Hi folks
I’m just barely caught up with all the submissions from this past week, and I have to do a little digging for things I may have missed (or maybe someone just missed the day but I want to give everyone the benefit of the doubt and make sure I’ve got all my files in order :). So, more fun statistics to follow in a bit.
This morning I’m part of the rehearsal for Threshold Theater’s upcoming reading next weekend of Bethany Dickens Assaf’s play “Leviathan” (details in the email signature) so I need to get going.
Let’s get you that writing prompt…
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Challenge #13 - Abscission
Due: Monday, November 14th, 12pm noon Central Time
(1pm Eastern Time, 11am Mountain Time, 10am Western Time for the US Time Zones)
A playwright friend of mine is having a production of a new script this weekend and its title is a word I can’t recall ever hearing before, but when I looked it up I thought, “Oh, that’s got a very useful metaphor hiding inside it, doesn’t it?”
The word is Abscission
Its most common definition is used in botany: the shedding of various parts of an organism such as a plant dropping a leaf, fruit, flower or seed.
In zoology it’s a bit more extreme: the intentional shedding of a body part such as the shedding of a claw, husk or the autotomy of a tail to evade a predator
In mycology (which I only learned just now is the study of fungi): the liberation of a fungal spore
In cell biology: it refers to the separation of two daughter cells at the completion of cytokinesis (so many new words - that’s part of the cell division process)
In rhetoric: a figure of speech employed when a speaker having begun to say a thing stops abruptly (example: “He is a man of so much honor and candor, and of such generosity -- but I need say no more.”)
It can also simply mean the act or process of cutting off
A former meaning no longer in use was: the state of being cut off.
So, handy word.
My friend was using it in a situation where one character felt trapped in an abusive relationship, but I won’t spoil how one of the many meanings manifested itself.
What might you do with ideas and meanings and metaphors such as these?
Or is there another word with multiple meanings you’ve had sitting in a notebook or a file or the back of your mind for a while thinking, “That’d make a good title for something.” Play with that instead as a jumping off point.
Have fun, or ignore me completely and write something else.
Just keep the dialogue flowing :)
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If you’re not interested in this prompt, you can try 2021’s challenge #13:
Your Favorite Song
Or, you know, just ignore the prompts altogether and write whatever you want - as long as you’re writing and turning it in by the deadline, that’s all that matters for the challenge :)
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Friendly Reminders - Answers To Common Questions:
(Follow the links to read me expounding on these items :)
Don’t Stress About Writing A Full Play
Don’t Stress About Sticking To The Writing Prompt
No. Really. I Mean It. Don’t Stress About Sticking To The Writing Prompt
Don’t Stress About Finishing An Idea (You Can Add Later)
Don’t Stress About Thanksgiving
Don’t Stress About “Succeeding” or “Failing”
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How to submit your work for Challenge #13
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 paste 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 #13
(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 very challenge on the writing
challenge blog below
Again, this is: Due: Monday, November 14th, 12pm noon Central Time
(1pm Eastern Time, 11am Mountain Time, 10am Western Time for the US Time Zones)
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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.
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 12 noon Central Time on Monday to write if you need it. When you’re done, you’re done.
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 17 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.
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And that something can be:
Lights up.
Fred ad Stan walk on stage, Fred already in mid conversation.
Fred: BLAH BLAH BLAH (insert tedious opinions here later)
Stan really doesn’t want to be in this conversation.
Voiceover from Stan: I wonder, would I really be willing to gnaw off one of my own arms just to get out of this stupid conversation?
Fred continues: BLAH BLAH BLAH
Stan looks at each of his arms, seriously considering which one could go.
Betty walks on stage and sees the situation. She walks over to Stan and says aloud:
Betty: Don’t chew your own arm off. You can just leave, or tell him to shut up.
Stan reconsiders, and leaves with Betty. Fred doesn’t seem to notice any of this.
Fred: BLAH BLAH BLAH
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.
Just write.
Matthew A. Everett
Literary Director
Threshold Theater
(he/him/his)
Coming Up:
Threshold Theater’s New Play Reading Series
A reading of “Leviathan” by Bethany Dickens Assaf
Saturday, November 19, 2022 - 7pm
The Black Hart of Saint Paul - 1415 University Avenue West in St. Paul
Our video recording of our third live play reading in the New Play Reading series, Sam Walsh's "The Visible," is up on our YouTube channel (available to stream through the end of November) -
Support Threshold Theater on Give to the Max Day, November 17th
(Or feel free to give early, any time between November 1st through 16th)
Here's the link: https://www.givemn.org/story/Kssucf
"Write. Find a way to keep alive and write. There is nothing else to say."
- James Baldwin
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