NOTE: PLEASE carefully read ALL the rules. PLEASE DO NOT post any comments or questions on this thread. Comments and questions may be posted to the Rewrite Challenge Discussion Zone in the Open Discussions section at the following link:

http://www.hatrack.com/forums/writers/forum/Forum1/HTML/003828.html
(If I'm slow to respond, someone can email to wake me back up. It works just like a kiss from a handsome prince--and you don't have to be handsome, a prince, or even male!)

Here's how it works:

*Challenge opens NOW, and closes at midnight EST on March 31st 2007.

*Participants will submit a COMPLETED story of no more than 5000 words (but of course that's flexible

*Submitted stories will be 'inspired' by the following story:
The Little Tailor, a version of which you will find here: http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~spok/grimmtmp/015.txt

*Rewrites CAN be done in any, all, or none of the following ways (these are just ideas to get you going, folks):
1. Twist the tale to your own creative bent;
2. Combine the tale with another of your choosing, creating something entirely new;
3. Retell the story in your own style and words, fleshing out the simple tale into something full and rich. Fairy tales are told in a heavily narrative style, with very little characterization or motivation, tons of plot holes and dropped threads. Fill in the plot holes, give the characters motivation and 'life!' For instance, in The Three Billy Goats Gruff, what motivation do the younger goats have for sacrificing their older brothers to the troll? Who would do that? Why?
4. Write a "What if..." version of the story (prequel, sequel, outright mauling) of the original tale;
5. As Mike said, "Your story can diverge wildly from the original, but only insofar as it can still be considered to be derived from the original." Or, as Kathleen said when the rewrite was first born, "...don't restrict yourselves to [proverbial] goats and ogres."

*On or before the deadline, submit the first thirteen lines of your COMPLETED story to THIS thread. Do NOT post comments or questions of any kind on THIS thread. Another thread has been set up for that in the Open Discussions area.

*AFTER MARCH 31ST, all those who participated may send their COMPLETED story to all other successful participants (those who completed and submitted their first 13); CONVERSELY, if you participate, you can expect to receive copies of the other entrants' work. PLEASE critique as many as you can.

*AFTER MARCH 31ST, any non-participating Hatrack members may request the story from the author for critique.

*Paricipants may post 'in-process' requests for critique in the Fragments & Feedback for Short Stories forum, NOT on the Challenge threads.

*This Challenge is open to any suggestions that might make it more successful!

quote:

---

Tom Archer sat in a seat just behind the podium. More than a thousand people had gathered in the amphitheatre to hear the missionaries. They applauded as Tom went up to the microphone. As he looked out across a sea of staring, alien eyes, his stomach fluttered. Offworld port or not, he hated giving speeches. He cleared his throat and it echoed.

"Hi, I'm Tom Archer," he said. "I haven't come for hallelujahs, or amens, or to tell you how to live your lives. There are enough evangelists here for that."

There was a collective chuckle.

"I'm here to tell you how I screwed mine up," he said. "Life changed, drastically, on the day I sold my soul."

The crowd murmured.

---

Twelve-year-old Taylor Beag ran from Carl and Peter Graves. He didn't know why they'd picked him for their sport that night, but that didn't matter—his options were to escape or to suffer. He ducked into the recess between the Prescott's and Johnson's houses to get out of sight. It was a mistake. A fence spanned the gap between their garages, blocking his way to the alley. He heard the Graves brothers rounding the Prescott's house. He found nowhere to hide.

Taylor drowned in a helpless feeling. His pride begged to fight back, but that would only ensure they beat him bloody. Maybe he'd get lucky. Maybe they'd just slap him around and spit on him—if he kept his cool and didn't provoke them.

He turned to face his pursuers. Blonde-haired Peter ...

[This message has been edited by dee_boncci (edited March 31, 2007).]