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A list of the prompts used in the World Weavers' Championship |
| Round One - February 2015 Prompt One - Birth ▼ To celebrate the birth of this contest, your first prompt is birth (cunning, right?). The creation of life is an amazing thing. A new person is created and joins with a community who will raise him, shape him, and teach him about his world. One of the most important things that can happen to a community is a birth. So what does this mean in your world? Things to consider...  How does your fictional community mark the birth of a new member? Is it an organic birth or a synthetic creation? A physical birth or a spiritual one? If you’re looking to develop a faction, how do they initiate and celebrate a new member? How does your society view the creation of life? Birth rates or child mortality rates might affect the importance of a healthy child, or shape the details of when and how rituals are performed. If this birth is not a matter of organic reproduction, how does your society feel about the induction of a new member?Write us the scene where your character participates (or is the focus of) a ritual to mark a birth into a culture. Prompt Two - Sanctum ▼ Let’s take a step back and give you a warm up now. Domus sua cuique est tutissimum refugium. Every man’s house is his refuge. Whether it is a bedroom, an office, an apartment, or a secret lair at the foot of a volcano, most characters have a place they can call their own. It contains their belongings and is arranged to their comfort. It is their nest and sanctuary. Write a scene where a character of your choice is taking refuge from his or her troubles in their sanctuary. Focus on the things about this sanctuary which give them comfort and why. Prompt Three - Fashion ▼ Clothes serve the basic purpose of keeping people warm and not naked. But if that was all we needed from them we’d all be wearing wool sacks. Show us what your character wears and why. Things to consider… What are the clothes in your world like? What are they made of? What are normal clothes and when and why would someone wear something else? Do certain garments your character wars have a history behind them? Do they mean something? Or are we all just struggling to be as different as everyone else? Prompt Four - Monsters ▼ What kinds of monsters exist in your world? Few monsters are as simple as wild beasts. Monsters are dangerous. Monsters are not just agents of destruction, but of horror and perversion. Monsters take a happy, healthy person and turn them into something else. Things to consider... What monsters predate your society? What uncontrolled threat makes hearts skip a beat and turns on lights? Where do these monsters operate? How? Is it dark alleys at midnight, the ethereal planes of the internet, or are they summoned by particular misdeeds? How are monsters made? What do they do and how can a normal person hope to protect themselves against the things lurking in the darkness?Prompt Five - Fortune ▼ Almost as scary as monsters (although there might be monsters in it) is the future. It’s a great well of unknown, of accidents and windfalls. Seemingly random (*ahem*) events come together to lead to a conclusion that in hindsight was almost inevitable. Things to consider... How is the future made in your world?Is it woven and unwoven by old crones in a cave? Is it plotted and predicted by supercomputers? Do guardian spirits and rituals ward off bad luck and bring in the good? Is the world just a loveless rock where a man has to take his good fortune off the backs of others? What is it about the future which scares your character? Is it the lottery bowl on Reaping Day? Is it a looming chasm full of chickens coming home to roost? Is it an expectation he or she isn’t ready to fulfil?Prompt Six - Pet Crusade ▼ Putting the world to rights. This will either be the easiest or hardest prompt of the round. There is something in your world your protagonist dislikes; something they want to see fixed. Whether they have the power to fix it, whether changing it is the focus of your plot or whether this issue forms the walls of your cattle run, show us this thing and why your character opposes it. Things to consider... Is it the pervasive greed and corruption of Gotham City? The tyranny of vapid Capitol over the Districts? Is it a pet peeve which just frustrates your character in their low moments or the cause they champion? Is it a flaw which causes problems for your character or something they watch from the sunny side of the fence with disapproval?Prompt Seven - Feast ▼ Today you’re sending a reporter out to study your society at a feast. As an outsider they will be recording and explaining the reason for this celebration and its history. They will need to describe the food, the music, the decorations, the clothes, every trapping the native group applies to the event. It could be a harvest festival, a religious festival, a coming-of-age party, whatever you decide is enough reason for a society to let its hair down and eat themselves stupid. When they get back, give us their report. It could be a magazine article, a missive from the king’s chronicler, a letter to a relative, whatever feels appropriate within your setting. Prompt Eight - Gender Roles ▼ Time for another predictable prompt. Like costume, it’s an element I have a particular interest in; not so much in terms of what the answer is, but I feel it is important for an author to have an answer. Often I meet with settings where not only are the genders equal, but they have been so for as long as anyone can remember. On the other hand it’s also easy to mimic the male-over-female balance which has been prevalent in many real cultures just because (especially if you’re writing about a real or historical society). I want you to think about what the balance of gender rights and roles is in your culture and more importantly demonstrate why it is what it is. Things to consider... Was it a fight of long years to obtain true equality? Is it the symptom of a restriction on all human rights?Does one gender have more rights than the other? Or are their rights different and considered equal? How do your characters feel about this aspect of their culture?How many genders exist in your culture? Some recognise more than male and female.Prompt Nine - Beauty ▼ Today I want you to consider the place of beauty in your world. It could be beauty in the human form, but that is only one example. It could be something in nature, or art, or a kind of beauty which isn’t seen so much as observed like the beauty in a spirit or concept. What is your example of beauty? What qualities make it beautiful?Is beauty at all important in your world? What value does this beautiful thing have and to who?Prompt Ten - Animal ▼ On our last day together, I’d like you to choose an animal (preferably not a pet) and use it to demonstrate something about your world. This animal might be your metaphor for a group or society. Why? Or a symbol adopted by a group because of its particular meaning to them. Why did they choose it? What does it mean for them? Or you might use this animal to describe the time and place of your setting: like a tiger stalking through bamboo or a pigeon sat on a windowsill.Round Two - May 2015 Prompt One - Colour Pink ▼ One of the most basic methods of communication is through colour. In the western cultures of Earth red is generally a warning colour. It demands attention and advises caution. It says ‘there is danger here, so wake up!’