Prompted to Write

Part III: Writers Store

A Clandestine Affair

Diary of a Dead Wife

Part IV: Writer’s Digest

The Immortality Conclusion

About the Author

Introduction

I usually have a hard time generating ideas for starting a story. I’ve found that it helps if I have a prompt of some sort to spark my imagination. Most of the stories collected here are from contest entries that provided that spark in the form of writing prompt. For those stories, the requirements of the contest are listed.

I hope you enjoy them.

Part I: NYC Midnight

NYC Midnight (http://www.nycmidnight.com/) is a website that holds many contests throughout the year in filmmaking, animation, screenwriting and creative writing. The cost to enter is relatively low, and you get free feedback for every entry. You are given a very short period of time to write the story, and are ranked more on creativity than style, grammar or punctuation. They offer very interesting prompts; usually a genre and a subject. Sometimes they also throw in an object that must appear in the story. The entry must meet the criteria of the prompt.

I found this website in April 2010 and have been entering contests ever since. I have found their feedback to be spot-on.

Gateway to the Eastern Seaboard

Screenwriters Challenge

1st Round (April 17-25, 2010)

Genre: Political Satire

Subject: Jet Plane

Limit: 15 Pages

Logline:

An interview with JPMorgan Chase regarding their new hanger at Westchester County Airport. Are they being environmentally and financially responsible?

FADE IN

EXT. WESTCHESTER COUNTY AIRPORT - MORNING

People are gathering outside of an aircraft hanger for a ground-breaking ceremony. News crews are everywhere as politicians and corporate executives pose for photo ops.

RORY SIMMONS is interviewing ALAN RICHARDS.

Rory is a cub reporter for CorpWatch, a non-profit investigative research and journalism agency. She is a tall woman with long brunette hair parted in the middle and a cherubic smile. Rory tends to make deadpan statements and gesture a lot with her pencil while talking.

Alan is a cub spokesperson for JPMorgan Chase. He is an immaculately charming corporate lackey who sincerely believes everything he says. Alan tends to be a bit of a drama queen.

RORY

Hi, I’m Rory Simmons, reporter for CorpWatch, here at the ground breaking ceremony for JPMorgan Chase’s Gateway to the Eastern Seaboard - their new premier corporate aircraft hanger located in the southwest corner of the Westchester County Airport. With me is spokesperson Alan Richards from JPMorgan Chase. How are you today, Alan?

ALAN

I’m great, Rory! Before we get started, though, I must make this disclaimer: The opinions expressed by me during this interview in no way reflect the opinions of JPMorgan Chase & Company. JPMorgan Chase & Company cannot be held liable for anything I say during this interview.

RORY

Uh, okay, thanks for that. So, you must be very excited about the opening of the new hanger.

ALAN

Yes, I am! The new hanger will be a state-of-the-art green building.

RORY

What exactly does that mean?

ALAN

The hanger will be built with reclaimed wood and quarry tile, and feature a vegetated roof garden.

RORY

A vegetated roof garden.

ALAN

Yes, ma’am. In my opinion, it will be the best feature of the hanger in that it symbolizes JPMorgan Chase’s commitment to the environment.

RORY

Has JPMorgan Chase investigated the possible side effects of jet fumes on the plants in a roof garden?

ALAN

I don’t believe the plants will be affected in any way, shape or form. I think the roof garden environment will be very well-protected.

RORY

What about the environmental impact of the increase in jet traffic?

ALAN

I am certain that JPMorgan Chase is doing everything in their power to minimize the environmental impact.

RORY

I see. Did you know that quarry tile is porous and susceptible to water damage? And that it provides a hospitable environment for mold and fungus?

ALAN

Yet, it is inexpensive, durable and natural! And, it comes in a range of shades which pair well with a wide variety of design schemes. A brilliant choice.

RORY

That is truly amazing.

ALAN

I’m just as amazed. A lot of careful planning has gone into this.

RORY

I understand that this hanger used to be operated by Avitat Westchester, and that Mike Dolphin, the president, opposed the new hanger.

ALAN

Yes, that’s true. Now, I’ve met Mike, and he’s a wonderful person. But you can’t oppose progress, can you?

RORY

Even if that progress pushes smaller companies out of business?

ALAN

Progress is the way of the future!

RORY

But progress for the sake of progress--

ALAN

Bigger! Better! More efficient! We are becoming more environmentally friendly!

