Writing Assignment: Due 10/9

dorkelf

Active Member
Choose a favorite story or novel, or use your own original story, and write a monologue prologue for it. In other words, a first person narrative that sets the right mood and draws the reader into the story. If the chosen story already has a prologue, yours would be a 'replacement'. Be sure to tell us which book or story you chose. There is no word-count limit for this assignment, but it must fit into one post. One entry per contestant for this assignment, please.

I've also extended this assignment through next weekend to give everyone plenty of time. This is a serious writing challenge and I hope everyone will participate! Be sure to read the monologue discussion post for some good advice and guidelines for writing effective monologues.

Paul
 
C'mon Amicus - nulla dies sine linea is every writer's motto (Never a day without a line). I hope you'll reconsider, because:

1 - You can use ANY story
2 - You can even use your OWN story
3 - It can be short, and it can be in any form as long as its first person. It can even be a poem!

If that doesn't have you convinced, we'll give you a pass ;) - however if you really want to be serious about writing, my brother, you really need to be writing something daily (see motto above) and entering some of these contests is a good start towards that goal. But MOST IMPORTANTLY, you've really really got to read if you want to realize your full potential as a writer! Become a patron of your local library and check out stuff, and read it. You'll not only be enriched and entertained, but also enlightened about how different writers use different techniques and approaches.

Paul
 
So we could conceivably write a intro to a story that doesnt even exist? Assuming this is the case, you really want us to write a monologue prologue for a story, weather it exists, is in your imagination, or has no context whatsoever.

*debates trying this out*
 
Go for it Vibro. :) I've asked people to use existing stories for this assignment because you're already familiar with the characters and their personalities and can really focus on the craft of writing a prologue rather than having to also create the story and a character at the same time. However, if you have a story of your own that hasn't yet been completely written out, feel free to use it as long as you've already got a well-developed character to work with.

Paul
 
Entry #1 - Untitled

How many of you have burdens!? I do! But just the other day I thought I gave all mine to Jesus Christ!
The word “burden” was spoken in a conversation and it caught my interest. A quick glace at myself was to say nope no “burden” here!
But could I have missed something?
So I looked at this word “burden” to be sure that Jesus had all that I could give him.

I looked in the bible; I looked in the dictionary. In both books the word “burden” is defined to be a heavy or unmanageable load. So I had to dig higher for a burden that is above the responsibility of being a Christian.

One word stood out that could cause a burden. So I studied that one word and I found astonishing results! In the bible this word’s meaning has already doubled its adversary! In the dictionary this one word that could cause a “burden” quadruples its opposite.

How can this single most powerful word ever be a “burden”?
How can the greatest gift ever to be given be my “burden”?
I asked and I received.
I give and I will be given.

Ah Ha, Love can be a” burden”!

When a Christian does not live up to their responsibilities to give Love, Love then
Becomes a “burden”! All the power and might of Love is stuck inside of you, waiting to be given and you don’t give.
So here I am, full to the top like a tall drink of water and the only time I lose any of this water is when I am sloshing here or sloshing there but never really giving out plentiful refreshment wherever I go.

So I stand before you as “A Messenger with a Burden of Love”.
 
Well, one entry so no need for a poll. :p Congratulations to cc.slim, our contest winner this week! Though there was no actual contest this week, I thought cc.slim's entry was a great example of an effective monologue. It was interesting, it was strongly biased (which is good for monologues), and it was thought provoking. Perhaps it doesn't leave us with a sense of what the story is going to be about, which would be my only criticism, but I'm not sure it was written to introduce one particular story. In any case, there's my mini-critique, and thanks again to cc.slim, who in my opinion is well on the way to becoming a writer extraordinaire. :cool:

Paul
 
If I would have ended with, follow then: A messenger, would that led better to the main character opening to chapter one?
 
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