. Other colours have other meanings and each culture applies different meanings to colours. Black too is the colour of death, but it’s also the colour of sin and the colour of service or function. Write a scene in which the/a meaning of the colour pink features. For example, if pink is a wedding colour, write about a wedding. If it’s the colour of shame, write a scene in which a character is ‘pinked’. Things to consider... Is this colour being used as part of a ritual or ceremony, or is it used to flag something? what idea or feeling does it represent? Has language been affected by the meaning of pink? We have the phrases “black as sin”, “green light”, and “feeling blue”. Is there a colour which has a meaning opposed to or linked to pink’s? Prompt Two - Summer Days ▼ This round we’re going to look a little bit more at the geographic properties of your world. In Europe we have four seasons: spring, summer, autumn, and winter. This is not universal the world over and it does not have to be the case in your world. Even then, the lengths of these seasons and how pronounced they are from each other varies again depending on where on Earth you might be. In some places spring brings bright sunlight and green grass, while in others it means avalanches and melt water floods. Today I want you to write about summer in your world and what it means to its people. If your ‘world’ is a high school, summer might mean freedom, parties, and seaside vacations. If it’s a near-desert landscape, summer might mean drought or an alpine setting might mean it’s finally time you can start grazing livestock again. Things to consider… What is the climate during summer? What are the effects of that climate on the landscape? What activities take place in summer? Celebrations? Precautions? What is your character doing? Is there something he would rather be doing, if duty stands between him and recreation? How does your character feel about the approach of summer? How do the people around him feel about it? Is it a good thing? A scary thing? Prompt Three - Tea for Two ▼ There are a number of things two or people more can do to socialise. The one I want you to write about today is social drinking, whether it be an evening in, a night out, meeting at a coffee shop, or afternoon tea. Write a scene where your character is hanging out with someone over drinks. Things to consider… What beverage are the characters drinking? How is it served? Are they drinking exactly the same thing? What is the traditional venue attached to this activity? Your characters shouldn’t be having a meal, but they might be indulging in bar snacks or a biscuit. If so, what are they eating and what is there for them to choose from? What history or relationship does your character have with the activity? Did she learn how to make tea from her grandmother? Did his best friend introduce him to his favourite watering hole? Is it a familial duty? Prompt Four - Naming ▼ A great deal of effort goes into choosing a person’s name: whether that name is chosen by an author, a parent, or someone else. A person’s name is integral to their identity and the process of choosing, the reasoning behind the choice, reflects on the namer and their background. Write a scene in which the meaning of your character’s name is discussed. Things to consider… What are the naming conventions in your world? ‘Christian’ standard is First-Middle-Surname. Spanish is First-First-Paternal first surname-Maternal first Surname. Japanese is Surname-Given name. Think also about how names are feminised or any other rules which exist. Who named the character? What’s the origin of the name? What does it mean? What does it mean to the person who chose it? For example: was ‘Mark’ chosen because it’s a biblical name, because “Marcus” means "consecrated to the god Mars”, or because his mother’s first love was called Mark? What does the name mean to the character bearing it? Does he like it or dislike it and why? Are there any in/famous people who share the name? Prompt Five - Flowers ▼ What do you think of when I say “rose”? Or “daffodil”? Flowers may have personal meanings and bring to mind a memory, but behind that each flower has a cultural meaning. Roses are flowers of love. Daffodils of spring. Lilies of death. Daisies of childhood. Write a scene which features any flower (excluding those listed above) and mentions or demonstrates its cultural meaning. Things to consider… Which flower have you chosen? What does it look like? Smell like? What are the plant’s needs? It’s natural environment? Is it native or specially cultivated at great cost? What does the flower mean? What is it associated with? How does your character feel about these flowers and their meaning? Example: someone might think roses on Valentines Day is a cliche or romantic, he might be charmed at receiving them, he might be giving the bouquet in the hope it will be endearing. If this flower has a personal meaning to your character which either aligns or differs from the cultural meaning, cover both. Prompt Six - Ghost Stories ▼ Stories of the supernatural are scattered throughout history, throughout all the cultures of Earth. Tales of vengeance from beyond the grave, of fel creatures in the night, of mad killers caught in ancient curses. Write a scene in which a ghost story or urban myth is related. Take care! Your ghost story should be a ghost story within the scene, not a haunting of your character (unless you do both). It should not be ‘how vampires/werewolves really work in my canon’. What I’m looking for is the kind of story teenagers tell on Halloween. Things to consider… Many folk tales have a piece of morality at their core: ‘this is what happens to x when they y’. Or else they are rooted (or supposedly rooted) in a horrible event which actually happened. What traditions surround ghost stories in your world and this one in particular? Is this story being told on Halloween with flashlights on the kitchen floor? Hissed at errant children by adults? Explained dramatically by a tour guide? What’s the hanging hook on the ghost story? A prediction on the appearance of the creature? A way to summon it deliberately or inadvertently? How does your character feel about the story? Does he believe it? Does he dare disbelieve it? What memories might he have memories of when he first heard it? Prompt Seven - Dating ▼ It’s time to break your reporters and chroniclers back out of the box. They have another piece of research to do. In round one I asked you to send them to a celebration feast. This time… Write an article on “how to date a {...