Writing Exercises!

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Re: Writing Exercises!

Celadon's Penultimate
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 Meh, it takes more than a single genre to bore me. Long as I have inspiration, I can do a single genre for a while.
“…Judge not what a man has done, but judge what he could have done if he was a different bloke altogether. For art thou a leper? And a leper can changeth his spots…”   --Rudy Wade, Misfits (Series 4, Episode 8)
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Re: Writing Exercises!

ParallelanPrincess
Mmmkay...so..Savior is bored and she has a story that she has meant to rewrite for like...5 years....

And there is another story that I finished that was...we shall never speak of it again...

So the generator will help me write junk about two different uh universes...

DeMarco Terrani and his sprites' universe.

And the universe concerning the Belflora Mall teenage security officers.

In my defense I was bored.

Don't judge me.

Just go with it.

Student, Secret Agent, Princess
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Re: Writing Exercises!

ParallelanPrincess
Write for at least 100 words about a journey, a candle, and a contract. Focus on creating at least one compelling character.

~Pristine Valley Mall Universe~

Chester McKnightus the Fourth was a toad. He wasn't born a tadpole and hadn't  naturally grown into a toad. You see, Chester was born the third son of a very prominent very wealthy family. Although that didn't stop the Grand Sorceress of the Argenti Chapter of the Withes Coven from turning him in to a toad. Now don't start to think Chester is some shallow prince who got what he deserved. Chester is actually a very amicable fellow. From time to time he can be a bit mischievious and slack of from work but this time he had been doing his job.

Chester was a security guard at the local mall. A teenage rent a cop if you will. His job description was something along the lines of 'protect, serve, and prevent any supernatural wars starting over any and all business transactions'. The Pristine Valley Mall was something of a gateway to all dimensions. A shopping center that attract all manner of mystical and magical beings. Chester loved the mall. He got to see interesting things. Just the other day he saw a vampire and a mummy get into a girl fight over a sweater. He stopped it of course. After the vampire won.

Today Chester had seen what he shouldn't have. He caught a witch shoplifting. He didn't know the witch he attempted to apprehend was the Great Hestia Kolira herself. Naturally she turn him into a toad so he wouldn't snitch.

Madame Kolira wasn't aware Chester could shapeshift. Being turned into a toad was no big deal. Still Chester let the old witch keep her pride. The moment Madame Kolira lowered him into the mall's fountain and walked out of sight, he transformed.

"We have a 531 in progress. She's heading for towards the robe store," Chester said into his waterproof walkie talkie.

"531? She turned you into a toad? She's going down hard!" Midnight responded.

Chester smiled. That's his girl.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`

Where in God's name did this story come from???
Student, Secret Agent, Princess
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Re: Writing Exercises!

ParallelanPrincess
Write for at least 700 words about a leader, a door, and a cat.

~Pristine Valley Mall~

"I'm the leader. I'm the leader. I am the leader." James repeated, trying to absorb the concept.  He stood in front of his bathroom mirror and stared at his reflection. His hair needed to be brushed and there was a piece of spinach in his teeth.  Gross. He'd have to fix that before he left.

He looked around the sink for his brush. James wasn't exactly a pretty boy and only tried to be presentable for special occasions. Usually he walked out the door looking any kind of way. That was before someone decided he should be a leader. Someone thought James wanted to prove himself. Someone thought James was destined for greatness. James thought someone was out of their mind.

There the brush was. It was lying on the edge of the bathtub. James touched his hair up and flossed out the spinach.
He was ready.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Okay...brain freeze...Wait...Uh...Okay....That...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`

"Ready for your big day, Jimmy?" Caliope asked. She was comfortable seated on the kitchen table waiting for James to bring her milk.

"Nope." James said, pouring the milk into a porcelain bowl. "I'm about to start a job I'm going to hate."

"Oh, so in other words, it's just a typical Sunday for you," Caliope said.

"Do you want this milk or not? There is nothing stopping me from putting cereal in here."

"Try it and I'll claw your eyes out!" Caliope hissed.

"There's nothing stopping me from pouring this on you," James snarled.

Caliope was a real pain in the mornings. She was a full on diva and acted like James was her  servant. James wanted to introduce her to a few of his werewolf friends from school. If she wasn't immortal...

