Greetings fellow writers,Snapper here, presenting you with the latest hook challenge. If you are unfamiliar with this writing challenge allow me to explain.
The theory is most editors, due to the volume of submissions they receive, will reject the majority of the submissions based on the first page. With the title, information required, and guidelines (double spacing, size font) the first page is usually the first 13 lines of your story. This exercise is to see who can write the best opening with the same story synopsis.
Each challenge a new synopsis is presented. This weeks is written by me, snapper. Other future synopsis writers are...
Tiergan (I think)
If you like to provide a future synopsis copy the list above and add your name to it in your post in this thread.
If you are not sure what '13 lines' is, it is Courier 12 pnt in a 65 character line. (Kathleen will probably provide a template). If your submission is longer than 13 lines it will get cut down to size (whining will do you no good).
Now here are the rules.
1) All submissions are based on the synopsis below. You can start anywhere you like in the synopsis as long it is how you would start your version
2) All submission are to be sent to me (my email address is up there) Send your email in the subject line
13 line hook challenge
and place your submission in the body of the text. Please write your submission as such
Your hatrack name
Entry # (I'll fill it in)
Title
Your wonderful 13 lines etc, etc, etc...
3) I will start posting submission when I get a sufficient number. The competition will last about a week after I post this message.
4) Voting will begin after I close the submissions. Please do not post anything in that thread until I close the submissions and open the voting. Everyone that submits an entry is encouraged to vote for your top three and favorite title (which can be part of the hook). All that did not submit an entry but would like to vote are encouraged to do so. And no voting for your own (that's lame)
5) At the close of the voting I shall tabulate the votes. First gets 5, second 4, and third 3. Winner is declared and you get to wear a pirate hat and say ARRGGH all week.
Now for this weeks synopsis...
quote:
It is 2067 and the principality of Sealand (a real place http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Principality_of_Sealand ) has celebrated its centennial. The fifth ruler of Sealand, Prince Alfred Bates, is frustrated that the event went by without the rest of the world taking any notice at all. It has left the pseudo-prince very bitter and eager to take out his frustration on the rest of the world. His frat friends/cabinet members are concerned because their dear ruler is too absorbed with being slighted to pay attention to far more pressing problems.
The tiny nation is in trouble. The concrete base is eroding. It will take tons of money to repair. A real big problem because of the growing irrelevance of the internet. Sealand for decades based all its income on being a haven for online betting. Now that the psychic-technological advent of the Universal Neural ImplanT (UNIT) has gained in popularity, the internet is going the way of the television.
Then a savage North Sea storm changes Sealand’s fortune. A large, base shaking. ‘thud’ nearly gets the entire population of the nation to evacuate. Alfred convinces his eight cabinet members/frat buddies and his Princess Stephanie (a stripper that bought his royalty claim) to stay. The secretary of the navy (a title he got because he owns all the scuba gear on Sealand) Jim goes down to investigate. An old Russian sub has washed up against the eroding WWII platform. Jim gets two more diver buddies and they manage to hook up and raise eight funny looking torpedoes. Not sure what they have, they post a picture on the net.
Boris Newitsky happens to be one of the few people that still use the world wide web. He is an international terrorist. He recognizes the R-39 missiles immediately. Thanks to the treaty of Nagaski in 2045, these are the last nuclear warheads left in the world. He travels to Sealand and after talking to Prince Alfred, he hatches a plan. Instead of stealing the warheads, he informs the Prince of Sealand what he has. He offers to improve the rockets and tells him how he can blackmail the rest of the world. Boris intends to seize any ransom money and let Sealand take the fall. It is up to Alfred’s friends to see through Boris’s plan and stop him before disaster befalls Sealand and he can lease nuclear terror on the world.
This is open to all. Remember this is a friendly competetion that is meant to help you improve your story hooking skills. I plan on closing this next weekend (Jan 3rd or 4th). Good luck and have fun!
[This message has been edited by snapper (edited December 27, 2008).]
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