}” :) As before, this can be a magazine article, part of a self-help book or a letter home from a student or scholar. Whatever form fits your world best. Things to consider… Who is writing this piece? Start at the beginning. What are the do’s and don’t’s? Why? How does one appear attractive to the targeted group? What are the courting rituals? Movies? Dinner dates? Sending flowers? What are the advantages and disadvantages of a relationship with someone from this group? Prompt Eight - Games ▼ What is the ‘national’ pastime for your world? To be more specific, I want you to pick a competitive activity, whether it’s a team sport or a one-to-one strategy game. It should be an activity in which competitors can be ranked and recognised for their ability. Write a scene where your character is watching a game. Things to consider… Some games were developed to hone skills or muscle groups needed for productive activities. How can the skills used in the game be applied to other tasks? What skills or attributes does your society value? What is the history of your game? How did it come to be? If applicable to your world, consider popularised entertainment. What are the stadiums like? The celebrities? The regulatory bodies? If popular entertainment doesn’t apply to your world, why does it not? (This can be as simple as ‘there’s no such thing as TV in medieval France’). Where and when is the game played and by whom? Prompt Nine - Sickness ▼ Mortals are plagued with a number of problems in their lifetimes, including literal plagues. Today I’m not after a lethal outbreak of infectious disease, but something endemic. Write a scene in which a character is suffering from a common illness and how their condition is treated. This might be a simple cold or something more serious, but it should be curable (whether your character has access to the cure or not). It shouldn’t be a total surprise to the character: instances of people contracting it should be fairly normal. On top of showing me what this illness is, I want you to show me what healthcare is available in your world. Things to consider… How is the illness contracted? Is it a virus, a bug, or some other kind of ailment? How serious is the illness? How does your victim character react to catching it and being ill? How do others react? What kind of treatment is available? If different kinds of care are available to different groups of people, what kind of care does your character get compared to others?Prompt Ten - Travel ▼ Before we close, I’m going to bring back one last prompt related to the physical geography of your world: travel. Different environments, different levels of technology, different resources, different purposes, come together in the development of a mode of travel. Even if the answer to this question is obvious, take a moment to think and understand why your mode of travel is the inevitable solution. Write a scene where your character must travel to another town. Things to consider... What mode of travel is within your character’s means? What is this mode of travel? How does it work? What does it look like? Is this mode of travel common or uncommon and why? Why is your character travelling out of town? Is this normal for them or a big deal to leave a familiar place? Are there any dangers to worry about? Pilot error? Pirates? Round Three - July & August 2015 Write & Review - Redemption Story ▼ Round Three Prompt: The redemption of a pariah. One of our favourite stories is that of the outcast being absolved of his sins. For this prompt it is important that your pariah has actually performed a sin of some kind, whether it is simply the breaking of a taboo or the breaking of a law. I don’t want to see any underdogs unfairly oppressed: the character in question should have done something to offend someone. Whether this thing is actually his fault or he has been handed the blame for someone else’s failings, is another question. So, what is the nature of this sin? How did it happen? Why did he do it? Or if he’s not to blame, why did the blame fall on him? And, of course, how does he redeem himself? Does he clear his name? Obtain the forgiveness of those he wronged? Does he have to complete a task or ritual of penitence? Round Four - January 2016 Prompt One - Reputation ▼ A character does not exist independent of his or her environment. For that reason many of these prompts will be as related to a character as they are to his world. As an introduction to round 4, we’ll begin with an introduction to a character and his or her relationship with the world. A reputation is second- or third-hand knowledge of a person or place. It may be of disputed accuracy, but it influences a person’s expectations and how they behave when first meeting with the object of the reputation. Write a meeting where a character’s reputation has preceded them. What is the character’s reputation? How do other people respond to it? How did he earn it? Did he earn it? Does the character care about his reputation and how it affects people? Prompt Two - Love ▼ Love comes in many forms and the ideals attached to love differ for each type and each origin. Choose carefully what kind of love you want to cover: it need not be romantic or happy love. Write a scene in which a character demonstrates their love for someone. Things to consider: What type of love is at work here? Romantic, parental, fraternal, or something else? Is this type of love generally respected? Is parental love dismissed as sentimentality or considered a virtue? What separates a petty infatuation from true romantic love in the minds of the people? Is this love returned? Is it unnoticed? Is it deliberately hidden? How does the character demonstrate his love? Is it appropriate? Is it subtle?Prompt Three - Crime ▼ Laws come into being as a matter of necessity to protect a society and keep it functioning. What constitutes a crime, what motivates one, and how crime is combatted are your questions for today. Write a scene in which a character witnesses or discovers a crime of which he or she is not a direct victim. What is the nature of the crime? How does the character react? What does the character do? What should he or she do? How is your world policed? What is done to prevent crimes? What is done to perform justice?Prompt Four - Sanctum ▼ Domus sua cuique est tutissimum refugium. Every man’s house is his refuge. Whether it is a bedroom, an office, an apartment, or a secret lair at the foot of a volcano, most characters have a place they can call their own. It contains their belongings and is arranged to their comfort. It is their nest and sanctuary. Write a scene where a character of your choice is taking refuge from his or her troubles in a personal sanctuary. Where is this place? Does it have a special meaning to the character? What about this sanctum or retreat gives him or her comfort? Why? What is it that he or she is seeking refuge from? Is the distress emotional? Spiritual? Or perhaps there is a physical threat?Prompt Five - Fire ▼ Fire is the combined heat and light released