Challenge #7 - Treat Yourself

Hi folks

Update on Challenge #5: My friend Dan Bernitt, the guy that developed the online writing prompt generator, was tickled to learn that we were using some of his prompts for one of our writing challenges.  And he said he’d be curious to see the results of what people came up with, if any writers were comfortable with that.

So if you wouldn’t mind Dan seeing what you wrote in response to the “Random Phrase Generator” challenge, let me know the next time you turn in a challenge submission and I can pass them on to him to read.  Both he and I know that not everyone’s going to be OK with that, and that’s fine.  We’re just cranking out rough drafts here.  But if you wouldn’t mind me sharing with Dan, just let me know.



Let’s get you that writing prompt…


Challenge #7 - Treat Yourself

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

Here’s my favorite challenge offered up by Aaron Sawyer from Red Theater in Chicago back in November 2015:

“Write something that only you understand and that probably only you enjoy.

If you're not giggling to yourself or blushing you're doing it wrong.

Listen to your Id.

Be naughty!

Be coded.

Be fun.

Comment on your work as you do it.

Break and forget any and every rule except that writing can be FUN.

F-U-N!

Crack yourself up.

Fall in love with yourself again.

Masturbatory writing can unleash some wonderful creative energies.

Treat yourself.”

I got a very unexpected full-length play out of responding to this prompt.  When developing it, a friend said to me that for about a year, they thought, because of the play, that I was actually involved in a secret relationship with (celebrity name redacted) in real life.  This is still, on a number of levels, one of the nicest compliments about my writing which I ever received.  The script also remains one of the plays I have the most fun working on.  I’m also constantly surprised by the number of other people who enjoy it - because when I began writing it, I was only doing it for myself.

And none of it would have happened if I’d restrained myself in responding to this first prompt.

What would you write if no one was looking or expecting you to take writing “seriously”?

I hope you’re always having fun with these writing challenges.  But for this one, really have fun with it, whatever that means to you.

Read over Aaron’s words again, and go for it.





How to submit your work for Challenge #7

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 #7
(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 8th, 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 23 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.

Someone you have a crush on turns out to be crushing on you, too.

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.