Don't you know there ain't no devil, there's just God when he's drunk
- Tom Waits, Heartattack and Vine (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C49H3aWdiK8), 1980
Tom Waits: "The line was just... I was just sitting on the toilet, and there was this spider web in the corner, and I lit a match and a cigarette, and I held the match up to the spider and the spider started crawling up the web. So I got the match closer. I opened up a can of beer, drank the beer, tried to decide whether I should burn the spider off his web or let him go on his way... I figured there must be somebody like that up there: has a coupla cocktails every now and then and there's trouble on Times Square." (quote from Tom Waits Library (http://www.tomwaitsfan.com/tom%20waits%20library/www.tomwaitslibrary.com/lyrics/heartattackandvine/heartattackandvine.html))
Write a story about a work of art in the moment of its conception.
Take a piece from any literature, poetry, music, painting, movie scene, catchy slogan, videogame or whatever work of art you want, both real or imaginary, and write a story about how it formed in the author's mind! If you get inspired by a real work, please insert a reference to it as I did above. I quoted also the author's own words but, of course, it's better if you don't know how it was conceived. Let your imagination go!
Deadline is 15th January 2014, 2000GMT!
Happy New Year, folks!
This is my first topic and I hope I got it right (laugh)
Quote from: LostTrainDude on Tue 31/12/2013 02:16:06
Happy New Year, folks!
This is my first topic and I hope I got it right (laugh)
You certainly did. And a happy new year to you and everyone else too.
I didn't write a story but poem, I hope that's all right.
The insiration comes from an amazing Aerial silk (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aerial_silk) performance I saw about two years ago. There are a lot of them on youtube (https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=aerial+silk&sm=3), if you like to watch some. Here's one I especially liked. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pAGJbeGX91Q)
The poem is not about a specific performance and more an idea of how the art form itself (can I call it an art form? not sure about the right expression here) might have been conceived . It's, off course, completely fictional.
Angels flyOnce, I saw angels fly...
On the day my brother died, they soared through the sky.
He fell from the trapeze into everlasting night
and angels came and took him out of my sight.
I promised him to dance until my dying day,
even though the dancing through the air took him away.
He slipped and fell and angels couldn't catch him.
The night turned cold and grey and oh so grim.
I never dared to leap from the trapeze again.
I felt bound to the ground by an iron chain.
I couldn't dance, I couldn't fly, not like I used to do,
because the reason I could fly was only you.
But one night I saw the angels fly
and every single night since then I cry.
I promised you to dance and so I'll dance
and put the audience in mystic trance.
The angels' wings they looked like silken air
and inspiration struck me unaware.
I'll dance for him through every night and day
on silken wings in worlds so far away.
A strand of fabric holds me, I feel safe
and for my brother I'll stay brave.
I took his hands in mine the day he died
and angels stayed with us there by his side.
Their wings no hold me safe in silken bands
and angels hold my brother in their hands.
I dance again, I let him go
and at the audience' applause I bow.
But no-one knows that every time I fly
I see angels take my brother through the sky.
He's dancing now in heaven, I just know
and every time I dance I let him go.
And may I fall, the wings will catch me.
And while I'm falling I am safe and free.
And like the angels once, I fly
up to my brother, to the sky.
This topic needs more lovin'. :-* I'm disappointed to see that more AGSers aren't following through with their New Year's resolution to enter the writing competition more often. (wrong) I myself have a lot on my plate at the moment trying to finish up a big project, but I'm going to try my hardest to squeeze in a couple hours' worth of writing by Wednesday. Who's with me? ;-D
Quote from: Baron on Sat 11/01/2014 23:58:35
Who's with me? ;-D
This here ol' spectre is! I saw the perfect bit of art just ten minutes ago on the internets!
