by JOHN BECK
Member since:
August 27, 2008

Friday Writing Essential Prompt for 1/18/2013

January 17, 2013 07:10 PM UTC
views: 0 | 20 people recommend this | comments: 45

 

Location, location, location!

Some time ago I wrote a fictional tale (here) about mountain driving.  It had to be in the rocky mountains, because you can’t fall off an appalachian mountain!  It had to be about a mile above the land below in order for the time elements to work.  There had to be a grove of conifers or the ending would have been far different.

The prompt for FWE this week is “place”. Write a story, article, essay, or poem where the place is key to the meaning.  Describe the location in sufficient detail that it becomes a highlight of the entry. Use time, dialogue, tension, character development, whatever tools you wish but be certain that the location is an important aspect of your piece. It need not be that your location is the only place where your story could have taken place although that would be an option to consider. A mythical location is OK, but again it should be described in sufficient detail to make the place significant.

Don’t forget to include the prompt before or after your entry:  “Write a poem, story or essay in which the specific location is essential to the meaning.”

Be sure to include FWE-Place in your title and tag with FWE. Submit to Gather Writing Essential.

Happy writing!

 

Comments: 45

Pam Brittain Jan 17, 2013, 7:19pm UTC
Ahhh, the place my mind goes to when the Twisted whirlwind sends me seeking shelter.

Great prompt, John, and again, thank you for doing such a great job on these prompts.
JOHN BECK Jan 17, 2013, 7:25pm UTC
Thanks, Pam. I hope I can do a reasonably good job while Andrea is enjoying her infant daughter.
Pam Brittain Jan 17, 2013, 8:00pm UTC
You're doing better than me. I was just chastised on my last challenge.
Sonia M. Jan 17, 2013, 7:24pm UTC
I have the perfect location in mind if I can come up with the perfect story to tell...
JOHN BECK Jan 17, 2013, 7:26pm UTC
I'll watch for it, Sonia.
Sonia M. Jan 17, 2013, 7:28pm UTC
I hope I can come up with a good story using that place...
Jan S. Jan 17, 2013, 8:05pm UTC
I'll need to think about this one.
JOHN BECK Jan 17, 2013, 8:18pm UTC
Thanks, Jan. I'm sure you'll come up with something good.
Greg Schiller Jan 17, 2013, 8:18pm UTC
John, I like your prompts: clear, to the point, perfect.
JOHN BECK Jan 17, 2013, 8:21pm UTC
Thanks, Greg. I don't provide a lot of teaching and guidance, however.
Janet "Jax" B. Jan 17, 2013, 9:04pm UTC
And they do say it's all about location, location, location.....
JOHN BECK Jan 17, 2013, 9:11pm UTC
Yes, my daughter was in retail years ago.
Kathryn Flynn Jan 17, 2013, 9:19pm UTC
Excellent. Excellent.
JOHN BECK Jan 17, 2013, 9:25pm UTC
Thanks, Kathryn.
elizabeth evans Jan 17, 2013, 9:20pm UTC
Will be interesting to see what people come up with.
JOHN BECK Jan 17, 2013, 9:26pm UTC
As will I. Thanks, Bob.
Doug Westberg Jan 17, 2013, 10:15pm UTC
Excellent prompt!
JOHN BECK Jan 17, 2013, 10:57pm UTC
Thanks, Doug.
David W. Jan 17, 2013, 10:58pm UTC
I thought about several places and always come up with, "Been there done that."
An interesting prompt, John and it peaked my interest. No pun on your story intended. Well, maybe a tiny bit...
JOHN BECK Jan 17, 2013, 11:16pm UTC
Thanks, David. I'll watch for your special place.
William Dotani Jan 18, 2013, 3:35am UTC
I can think of many possibilities, but I've given up short story writing. This quite a good prompt.
JOHN BECK Jan 18, 2013, 7:46am UTC
Thanks, William.
Barbary C. Jan 18, 2013, 9:36am UTC
A prompt what is a prompt! Local dialect.

