Fourth Friday Fairy Tale Prompt: Volume 3

girl with a red umbrella, by takmaj of deviantART

It's that time of month again: time for the Fourth Friday Fairy Tale Prompt!  This is an exercise in support of the fairy tale writing community and online fairy tale community in general, to offer encouragement, creativity, inspiration, and fun.  I hope you'll join us this time.

How to Participate 

 

1. You have until the fourth Friday of next month to use this prompt to inspire a piece of art, music, or writing.
2. Your piece does not have to be supernatural, as long as it is inspired by the fairy tale prompt.
3. Post your finished piece on your blog, site, or other online presence.
4. Link your virtually published piece to this post.  (See inlinlz tool at the bottom.)
5. Read (or view) the other entries.  Offer insights, appreciation, constructive criticism, and encouragement.  Have fun.
6. Use the following image in your post and link back to this post so that other people may find us and participate in the future.

<a border="0" href="http://spinstrawintogold.blogspot.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n59/GreenInkling/fairytaleprompt.jpg" /></a> 

People's contributions continue to impress me, so I am looking forward to this round.  Please e-mail or leave a comment if you have any questions.



*  Please give credit for the prompt.  Not under any circumstances is the prompt to be used for personal monetary gain; it is the rightful creative property of another.  Nor does Spinning Straw into Gold receive any compensation through the use of these prompts.

Fairy Tale Prompt: Volume 2

"The World's Bride"

Fourth Friday Fairy Tale prompts are exercises for the fairy tale, writing, and fairy tale-writing online community for the purpose of cultivating creativity, helping with, and sharing our art with others.

This poem has been hard to find my footing on.  Perhaps because the prompt was a complete, though mysterious, story in itself.  "I cannot explain," it says, and that strikes me as very appropriate.

Martine Johanna

The World's Bride   

The bride of the world
goes in ceremony,
hair dressed with shell and
pinned with a tiny bird's skull.
She makes her vows in a court
lit by clouds, curtained
with night-fabric, moon-studded:
powdered, coiffed, ruffed,
anise-brushed,
she unbuttons plush turf
from around her wrists
of moon-bath flesh.
Come to retire
Anubis's feather,
she holds three offerings:
a dandelion scepter gone
to seed; a bubble for a
globus cruciger; in the slope
of her breasts, the answer
to an half-formed question.

Fourth Friday Fairy Tale Prompt: Volume 2

Martine Johanna, website

How to Participate 

 

1. You have until the fourth Friday of next month to use this prompt to inspire a piece of art, music, or writing.
2. Your piece does not have to be supernatural, as long as it is inspired by the fairy tale prompt.
3. Post your finished piece on your blog, site, or other online presence.
4. Link your virtually published piece to this post.  (See inlinlz tool at the bottom.)
5. Read (or view) the other entries.  Offer insights, appreciation, constructive criticism, and encouragement.  Have fun.
6. Use the following image in your post and link back to this post so that other people may find us and participate in the future.

Looking forward to sharing the creative process with you!  Please e-mail or leave a comment if you have any questions.



*  Please give credit for the prompt.  Not under any circumstances is the prompt to be used for personal monetary gain; it is the rightful creative property of another.  Nor does Spinning Straw into Gold receive any compensation through the use of these prompts.

2013

Looking Back

In 2012, we've held our first contest, hosted what we hope to be the first of many Fourth Friday Fairy Tale Prompts, heard about the fairy tale value of Harry Potter, seen a promising adaptation of an old classic, and witnessed the unveiling of a brand new fairy tale publication!

So, what's on the agenda for next year?

Cory Godbey

Looking Forward

Fourth Friday Fairy Tales

When the holidays die down, we'll resume our fairy tale prompts.

As a reminder, the prompts can be used to inspire any original, creative undertaking: be it a piece of music, performance art, or a collage.  It doesn't have to be only poetry and writing!

Contests

So far, SSiG has held one contest, and I'd like to hold more.  However, financing more than one a year poses a problem.  I've considered adding a Donate button to the blog, but am wary about asking readers to trust their money will go right into funding contests and giveaways.  I'd like to hear readers' opinions on this.

The Harry Potter Project

The biggest undertaking of them all.  I've only read the first book in the Harry Potter series, which gives me a strong disadvantage in fantasy and fairy tale dialogue.  And what would be more fun and discussion-spurring than posting about my Potter experience as I'm reading it?

A few things give me pause: Harry Potter has already permeated our culture in such a way that it would be impossible to pick up the books without previous influence.  So I could approach reading in either one of three ways:

1.  Pretend as best I can that I have never heard of the series and try to imagine what my reactions might be if I were encountering the books in pure experience. 

