Registered: Aug 2000
Location:
Posts: 632

The Bouncer and the Lego «

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Jul 2000
Location: Location Location
Posts: 26541

I’ll tell you how I came to write this one.

Earlier this evening I needed to write a column, but had NO ideas. I had heard flocat and bunkum in chat discussing some writing exercises they had devised together, and so I PM’d bunkum about it and asked her if she could give me a few examples.

[20:45] [bunkum] another, you could have somebody write down about 10 occupations (such as floral delivery driver) and 10 everyday actions (breaking a glass). Then your goal is to write a story where that action becomes a "metaphor" for the character itself
[20:46] [bunkum] you just randomly draw an occupation and an action out of a hat

So, I asked the admins for 10 occupations, 10 actions, and picked one of each and wrote the story based on that.

The ones I picked: Occupation: Bouncer. Action: Stepping on a Lego barefoot.

I figured kill two birds with one stone.

Get a free education.

Get a column.

An hour or so later, this is what I ended up with.

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Aug 2000
Location: Myrtle Beach, SC
Posts: 15181

Well, you did a good job with it. Enjoyable read. I'm not entirely sure how to feel about the ending. Seems just a bit too realistic to say whether I liked it or not, you know?

Oh well, well written, good ideas.

------------------------
Groovin' in self-pity!
Graphic Cheeseworks.

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Oct 2000
Location: MI
Posts: 589

Write more, or else. I'll do something! You're one helluva writer to make that out of 2 simple things.

Kudos.

------------------------
Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your beers!

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Oct 2000
Location: Texas
Posts: 2593

Paint, my friend,
Absolutely awesome work. I had tears in my eyes when that man punched that little boy.

It wasn't funny, or too dramatic....it was very "real".

What goes around...

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Aug 2000
Location: Nanaimo, BC
Posts: 1122

Paint... that felt real, in a very spooky way.

That is very good writing.

------------------------
Rebel from the waist down.

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Sep 2000
Location: The Bottom of the Toyem Pole
Posts: 9478

Paint-

This is a great read. Your writing is so enjoyable to read.

I urge you to consider writing a serial story. it wouldn't have to be everyweek, but every once in a while. I would really like to see what you can do with a bigger canvas.



------------------------
All Hail Eris!!

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Jul 2000
Location: Beyond Mason-Dixon Line
Posts: 17262

Hey ol' Paint! I enjoyed this read. Just standing on its own two feet, it is good. The circumstances of its creation, however, made it even more enjoyable and interesting to me.

In fact, I'd like to do one of those, too. It sounds challenging and I've been thinking about it ever since I read this. It seems to me that, not only is it a good exercise, it's also an opportunity to create something worthwhile from minimal fodder.

It never ceases to amaze me what the human brain can do when it has to do something. At times, the ol' brain can freeze rock-solid. This may be great anit-freeze for the brain.

Let's talk about it some more. Thanks. Amen.

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Jul 2000
Location: Location Location
Posts: 26541

quote:

---

Originally posted by Nutrimentia:
I urge you to consider writing a serial story. it wouldn't have to be everyweek, but every once in a while. I would really like to see what you can do with a bigger canvas.

---

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Sep 2000
Location: The Bottom of the Toyem Pole
Posts: 9478

I talked to bunkum about an asylum group serial.

It could work like this: Plant the seed, perhaps you or her could right it. Then everyone would have one week to submit their version of a continuation of the story. After that time there would be a brief voting period for the best continuation. The winning submission would be officially validated as the story's plot, etc. and the process would continue based on the new expanded story.

We would need to come up with guidelines to govern the length of submissions, etc. Also it might prove helpful to give everyone an idea of how to write a vignette that adds enough but leaves enough hanging to keep the story alive.

This idea was inspired by your references to bunkum's writing exercises and chat convos with her. Remember that email that circulated about the freshman comp exercise that went downhill? One person starts then gives it to the other, then back and forth? If we could find that, it might serve as both inspiration and a guideline of what to avoid.

This might work or it might not. Minimally, I think it might be fun for you, me, and bunkum.

------------------------
All Hail Eris!!

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Jul 2000
Location: Beyond Mason-Dixon Line
Posts: 17262

quote:

---

Originally posted by Nutrimentia:
. . . Minimally, I think it might be fun for you, me, and bunkum.

---

Hey Nut! Ol' JEB likes to have fun, too! Amen.

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Sep 2000
Location: The Bottom of the Toyem Pole
Posts: 9478

keep yer eyes peeled, JEB, help is on the way!

------------------------
All Hail Eris!!

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Jul 2000
Location:
Posts: 4501

I'll be more than happy to start something off...give me until the weekend...a little burdened with work right now.

Cool job with this, paint. I was unlucky enough in my class as an undergrad to get "rose gardener" and "breaking a glass." I think the soap opera queens in that class were responsible for submitting those selections...

------------------------
Deny closure. Honor ambiguity.

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Aug 2000
Location:
Posts: 4875

like the other columns, this one was good. I hate emerald.

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged