Prompt Call: A New Coat of Paint on an Old Saw
This prompt call has now been CLOSED.
A New Coat of Paint on an Old Saw
The theme I've chosen for my premiere prompt call is "A New Coat of Paint on an Old Saw", meaning I want prompts in the form of idioms, saws, and proverbs. A prompt like "The grass is always greener on the other side" is great! Please keep in mind that I am not a native English speaker, and while my English is good I may not be familiar with all idiomatic expressions out there, so a link or brief explanation to the meaning and/or origin of your expression would be great if it's at all unusual - this is also a way for me to expand my knowledge in preparation for hopefully getting into the local uni's translator program this fall!
I may choose to play it straight, writing, for the example prompt, a story about someone who always wants what zie doesn't have.
I may choose to take the prompt more literally, writing about, oh, a horse in a dusty field longing for the green acres beyond the fence.
I may choose to give the screw another turn, and do a looser, more abstract interpretation along either of the above two lines.
So here's the deal:
I will write a piece of flash fiction (max 1000 words) based on one of your prompts. If you have an LJ account, you will receive a copy by PM. (Anonymous comments should be enabled on this post, and anonymous users are welcome to leave prompts, but I obviously cannot send you a copy.) The fics will then be posted publicly on my storyblog "Vixenscratch" each Friday, in order of completion, until I run out. Meanwhile, title, word count and a super-short summary will be available here, and I'll work out a fair "sponsorship" deal to get stories posted early.
I will write most things, though I have a tendency to fall back on established characters of mine, so if you don't want that, or have a particular set of established characters of mine you'd like me to use, please include this with your prompt (also, if you're okay with me pushing ratings upwards, please tell me that as well so I can avoid going that direction for people who don't want it). Also please do leave at least one extra prompt so I have some elbow room in working out what to write - knowing me I may just as well end up incorporating several of them!
The call for prompts will be open until June 19th, and I will edit this post to clearly state that it's closed when I close it.
Completed prompts:
* The Star-Spangled Colt - "Out of the blue" prompted by ankewehner
A rancher finds an unexpected addition to his horse herd, and bonds quite closely to this very special foal. 779 words.
* Killer in the Closet - "Too much stuff" prompted by beetiger
A member of law enforcement cases the apartment of a crazy cat lady, trying to figure out what happened to her. 752 words.
* Always Prepared - "Eze mbe si na ihe ya ji-achiri ihe egwu ya aga njem bu maka ya ezu ndiegwu" prompted by ysabetwordsmith
Rob's girlfriend Millie can't leave the house without being prepared for the zombie apocalypse, but some rituals are just best not argued with. 718 words, to be posted July 6th - sponsor immediate posting for $1.60
* Cat's New Gown - "Procrastination is the thief of time" prompted by zamdor
A fable about how Cat learned that putting things off to the last minute means she has no time to do nice things for herself. 1000 words, to be posted July 13th - sponsor immediate posting for $2
* Prize Plumage - "Don't count your eggs before they're laid"/"A bird in the hand is better than two in the bush" prompted by shurhaian
Rik's debut at the gryphon equivalent of Crufts doesn't earn his animal the Grand Champion title, but that's alright. 994 words, to be posted July 20th - sponsor immediate posting for $2
Donations:
While in no way obligatory, I am accepting donations/tips if you would care to leave them. Please do not let an inability to chip in at this time discourage you from leaving a prompt! As long as you're leaving me a prompt and are willing to thank me for my effort once your story is done, that is plenty for me (and if you'll also help spread the word, that's extra bonus)! For those of you who do want to donate, just click the PayPal button!
At least 50% of donations will go towards supporting creativity (donating to other prompt calls, commissioning hobby/fandom artists, etc) or charity (Kiva.org loans). More likely, this number will be significantly closer to 100%.
Incentives:
Collective:
$25 total - I will write a flashfic to go with the prompt illustration.
$50 total - Woo I can make a Kiva loan!
$80 total - I will complete an extra prompt for everyone! (This is in addition to the extra prompts donors get.)
$100 - Another Kiva loan! Yay! I'm sure we can see the pattern here by now.
Individual:
Any donation - I will complete an extra prompt for you!
$10 - I will illustrate a prompt from this call of your choice
$25 - I will complete another extra prompt for you!
$50 - I will illustrate another two prompts of your choice from this call, or I will illustrate one story of yours (or that you have permission from the writer to have illustrated - please link to stated permission if this is the case)
(By "illustrate" above I mean "draw one illustration", just to be clear on this.)
All I.C.Q. fics will be illustrated regardless of funding. No limit on how many illustrations can be done for one flashfic, within reason. (There's only so many interesting scenes in a 1000-word fic and drawing the same thing a bazillion times would make me cranky.)