Alan Moore supposedly on Rorschach
Alan Moore:' "You know back then the guys running DC comics, didn't want any bad reputation by implementing actual superheroes to the grim storyline of Watchmen. I hadn't even written Rorsach's character back then, and if I had, I would have made the Watchmen very differently, and it's to wonder, concerning its cultural impact. Thus, forcefully in their own subtle way, I felt I had to oblige - everyone in this business knows how those no-good-for-nothings are. The sun gracefully rises, encircling their sedan, they put on their fancy suits, grab their confidence-filled suitcases and go to work, but have they ever?
At some point within a month, I was a bit abandoning the whole idea behind what was to be Watchmen, I pondered a lot on the element of a batshit crazy Batman. A vigilante hiding behind a mask, slowly being entranced by this persona, HE has created, to create a second, more fulfilling life, where he can be a judge and a false carrier of justice. A wicked executioner."
I've got an idea that I'd like to hash out, but there's no way I'll make the deadline. Any chance of a 2-3 day extension?
Brr. I wanted to write something much longer. Still, short and sweet beats long and incomplete.
"I just, you know, look at anything, and then imagine it exploding. Exploding makes it way artsy. No matter what. Just explode it."
Michael Bay, on anything.
Well, in past compos, sometimes the deadline was postponed
So I can't see why not do it this time too 8-)
NEW DEADLINE: JANUARY 19 GMT 00:00 - This means that the last useful minute to post will be JANUARY 18 GMT 23:59 (nod)
Oh and since I'm new to this, if it's too much don't hesitate to tell me!
Woke up this morning with inspiration. Can I get a one day extension? Or is it too late? :sealed:
An extension on an extension? Whoa! You're freakin' with my mind, Dude!
A Committee of One
OK, OK, OK. I've got ANOTHER idea.
DUDE! That's AWESOME! I'm so pumped for this.
I'm not so sure....
Nice! Let's hear it.
It'll never work. Why bother trying.
It could too work! Let's be a little more optimistic.
Yeah, like last time? Remember the long hours of toil? The endless sitting at the computer? All for what? Terrible reviews and a sprawling rash on our-
I'm hungry.
Bah! That was a fluke. I think we can really pull this off! Whatever it is....
I can't believe we're jumping on this merry-go-round again.... (roll)
WHY CAN'T WE ALL JUST GET ALONG!! :~(
OK, just, just... be quiet. Let me think for a bit. Another idea, eh? This could be just what we need. What is it?
I can't believe we're even considering this....
Dude! Lighten up!
Maybe we could get some chips, or somethin'....
WE'RE SO DYSFUNCTIONAL! THAT'S WHY I CRY AT NIGHT. :~(
Cheer up! The sun is shining!
Ah! Gotta ...focus. I had it, just now. A great idea. I just gotta bring it back....
Uhhhh... I think I have to pee.
Blast!
It was a terrible idea anyway.
What idea? Hey, did anybody ever notice how weird my toes look?
Sometimes I wonder if people are plotting to get me when my back is turned.
Whoa! D'you see that hot woman?!?
She's probably got a boyfriend already.
Who cares! Let's talk to her!
I feel so lonely.
We're not even in her league.
She's gone anyway. I always said you were too slow.
I think we should try to find her.
We could build this game....
I guess I could run after the bus and... wait! What was that?
Meat! They're selling street-meat over there!
No, that other thing....
We could build a game about a butterfly....
A butterfly! I can't believe I'm hearing this....
Hang on, let's hear it out.
Focus! We got to keep it together!
...but not just any butterfly. The butterfly has to lead a caveman around and help him solve problems to defeat the evil alien cyborg dinosaurs that have driven him and his tribe to live in fear of their lives!
Dude! That's so trippin'! :=
Ha! You're not actually- (roll)
Great idea! This is the best thing we've thought of since the Toad Republic! 8-)
I'm so ...happy! ;-D
Well... maybe... I guess.... :-\
Uh oh. I shouldn't have eaten that taco for breakfast.... :-X
Inspiration at last! Let's get home and get busy! (nod)
Hello there, fellow wordsmiths!
