 PM »
Wow! There have been some really good ones so far!
Here is mine.
Prompt: Write a five- to ten-page two-character dialogue with no tags or blocking. Try to evoke character, conflict, and plot using only dialogue. Include: a problem, two distinct individuals, a fantasy/sf element. Avoid: long monologues, exposition. Use context, not explanations.
“Blood and flaming guts! Ow.”
“Arrow, dear, something tells me that the molecular make up of those iron bars has not changed since the last time you kicked them, and that swearing at and abusing the metal will not get us out of this cell any faster.”
“Bloody traitor. The next time I see him he's going to wish he had never been born.”
“Arrow, stop swearing. I know why you're doing it.”
“Who do you think you are, Flynn? My gutting father? I always swear when I've been betrayed, thrown in the pit of a reeking dungeon, and punched in the face several times.”
“You do not. Though, come to think of it, this has been a fairly eventful morning. You're swearing because of Tak's comment that girls can't swear properly.”
“I am not.”
“You are, too.”
“Why would I do something so flaming silly?”
“Because you are flaming silly. No, don't sulk. You know that you don't have to take everything everyone says as a challenge, right?”
“Is that a challenge?”
“No.”
“Then I don't know what you're talking about. Stop crying about my language, and get us out of here.”
“Well, you got us into this mess, so wouldn't it be logical for you to get us out of it?”
“Don't be silly, Flynn. If you didn't help us get into trouble, and you won't help us get out of trouble, then you're pretty bloody useless.”
“So, am I to understand that if I am responsible to the next batch of trouble we get into, you'll handle the getting out portion? Because, it seems to me that getting into trouble is the easy part.”
“But I'm better at it than you. Really Flynn, we've got to stick to our strengths.”
“And what, dear Arrow, are my strengths?”
“Well, darling Flynn, you've got so many of them. I never met anyone who could waste time on useless things like you can. You're good at fixing things, like us being in prison, so I'd consider that a strength. And I keep you around for your charming good looks, of course.”
“My angel, Arrow, how flattering you are. It would be outstandingly rude of me not to return the compliment. I know with absolute certainty my life would be peaceful, relaxing, and completely under my control if it didn't have you in it. Thank you, for upsetting everything at least once a week, and usually more often. Without you I would be in a state of euphoric joy all the time and, as a result, unable to appreciate fully the days when I don't see you at all. Thank you.”
“It's rude to use words I don't understand.”
“And it's ill-mannered to swear every other word.”
“If I promise to stop swearing, will you tell me what euphoric means?”
“Yes.”
“I'm not going to flaming promise.”
“Why is this not a surprise to me? You're far too pertinacious for such a reasonable deal.”
“Well, are you finished sulking, Arrow?”
“Are you finished being a snob?”
“No.”
“Oh. What are you working on?”
“Our escape plan, of course.”
“I hope it's a good one.”
“You mean you hope you get to use the knives that you have somehow hidden from the guards who searched you?”
“Obviously.”
“Actually, the plan I've been working on involves this.”
“What is that?”
“It's a magic ring.”
“It looks like a piece of wood with a hole in the middle that might possibly be the size of a finger. How is that a magic ring?”
“They don't know it's not magic.”
“'Cause they haven't seen it.”
“Well since you're so smart, let's see you come up with something!”
“Fine, I will. Remember this ring? The object we were actually trying to steal when we ended up here? This is a magic ring.”
“You got it? How?”
“Oh, please, Flynn. The time you spend reading your history books is time that I spend practicing useful skills. Like hiding things. This time, for an object this small, my hair was a very good place. No one ever looks there. Or at least, not unless they're sure you have something. And even you didn't know I had time to grab it before we were caught.”
“Arrow, don't make that face. It makes me feel sick.”
“Now you know how I feel whenever you're around.”
“Ouch. Well, back to what you were saying. About this magic ring of yours. What exactly does it do?”
“That's why I didn't bring it up before. I don't bloody know.”
“Wait a moment, so I can get this straight. You talked me into helping you with this mission all to steal a magic ring that
you have absolutely no idea how to use?”
“Yes?”
“You know what, you're right. I could never even come close to getting into as much trouble as you do. I'm not even going to try.”
“According to Kvel, who's information we know is rather suspect-”
“Considering he told his Lady that we were coming? Yes, Arrow, I would be suspicious of anything he told you.”
“Point taken. But he said that the ring was a very valuable new piece of technology. Apparently the Ethians were the first ones to start developing it.”
“This is making me feel so much better. We all know what kindly folk the Ethians are, don't we, Arrow? They wouldn't possibly invent a ring that was, I don't know, a torture device? Certainly not.”
“Honestly, Flynn. Sometimes you are unbearable. I never intended to put it on. The goal was to steal it and sell it. No harm in that, now, is there?
“So how is this useless ring going to help us escape? The only thing coming to my mind is that I bargain with the Purifiers to let me go if I tell them where you're hiding the ring.”
“That wouldn't be very nice.”
“Not really. No.”
“I can only think of one thing to do.”
“Arrow, the last time you held my hand like that I ended up unconscious. What are you doing?”
“Putting on the ring.”
“No! Don't-”
“See, I told you we'd be fine.”
“If by fine you mean, alive, out of the prison, and not writhing in agony.”
“What more do you want?”
“I'd like to know why we are standing in the middle of a forest with no clothes on. But really, I shouldn't be so picky.”
