Hatrack River Writers Workshop: Trigger Challenge.

This is topic Trigger Challenge. in forum Open Discussions About Writing at Hatrack River Writers Workshop.

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Posted by shimiqua (Member # 7760) on :

No, I am not starting another challenge. We have plenty.

This is only for discussion and for idea generating. Any writing that comes from it will be solely for your own fun and profit, and will have to be placed in F and F like any other story.

What I want to do is have people come up with random triggers. Be creative, you never know which hair-brained idea will spawn the next WOTF finalist. Maybe we can get some story idea's coming, and then hopefully going out.

Here are the rules:
A trigger is not a premise. (refer to the group discussion)
A trigger is not a story.
A trigger should not be more than a sentence long.

So if you want to, add a random trigger to this list, and we can see how long the list gets.

Zombies in the snow
Dark library
Invisible child

Posted by Meredith (Member # 8368) on :

To borrow from a post (by me) in a different topic:

A soprano who can only sing when standing on her head.

Posted by micmcd (Member # 7977) on :

To borrow a line (not by me) that might fit the topic:

The Holy Roman Empire was neither holy nor Roman

Posted by Ben Trovato (Member # 7804) on :

They kept looking at me/him/it.
Pen twirling.
I can factually prove I'm not a monster.

Posted by extrinsic (Member # 8019) on :

Silent noise
Time and space suspended in between the blades of a spinning fan
Demolition derby refugee
Poised on a cusp nexus
Initiation
Sensory illusion

Posted by Teraen (Member # 8612) on :

"To borrow a line (not by me) that might fit the topic:

The Holy Roman Empire was neither holy nor Roman "

I heard it as: The Holy Roman Empire was neither holy, nor Roman, nor an empire.

Posted by dougsguitar on :

All it takes is a little WD-40 and a crowbar.

When the portal blinked out I knew I was in trouble.

"It swallowed him whole, Sir!"

Posted by aspirit (Member # 7974) on :

Burning of the leaves
Clean again but not for long
Ancient wisdom from an unusual source
Side-stepping life

Posted by Lionhunter (Member # 8766) on :

Green sky.
Water is toxic.

Posted by InarticulateBabbler (Member # 4849) on :

Sentient water.

A disease fighting nanobot's POV.

Life in a teardrop.

War over a meatball.

Big Brother issuing money cards and destroying physical cash.

Posted by Pyre Dynasty (Member # 1947) on :

""To borrow a line (not by me) that might fit the topic:

The Holy Roman Empire was neither holy nor Roman "

I heard it as: The Holy Roman Empire was neither holy, nor Roman, nor an empire."

Nor is it right to apply the article 'the' to it, seeing as there was more than one of them.

Synaptic Defenestration.

Everyone had been lying to you all your life.

Was that door always there? (One of my favorites for years.)

Look it's a diversion.

And one that I loved but someone else came up with:

Apocalyptic Taco Mix

Posted by Owasm (Member # 8501) on :

Write a story where:

Wealth brings a physical disease

Females and Males die at each other's touch, but must still procreate.

Aliens are fascinated by disposable diapers but not as repositories for human refuse.

Jesus, Mohammed, and Buddha descend from the heavens together.

Humans find that if they bite Zombies, Zombies turn into humans and the humans turn into Zombies.

[This message has been edited by Owasm (edited December 16, 2009).]

Posted by sholar (Member # 3280) on :

"Is our secret safe tonight?"

lyric from Muse song

Posted by InarticulateBabbler (Member # 4849) on :

quote:
Apocalyptic Taco Mix

Hey. I coined that phrase.

As for ideas:

Magic system which revolves around going pottie. ( )

Chaotic Logic.

Modern Mythology.

Posted by extrinsic (Member # 8019) on :

Bring a howitzer to a knife fight
Conversation like it's a sword duel
Playing badminton with live handgrenades

Posted by satate (Member # 8082) on :

Things that flicker at the edge of your vision.

Meeting a stranger that you feel you know.

Posted by InarticulateBabbler (Member # 4849) on :

Great suggestions, satate. Made me think along those lines:

Hearing things.

Déjà Vu.

Creaking houses.

Mirage.

Posted by Kathleen Dalton Woodbury (Member # 59) on :

Inspired by something in another topic:

quote:
good-old-boy, redneck wizards

Posted by micmcd (Member # 7977) on :

The basement's only door opens to the outdoors for a reason.

Posted by shimiqua (Member # 7760) on :

Great list people.

Now for the challenge. I am drawing a line in the sand, poking a bony finger in your chest, and double dog daring you to pick a trigger. It could be any one of these brilliant suggestions, not just one you wrote yourself. You got one? Good.

Now, open a new file and start free writing. Write down any thing the trigger makes you think about, and then another thing, and then another thing, and then flip the whole idea on its head, and then just write a gull-durn story.

Rinse well, and repeat.

~Sheena