"Oh yes there is, Jimmy boy. Your uncle won't like you mistreating his guests. He'll send you back to the mines in a heartbeat."

"I'd like to send you back to the pound. Crazy witch," James muttered, setting the bowl in front of Caliope.

"What was that?"

"You heard me," James grumbled.

He stormed out of the kitchen to the front door. This day was going to be pure hell.
Student, Secret Agent, Princess
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Re: Writing Exercises!

ParallelanPrincess
Dude, these are my essays. Please advise on how to make them less sucky. Complete_Gates_Scholarship_Essay_1.docx

Complete_Gates_Scholarship_Essay_2.docx

Gates_Essay_3_and_4.doc

Gates_Essay_7.doc

Student, Secret Agent, Princess
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Re: Writing Exercises!

Zaleramancer
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In reply to this post by ParallelanPrincess
That is an awesome idea for fleshing out a world.



Hell, I may use that idea.

Pilfer it.

Stealthily.
“She'd become a governess. It was one of the few jobs a known lady could do. And she'd taken to it well. She'd sworn that if she did indeed ever find herself dancing on rooftops with chimney sweeps she'd beat herself to death with her own umbrella.”
― Hogfather
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Re: Writing Exercises!

Zaleramancer
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In reply to this post by ParallelanPrincess
I like the feeling of Fantasy Kitchen Sink/Urban Fantasy.
“She'd become a governess. It was one of the few jobs a known lady could do. And she'd taken to it well. She'd sworn that if she did indeed ever find herself dancing on rooftops with chimney sweeps she'd beat herself to death with her own umbrella.”
― Hogfather
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Re: Writing Exercises!

Zaleramancer
Administrator
In reply to this post by ParallelanPrincess
This is a Wulf issue.

Hmmm.

The Tv show should probably be italicized.
“She'd become a governess. It was one of the few jobs a known lady could do. And she'd taken to it well. She'd sworn that if she did indeed ever find herself dancing on rooftops with chimney sweeps she'd beat herself to death with her own umbrella.”
― Hogfather
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Re: Writing Exercises!

ParallelanPrincess
Oro? Oh and thanks for the feedback on my stuff. If you can be so kind as to read the essays and critique them I'd love forever. Thoes essays are for the Gates Millenium Scholarship aka the go to college for free for 4-10 years scholarships. And it's due in like 10 days. Oh and Soul Eater forever!
Student, Secret Agent, Princess
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Re: Writing Exercises!

Zaleramancer
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I'm not terribly good at critique.

“She'd become a governess. It was one of the few jobs a known lady could do. And she'd taken to it well. She'd sworn that if she did indeed ever find herself dancing on rooftops with chimney sweeps she'd beat herself to death with her own umbrella.”
― Hogfather
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Re: Writing Exercises!

Celadon's Penultimate
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In reply to this post by Zaleramancer
 I thought that's what this thread was for, anyhow. I mean, after all, that's why I posted my Creative Writing stories here.
“…Judge not what a man has done, but judge what he could have done if he was a different bloke altogether. For art thou a leper? And a leper can changeth his spots…”   --Rudy Wade, Misfits (Series 4, Episode 8)
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Re: Writing Exercises!

Zaleramancer
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I was mostly going to use it to practice.
“She'd become a governess. It was one of the few jobs a known lady could do. And she'd taken to it well. She'd sworn that if she did indeed ever find herself dancing on rooftops with chimney sweeps she'd beat herself to death with her own umbrella.”
― Hogfather
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Re: Writing Exercises!

Celadon's Penultimate
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Well, from the looks of it, both seem quite possible.

Don't you agree?
“…Judge not what a man has done, but judge what he could have done if he was a different bloke altogether. For art thou a leper? And a leper can changeth his spots…”   --Rudy Wade, Misfits (Series 4, Episode 8)
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Re: Writing Exercises!

Zaleramancer
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Of course.
“She'd become a governess. It was one of the few jobs a known lady could do. And she'd taken to it well. She'd sworn that if she did indeed ever find herself dancing on rooftops with chimney sweeps she'd beat herself to death with her own umbrella.”
― Hogfather
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Re: Writing Exercises!

