Hi folks
With this prompt, we’re now officially over halfway there!
Once again, well done, everyone.
Whether you write every day or every other day or once a week, pat yourself on the back.
And if you don’t get to writing on a particular day, don’t beat yourself up about it.
Life happens.
Just try again to write the next day and keep on going.
Just write.
Yesterday’s submissions for lucky challenge 13, in raw numbers thus far:
76 playwrights, with material totaling 251 pages
(So the equivalent of two more full-length plays, plus another ten minute play for good measure)
Let’s get you that writing prompt…
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Challenge #16 - Snark
Write Sunday, November 16th - or earlier if you like
Due: Monday, November 17th, 12pm noon Central Time
(1pm Eastern Time, 11am Mountain Time, 10am Western Time for the US Time Zones)
I often wonder exactly what the mindless algorithm of social media thinks of me as it tries to work out a reliable formula to feed me content that’’ll keep me scrolling and pausing on the various apps.
At least it thinks I have a sense of humor.
There were a couple of fun, snarky ads for writer adjacent items for purchase
Since I recently restocked my supply of blank journals, the internet thought I might also appreciate the following:
Grievance Journal
A Burn Book for the Discerning Misanthrope
The back over says:
"Seeking Happiness?
This book may not be for you, then.
At best all we have to offer is a safe space for you to come and vent about the various annoyances and inanities plaguing the modern world. If you’re not so much a “glass half full”type as you are a “the glass is empty and shattered into sharp shards all over the kitchen floor” type, then by all means grab a copy.
(Or ten. It’s not like things are getting better out there, right?)"
Inside are inspirational gems heading up blank pages saying things like:
"I wish running away from my problems was better exercise."
"She is clothed in anxiety and loungewear."
"What places annoy you and why?
Whether it’s the bland tedium of the DMV or the incessant blinking and noise of a casino, which places would you like to never visit again?"
"What injustices make you angriest?
Rage about how ridiculously unfair life is.
Is it wealth inequality? Dirtbag celebs getting a pass from society?
What wrongs seem never to get righted?"
"What did you want to say to someone but couldn’t?
Whether you wanted to tell off a terrible boss or demand that a nosy neighbor mind their own business, we’ve all had moments of wanting to let someone have it but exercising restraint. Let your rant loose below."
All that seems like interesting fodder for you and your characters.
There was also a variation on the inspirational card deck genre.
I mentioned the useful “Observation Deck” from Naomi Epel back in the first year of the challenge in conjunction with of the first week’s prompts
How about…?
Sinister Affirmations
Mantras for Formidable Women
A card deck with humorous, and slightly menacing or vengeful words of encouragement for daily life.
Some examples:
“Take up space
Godzilla would never shrink to make men comfortable.
Make them flee in terror when they see you coming.
Refuse to yield, be a menace”
“Do one thing every day that brings you joy.
Get outside. Wander a forest.
Accept the tutelage of a powerful ancient witch.
Become the sinister force that occupies the forest and terrifies the townsfolk.
Treat yourself.”
“There is no rule that says you can’t be a captivating forest pixie AND an intimidating ancient hell goddess.
Hecate had three forms.
You needn’t commit to just one.”
“Normalize unleashing a malevolent poltergeist on men who won’t take ‘no’ for an answer.”
“Practice self care like a Venus Fly Trap.
Stay hydrated and destroy whatever pest invades your personal space.”
“It’s okay if you need a break.
It’s okay if you need a hug.
It’s okay if you need help performing an occult ritual that will enthrall a dark and unspeakable evil.
Don’t be afraid to advocate for yourself.”
“You deserve the best.
The foggiest of cemetery strolls.
The silkiest coffin lining.
The most haunted of castles.
The fiercest of hellhounds.
Don’t let anyone tell you you’re just a recluse the townsfolk tell stories about - you are an immortal countess with a horrifying secret.”
“Once I replace my hair with serpents and develop a glare that turns people to stone it’s all over for my haters.”
“We get so worried about being pretty.
Let’s be pretty bizarre.
Pretty haunting.
Pretty formidable.”
“In case no one told you today:
Your teeth look sharp.
Your visage terrifies men
The crown of femurs atop your head is dazzling.”
There are so many more, but those are my favorites today.
Both of these items can be found on
BoredWalk.com
(Get it? Boardwalk, BoredWalk? Sound alike words with different meanings/spellings - also fun - but we’ve touched on homophones before…)
Between the grievance journal and the sinister affirmations, there’s got to be some fodder in there you can mine for the day’s writing.
See if any of that inspires you, even if it’s to do the exact opposite of the things the phrases are conjuring up.
As always, if that doesn’t do it for you, just write whatever you like.
Just write something.
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If you’re not interested in this prompt, you can
try 2021’s challenge #16: Poetry
Or try 2022’s challenge #16: Brains
Or try 2023’s Challenge #16: “How did I get here?” (from Threshold Theater co-founder and Technical Director Nick Mrozek)
Or try 2024’s challenge #16: First Times and Regrets (from Threshold Theater’s co-founder and Managing Director David Schlosser)
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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How to submit your work for Challenge #16
We’re streamlining the process this year with a Google form,
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdy-wyjz-IITaNsOkXM1zVQu_yrt_o7E4Vp2eQnr-8VNnu49w/viewform?usp=header
but you still have multiple options for how you submit your playwriting output for the day.
After you enter the required fields of
email,
name,
challenge number (for today, that’d be 16 :)
and page count,
you can submit your writing in one of four ways:
Save your script as a PDF or Word Doc and upload that document to the Google form.
OR
Post
your script online (on your personal website, as a blog post, or as a
Google doc) and put a link to that online script in the Google form.
OR
Copy/paste your work from another source directly into the Google form
OR
Type directly into the Google form.
(Whichever option you choose, you can leave the other ones blank.)
Write Sunday, November 16th - or earlier if you like
Again, this is: Due: Monday, November 17th, 12pm noon Central Time
(1pm Eastern Time, 11am Mountain Time, 10am Western Time for the US Time Zones)
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And because we call can get in our own way so easily, here’s some words of reassurance on the basics of this month:
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 Format
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 “Succeeding” or “Failing”
Don’t Stress About What You’re Turning In Each Day
Don’t Stress about November 27th (however you recognize the holiday weekend) - 2025 edition
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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 14 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 makes sense to you.
It just needs to be something.
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And that something can be:
Lights up.
Medusa wanders through with a hand mirror, not looking directly at it herself of course.
She just wants to reflect her visage at various items around the room - her cat, her houseplant, a pesky housefly.
All of which immediately turn to stone and flop over.
Medusa grins, grooming her head of snakes, and walks offstage again, leaving statues of various shapes and sizes in her wake.
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 take good care of yourselves, and each other.
Matthew A. Everett
Literary Director
Threshold Theater
(he/him/his)
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