Date: Sat, 15 Sep 2007 20:28:22 -0400 From: "Mike B." <yahoo at omniphile.com> Subject: [WSFA] WSFA Journal story stimulation? To: wsfa-forum at yahoogroups.com,"WSFA members" <WSFAlist at KeithLynch.net> Reply-To: WSFA members <WSFAlist at KeithLynch.net> Hi everyone! Since it appears to be a perennial problem, getting folks to submit stuff to the WSFA Journal, and since many people like contests, how about one involving writing stuff for the WSFA Journal? In particular, how about stories? Many years ago I was on a writing forum somewhere (don't recall if it was usenet or fidonet anymore) and the subject of story openings came up. In this, someone claimed that there were some story openings you just *couldn't* do anything with. I disagreed, and came up with at least a couple of paragraphs for each one of them...and a couple might actually make decent stories when I get time to work on them some more. Recently, I showed these to a friend who writes, and she ran with the idea and turned one of them into a complete story. I figure that folks in WSFA should be at least as capable, and perhaps the results could go to keeping the editor of the Journal happy by providing some "stuffing" based on the 2 or 3 best. Maybe even happy enough to sponsor some brownies or something for the winner? Who knows? Anyone game? If so, I can provide those opening lines from that ancient forum. If this is seen as fun, perhaps we can try them all, a different one each month? If this is really seen as fun, I can even try to come up with additional ones when the ones I have run out! For purposes of example, and to kick off the first contest (ain't I thinking positively?), here's the opening that my friend turned into a story (so I know it can be done!): >Josef K. must not have done anything, for when he awoke on >Wednesday morning and went into the next room for breakfast, he found >that there were two men already there, one of whom said, "You are >innocent." Go for it! -- Mike B. -- I've taken a vow of poverty. To annoy me, send money.