FictionPress.Com Can Be an Amateur Writer's Best Friend
FictionPress.com is a huge site where writers can post their fiction and poetry for a wide audience. While it has its problems, the pros far outweigh the cons.
http://www.associatedcontent.comarticle/2082067/fictionpresscom_can_be_an_amateur_writers.html

Can Writing Fanfiction Improve Your Writing Skills?
Most of today's fanfiction is written by teens and tweens, but can the amateur writer learn anything from this type of pleasure writing? I argue that fanfiction writers can and will learn valuable skills, if they're willing to do the work.
http://www.associatedcontent.comarticle/1990818/can_writing_fanfiction_improve_your.html

Challenge Thirteen: Underwire Challenge

Ok, Ok, so you've just read the title of this challenge and received a large mental question mark in return. Here's the deal: I watch action and horror movies, most of which are cheesy or simply lack realistic characters. I constantly see girls get into situations where they have "nothing" they can use to fight the bad guy/girl, get out of the trap, save another person. I think that, aside from a brain, the most unused tool at their disposal is just a cup-size away. Think about it (I'm talking to the ladies here--the nondrag guys amongst us will have to use their imagination), the majority of women wear bras, even with formal wear, though many Sci-Fi (excuse me, Syfy) writers would have you think otherwise. And, in turn, the majority of bras have underwire for lift. Now, any woman who's had a cheap bra has felt the stinging end of the underwire and knows its dangers.

Are we forming a picture now?

So, my challenge to you: write a scene, story, script, etc. where a woman or man (be creative, Mr. Kinky Boots) uses their bra in a tight situation for something other than seduction. Specifically, I'd like it to be a very high-action moment, but any creative use will be worth it.

This challenge has no real due date, and, unless it's a piece you're posting online, you won't need to put a link in the comments. Just comment below and tell me a little about the situation you're planning to write about, and how the bra comes into play.

Have fun and, as always, be creative!

Challenge Twelve-- The Murder Challenge

Okay, a new challenge for all! This challenge is original fiction ONLY!!!! The rules are as follows:

• The idea of this challenge is to help you get a feel for murder in writing and how to implant a murder mystery into other genres.
• It MUST have "mystery" as a subgenre, but NOT as the main genre! This means that it can be a type of "who dun it?" but that does not need to be the main focus.
• Has to have a twist at the end, and not necessarily a "who dun it?" twist, remember!
• Deadline for this challenge is May 6, 2009

Some examples for what the challenge is looking for are books like The Sookie Stackhouse Series, The Harry Potter Series, or the young adult book Never Trust a Dead Man. Happy writing!

Challenge 11--The Song Challenge

Most of us listen to music for inspiration, so it's only fitting that we have a challenge that brings this song inspiration directly into play. Here's the challenge:

• Shuffle your music player.
  
• Use the first song that plays as inspiration for either an original or fanfiction story. The song should influence the atmosphere of your story as well. It's as simple as that! Enjoy!

Now, if that's too simple, here's a little extra challenge to tide you over:

BONUS CHALLENGE

This extra challenge requires you to shuffle your music at least four times.

• The first song to play should represent your main character's driving motivation or emotional state.
• The second song should represent your plot.
• The third song should be your secondary character's driving motivation or emotional state.
• And the fourth song should represent your setting. (For example, if "Don't Fear the Reaper" was your fourth song, you could set your story in a cemetery, at a school for reapers, at a Blue Oyster's concert, in the seventies, etc.)
  

The only limit to this challenge is your imagination.

DUE DATE: May 1st, Midnight

Challenge Ten-- The Question Part III

Okay, this challenge ups the difficulty just a little bit. Here we go!

• This challenge is fanfiction ONLY!!! (Don't worry, we'll have some original challenges and another fanfiction challenge following this one soon!).
• Like in the other Questions challenges, you must have your fic answer one of the questions given below.
• This can be anywhere from a drabble, to a one-shot, to a chapter piece. And, for the added challenge to this one, I'd really recommend a short one-shot. You'll see why in a minute.
• Now, here's the kicker. Again we have a list of 'verses for you to choose from with an assigned character. But here's where it gets a tad more difficult than the previous Question challenges. You must pick TWO of the 'verses and cross them over. That's right, folks! The Question Part III is a crossover challenge; I guess you could say it is in part a celebration of the new crossover feature at fanfiction.net.
• We've upped the number of 'verses to choose from. Here they are with their character assignment:

--Harry Potter= Severus Snape

--Batman: The Animated Series (again, NOT Batman Beyond or Justice League, just the animated series)= Harley Quinn

--Castlevania= Alucard

--Darkwing Duck= Negaduck

--Sookie Stackhouse/True Blood Series= Sookie

--Supernatural= Dean Winchester

--House, M.D.= Cameron

--Vampire Hunter D= Leila

--Star Wars= Obi-Wan Kenobi

--Stargate: SG-1= Daniel Jackson

--Stargate: Atlantis= John Sheppard

--Angel: The Series= Winifred (Fred) Burkle

--Buffy: The Vampire Slayer= Tara Mclay

--Firefly= Kaylee Frye

--Forever Knight= Lucien Lacroix

--Twilight= Alice Cullen

--Legend= Gump

--Labyrinth= Hoggle

--Vampire Knight= Headmaster Cross

--Dark Knight= Rachel

• As stated above, choose TWO of these 'verses and cross them over. In your fic, you must answer one of the following questions:

--Who are you in bed with?

--Who has tasted your blood?

--What are you doing here?

--What are you thinking right now?

--Aren't you lonely?

--Will they forgive you?

• Again, the question must apply to your main character. Now, because you have TWO 'verses present, it may apply for one or both.
• Deadline for this challenge is Tuesday, April 21, 2009 at midnight.

Happy writing!

Which is harder?

Which is harder? Writing a story from scratch where your ideas are new and you know more or less what you want to happen and how you want it to happen. Or. Re-writing an existing story (chapter, part, etc.) where you have things established the way you thought you wanted them only to find out that they didn't work out so now you have to go back and re-do almost everything?
I found myself asking that question last night while I was working on Blue Shadows. I couldn't help but try and discourage myself thinking "well, it was a bit of a flop before, so what's going to be different this time around?" "it was hard to write this part before, why should it be easier now?" "what the hell was I thinking when I wrote this part? how can I fix it?"
I bummed myself out a little bit, I think, but I'm back on the horse and ready to ride.
So, which do you think is harder? Making something from scratch or warming it up in the proverbial microwave in hopes that it was better than the last time?

-Kimmi

Challenge Nine-The Question II

This is the sequel to the Question Part I. Same rules, different 'verses/characters and questions. Here goes!

• This challenge is fanfiction ONLY!!!
• The character attached to the verse, as before, must be the one to whom the answer of your chosen question applies...preferably, the main character of your piece.
• This challenge can anywhere from a drabble, to a one-shot. You could even do a chapter piece if you so choose.
• The verses and characters for this challenge is as follows:

Harry Potter--Voldemort

Batman: The Animated Series (seasons 1-4 NOT Justice League or Batman Beyond)--Catwoman

Sookie Stackhouse books/TrueBlood--Sookie Stackhouse

Supernatural--John Winchester

House, M.D.--Thirteen

Angel, The Series--(Charles) Gunn

Castlevania--Lisa Tepes

Star Wars--Han Solo

Stargate: Atlantis--Major Lorne

Dexter: The Series--Aster

• The questions to choose from are as follows:

--Why are you such a bitch?

--What the hell was that?

--What do you have to live for?

--Who do you miss the most?

• As before, other characters may appear, but the listed character must be the main character and, as stated above, the one to whom the answer of the question applies.
• The deadline for this juicy bit of a challenge is April 11, 2009 by midnight.

Happy writing!