2.  Throw my prejudices and expectations out there as I read, and let the reader determine what is of value and what isn't. 

3.  Do extensive research before and during reading.  Come to the books armed to the teeth with knowledge of sources, influences, and authorial intention.

What do you think?

And More

More book reviews, original fairy tales, and artist spotlights!  What would you like to see more of on SSiG in the new year?

Cory Godbey

Fairy Tale Prompt: Volume 1

"Miranda at the Stern"

If you haven't seen this before or are new to SSiG, this is a writing prompt community project in which we share our art and writing for encouragement and constructive criticism.

Click here for the rules and deadline.

I'm posting this way ahead of time in case some people are still unclear about how to go about participating and what that participation entails.

Copyright Claudia Bernasconi Esposito.  Source.

Reflecting on the prompt (above) made me think of undines, which became the wreaths or petals of the poem, and grew backward and inward from there.

I would be very grateful for a critical eye: style, word choice, stanzas, story, anything that catches your attention.  I purposefully did not ask for feedback on this before hand.  

The idea is to encourage and critique.  But please be gentle and considerate!  We want to uplift, not to trample.*

Miranda at the Stern

The buoyant fruit, seeded

with pearlescent faces bearing names

of extinct, pedantic gods,

dives from father's cay

in albatross form, sails puffed

but breathless, catching no current,

slapped by the wide palms of rain;

the mineral sea a mouthless

appetite, devouring islands, spitting them

back like stones.

The waves' tongues pitch and roll

the rootless boat.  Fish-eyed

undines swirl, stare

at she who tore and drifted through

the veil, broke the soot-circumference

of Prospero's pentagrams, forsook

what is solid, with no place

to anchor.

*  Please also be aware when offering constructive criticism that, as a writer once said about her craft, "there are no mistakes, only effects."  Tone and style are unique and personal.  It can be hard for the un-trained critiquer to recognize the difference between what isn't working and what isn't his personal taste.  I would be mortified if, through a desire to help foster someone's creative inclinations to art and writing, we unwittingly discourage and cause self-doubt and discouragement.

Fourth Friday Fairy Tale Prompt: Volume 1

Welcome to our first Fourth Fridays Fairy Tale Prompt (slightly late).  And here's the prompt:

Copyright Claudia Bernasconi Esposito.  Source.*

How to Participate 

 

1. You have until the fourth Friday of next month to use this prompt to inspire a piece of art, music, or writing.
2. Your piece does not have to be supernatural, as long as it is inspired by the fairy tale prompt.
3. Post your finished piece on your blog, site, or other online presence.
4. Link your virtually published piece to this post.  (See inlinlz tool at the bottom.)
5. Read (or view) the other entries.  Offer insights, appreciation, constructive criticism, and encouragement.  Have fun.
6. Use the following image in your post and link back to this post so that other people may find us and participate in the future.

<a border="0" href="http://spinstrawintogold.blogspot.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n59/GreenInkling/fairytaleprompt.jpg" /></a> 

I look forward to sharing the creative experience with you!

In the spirit of sharing, please have a look at Bolts of Silk and my poem, and do consider submitting something in support of this worthy publication.



*  Please always give credit and link back to the original source of the prompt.  It should go without saying--not under any circumstances is the prompt to be used for personal monetary gain; it is the rightful creative property of another.  Nor does Spinning Straw into Gold receive any compensation through the use of these prompts.

Three Orders of Business

I.  Following up with the Fairy Tale Prompt Contest:

Both Masha's and Rebecca T.'s entries were superb in voice, style, theme, craft, and execution--like Snow White and Rose Red, strikingly different, but equally beautiful.  So, in the end, I drew a  scrap of paper out of a tea cup.

Masha, congratulations!  You're the winner!

The winner at random (also drawn out of a tea cup) is Matthew T.  Congratulations, Matthew!

Winners, please e-mail me your mailing address so that I can mail you your gift card.

Thank you all again for entering.  If I had the resources, everyone who participated would receive a gift card.  

I can't emphasize enough how much I enjoyed reading the entries; individuals' unique imagination at work; and the ability for an image to plant a seed and grow a beanstalk--or a ladder--into another realm.

If you haven't yet, please take the time to read and offer encouragement and advice for the stories.

II.  A writing and sharing exercise?  Like in high school?

I really wanted this to be a sharing exercise for the writing and fairy tale communities.  My desire in the future is to regularly host a prompt writing exercise, and this contest was a good trial run.

Fourth Fridays Fairy Tale Prompt is still in the planning stages, including the name, but one of the decisions I've come to is not to limit the writing to fantastical subjects.  Though I still plan to use images and phrases derived from fairy tales and other surreal themes.