ParallelanPrincess
Pristine Valley Mall Verse

Write for at least 500 words about a surrender, a desert, and a locked box. Focus on creating a compelling setting.
"Mr. Ali, I regret to inform you that Hepzibah's House of Oddities and Peculairness has a strict no refund policy." James said.

Mr. Ali was currently holding a sword to James's throat and while that was daunting, James was far from intimidated. The sword was dull and its owner was obviously untrained. If Mr. Ali chose to run the blade across James's neck, it would have the effect of a butterknife.

James understood Mr. Ali's displeasure. The man had bought a Pandora's Box knock off and had unleased a band of demented sprites. Demanding a refund was prefectly reasonable in this situation. However, Hepzibah's House of Odd's official store policy dictated that all sales were final.

In the Pristine Valley Mall store policy was the Magical Law of the Land and second only to the PVM's Code of Acceptable Behavior. Violating story policy would unleash a curse on the violator, whether the curse was fatal or merely a temporary annoyance varied. At this particular establishment, violation of story policy guaranteed a series of seven plagues for seven years. James was in no mood to explain to his uncle why it was raining frogs.

"I'm afraid you will have to accept the consequences of your purchase. If you continue to threat me, I will be forced to expell you from the premises," James said in a calm, measured tone.

"No! I w-won't! Those monsters have taken over my house! T-they killed my wife! I-"

"They took over your house, you say?" James asked.

"Yes! They...they broke all my windows!" Ali stammered.

"They murdered your wife as well?"

"Yes!" Ali shouted, pressing the sword closer to James's neck.

James took a large step backwards. Ali nearly fell forwards as he had been standing on his toes to to reach James's neck.

"You, sir, are a liar." James said.

"How dare you! I'm telling the truth." Ali howled.

"You are not. Sprites are neither destructive nor murderous. Furthermore, sprites are contained in jars not boxes. I have no idea what you hoped to gain by deceit. I do know that threatening a Guard and commiting fraud is prohibited in this Mall. Therefore, I must banish you from the Mall until further notice." James said, in the same calm, even tone.

"You can't do that. You're just some punk kid rent-a-cop!"

"I am a teenage mage in training and a Five Star Guard of Commerce and as such I must bid you good day.

With the might of the Heavens
 and the fury of the Hells,
From this Place
Thou art expelled
"

With an incantation a small amount of magic, Ali found himself stranded in the Harakio Desert.

Back at the Pristine Valley Mall, James entered Hepzibah's House.

"Thank you, James. That man's been harassing me for weeks," the witch said.

"i am merely doing my duty, Madame Hepzibah," James responded.

"And a fine duty you're doing indeed. Where did you send him, dear?"

"The Harakio Desert."

"Is that the one with the wereworlf mummy hybrids?"

"Yes ma'am."

"Excellent choice."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`
This is what happens when I spend hours on the disney livejournal.

Student, Secret Agent, Princess
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Re: Writing Exercises!

Zaleramancer
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A comedic folktale about a powerful old woman. Her tale involves a village idiot, a well-intentioned merchant, a bet, love and an oracle.
For later.
“She'd become a governess. It was one of the few jobs a known lady could do. And she'd taken to it well. She'd sworn that if she did indeed ever find herself dancing on rooftops with chimney sweeps she'd beat herself to death with her own umbrella.”
― Hogfather
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Re: Writing Exercises!

Zaleramancer
Administrator
For Now

Write for at least 250 words about a death, a romance, a road, and a snake.
I went overboard.

--------------------------

“I want love.”

These words echoed off stone in a dark and silent place. This place was a crack in a mountain, something so crooked and cramped that the name cave was to dignified for it. It was a wishing place, somewhere that dreams could be made real..

Such was why a princeling had traveled so far, up roads twisted at torturous angles and over bridges more decrepit than a wizard of a thousand years. And now stood he in this cracked place, servants hovering behind, speaking the words to awaken that which dwelt here.

A witch.

The Witch.

A demon-goddess of the wicked south, the witch had been bound here by the powerful northern gods.  She was a fearful and cunning creature, an arch liar and tempter, a devourer of souls and ender of lives. And yet, still people came. For her knowledge was vast, and her power even vaster. Even so bound as she was, there was little want of the mundane she could not satisfy.

