TCWT August 2012 Blog Chain
ETA: 3/29/14: *If you’re one of the awesome people who finds these past blog chain posts through search terms, you can go here to find more recent topics and to sign up for a current chain.*
While ruminating on what topic to choose for this month’s blog chain (yes, there goes John using fancy words he learned in English class again), I realized that, in nearly a year of this blog’s existence, we’ve never done a single chain that revolves around creative writing. So I decided to change that because writing to weird prompts, I find, is always tons of fun. That’s why this month’s topic will be:
“Write a retelling of your favorite fairytale, myth, or legend.”
Lately, there have been a number of retellings in Young Adult literature, a la Cinder, Starcrossed, and so on, and because I find those books to be incredibly fascinating, I wanted to challenge all of you to do something similar. Because, let’s face it. You guys are so talented that it’s not even okay.
Your retelling can be anything from Shakespeare to Cinderella to the story of Helen of Troy–any book, legend, or fairytale is fair game–but be sure a) that it’s in the public domain and b) that you make it uniquely your own. Please also try to keep your story under 2,000 words, if possible.
And that’s all! I can’t wait to read all of the stories.
About Michael Waters
75 comments on “TCWT August 2012 Blog Chain”
Leave a reply to John Hansen Cancel reply
Teens Can Write, Too! 
Ooh, this sounds like fun! I’m in. Could I get a day towards the end? Sometime after the 15th?
I *think* I can, but I’ll need to see if we get enough people to take us through the 15th. You can always write the post ahead of time and set it to auto-post the day you get, if that matters. But I’ll reply again a little later on when more people join with your date. Is that okay?
That’s fine. I was actually planning on writing the post ahead of time anyway. Thanks!
I was able to get my story written this morning, so any date you want to give me now works. Sorry for the confusion.
I’m going to stick you with the 6th, then, if that’s okay.
Sounds good! Thanks a bunch.
I’ll go for it. I like the prompt. It’ll make more people join; most people don’t really like writing about writing, for some odd reason (I can’t fathom it), but they’d do a short story at the drop of a hat. It’s good.
I was about to protest that even 1.75k is a little small for a short story when I did a little research and found that most of mine are under 1.5k. Don’t know exactly why, but it should work. I suppose…
(Does this mean you’ll be trolling blogs with a wordcount machine, penalizing those who go over 2k?)
Ha! I won’t be trolling or anything and there won’t be a punishment for going over, BUT I’ve developed an eye for wordcount of short stories (I guess I’ve read too many…) and would strongly prefer if participants follow the guidelines, even if there is no real punishment. 🙂 And yes, 1.75k is sort of small for a short story, but not that much; I just don’t want to make people read page after page of writing. And thanks–glad the prompt is good! I’ll put you down for the 5th if that’d be okay?
August fifth, a Sunday. Should work. Thanks!
Oh, and John? Do you want us all to do different fairy tales? It might get strange when three people all tell the same fairy tale. Then again, that might be the perfect thing. My question is should we plan with the rest of the bloggers, so we don’t end up using one fairy tale too much?
Curses. I’m writing my adaptation and it’s over 2k already. Perhaps Rumpelstiltskin isn’t the way to go. It’s hilarious, though.
Sorry for being strict about it! You can probably cut it down to a little under 2k… maybe?
I’ll have to rewrite it. There is no extra in that version.
I’m responding to your comment here because it’s not letting me respond below… Anyway, I think it’ll be too difficult to try and schedule with the other bloggers. There are tons of different fairytales/legends/myths to retell and tons of different ways to retell them, so I doubt someone will come up with the same twist for the same fairytale.
Okay. That’s fine; I just wondered. It would be interesting, however, to put the name of the fairy tale the person is writing next to their link or blog title at the bottom of the post. It would require mass effort and a lot of coordination, though.
I apologize, but I must withdraw. This is mostly because I don’t have time to write a post. The one I have is no good either. With Camp NaNo coming up fast, you’ll understand, won’t you? Give my condolences to the other folks, and I’ll see where I can comment on TCWT posts.
RE: your below comment, because WP won’t let me reply…
No worries. I definitely understand, and I appreciate the heads up. Hope to see you for the September chain!
Yup. Disappointed, but it must be done. See you guys later.
I love this one! I’m totally in. 🙂
Awesome! Does the 6th work for you?
Actually, could I maybe have a later date? I’m gonna be on a mission trip through the last day of August and then I’ll need time to recoupe *and* actually write the story before posting it. 😛
Okay. How about August 10th, then?
The 13th is great 🙂
Okay, scratch the tenth. I’m losing my mind. 🙂 Is the 13th okay?
I’m in for whatever day you’ve got open!
Awesomeness! I’ll put you down for the 7th.
Love the topic! *internally shudders at the idea of people looking at my work* Could I possibly have a Saturday? My weekdays are kinda overloaded…
You are an awesome writer! You even have an agent! We will not allow you to doubt yourself here. And sure–the 11th is a Saturday. Does that work for you?
wow. I’ve never actually done this before, can I join in? Where do I post the work I’ve done, on the date I’m assigned? On my blog? Where do the critiques happen? On my blog? Sorry, a bit clueless – but this sounds like so much fun!