during the chemical process known as combustion. It can vary in colour and heat depending on the components in the reaction and it has always held enormous significance in both physics and human history. Today’s prompt is something of a free prompt in that I’m not going to tell you how to interpret this one. Whatever you think of as the most fitting or meaningful is what you are going to cover. That might be the threat of forest fire, a metaphor for destruction, a religious observance, a way in which fire is used… show me what fire means for your characters. Is this fire literal and physical? Is it metaphoric, symbolic, or mystic? What does it do? What is its place in your world? What does this kind of fire mean to your characters? Do they fear it, use it, admire it? What is done to control this fire? To combat it or ignite it?Prompt Six - Tea for Two ▼ There are a number of things two or people more can do to socialise. The one I want you to write about today is social drinking, whether it be an evening in, a night out, meeting at a coffee shop, or afternoon tea. Write a scene where a character is hanging out with someone over drinks. Things to consider… What beverage are the characters drinking? How is it served? Are they drinking exactly the same thing? What is the traditional venue attached to this activity? Is this a casual thing or does the event carry some import? The characters shouldn’t be having a meal, but they might be indulging in bar snacks or a biscuit. If so, what are they eating and what is there for them to choose from? What history or relationship does your character have with the activity? Did she learn how to make tea from her grandmother? Did his best friend introduce him to his favourite watering hole? Is it a familial duty?Prompt Seven - New Year ▼ It is time to send out your reporters again to study a tradition of your world. Today you can face the topic head-on. These reporters should be of your world, but they can either be part of the society you have been writing about or from another place unfamiliar with the rituals. The report can be a magazine article, a letter to a relative, a missive from the king’s chronicler, a live recording, a child’s homework… whatever you like. Your reports are going to report on New Year observances. How is the New Year observed? Is it an outright celebration or something more reserved? Is it purely social or spiritual? What are the trappings of New Year? How are things decorated (if they are)? What is eaten? What is drunk? New Year comes at the end of one year and the beginning of the next. Which is more important to this festival? Which season does it take place in? What marks this date? Why did they choose this as the day the year changes? Prompt Eight - Suicide ▼ We have reached now probably the heaviest prompt of the round. Death is always a difficult thing for anyone to experience. It is always with us and can come from many causes. One of these is self-destruction. Different peoples have different attitudes to suicide and different traditions around it. Write a scene in which a character learns someone they know has committed suicide. How and why did the dead character kill himself? What it simply for self-destruction or to make a statement? Was it a protest, an escape, a way to preserve honour in a lose-lose situation? What is the general attitude to this kind of death? Is it lauded as a brave and virtuous thing? Is it condemned as sinful or weak? Is it shameful for a different reason? Subsequently, how is the body treated? How does the character receiving this new react? How are they expected or permitted to react?Prompt Nine - Conservation ▼ Conservation n. the action of conserving something, in particular: preservation, protection or restoration of the natural environment and of wildlife. preservation and repair of archaeological, historical and cultural sites and artefacts.With enough time all things come to an end. Some things are worth fighting for either for their own sake or the benefit of future generations. What is deliberately preserved in your world? Write a scene which features a subject of conservation. A character might be visiting it, debating it, working to protect it, dismissing it… What is the thing being preserved? A place? A creature? A monument? If it is not under conservation, was it in the past or is something lobbying to get it protected? Why is it / should it be protected? What is its important? Do the characters care, object or have mixed feelings about it? What are the methods used to preserve it?Prompt Ten - Boogeymen ▼ Teaching children right and wrong is a vital task for adults and it is not always easy. Bribing them into good behaviour doesn’t always work. The other technique used is the threat of enforcement. Before Santa stories stories were sanitised into giving coal to bad children, Krampus came to steal them. Write a scene in which a character chastises a child with a story about the fate of badly behaved children. What has the child done to earn a telling-off? What is the enforce and what becomes of bad boys and girls? Is this story different from the one the adult character was told in childhood? Is the story personalised? How is it delivered? Is the threat effective?Round Five - April 2016 Prompt One - Introductions ▼ Before you - or as you - introduce us to your world, introduce us to a character. I could go into experiencing the world through protagonists or roles within society, but today’s focus is on the methods or rituals of introduction themselves. Write a scene in which a character is introduced by a friend. Who are the characters and why are they meeting? What is the context? How is the character introduced? Formally or informally? How much ceremony is involved? What gestures are used? How is the character received and why? What about the character creates this impression?Prompt Two - Music ▼ Music has a long history, varying hugely by culture and purpose. There is operatic music, cinematic, rock ‘n’ roll, dubstep, trance, dance… too many kinds to consider under a single prompt. Even so, I leave the exact details of this one up to you. Write a scene featuring one type of music in your world and its role. Is it ceremonial music, celebratory, casual, easy listening? Is it songs to lift spirits, to lay the dead to rest, to seduce, to inspire? What instruments are used to create this sound? Where is is performed?Prompt Three - Colour Yellow ▼ One of the most basic methods of communication is through colour. In the western cultures of Earth red is generally a warning colour. It demands attention and advises caution. It says ‘there is danger here, so wake up!’