Western writing prompts thread

I'm sorry I'm late, but count me in too. I would love to be involved in this. I will make a more concerted effort to post crits more often in western also. What topic are we kicking around and when should we post by? I'm pretty new to this.

bkendall said:

I'm sorry I'm late, but count me in too. I would love to be involved in this. I will make a more concerted effort to post crits more often in western also. What topic are we kicking around and when should we post by? I'm pretty new to this.

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Welcome to the cause, Bkendall.

I'm pretty new, too. I think the whole thing is finding its feet at the moment. There are a few prompt ideas in this thread and you might want to go for one of them and just give the Western thing a go, or you might want to wait until Dpat comes up with something more regulated.

Either way, good to have you here and wanting to explore the Western genre.

Now, who else wants to join the gang and throw their Stetson into the ring?

I am very, very new here, but I am deeply interested in Westerns. I have some thoughts on expanding the scope of the Western. I have also written a Western novel, or is it a Southern?

Meanwhile, here's a prompt:
They realized they had lynched the wrong man.

Dave Hardy said:

Meanwhile, here's a prompt:
They realized they had lynched the wrong man.

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I love it! Actually my WIP, a western short story, has this very point in it, except in a different way. The people who did it don't realize they got the wrong guy, but I think I could do something with this too.

I realize that writing is a means of living for some folks, but that's just not the case with me. I understand, Puma, that this site is a way to refine your own writing to hopefully get it out there to be published. For this, I applaud you. Writing, for me, is a way to think about things other than my job.

So, dpaterso, I make this query to you: Why couldn't we do this both ways? If someone wants to submit a portion of a story to fit the criteria, or just write something out of the blue from the prompt, couldn't we do this? Who knows, maybe these snippets will be able to be a part of a larger work at some point in the future.

Actually, bkendall, that's the way my western novel began - a monthly challenge in historical with a short topic and from that first bit, 2,000 words, I wrote over 100,000. Puma

Got a prompt idea:

character returns home

I only thought of this because that's how my story begins. I know, I'm cheap. I can't help it.

Okay, being brash, ballsy, whatever ... I think we're all in agreement there should be some sort of prompt or challenge for Western stories to be posted in SYW to get things going. I've suggested Derek pick a prompt, but I think he's trying to stay out of the thick of this.

There are only 8 days left in September. I challenge anyone who's willing to pick up the gauntlet to write (or find something in their WIP) a paragraph to 1,000 words on the topic "They went thataway" and post what they've written in Western SYW on September 30. What's written can be historical western, conventional western, spaghetti western, Chinese western, sci-fi western, whatever - but, in some way it should have some link to Western, however the word is defined.

I'll write something and everyone else can join in and/or come up with what type of prompt there'll be for October. If you do decide to take this challenge, be sure to show that in the title of what you post in SYW. For anyone who's not at the magic 50 post requirement to post in SYW, pm me or Derek and one of us can probably post it for you. That work, guys? Puma

Good stuff, Puma.

Works for me. Though I do declare I'm away for a few days from Saturday to Wednesday. Still, I'll do me best for the first go round.

Happy that things are moving, even if my piece will be a little rushed.

This might be stealing from another genre thread, but what do you think about a monthly prompt? Someone is chosen to come up with a prompt for each month?

Monthly prompts or topics work in historical, although no one is chosen to pick the topic, people just suggest topics and they're assigned to months as they come in. Some months get good responses, some not so good. Puma

Great idea! I'll try my best to have something worth posting by 30th. Happy writing!

dpaterso said:

I dare say that's something we've all been thinking about -- and will consider more fully once we see how this prompt challenge pans out.

-Derek

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Puma said:

Monthly prompts or topics work in historical, although no one is chosen to pick the topic, people just suggest topics and they're assigned to months as they come in. Some months get good responses, some not so good. Puma

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It seems to work really really well in Horror

That's horrible, Dan (Couldn't help it.)

Hope we have a couple people working on a "They went thataway". I've got my first draft done and it's cooking. Puma

Puma said:

Hope we have a couple people working on a "They went thataway". I've got my first draft done and it's cooking. Puma

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working on it...
Got a fair idea and have written some of it. It is a little bit in Children's category. I hope that doesn't matter. It is set in the West, though.

I've written nothing, zip, nada - well, you get the idea. However, I have been away and it's only the 29th so by my reckoning I gots 32 hours and maybe even a little longer what with those slow-coach American time zones.

I'm certainly not going for polish on this one, as Sheriff Pat said; this ones a test the water prompt.

Counting down to the 30th. Dum, dum, dum ... See you in Western SYW! Puma

got mine. im gonna try a few more edits tonight and tomorrow. i hope 1000 words wasnt a hardline. mine is 1200 but maybe i can cut it down some more. ill warn you though, its a little more interstitial, has western, humor, fantasy, and children. ill post it anyway.

Would I be wrong to assume that you won't string me up for being over 1000 words?

No problem with being over 1000. The paragraph to 1000 was just a general idea to let people know they could write as little or as much as they wanted. Put yours up. Mine's already there. Puma

Later. Maybe around 2. Doing last-minute edits. I promise it will be there though.