Hi folks
Once again, Election Day voting Amnesty that I outlined in Sunday’s post applies for Monday 11/6, Tuesday 11/7, and Wednesday 11/8 - details here
Another standard question comes up every year in one form or another and since it popped up in discussions with writers yesterday, I figured I should put up an explainer at the front of today’s challenge in case other folks have the same question or confusion.
It can sometimes get confusing because I'm sending these out in advance and people start working ahead, so what writing is for what day can get shuffled around :)
No days off :) 30 days, 30 pieces of writing
(Each piece of writing doesn’t need to be long, just needs to be something)
Here's the list so far, but just as a general rule,
if you look at the subject line of the email, it has the number of the challenge and that corresponds to the date this way -
Challenge 1, to write through November 1, and turn in on November 2;
Challenge 2, to write through November 2, and turn in on November 3
and so on...
(You don’t have to hold yourself back and wait for a certain day to write, you can write ahead of time, but it needs to be turned in by the deadline - or before hand - not after :)
Challenge 1 - sent Tues 10/31, for writing through Wed 11/1, to be turned in by noon Central time on Thurs 11/2 - Assorted dialogue
Challenge 2 - sent Wed 11/1, for writing through Thurs 11/2, to be turned in by noon Central time on Fri 11/3 - Fox and Rabbit
Challenge 3 - sent Thurs 11/2, for writing through Fri 11/3, to be turned in by noon Central time on Sat 11/4 - Place Names for People
Challenge 4 - sent Fri 11/3, for writing through Sat 11/4, to be turned in by noon Central time on Sun 11/5 - Wonderland
Challenge 5 - sent Sat 11/4, for writing through Sun 11/5, to be turned in by noon Central time on Mon 11/6 - Snapshots 1
Challenge 6 - sent Sun 11/5, for writing through Mon 11/6, to be turned in by noon Central time on Tues 11/7 - Art Gallery Titles
Challenge 7 - sent Mon 11/6, for writing through Tues 11/7, to be turned in by noon Central time on Wed 11/8 - Treat Yourself
Challenge 8 - sent today Tues 11/7, for writing through Wed 11/8, to be turned in by noon Central time on Thurs 11/9 - Breakup Songbook (that's the post you're reading right now :)
So you should have, as of this morning 8 emails with me that are labeled as challenges. If you're missing any of those, let me know and I can resend.
But you can also always find all the challenges (from this year and years past) posted on the blog
And now, the day’s challenge…
*****************************************
Challenge #8 - Breakup Songbook
Due: Thursday, November 9th, 12pm noon Central Time
(1pm Eastern Time, 11am Mountain Time, 10am Western Time for the US Time Zones)
Here’s another prompt from Literary Associate Kate Cosgrove:
“A couple is in the midst of an awkward breakup dinner, but every line they speak has to be a song lyric (not all the lyrics have to be from the same song).”
As a writer who draws a lot of inspiration, and titles, from song lyrics, I find this one most amusing.
Because the songs don’t need to be breakup songs, or even love songs, though they certainly could be.
For instance, take something out of the Warren Zevon songbook:
“Werewolves of London”
“And his hair was perfect.”
“Gorilla, You’re A Desperado”
“They say Jesus will find you wherever you go
But when he’ll come looking for you, they don’t know.”
“Desperados Under The Eaves”
“And when California slides into the ocean
Like the mystics and statistics say it will,
I predict this hotel will be standing
Until I pay my bill.”
“Splendid Isolation”
“Don’t want to wake up with no one beside me
Don’t want to take up with nobody new
Don’t want nobody coming by without calling first
Don’t want nothing to do with you.”
“You can screw everybody I’ve ever known
But I still won’t talk to you on the phone.
It’s a hopeless cause.
There’s no use crying.
And I can die
You can die
We can die trying
Thanks anyway, there’s no use hanging around
While you try to put the finishing touches on me.”
Or children’s songs
“John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt”
“Whenever you go out, you can hear the people shout…”
Or Christmas songs
“Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer”
“She’d been drinking too much eggnog
And we begged her not to go…”
“Hard Candy Christmas”
“Maybe I’ll dye my hair
Maybe I’ll move somewhere
Maybe I’ll get a car
Maybe I’ll drive so far
They’ll all lose track.
Me, I’ll bounce right back.”
Or songs from a movie or TV soundtrack
“I could break a glass just to watch it shatter.
I’d do anything just to be with you.”
(at 40 seconds in)
“A kiss is just a kiss
A sigh is just a sigh”
Or artists who cover other artists - Luke Combs cover of “Fast Car”
“You’ve got a fast car
Is it fast enough so we could fly away?
Still gotta make a decision -
Leave tonight or maybe die this way.”
sent me down the rabbit hole of visiting old Tracy Chapman songs:
“Telling Stories”
“There is fiction in the space between
Lines on a page and memories
Write it down but it doesn’t mean
We’re not just telling stories.”
“Give Me One Reason”
“Give me one reason to stay here
And I’ll turn right back around
I don’t want to leave you lonely
You’ve got to make me change my mind.”