I'm seriously thinking about if it would be "right" to extend the deadline again. I mean, I don't know if it would be fair to those who didn't join because of the lack of time or those who restrained themselves rushing their entry.
I would agree to extend for just another day (JANUARY 20, GMT23:59) the deadline, but I'd also like to make myself clear that I don't mean any disrespect to anyone and I'm doing it just for the sake of participation :)
So, let's extend it a day more, hoping that this doesn't make anyone angry!
Anyway, after this it's over for real! (laugh)
Sigh. I'm ashamed to admit that I'm out. I have a good opening, but I can't figure out a way to end the story and my lunch break is almost over. :sad:
We hoped until the very last minute for Ponch's entry :(
Well, bright side is: we have just to wait another compo!
Ok, then! That's it!
First, let me say I'm sorry since I may have chosen a not so evocative theme, which makes me difficult to wrap up significant criteria for voting.
This round showed us the creative efforts of:
- Sinitrena: inspired by an aerial silk performance, wrote a poem as if it was written by the one who may have invented the art form.
- Dualnames: quoted a fictional Alan Moore, about Watchmen's Rorschach.
- Ghost: wrote a short-but-sweet exploding fictional quote by Michael Bay.
- Baron: nailed down what it seems to be a stream of a creative's multiple conciousnesses.
Trying to maintain balance, categories are cut shorter than usual because of the variety (in length and inspiration) of the entries:
Theme: the voted entry really managed to stay true to the theme
Word Choice/Style: whether if short-but-sweet or long and poetic, the voted entry has stood out for its capability to use the right words in the right spots.
Character: if inspired by someone real, the voted character felt true to the original; if made up, the voted character felt real\unique\interesting.
You may cast
one vote for each category and each vote is worth
one point!
The voting deadline is set on January 23, GMT 11:00AM!
Vote on!
And thanks for joining!
Quote from: LostTrainDude on Tue 21/01/2014 01:04:06
We hoped until the very last minute for Ponch's entry :(
The annoying thing was that an hour before I left work, I finally thought up the ending I'd been looking for. :sealed:
Anyhoo, my votes are as follows:
Theme: Sinitrena
Word Choice: Sinitrena
Character: Baron (Seven characters in one!)
Theme: Baron
Word Choice: Sinitrena
Character: Baron
Theme: Ghost
Word Choice: Baron
Character: Baron
Theme: Sinitrena
Word Choice/Style: Sinitrena
Character: Sinitrena
Sorry guys, but I genuinely felt that Sinitrena put more effort forth and told a story, as per the original rules. Her work touches an emotional chord, as well as plausibly laying out the motivation for someone to create a flying-but-safe acrobatic art form. Ghost & Dualnames had some interesting points to make about Watchmen and explosions, true, but they weren't exactly stories by my definition.
In other news, longstanding fortnightly writing comp contributor Chef! (recently absent, but we're a forgiving lot) informs me that he has a new baby daughter!
And tick! The clock stopped right on time (more or less)!
The winner is Sinitrena! Congratulations (nod)!
Again, I'm sorry if the theme or how it was structured felt uninspiring and held someone from joining.
Or maybe it's just that busy time of the year (which kinda is, actually).
Anyway, I think to speak for everybody here when I say that I'm up to see what's next :)
Oh and best whishes to Chef!
Thanks everybody, I'm looking forward to see you on the next round
It was a tough theme, but not bad in any way and very original.
Congratz, Chef! I looked for Chef Jr. in the b-day thread, but I guess he hasn't registered yet. It's never to early to get him into adventure games, you know. :=
Also, congrats to Sinitrena!
Quote from: kconan on Thu 23/01/2014 15:50:41
It was a tough theme, but not bad in any way and very original.
It was a great topic, actually, very creative. That it only recieved four entries doesn't mean anything.
Thanks for all your votes, guys, especially Baron.
And congrats to Chef!, too.
New topic coming up...
I was going to vote, but i forgot..my bad, apologies. My votes would go to Sinitrena, so glad to see it affected nothing, congrats for the so deserved win.