November Prompt: Local Story

soapdish · Nov 1, 2009

OK, I am up this month. Thanks Jgold!

I know it’s NaNo and everything, so I hope everyone will be able to break away to participate.

Your prompt, should you choose to accept it:

Take a local news story (say, within your state or region, if your city isn’t particularly inspirational) that is just a little odd--and then change one or two elements to make it horrific. Not a story that is already horrific. That would be cheating.

I hope this isn’t too restrictive. And if you want, you can post a link to the actual news story (or describe the actual news story if it’s not online) for fun.

For example--here is the one that inspired me:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/03/13/woman-buys-used-couch-fin_n_174596.html

I am not sure if I am using this one or not, but it’s what inspired me to come up with the prompt.

Haggis · Nov 1, 2009

Gah. NaNo. That might make it tough to get participants, which is a shame, because this is a killer prompt.

But I have faith in the Hounds. We'll see if Lily can crack her ruler around here and round up a bunch of folks with likely stories.

EFCollins · Nov 1, 2009

I'm not doing NaNo, so you'll have my prompt, like all the other months.

I love these prompts. I've gotten some really good stories from them, too.

Stew21 · Nov 1, 2009

My Nano novel is based off of my September Horror Prompt. I have to take time to do the prompt, cuz I wouldn't have a nano story without them.

I'll give this a shot. Great prompt.

soapdish · Nov 1, 2009

this is a killer prompt.

thank you

I'm not doing NaNo, so you'll have my prompt, like all the other months. I love these prompts. I've gotten some really good stories from them, too.

Cool EF, I look forward to reading yours! I know not everyone is doing NaNo so hopefully we'll at least get some of the non-NaNo-ers.

I have to take time to do the prompt, cuz I wouldn't have a nano story without them.

Me too. My NaNo story came out of the May prompt.

jgold · Nov 1, 2009

What a fun prompt! Nice choice, soapy!

FOTSGreg · Nov 1, 2009

I hardly have to think about this one. My old home town was Antioch, CA - yup, the same place that pervert kidnapped those 2 little girls and brainwashed them that was in the news a few weeks ago.

There was a whole spate of child murders in the area for awhile and I hope they've caught the bastard at long last.

On a lighter note - I have several dark stories set in Antioch, but none yet in Broken Arrow. I'd have to rewrite Any Minute Now and Plots, bu that shouldn;t be difficult...

Twisted · Nov 2, 2009

Great prompt Soapdish!

dolores haze · Nov 2, 2009

Great prompt, Soapy. I'm in.

CDaniel · Nov 2, 2009

I wish I could join in on this one, but I've got a lot of editing to do on some other stories.

I'll see how things looks towards the middle of the month. Maybe something in the local newspaper will jump out at me.

soapdish · Nov 3, 2009

Cool, looks like we will have some participants then.

Me...I started brainstorming yesterday. As if I need ANOTHER reason to procrastinate on NaNo LOL.

Greg--I expect something truly creepy from you considering your location. :evil

Dan--don't force it--but I'd really love to see what you come up with too.

Kerr · Nov 3, 2009

Very neat Soapy. Most of the time I hate news. It's horrible and depressing. So now, I'm wondering why haven't used it for prompts before. I'm doing NANO but hopefully this will be like my vacation time. LOL, like parking the RV in the back yard.

Jcomp · Nov 3, 2009

Hmmm... can it be a local story that's received national attention?

Feidb · Nov 3, 2009

I don't do the NANO. One year might as well have. I wrote my fantasy novel in 28 days. 76,000 words. I'll ponder this prompt and maybe come up with something.

soapdish · Nov 3, 2009

Hmmm... can it be a local story that's received national attention?

Sure. The goal is that it should be a story that wasn't horrific to begin with, but could have been if one or two things were different about it. It's flexible though.

BTW: Now I am totally intrigued...so you have to write it.

soapdish · Nov 3, 2009

Feidb said:
I don't do the NANO. One year might as well have. I wrote my fantasy novel in 28 days. 76,000 words. I'll ponder this prompt and maybe come up with something.

Very nice Feidb! Hope you do

Cella · Nov 4, 2009

very cool, Soapy!

I'm not doing NoNo, so I'd love to participate!

:snoopy:

Leukman · Nov 5, 2009

Nice.

I've a headline already: click

Cella · Nov 5, 2009

as a monkey, you could do amazing things with that story, Leukman

Justin91 · Nov 5, 2009

OK, I have been lurking and trying to jump in on one of these prompts! This is the first time for me, I actually found one in a local paper today...

And I agree...killer prompt!

soapdish · Nov 5, 2009

Leukman said:
Nice.

I've a headline already: click

This seemed appropriate. I hope you do use this story--I'd love to see how it can be more horrific than it already is LOL!

ETA: Gross

Welcome Justin! I am honored that my prompt de-lurkified you.

cathyfreeze · Nov 7, 2009

soapdish said:
Sure. The goal is that it should be a story that wasn't horrific to begin with, but could have been if one or two things were different about it. It's flexible though.

I've actually found a good start to one, too! But my stories don't tend toward horror so much as dark and sad. Can i post dark and sad in the horror forum? (that is, if i ever get this one finished?)

And thanks for the great idea! I would never have thought of using a local news story.

cat

dolores haze · Nov 7, 2009

Mine is finished, but it's dark and sad, too.

soapdish · Nov 8, 2009

Dark and sad is totally fine. Can't wait to read both of your stories!

I got started on one too. It's not really dark or sad, but just weird I guess...I am really not sure where it's going yet.

Twisted · Nov 11, 2009

Deloras-

Did you post your story in SYW?

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