Katie dreaded being BRAND NEW right before the homecoming dance but her stupid parents picked the middle of the school year to move across the country. It was hard enough to find the right classroom at her old school, she could only hope she wouldn't have to eat lunch alone.
Send your entry in 1,000-6,500 words by email to submissions@writersworkout.net OR upload your document through our DropBox app before 12 am on the cusp of Tuesday, UTC. Remember to include your Title Information specifics: Name, Title, Event Name, Word Count. May the words flow to your victory.
Core Concepts: description, dialogue
As a repeat player, I'm just so enjoying all these new events! Thank you! To clarify, announcement vs tips & events verbiage: does this specifically have to be a new school experience, or can it be any place that is unfamiliar to the MC?
@CE Snow so glad you’re enjoying!
It just has to be a place that’s new to the main character
So does this have to be the story of Katie in her new high school or is this just an example?
As mentioned above, it only needs to be a place that's new to the character - Katie was an example. Happy writing!
Exactly! It does not need to be about someone named Katie or a high school. Any person in any place that is new is fine!
So the first thing that sprung to mind was to use this exact example and write about Katie going to homecoming as a kind of surreal parody of American culture written from the Australian perspective of someone who only knows America from films and TV. Like a weird mash up of pop culture cliches. Is that possible or would that be considered offensive/too close to the example ?
I would not recommend using Katie's exact situation because this character is not your creation. You're welcome to create another, similar situation instead if you'd like.
Second question. Is it ok to quote two lines from another author's work if it's clearly stated within the story that they are quoted and where they are quoted from? Like quoting a line from Shakespeare or something like that?
You can quote something from another person! Just make sure you naturally mention the source in your submission.
If we choose to do multiple POV, does the place have to be new for all POVs, or can some have been there before to show contrast?
The place must be new for at least one of the main characters.
Must it be a tangible place? Or can it be a feeling or Emotional state?
It must be a tangible/physical location that is new to the character!
Hi Writer's Games Team, Does the character have to move to the new location permanently or can it be something like a holiday or even just a one-day outing to a new place?
Thanks!
The character just needs to explore a new location, any amount of time will do!
I'm having such a hard time with dialect in this one! Too much internal thought and feeling!
I love the idea of this one! So many things you can do with it...
Can our character(s) go to more than one new place?
Yes! Your character(s) can go to as many new places as they choose.
Does the majority of the story need to be centered in the new place? Or does the discovery just have to happen in the story?
Hi Kristin,
The point of this challenge is that the main character spends time exploring a new place. If they only spend a few minutes there, they're not really able to explore.
Format question: is your preference for a single or double line break between lines of dialogue? e.g. "I am saying something really important so you'd better listen," said Person One. "Yes, I'm listening to your important thing," Person Two replied with a smile. "Good, then you can live." or "I am saying something really important so you'd better listen," said Person One. "Yes, I'm listening to your important thing," Person Two replied with a smile "Good, then you can live."
Hi Renee, a space between paragraphs is a scene break. If each of your lines of dialogue is a separate scene, you should add the space. If the lines of dialogue are all in the same scene, you should not add the space.
Okay thanks. Does that mean I’ve been losing points for ages by doing it wrong? Lol.
I don't know, you'd have to ask Theresa. If you've been including an extra empty line after every line of dialogue, probably. Our settings haven't changed in six years though so if you've been doing Games a while, go back through old entries and see if there's an extra line in previous entries?
Though it was once Brand New, this Event is now CLOSED.
My character had much fun. I wish I could have fun like that...
Even though I missed the deadline, I loved writing my story!
I sent a story in at 1:52 PDT. I never receive a confirmation email. Most of the friends I know who are also participating in WG have received emails. Is there something I need to do to assure my story made it into the queue?
@Andrea Goyan hi Andrea, we can’t answer personal participant information in this public forum. If you have a question about anything regarding your private information, please email Theresa. This protects your anonymity and provides you with specifics rather than any vague, general information we can access here. You can email Theresa at Theresa.Green@writersworkout.net.
@The Writer's Workout Ah, that makes sense. Thank you. I will email her.
The stories we read this week were fresh, exciting, and new! Thank you so much for your submissions, these were the authors we felt handed this Event the best.
5th Place: Nikki Blakely and Chrissie Rohrman
4th Place: Maria L. Berg
2nd Place: Ella Moon and Lauren Sibley
1st Place: Ej Sidle
Congratulations on your Brand New entries, they were so much fun to read! Look for the next Event in two hours.
CONGRATS, EVERYONE!!!!
Wonderful job everyone!
Congratulations!
Congrats everyone 💜
Feedback for Event 2 is released in full!