. Other colours have other meanings and each culture applies different meanings to colours. Black too is the colour of death, but it’s also the colour of sin and the colour of service or function. Write a scene in which the/a meaning of the colour yellow features. For example, if yellow is a royal colour, write about a royal ceremony. If it’s the colour of shame, write a scene in which a character is ‘yellow’. Things to consider... Is this colour being used as part of a ritual or ceremony, or is it used to flag something? what idea or feeling does it represent? Has language been affected by the meaning of purple? We have the phrases “black as sin”, “green light”, and “feeling blue”. Is there a colour which has a meaning opposed to or linked to yellow?Prompt Four - Nightmares ▼ Dreams are said to be a process of the mind filtering memories into storage, a sort of de-fragmentation of the brain. Some believe dreams contain messages from the subconscious or external forces. Write a scene where your character is woken by a nightmare. What do your people think of dreams? What do they believe about them? How do they cope with bad dreams? What is behind this nightmare? Is it born from a phobia, a nagging unease, or indigestion?Prompt Five - Heroes ▼ A hero is a person who performs extraordinary deeds for the benefit of others. The deed may be small or large, it may impact a few individuals or a nation. The hero may be a hero in name only or striving for virtue. And one man’s hero can be another’s villain. Write a scene in which the funeral or anniversary of a hero is celebrated. Why was this person considered a hero in your world? What did they achieve? What are your character’s feelings on it? Does he agree or disagree with this person’s heroic status? How is the hero celebrated?Prompt Six - Virtues ▼ Following from yesterday’s heroics, today I want you to consider virtue. A virtue is a positive trait or quality deemed to be morally good and thus is valued as a foundation of principle and good moral being. You only need to cover one and it needn’t be the most important one, but show us is important in your world. Write a scene in which a character demonstrates a virtue. What is considered a virtue? What is thought valuable or admirable? Why is this quality held in esteem? What is the opposing vice to this virtue? Are there detractors who undermine the reasoning behind this virtue? Is this quality considered a virtue within only one subculture or faction?Prompt Seven - Feasts ▼ Today you’re sending a reporter out to study your society at a feast. As an outsider they will be recording and explaining the reason for this celebration and its history. They will need to describe the food, the music, the decorations, the clothes, every trapping the native group applies to the event. It could be a harvest festival, a religious festival, a coming-of-age party, whatever you decide is enough reason for a society to let its hair down and eat themselves stupid. When they get back, give us their report. It could be a magazine article, a missive from the king’s chronicler, a letter to a relative, whatever feels appropriate within your setting. What are your feasters celebrating? What degree of ceremony surrounds the feast? What are they feasting on? What dishes, what meats, what beverages are associated with this holiday? What sort of 'report' fits within your world? Who is your reporter and who are they reporting to?Prompt Eight - Slums ▼ Scavenging a living on the fringes of society are the denizens of the slums. The unwanted and unwashed, clawing a living from the mire. Poverty comes in many forms, but slums house the utterly destitute. Write a scene which takes place in a slum or shanty town. Who inhabits your slum? Refugees, immigrants, an ‘unclean’ caste, exiles? What does the place look like? Where is it? What are people living in (or on or under)? Who cares? Is the slum visited by charities aiming to alleviate poverty? Is it harassed by the authorities trying to drive unsightly beggars away from town?Prompt Nine - Beauty ▼ Today I want you to consider the place of beauty in your world. It could be beauty in the human form, but that is only one example. It could be something in nature, or art, or a kind of beauty which isn’t seen so much as observed like the beauty in a spirit or concept. What is your example of beauty? What qualities make it beautiful?Is beauty at all important in your world? What value does this beautiful thing have and to who?Prompt Ten - Animal Dog ▼ For millennia mankind has bred canines for different traits to support different purposes. The Kennel Club recognise 213 breed of dog and divides them into the following groups: Hound, Working, Gundog, Terrier, Utility, Pastoral and Toy. Write a scene which features a dog. What role does the dog play in your world? A pet? A working dog? A pest? What traits does this breed of dog have that adapt it to its circumstances? Size? Appearance? Senses? Personality?Round Six - August & September 2016 Write & Review - Secrecy ▼ Round Six Prompt: Secrecy. The act of keeping something secret. The secret in your story can be personal, commercial, national, or monumental. It could be guarding a fear or flaw or to maintain control. It could be a body in the basement, a keystone lie, or Soylent Green. As mentioned before, now and old stories are welcome even if they have an award from another contest. But remember this is a world-building contest: context is essential. Things to Consider: What is being kept secret? How did it become a secret? Who does this secret belong to? Who is protecting the secret and why? What could happen if the secret gets out? What is(are) its keeper(s) afraid of? What threatens this secret? How is the secret protected? What is secrecy worth to its keeper(s)?Round Seven - April 2017 Prompt One - Naming ▼ A great deal of effort goes into choosing a person’s name: whether that name is chosen by an author, a parent, or someone else. A person’s name is integral to their identity and the process of choosing, the reasoning behind the choice, reflects on the namer and their background. Write a scene in which the meaning of your character’s name is discussed. Things to consider… What are the naming conventions in your world? ‘Christian’ standard is First-Middle-Surname. Spanish is First-First-Paternal first surname-Maternal first Surname. Japanese is Surname-Given name. Think also about how names are feminised or any other rules which exist. Who named the character? What’s the origin of the name? What does it mean? What does it mean to the person who chose it? For example: was ‘Mark’ chosen because it’s a biblical name, because “Marcus” means "consecrated to the god Mars”, or because his mother’s first love was called Mark? What does the name mean to the character bearing it? Does he like it or dislike it and why? Are there any in/famous people who share the name?Prompt Two - Spring Days ▼ In Europe we have four seasons: spring, summer, autumn, and winter. This is not universal the world over and it does not have to be the case in your world. Even then, the lengths of these seasons and how pronounced they are from each other varies again depending on where on Earth you might be. In some places spring brings bright sunlight and green grass, while in others it means avalanches and melt water floods. Today I want you to write about Spring in your world and what it means to its people. If your ‘world’ is a high school, Spring might mean exams or Easter break. If it’s an alpine setting, Spring might mean melt-water floods or long awaited fresh pastures. If your world does not have Spring, you might write about an equivalent season of growth or reprieve. Things to consider… What is the climate during Spring? What are the effects of that climate on the landscape? What activities take place in Spring? Celebrations? Precautions? What is your character doing? Is there something he would rather be doing, if duty stands between him and recreation? How does your character feel about the approach of Spring? How do the people around him feel about it? Is it a good thing? A scary thing?Prompt Three - Gender Roles ▼ Often I meet with settings where not only are the genders equal, but they have been so for as long as anyone can remember. On the other hand it’s also easy to mimic the male-over-female balance which has been prevalent in many real cultures just because (especially if you’re writing about a real or historical society). I want you to think about what the balance of gender roles is in your culture and more importantly demonstrate why it is what it is. Things to consider... What are the roles of each gender in your world? How do your characters feel about this aspect of their culture? Do they conform to, deviate from or reject their expected role? How many genders exist in your culture? Some recognise more than only male and female. How are these genders definedPrompt Four - Virtues ▼ A virtue is a positive trait or quality deemed to be morally good and thus is valued as a foundation of principle and good moral being. You only need to cover one and it needn’t be the most important one, but show us is important in your world. Write a scene in which a character demonstrates a virtue. What is considered a virtue? What is thought valuable or admirable? Why is this quality held in esteem? What is the opposing vice to this virtue? Are there detractors who undermine the reasoning behind this virtue? Is this quality considered a virtue within only one subculture or faction?Prompt Five - Markets ▼ Trade is a necessity in any society. It would be impractical, if not impossible, for a single household to provide for all its needs from production to consumption. A market is a place for people to trade for what they need, either through barter or using currency, although there are a lot of different kinds of markets too. Write a scene which takes place in a market or fair. Things to consider: What kind of market is it? Who is selling what? Where does the market take place? Why in that place? When is the market held? Is it often or regularly or less frequently like a seasonal fair? Why are the characters at the market? What are they trying to find? It might not be what is for sale, but something else which can be found at a market (like full pockets!)Prompt Six - Creation Myths ▼ Humans are a curious species. We are also poking, testing, learning and theorising. Since our early days we have made up stories to explain how the world works and how to survive it. Write a scene which features a creation story. This could be a creation myth, part of a religion. It could be how a town or college was founded. It could be how a faction came together. Things to consider: What is is that has been created? Who created it and why? How was it created? What actions or components were used?Prompt Seven - Hobbies ▼ It is time to send out your reporters again to study a tradition of your world. Today you can face the topic head-on. These reporters should be of your world, but they can either be part of the society you have been writing about or from another place unfamiliar with the rituals. The report can be a magazine article, a letter to a relative, a missive from the king’s chronicler, a live recording, a child’s homework… whatever you like. Report on a pastime or hobby. If you choose a sport or competitive activity, the report should focus on the spectators rather than how the sport is played. What is needed for this pastime? A special place? Are equipment and materials needed? Is there a uniform or kit to be worn? What is the outcome of the pastime? Is is creative, destructive or does it only waste time? Who enjoys this hobby? What do other people think of it?Prompt Eight - Animal Bird ▼ For millennia mankind has kept and bred domesticated animals. Animals also feature prominently in literature and art. Write a scene which features a bird. Things to consider… What kind of bird is it? If the bird is a symbol for something, what does it represent and why? If it's a domesticated bird, what role does it play? Is it a pet? Food? A companion? What makes it suitable for its role? What is its natural environment and behaviours?Prompt Nine - Theatre ▼ Theatre or theater is a collaborative form of fine art that uses performers, typically actors or actresses, to present the experience of a real or imagined event before an audience. For the purposes of this prompt, I will expand “theatre” to include “cinema”. Write a scene which features a theatrical or cinematic performance. Things to consider… What kind of performance is it? A play, a musical, an opera, a silent movie? Where is it performed? Who is performing? Is it professional, amateur, or a school performance? What is being performed? Is it a new production or a cultural classic? Is it a tragedy or comedy? A history or fantasy? Who is the audience? Why are they attending?Prompt Ten - Ghost Stories ▼ Stories of the supernatural are scattered throughout history, throughout all the cultures of Earth. Tales of vengeance from beyond the grave, of fel creatures in the night, of mad killers caught in ancient curses. Write a scene in which a ghost story or urban myth is related. Take care! Your ghost story should be a ghost story within the scene, not a haunting of your character (unless you do both). It should not be ‘how vampires/werewolves really work in my canon’. What I’m looking for is the kind of story teenagers tell on Halloween. Things to consider… Many folk tales have a piece of morality at their core: ‘this is what happens to x when they y’. Or else they are rooted (or supposedly rooted) in a horrible event which actually happened. What traditions surround ghost stories in your world and this one in particular? Is this story being told on Halloween with flashlights on the kitchen floor? Hissed at errant children by adults? Explained dramatically by a tour guide? What’s the hanging hook on the ghost story? A prediction on the appearance of the creature? A way to summon it deliberately or inadvertently? How does your character feel about the story? Does he believe it? Does he dare disbelieve it? What memories might he have memories of when he first heard it?Round Eight - September 2017 Prompt One - Hierarchy ▼ Societies function and thrive through a diversity of roles and delegation of efforts. Farmers, soldiers, craftsmen, merchants... each contributes something to the whole, but co-operation needs organisation and that means some form of hierarchy. Write a scene which shows one of the hierarchies in your world. Things to consider... This might be military, corporate, familial or something else. What are some of the positions in the hierarchy and what are the roles of the individuals in those positions? How is a person's position in the hierarchy determined? If their position can change, what might change it? Or if positions can't be changed, why? What are the marks or privileges of rank? Do people dress differently? Do they live or work in different areas?Prompt Two - Colour Blue ▼ One of the most basic methods of communication is through colour. In the western cultures of Earth red is generally a warning colour. It demands attention and advises caution. It says ‘there is danger here, so wake up!’