Work Room - Week 13

[clauderainsrm.livejournal.com]

The new topic is out there: http://therealljidol.livejournal.com/751386.html

and it's one that people either love or fear.

(Mostly fear)

Because it doesn't even try to hide that it's about *literally anything and everything you can imagine writing about*.

Most people like some sort of limits. Even if the limits are just in how they personally view the words that are strung together in a topic.

Open Topic though, it brings all of that back into focus.

So here you go, here's your chance to truly shine, with no limits holding you back!

What do you have in store for us?

Comments

What do I have in store?

[ellakite.livejournal.com]

Good question.

There are one or two stories that I do want to tell... but I have one major problem -- they're all likely too damned long for The Real LJ Idol. Even with the full week to work.


I need to mull this over. I'll get back to you.

[poppetawoppet.livejournal.com]

Laughs uncontrollably then sobs because I can't decide which brain noise to write down first

[poppetawoppet.livejournal.com]

In all seriousness it will be hard to decide which topic that's been floating around my head:

1. Selfhealing and the sudden decision to be ok
2. What the hell will I do with my life because my job is ugh but my options are limited
3. Mock blog entry for something I'm thinking of doing on a permanent basis
4. Fiction: a slice of story I've wanted to work on
5. Fiction: something entirely new
6. My thoughts on Medicaid since I began to sort of work in that field
7. How being single continues to inspire more singleness
8. Write an entry in the style of another Idoler
9. Guh

[roina-arwen.livejournal.com]

Oh, joy - Open Topic! My favorite! /sarcasm

I'll be taking suggestions, if anyone wants to provide some. :)

[jem0000000.livejournal.com]

Write from the POV of a jelly donut?

[copyright1983.livejournal.com]

No ideas yet, but something will speak to me.

This seems like as good a place/time to ask this question (aimed mostly at those who've read my work for a while, but I'll gladly accept everyone's insights):

What are my single greatest strength and single greatest weakness as a writer?

[bleodswean.livejournal.com]

*squeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee*

Limitlessness IS scary.

[swirlsofblue.livejournal.com]

IT IS VERY SCARY

[tonithegreat.livejournal.com]

Oh boy. I've got a piece that I wrote for a flash contest and never submitted that either needs to be beefed up or pared down and I'm not sure which. But it's kind of an autumn-y piece, so maybe I should save it for later. And it's kind of "this is my crazy life" which is what I just wrote last week.

Ugh.

Choices.

Yay!

Choices.

[eska818.livejournal.com]

Hm. I'm not really intimidated by the idea of an open topic, but I can definitely see why people would be, or might be.

I've had a concept in my head since around the first week of Idol, and I've been dying for it to fit one of the prompts so I could write it, so this might be my chance finally! XD

[xo-kizzy-xo.livejournal.com]

I know with me it's not so much being intimidated than it is the limitlessness of it. As Gary said, people tend to want choices rather than being given full rein. It's like looking up at the sky out in the Midwest and gasping at its vastnesss (which, incidentially I did more than once the only time I was in Texas).

[anyonesghost.livejournal.com]

Nothing as meta as last week, that's for sure.
On the bright side, almost everything I can possibly write is the opposite of what I wrote last week, so the sky's the limit.

I think using 'open' might be a little too obvious, though. So I'll have to mull it a bit.
It might be back to the serial novel for me this week, but I'm not certain there ....

[fodschwazzle.livejournal.com]

My favorite prompt for getting students writing: "I'll be hiding in a tree until late tonight, and when they come back, I'll make them pay."

You are permitted to use if it strikes you hard in the face.

[gratefuladdict.livejournal.com]

That's kind of amazing.

[kickthehobbit.livejournal.com]

Now I guess is a good time to poke lrig_rorrim/icaruslived/jem0000000 to write their idea about tardigrades. ;)

I don't know what I'm going to write this week. I'd joke about writing time-travel, but I've done that recently. Something else, maybe. We'll see. I like open topics—having the freedom to just write is always nice—but I'm feeling a little burnt-out after mentoring undergrads today, so...no ideas as yet. There was something about "conceptual cities" talked about last week—I might take that and run with it.

Where do everyone's ideas come from?

[roina-arwen.livejournal.com]

Tardigrades?

[beeker121.livejournal.com]

If in doubt you can always use the word 'open' as the topic.

There's a real-life thing I've wanted to build a story around for years and haven't ever done it, maybe I just need to decide that's my prompt and go with it. Or maybe I'll keep dithering.

[crimsonplum.livejournal.com]

I guess I'm in the minority...I LOVE open topic week. One of them brought about the most comments and votes I've ever received (outside of intersect entries)! At the moment, my only trouble is whether to revisit old friends or introduce new ones. :)

[eternal-ot.livejournal.com]

New ones?

