Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Best Thanksgiving episode ever

For your favorite series, create a Thanksgiving episode.

What's the goal? To get everyone together? To survive? To find something to be thankful for?

Be sure to include a unicorn.

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

No thanks

Use at least 15 of the following words in a piece that is NOT about the Thanksgiving holiday.  (Just like eating a Thanksgiving feast, it helps to pace yourself rather than try to cram them all in at the beginning!)

pie
turkey
thanks
giving
cornucopia or horn of plenty
family
fall
feast
gravy
relatives
harvest
oven
squash
Thursday
tradition
pudding
pilgrims
gather

Sunday, November 17, 2013

Instigation: Creative prompts on the dark side

I've referenced Michael Arnzen's horrifically twisted writing prompts a couple of times.

Instigation: Creative prompts on the dark side is a book of 500 of them. For all of NaNoWriMo month -- November for those who haven't discovered NaNoWriMo yet! ;-) -- it's half off. (Since it's usually only $3.99, if you miss the special, it's still affordable. :-)

From his website: "This ebook is available for all reading devices (including .pdf) and features 500 "prompts" and includes special help and articles for all you binge writers madly typing away on a novel in the month of November. Offer ends Dec 1st at Midnight, so act quick:  Get your copy now for just $1.99."

Beached

#6 19 Images you won't believe aren't Photoshopped

Wednesday, November 13, 2013

Fool's errand

by Julian Totino Todesco
As part of your wizard training, you've been sent on a Fool's errand.

Who is the Fool?

What does the Fool want?

Why is following the request of a Fool a useful training exercise?

Friday, November 08, 2013

Valued values

I can't believe I never posted a list of abstract values. Unless I called it something weird so it doesn't show up in a search.

Well if I didn't, here's a list. The values are divided into 5 basic categories: Aesthetics, Mental, Power, Practical, Social, Spiritual. Each also is identified by a type. The types span categories, so there are, for example, Aesthetic, Social and Spiritual ways to form Connections. (Categorized according to Gordon Allport's scheme in Allport-Vernon-Lindzey Study of Values. I changed the words used for the categories since his language was outdated.)

If you'd like to sort them, Story Sculptor comes with a spreadsheet version. The Values sheet does some other nifty things like a randomizer and the ability to check off the ones that match your character. (The list is also larger with over 400 values. Which is probably way more than anyone needs! ;-))

AESTHETICS
BeautyBeauty
BalanceCalm
ComfortCalm
ContentmentCalm
EquanimityCalm
PeacefulnessCalm
SilenceCalm
SolitudeCalm
TranquilityCalm
NatureConnection
RomanceConnection
SensitivityConnection
SensualityConnection
SexualityConnection
TraditionConnection
AdventureEnergy
CreativityEnergy
OptimismEnergy
PassionEnergy
YouthfulnessEnergy
FreedomIndividualism
IndependenceIndividualism
IndividualismIndividualism
IndividualityIndividualism
LibertyIndividualism
OriginalityIndividualism
EntertainmentJoy
HappinessJoy
HopefulnessJoy
HumorJoy
PlayJoy
PleasureJoy
SatisfactionJoy
WitJoy
OrderOrder
PerfectionPurity
PurityPurity
CharmStyle
DignityStyle
Looking goodStyle
SimplicityStyle
ChangeVariety
Richness of livingWealth
MENTAL
IntuitionCleverness
InventivenessCleverness
CuriosityCuriosity
AwarenessThought
ImpartialityThought
LogicThought
ReasonThought
TruthThought
UnderstandingThought
WisdomThought
POWER
AggressivenessAggression
AmbitionAggression
AssertivenessAggression
BoldnessAggression
CompetitivenessAggression
ControlAggression
PowerAggression
WinningAggression
FameAttention
PopularityAttention
Respect from othersAttention
StatusAttention
StrengthAttention
LeadershipThought
PRACTICAL
CoolnessAttitude
Self-controlAttitude
Self-relianceAttitude
StabilityAttitude
ConfidenceDetermination
DisciplineDetermination
PerseveranceDetermination
ResilienceDetermination
SteadfastnessDetermination
CompetitionEnergy
DeterminationEnergy
EnduranceEnergy
IndustryEnergy
PersistenceEnergy
TenacityEnergy
CautiousnessExactness
DiligenceExactness
MeticulousnessExactness
VigilanceExactness
ThriftFrugality
ForesightGrowth
PurposefulnessGrowth
SuccessGrowth
CleanlinessHealth
FitnessHealth
LongevityHealth
SecurityHealth
EducationKnowledge
ExperienceKnowledge
IntelligenceKnowledge
KnowledgeKnowledge
MaturityKnowledge
WealthProsperity
AutonomySelf
Family securitySelf
National securitySelf
SelfSelf
ConscientiousnessSkillfulness
DiscernmentSkillfulness
EfficiencySkillfulness
FlexibilitySkillfulness
MasterySkillfulness
OrganizationSkillfulness
PreparednessSkillfulness
ReadinessSkillfulness
SpeedSkillfulness
UsefulnessSkillfulness
SOCIAL
AcceptanceConnection
BelongingConnection
CitizenshipConnection
CommitmentConnection
ConnectionConnection
CooperativenessConnection
DependabilityConnection
FaithfulnessConnection
FamilyConnection
HelpfulnessConnection
LoyaltyConnection
RemembranceConnection
RespectfulnessConnection
ResponsibilityConnection
ServiceConnection
SharingConnection
AltruismFairness
CharityFairness
DutyFairness
EqualityFairness
FairnessFairness
ForgivenessFairness
GenerosityFairness
JusticeFairness
LawfulnessFairness
PhilanthropyFairness
SacrificeFairness
SelflessnessFairness
ToleranceFairness
BraveryHeroism
CourageHeroism
HeroismHeroism
FidelityHonesty
HonestyHonesty
HonorHonesty
IntegrityHonesty
TrustworthinessHonesty
ConformityPeacekeeping
CorrectnessPeacekeeping
HumilityPeacekeeping
MeeknessPeacekeeping
ModestyPeacekeeping
MoralityPeacekeeping
Non-violencePeacekeeping
ObediencePeacekeeping
PatiencePeacekeeping
PeacePeacekeeping
Peaceful worldPeacekeeping
PrivacyPeacekeeping
PrudencePeacekeeping
RestraintPeacekeeping
SportsmanshipPeacekeeping
TactfulnessPeacekeeping
TemperancePeacekeeping
SincerityTruthfulness
TruthfulnessTruthfulness
CompassionWarmth
ConsiderationWarmth
CourtesyWarmth
FriendlinessWarmth
FriendshipWarmth
GentlenessWarmth
GratitudeWarmth
HospitalityWarmth
KindnessWarmth
LoveWarmth
MercyWarmth
OpennessWarmth
PolitenessWarmth
ThoughtfulnessWarmth
SPIRITUAL
SalvationBelief
SpiritualityBelief
TranscendenceBelief
TraditionConnection
UnityConnection
AbstinencePractice
ChastityPractice
Detachment from thingsPractice
DevoutnessPractice
FaithPractice
MindfulnessPractice
ModerationPractice
PietyPractice
ReverencePractice
RitualPractice

Wednesday, November 06, 2013

Super Alpha

by Andrey Pavlov
For each later of the alphabet create a superhero name. They can be alliterative -- each word of the name starting with the same letter -- or just the first.