Wants even Princes could not grasp alone.

Now that a hollow silence filled the crack, as all echoes faded away into the darkness, the Prince turned to the young peasant who had been their guide.

“Have you tried to trick me?” He began, eyes flickering. This journey had not been easy. The bandy-legged peasant crumpled before his glare, sputtering reassurances.

Before the princeling could speak again, a new voice shattered the silence.

I should hope not. That is, after all, my job.

Like a raspy death-rattle, this voice seemed to echo from all places, from every shadow and corner. A strange mist rolled out from the depths of the earth, from cracks all around.  In the deepest darkness, two eyes shone like molten silver.  

“Then the rumors are true. Why have you kept me waiting, Witch?”

Poor, Poor Prince. Unused to the rigors of travel? The trials of waiting? The depths of want?

With each word, the voice dropped lower and the tone became darker and more mocking.

“How dare-“

How dare I what? Appear to you long before your demise at the palsied hands of time? I am immortal. You are not.
Remember, I speak with you at my pleasure, not yours.


Swallowing his fury and pride, the Prince began again.

“I want-“

A love? How quaint. How silly. There is no doubt that there are countless women whose fathers would love to have a prince for a son-in-law. Your society has insured there would be no possibility of objection on the girl’s behalf.

A tendril of mist began to rise, snaking over dirt and stone, around the Prince and those that had accompanied them. The young peasant had long ceased to stand, preferring to whimper on the ground.

“What-no! I want love, not-“

Whispering in his ear, the harsh voice sliced through his objection like a fine sword.

I can peek into the depths of your heart. You look and say, I do not love these girls. Maybe another one is my love. But in the deepest, darkest part of your heart, you say.. they are not worthy of me. No wife so dull, so plain, so boring is worthy of me. Only someone exceptional, intelligent, magical.. and beautiful is worthy.

Wincing, the princeling tried to speak as mist coiled around him.

Don’t waste my time with your self-deceptions. If a beautiful wife is what you desire, a beautiful wife shall be supplied.

A setting moon cast a ghostly light on the mist and silver eyes.

Here is what must be done. The voice whispered for him and him alone. Your guide shall lead you to the collection of hovels he dwells in. Ten days hence, on the full moon, you shall lead his sister west to a wooded clearing, where lies a large flat rock. Kill the girl and place her severed head on the rock. Then wait until the moon reaches its zenith.

Pale from the Witch’s words, he gasped, “But how-“

Mist began to drift and spiral back into the earth as sunlight filtered from above.

You will see.


The voice faded as the eyes winked out.

Mind racing from what the witch had asked, the prince gave the sign to prepare to leave.

She had asked for something utterly despicable. Nothing less than murder. He could never..

One of his advisors stepped forward, a chubby man for whom the journey had been torturous.

“Sir, what shall we do? This witch failed to provide any-“

“No.” The Prince said, “She said.. more than enough. We should just leave the way we came. Now.”

Bowing and stepping away, the advisor began his way back to a horse.

The guide lead the way down the twisting path as the Prince thought long and hard about what had happened. The Witch was obviously a liar. There was no way he was so shallow, he was.. merely waiting for his love. And as for the plan.. no, he could never kill like that..

“Sir!”

Jerking from his thoughts, he glanced at the interrupting advisor.

“The guide has informed us that the bridge we accessed has been crushed by a small earth tremor. I’m afraid we may have to use an alternative route.”

“Fine”, Snapped the Prince.

“But, as luck would have it, this route shall take us through the guide’s own village. I am certain the local lord mayor will be able to house us. “

Not understanding the Prince’s sudden attack of paleness, the advisor nodded the guide to lead on.

Two long days later they reached the collection of buildings that claimed the status of village only by the loosest of definitions. By now, the advisor was certain the Prince had become ill. The Prince’s sleep was fitful, he grew paler every day and he had taken on a haunted aspect.

Despite the Prince’s own objections, the advisor had insisted the prince rest for a few days in this village and had arranged for one of the villagers, the guide’s own sister, to care for him.

The girl herself became infatuated on sight.

As the full moon approached, the Prince became more and more restless. As the moon rose in the sky, he awoke. The
young girl slept in a nearby chair, snoring gently.

