Up for a Writing Challenge?
Promptly regulars Mark James and Martha Warner are embarking upon a challenge that’s intense, awesome and perhaps even a bit insane (the good kind): They’re planning to tackle every Promptly…
Promptly regulars Mark James and Martha Warner are embarking upon a challenge that’s intense, awesome and perhaps even a bit insane (the good kind): They’re planning to tackle every Promptly prompt in 2010. Branding the effort The 144 Club, here are excerpts from Martha’s blog post (I’ll try not to steal too much of it so you can check out the full entry here).
“Back in November Mark James and myself committed to writing on the Promptly blog (comments section) with each prompt posted by Zac. It was fun, enlightening, and stretched my writing boundaries. We enjoyed ourselves so much that month we decided to continue.
“To give it an added dimension, for the beginning of a new year, Mark came up with this brilliant idea of the 144 Club.
1. Write to as many of Zac’s posts/prompts in 2010 as possible. Without any major life issues, we can safely say all of them.
2. For each prompt we post, we put a dollar in a jar. (Which keeps us accountable for writing on a regular basis.) If we forget to use the must-have [a predetermined element that needs to be in each story], it’s two bucks.
3. At the end of 2010 we will donate to a charity.
“The point being we will have 144 stories EACH to potentially make and mold into something bigger. Who knows where the next big story will come from? I don’t. So, I’m taking this opportunity (and good excuse) to write three times per week. In the end, we’ll do a little good for someone and a lot of good for our creative selves.”
I’m excited to be a part of the project, and I’m going to brainstorm some ways to match their efforts (donating books/materials to a charity? Matching funds?). Here’s to hoping my prompt generator can keep up with them—and you, if you want to get on board …
And don’t forget, if you’re in Cincinnati tonight, stop by and party with the crew of WD! Expect networking, giveaways, and last but surely not least, birthday cake—with our 90th anniversary magazine cover printed on it. (Remember the fuss I was making about the shiny silver ink? That’s right: Now it’s edible!)
Hope to see you there.
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WRITING PROMPT: Dining Room Enigmas
Feel free to take the following prompt home or post your response (500 words or fewer, funny, sad or stirring) in the Comments section below. By posting, you’ll be automatically entered in our occasional around-the-office swag drawings.
He takes his fifth drink and coughs. His companion takes his first and kisses a waitress on the cheek. Across the room, your associate’s palms sweat as she prepares to tell them the truth.
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Zachary Petit is a freelance journalist and editor, and a lifelong literary and design nerd. He's also a former senior managing editor of Writer’s Digest magazine. Follow him on Twitter @ZacharyPetit.
