Writing exercise / game

[Harmony Ltd.]

So, I've been wanting to exercise my writing for a while, but the problem is that I always end up having ideas for huge stories and epic adventures and things like that ; and these ideas are so huge that I don't even know where to start, get discouraged, and finally do nothing. So I think it's time to take the problem from a different angle.

Most of you have probably heard of that "30 minutes challenge" thing on Tumblr, where artists have to draw in only 30 minutes something based on just a picture, or a phrase, or a basic concept. The idea I have here is something similar.

I'll be trying to write at least twice a week, depending on my availability, short blurbs of text to exert my writing muscles, at least one Word / Libre Office page long (standard font and character size), and up to 2000 words long.


So, why do I talk to you about this ? Well, two things :

First, I need inspiration. By suggesting ideas, submitting pictures, or things like that, you're going to help me with that.

Second, by reading and criticizing what I'll have written, you'll help me improve, and motivate me to continue with this idea.


If anyone else want to also participate in this writing thing by posting their own written blurbs, feel free to do so. Maybe we could turn this into something, I don't know.


Anyway, here we are. If you have any idea you want to propose, well, what are you waiting for ? Submit !  


Oh, one thing : this is general writing, so don't feel constrained to ponies. EVERYTHING is fair game (well, in the limit of this site's rules, of course).

[Frost]

I can feed you prompts, and maybe post a few blurbs of my own mediocre writing whenever.

Would you like vague, specific, or very specific prompts?

[CamoBadger]

I might join in on this just to see if it helps me be motivated to write more than once a month...

[Harmony Ltd.]

Would you like vague, specific, or very specific prompts?

I want whatever. Part of the "game" is either to make something of a very vague idea, or turn a very specific idea over the head, or anything.

Simply, I'd say the "idea" shouldn't be more than two / three phrases long. If your idea is a solid paragraph, it's already too long / specific.

[Frost]

Well, I'll get on brainstorming some up, then.

[Harmony Ltd.]

Thanks.

@ Camo : Yay !

[Guest]

So picture prompts are okay?

how about this?:

[Harmony Ltd.]

It's okay in spirit, yes.

Ideally though it'd be cool to tune the pony-stuf down. Not to non-existent level, of course, some people here might be interested to write pony-related blurbs. But it shouldn't be the majority of the ideas here.

[Guest]

Alright, I'll keep an eye out for any non pony pictures that look promising then.

[Harmony Ltd.]

Gracias.

[Frost]

Is anyone interested in utilizing those Horsemen pictures I posted on the chat thread as inspiration?

[Harmony Ltd.]

Well, re-link them here anyway, and maybe someone will get some inspiration out of them.

[Frost]

The fab four:

[Harmony Ltd.]

For example, this may count as an inspiration : http://madmothmiko.tumblr.com/post/57646803195/adrian-dadich-on-tumblr

[Guest]

Interesting. So character designs are what you find inspiring?

[Harmony Ltd.]

I find this statement pretty restricting.

No, it can be pretty much anything.

I don't really know until I see it.  

[Guest]

what about something like this?:

[Harmony Ltd.]

It is valid.

Yeah, that's the kind of stuff I like.

[Harmony Ltd.]

Given some other people may also want to use this place as inspiration, here's some ideas, which may also serve as examples :

1/

Spoiler:

2/

Spoiler:

3/

Spoiler:

4/

Spoiler:

5/

Spoiler:

[Harmony Ltd.]

And this one, too :

6/

Spoiler:

[CamoBadger]

5/

Spoiler:

Spoiler:

 These, both of these.

[Frost]

As soon as I get my difficulties with registering Word resolved, I'll get to writing

[Harmony Ltd.]

Who needs Word when you have Libre Office ?

[Frost]

Thqnkya, sir. I migh have to download that

[CamoBadger]

Alright, got one done using those two pictures I quoted from you guys. Pretty poor, but I just went with what I was doing and tried not to take it too seriously.
Exercise 1

[Guest]

That was nice. I can see hints of where the world would go if it was a full story. Kinda gives me a bioshock infinite vibe crossed with metro.

Though at the end I was a little confused with what happened, this could be a personal thing but when I see "Zipped" I think someone moved fast intentionally which... Kinda hard to explain what I mean. This is what I'm used to "X zipped behind cover." not "X zipped over the railing and fell to his death." I hope that makes some sense.

Other then that it was neat.

[Frost]

Finally managed to get to a place where I could read it. Pretty good, as usual from you. My main problem with it is that now I want a full-length story, and that probably won't happen.

[Frost]

3/

Spoiler:

And this one, too :

6/

Spoiler:

 This is pretty dry and mediocre, but here we go: Bad Story

[CamoBadger]

Finally managed to get to a place where I could read it. Pretty good, as usual from you. My main problem with it is that now I want a full-length story, and that probably won't happen.

 NOPE! BAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

[CamoBadger]

 This is pretty dry and mediocre, but here we go: Bad Story

 I like it. It has good tension for how short it is, and has the bare bones of a universe (which I instantly headcanoned as the Mech Warrior universe because of the 'Core Worlds' thing, but I'm also insane).

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