He no longer had a choice. This was destroying him. Right now, his chance at love was slipping away with the moon.

The girl had to die.

Slipping up quietly, he moved towards her, prodding her gently.

“Wha?”, She asked sleepily, her eyes quickly widening as she gazed into his own.

“You’ve been so kind to me, and I hoped I could repay you. This night is so clear and warm, the moon will be so beautiful.

Perhaps we could walk?”

Brain shifting into gear, the girl nodded happily and suggested, “There’s this place in the woods, right west of town. We call it, um, Lover’s Rock.”

She blushed and then looked at the Prince.

“Are you alright, though? You got so pale-“

“I am more than fine. Let us go.”

Arm wrapped around her, he thought carefully about what he had to do. The mild twinge of his heart at betraying her trust was lost as he compared it to his own pain.

At the very least, he could kill her painlessly.

As they reached the clearing, he released her to let her lead.

As she turned, his sword found her heart. Her eyes looked into his with such a sense of betrayal as the light left them.

Wordlessly, he hacked her head from her shoulders and threw it on the rock. He had.. done it.

He could hardly believe..

The time until the zenith of the moon was unbearable. The Prince found his eyes drifting to the corpse of the girl. His mind was drifting back to the way she had looked at him. Doubt began to eat at him. What if he was wrong? What if the Witch had lied?

What if he had killed this girl for nothing?

As the moon ascended to her celestial height, his heart broke.  No women materialized. No wife had come.

Turning, unsure of what to do he stepped away.. and heard a sound. A sound like a whisper over grass, like a feather over silk.

Swerving, he was it..

A snake, vivid green and huge, was coiling around the rock. It swallowed the head with a snap, then turned on the Prince.

Paralyzed with fear and despair, he awaited his fate.

Slithering forward, the snake changed. Coils became supple skin as scales became a shimmering dress. No longer an it, but a she stood before him.

She was beautiful, moving with the lithe grace of a serpent. She stunned him with every move as she stared unblinkingly in his eyes.

“You are.. “

Several months later, the King died in his bed. Despite his previous health, old age had appeared to grasp hungrily at him in his final few months. The Prince and his new wife ascended to the Throne.
And deep within the mountain, the Witch cackled.

A beautiful woman with silvery hair and eyes that burned, she scratched with wicked claws on a rocky cave-side. A golden chain linked her leg to it. On the wall were complex symbols, each formed from an array of little dots.
With a smile, she furrowed another divot in the pattern.

One more.

The voice of a young man rang from above, a voice from months before..

“I want vengeance!”

And the Witch smiled.
“She'd become a governess. It was one of the few jobs a known lady could do. And she'd taken to it well. She'd sworn that if she did indeed ever find herself dancing on rooftops with chimney sweeps she'd beat herself to death with her own umbrella.”
― Hogfather
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Re: Writing Exercises!

Zaleramancer
Administrator
In reply to this post by Zaleramancer
Any feedback.
“She'd become a governess. It was one of the few jobs a known lady could do. And she'd taken to it well. She'd sworn that if she did indeed ever find herself dancing on rooftops with chimney sweeps she'd beat herself to death with her own umbrella.”
― Hogfather
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Re: Writing Exercises!

Zaleramancer
Administrator
I need help with my Essay.

It's supposed to be about the themes of a short story (Harrison Bergeron).

The problem is I tried to think of an interesting starting sentence, but I feel that it's to long to start talking about the story.

Music is the art of the arrangement of both sound and silence. In many ways, writing is the art of balancing the implicit and explicit; a story lives in the in-between place of the stated and the implied.  Themes are a crucial part of this balance. They are not something that can be gleaned from simply seeing the words on a page, but only by reading and understanding them.
“She'd become a governess. It was one of the few jobs a known lady could do. And she'd taken to it well. She'd sworn that if she did indeed ever find herself dancing on rooftops with chimney sweeps she'd beat herself to death with her own umbrella.”
― Hogfather
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Re: Writing Exercises!

Celadon's Penultimate
Administrator
 So, you only want help with the first sentence?
“…Judge not what a man has done, but judge what he could have done if he was a different bloke altogether. For art thou a leper? And a leper can changeth his spots…”   --Rudy Wade, Misfits (Series 4, Episode 8)
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