Friday, May 2, 2014

May's Chatterbox Announced


Every month, I seem to forget that I host a thing called Chatterbox and that it begins at the start of every month, and that I'm obliged to make up a topic and dispense it to you like aspirin, to chew on at your will and come out with something fabulous. Those of you who don't know what Chatterbox is, may I introduce you?
Chatterbox is a monthly event created and hosted by me, designed as a quick dialog exercise. It doesn't have to be strictly dialog, as I enjoy good description too, but centering your piece around a conversation is the general idea. I assign a topic (usually one that can be taken any of several ways) and it is your job to write a conversation between your characters, using this prompt. When you've posted your piece on your blog, come back here and leave your link on the link-up below.
Quite easy, quite helpful. I always love reading the many entries that come in! I ought to participate myself, someday. I always say that and I always mean it, but it isn't overly often that I do prompts outside of my general course of writing. That's the point of writing prompt, right? To crack you out of the realm of normal? Hmmmm. This month, I might do it. I will do it. Hold me to it, please, won't you? (Such a jolly idea of mine, ten days before I leave the country. Har HAR.)

I threw around quite a few horrible suggestions for May before settling on one that I think will please those of you who are metaphorical, those of you who are literal, those who are humorous, curious, or whimsical. This topic is, of course,
Water.
Can't live without it, too much will kill you, it can be a salvation or a terror depending on whether it comes as the last drop of moisture in a desert, or an unforeseen tsunami. I remember reading Little Town on The Prairie and marveling over the intellectual debate held in the town hall over which was the more powerful: fire or water. Water won, for water can put out fire in the end. Water has many biblical parallels, geographical, historical, and environmental effects, and much much symbolism. You can be a scientist and study water, or an Olympic swimmer and use water. Put strychnine in the well and the whole family will DIE in fearful AGONIES. Crush a leaf of mint in a mountain stream and the drink will be the sweetest you've ever tasted. Find the Fountain of Youth and you'll live forever. Go down Niagara Falls in a barrel and you'll live a second.

Water is a marvelous thing. Write about it and leave your link below.

8 comments:

Kendra E. Ardnek said...

Ooh, water. That's a perfect topic for one of my books.

Participating in your own linkup is difficult, I agree. I used to make sure I posted mine within twenty-four hours with my link-up, Character Encounters. Now I'm lucky to make it within twenty-four days. Good luck though!

Elizabeth said...

I love doing these!

Jenny Freitag said...

Chatterbox is pretty much the bee's mid-leg bendy bits, I would agree. If you don't mind, Rachel, I'll just pester you until a) you kill me, b) you write a Chatterbox this month, or c) you conveniently flee the country. ^_^

Elisabeth Grace Foley said...

Ooo, another good one. I spent this morning going through the outlines of my current projects looking for anything remotely watery...I think I've got a sort-of idea, but we'll have to see how it pans out.

Esther Brooksmith (wisdomcreates) said...

I suppose I can guess what direction Mrs. Rachel Lynde would take on this one, eh?

Esther Brooksmith (wisdomcreates) said...

There's no rules against writing two posts are there?

Zenta said...

Oh, so THAT'S what Chatterbox is! I've seen it floating around, but never quite made the connection. Fascinating! I may join in sometime soon! :)

Rachel Heffington said...

Quite so, Spork! You ought to join in. Such larks!