“Baby Can I Hold You Tonight”
“Maybe if I told you the right words
At the right time
You’d be mine.”
“Talkin’ About A Revolution”
“Finally the tables are starting to turn”
And they don’t have to be widely known songs, either. My singer-songwriter friend Chris Koza’s work (both solo and with his band Rogue Valley) is playing on a loop most of the time I’m writing these days, but outside of Minnesota and Colorado (where he splits his time) I’m not sure how expansive his audience is.
“The Rain Collector”
“I might beg you let me sleep,
But don’t you let me be alone.
If you find me sleepwalking
I want you to be the one to bring me home.”
“IOU”
“Even though your spirit can never be caught
And your love can never be bought
I keep saving up.”
“Hush”
“Stay with me, if you’ve got nowhere else to go.
I’m too good at being alone.
I’ve come undone.”
Choose your own song sources and lyrics, grab some of these, mix things up - let’s help get these two folks through their awkward breakup dinner.
Or you know, today and every day, just ignore this and write something else.
********************************
If you’re not interested in this prompt, you can try 2021’s challenge #8:
Series and Cycles
(and
no, you don't have to write a whole series or cycle in a day - it's
just idea to get you started on something bigger with a few pages - all
series and cycles begin somewhere, after all)
Or try 2022’s challenge #8:
Chance Encounters
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 :)
***********************************
Friendly Reminders - Answers To Common Questions:
(Follow the links to read me expounding on these items :)
Don’t Forget To Vote TODAY: Tuesday, November 7th
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”
Don't Stress About What You're Turning In Each Day
****************************************
How to submit your work for Challenge #8
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 #8
(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: Thursday, November 9th, 12pm noon Central Time
(1pm Eastern Time, 11am Mountain Time, 10am Western Time for the US Time Zones)
*************************************
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 till 12 noon Central Time on Thursday
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 22 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.
Two people sit awkwardly at dinner together.
Jack: “I will always love you.”
Sherry: “Hit the road, Jack, and don’t you come back no more.”
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.
(And don't forget to vote :)
Matthew A. Everett
Literary Director
Threshold Theater
(he/him/his)
The video trailer for Threshold Theater's first virtual play reading in the New Play Reading series (back in May/June 2021), our reading of “Spellbound” by Matthew A. Everett - Thanks to his mischievous friend Jeffrey, who’s begun dabbling in witchcraft, Micah has accidentally dosed his best friend Auggie with a love potion. Which might be fine, if Auggie wasn’t straight, and married, or if Auggie’s wife Sarah wasn’t pregnant, or a practicing witch. With the help of Duncan, who runs the local metaphysical supply store, the race is on to whip up the antidote before anyone does something they’ll regret. Now on our YouTube channel
Support Threshold Theater on Give to the Max Day, November 16th
(Or feel free to give early, any time between November 1st through 15th)
Here's the link: https://www.givemn.org/story/Kssucf
Coming Monday, November 20, 2023 at 7pm:
If you’re local in the Twin Cities in Minnesota, come and join us for Threshold Theater's
seventh live play reading in the New Play Reading series. Like all good
LGBTQ+ theater companies, we begin our new season of programming with
"Mediocre Heterosexual Sex" - which is a play by Madison Wetzell.
Location: The Black Hart of Saint Paul
- 1415 University Avenue West, St. Paul, MN - Doors at 6:30pm, Reading
begins at 7pm, Audience discussion to follow the reading -
About the
play: Four hours after her girlfriend dumps her, Erin switches her
Tinder setting to dudes because she hates herself. She quickly meets
Aaron, who is straight, conveniently nearby, and only too happy to
indulge her masochistic fantasies. To translate this deeply ambivalent
first hetero experience, Erin seeks the advice of the only straight
people she knows, a couple in a Dominant/submissive relationship. A
vexed exploration of gender, sex, power, and kink.
Coming Spring 2024:
“4Play with Threshold Theater”
Dates and venue still TBA
Featuring:
Amsterdam, by Collette Cullen
Bluetooth, by Liz Dooley
Hurry Up and Wail, by Anna Ralls
Just for Context, by Bethany Dickens Assaf
The Weird Ellen Prom Queen Trendsetters, by Elizabeth Shannon
Coming for Pride Month 2024
Monday, June 3, 2024
Monster Girls at Sunshine Donuts, by Dani Herd
A
vampire, a werewolf, and a Frankenstein's monster walk into a doughnut
shop... Meet Louise, Tally, and Elsie: the crew behind Sunshine
Doughnuts! The ghouls have fallen into a pretty pleasant spooky routine
for themselves; pouring coffee, baking doughnuts, arguing over
Scooby-Doo cartoons, having crushes on their regulars. Along comes an
unexpected late night visitor to throw everything into question.
Sometimes it really sucks how much your past can come back to bite you!
"Write. Find a way to keep alive and write. There is nothing else to say."
- James Baldwin
"Writing is like driving a car at night. You can only see as far as the headlights, but you make the whole trip that way."
- E.L. Doctorow
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