A New Coat of Paint on an Old Saw
The theme I've chosen for my premiere prompt call is "A New Coat of Paint on an Old Saw", meaning I want prompts in the form of idioms, saws, and proverbs. A prompt like "The grass is always greener on the other side" is great! Please keep in mind that I am not a native English speaker, and while my English is good I may not be familiar with all idiomatic expressions out there, so a link or brief explanation to the meaning and/or origin of your expression would be great if it's at all unusual - this is also a way for me to expand my knowledge in preparation for hopefully getting into the local uni's translator program this fall!
I may choose to play it straight, writing, for the example prompt, a story about someone who always wants what zie doesn't have.
I may choose to take the prompt more literally, writing about, oh, a horse in a dusty field longing for the green acres beyond the fence.
I may choose to give the screw another turn, and do a looser, more abstract interpretation along either of the above two lines.
So here's the deal:
I will write a piece of flash fiction (max 1000 words) based on one of your prompts. If you have an LJ account, you will receive a copy by PM. (Anonymous comments should be enabled on this post, and anonymous users are welcome to leave prompts, but I obviously cannot send you a copy.) The fics will then be posted publicly on my storyblog "Vixenscratch" each Friday, in order of completion, until I run out. Meanwhile, title, word count and a super-short summary will be available here, and I'll work out a fair "sponsorship" deal to get stories posted early.
I will write most things, though I have a tendency to fall back on established characters of mine, so if you don't want that, or have a particular set of established characters of mine you'd like me to use, please include this with your prompt (also, if you're okay with me pushing ratings upwards, please tell me that as well so I can avoid going that direction for people who don't want it). Also please do leave at least one extra prompt so I have some elbow room in working out what to write - knowing me I may just as well end up incorporating several of them!
The call for prompts will be open until June 19th, and I will edit this post to clearly state that it's closed when I close it.
Completed prompts:
* The Star-Spangled Colt - "Out of the blue" prompted by ankewehner
A rancher finds an unexpected addition to his horse herd, and bonds quite closely to this very special foal. 779 words.
* Killer in the Closet - "Too much stuff" prompted by beetiger
A member of law enforcement cases the apartment of a crazy cat lady, trying to figure out what happened to her. 752 words.
* Always Prepared - "Eze mbe si na ihe ya ji-achiri ihe egwu ya aga njem bu maka ya ezu ndiegwu" prompted by ysabetwordsmith
Rob's girlfriend Millie can't leave the house without being prepared for the zombie apocalypse, but some rituals are just best not argued with. 718 words, to be posted July 6th - sponsor immediate posting for $1.60
* Cat's New Gown - "Procrastination is the thief of time" prompted by zamdor
A fable about how Cat learned that putting things off to the last minute means she has no time to do nice things for herself. 1000 words, to be posted July 13th - sponsor immediate posting for $2
* Prize Plumage - "Don't count your eggs before they're laid"/"A bird in the hand is better than two in the bush" prompted by shurhaian
Rik's debut at the gryphon equivalent of Crufts doesn't earn his animal the Grand Champion title, but that's alright. 994 words, to be posted July 20th - sponsor immediate posting for $2
Donations:
While in no way obligatory, I am accepting donations/tips if you would care to leave them. Please do not let an inability to chip in at this time discourage you from leaving a prompt! As long as you're leaving me a prompt and are willing to thank me for my effort once your story is done, that is plenty for me (and if you'll also help spread the word, that's extra bonus)! For those of you who do want to donate, just click the PayPal button!
At least 50% of donations will go towards supporting creativity (donating to other prompt calls, commissioning hobby/fandom artists, etc) or charity (Kiva.org loans). More likely, this number will be significantly closer to 100%.
Incentives:
Collective:
$25 total - I will write a flashfic to go with the prompt illustration.
$50 total - Woo I can make a Kiva loan!
$80 total - I will complete an extra prompt for everyone! (This is in addition to the extra prompts donors get.)
$100 - Another Kiva loan! Yay! I'm sure we can see the pattern here by now.
Individual:
Any donation - I will complete an extra prompt for you!
$10 - I will illustrate a prompt from this call of your choice
$25 - I will complete another extra prompt for you!
$50 - I will illustrate another two prompts of your choice from this call, or I will illustrate one story of yours (or that you have permission from the writer to have illustrated - please link to stated permission if this is the case)
(By "illustrate" above I mean "draw one illustration", just to be clear on this.)
All I.C.Q. fics will be illustrated regardless of funding. No limit on how many illustrations can be done for one flashfic, within reason. (There's only so many interesting scenes in a 1000-word fic and drawing the same thing a bazillion times would make me cranky.)