First Garage Fiction Call

Great call everyone.

To summarize

1. We’re all doing this to “put in the work” and get better at writing, but more important to PRODUCE and get in a RHYTHM of producing.
2. The writing prompt will be assigned on Friday at 1PM Pacific/4PM Eastern.
3. I just set up a Google Calendar reminders for each of you with 3-week recurrence.
4. The flash fiction/scene is due on Friday at 9AM Pacific/12PM Eastern.
5. We will tape a podcast and critique each other’s work on the Monday after.
6. To keep things simple - while we can talk about structure, character, plot, world… the THREE things we WILL be CRITIQUING IS:
   • a. GOAL - Does the character have one?
   • b. STAKES - Is it clear what bad thing will happen to character if he/she doesn’t achieve goal? (I.E. Does the reader care?)
   • c. CONFLICT - Is there compelling drama, tension and obstacles? (I.E. Will the reader be engaged?)
7. Dogwood and Jinn are using pen names. Please refer to them as such on podcasts and publicly.
8. Just a reminder – Prompts can be ANYTHING. A single word. A phrase. A quote. A song. A picture. A painting. A scent.
9. We are OFFICIALLY starting on January 9th. The FIRST deadline will be January 16th. The FIRST podcast taping will be January 19th.

That’s it from me.

But I can’t help myself from going off on a tangent for a bit.

We all know the Agora “CUB” method of critiquing copy, yes? Confused, Unbelievable and Bored?

Take a look at 6a, 6b and 6c again.

• If your protagonist doesn’t have a clear goal… the reader is confused.
• If your protagonist doesn’t have real stakes… the reader doesn’t care (because he doesn’t believe).
• If your protagonist doesn’t have conflict that puts him in danger… the reader is bored.

Goal, Stakes and Conflict.

Oops.Two more:

10. You may use the same character in a series of flash-fiction/scenes.
    • Write 4-5 scenes in a series… you end up with a short story.
    • Write 10-12 scenes in a series… you end up with a novelette.
    • Write 20-24 scenes in a series… you end up with a novella.
    • Write 100 scenes in a series… you end up with a book
11. You can use the prompt in WHATEVER fashion you want. You’re not restricted to using it in the title, the text or even reference it. It just needs to lead you to writing a scene.