Challenge #14 - Magic

Hi folks

Apologies for the delay.  Working the second job today and the downtime has been scarce...




Let’s get you that writing prompt…


Challenge #14 - Magic

Due: Monday, November 15th, 8am
(whenever 8am arrives in your time zone; we’ll do the math here in the Central Time zone, no worries :)

With another nod to Aaron Sawyer and Red Theater’s November Writing Challenge, here’s one of my favorite writing prompts from back in 2016 (which I got a different full-length play out of, and which is slated to be Threshold Theater’s first full-length production in early 2023):

“The start of every play sets up expectations about the given circumstances, performance style, pace, etc.

Start a play with one of your fantasies.

A real one, but add magic.

Maybe use romantic comedy structure and be sure fantastically impossible things are happening (a new normal) and then crash it with the problems, issues, or concerns of the real world.

The given circumstances of the fantasy and the real world IS the play.

Example- One of the unicorns dies.  No, really, its corpse is stuck on stage and making problems. We have to stop the show. Actors quit. People get arrested. Audience members are recruited to drag it off stage? SOME OF THE MAGIC THINGS KEEP HAPPENING. The boy does still somehow get the girl - or the villain still gets got.

Don't explain yourself.
Don't over think it.
Throw everything out you don't like.

GO! It's a great beginning.”




How to submit your work for Challenge #14

You have options.  They are:

Save your script as a PDF or Word Doc and send as an attachment to an email sent to ThresholdWritingChallenge@gmail.com

OR

Copy and past your script in the body of an email and send it to ThresholdWritingChallenge@gmail.com

OR

Post your script online (as a Google doc, or in a blog post, on your own personal website, etc.) - email a link to this script to ThresholdWritingChallenge@gmail.com
(If you’re going to Google doc route, just make sure to have the document public, or give permissions to our email address to open it)

When emailing us, make the subject line of your email - Challenge #14
(That just helps us sort through the email more quickly)
(Or, you know, just reply to this email if you want :)

OR

Post the link for the online document option above in the comments section on this very blog post for this challenge on our writing challenge blog.



Again, this is: Due: Monday, November 15th, 8am
(whenever 8am arrives in your time zone; we’ll do the math here in the Central Time zone, no worries :)

And, just to reassure you, no, we are not going to be sticklers about you following these directions down to the minutest detail - the important thing is that you write, and then that you share it with us, so we can keep track of who’s writing every day.

We will be VERY understanding about technical difficulties and how they can screw up making the deadline on the first few days.  No need to fret about anything except the writing (and hopefully that’s not something causing you to fret too much either :)

Also, no, there is no penalty for finishing and submitting early - but it also isn’t a race, so give yourself all the time up til 8am on Monday to write if you need it.  When you’re done, you’re done.

A friendly reminder - you don’t have to write to the prompts if they don’t inspire you.  You can ignore them and just write whatever you want, just as long as you’re writing (that’s the main thing, not what you write)

Someone had a good question about the overall goal of the month, are we supposed to write a full-length play, or two one-act plays, etc.?  The short answer is no (unless you want to).  The longer answer is here if you’re curious.

For those concerned about format, we’re pretty liberal about that, too - just as long as it’s legible and in English.  More on that here.

Again, remember, it doesn’t need to be great, it doesn’t even need to be responding to this prompt (the prompt is just there so you’re not staring at a blank screen to start with no idea what to write about :)

Doesn't even need to be complete - you could have the beginning or the middle or the end of an idea, maybe two out of three but not all, that's still fine. This is all about getting things started, you can write more later. You have 16 more days to build on whatever you come up with today, if you want. Just get anything on the page, even if won't make sense to anyone else, as long as it make sense to you.

It just needs to be something.

And that something can be:

Lights up.

A spell is cast, someone is enchanted.  A unicorn laughs.

Lights down.

The End

That’s always your escape hatch, every day.

That’s your base line.

Build on it.

Have fun.

Don’t stress.

Make an impulsive decision and run with it.

Breathe.

You’ve got the day (and a half).

Just write.