Prompting Excuses

[Moonsilver]

This is Prompting Excuses, where your answers are 1 paragraph long, because our lives are in a hurry, and we're trying to get prompter.

Alright Prompters, so the concept is that I'll provide a weekly writing prompt, and if you're interested, you will write a paragraph response in this thread within that week, and others will be able to comment on and critique that paragraph. This is meant to be a creative excercise to help us sharpen our writing chops in a meaningful and concise format. There is no pressure on this, it's more of a casual thing you can pop in and out of when life allows. Participate if and when you can, that's cool.

If you would like to suggest or recommend the next weekly prompt, just post it in this thread or DM me and we'll add it to the list of potential prompts.

I know it's the middle of the week, but I think we can manage a prompt within that timeframe. Let's say the week starts over on Mondays going forward. If you can't get something done within the week's prompt, that's fine, you'll get another opportunity next week.

This week's writing prompt:

Write a scene involving a student and their unconventional mentor. (not a wise, old wizard)

[Snakenaps]

Dulse heard his student snap behind him. Again. 

"You are in a crabby mood today!" he exclaimed, turning around with his chalk held up as if it were a trident. "You will learn, or I will make you into chowder!"

Chionoecetes snapped a pencil between its considerable claws, its small crab eyes cold as the ocean with hatred. 

(Unconventional mentor? Let's try unconventional student.)

(I'll go now)

[Moonsilver]

Haha! Yes, I love it!

[Moonsilver]

"You let grandfather pick my swimming instructor?"

Andyn's voice went up in pitch with each successive word. The lanky, mop-headed youth peeled his tunic off in one quick motion and hurled it backward into the King's face, as he strode through the castle halls.

King Ondyn followed and caught the tunic, folding it into a neat square without missing a beat. 

"What's wrong with my father?" he mocked, failing to disguise the amusement in his voice.

Andyn stopped in front of the door that led to the pools and turned around, holding up a hand between them that he clenched into a fist and shook.

"This isn't funny, father. I can tell when you're trying not to laugh. You know perfectly well what's wrong with grandfather. He hired an assassin to kill me on my birthday!"

The king let out a strained chuckle, coughing to cover it up. "It wouldn't have been a killing blow, just a little lesson in the dangers of complacency."

Andyn stared at his father. The muscles in his jaw bunched.

"Sometimes I think you're just as bad as him."

The king help up a hand. "Hey now, no need to get nasty. I'd estimate that I'm about half as bad, actually."

The prince turned and pushed heavily on the door. It creaked as it swung open on rusted hinges.

"It's just swimming, right? How bad can it be?"

A shining, suckered tentacle snaked around Andyn's waist and yanked him into the pool in the center of the room. His shout of surprise was transformed into a dull gurgling.

King Ondwyn crossed his arms and grinned as he watched the prince wrestle with the creature in the pool, periodically snarling curses in his direction.

"You're just going to tire yourself out like that," he called in a calm voice. "Use your legs, Andyn, swim with your legs. Attaboy!"

[Dhel04]

Moderator note: Please don't post a link with nothing else. If the link in question was posted in response to the prompt feel free to re-share with that explanation/context.

Edited July 4, 2021 by Silk

[Moonsilver]

This week's writing prompt:

Write a scene from the perspective of an inanimate object that has magically been given sentience.

[Robinski]

On 03/07/2021 at 7:52 AM, Moonsilver said:

"You're just going to tire yourself out like that,"

 This is excellent.

The first I've read of your writing--and a very small sample--but this is clever, and direct, very entertaining, nice character beats, and gentle humour  

[Robinski]

It was going to be another hot one. Jag could feel the morning cool, burning off already at 6:43 a.m. He hoped for another run out today. It was only eighteen hours since his last, but it had been short, no more than 28.5 minutes, and not exceeding 43 miles per hour, which was a bit lame, and runs were few and far between now. But that was the way of things these days. These days since his owner got sick. Used to be they would go out on long drives, really got some speed up. An hour, longer sometimes, and every day, topping a hundred on the motorway sometimes (when safe to do so, of course), or zipping away from the lights, passing buses, trucks and slow coaches. That's what Jag was built to do, and for everyone to have fun doing it.

But then his owner had got sick. He saw the man each day, struggling up the driveway on a walker, sometimes on crutches. Managing a minute or two along the road before he hobbled back again with his lady mechanic looking on, anxious that he would fall again. His legs didn't work anymore. Jag could see that plainly, even though he had four tyres. The man's engine was okay. It would be like Jag revving his 3.0 Litre supercharged V6 engine, and his wheels just spinning. He felt sorry for the man, and he related, being trapped in the slow lane, in the driveway, with nowhere to go. But he had hope. The man seemed to be able to walk a bit further, a bit longer each day. Maybe the day would come when Jag and the man would go out again, go out every day and let loose again. But only when safe to do so, of course.

Edited July 21, 2021 by Robinski

[Robinski]

Sorry this is way late for the prompt, and that I wasn't present for the first one. I still like this idea  

I know it's Wednesday now, but how about this, in honour of the hugely environmentally and pandemic-ally irresponsible Olympic Games starting on 23rd July in Tokyo.

Write something around a future, futuristic, fantasy, alternative reality, or just generally weird sporting event.

 

[Moonsilver]

On 7/21/2021 at 1:23 AM, Robinski said:

He felt sorry for the man, and he related, being trapped in the slow lane, in the driveway, with nowhere to go.

I really like this, where the car is able to sympathize with the man, despite the radically different POV.

I'm glad you like this idea, I think it's a fun manageable way for us to practice writing throughout our busy lives and to find some enjoyment in a small project that we can complete quickly.

Edited July 23, 2021 by Moonsilver