Hi folks
(1 of 2)
Again, sending you two prompts from the future again today, so you can work ahead for the holiday weekend if you wish.
This prompt is the one you would be writing Thursday to be turned in on Friday by noon Central Time, but just label your email for prompt 24 and you can turn it early and I’ll credit it ahead.
And of course, you can always use the mini-play at the bottom of the email and blog post as an escape hatch for the day’s writing.
Let’s get you that writing prompt…
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Challenge #24 - Band Name
Due: Friday, November 25th, 12pm noon Central Time
(1pm Eastern Time, 11am Mountain Time, 10am Western Time for the US Time Zones)
This is another prompt inspired by challenge playwright from last year.
This writer emailed me the following about their submission for the day:
“Have some more extremely self indulgent inexplicably lesbian Shakespeare sequel!”
To which I responded:
"extremely self indulgent inexplicably lesbian Shakespeare sequel" would be a great band name :)
(Which, of course, it wouldn’t, but it got me thinking…)
What random phrases tickled your brain with the thought they would make either a perfect or at least amusing band name?
Or what band name, or album title, or song title, do you find perplexing or impressive enough that it gets your brain thinking about something you’d like to write?
As a jump start, here’s a couple of links to comedy songwriter Tom McGovern’s running gag of a video post series called “Good Band Name, Bad Band Name” - which is how I learned that apparently the band BTS’s name translates to “Bulletproof Boy Scouts”
Or this guy’s list of what he thinks are the Top 10 worst band names of all time
(You can skip through the video by scrolling along the chapter headings at the bottom, that’s what I did - also there’s a list of honorable mentions in the notes below the video)
Please note - this doesn’t mean what you write needs to be about a band, or even someone who likes the music of that band (real or fictional). For instance, the band Phish might make you think about writing a play about two people who go fishing, or are in a a fishing competition, or someone who steals someone else’s identity, or is fishing for compliments. The Beatles might make you think about writing about actual insects, whether it’s more like Kafka’s Metamorphosis, or Joe’s Apartment. The name of the band is just words to give you a jumping off point for… something. Be creative with where you go. Or write about a band, if you want. That’s creative, too. But this one isn’t meant to restrict you. It can go almost anywhere you want to take it.
As always, if this prompt doesn’t do it for you, you can always feel free to just write whatever you want and turn it in by the deadline instead.
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If you’re not interested in this prompt, you can try 2021’s challenge #24:
Alternate Timelines
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 #24
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 #24
(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: Friday, November 25th, 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 Friday 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 6 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.
A potato runs for its life across the stage.
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)
Now Playing:
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)
Coming Soon:
The
video recording of our fourth live play reading in the New Play Reading
series, Bethany Dickens Assaf’s “Leviathan,” will be swapping places
with “The Visible” on our YouTube channel in late November, early December
Coming Up:
Threshold Theater’s New Play Reading Series
A reading of “Zero State” by Allison Moon
Monday, March 13, 2023 - 7pm
The Black Hart of Saint Paul - 1415 University Avenue West in St. Paul
"Write. Find a way to keep alive and write. There is nothing else to say."
- James Baldwin
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