Insperation: Some Babbelings from Kimmi

While working on my Friday the 13th (the 2nd) challenge piece, I came across a weird news article. It seemed like a bit of a god-send that this little six lined article from the Associated Press would show up in my news feed on my Yahoo! account just when I was looking for something to inspire me to write. This little article turned into a 4 page story of misfortune for a poor man who owned a pet store.
Originally, the news story reported the ill fortune of a shop owner who (somehow) wound up with a corpse instead of the fish he had originally ordered. How's that for luck?
When I read the story I at first thought "huh, sucks to be that guy" and clicked off to play on Pet Society. But after a few minutes I went back to my homepage and stared at the article title.
I remembered hearing something clicking into place.
Who was this unfortunate shop owner?
Did he think it was some kind of prank?
Was there anyone there with him when he found the corpse?
What happened to the fish?
Stupid UPS, they screw up everything.
And thus, with those thoughts flying through my head, I copied the article into my beloved OneNote, and set to work.
Thus, "I Blame UPS" was born, and surprisingly, I like it.
It always amazes me how inspiration just kinds of hits you in the face sometimes. Sure, we all have our muses that guide our pens and our thinking. But sometimes, something pushes the muse out of the way and just screams WRITE ABOUT ME!
At least thats how it is for me.
A flickering light, or a shadow that I see out of the corner of my eye: a story about a tortured lover that wants revenge.
An episode of my favorite TV show: a story centered around a guy that is created into some kind of zombi and is forced to protect someone he hates.
I mean, its weird how the smallest thing seems to set off the imagination (especially if you have an over active imagination like I do).
The point of this blog, I think, is to keep your eyes (all three of them) open to inspiration. Take the time to look at something and ask yourself questions, even if they seem silly and pointless. I always find its the pointless questions (such as what happened to the fish?) that gets my creative juices flowing. Inspiration is all around us, we just have to be willing to let it hit us in the face sometimes.
Viva La Quill
Kimmi
The Ink Finger

Guild Weekly Newsletter 3

Greetings, all! We have much to cover in tonight's newsletter! So, let's get right to it!

First of all, challenges. The following is a list of challenges that are currently on going, their deadlines, and the rules of which can be found on previous posts.

• Challenge 5--The St. Patrick's Day Challenge will end at 12:01 a.m. on March 18, 2009. And kudos to Slinky for the cute kitty pic on the challenge!
• The Friday the 13th Challenge has been reopened and the rules of which have been reposted under the comments of that post. Deadline: March 13, 2009 at midnight
• Challenge 6-- The Urban Legend Challenge. Deadline: March 30, 2009 at midnight
• Challenge 7--The April Fools' Challenge. Deadline: April 1, 2009 at midnight. No foolin'.
• Challenge 8-- The Sue Slayer Challenge. Deadline: April 16, 2009 at midnight. Kudos to Hillary for contributing this challenge!

Now, I'd like to bring your attention to the upper left hand column of this blog (and if you're reading this on facebook, please visit the blog to find out what the heck I'm talking about). We have a new addition to our little group. The Word Prompt of the Month. This will be present until April 1, at which time the word will change. We encourage all our participants in their challenges to use this word in some way, shape, form, or fashion. It's just a fun way to get your mind flowin'!

Coming up next is a little something us GFQ people are calling The Quillies! It's a little nominate and award thing we're doing seasonally. More information on that when the categories are announced. Be looking for that post on Saturday, March 14. What we have now I can tell you. The nomination dates are from March 13 until March 20. Then, there will be a reading period. Following that, there will be the voting period which will last from March 29 until March 31. The results will be up by April 1.

On a similar note, on our facebook group's discussion board, we'll be posting a little game for all Guildmembers to partcipate in! You can expect it around the same time as the information on The Quillies is released. The game, for a shortened explaination, will consist of a list of quotes from books. The object: in one post, tell what book each quote from...or as many as you can. They won't be obscure quotes, and you definitely won't be expected to get all correct. For each quote correctly identified, you receive one point or Quill Mark. Also, if you're doing the St. Patty's Day Challenge and mention beer will get two Quill Marks. And what will you do with these Quill Marks? Look for the answer for that (and more) in the information on The Quillies!

And, on a final note, I'd just like to say a couple of things about our little group here. First of all, please don't limit yourself to only the challenges. We are a group that is here to read and helpfully respond (and by this I mean, critique) to any bit of writing you want us to look at. All you have to do is ask. The challenges are just to help for extra output and to get the muses flowing. Further on this...we are here to read each others works. If someone does a challenge and posts it...review it. If they email you something they want you to read, read it and email back. Otherwise, this group is pointless. We must work together, or we won't work at all. To this end, I invite all of you to start emailing each other work to be critiqued or to ask for reviews on any posted works.

Now, I hope we all have fun on these new and exciting things to come!

Until next time,

Patricia

Department of Backstory

Viva la Quill

Challenge 8--The Sue Slayer

MARY SUE!!! Run! For the sake of all that is good and half-way decent, run, fool, run!

