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Renee's Writing Challenge #1

Renee Stevens

Entry posted by Renee Stevens in Writing News

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I was sitting here the other day, trying to come up with some new blog ideas when the idea for this blog popped into my head. There may be future challenges, but we'll start with this one.

 

Renee's Writing Challenge #1: Different Choices

Have you ever wondered what would happen if your character made a different choice? Wondered how it would affect the overall story and whether or not your story would end the same?  Now is your chance to find out. The challenge is to write two short stories (they can be flash fiction). Same characters. Same beginning. The catch is, that there must be a "turning point" in the first story near the beginning. For the second story, when you reach that turning point, the character must make a different choice. Some examples could be:

 

Example 1

Story 1: Character starts out having a horrible day at work and things have been going downhill for a while. He's ready to quit when he's offered a promotion. The promotion will mean even more work, longer hours, is more stressful, and it comes with minimal pay raise. Your character chooses to take the promotion.

Story 2: Same beginning, but when the character is offered the promotion he asks for time to decide. In the end, he decides that the promotion is not worth continuing to put up with everything going on at work. He declines the promotion, and instead turns in his resignation.

 

Example 2

Story 1: Dave is single, and hasn't been having much luck with dating. He's ready to give up. Then Dave gets a phone call or a visit from his friend, Mark. Mark wants Dave to go on a double date with him. Mark's girlfriend's brother, John, is in town and the girlfriend asked the friend to find someone to go with them to dinner as John's date. Marc assures Dave that everything he knows about John makes him believe that John could be a great match for Dave. Dave hate's blind dates, but Mark tells him that the date will be completely on him, and Dave agrees to go despite his reservations. 

Story 2: Same beginning, but Dave can't get over his hatred for blind dates. He doesn't care who's paying, he doesn't feel like sitting through what he figures will be an uncomfortable dinner. He tells Mark that he'll have to find someone else.

 

How does making a different choice affect the rest of the story? Can the 2nd story reach the same conclusion as the first one with such wildly different choices? If your goal is to reach the same conclusion, what other changes did you have to make to get there?  Keep these thoughts in mind. Post your challenges as a single story, with separate chapters, and then share the link in the thread, no later than May 13th. On May 16th, I'll post all the stories in a blog post for discussion on your experience with the challenge.

 

 

 

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northie

Sounds intriguing, but I've already signed up to Cia's latest writing game. Not sure I've got time for both.  :unsure:

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Renee Stevens
4 minutes ago, northie said:

Sounds intriguing, but I've already signed up to Cia's latest writing game. Not sure I've got time for both.  :unsure:

Yeah, I didn't know about Cia's latest writing game when I thought of this. I meant to change today's blog post and do this one later, but then I forgot. Oopsie!

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Puppilull

Cia's game end on the 25th and this is a couple more weeks. But it'll have to be short. I think I have an idea. 

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Mikiesboy

Sounds fun but...no...no time...cias thing, napowrimo in april, and my own work, plus editing. And taxes! All due in April...maybe next time! 

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Renee Stevens
1 hour ago, Puppilull said:

Cia's game end on the 25th and this is a couple more weeks. But it'll have to be short. I think I have an idea. 

Good luck! Hope your idea works out :)

 

12 minutes ago, Timothy M. said:

Or perhaps you could extend the deadline, Renee ?

I might be able to, but only by about a week. The deadline was chosen as that was when I had an available day in the blog, but there's two May dates that I need content for, so that might work.

 

3 minutes ago, Mikiesboy said:

Sounds fun but...no...no time...cias thing, napowrimo in april, and my own work, plus editing. And taxes! All due in April...maybe next time! 

Sounds incredible busy, tim! I'm going to try to come up with a couple more of these that I can use for future blog posts, so there should be other chances :)

 

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Renee Stevens
4 minutes ago, Timothy M. said:

Can I take an existing story (with one chapter) and do two different sequel chapters ?

As long as you meet the guidelines for the challenge, I don't see why not.

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Valkyrie
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I like this challenge a lot, but it also falls right when the anthology is due.  I doubt I'll have time for it, but will see how my anthology stories come along.  Hopefully I'll have time for both. :) 

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Renee Stevens
22 minutes ago, Valkyrie said:

I like this challenge a lot, but it also falls right when the anthology is due.  I doubt I'll have time for it, but will see how my anthology stories come along.  Hopefully I'll have time for both. :) 

Yeah, I've realized my timing for this sucks. Even if you can't do it in time for the other blog post, nothing says you can't still do it :)

 

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Valkyrie
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4 minutes ago, Renee Stevens said:

Yeah, I've realized my timing for this sucks. Even if you can't do it in time for the other blog post, nothing says you can't still do it :)

 

Very true :yes: 

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daemok

👏👏👏

I think I'd like to try this. 

It sounds like a fun challenge!

I'm not going to say I'll do it for certain until I can finish at least one of them though, because I tend to think I can do everything and fall short oftentimes. 

😌

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Puppilull

Did a short piece for this and will post tomorrow, once I'm back to civilization  (a k a available wi-fi). 

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Renee Stevens

Okay, after some thought (and because I REALLY needed the May 16th slot for something) I have extended the deadline again, lol. Now, the challenge responses will be posted, along with the prompts, on June 1st!  So if you really wanted to do this, but couldn't because it was due the same time as the anthology deadline, you have a couple more weeks!  I just need to have the links by the 29th of May :)

 

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northie

I think you'll need to re-post this somehow, Renée. When I got the alert, I couldn't remember what it was about.  :unsure:

 

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