Maybe your April Fools' Day has been on the disappointing side, or maybe you'd just like to have a little fun this afternoon. In honor of this "anything goes" holiday, I thought I'd offer a collaborative writing exercise.
This is an exercise that many people have suggested we try during Writers Workshop, and I thought it might be fun to try it in blog format and see what happens. I'll start the story by writing the first sentence, and then you can continue it by adding a sentence (or paragraph...or wherever it takes you) in the "Comments" section below...and then the next person picks up the thread and runs with it, and so on.
Another option, if you'd prefer, is to use this first sentence as a writing prompt to set off on a story of your own. When you're finished, you can e-mail it to me (if you'd like) and I'll post it for everyone to read...
Okay, here goes:
What she found in the box was not at all what she'd expected...
(to be continued...)
Welcome to the online home of the North River Arts Society Writers Workshop. We are a group of writers of all genres, sharing our original work and constructive feedback with each other.
She missed the air holes altogether.
ReplyDeleteThey had been made with a knife- just gashes really. And the haphazardly applied package tape, all done in an attempt to keep the living breathing cargo alive til the morning.
ReplyDeleteShe had found the box on her back porch when she stepped out with her morning coffee. One step out the door and there it was: no address, no note--just the word FRAGILE scrawled across the top. Whoever had left it there in the night had wanted to get rid of the creature fast.
ReplyDeleteOn Denise's behalf:
ReplyDeleteShe heard a vigorous scrabbling that sounded like it was made by claws. Long, sharp claws. The creature couldn't be very big. The box's side bulged as the creature attacked it from within again. She reached back through the doorway for a broom.
She wished Dan were here. If he was, he'd know what to do.
ReplyDeleteJust then,5 yr. old, Megan, appeared at the door, "Mom, can i have pancakes for breakfast? but when she saw the commotion going on, she just stopped.
ReplyDelete"Stand back Megan, i'm not sure what's in here", Violet said as she ripped the tape off and tore the cardboard apart. The scrabbling stopped and there, crouched in the corner, were 2 tiger striped kittens. Their ferocity suddenly tamed by their timidity at being discovered.
I am here, but I don't know what to do!
ReplyDeleteViolet was disappointed. Dan had always come through in the past for her. Now, when she was most vulnerable...
ReplyDeleteShe couldn't resist Megan's expectant gaze. She had sworn she would never get another pet. Certainly not a cat. But now that Megan had seen those kittens, she feared it was too late. Why hadn't Dan been here two minutes earlier? Damn him.
ReplyDelete"Can we keep them,can we keep them?" Megan implored, just as she had predicted. But before she could think of an answer, Dan appeared on the porch, as if by magic or divine intervention.
ReplyDelete" Well, I don't see why not." he said.
Not exactly the answer Violet had been hoping for.
Dan smiled at Violet, gave her a wink and motioned Megan to get in the car. " We'll be right back," he chuckled." Our new kittens will be hungry soon." As they drove away, Violet walked over to the box and picked up the smallest of the two kittens. He began to purr.
ReplyDelete