Hi! Nice to see a new face!
You might want to check out our “Blog Chain” page at the top if you haven’t already. I’ll assign you a date to post your response to the topic (i.e. the retelling) and on that day, you post it on your blog. We’ll send over a linked list of all the participants ahead of time, and it’s encouraged that you visit the other participants when they post and comment on their posts, and they will try to return the favor. The critiques would be in the comments of the posts, and as I said in the post, we’re trying to keep them positive. Make sense?
So if you want to join, does the 8th work for you?
epic. The eighth should be fine 😀
My blog is http://snippetsandslicesandscenes.blogspot.ca/
P.S. What blog are you going to be using?
I shall join. Beware, denizens.
Awesomeness! You have chosen wisely. Is the 9th good for you?
Yep! Also, disregard that other comment. Also also, in case you need to know for linking purposes, I’ll be using markobrienwrites.blogspot.com.
Good to know. Thanks!
Sign me up!! I am back this month with new………writing. Anytime after the eighth is good, as school starts on the 6th and the first few days are chaos, as usual. *Sighs* But I’m eager for this one. I came up with a good idea this afternoon. I’ll stop rambling-save it for my post. Will have to write it on Word so I don’t lose count of my words 🙂
Awesome! 😀 So the 12th is good for you?
Perfect! Can’t wait! *shivers with excitement*
I would love to participate in this!
My blog: onelifeglory.blogspot.ca
As for a date… I’d love late in the week, like a Thursday, Friday or Saturday. If the tenth is still open, that sounds good.
Thanks for organizing.
Sure! I’ll put you down for the 10th, then.
I’d like to sign up, it sounds fun.
http://theteenagewriter.wordpress.com
Awesome! Is the 14th good for you?
Yup, the 14th sounds good.
Hi! Can I have any date NOT in the teens of August? (10-19) Thanks!
Ack! I, uh, only have dates with the 15th and up available. Sorry! You could always write your post ahead of time, then auto-post it if that matters? If you really need a non-teen date, though, I can start the chain a day early and give you the 4th. Let me know!
4th? 😀
*grumbles to self* Fine. 😀
http://musingsfromnevillesnavel.wordpress.com
Hm… Olivia suggested I join in, but can it be a classic story rewrite?
crazyredpen.blogspot.com
Sure! That sounds fine. Is the 15th okay for you?
P.S. Would you mind giving your email? We usually send a mass email about the blog chain and since you signed in with Twitter, I can’t see it. If you wouldn’t mind either putting it here or DMing @TCWT on Twitter with it, that’d be awesome.
BEST 1 YET!!! I love mythology!! count me in!
I’m fine with any day you have open
otherrandomthings.wordpress.com
Awesome! I’ll put you down for the 16th, then.
Me, please!
Great! Nice to see you again. So is the 17th okay?
Yes, yes it is.
Sign me up (again)! 🙂
http://scribblingbeyondthemargins.wordpress.com/
Awesome! Is the 15th okay?
Since Liam dropped out, I could take the 5th, since otherwise there’ll be a gap between the 4th and the 6th…
I actually have someone else who I gave that spot, because she needed an opening. /: Sorry. This is getting really complicated now…
OK!
Are we going to get the list of participants soon? :&
Tomorrow. 🙂
Hi John,
Can you ask your writers if any of them would like to have their writing featured at my blog? Also, Robin has done several posts on rewriting fairy tales, too, that might help with this. Here’s her link:
http://randomwritingrants.com/2012/07/30/1428/
Thanks,
Michelle
Would you mind emailing us at TeenRiter[at]gmail[dot]com with a link to the writing feature? I could tweet about it, but I’d like to have a link first.
asdfajsfdhg;adlfkgja;sdlfkasjd! I’m in. Obviously. I write stuff based on mythology, like, the whole time.
Please can I have either the 12th, if it’s not taken, or something from the 19th onwards? I’m away or busy the rest of the time 😀
Woohoo! So this chain is getting seriously complicated now, and I’m afraid I don’t have either dates open. I have the 18th, though I can give you the 19th if you can get someone who isn’t already part of the chain to take the 18th? Otherwise, could you possibly auto-post it, like I suggested to a few people above? Sorry I’m not being very helpful!
Any date after the 19th, I mean. Up to, like, the 30th or whenever you stop. I’m just not around or near a computer in order to write the thing any earlier.
Okay, never mind. Someone just signed up after I wrote that, so now I can give you the 19th! 🙂
Awesome!
Is it too late to join? Any date is okay. I forgot about this until about thirty seconds ago, quickly checked the date and then got to this site as fast as possible.
No! This is perfect, because now I can give Miriam the 19th. I’ll put you down for the 18th.
thank you!
Guys, I hate to be a spoilsport, and I know it’s awfully late, but would it be terrible if I dropped out? If it would mess up a lot things, I can stick around, but I’m a bit overwhelmed.