Writing Challenge Idea Suggestions

i love the shortest stories in the world. great story. how about another one? im all sold out at the moment

Some ideas for contests:

1. A time travelling scenario
A story about a single point in history altered for the manipulation of the present, better or worse...

2. A day in the life of a Superhero
What it says on the tin, a story about a single day's events in a Superheo's life, as fantastic or mundane as you like...

3. AI
Anything to do with artificial intelligence; from a megalomaniac chess computer all the way up to an army of terminator style military robots...

4. The Journey
A tale of transition, either physical or spiritual or anything in between...

5. A story based entirely on a song
Pick a song, post a link to a video or the lyrics and write a story showing your interpretation of it's meaning.

6. Poetry competition
Any length, any topic, just poetry.

7. An idea that I borrowed from a TV show in the UK; This Morning With Richard Not Judy, Extra Final Scene
If the end of a movie doesn't quite sit right with you then write your own. The best example on the show was Titanic. Instead of Kate Winslet floating away and cut, after she has left Jack resurfaces and swims away, relieved that she's gone.

8. First Contact
Again, obvious, first contact between humanity and an alien race.

9. The Second Coming
The rebirth (or first depending on your beliefs, but for argument's sake...) of the Messiah. Does he/she bring Judgment Day? Or are they assassinated beforehand? Loads to play with.

10. 2012
Your own take on the impending date, will the world end...?

A few ideas there, I think some may have been mentioned already but they are worthy subjects to consider for future contests. Hope they're ok.

If any are of interest and further clarification is required, please post here or u2u me. I missed out on the AFWC, my story was too long and is still unfinished, I'll post it when it is, I'd appreciate the feedback.
Sendran.

Here is an idea. Why don't we write parodies of our favorite short stories/poems/books/characters of stories etc. I think it is a great idea

How about our visions of the future?
-Is our race technologically superior to what it is now?
-Have we regressed as a byproduct of everything being so easy now?
-Has a dictatorship conglomerized the planet and enslaved the race of man?
-Has war scorched our existance sending us back in time technologically speaking?
-Has overpopulation led to famine, disease, and death?
-Are we slaves to consumerism?
-Do we need to rally together to fight the oppressive new world order?
-Have we colonized other planets?
-Have we made contact?

There is a lot of potential for the topic.

I just would like there to be another contest.

thread bump...
It is about that time, methinks.

I wouldnt mind doing a story... But I think I may waffle on a touch.
Hmm... May just actually put pen to paper later.

Has there been a challenge for who can provide the most interesting metaphor for a famous event?

One of the Mods could give a list of Manybe 10 unrelated things and then contestants could pick 3 or more and write a story. Or we could each suggest one element for a story let writers pick three.

The chilled air swirls around you, as you stand on the blip's deck. Looking down, you see an all consuming darkness, one which blankets the landscape below. You know the great forests which lie beneath you almost by heart, for you have stared at them, yearning, day after day. What mysteries their green canopies might hold have tugged at your imagination ever since you were a child. Glancing back up at the familiar sky around you, you see shapes in the darkness moving. The clouds, those lazy giants, lumber through the air around you. Tugging your jacket closer, you look as great flashes of light shatter the darkness, cutting deep gashes within the clouds. Worry grows in your heart, and you turn to hurry inside your ship. Clambering back into the safety of the blip's cabins, you think to yourself a thought you have thought many times before...


"I wonder what it would be like to land?"


In the world we live in, we began, and still mostly live, on land. However, since the invention of the air plane, Man has flocked to the skies. It is our job to write a story which takes place in a world, or a time, when mankind remains airborne, and it is the ground which is feared as unsafe. There is no length requirement or limitation, simply a command to tell a complete story.


That is my idea for a contest, one I think, would produce many well written adventures into such a world. What do you guys think?

Ignorant inquiry: Should I post it here?

reply to post by Curling1


Post what, exactly?

Your ideas on writing challenges? If so, yes.

Your writings? No... rather please start a new thread in this forum.

If neither and you just have a question, then ask away right here.

reply to post by mrwupy


Kids in the hall have you beat. I believe the shortest short horror story ever written was "Boo!" and the second was, "hey! there's a spider on your back!"

How about a writing challenged based on a picture. Either the mods can pick a picture or each person writing can pick their own picture. These would either be random pictures from the internet or pictures that members have taken.

reply to post by dreamseeker


1000 word minimum?

Not a bad idea, actually. I'd go for the contestants to pick their own pic, though. Seems a 'wider field', if that makes sense.

It would be nice to have a story contest this year focused on a space exploration theme, to commemorate the end of the Shuttle program. The subject of space travel touches so many possible topics I'm sure the entries would be worth reading.

reply to post by Flatwoods


Noted. A contest based on the history of the shuttles would make interesting reading, especially if it allowed for creative license.

We're also coming close to the 10th anniversary of 9/11, which would be an important milestone as well.

How about using our ATS members as inspiration?

Take any thread, use the information detailed only in their original post and make it your own?

It just dawned on me that we haven't had a contest for a little while as I was perusing the boards. I went into panic mode for a moment because I thought I'd come to the Short Story Forum and find a contest in full swing that I had no idea about. I'm glad that's not the case but at the same time I'm bummed that we are still wondering what to write about.

Take any thread, use the information detailed only in their original post and make it your own?

Yeah man, we did do that one time sort of. We were supposed to get our inspiration from the Mysterious Subjects Forum and all of it was fair game. It turned out pretty well and I have to tell you I would not have gone through that forum the way I did when that contest was going on and I'm glad I did. It's an absolute treasure trove of creative ideas. This is a good idea you have here JonoEnglish, I like it.

I like all of the ideas here actually. I really don't have my own idea as to what the next contest should be about but I hope the next topic will be able to accommodate some sort of horror theme. I just know that I cannot wait for the next contest. Hold on, I just came up with my own idea for a topic.

How about a story that is inspired by a music video? Any music video for that matter as long as it is within the T&C of course.

I haven't thought much about creative writing lately, but I see some posting contest suggestions.

There is a certain kind of fiction that I've always found interesting, and it's called by different names, but it involves alternative history.

You know, if the South had won, or if the Nazi's had won / Hitler had been killed, or if Kennedy had survived, etc.

Masqua mentioned a big anniversary coming up...9/11. Seems like we should hardly let that pass without at least a nod or something.

"What if" 9/11 had never happened? What kind of a world would we live in today? Better? Worse?

Sometimes I feel like things went terribly wrong at some point, and that maybe I will write a "positive" story about an alternate history, where things started going "right". A world that still could be?

However, it seems like this could potentially be a very emotional topic though.

Anyway, I look forward to hearing about the next contest, whatever it may be!

JR

My suggestion is the topic of 9-11-2001

What would it be like today if we hadn't gone to war? What it be like if we were able to stop the attack and get the planes out of the air?

Or... What would it be like if we had captured Osama bin laden?