RORY

The Westchester County government seems to agree with you. They are impressed with the amount of money committed to green construction. They even said JPMorgan Chase is, and I quote, a high quality corporate citizen.

ALAN

Well, there you have it.

RORY

Okay, then. So, a larger hanger means more private jets coming in and out of the airport.

ALAN

That’s right.

RORY

Rates for a private jet start at close to $2,000 an hour. How do business men justify the expense, especially in this economy? I mean, that’s how much the average person pays for their mortgage every month.

ALAN

It’s a privilege. They’ve earned it, and they deserve it.

RORY

They’ve earned the privilege to spend twenty times more than the average ticket price?

ALAN

Absolutely!

RORY

At a time when they are struggling to recover from the financial crisis? Don’t you think it’d be wiser to conserve their money, especially since they had to borrow from the federal government to stay afloat?

ALAN

Image must be maintained. Can you imagine what people would think if they saw a bank president flying first class on a commercial flight?

RORY

I’d think: hey, there’s a guy who’s willing to make sacrifices to save his company.

ALAN

Sacrifices! Sacrifices! You don’t know what these people have been through! The layoffs, the cut-backs in their personal expense accounts. It’s horrible!

RORY

Tell me how the layoff of an employee can so adversely affect a bank president.

ALAN

I heard of one man who lost one of his secretaries. The other two just can’t keep up. He’s frantic!

RORY

What about the secretary who lost their job. Don’t you think that person is a bit frantic right now?

ALAN

They don’t have a multi-billion dollar corporation to worry about. It’s just not the same.

RORY

No, I suppose it’s not. I’m sure I’d rather starve to death or be out on the streets. Or even fed to the dogs.

ALAN

Exactly my point!

RORY

So, we’re going to be seeing more private jets in and out of this airport. How is this better for the environment?

ALAN

I believe there will be very strict regulations about the aircraft housed here. Fuel efficiency and noise are very important considerations.

RORY

Won’t those considerations be counter-balanced by the fact that there are more jets?

ALAN

The goal should be to encourage the use of the quietest and most fuel efficient jets available.

RORY

Then why is JPMorgan Chase thinking about replacing two of their four jets with Gulfstream G650’s? I hear they are larger and faster, so they can’t be very fuel efficient.

ALAN

Ah, but the G650’s are also the most comfortable, with superior cabin amenities. Passenger will be able to work much more efficiently.

RORY

Work efficiency and fuel efficiency are two very different things.

ALAN

But they both save money! Saving money saves the environment, right?

RORY

How do you figure that?

ALAN

If an executive can work more efficiently, he won’t have to spend all those extra hours in the office, thus saving the cost of electricity in the office. Not to mention the expense of take-out food.

RORY

I don’t see how you could save enough in electricity and take-out food to cover the cost of fuel.

ALAN

Savings are savings. You’ve got to be willing to make those cuts where ever you can.

RORY

Spending money to save money?

ALAN

Right!

RORY

Throwing good money after bad?

ALAN

Oops. Look at the time. Hey, I’ve got to get back.

RORY

Thank you very much for your time.

ALAN

Thank you! It’s been a pleasure.

RORY

That was Alan Richards, spokesperson for JPMorgan Chase. I’m Rory Simmons, reporting for CorpWatch from the JPMorgan Chase’s ground breaking ceremony at their new aircraft hanger located at Westchester County Airport.

FADE OUT

The Biker’s Ball

Flash Fiction Challenge

Challenge #1 (August 13-15, 2010)

Genre: Comedy

Location: A Dance Club

Object: A Motorcycle

Limit: 1000 Words

Logline:

Several local motorcycle clubs band together to sponsor a ballroom dance to benefit Alzheimer’s research.

Jan was startled by the thundering sound of motorcycles outside of the Southside Ballroom Dance Club. She ran to look out the picture window.

Ron! she exclaimed, running back into the office. There’s a gang of bikers coming into the studio!

Ron looked up from his desk, a stunned look on his face. After a moment, he rubbed his forehead as if trying to scrub out a memory.

Oh, yeah, he said. The BAA Ball tonight. They’re here to help.

The ba-ball?

No. BAA.

As in baa goes the sheep?

Ron shook his head. As in Biker’s Against Alzheimer’s. His hands fell to the desk in despair. I completely forgot.

How could you forget something like this? Jan said, a wild note edging her voice.

Relax. You’re panicking. It will be alright.

Summoning his reserve, he got up from his desk and walked out to the main