Update:

[ellakite.livejournal.com]

I've got two story ideas in my head right now:

(1) An "alternate" take on an unusual bit of American History, or
(2) Two views of how a particular animal became domesticated -- myth versus reality.

Input would be appreciated.

Re: Update:

[eternal-ot.livejournal.com]

Myth v/s reality sounds interesting...so number 2 for me.

Thanks for reading me...

[eternal-ot.livejournal.com]

I have enjoyed my stay here..just because people have been kind enough to read me and give suggestions where I lack. I have been genre hopping, just to see where I belong and what excites me while writing.
Anyone who's read me...Any suggestions?Challenges?Something you would like me to revisit? A meta? would appreciate the help..:)

Re: Thanks for reading me...

[jem0000000.livejournal.com]

What did you decide you liked to write? I'd like to see what you like to write.

[belenen.livejournal.com]

I have a rules question. I just wrote an entry that I really love; would I be able to submit it for this topic or do I need to write a fresh one with this purpose?

Double-check with Gary to be sure...

[ellakite.livejournal.com]

... but it's my understanding that as long as you haven't previously submitted the piece specifically as an Entry for THE REAL LIVEJOURNAL IDOL, you can submit it as an entry now.

[swirlsofblue.livejournal.com]

Eep, scary.

Does this mean we have to pick a topic and actively state the topic we've chosen?

Anyone have any genre/style/whatever they'd like to see more of from what I've written?

[ecosopher.livejournal.com]

Does this mean we have to pick a topic and actively state the topic we've chosen?

Not unless you want to. Just write on... whatever you like!

What do YOU prefer? Fiction? Non-fiction? Feel like a challenge, or do you want to slip into something more comfortable?

[xo-kizzy-xo.livejournal.com]

Hmmmmmmm...

I've got to think of this. I've got a couple of very vague ideas, but other than that, nothing.

Or let's put it this way: I know there are things dying to be written but I've been shoving them aside because I don't want to particularly write about them right now for any number of reasons.

Pffffffffffffft :p

I need more coffee.

[labelleizzy.livejournal.com]

I need more beer. And maybe some lunch. Because yeah.

[ryl.livejournal.com]

Bwa-ha-ha-ha-ha! There's something I've been working on that I've been dying to use for an entry. AND NOW I CAN.

Once I finish it.

Damn these details.

I am taking requests...

[n3m3sis43.livejournal.com]

I hate open topic. Although I have plenty of things I could write, but then Gary had to throw in that "bring your 'A' game" thing just to make us sweat a little more. It's too soon for Gatekeepers, right? RIGHT?

Anyone got any suggestions/requests for me? I have a huge deadline at work that involve constant shifting priorities and decision-making related to said priorities and I am completely at a loss as far as making any sort of personal decisions at the moment.

(Requests for what NOT to write will also be considered.)

Re: I am taking requests...

[roina-arwen.livejournal.com]

I think it's too early for gatekeepers but it could be contestant only.

I am also taking requests....

[theun4givables.livejournal.com]

Considering I've been wracking my brain since last night (I've been up all night, lol), and I STILL dunno what I want to write...

Anything you guys want to see from me, in particular? I have half a brain to attempt humor again, but I still lack actual ideas. I kinda want to do fiction, but, well, y'know how that goes. =p

I'm also half-tempted to store something smexy, but, well... yeah. It would probably be heavily based on a nonfiction event, soooo... yeah.

Ideas, I needs them.

[labelleizzy.livejournal.com]

how about something mythology-inspired?
(I have a bias, you see.)

[joyfulfeather.livejournal.com]

Dang it. I have a Raven story I've been wanting to write, hoping there'd be a topic that fit it. Open topic should be perfect for that, but I don't think I'm up for writing it this week! It's just too angsty. Argh. Hopefully another prompt will work for it.

[teenagewitch.livejournal.com]

i am excited for this topic but I am also not sure where to start. I have a couple of really insane things going on in my life right now. I think I will read a book and see if I can get some inspiration.

[jem0000000.livejournal.com]

When the Topic Post says "bring their A-game", whose A-game are we supposed to bring? Should we be out mobbing people for A-games in dark alleys? Trolling through other contestants' journals with fishing line and A-game bait?

*carefully secures her own A-game, just in case*

[labelleizzy.livejournal.com]

ahahahahah!

finally! Log in probs solved. yay!

[dmousey.livejournal.com]

Here's what I've got. Am in the tweaking stage. Any critiques and constructive crit is welcomed. I may not listen, (cough, cough) but its welcomed anyhow. :-)

http://dmousey.livejournal.com/2785.html