Post by myrthman on May 13, 2011 10:03:59 GMT -5
I had a couple such ideas in a college writing class based on prompts (I wish I could find what I ended up writing!) and a few others recently.
1. Prompt: "One character finds something in the pocket of another. What is it and what sort of conflict does it cause?"
Idea: A wife doing laundry find's a strange-to-her key in the pocket of her husband's pants. On investigating, she learns it's a key to an airport locker. She finds the locker and, fearing the worst, opens it. What she finds is not at all what she expected: the uniform of their city's super-heroic guardian.
2. Prompt: "Think of someone you know now that you find absolutely boring to be around until you learn _____ about them. What is it you learned and how does it impact your relationship with this person?"
Idea: The person I thought boring was my then boss, who, regardless of the weather and whether he was inside, outside, or upside-down, always wore a driving cap (think English cabby). I never once knew what was underneath (he even had it on in his wedding picture on the wall of his office). The fictional thing I learned about was that he was hiding an exposed metal plate over the top of his skull. This prompted an idea of a time-traveling android who wears a driving cap to hide his true, automaton nature from the 1870s-ish people with whom he interacts. He travels through history, gaining knowledge and powers, but never removing his cap.
3. No prompt. Idea: A wannabe superhero in his late 20s or 30s still lives at home with mom and dad. He has to sneak around more than the usual superhero because Mom often expects him home for dinner. His costume is very much homemade (think Kickass) and he has no actual powers.
4. No prompt. Idea: A wannabe superhero (maybe the same one as #3, maybe not) has absolutely no sewing skills and rents a costume (often different from the last time) from a party rental store before he goes on patrol.
Have you had any campy superhero ideas? How would you respond to the prompts in #1 and #2?
__________________
By the way, E.J., I was thinking of you when I wrote this, but all commentators will be appreciated!
1. Prompt: "One character finds something in the pocket of another. What is it and what sort of conflict does it cause?"
Idea: A wife doing laundry find's a strange-to-her key in the pocket of her husband's pants. On investigating, she learns it's a key to an airport locker. She finds the locker and, fearing the worst, opens it. What she finds is not at all what she expected: the uniform of their city's super-heroic guardian.
2. Prompt: "Think of someone you know now that you find absolutely boring to be around until you learn _____ about them. What is it you learned and how does it impact your relationship with this person?"
Idea: The person I thought boring was my then boss, who, regardless of the weather and whether he was inside, outside, or upside-down, always wore a driving cap (think English cabby). I never once knew what was underneath (he even had it on in his wedding picture on the wall of his office). The fictional thing I learned about was that he was hiding an exposed metal plate over the top of his skull. This prompted an idea of a time-traveling android who wears a driving cap to hide his true, automaton nature from the 1870s-ish people with whom he interacts. He travels through history, gaining knowledge and powers, but never removing his cap.
3. No prompt. Idea: A wannabe superhero in his late 20s or 30s still lives at home with mom and dad. He has to sneak around more than the usual superhero because Mom often expects him home for dinner. His costume is very much homemade (think Kickass) and he has no actual powers.
4. No prompt. Idea: A wannabe superhero (maybe the same one as #3, maybe not) has absolutely no sewing skills and rents a costume (often different from the last time) from a party rental store before he goes on patrol.
Have you had any campy superhero ideas? How would you respond to the prompts in #1 and #2?
__________________
By the way, E.J., I was thinking of you when I wrote this, but all commentators will be appreciated!