The inventor of this particular challenge was Hillary. *bows*

For all those reading, if you don't know what a Mary Sue is, you should really google her. A quick definition of Mary Sue would be a character who is too perfect or too anti-perfect for her/his own good; usually said character captures the affections of all other characters around her/him and becomes the main focus of all things within the story. Have a character who is part elf, part vampire, part angel and has four lovers competing for her love...well, then, you have a Mary Sue. It's an uber Sue if you gave her lavendar eyes, turquoise hair, and a banging body she's not aware of. The Mary Sue is traditionally an original character written by fanfiction writers but the term has recently evolved to include characters in original fiction.

Due Date: April 16th

Writing Type: Fanfiction

Length: No word limitations.

So, for the challenge you can:

• Write for a Sue without fear. This means that you write for a Mary Sue without fear of being flamed. This doesn't mean that you won't be flamed by reviewers, however. But it could be fun to indulge in the life style of the perfect :)
• Be on the receiving end of a Sue. Write as a canon character being faced with a Sue or an original character who runs into a Sue.
  
• Kill a Sue. Fun, fun, fun.

As usual, post your links in the comments below. Have fun!

Challenge Seven- The April Fools' Challenge!

Here's a Cha, cha, cha...Challenge for you! (And please ignore the 05 on this pic...it's not mine, all rights to the creator of it...and it was done in '05).

• This challenge may be either for original or fan fiction.
• Must be at least 100 words.
• Now, write a drabble, one-shot, or even a whole story if you'd like about either an April Fools' Day prank that went horribly wrong or went too right. The prank MUST have either just happened--like the day before or some other such close timing--or is happening as the story progresses.
• Must use at least TWO of the following prompt words: clown, pie, flower, joke, dirty, monkey, squirt, jester, bells, jingle, dance, or stink.
• The deadline is of course, April 1 at midnight. And please, no pranks about if you did it or not...we will know...haha.

Have fun!!!

Challenge 6--The Urban Legend Challenge

Inspired by Patricia's class assignment, we bring you Challenge 6, The Urban Legend Challenge.

Writing Type: Original fiction only.

Due Date: Midnight, Monday, March 30th.

Length: 1000+ words.

The Challenge: Take an innocent urban legend and do with it what you will!!! Muhahaha. Anyhow, this challenge focuses on rewriting an urban legend into a fiction story. This means that the urban legend needs to be the FOCUS of the story, not simply mentioned in the context. If you don't understand the assignment, see Patricia's story "A Bridal Affair" http://www.fictionpress.com/s/2643314/1/A_Bridal_Affair

Need Help?: Try wikipedia or snopes.com (nothing but urban legends).

Have fun with this guys!

Reopening Now: Slinky's Friday the 13th Challenge

That's right, folks! I'm offically reopening Slinky's challenge made back in January for Friday the 13th, in honor of yet another of those wonderful days coming up! That's right, this friday is another 13th, so you have until midnight that night to complete your challenge! See Ariyana's orginal post for rules and guidelines. Post your links to your posted works on this comment!

Happy writing and viva la quill!

Challenge 5--St. Patrick's Day!

With less than two weeks to St. Patrick's day, it's time to lay out your green t-shirts and draw inspiration from the wee folk! Let me present Challenge 5, The St. Patrick's Day challenge. Now this is going to be a very loose challenge. Your options are

• Fiction or Poetry (including song)
  
• Original Fiction or Fanfiction

Here's the challenge. By 12:01 am, March 18th (just so the deadline can fall on Hillary's birthday), you must have a work of at least 100 words written. Your restrictions are as follows:

• Must involve St. Patrick's Day, if only in setting or mention.


• Must include one of the following prompts: shamrock, irish music, snake(s), corned beef, leprechaun. Now, these prompts can either be the subject of the story/poem or simply a word used in the poem. These prompts were headings listed under the symbols and traditions of St. Patrick's Day article at history.com. Check out the site for inspiration, if you need it. ( http://www.history.com/content/stpatricksday/symbols-and-traditions )


• Must include the word GREEN. Or you'll be pinched. The word can be in the title, text, or the letters hidden at the beginning/end of lines (in the case of poetry).

BONUS POINTS: Go to any participant who uses a BEER reference... (I don't know what you'll be doing with these points. Perhaps they'll come in use during the Quillies.)

Have fun! And don't forget to leave a link to your story or an update on your work in the comments section.