Muses don't cooperate well on short leashes, or so I hear.

Another wrinkle to iron out is how often to hold the exercise.  Writing stories usually takes a longer time than writing poems, and then people get busy.  

Also, I will highly encourage reading each others' contributions in order to appreciate, encourage, and offer constructive criticism (if desired).

So, if you have a minute (or even if you don't, it's really easy), scroll down to the very bottom of the blog and vote in the poll.

III.  Now, I want to hear about what you want to see more of on Spinning Straw into Gold.

Do you enjoy artist spotlights or know of anyone in particular, storyteller or otherwise, who is an amateur and deserves a shout-out?  

Would you like to see more exegesis of the classic fairy tales, or more thoughts and sharing on the creative processes?  

Guest posts?  

Book reviews?

Let me know in the comments box below, and thank you.

Fairy Tale Contest Redux

So, we've had a little time to catch our breaths and reach out to other bloggers and fairy tale lovers.  It's now or never, right?  

The fairy tale writing contest is open for submissions again.

The original rules still apply, except that the deadline has been moved forward to August 20th, 2012.  I am giving it the one month I intended when I initiated the contest.

If you already have yours written, wonderful!  Let it sit.  Come back to it with a fresh perspective and nip/tuck to make it just so, or get some feedback from a trusted friend.  Read it aloud to your dog.  Plant it in soil, water it, see if it grows.

If, however, you're new to the contest, here are the rules.

How to Participate

Using this prompt

copyright Lissie Elle Laricchia

follow the instructions bellow carefully.  Failure to follow the guidelines may disqualify.

1. Write a short fairy tale story or poem inspired by this photograph.  It must be fantastic or mythical in nature.  Other than that, the domain is entirely up to the author.  Please no stories longer than 3,000 words.  Must be suitable for young adults.
2. Post the direct link to your entry using inlinkz below.  Then comment to let me know you have entered.*
3. I retain the right to add to or alter the rules as needed.

Two winners will be chosen to receive a $15 Barnes & Noble gift card.  One entry will win based on creativity, storytelling, language, voice, etc.  Another will be picked at random.  This is so that everyone stands a chance of winning, no matter what their skill levels.

After the contest closes on Aug. 20, I will determine, based on number of entries and their lengths, when winners will be announced.  It won't be more than two weeks, so sit tight until then and enjoy everyone's entries!

Please address any questions you may have in the comments below or e-mail me.

* I am requiring that fairy tales are entered using the inlinkz application, which you will find below, because of my desire for this to be an exercise in sharing our writing for mutual enjoyment and peer support.  Everyone's labor deserves to be regarded and appreciated.  However, it has occurred to me that not everyone has a blog or online presence.  If you are that person, I would be more than happy to host your entry on Spinning Straw into Gold and link it to this post.  Just contact me with your story and information and let me know.

Fairy Tale Contest

My wish is for this blog to be an interactive community for fairy tale writers, poets, and artists.

I mentioned in a previous post that I want to start a regular fairy tale prompt exercise, in which I post a photo, image, word, phrase, or song for inspiration.  People can then link the fairy tale creations that result, and all participants will be encouraged to enjoy each others' work and give feedback, if desired.

To launch this exercise and get the word out, I am hosting a contest.  

Two entries will be picked to each win a $15 Barnes & Noble gift card.  That should do for a crisp, new soft-cover (but you can spend it on anything).

One winning entry will be picked at random.  That's right, all you have to do is try and you stand a chance at winning.  I don't want people to be discouraged because of lack of writing experience or because they feel that they don't stand a chance against competition.

That being said, I do want people to make an effort to write to the best of their ability.

Therefore, the other winning entry will be picked by me, based on originality, style, use of language and imagery, storytelling, and execution.

The contest will be open until June 1st.  CONTEST POSTPONED.  Please keep checking back with us to see when the contest will be opened and for the new deadline.  Contest reinstated here.

How to Participate

Here is the prompt:

copyright Lissie Elle Laricchia

Follow the instructions bellow carefully.  Failure to follow the guidelines may disqualify.

1. Write a short fairy tale story or poem inspired by this photograph.  It must be fantastic or mythical in nature.  Other than that, the domain is entirely up to the author.  Please no stories longer than 3,000 words.  Must be suitable for young adults.
2. Post the direct link to your entry using inlinkz below.  Then comment to let me know you have entered.
3. I retain the right to add to or alter the rules as needed.

After the contest closes, I will determine, based on number of entries and their lengths, when winners will be announced.  It won't be more than two weeks, so sit tight until then and enjoy everyone's entries!