. Other colours have other meanings and each culture applies different meanings to colours. Black too is the colour of death, but it’s also the colour of sin and the colour of service or function. Write a scene in which the/a meaning of the colour blue features. For example, if blue is a royal colour, you could write about a royal ceremony. If it’s the colour of a uniform, you could write about someone receiving their uniform. If it's a warning colour, write about how it's used to provide warning. Things to consider... Is this colour being used as part of a ritual or ceremony, or is it used to flag something? what idea or feeling does it represent? Has language been affected by the meaning of purple? We have the phrases “black as sin”, “green light”, and “feeling blue”. Is there a colour which has a meaning opposed to or linked to blue?Prompt Three - Weaponry ▼ History is rife with conflict and violence. Even outside warfare and armed forces, criminals arm themselves against each other an their victims. And over time weapons develop like other technologies to overcome barriers: pierce armour, increase range, provide defence, use available materials... every kind of weapon has its story. Write a scene which features at least one weapon from your world. Things to consider... Who uses this weapon? Soldiers or military officers? Law enforcement? Criminals? How does a person acquire a weapon like this? Are there controls in place to make sure only the right people have them? How is the weapon made? What materials are used or needed? What are the characteristics of the weapon? How is it used?Prompt Four - Music ▼ Music has a long history, varying hugely by culture and purpose. There is operatic music, cinematic, rock ‘n’ roll, dubstep, trance, dance… too many kinds to consider under a single prompt. Even so, I leave the exact details of this one up to you. Write a scene featuring one type of music in your world and its role. Things to consider: What is the purpose or role of this music? Ceremonial or leisure? Formal or easy listening? What instruments are used to create this sound? Where is it performed? Who performs it? What does it mean to be a musician in your world?Prompt Five - Nightmares ▼ Dreams are said to be a process of the mind filtering memories into storage, a sort of de-fragmentation of the brain. Some believe dreams contain messages from the subconscious or external forces. Write a scene where your character is woken by a nightmare. What do your people think of dreams? What do they believe about them? How do they cope with bad dreams? What is behind this nightmare? Is it born from a phobia, a nagging unease, or indigestion?Prompt Six - Heroes ▼ A hero is a person who performs extraordinary deeds for the benefit of others. The deed may be small or large, it may impact a few individuals or a nation. The hero may be a hero in name only or striving for virtue. And one man’s hero can be another’s villain. Write a scene in which the funeral or anniversary of a hero is celebrated. Why was this person considered a hero in your world? What did they achieve? What are your character’s feelings on it? Does he agree or disagree with this person’s heroic status? How is the hero celebrated?Prompt Seven - Dating ▼ It’s time to break your reporters and chroniclers back out of the box. They have another piece of research to do. This time… Write an article on “how to date a {...}” :) As before, this can be a magazine article, part of a self-help book or a letter home from a student or scholar. Whatever form fits your world best. Things to consider… Who is writing this piece? Start at the beginning. What are the do’s and don’t’s? Why? How does one appear attractive to the targeted group? What are the courting rituals? Movies? Dinner dates? Sending flowers? What are the advantages and disadvantages of a relationship with someone from this group?Prompt Eight - Crime ▼ Laws come into being to protect a society from errant individuals and keep it functioning. Other kinds of law protect individuals from organisations abusing their powers or neglecting their ethical responsibilities. What constitutes a crime, what motivates one, and how crime is combated are your questions for today. Write a scene in which a character witnesses or discovers a crime of which he or she is not a direct victim. What is the nature of the crime? How does the character react? What does the character do? What should he or she do? How is your world policed? What is done to prevent crimes? What form does justice take?Prompt Nine - Alien ▼ We make sense of the world by making categories, drawing borders around the familiar. And those things outside the familiar? The things Outside? Write a scene in which a character encounters something alien or foreign. What is this thing really? Is it truly alien to the world or just something further afield than the characters' experience? What do the characters think of it? How do they react? What similarities does this thing have to things that exist in the world and what parts of it are strange or unfamiliar?Prompt Ten - Funeral ▼ The end of a life is an incredible loss. Some have argued that the rituals performed for the passage of the dead are for the benefit of the living, who seek to restore order in the wake of death. Write a scene in which a funeral or memorial service takes place. Who is in attendance? Who does tradition require to attend? How is the body of the deceased prepared (if relevant)? Is there anyone officiating the funeral? If so, who? If not, how is the event arranged? What are the trappings: the location, the clothes, the tools?Round Nine - December 2017 - February 2018 Triathlon - Conspiracy, Collection and Captivity ▼ The prompts are open to your interpretation, but you will need to consider Who, What, When, Where and Why. World-building is about providing context and meaning. Conspiracy: a secret plan by a group (noun) or the act of plotting (verb) Collection: a group of things or people (noun) or the act of accumulating a group of things or people (verb) Captivity: the condition of being imprisoned or confined (noun)Round Ten - August 2021 Prompt One - Reputation ▼ A character does not exist independent of his or her environment. For that reason many of these prompts will be as