~Madison
Here is mine.
Prompt: Write a five- to ten-page two-character dialogue with no tags or blocking. Try to evoke character, conflict, and plot using only dialogue. Include: a problem, two distinct individuals, a fantasy/sf element. Avoid: long monologues, exposition. Use context, not explanations.
“Blood and flaming guts! Ow.”
“Arrow, dear, something tells me that the molecular make up of those iron bars has not changed since the last time you kicked them, and that swearing at and abusing the metal will not get us out of this cell any faster.”
“Bloody traitor. The next time I see him he's going to wish he had never been born.”
“Arrow, stop swearing. I know why you're doing it.”
“Who do you think you are, Flynn? My gutting father? I always swear when I've been betrayed, thrown in the pit of a reeking dungeon, and punched in the face several times.”
“You do not. Though, come to think of it, this has been a fairly eventful morning. You're swearing because of Tak's comment that girls can't swear properly.”
“I am not.”
“You are, too.”
“Why would I do something so flaming silly?”
“Because you are flaming silly. No, don't sulk. You know that you don't have to take everything everyone says as a challenge, right?”
“Is that a challenge?”
“No.”
“Then I don't know what you're talking about. Stop crying about my language, and get us out of here.”
“Well, you got us into this mess, so wouldn't it be logical for you to get us out of it?”
“Don't be silly, Flynn. If you didn't help us get into trouble, and you won't help us get out of trouble, then you're pretty bloody useless.”
“So, am I to understand that if I am responsible to the next batch of trouble we get into, you'll handle the getting out portion? Because, it seems to me that getting into trouble is the easy part.”
“But I'm better at it than you. Really Flynn, we've got to stick to our strengths.”
“And what, dear Arrow, are my strengths?”
“Well, darling Flynn, you've got so many of them. I never met anyone who could waste time on useless things like you can. You're good at fixing things, like us being in prison, so I'd consider that a strength. And I keep you around for your charming good looks, of course.”
“My angel, Arrow, how flattering you are. It would be outstandingly rude of me not to return the compliment. I know with absolute certainty my life would be peaceful, relaxing, and completely under my control if it didn't have you in it. Thank you, for upsetting everything at least once a week, and usually more often. Without you I would be in a state of euphoric joy all the time and, as a result, unable to appreciate fully the days when I don't see you at all. Thank you.”
“It's rude to use words I don't understand.”
“And it's ill-mannered to swear every other word.”
“If I promise to stop swearing, will you tell me what euphoric means?”
“Yes.”
“I'm not going to flaming promise.”
“Why is this not a surprise to me? You're far too pertinacious for such a reasonable deal.”
“Well, are you finished sulking, Arrow?”
“Are you finished being a snob?”
“No.”
“Oh. What are you working on?”
“Our escape plan, of course.”
“I hope it's a good one.”
“You mean you hope you get to use the knives that you have somehow hidden from the guards who searched you?”
“Obviously.”
“Actually, the plan I've been working on involves this.”
“What is that?”
“It's a magic ring.”
“It looks like a piece of wood with a hole in the middle that might possibly be the size of a finger. How is that a magic ring?”
“They don't know it's not magic.”
“'Cause they haven't seen it.”
“Well since you're so smart, let's see you come up with something!”
“Fine, I will. Remember this ring? The object we were actually trying to steal when we ended up here? This is a magic ring.”
“You got it? How?”
“Oh, please, Flynn. The time you spend reading your history books is time that I spend practicing useful skills. Like hiding things. This time, for an object this small, my hair was a very good place. No one ever looks there. Or at least, not unless they're sure you have something. And even you didn't know I had time to grab it before we were caught.”
“Arrow, don't make that face. It makes me feel sick.”
“Now you know how I feel whenever you're around.”
“Ouch. Well, back to what you were saying. About this magic ring of yours. What exactly does it do?”
“That's why I didn't bring it up before. I don't bloody know.”
“Wait a moment, so I can get this straight. You talked me into helping you with this mission all to steal a magic ring that
you have absolutely no idea how to use?”
“Yes?”
“You know what, you're right. I could never even come close to getting into as much trouble as you do. I'm not even going to try.”
“According to Kvel, who's information we know is rather suspect-”
“Considering he told his Lady that we were coming? Yes, Arrow, I would be suspicious of anything he told you.”
“Point taken. But he said that the ring was a very valuable new piece of technology. Apparently the Ethians were the first ones to start developing it.”
“This is making me feel so much better. We all know what kindly folk the Ethians are, don't we, Arrow? They wouldn't possibly invent a ring that was, I don't know, a torture device? Certainly not.”
“Honestly, Flynn. Sometimes you are unbearable. I never intended to put it on. The goal was to steal it and sell it. No harm in that, now, is there?
“So how is this useless ring going to help us escape? The only thing coming to my mind is that I bargain with the Purifiers to let me go if I tell them where you're hiding the ring.”
“That wouldn't be very nice.”
“Not really. No.”
“I can only think of one thing to do.”
“Arrow, the last time you held my hand like that I ended up unconscious. What are you doing?”
“Putting on the ring.”
“No! Don't-”
“See, I told you we'd be fine.”
“If by fine you mean, alive, out of the prison, and not writhing in agony.”
“What more do you want?”
“I'd like to know why we are standing in the middle of a forest with no clothes on. But really, I shouldn't be so picky.”
~Madison