i.e., A good prompt, John.
JOHN BECK Jan 18, 2013, 9:56am UTC
Thanks, Barbary.
Barbary C. Jan 18, 2013, 9:41am UTC
P.S. Every week on the 6 o'clock news we see a car that has rolled off one of these Appalachian hill roads. Usually with the jaws of life extracting someone from the vehicle. No guard rails!
JOHN BECK Jan 18, 2013, 9:58am UTC
I have not driven on Trail Ridge Road out of Estes Park, CO for decades, but there were no guard rails and many places the next stop was miles down if you went over the edge.
Angela A. Jan 18, 2013, 12:01pm UTC
Great prompt friend
JOHN BECK Jan 18, 2013, 12:16pm UTC
Thanks, friend.
Mary Ann Slavcheff Jan 18, 2013, 12:03pm UTC
Very interestin. I have started thinking about places I have been and how they moved me.
JOHN BECK Jan 18, 2013, 12:17pm UTC
Thanks, Mary Ann. I'll watch for your post.
Mary Ann Slavcheff Jan 18, 2013, 12:05pm UTC
Why can't you fall off an appalachian mountain?
JOHN BECK Jan 18, 2013, 12:17pm UTC
OK, you can. You just can't fall over a mile before you hit something.
Jennifer Lee Jan 19, 2013, 12:02pm UTC
That's a great prompt. Poetry should include sensory details, yes?!
JOHN BECK Jan 19, 2013, 12:37pm UTC
Yes. Thanks, Jen. Good to see you here.
Jennifer Lee Jan 19, 2013, 12:39pm UTC
Will work on your prompt for fun, trying to break my streak of writer's block.
JOHN BECK Jan 19, 2013, 12:46pm UTC
I'll watch for it.
Jennifer Lee Jan 19, 2013, 12:39pm UTC
Thank you! :))
Dorothy P. Jan 20, 2013, 3:37pm UTC
I wan'na try this prompt John. Forgive me for being the back-marker here, but kindly advise of the due date.

Cheers!
JOHN BECK Jan 20, 2013, 4:09pm UTC
I should have included that. What I've said in the past is to try to get submissions in by the following Thursday, but that I would accept at any time.
Connie C. Jan 21, 2013, 9:46pm UTC

I am just stopping by once again to let you know that this post is spotlighted in the

What Is Happening Today On Gather ~ Tuesday January 22, 2013

I hope you will have the time to view the other spotlighted material as well. Have a wonderful night.
JOHN BECK Jan 21, 2013, 10:52pm UTC
Thanks, Connie.
Angela A. Jan 22, 2013, 12:05pm UTC
My post is now done. It's very short, but hopefully it fits the prompt well.
CanYouPictureIt?
JOHN BECK Feb 3, 2013, 8:54pm UTC
Thanks for joining in, Angela.
Kerry Dexter Feb 3, 2013, 4:52pm UTC
"you can’t fall off an appalachian mountain..." I'd have to disagree with you there, John, having almost done that myself. it was unexpected ice at a sharp turn on the steep road on the way to Cataloochee one December day several years back for me, and I've seen other folk almost run off the road at other points on park roads and elsewhere in the Appalachians. they are not as tall as the Rockies, certainly, but mountains nonetheless.
JOHN BECK Feb 3, 2013, 8:55pm UTC
I stand corrected, although of course I was exaggerating.

Join the Conversation
Chime in! Become a Gather member to comment.
Already a member? Sign in
top
 
Gather | Friends | Groups | Share
About Gather | Engagement Marketing | Gather Points | Advertise on Gather | Gather Press | Privacy | Terms of Service | Community Guidelines
Books | Business | Celebs | Entertainment | Family | Food | Giveaways | Health | Money | Moms | News | Politics | Sports | Style | Technology | Travel | Writing
Version 18247, "Zach"; Copyright © 2013 Gather Inc. All rights reserved.