Something Fun

[dolorous_ett]

Look, everybody!  omniocularis collecting prompts for its Totally Not Badfic Challenge!

Based on the principle that a really talented writer can make something wonderful out of even the most rancid plot idea, here is your chance to test this notion to its breaking point - put up the lamest cliche-ridden prompt you can find and see if someone can make something decent of it! There are some great challenges up already, which are worth a visit in themselves.

Now my work crisis may be slackening off for a bit, I am quite tempted by one or two of these myself. There's nothing I like better than a really impossible challenge! 

And look - I have a new layout! I suppose I'd better go on record at this point to say that I find Halloween a bit tacky and embarrassing - but I'm a sucker for bats.

Comments

[nineveh-uk.livejournal.com]

Spooky!

That is a brilliant challenge - I'm definitely going to have to have a go at one or two of those.

[dolorous-ett.livejournal.com]

I would love to see you do it!

(you're excused really!better!aristocracy if you don't want it though...)

[nineveh-uk.livejournal.com]

I am actually quite tempted by the aristocracy one. Has it actually been written?

(It also strikes me that it would be a good moment for "The Wereleopard of Whemmeling Fell", which I am SUPPOSED to be writing for Hallowe'en, fat chance.)

[dolorous-ett.livejournal.com]

I am actually quite tempted by the aristocracy one. Has it actually been written?

Yes - even some surprisingly good fic has elements of that. And I believe there was a MASSIVE fandom spat over someone who said that the Weasleys were bad parents and white trash - but that's going back a few years, and I don't have the links. No great loss probably - that sort of Internet spat never ends well.

(It also strikes me that it would be a good moment for "The Wereleopard of Whemmeling Fell", which I am SUPPOSED to be writing for Hallowe'en, fat chance.)

That sounds fantastic. Please do it! The Halloween bit isn't that important, but it sounds like great fun. *chivvies*

[nineveh-uk.livejournal.com]

It's all coming back to me; they were irresponsible having children when they were So Poor and could not provide them with trust funds (I paraphrase), and OMG it was racist to criticise them, because they were coded Irish because of the red hair. Ah yes.

I am bagging this.

(I wouldn't mind Hermione's curves in all the right places, either, though I think it would be against the spirit to write:

"Crikey, Hermione, you look different!" said Ron.

"Of course, I do," Hermione snapped back. "That's what a dangerous illness and high dose steroids will do for you. And don't even think of making a crack about my clothes. It's not my fault my trunk fell off the new luggage van, and the only things that would fit belong to Madam Rosmerta's BUNAC barmaid."

[dolorous-ett.livejournal.com]

You're right about that spat - by the end I couldn't work up any sympathy for anybody because even the arguments I'd normally have some time for were being expressed in such a STUPID way.

Would love to see your take on that horrid challenge prompt, though. (and yes, I knew it was horrid at the time, but they did ask for badfic challenges...)

"Crikey, Hermione, you look different!" said Ron.

"Of course, I do," Hermione snapped back. "That's what a dangerous illness and high dose steroids will do for you. And don't even think of making a crack about my clothes. It's not my fault my trunk fell off the new luggage van, and the only things that would fit belong to Madam Rosmerta's BUNAC barmaid."

Am quoting this in full just because it amused me so much - brilliant!

[tree_and_leaf]

That's genius!

I thought about writing a version of that, only it involved the dreaded Airhead Curse... probably also against the spirit.

I wish I hadn't mentioned the 'fundie goes to Hogwarts' one; I really don't want to go there, but I keep getting snatches of dialogue....

[nineveh-uk.livejournal.com]

I rather like the idea of 'fundie goes to Hogwarts', and if the dialogue is there, the only way to stop it may be to write it out...

[dolorous-ett.livejournal.com]

I think that one could work - why don't you give it a go? And bonus points if your fundie manages to save at least one Slytherin....

Give it a try - why not? It's one of the more original prompts, and in a big fandom like the HP fandom, that's a very rare thing.

[lazy-neutrino.livejournal.com]

Great spooky layout. Is it one of the standard ones?

[dolorous-ett.livejournal.com]

It's one of the ones on offer on LJ's last News update, and it wasn't paidmembers only or anything like that - so I suppose it must be.

I nearly went for your delightful rooftops-and-starlings one, but I didn't want to seem like a copycat...

[lazy-neutrino.livejournal.com]

I've changed mine now! I went for something more autumnal in colouring, but with a Supernatural theme as well (the TV show, that is) for the links.

[dolorous-ett.livejournal.com]

I like that one as well - not least because it potentially leaves a roof-and-sparrows layout open to me! I've always loved that one.

(I got about half the Supernatural references - which isn't bad considering how little of the show I've watched - I was impressed by what I saw, but it is really, really scary and recently I've been in such a state of work-induced terror that the last thing I need is more!)

[lazy-neutrino.livejournal.com]

I watch it over breakfast. Never after dark!

I'm impressed that you got half. I wouldn't have got any before the show ate my brains.

[coyotegoth.livejournal.com]

Hmm; I may bag one myself!

[dolorous-ett.livejournal.com]

Go for it! I bet you come up with something good...

[tree_and_leaf]

Halloween is ghastly - but the bats are good.

[dolorous-ett.livejournal.com]

I like bats. I don't understand the hostility - something that's half like a little bird and half like a little mouse...

[tree_and_leaf]

I've always thought they were rather sweet, myself. I suppose they can be a bit startling when they come out of nowhere, but I don't think that's much of a reason for the hate!

On the other hand, some people are afraid of mice, which I also don't entirely understand (I did have a mice problem once, and they alarmed me greatly by scuttling round on the wooden floor at 3AM, but they were only scary while I thought they were something other than mice!)

[dolorous-ett.livejournal.com]

I'm not afraid of mice either - I dislike rats intensely, but that's because they're dirty and not small enough to be sweet. Not scared of them though - just brings bad memories of the less happy and less santiary moments I had in China.

I used to go out with a man with curly hair who was scared that bats would get caught in it. At the time I found this endearing...

[dbassassin.livejournal.com]

Cool bats! I like the colours; I was expecting black and orange, or something ghastly like that.

And much as I would love to take on a a badfic challenge, I didn't finish three of the four fics I was supposed to do in October. So I've got more on my plate than I can possibly cope with right now. Real life: how dare it interfere with fandom? *g*

[dolorous-ett.livejournal.com]

Brilliant icon!

I wouldn't do anything more overtly Hallow'een than this - there isn't a big tradition in the UK. Though I think my brother and I had a turnip lantern once or twice when we were small.

I know what you mean about Real Life (damn you, priorities!). Still, if I can ever finish the Ravenclaw Codex I might dabble in a bit of Totally Not Badfic - I can't resist completely impossible challenges...