related to a character as they are to his world. As an introduction to round 4, we’ll begin with an introduction to a character and his or her relationship with the world. A reputation is second- or third-hand knowledge of a person or place. It may be of disputed accuracy, but it influences a person’s expectations and how they behave when first meeting with the object of the reputation. Write a meeting where a character’s reputation has preceded them. What is the character’s reputation? How do other people respond to it? How did he earn it? Did he earn it? Does the character care about his reputation and how it affects people?Prompt Two - Love ▼ Love comes in many forms and the ideals attached to love differ for each type and each origin. Choose carefully what kind of love you want to cover: it need not be romantic or happy love. Write a scene in which a character demonstrates their love for someone. Things to consider: What type of love is at work here? Romantic, parental, fraternal, or something else? Is this type of love generally respected? Is parental love dismissed as sentimentality or considered a virtue? What separates a petty infatuation from true romantic love in the minds of the people? Is this love returned? Is it unnoticed? Is it deliberately hidden? How does the character demonstrate his love? Is it appropriate? Is it subtle?Prompt Two - Water ▼ Water is essential to life on Earth. Water makes up 60-75% of human body weight. A person could survive a month without food but wouldn’t survive 3 days without water. About 71% of the Earth is covered in water. Water is called the "universal solvent" because it is capable of dissolving more substances than any other liquid. Waterways provided an early mode of travel and have been used to mark the borders of territory. Water is used in cleaning and cooling and cooking. Water has multiple forms as a solid, liquid and vapour. It has many more symbolic meanings and universal cultural significance. Today’s prompt is something of a free prompt in that I’m not going to tell you how to interpret this one. Whatever you think of as the most fitting or meaningful is what you are going to cover. That might be the threat of flooding, long-awaited rain, a religious observance, a way in which water is used… show me what water means for your characters. Is this water literal and physical? Is it metaphoric, symbolic, or mystic? What does it do? What is its place in your world? What does this source of water mean to your characters? Do they fear it, use it, admire it? What is done to control this source water? To channel or obstruct it?Prompt Three - Education ▼ Education is the process of teaching or learning. A 'formal' education is one earned in a school, college, or other institute dedicated specifically to the purpose. Informal learning refers to learning that occurs away from a structured, formal classroom environment. Write a scene which demonstrates the education system in your world. Things to consider… What kind of education is available in your world? And is it available to your character or are there barriers to obtaining an education? What are the key areas of the curriculum for the receiving this education? Are young ladies mainly taught comportment and art? Do young men only have academic studies or do they also study martial arts? If there is no formal system of education, what kind of education does exist? How do people train into their professions? What kind of skills and knowledge are considered valuable and how is that knowledge obtained?Prompt Four - Slums ▼ Scavenging a living on the fringes of society are the denizens of the slums. The unwanted and unwashed, clawing a living from the mire. Poverty comes in many forms, but slums house the utterly destitute. Write a scene which takes place in a slum or shanty town. Who inhabits your slum? Refugees, immigrants, an ‘unclean’ caste, exiles? What does the place look like? Where is it? What are people living in (or on or under)? Who cares? Is the slum visited by charities aiming to alleviate poverty? Is it harassed by the authorities trying to drive unsightly beggars away from town?Prompt Five - A Special Dish ▼ Pancakes are made on Shrove Tuesday to use up eggs, milk and butter before fasting for lent. Tea ceremonies are typically for receiving guests thoughtfully. Many cultures have dishes specific to funerals or weddings. Even birthday cakes are a ritual food. Write a scene which features a ritual dish. Things to consider… What does this dish represent? What degree of ceremony surrounds it? What is the dish made of? Is the symbolism in its ingredients like a pancake or its presentation like a birthday cake? What is this dish traditionally served with? e.g. a particular beverage of fresh fruit. Is there a particular venue attached to this ceremony or event? What history or relationship does your character have with this dish? Did she learn how to make it from her grandmother? Is it part of a hated observance his parents forced him to participate in?Prompt Six - Music Videos ▼ Choose either one of the following music videos for today's prompt. How you interpret the prompt is up to you. You can take inspiration from a part of the lyrics, part of the imagery from the videos, the costumes, or what place a performance might have your world. Pick out anything you can work with. Don't worry about explaining the inspiration, what I'm looking for is how you implement your world weaving around the thread you choose. Nightwish - The Islander  Miley Cyrus - Can't be Tamed Prompt Seven - Flowers ▼ Flowers may have personal meanings and bring to mind a memory, but behind that each flower has a cultural meaning. Roses are flowers of love. Daffodils of spring. Lilies of death. Daisies of childhood. Jasmine is a genus of shrubs and vines in the olive family native to tropical and warm temperate regions of Eurasia and Oceania. Irises are perennial plants, growing from creeping rhizomes (like ginger and lotus) or from bulbs in drier climates. The diversity of the genus is centred in the north temperate zone, though some of its most handsome species are native to the Mediterranean and central Asian areas. Write a scene which features either jasmine or irises and mentions or demonstrates its cultural meaning. Feel free to use any variety of jasmine or iris - including fictional ones made up to meet the prompt. Things to consider… Which flower have you chosen? What does it look like? Smell like? What are the plant’s needs? It’s natural environment? Is it native or specially cultivated at great cost? What does the flower mean? What is it associated with? How does your character feel about these flowers and their meaning? Example: someone might think roses on Valentines Day is a cliche or romantic, he might be charmed at receiving them, he might be giving the bouquet in the hope it will be endearing. If this flower has a personal meaning to your character which either aligns or differs from the cultural meaning, cover both. |
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